Uncle of the Bride

Uncle of the Bride

In kerala uncles specially maternal uncles hold an esteemed positions in its matrilineal Nair households .
So it was for the marriage of both my nieces my sisters daughters I being the sole heir to that exalted position considered myself as being indispensable .
Both marriages were held in Guruvayoor Sree Krishna temple an all time Nair wedding favourite so much so I suspect Guruvayoorappan is hoping for a change in this obsession .
My sister got married here so did my cousins and yours faithfully entered into wedded bliss in its hallowed precints .
With more than 100 weddings on a day during the season chances of a mismatch was not a joke but had happened
in fact a malayalam movie was taken on such a happening !
So on the marriage of my elder niece i was entrusted with an important responsibilty .
The marriages were no more inside temple as it would be practically difficult
Imagine 100 weddings with 200 familes friends invitees by standers non invitees usual pilgrims it would have resulted in Guruvayoorappan asking for a transfer !
So marriages would be on a pedestal outside facing the altar
Each group would be in line @to thier time schedule move forwards
The group whose number is called would make thier bride and groom get into the grandstand with close family members of course UNCLES were paramount .rest of the cattle class stood cheering around
Once the formalities like tying thali garlanding and grinning was done the party moved forwards into the temple for darshan while next team slid into place .
The reciept given by temple was a very vital document as the priests and organisers needed that piece of paper for some order .
This paper was entrusted to me and i was asked to move into place in the right time .

There usually is a small rush to get into the pandal as all sort of distant uncles unknown cousins uninvited guests want to get a foothold in paradise so might is right .

So i was ready for the job clutching the reciept with great responsibilty .

I moved close to pandhal with the group before my niece and groom could trying to get into a strategic spot with military manouevuring .
What i didnt imagine was the surge of crowd would push me up the pandhal a bit  prematurely with the group in front .

Once inside i had no intention of getting down i could just be a part of the furniture till my time came i thought !
And so i was in a group about whom i knew nothing smiling in all photos
Ism sure they would get minor shocks seeing an unknown grinning monkey behind thier bride

I remember i even raised my palms in blessing a sign of my universal benevolence
Once the formalities got over the party moved down
Now the unthinkable happened
I was pushed down with as much vigour as i was pushed up and like a flotsam was carried with the current till i managed to rethink my military strategy and reversed my position to swim back to pandhal which by now was filled with unwanted cousins fake uncles and my niece with her parents and i just handed the reciept with a sheepish grin
Thus the great uncle was never seen in the annals of the family pictures .
The sorry uncle of the bride