15 years since "I do"

Today, 15 years ago, Priya-Ann Gonsalves said those golden 2 words to me at the altar in Mount Mary's Basilica, and I couldn't be happier. We were surrounded by our near and dear ones in one of the most serene settings one could hope for in bustling Mumbai. As always to any momentous occasion, there's always a backstory and ours was no less eventful and ridden with ups and down. Fortunately for us, it all ends well at the altar. Sitting now as we are in Covid times, where social distancing is the norm and government rules forbid a gathering of more than 50 for a celebration, we were lucky to have what we did on 23rd April 2006. No masks, no compulsory sanitation or fear syndrome.

But lets rewind a bit. Back to 2003. I got a call from this girl asking me if I could contribute to the parish bulletin. I had been so caught up with work that I felt a void and had volunteered my services at the parish. Priya's call was in response to that, so technically I made the first move #justsaying. Tip #1: if you want to find your soul mate, the local church is a good place to start.

We met up and seemed to hit it off from the get go. Pri has such a charming smile and vivacious personality, I fell head over heels then and there. However, we acted like responsible adults and focussed on the job at hand, a concert for a local children's charity. It was just what I needed to get my creative juices flowing and out of the monotony of corporate life (even though I was working with actual cartoons at that time). After delivering one of the most successful campaigns for the company, I decided to move on to a bigger and better opportunity. With Pri by my side, I felt reassured and by now we were officially a couple. To clinch the deal I organised a dinner with a few of her best friends at one of the swankiest joints I could think of - Olive Bar & Kitchen, which still hosts some of the most high profile parties. One of the co-owners, Martin DaCosta was a good friend and agreed to give me the co-owner discount and the corner shack for the evening. More than Priya, I think her friends were more impressed which helped build more equity. Tip #2 - if you want to win her heart, win the hearts of those she trusts!

It was around this time that I joined Channel [v] and moved out on my own. Far enough to have my own space - because of all the late nights at work yet close enough to enjoy the benefits of a weekend breakfast and free laundry at mum's place. Priya and I spent a lot of time together after her work and on the weekends. We loved going for drives in my brothers Zen and sitting at Bandstand sea face. I was also lucky to be a part of her school Helen Keller Institutes' annual celebrations - Christmas parties (as Santa of course), outdoor excursions (I once guided a blind professor Dr. Rajendra through the naval museum and helped him see every inch of it through my eyes, not because of my intelligence, but because of his curiosity) Independence Day and other such activities. I fell even more in love with Priya every time I saw her signing to a deaf student or communicating with a multiply handicapped person. She taught me to never say "dumb" but "mute". If you would like to know more about HKIDB pls visit their website and consider donating.

After courting each other for 3 years, it was time to say those 5 words.

"Can I marry your daughter?" I'm generally not the one to get nervous & tongue tied around people, but the day I went to meet the Gonsalves', I sweated buckets and buckets. My dear brother Conrad, after helping me choose the ring, would only come in so far as the building gate! I rang the door bell not knowing what I was going to say or how the situation would play out. Priya's parents were in the mood for some fun though and pulled my leg for a bit. They must have known exactly what I wanted to say and let me sweat for some more time before they consented. Yay! I was put out of my misery and we could start planning the wedding.

Wedding prep: Ideally we would have loved to have a beach wedding as Pri & I love the beach and water bodies. The only conceivable locations in Mumbai were 1-2 hours travel away and we both agreed that it would inconvenience many elders whom we wanted to celebrate with us. So we chose Sea View hotel, a quaint little hotel which overlooks the sea. However, instead of a garden or hall, we had to make do with the car park.Thanks to Priya's elder brother Vinay, a veteran in the event management business, we were able to convert it into a beautiful space with cabanas and our friend Ryan stepped in to help co-ordinate on the floral arrangements and deliver a great mix from the DJ console. Caje Sound provided his best music gear and since it was an afternoon wedding, everyone was on their feet till late in the evening.

Another highlight of our wedding ceremony was the 1927 vintage Ford which came to us courtesy Uncle Carl and his neighbour Babloo who is a vintage collector. We felt like celebrities all the way from the Church to the venue.

2 beautiful kids later, as I reminisce about the past 15 years, I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude and love to the almighty who was instrumental in bringing Priya into my life and her family for accepting me with all my flaws and short comings. Here's to the next 15 or 100 if Izak has his way!