I have officially become a desi aunty — Haha

The weather was perfect — calm and pleasant, with a gentle breeze.

Though it must have been afternoon, the coolness in the air still felt like early morning. I was with my friends on a terrace, enjoying the moment, a warm cup of masala tea and gossip.

The weather made everything feel fresher and better :).

Sundar mausam, chai aur chai par charcha

While looking around, here and there, my friends and I took an unanticipated pause. All of us looked down.

“Who is dropping her off the bike?” said one of us, looking at a girl getting down from a bike.

I was at a friend’s place who had recently rented her property’s first floor to college girls.

And the conversation continued.

“Maybe they are dating?” — I said, just like a typical aunty.

“Yes, I see him dropping her often.” said my friend.

The girl looked up only to see how curiously we were looking down. However, in my defence, we were standing there enjoying the weather and could not help but cook a story.

And in my friend’s defence, I must mention that the paying guest has some liberal policies we never had — like male members and family members being allowed inside the premises, no unwanted questions asked, and except for such accidental moments, no value-based judgements too.

So, coming back to that moment, this girl rushed inside and went straight to her room; just as I remember, most of us also behaved when we were seen with our male friends/or dates or whatever.

The look Indian aunties gave me a look when they would see me with a male person. I felt like I had committed some kind of crime, and I must run.

Unknowingly and unintentionally, we were doing something similar.

I laughed at first, thinking how my friends and I were certainly becoming the desi aunties we used to be averse to during our early 20s. Those who would always pass judgy looks on everything.

Random picture of me from sometime in 2022— giving that looks, and completely makes sense here

And no, that's not the end. Here are some more actual reasons that make me believe I am becoming an aunty:

1. I have begun to prioritize comfort over trend, unlike college times when fashion first was mostly my clothing philosophy.
2. I cannot deal with too much hangover anymore :p Unlike in old times, the next day of the party starts with a headache or some acidity issues.
3. I have begun to enjoy mornings over late nights, although I still have some of my late owl moments.
4. I prefer meet-ups at home over going to the club, though dancing at clubs does not hurt either. Of course, once in a while.
5. I cannot keep up with the Genz modern-day acronyms, and it worries me.
6. I talk and think about the good old days.
7. I often use the term ‘generation gap’ while talking about ‘kids’ who are three years younger than me.
8. I want a peaceful sleep and not a sleepless night- most days, I want to sleep early.
9. I want to eat healthily — of course, minus the emotional eating regime — I am aunty from the 90s, after all.
10. And I am also sometimes a matchmaker to my friends.
11. While scrolling on my phone, I sometimes use one finger, usually the index, with great precision, as if pressing buttons on an old-school keypad, with a certain seriousness on my face, like I am about to uncover something important or send a crucial message to the family WhatsApp group.

So there you have it, folks — I have officially entered the Desi Aunty club!

Haha, I’m now the one sending voice notes, dishing out unsolicited health tips, and holding my phone like it’s a priceless treasure...But hey, we all knew this day would come, right? 😄

Disclaimer: This is all in good fun and not meant to offend the wonderful aunties out there. I admire you :).