Saturday 3/1/2008 Craft fair & movie

So after all the celebration and arranging of teams everyone goes off to work or leave. Ritesh, Devansh (need to look that up), and I head out to the craft fair that is in town. Devansh rides her scooter and I ride with Ritesh on his two wheeler. I love that the women here wrap their dupatta around their head (finally figured out how to do it) and long gloves like evening gloves people wear in the States but not as fancy since they get full of dust. Then they have glasses on usually and sometimes a helmet. Usually they are waring short sleeves. It makes for an interesting sight.

We get to the craft fair and walk around. I wasn't really interesting in buying anything. I tried to tell them that and that I was just looking. Some of the stalls were selling items that looked the same. Ritesh tried to buy some shoes but they didn't have his size. Some items were interesting. There were a lot of stalls selling sari material also. So after we walk around the whole thing (it's not very large) they kind of looked at each other like now what should we do next.

So they must have thought I wanted to shop because the next place we go to is Pantaloons. I didn't tell them I was already there since it was mostly to shop for men's kurtas last time. I get two bracelets and some earrings to go with my new Punjabi suit from there. We walk over to some other store and look around. I had been wanting to get real bath towels (the ones in the apartment are what we consider beach towels) and so I did.

It must have been late or Devansh had something else to do so she left us at that store. I am still a little confused as to why she was with us. The obvious reason is that men and women who aren't married don't hang out together just the two of them...but I am not sure... So Ritesh ask me what else I want to do. I of course tell him I don't care. He knows from coming to the States that I like movies. He asks if I want to go see one and I say sure. So we go to one mall. They don't have any English movies playing. So we go to a different mall. I tell Ritesh that I would be willing to see a Hindi movie (I had already been told before that they are like 4 hours long). So he gets us tickets to see Jodhaa Akbar.

We have some time so we walk around the mall a little. Oh yeah crazy thing...all the movie theaters are on the top level of the malls. So it is finally time to go to the movie. We have to go through more security (already did to get into the mall) and they take my gum. Not sure why but say I can get it when I come out. Ritesh tells me there is a lot of security for the movie because people have been protesting it. The story is about a Muslim prince turned king who marries a Hindi princess. Some people believe she married this guys son and not him, etc. So they are protesting the movie.

All Hindi movies are what we would consider musicals. I get most of what is happening and only once in a while need to ask Ritesh what is going on. Oh yeah! Forgot to tell you that they assign you seats in the movie theater...no picking your seat. Oh and there is always an intermission in the movie. They build it in for people to get up so it cuts in a good spot, when it's an English movie they just stop the movie where ever since the intermission isn't built in. They also have staff that comes around asking if you want to order anything from the concession stand. We didn't get anything before the movie and I haven't eaten since lunch so I was all about ordering (don't have to stand in line then either). So we order some popcorn and drinks and get them super quick. And then the second half of the movie begins. It is funny to see how they handle the intimate scenes. They aren't allowed to show kissing on the lips in the movies here. It's funny to see how they hint at what is going on. I thought the movie was good. I like the outfits and the leads were good looking (of course). So after the movie I go home and go to bed.