Foot Falling

Shaiwal’s friend from engineering and his wife are here and also happen to be our company during weekends and stuff. This week the friend’s parents made an entry and it’s always nice to have parents around, whosever’s they are. I enjoy talking to elders, trying to tap into their pearls of wisdom and never ending list of useful tips on different areas of life. Somehow when the voice experience says something you tend to sit up and listen, right?

Well of course I was called upon to volunteer my tourist guide skills and I was happy to do so. A nice walk around the place, quietly pointing out different places and providing a few anecdotes and a bit of history and I was content with my good deed for the day. Parents however are parents and they have the ultimate urge to repay good deeds with treats and mostly treats include food. So Shaiwal and I were invited to dinner.

Well being a south Indian I am not so into the foot falling culture as the north Indians seem to be. I normally touch my elders feet when I am to go on a trip or before exams or generally when there is something auspicious happening. Now elders for me are my parents, brother and my grandmother. The north Indians however fall at feet as part of their greeting custom and farewell custom. So whenever I visit Shaiwal’s uncle, elder cousin, aunts, etc I touch their feet as soon as I see them and then again when I say bye.

I had that down pat so I am now quite comfortable with the relatives section of the foot falling custom, now what about others?!! So I checked with my reference point – Mr. Shaiwal Mathur. I asked him should I be touching your friend’s parent’s feet, how does it work? The exact response I got was – “Paagal ho kya, sab ki payr thodi choona hai” Fair enough! So I refrained from doing so when I met them for the first time even though common sense said something is not sitting right. Come evening Shaiwal and I go to meet them and this is Shaiwal’s first meeting with them and as soon as we enter the apartment he does a nose dive and goes for the feet! The parents are pleased and look at me with slight rebuke.

DUUUUDDDDDEEEE!!! What was that all about? So here I am the ill-mannered but to be forgiven ignorant poor south Indian gal and there was my husband the cultured oh so well mannered fellow! I could have clobbered him on the head!! :(