Wednesday, January 11, 2006

My best friend's wedding

One of the reasons why the trip to India this time is going to be extra-special is because I will be going for Shilpa's wedding. S and I have been friends for nearly 15 years now. She is my oldest best friend. We each know enough secrets about the other to be able to do successful blackmailing if we wanted. I have eaten her head about a lot of things. She calls me up at any time with a "I was bored and you are the perfect person to bug." We can talk for hours together about any topic under the sun.

We met in the seventh grade (okay stop calculating my age now). And studied for exactly two years together after that. Since then we have never stayed in the same city, forget the same school. Yet the friendship continues - first through handwritten mails and then through emails, instant messaging and telephoning. There are some people with whom you just stay connected without any conscious effort on your part. S is right there among the top people on the list

After I came to the US I have lost count of the number of friends whose weddings I have had to miss thanks to staying in a country 10,000 miles away. Ever since I knew about S and Vikram's (her future husband) relationship, I had always threatened S to dare not get married without my presence. I think I was among the first people to know when the wedding dates were fixed last year - S wanted me to start planning my visit.

For a while, it seemed that after all the effort, I would not be able to make it after all. But luckily things worked out and I am going to be there for the WHOLE ceremony. I am so thrilled :-D!

Shilpa is getting married on the 20th of January 2006. Vikram is really one lucky guy to get a wife like her. You can look all over for a long time but I doubt you will find anybody as caring or generous as S. Go wish her folks - she deserves the best of everything in the world!!

There are quite a few close friends of mine who have become not so close ever since they got married. I have promised S with bodily injury if she starts the stand-offish "maami" act with me once she becomes a parineeta (married woman). But knowing S, I somehow suspect that rather than her friends, Vikram is the one one who should be concerned about being ignored ;-)!

Shilpa, here's wishing you a long, wonderful, happy, successful and blissful married life :-D! You rock, girl!

14 comments:

BZ said...

Wow!! Thats a nice toast to your friend!
Congrats to her! [Yes I will do it in her blog too. :)]

15 years is amazing. It is very rare to find such friendship. And yes, I know that you know! :)
Say Hi! to Chennai for me please.

Ginkgo said...

:-)

so u gonna go with me to the wedding, right :-)

Archana said...

Rahul, yup, mez mighty excited about the whole thing :-)! Sure, will pass on your wishes!

Saranya, will say a big HI to chennai on your behalf :-D! Old friendships are really lovely ...

Ginkgo, there you go again :-P!

Anonymous said...

15 years is definitely a great time and a big cheers on your beautiful friendship. congrats to the bride shilpa and the groom vikram. i saw the wedding blog and the invite site too. only blogger comments and they ask for email at their site. so i didn't comment there. here go my best wishes for your friend and her hubby. friendship first ;-)

Ginkgo said...

There you go too...again ! :-P

Thanu said...

Meri Yaar ki Shaadi hai Have fun at the wedding.

Archana said...

Spark, will convey your wishes to S and V :-)! Yup, friends rule first :-D!

Ginkgo, btw, what happened to your blog? Still having a new year hangover kya ;-)?

Thanu, yeah, am planning to have a blast :-D!

Archana Bahuguna said...

Hey, its true, some relationships are completely effortless... kudos to your friendship and have a blast at her wedding ... :-)

Unknown said...

My Wishes!

>
> We met in the seventh grade (okay stop calculating my age now).
>

:))

Anonymous said...

if you have started, have a blast at the wedding. even if you haven't, please have. :)

Shilpa said...

Wow...thats a superb post

Archu...I am all teary eyed :-)

I am sooooo happy that u will be there
for my wedding...I was feeling awful when u told me that u could not make it...nyways I am glad that u are here

Yipee !!!!

Waiting to see u in 2 days :-)

I would like to thank all others for their wishes...I've been too busy
to blog...so will catch up on blogging in 2 weeks when I return

Ginkgo said...

hola...am all set to miss it :-(

Have fun @ the wedding..and do wish her on my behalf...:-)

BZ said...

Ahaa! :)
I knew you would not continue blogging while in India! :)
It is totally impossible right? :)

Hope you are having a gala time. Enjoy! And write all about it when you are back :)

Archana said...

Thank you all for your wishes folks! I had a totally awesome time at the wedding :-)!! The ceremony was simply beautiful.