Varalakshmi Puja in San Ramon

Their Mysore patti tends to get tensed on the eve of a puja at home. Varalakshmi puja is a major one, for which Sidhath/Nikhil's grandma woke up at pre-dawn hours.
But there was no way she could have started the puja without the presence of Nikhil and Sidharth, who had to breakfast, bathe (do Kakka in between), and get dressed for the occasion.But then Nikhil, smartly dressed in colourful kurtha - a hand-down from Sidharth - appears not too comfortable. He kept saying, 'Remove my betta'.
Puja got under way, eventually, shortly after 10 am.
The kalasa bearing the face of the deity needs to be brought into puja room before the rituals start. And the role of Sidharth and Nikhil, as 'bell-boys', was indispensable, for ringing in the deity into the house.
Sidharth leads the kalasa's passage into the puja room.The boys would not stop ringing the bell even after the kalasa is held in place.Nikhil, besides ringing his bell vigourously, welcomed Varalakshmi into the home with a loud chant of a popular Bollywood number - Balle, Balle; Shava, shava...
Sidharth was more appropriate with his choice of the chants. He has picked up from his mother a few slokas that he recited,with surprising clarity, for the benefit of the deity. The children are facing a wall in puja-room, instead of the idol, because of space limitation.The puja-room is small, and peculiar in shape because the real estate developer had designed this space for a wine-celler.
Later in the evening Sidharth/Nikhil had their parents line up a festive meal,including pongal, vada sambar.
Sidharth with a guest, Shankari.Nikhil Socialising.At the play-room after dinner.
Sidharth with young Vidhit - happy to play gracious host to his favourite aunt/uncle - Priya/karthik - and friends - Dhruv and Vidhit.Nikhil, doing his own thing, likes people around, but is not so 'hosty'as his brother. He,however,wanted to go babba with uncle karthik as they were leaving. Like brother Sidharth,Nikhil is bit of a car freak and wanted a ride in Karthik's BMW.

Next week, the children have another puja to look forward to. As Sidharth says, that is when Krishna would have a bath in milk. He is all ready to do the honours.