I'm back (in more ways than one)
Hey everyone!!
I haven't been on here for what feels like forever and I have just been catching up a little. I got back from Delhi and Amritsar last week two kgs heavier, my belt noticeably tighter and really feeling it. By the way, can I just say that G was NOT exaggerating when he said you get the most awesome food in Amritsar - I am sure both kgs were from my one and half day there!! The food was AWESOME, I made no serious attempt to restrain myself (though I've noticed I just can't eat quite as much as I used to anymore anyway) and I discovered you can definitely eat a whole lot more when the weather is cold!
The wedding was great too. I've spent loads of time with G's family - they are a really nice group to travel with and going to the wedding in the cold Delhi weather was fun too. I enjoyed getting all dressed up and wearing all my really heavy clothes since the events in Delhi are generally more formal than in Mumbai (not to mention that wearing really heavy clothes in Mumbai will earn you heat stroke as well as strange looks 
)
Then the whole family went on to Amritsar by train. We stayed at their old "haveli" (mansion) there. The place is disused and almost closed down except for a couple of wings, but I was so glad to stay there. It is an old old house that has housed four generations with this generation leaving only because of the terrorism in the 1980s. There used to be orchards and fields around the house as far as the eye could see - it's all just concrete developments now as the lands were parcelled and sold off - something that usually happens in a joint family where there are 10 - 15 heirs thanks to the big families in the old days.
I also discovered that G can use the title "Raizaada" as his family owned the entire jaagir (district??). Haha - for the first time since I've known him, I've discovered that my husband is titled - apparently some of his cousins still use the title! The title is kinda like "Lord", but thanks to the movies and cultural references, it also kinda means spoiled rich brat. G laughed when I told him he should use it - I wanna be married to Raizada Gaurav Singh Bakshi Vaid instead of plain old Gaurav Bakshi and I wanna be a Raizaadi!!!!
We also went to the Golden Temple - the penultimate shrine of the Sikh religion. I'd always wanted to go here and it didn't disappoint me. It is beautiful and peaceful and serene. It is hard to believe it was the location of of such violence in the 1980s. We also went to see Jalianwalah Bagh - site of a major massacre during the war for Independence (with macabre bullet marks preserved everywhere) and to see the retreat at the Wagah border between India and Pakistan. And then on to having some of the freshest and most delicious street food anywhere. We ended the evening with a bonfire at the house. All this in ONE awesome day!
I wanted to post some photos of the family at the temple and some of the haveli, but they're all with G so I am posting one of the main shrine in the temple and one of G enjoying the sunshine in Delhi. I loved my trip so much, I am busy making plans to go back in February and then to see their old "holiday mansion" in Dalhousie - good god!
The main shrine at the Golden Temple (now you know why they call it that!!)
Raizaada Gaurav Singh Bakshi Vaid
Raizaadi Priya with mehendi (henna) on her hands in Delhi
(not a flattering pic, I know, but more when I get my hands on them)
Upshot of this whole blog (oh yes there is one!) - I taking G and me back to eating properly - though all the weddings from now till the end of the month don't help - and we are going to exercise everyday. Now I had better leave or I won't get my evening walk in. Love you guys - thanks for all your good wishes!! I am feeling so much better and so much more positive right now - about everything!! For those off on holiday - wishing you all a great time away! Greetings of the Season!