Family Reunion Part 2- Breakfast @ Sarovaram

The final few days preceding the Reunion were most vibrant and entertaining. There were fast and furious exchanges on the whats app channel. Expectations were sky high.`Some one realised that Jayashree's name had been omitted; her name was hastily added. Kannan posted the brilliant and melodious Poomaram video clip which was well appreciated and applauded. Sekhar wanted everyone to post arrival & departure programs to facilitate pick up/drops. There were intermittent voice messages from Jayaram providing status updates on program. Question of expense sharing was raised and query posed to Jayaram who cleverly avoided any discussions. Ramu,Naran,Jaya,Radhu,Prathima,Krithika,Priya,Sethu & Sarayu were flying in to Angamali airport and would hire a cab and reach Sarovaram.by 8.30 am. Vinod,Priya,Shobha,Akshada,Arjun,Avilash & Avyuktha were driving down from Bangalore with stop overs at Malampuzha & Trichur and informed they would arrive Sarovaram by 9.00 am. En-route they would visit our family patriarch Rasu Mama/chittappa and take his blessings.
 Ramu,Shobha, mother Ramal & Guhan would reach Ernakulam on 19th night & reach Sarovaram on 20th morning around 8.30 am. Usha & Raja were driving from Palakkad.Jayaram & Aswathy were attending Asianets awards function on 19th night night and would drive to Ernakulam early morning on 20th and arrive groggy eyed at Sarovaram ot greet the family. Jayaram informed that two rooms had been booked at Sarovaram for early birds to check in luggage & freshen up and have their morning cuppa. There were queries about whether some of the cars could be left behind at Sarovaram parking while our group was away at Alleppey.
Minakshi informed that her & Siddhus train tickets were still wait listed & awaiting confirmation. As a contingency measure they would attempt Tatkal booking on 18th. Jayashree regretted her inability to attend owing to unavoidable circumstances..
There were discussions about organizing amusements and games  at the reunion and would some one kindly take charge. There was plenty of talent pool in our family hence ample potential for wholesome entertainment. Suggestions included singing, dancing, skits,games like antakshari & dumb charades. There were talks about bringing recorded music & costumes,chess boards & a game of Taboo (whatever that is-not to be confused with actress Tabu). Vinod & Radhakrishnan unequivocally consented to take full responsibility for all spiritual activities.
Niru responded that at exactly on identical dates she would be in Kaziranga chasing one horned Rhinos or vica versa - whichever the case it may be. Ramu started a frenzy of quizzes to keep the whatsapp channel buzzing with intensity. It all started with the Rhino quiz - "If 3 Rhinos could dig 3 holes in 3 days, how many holes can 300 Rhinos dig in 300 days". Answers for this quiz varied from 98 to 298 to 300 to 30,000.
This was followed by a riddle on sea monsters. Minakshi was on cloud 9 as her answer of 30000 was spot on.
There was a clarification by Shanthi - she was attending a classmate's daughter wedding at Kottayam on 20th at 11.00 am.She was trying to figure out how to reach the venue and join the reunion revelry.
Somewhere in the midst of all these discussions Yash had broken his mobile phone and currently was not in the group.
There still no clarity on where the family was spending the night in Alleppey. Jayaram continued to keep this a closely guarded mystery. The fun and banter continued endlessly. Energy levels were high and enthusiasm levels were peaking.Minakshi finally confirmed her Tatkal Ticketing - in a train reaching Ernakulam at 3.00 am. Sidhu was travelling by bus .
Another quiz about elephants,monkeys, rabbits & parrots all walking towards the beach -wide variance in answers.There were other quizzes on chiming clocks and aero-planes taking off from runways.
Very appropriately some one thought it fit to post Anna & Manni's picture as a profile photo for the whatsapp group. Shanthi remarked about the astonishingly striking resemblance between Anna and Kunjammai.
Sekhar, Narayanaswamy, Megha & Uttara landed in Ernakulam on 19th morning and reported they visited Chottanikara Bhagawathy temple and sought blessing of the powerful deity..
A disappointed Dinu reported the following "I wish I could (attend).Stuck in Hubli with work, house in a mess,luggage in transit at unknown location.Only thing certain is that I will be celebrating WA with wife" ( WA=whatsapp or wedding anniversary or wanton abandonment?
There were reports of Vinod & party reaching Malampuzhai, Sekhar & family going for a boat ride in Cochin and Ramu,Shobha,Guhan, Rama Periammai/Mami reaching Ernakulam and checking into YMCA Palarivattom. Usha & Raja would leave Palakkad by 5.00 pm and reach Ernakulam on 19th night.There were some amazing pics of the Aluva puzhai & exciting boat rides on the Vembanad lake.
All highways,waterways, runways & tracks were leading to Sarovaram, Ernakulam.

20 June 2017: News Clippings - Minakshi following suggestions alighted at Ernakulam Town at 3.00 and proceeded to the a/c waiting room awaiting pickup.
Team Namma Bangaluru takes off fron Devanahalli Airport.Scheduled to arrive at Angamali around 7.00 am.
Anu Sekhar with heavily bandaged ankle recouping at Chennai reading the what sapp messages with a heavy heart
Ranju sends her best wishes for the reunion.
Nirupama also posts pictures from Delhi airport as they are about to take off for their Kaziranga adventure.
Siddhu's bus crossed Trichur at 7.00 am and he will find his way to Sarovaram.
Rama mami/periammai sends her greeting to the family from her room in YMCA Palarivattom.
Family members started trooping in to Sarovaram reception area in batches - between 7.30 am & 9.30 am virtually all had arrived. There was continuous loud chatter all around.Squeals,shrieks & incessant peals of laughter filled the air.One witnessed a profusion of hugs hand shakes and greetings. The excitement and euphoria was palpable. It was all finally happening and emotions were running high. The family appeared frozen & immobilized in a sea of emotion at the Sarovaram reception.
By another astounding coincidence we bumped into Shobha ( Malayatoors daughter - poor thing was confined to a wheel chair being afflicted from a rare disease) and her husband Nagaraj. I was meeting them for the first time.They happened to be staying in Sarovaram and were in the process of checking out.
 The group had to be convinced and cajoled and virtually nudged out of the reception area moved into the first floor dining room at Sarovaram for traditional vegetarian breakfast of idlis, vadas,dosas, uthappams & pooris. My mother Ramal and her escort Lakshmi Mami were served breakfast on the ground floor. In the midst of this gregarious congregation and confabulations Jayaram & Aswathy made an electric appearance - both looking glamorously sensational in strikingly elegant ensembles. The Awards function had been a late night affair and they had driven directly to Ernakulam.