📅 November 9, 2025 – The Wait Was Finally Over
After months of promising to “meet someday,” destiny finally sent us a wedding invitation instead of another forwarded meme! Vasudeva created a Marriage Initiation Group a long time back. Initially, he did not post the invitation; that group created curiosity. Just fifteen days back, he posted marriage invitation.
The big day arrived — the reception of Varun, son of our dear classmate Shri Vasudeva, and his lovely bride, Pragathi — held at the serene Sri Raghavendra Mutt in Udupi, where some of us used to visit every Thursday during our student days.
So, at the stroke of 11:00 a.m., my wife Shreemathi and I set off. By 11:15, we rolled into Udupi, hearts full of excitement and stomachs eagerly awaiting the traditional feast.
👋 Familiar Faces, Familiar Smiles
The first person I spotted was our WhatsApp group’s beloved “Chief Executive of our Whatsup Group” — Madhusoodan Kidiyur — chatting with Parameshwar Adiga and his wife. Nearby stood my former student Mr. Jayathirtha, now managing the Mutt’s religious activities — a proud teacher moment for me (and a reminder that I’m officially vintage due to my age!).
Climbing up to the wedding hall, we met the ever-gracious Vasudeva — beaming in his traditional green religious attire. His affection, warmth, bold, authentic voice, and energy could have powered all of Udupi that day! He introduced us to family, his daughter, son-in-law, and friends with enthusiasm.
And the refreshments? A sugarcane juice with lemon and ginger — so refreshing that even Lord Krishna might’ve paused his flute to sip it. High glucose level was not an immediate issue for many of us.
💬 Catching Up Over Conversations & Cane Juice
Soon, Prasad, Indira, and Meera joined in. What followed was a wonderful mix of nostalgia, laughter, and a few exaggerated stories from our college days (we’ll never admit which ones were true).
Then came C.R. Sridhar, who’d already turned this wedding into a multi-city reunion tour — meeting his SBI friends in Udupi and Manipal earlier that morning. He shared many beautiful snaps taken with his old friends.
And, of course, the charming Vaijayanthi Pai arrived, bringing along her infectious laughter and stories from her activities with Manipal Mahila Samaj. Within minutes, the room buzzed with chatter louder than the band inside the hall.
🎓 The Surprise of the Day — Our Teacher Appears!
And then, like a scene from an old movie, someone exclaimed, “Is that… Prof. K. Sooryanarayana Adiga?!” Just when we thought the day couldn’t get better, a familiar face appeared in the distance at Car Street — it was none other than Prof. K. Sooryanarayana Adiga, our former lecturer at Poornaprajna College! There were many positive reasons to remember him.
There he was, walking down Car Street with his wife — the same gentle smile, the same twinkle in his eyes. For a moment, time stood still.
Our excitement was instant — Sridhar, Parameshwar, and I practically ran down the steps like teenagers (minus the stamina). Meeting him after 45 years felt surreal. Some of us were students again, even if our hair (or lack thereof) told a different story.
Prof. Adiga, with his ever-youthful smile, reminded us that teachers never truly age — they simply upgrade versions like fine software. We reminisced about his unique teaching style, the subjects he taught, and the mischief we managed to hide (or thought we did). We asked him whether he remembers Sridhar, Parameshwar Adiga, Hema, Ravikala, Vaijayanthi. No doubt, there were mixed feelings. Cameras clicked, and time stood still. Change is the need of the day, now only memory...
🍛 Lunch, Laughter & Lifelong Bonds
Lunch was, in one word — legendary. Joining us was Kishor, and soon Sridhar’s jokes, impressions, and cartoon sketches turned the lunch hall into a mini laughter therapy session.
Vaijayanthi, ever the cultural curator, immediately booked Sridhar for a music and cartoon event under the Mahila Samaj’s 2026 calendar. Talk about instant networking!
Between bites, Kishor and I discussed his days at LIC, life at Bhima Layout, and our shared roots near Manjeshwar and Udyavar. Small world, big memories!
👰🤵 Blessings for the Beautiful Couple
After the meal, we moved toward the stage to bless the newlyweds — Varun and Pragathi — glowing in their wedding finery.
Proud father Vasudeva stood beside Kishor, his joy unmistakable. We wished the couple a lifetime filled with love, laughter, and maybe fewer WhatsApp pings than ours.
🙏 The Krishna’s Darshan
Next on the itinerary was Sri Krishna Temple. Seeing the one-kilometer queue, we almost turned back — but faith (and contacts) move mountains!
Thanks to situational leader Vaijayanthi’s confidence and Parameshwar Adiga’s (a telephone call to Madhusoodan Puthuraya) connections, we soon found ourselves near the front. Divine intervention or divine networking — either way, it worked!
Standing there, taking darshan of Lord Krishna, I couldn’t help but remember those college days when Adiga and I would line up at the same temple — but for the free lunch at Bhojan Shale. Some things never change: faith, friendship, and fond memories. Steve Jobs also experienced it. We offered prayers for our classmates, families, and all those who were unable to join us in person. Gratitude overflowed - as did nostalgia.
☕ Filter Coffee, Ice Cream & Friendship Forever
Our final stop was Madhusoodan’s house in Kidiyur, where his wife welcomed us like family. Vaijayanthi led us in her Shift Car. The aroma of fresh filter coffee filled the air — rich, strong, and pure nostalgia in every sip. I thought of buying that Continental Malgudi Filter Coffee Powder from Amazon; in fact, Sridhar wanted to have one more cup while leaving the house to visit the Malpe sea shore.
We explored his soon-to-be-finished 5,000 sq. ft. home, admiring every corner (and secretly imagining ourselves moving in); the modern facilities, like those at Sona, surprised us...
And then came the sugarless Ideal Ice Cream. Everyone politely said, “No, thank you.” Ten minutes later — not a single spoonful remained. Some temptations are timeless!
💞 The Sweet Taste of Friendship
It was more than just a wedding — it was a time capsule of friendship, laughter, and life after 45 years of shared journeys. As the sun began to set, we realized this day had been more than a wedding — it was a reunion of hearts, a celebration of time, and a reminder that friendship, like fine wine, only gets better with age.
Although not all could attend, their presence was felt in every laugh and every memory shared. We wanted to meet Vijay Mohan, Shivaram Bhat, Sridhar Kamath, Chandrashekar Adiga, Polla, Lakshmi Kanth, Muralidhar AR, Madhusoodan Puthraya, Ramesh PR, Sadashiva Mallya, Jessy, MS Bhat, Nagaraj KN, Poornima, Shobha, Tabitha Asha, and many others. We hope that the next get-together will help us to meet all..
We left with full hearts, happy stomachs, and one unspoken promise echoing in our WhatsApp group later that night: “When are we meeting next?”
Some of the snaps, the more will be copied below:
.jpeg)
No comments:
Post a Comment