Deck - Jaana vasam

Hi there, technically this is my first post in my blog.Hmmm I am sure you have also seen the first two posts in the blog. Frankly I had them put in the blog just to make sure that I dont misplace the lyrics. I have been writing for some time but never thought blogging would interest me for all that I have been writing were school home works and college assignments. I have written so much of them and I am sure I used to be the best.

I am blogging because I have been a jack of all trades through out my life, thats 23 years FYI. That means I have a lot to share and that would also mean I wouldn't like to leave blogging untouched, I said I am a jack of all trades that includes blogging as well.

Now about the title " Deck - Jaana vasam " Wonder what that is ?? well I am sure you wouldn't be wondering about that if you are a typical South Indian and for the people who are from all parts of the world that doesn't include South India, the right person who can give details on that would be a South Indian and here is a South Indian writing this blog.

Deck ?? well it has got more than one meaning and thus "Deck" qualifies as a Polysemy.The meaning that we are looking at right now is Tape Deck. Still confused?? Deck is a Video recorder and player. Back in those days, a family has to be very rich to own a Deck, Only the rich and the famous can think about having such high end luxuries. So what do the not so rich and famous people do? yeah they rent it from deck shops or video cassette shops.

Now what is so interesting in renting a deck ? did it cross your mind ? Not bad, first blog still I am able to guess whats going in your mind. Now the interesting part about deck in south India is, If a family decides to rent a deck, the family doesn't watch the tape alone. Now why am I using "family" here? because renting a deck is a family affair. It doesn't happen every now and then. There will be lot of planning, brain storming and all that stuff before the head of the family says a "go ahead". Now that the head of the family has said yes, its a party time. The home maker would get busy with cooking all sorts of snacks, preparing butter milk, rooh afza etc and etc.
Kids would come up with a list of latest movies that hit the silver screen perhaps a couple of years ago - That was latest at that point in time, there is no online download like these days. So now the entire family is all set to welcome the rented Deck and the head of the family has already left to the video rental shop to get the deck. Kids would be eagerly waiting and running towards the door on the sound of an auto,Invariably Decks arrived on autos on those days.
Finally the deck has come and the power has gone...what crap ? a family will plan for almost six months and after a lot of discussion they have decided to rent the deck and now there is no power? Hmmm well what can we do?? The video shop guy would have installed the deck and would have noted the time. After 24 hours he would come back and the deck will be gone. Now there will be lot of prayers, phone calls to the electricity dept and ofcourse kids would curse their bad luck.

Thank god the power cut was not for long, the deck is all set to be played. But there is something missing......Audience..Like I said watching a deck is a ritual. A family can not do that alone. Now its the time to send out last minute invitations to all the nearby friends and relatives. They would be making it to the party, after all the closest family is playing a deck.

The entire thought of deck came to me when I was watching a Jaana Vasam VCD in my uncle's house. I went to my uncle's place to motivate my nephew who is appearing for his board exam this year. After all the sermon I had to make there was a lot of time so my aunt asked me if I would be interested to watch their marriage VCD. Thats when I really understood the cultural change the south India has been subjected to. A decade ago Deck was a ritual but now I was watching it all alone in a VCD. No more decks, no more get-to-gether in the name of deck.
Its really shocking how the future generation is going to pull this through with out decks.
Crap, every one has a blue ray disc player. No more deck.

I was watching Jaana vasam and thats what prompted me to have this title of Deck - Jaana Vasam. Again Jaana vasam is something that happens in a very few marriages and are more famous in South Indian weddings.

This a funny event to say the least. Jaana vasam is a part of the whole wedding and happens on the first day of the wedding ceremony, Unlike most weddings South Indian weddings span as long as 3 days. In few cases even more. During Jaana vasam the bride groom plays his part in creating traffic in the city. After all he is the Hero of this whole stuff, He can create chaos leave alone the traffic thing. So what exactly happens ? This guy, not considering the Hot and humid climate of chennai as parameter, would be wearing a stuffy 'Reid and Taylor' blazer suite. Probably this would be the last time he would act as the hanger for this blazer, in case if he is a software engineer moat certainly he is, would wear it when going onsite :) Now that the blazer part is over, The marriage contracter would have been requested to get the oldest vintage car available in the country for the groom to take a trip in. Older the car gets, more prestigeous the ride becomes for our hero. Mostly they try to get an Impala or a Fiat. The car would be a convertible ofcourse, our hero doesn't ride in a 4X4 SUV or a Sedan nor does the custom allows the usage of a BMW or a Benz many people still think its a bad omen if the car was not an Impala or a Fiat.

The car is ready , Groom is ready and where are they going ?? Thats a million dollor question..This is his marriage he can go where ever he wants...But I have not seen a guy escaping from a marriage on this Jaana vasam car. Poor guy he din't know it was his last chance to escape. But heroes don't escape, they take the problem head on, They get ,married.

But still the car driver doesn't take the car from neutral to first gear, I still wonder if they really had engines. Poor driver what can he do with a car that isn't one.By the way the car is not only for the groom to ride, There will be so many kids, atleast 30 to 40 who should get a ride in the car along with the hero. The car will be stuffed with the kids and finally the car will start to move, ofcourse the Bride's family has to push the car from behind, every one knows these cars don't have engine.

Btw there is some one knocking at the door, how long can some one knock the door and nor can I stay here forever. Gtg, Thanks to my laptop enabled with WiFi, This post comes straight from my loo :).