A memorable trip and celebration
Kia Ora / Namaste
My name is Niharika Giri – most people know me as Nira. My family immigrated here in 1973 when my younger sister and I were under two years of age. We lived on a 1300-acre family farm in Whenuakite.
Over the decades of living on the Coromandel Peninsula, we have returned to India on numerous occasions (when I was 5 years old, 15 yrs, 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s) to visit whānau (family) and see various artistic and historical places.
My work dried up unexpectedly, and my cousin mentioned a celebration for my Dhadhi Ma’s 100th birthday on the 18th April 2025. I felt a call to return to the birthplace of my ancestors.
Monett at You Travel booked me seats via Malaysia on Malaysian Airlines; I landed in Delhi on the 9th of April 2025.
First stop: Delhi
My first stop in Delhi was shopping @ Delhi Hart to buy saris to take as gifts.
In the past, it would take two days by steam train heading east across vast landscapes.
Today, with a new airport, the domestic flight from Delhi to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh (UP) took one hour twenty minutes.
I travelled by car for two hours with my young cousins, back to my father’s birthplace: Gopalganj, Bihar.
(photos – Indigo Air Flight and Gorukpur Station)
A Cultural Pause
An Indian protocol: when my uncle died last year, the grieving family stopped any celebrations or festivals (Holi, Diwali) for a year. This meant that Dhadhi Ma (Dad’s Mum)’s 100th birthday celebration was postponed until 2025.
On arrival, I could not wait to hug the matriarch of our family.
Namaste means ‘I see the higher being in you’ – by placing your hands together and a slight nod downward.
In Indian culture, you touch your elders’ feet as a sign of respect. (This also helps stop spreading germs!)
The elder always replies with: “Kus Roe”, which means STAY HAPPY!
Our Family Tree
Dhadha (Deo Vansh Giri) and Dhadhi Ma (Sona Giri) had 12 children – eight boys and four girls, my father being the eldest child.
When observing the family tree, from those 12 children came:
39 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, 3 great-great-grandchildren
That’s 92 humans, not including the partners.
The Power of Food
Dhadhi Ma’s healthy, long life is attributed to a plant-based diet grown organically, with plenty of spices (garlic, onions, ginger, turmeric, etc).
The live foods contribute to her longevity – also, being surrounded by family as you age keeps you feeling younger.
(photo – thali with rice, subji, roti and thali with rice, dahl and subji)
The food at home was delicious – with fish, chicken, and goat eaten on special occasions only (cows are sacred and provide milk).
Fresh fruit and vegetables go direct from growers to market stalls and into your kitchen, where cooks prepare three meals a day – eaten within 90 minutes for optimal nutritional value.
Being a foodie, I felt loved, cherished and looked after.
Celebrating 100 Years
The house was decorated, and a large couch was brought in for Dhadhi Ma to sit and greet her guests.
There were friends, family, dignitaries, and village folk – we fed between 5,000 – 10,000 people. The kids loved the ice creams.
No Alcohol, Plenty of Love
Bihar is a dry state, so no alcohol was served during the festivities.
Words by Nira Giri
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