Diwali 2013

Diwali 2013

The Sabai gang of KK Nagar successfully celebrated Diwali Dhamaka with family for the third consecutive year this Diwali. This year we packed our bags for a night's stay at Continental resorts in Thirukazhukundram.

Our gang has grown in size to fill up a bus and a tempo traveller. The kids known to each other as neighbours and in some cases classmates too warmed up to each other right away in the bus. The guys who are friends from many many years decided to travel and have fun in the van with only two of them deciding to nobly escort the ladies and kids in the bus. We, the ladies, were discussing clothes and Diwali bakshanam to start with. The journey was about 1hour and 30 min at the end of which we were at the resort. The size of the place was unimaginable with battery cars operating to take us to the cottages. The whole place was beautiful.

After freshening up in the rooms, we met again at the swimming pool area for coffee and snacks. The teenage kids started hanging out with their age group and a few pre teens also tagged along. The guys were thinking of jumping into the pool and we started exchanging information and tips on running the household.

This was followed by the highlight of Diwali, colourful bursting of crackers. We had great fun, ending with lighting circles of sparklers and watching them form a ring! 

After such action packed evening, we were ravenous, not to mention the energetic kids. The dinner buffet was organized in a nice open area and we were eager to start. But alas, only the empty dishes were kept ready for the buffet with the burner ready to be lit, there was no food inside. Understanding it will take at least another 30 minutes for the dinner to be served, we decided to ask the kids to sing. It was such an enlightening experience. What knowledge these kids have! After the initial shyness, the children came out very enthusiastically to sing all types of songs right from carnatic to kuthu paatu, as solos, duets and chorus. We made a couple of knowledgeable ladies also sing.

Of course singing session in the Sabai cannot end without our light music singer Kumba’s performance! He did sing a few numbers for us with a special one for his wife Sudha!

 In between dinner did happen and the food was good, but priority now seemed to be the music and the fun we all had together. As a mike was available, the guys took over, giving speeches, the main highlight being friendship for three and a half decades. Thinking about it, it is not such an easy thing, to maintain a steady friendship over such a long time. It may be possible for 2-3 people to be friends for many years, but not a gang of people. Kudos to you guys!

After a good night’s sleep, the guys and kids were energized to play cricket in the morning and the ladies had to make our own plan. Many of us were interested in visiting Thirukazhukundram temple, but were discouraged about the number of steps to be climbed. We ended up visiting Rudrakoteeswarar temple nearby, thanks to the suggestion given by Sujatha.

We came back by 10 to have breakfast and had a major gossip session for the next few hours which was real fun! 

Post lunch and a very small siesta, we bade goodbye to the lovely resort after a group and family photo session to return home.