Aryaan is 1

From then to now....
(photo:courtesy Pooja)















It seems only the other day when my sister,was chiding Pooja and Bashir for making me wait inordinately for a grand child.Little would I know then that we would be blessed with a sweet grandson who is now a year old.
Here he is... trying to tell you how the year was

They say 16th September 2012 was a very special day.They all came after lunch to Breach Candy hospital where  Mum delivered and at 3:06 PM I came into this world,a 6 pounder...I went home and soon was named ARYAAN. A lady masseuse would perform the oil massage and bathe me unmindful of the fact that I was crying my      heart out. 

In the beginning of October on my 21st day they held the KAPPU ceremony. Durri grandma cut a lock of my precious hair... Neel uncle,Razia athai's husband handed me over to Razia athai...they were playing passing the parcel..who slipped the enormous Kappu over my slender hands.It sank all the way up to my armpits and disappeared.The ones for the legs were in place.Joy thatha sang Araaro Ariraaro the lyrics for which was provided by Google.He got it all mixed up during rendition but no one complained.They wrote my name on Rice.This was followed by a great southy dinner for them after putting me to sleep I think                                                     
Life was repetitive those early days.I slept,I cried,I survived on liquid diet and I slept some more..Then they put me in a play Gym where I learnt to get excited and kick my legs and move my hands.They took me to Patti's house and celebrated my first month B'day.

I was by now a regular at Marine Drive but would
invariably go off to sleep in my Pram. I was just 2 months  when I was made  to visit  Goa and spent 4 days basking in the Sun.Look what they did to  me.I did not need that tan.
My favourite place at home was my colorful chair where I would  sit and enjoy the world around me. They would all come and
say sweet nothing and expected  me to react? He He
Then came Christmas and my mum and dad were distributing gifts to everybody around.I was enjoying books being read to me and was also excited by the rhythmic snap of Joy thatha's fingers.He would sing Baa Baa Black sheep which I liked.
Then I went to Ooty to see my other grandparents  This was also the time I needed somebody to pat and sing "Twinkle Twinkle" for my sleep.
On 16th Mar,when I was 6 months old I was introduced to a solid meal.It was a mixture of rice serial and milk in a small bowl.I lapped up spoon after spoon of the serial without fuss and asked for more!They all clapped at the wonderful experience to see a baby eating well.I loved it and asked for more.I went to Goa again and Mum put me in the pool this time.Life is tough....
I was meeting so many new people and they would take me in their arms and pet me and try and kiss me and all that.What impudence!
I must tell you something else.They expected me to turn and lie on my front.But that could not be as my head was wobbly,So I managed to get out of it by crying my guts out leaving them no choice.
It was now time for International travel.At 7 mo and some days I took the flight to New York and SFO to attend a wedding.What was the need?I met Mama Aditya. As if that was not enough,on 25/6 I arrived in SFO,a second time,to spend couple of weeks culminating in the Arangetram. I enjoyed the performance nodding my head vigorously and shaking my torso making everyone wonder what I was up to.I wore a Dhoti and Kurta. While in US I visited many places of interest such as the Central Park,Golden Gate National Park,Big Sur which I thoroughly enjoyed.I was 9 mo at this  time.
I loathed my travel to Matheran at 10 Mo when I hung on to dear life when my Dad put me in the harness,covered me in plastic and carried me thus for the next hour.He was saving me from the rain!
I was back there at 11 Mo in the company of my young friends

And you think that was enough excitement for the year? Naaaaa
   
It's a Hap Hap Happy Birthday..........

The blessings and celebrations began with the Bhori birthday on 4th September,the day chosen per Gujarati calendar.He was dressed in their traditional garb,looked like a Chote Nawab,complete with a cap to match.All the elders performed the WADAO with tender Coconuts. Wadao is akin to Dhrishti Suthal among the Hindus.As was to be expected Aryaan was finicky and had to be handled with mum mums and such to go through the proceedings which was of short duration.We had traditional and very tasty Bhori dinner thanks to Durri                                                            

His Hindu Star birthday arrived two days later on the 6th.We took him to Fanaswadi (Girgaum) Balaji temple and performed Archanai there.He was very well behaved inspite of the sultry weather and was transformed completely wearing his Dhoti and adorning a garland of marigolds.He was a bit peevish owing to lack of afternoon sleep but  manageable.The Priest blessed him and we smeared kum kum on his forehead. Thus the ritual was completed.

Aryaan's birthday party was held on 14th September.
The living room at PIL Ct. was decorated lavishly and no effort was spared by the duo of Durri and Razia to make the setting as adorable as the children who participated. The Motif of animals was everywhere... on the Cake, Balloons, Paper napkins,stickers,Duck shaped dinghies filled with plastic balls,Serving plates et al. There was a play pen in the centre of the room with building blocks and books and other play material. Soap bubbles were a great hit! Nursery rhymes and party music was playing in the background as the children and mothers mingled and enjoyed the show.It was a joyous occasion captured by many cameras.

Aryaan was totally overwhelmed by all that was happening around him..