India, Feb. 16 -- When a Brilliant Mathematician wed a Graceful Mysorean at a grand hotel in a stylish manner

By Girija Madhavan

While dining at the Hotel Metropole in Mysore recently, I watched as a festive table was being prepared for a party; bringing back a sheaf of memories of a wedding lunch there in 1952.

At 14 years of age, it was my first formal luncheon in a stylish hotel and Metropole was indeed a grand hotel back then.

In those days, sumptuous wedding meals were customarily served as "Ele Oota" [food served on banana leaves] to guests seated comfortably cross-legged on the floor. This was going to be different.

This stylish wedding at Metropole that I'm reminiscing is that of my older friend Lalitha Kale with the legendar...