It was KM’s “birth star” today, and our friends had said they had fixed up an “abhishekam” at the local temple for us. We agreed, and went to their home to find that they had made quite a big deal of it….

Here’s the kOlam that greeted us:

They had made a special place for us, and made KM tie a thAli around my neck and NK tied the next two knots the way a sister-in-law would do:

Then N and S, her daughter-in-law, (NK, CSK’s son, and S live far away and came over just for us, too, they had to rush to work) did an “Arathi” for us, after I had sat and sung some songs (for one of which KM sang along with me!)…

Though this was far more than KM and I really wanted today ( a.neither of us believes in the rites and rituals, and b. neither of us is completely over the bereavement we suffered in January, and c. because of that, our daughter wasn’t with us) we felt truly blessed by the familial affection with which CSK and NK took all the trouble for us. They had called another couple, too, who are our close friends…and THEY made it in the terrible morning traffic when they had other pressing engagements….

Friends are truly the greatest treasure in the world.

And…like a newlywed couple, we are now going to a “night show”…“The Lives of Others” has a show ONLY at 10pm, and I know that at least one of us is going to fall fast asleep less than 10 minutes after the movie begins….!

That’s because yesterday at about 12.45 am the power failed, and the UPS (uninterrupted power system my FOOT!) also failed, and we got power back only at 4am…I better try to get a nap now.

These pics were taken by K and N’s son,whose initials are, oddly enough, NK, on my MLC.