Saraswati!!

Balu (Babi's brother) is looking bored as hell so let me relate a few things before he goes postal and insists that we leave this sweaty shoe-smelling (although all the shoes are outside) internet cafe.

HINDI SERIAL: No, not cereal... although Mummy asked me if I wanted to get some Corn Flakes for breakfast (I declined, as authentic South Indian Breakfast is the very best thing in the world). I have started watching a Hindi soap opera that comes on Zee Network. It's called "Ghar ki Lakshmi Betiyanne" which can be loosely translated into something like "Our Daughters are the Good Fortune of the House." I understand more Hindi than Malayalam, but then that still isn't much... but fortunately this does not require anything but an open mind towards UTTER RUBBISH! It's the most deliciously melodramatic, over costumed, over acted, straight up JUNK, featuring Saraswati (side note: Goddess of Knowledge and other good stuff has same name) the new bride in a North Indian home filled with people who dress like they're coming off the set of Devdas (a very ornate period film) but have cell phones. She is constantly crying or begging her mother in law for something or another.. "Mummy-ji?" (the ji being a respectful suffix you use in Hindi) I've been able to gather that she didn't bring enough dowry in for her marriage, her husband (an over dressed mama's boy) beats her, her mother in law hates her, and she is probably going to be accused of making eyes at her new brother-in-law although I think her sister is going to end up marrying him. It is the best full hour of CRAP that you can ever see. The mother-in-law (Mummy-ji!) is a fierce beauty, always looking like a million bucks, and Saraswati has been disappointing lately in not changing clothes between episodes, but she is usually in more jewelery than I own, full bangles up to her elbows, sari pallu over her head like some Rajasthani from last century, and probably 5 kilos of sequins dispersed over her outfits. It's on at 5pm. I missed it today to come here. Very very disappointed... but it replays at 10pm so maybe I'll stay up to catch the late show :)