Tarsh started this. Tarsh is to be blamed for all that followed! Any credit can be given to me though...
The background:
For reasons unknown/forgotten/irrelevant, Tarsh put a status message saying "Bhatta getting married in March"... What started off as something that would simply startle others, turned out to be the best practical joke I've ever played. The target: Not one, not two, not three, but a dozen people!
Initially, when people asked me if it was true, I just played along. Some outright believed it, some had doubts, and others simply didn't. Sirish Chitrapu was the first to believe it, what a man! :D. One thing led to another and the plan began to take shape, slowly. My first task was to convince everybody that I was indeed getting married. So, at the next get-together, came up with a story that it was my grandma's wish that I get married! (grandma, forgive me, you would never do that). The story concocted was convincing enough, I should say. Acted very sober with all the people just because the wedding was not according to my wish! Well, some people bought the story there itself. Also, I began to disappear on weekends (used to go on treks) and missed get-togethers (too much pain I say) which helped things a lot.
My fiancee's details:
Name: Rashmi (dont know anyone by that name..)
Location: Mangalore
Pursuing her B.Sc right now.. planning to do her masters after the wedding.
Hasn't been on treks before.. hasn't been on rides before.. is a veggie...(wonder what will she do with me?)
Anyways... Sirish and Saurabh, concerned about me, gave a crash course on "what to do and how to do, post-wedding", with Saurabh suggesting that I don't get stingy, coz the cheaper condoms are not reliable :-). ROTFL! Had a really tough time keeping a straight face listening to the gyaan!
With almost everyone believing it now, Shenoy came up with an invitation card, which was a killer. It was the final nail. There was no way anyone could doubt the whole thing now. Her name, parents name, grandparents name... all concocted. The card was as authentic as a card can get, with all the fake names! Hats off man, Shenoy. Carefully planned the wedding to be on the 16th in Mangalore and the reception on the 13th in Bangalore, trying to cause least inconvenience to the people involved. Co-ordinated with Shyamoly to make sure nobody buys a gift and nobody books tickets in advance to go to Mangalore (I am soo kind-hearted).
With everything set, moi switched off my cell phone on the D-Day and was happy kicking some arses in my kickboxing class. The 'targets', all dressed up, reached the place to find nothing happening there at the hall! Bemused, not knowing what hit them, frantically tried to figure out what was happening. Sirish started calling up people left, right and centre... Pari had a li'l fight with the watchman saying a wedding was 'supposed' to happen! Someone called up the manager of the reception hall! lol..
Still unsure of what was happening around them, all gathered at Shyamoly's place (pre-planned, Shenoy and Shyamoly made sure everyone got to her place). About half an later, yours truly turns up, needless to say, to a grand reception!
Partners in crime:
Tarsh (started it all, then disappeared)
Shenoy (brilliant technical support with the killer card)
Shyamoly (lots of co-ordination, too many roles for her)
Moch (suggested we send the ppl off to some arbit reception hall)
and yours truly (more than a month of planning and execution).
The card that Shenoy came up with:
