2025 – April – Ishaan’s Janoi (Thread Ceremony)

This year was a special one as we celebrated Ishaan’s Janoi Ceremony (Thread Ceremony) when he turned eleven.

Mum and Dad were eager to celebrate his Janoi (Thread Ceremony). The occasion involved a memorable road trip from Bangalore to Hyderabad, filled with the warmth of family and a touch of unexpected adventure.

What started as discussions about the venue and guest list soon turned into an adventure, culminating in a beautiful thread ceremony hosted by our generous cousins.

The Venue Dilemma

For a few weeks, our house was abuzz with discussions about where to hold the Ishaan’s Janoi ceremony and who to invite. Our guest list seemed to grow with each passing day, and the thought of a large celebration felt a bit overwhelming. Dad, with his big heart, wanted to invite everyone, while Mum and Preeti preferred a more intimate gathering with close family.

Our Hyderabad Saviors!

Just when we were feeling a bit stuck, our wonderful cousins in Hyderabad stepped in like true heroes! They insisted on hosting the entire ceremony at their home and wouldn’t take no for an answer. This made the decision so much easier for us.

The Road Trip Begins

With the 14th of April set as the big day, we planned a road trip in the Harrier from Bangalore to Hyderabad, leaving on the 12th. Our departure was a relaxed 11:30 am, starting with a delicious Mulbagal Dosa breakfast in Jayanagar. However, the journey began in typical Bangalore traffic!

Google Maps’ Little Detour

Google Maps, in its own wisdom, decided to take us on a scenic route through Chintamani and Madnapalle via Old Madras Road. I had expected it to merge onto the main Anantapur/Kurnool highway, but after Hoskote, we found ourselves on a single-lane state highway for about 4-5 kilometers. Any attempt to reroute towards Devanahalli showed incredibly long driving times, which caused a bit of panic.

Initially, to avoid grumpy passengers, I followed Google’s suggestion. But after 25 minutes of increasingly narrow roads, my instincts kicked in. I made a U-turn and set our course for Devanahalli and then the familiar route towards Anantapur.

Thankfully, we soon found ourselves on the new outer ring road (which Google Maps hadn’t quite caught up with yet!) and reached Devanahalli quickly. From there, it was smooth sailing on the wide, straight road to Hyderabad.

Pit Stops and Full Tanks

Our trip was relatively uneventful. We had lunch at “Big Bay,” touted as “India’s largest food mall on NH44”; where Ishaan and Preeti enjoyed KFC burgers, while Mum, Dad, and I opted for Haldiram’s. We also took a quick tea break just after the Dhone toll.

We needed to refuel in Kurnool and stopped at a BP filling station, filling up the tank around 5 pm. Our estimated arrival time in Hyderabad was 8 pm, and we were already planning an early dinner and some much-needed rest.

The Unexpected Key Fob Drama!

Then, something completely unexpected happened. The Tata Harrier refused to start, displaying a “KEY FOB NOT DETECTED” error.

A frantic search for the key fob ensued. We all got out of the car, checking under the seats, inside bags, even patting ourselves down – but the key fob had vanished! To make matters worse, the car wouldn’t budge into neutral, and we were blocking the fuel pump.

I realized that I might have dropped the key near the tea stall in Dhone. It was about 50 km back. Strangely, the car had started after that stop. We hadn’t received any warning about the key fob until we stopped again in Kurnool.

Help Arrives Just in Time

I reached out to a very helpful old customer who heads MGB KIA in Kurnool and Mahindra in Anantapur. He went above and beyond to assist us. He offered us a demo KIA car to take my family to Hyderabad and arranged a guesthouse for me in Kurnool while I dealt with the issue with Tata customer care.

He even sent his technician to the filling station, who then contacted his friend at the Tata dealership in Kurnool. Meanwhile, I registered a complaint with Tata Customer Care and went through the necessary steps, eventually being told that the TATA RSA team would call.

The Tata dealership technician informed me they could reprogram a spare key fob they had for approximately ₹6000, which I readily agreed to.

By 7:30 pm, we were finally back on the road to Hyderabad, ₹6000 poorer but relieved!

Late Arrival and Mehndi Fun

The night drive was tiring, and we finally reached Hyderabad a little before 11 pm. A good night’s rest was definitely in order!

The next day, the 13th, Kavita had arranged for a Mehendi artist to decorate the hands of all the ladies before the big day of Ishaan’s Janoi. The ladies spent a delightful 4-5 hours getting intricate and beautiful designs done by the expert.

The Joyful Janoi Ceremony

The 14th was a blur of happy activity. After breakfast, the puja began and went beautifully. Ishaan thoroughly enjoyed the ceremonies and all the attention he received. Pramit, Shilpi, and Anika joined us, along with two close family friends of my cousin. We had a sumptuous Andhra Style veg lunch from “Simply South”

It was a truly beautiful event filled with joy, delicious food, fun, and lots of laughter. I had a great time capturing the moments, and I hope you enjoy seeing the pictures!