Went for our local church's Good Friday procession yesterday evening with my two grand-aunts. I suppose Im as bored as a housewife. Religion is entertainment and social activity in the life of a housewife. Otherwise all you have to do is cook and clean.

They take a procession of dead Jesus (lying down) and Mother Mary, around the Christian locality in Juhu. Devotees wait by the roadside at pre-determined points where the procession stops and they are allowed to blessedly pass from under the wooden bier carrying the idols. While ringing around the roses one must offer flowers to the idol. Although due to the speed with which the transaction is carried out, one tends to throw them at the idol. Sometimes all your flowers get disposed with Jesus.. ao you steal some back from him for the Mary idol, or round two. Yes, round two.. the idol goes from the church and we pass under it.. then it comes back and we pass under it from the other side.
Pocket full of posies.

As you can imagine, the scenario provides several opportunities for men to grope. Which they did to me when I was young. After which I stopped going.
Black Friday it was to me.

Its been so many years. Earlier all the housewives used to come. Now its just their mum in laws. They have found the gym.

I shouted at the men. "Dhaka mat do" even before the game began. I was prepared to beat up. I am a Rane after all. My grand-father just broke the rear view mirror of the police van because it was parked outside our gate some days ago.. and he's got arthritis.

xxx

First they covered the streets in green leaves.
"Are these any special leaves? Do they have some relevance?" I asked the leaf thrower.

"They are Karianth(Marathi)," looks at me again,
"From your garden only we got them. Rane House.. in the back."

Oh.

My garden?

Someone from the church:"Hi, Rane right. Did you know that your great great grandfather donated this statue of Jesus to the church."

"Your grandfather I tell my aunts," who nod proudly.

"And their silver cross," they inform.

Quite secular weren't we. I like that.

I was the bloody landlord.
But mind you, we were secular.

They lived lives of great luxury. In Japanese gardens.
Then someone in the family tree blew up all the money on gambling and film actresses.
Before killing himself with a self engineered car bomb.
sorry.. those outside the family must know it to be an accident.

xxx

I am going to a friend's farmhouse in nearby Karjat for the night.
See you.