A Saga of An Arranged Marriage

Rrrrrr.....phone rings

"Hello mumma... Yes I'm back from office".

"Yes I already had my dinner". What about you?

Is it possible to take few days leave and come home?- Mom on other side of call.

"What happen mumma?"

"See, we are very much worried about your marriage. If you stay such a far away from us giving excuse of job everytime, then, how we will be able to find a guy for you?"

She sighs, " Not again please". Last month only I visited home. I can't take off again. Why don't you convince the guy to meet over here?

See dear, You have to understand this. It's a very crucial time, and you have to cooperate with the situation. If taking leave is such a problem, then, why don't you resign and come back home?

Mumma please, let me think about it. Chalo, I am very tired now. Going to have my dinner, Bye!

Call disconnected.....

Arranged marriages in Indian society are way long and complicated procedure. No matter whether a girl is literate or illiterate, she has to pass in multiple stages of the face showing rituals. Sometimes, she gets rejected just because she is way high literate than a guy, sometimes gets rejection just because her education doesn’t match the guy’s literacy, or sometimes the proposal is so pathetic that she has no choice but to reject it. If I compare this with applying for a job procedure, don’t you think that both have similarities? In the case of jobs, most of the time you get rejected because either your qualification and experience don’t match the job profile or sometimes you reject the opportunity because you think that the job profile is too low as per your experience. Isn't it?

Well, let me stick to the arranged marriage. The girls’ decisions to tie a knot with someone solely depends on how much does the families like each other, what is the earnings of the prospective grooms and bride, and in some of the fortunate cases the opinions of the would-be bride and groom.

This story is of two characters whose solder was just a destiny call. Anjana, a girl of middle-class working family whose ambitions is to fly high in the sky with her wings spread wide, while Amreet is a guy of a struggling family whose childhood has passed completely different from other kids and whose bachelorette has driven him to struggle vigorously to earn livelihood.

Anjana, a 25 years old girl belongs to a family who always wanted their daughter to study and become independent. Anjana's family comprises of two daughters and a younger son. Her family was not only modern but, an open-minded who thinks that boys and girls are all same and so is their upbringings. Her family never discriminated among son and daughter and equally gave them education. So, most of her bachelorette was spent studying far away from her hometown. She pursued her Master's degree from Bangalore, engrossed herself as a trainee for testing medicines for cancer in research institute, and finally stepped into a medical writing job in a private company. Days passed by and her job life was running with full-fledge with no worries and no tension. But being a young and beautiful lady, she also has weaved dreams for her marriage, where her prince charm will come and will hold her hand. One thing that definitely every girl wants that she wouldn't be the burden for her dad. And so was Anjana! She always wanted to marry someone who has the guts to take the responsibility and sole decision and not the one who only remains as a puppet for his parents.

However, the search was in continuation. Her parents were looking for a perfect match for more than 2 years and hence, due to above said formalities, she was yet to meet her Mr. Perfect. Yes, destiny has planned for her and she was waiting for it to get it to unfold.

Here’s her parent’s search ends….

Anjana’s father was approached by a guy through a matrimonial site and surprisingly everything seems perfect. She was insisted by her parents to meet the guy once, as both of them were living in the same city. One night her dad called up and said, “Beta, did u check the guy's photo? I have texted you.”

Anjana: Papa, did you find the guy suitable?

Dad: yes, he seems perfect for us.

Anjana: where’s mummy? Let me ask her. She will explain to me much better.

Dad handed over the mobile to Mom

Mumma, how do you take up this guy? Is he having mustache?

Mumma: Laughs! Arey no… Don’t worry. He is a clean shave. By the way, he wants to have a meeting with you. So will you be able to meet up on Sunday?

Anjana: Fine! But, ask him to call me before 8 PM. After that I won't pick call

Anjana's dad shared her no. to the guy. One day before the meeting, the guy called her:

Hi! 

Hello! who's this?

Guy! I got your number from your dad. Is this Anjana speaking?

Yes speaking, please tell me (Anjana already got to know that this was the same guy about which her parents were talking about). But, she pretended to be unknown.

Ohh yeah! Please tell me..

Can we have a meeting on Sunday? You decide the spot and we'll meet there., if you don't mind.

No dat's fine. Dad already told me about the meeting. 

Conversation ended.....

On a very fine day, both of them decided to meet at a decided place.

With excitement to meet someone who might be your prince charm, Anjana engrossed herself in choosing her outfit. She dressed up nicely and looked at the mirror twice and thrice to crosscheck whether everything is perfect. Isn’t the colour of the lipstick very dark? Am I looking gorgeous? These questions were arising in her mind. Well, it’s now time to head out for the decided place.

Anjana: Hi! Where are you? I reached

Guy on another side of call: Oh! Ok.. Just about to reach. Actually got stuck in traffic

Anjana thinks “can’t he come earlier?” Don’t know how long he’s gonna make me wait here.

The only problem was with her that she was worried about whether her hair doesn’t get tangled, and her face doesn’t look weird due to sweating. She only wants to look perfect on her first meeting.

Finally, she could see a guy approaching her.

Sky-blue jeans complimenting a checked shirt, and glass on the face. His index finger moving a car key and eyes eagerly searching here and there for someone.

But, oh, who is he? He was followed by another guy who has noticed her before him. With a smile on his face, he whispered something to Amreet. He was Amreet's close friend.

Well, finally they both met and decided to sit and talk at Mc Donald's restaurant. With a bit of shyness, eagerness, and mixed feelings of nervousness, both had a good time over the conversation, taking a sip of cold coffee together, while his friend ordered french fries. The normal conversation ended with a laughter and fun. Though the conversation was normal, but, there was several minute and importat things that each one of them were trying to understand. Foe example, whether Anjana will work or not after marriage? Does she will stay as a housewife if asked to? and alots more.

The guy as he seemed to be was exactly the same. He made Anjana completely comfortable and this was the reason, both talked to each other openly.

Finally, it was time to leave.

Guy: How will you go?

Anjana: I will be taking an auto from here. It was nice meeting you, she smiled.

He smiles and with some doubt, asked. "If you don't mind, shall I drop you"?

She was a bit confused, but, later on, agreed.

On her entire way, Anjana thinks, “Oh God, when will I reach? Why the route seems so long?” I hope this feeling has happened with every girl when she is accompanied by someone unknown.

Finally, she was back in her lounge!

Hello papa, I'm back.

How was your meeting? Anjana's parents asked?

Nice! 

I am very tired papa. Going to take a nap. Bye, will talk in the evening.

After she woke up in the evening, she picked up her mobile to check. She has received a message from the guy mentioning that "I reached my room".

Hastly she woke up on the bed and unlocked her mobile to check the message.

By the time she was just checking, the guy called up. Hi! You didn't even ask me whether have I reached my place or not?

A rush of blood flows down her spine. She smiled

I am sorry, I didn't ask you. Actually, I fall asleep. Thought will call you after I woke up.

Ohh.. Don't lie. You wouldn't have called me if I haven't called you up.

Both smiled. 

And the conversation lasted for a minute or two.

The guy was well-educated and has no such expectations. On the other hand, both the families bonded in such a way that they knew each other. She met the guy twice before marriage and a string of attachment and emotions have started creating among them. Whenever they used to met each other, the guy always tried to explain more and more about his family, his mom-dad, sisters and her kids. Though it was very golden and romatic period so Anjana used to think that she was quite smart to handle his family wisely.

Time passed by, the message conversation was then transformed into the W******p conversation and both chatted lately. And finally, bth of them decided that they must marry together.