My Most Memorable Day with the Girl I Married #Together

It was 3rd July 1989. The most memorable day of my life. The pinch of the sultry summer was being manifested by the profuse sweating from my entire body. It was past eleven - approaching midnight. My bhabi (sister-in-law) literally pushed me inside the room and closed the door from outside. Although fully aware of the occasion I was a bit nervous. There I was, all alone in the company of the girl whom I married just a couple of days back. I had not even seen her face well. Since my parents had finalized the marriage without asking for my opinion, I had decided not to see the bride before the marriage. I did not know much about her except that she was a post graduate in science and the daughter of a commerce professor. And I never got the chance to exchange a word with her. This was for the first time that I was going to be face to face with her. Although we had tied the nuptial knot and taken the vow to remain man and wife for life, we were still strangers to each other.

She was sitting quietly on the floral bed, clad in a dazzling red zari saree, her face partly hiding under the ghunghat (veil). I was not able to decide how to begin with. Should I lift her veil?  Or should I just begin the conversation by asking her the name?? I was in a fix. I was lost in the ocean of my thoughts. The musical clock struck 12 and I came back to the reality of the situation. I was feeling awkward. I was unable to digest the fact that the girl was none other than my wife, my own wife - the girl who, by virtue of having married me, had become a part of my life. I could hardly realize that I had absolute right on her; her body, her mind, her thoughts, her soul, her everything. I was sitting on the chair in one corner of the room and brooding over my next course of action. I did not know how much time had passed. Finally the silence was broken by a few sweet words ringing like the cooing of the Koel, "Won't you come here? To me?? Are you not happy with this marriage???"

I was chuckled - dumbfounded. Who was it? The voice was coming from the bridal couch. A looked up. A pair of large tear-bedimmed eyes from under the veil was staring at me. I was perturbed by the melancholic look on her face. A string in my heart's beena trembled in distress……… Am I not doing injustice to her by not speaking at all? A sense of guilt overwhelmed me. Slowly I went up to the floral bed and sat close to her. I lifted her veil a bit and looked into her deep blue large eyes. Tears were still oozing out of her eyelids. I begged her pardon for my uncalled for indifference and apologetically requested her to stop the tears. Gradually she became normal and a ray of charging smile flashed on her face. I asked, ”Will you tell me your name?” “Don’t you know that?” she questioned. “Yes I do”, I quipped, “I have heard it from others, but I want to hear it from you.” She laughed and the tense atmosphere got diluted.

We then talked, talked and talked. There was no specific topic. We told each other about ourselves, about our likes and dislikes, about our college life, about our friends and about a lot more things. Finally she asked why I did not go to see her before marriage as it was a common custom in our society. I told her frankly that I had full faith in the choice of my parents and since the marriage had already been finalised I did not feel the necessity to honour the custom and ruin the suspense of that fateful night.

Her face was brightening up. Probably she was appreciating my frankness deep in her heart. She stared at me for a while. Then suddenly she sprang up and put both her arms around my neck, her head resting on my shoulder. She sobbed as she told," You are not an ordinary man- you are extra-ordinary. I am really fortunate enough to get you as my life partner. I had absolutely no idea that there could be such a tender, loving heart underneath your fierce bearded look. I am really proud of you. And I promise to be with you in all adversities. Nothing in the world can ever separate us." I was moved by her words and held her in tight embrace. I switched off the lights and in the darkness two souls mingled to become one and inseparable. Two hearts had started beating together with divine bliss.

This post has been written for Housing.com and their #together   campaign. Check out the below link: https://housing.com/

Soul mate- Who?

           This IndiSpire idea really raised a typhoon in my heart. Do or did I really have/had a soul mate at any time in my life so far? I still doubt. No I am not talking about anything spiritual. I am absolutely mundane in this aspect. I am trying to fish out something significant from the deep ocean of my memory. It is not necessary that your life partner will be your real soul mate though our society assumes it. Your soul mate may be somebody whom you have never seen, with whom you have never exchanged a word, but still you feel he or she is near you always, inspires you every moment. She could be purely in your imagination, she may not be physically existing any more but still you cannot forget her. All these idea have been translated into very successful bollywood movies like Mohabbatein, Sirf Tum and many more.

           My personal feeling is that one does not expect anything from one’s soul mate. It is love in its purest form. No desire to spent time with, no intension of physical proximity and nothing of that sort. The only desire that exists is just to see her happy and feel her presence to get inspired. I know I am sounding too much theoretical to all the practical people of this universe. But still I maintain that true love is something where there is no give and take business. Marriage in a true sense is a purely give and take agreement between two individuals. (Or else how does one explain the increasing trend of divorces in the society?)

          It was early 1970s. I met a person in a stage of my life when I did not know the definition of love. We met for a very brief period. We were class mates in the village primary school. We were normal children sharing Tiffin box, exchanging home work notes competing with each other in the class, playing hide and seek and doing all that which normal primary school children do. In the Class V annual examination I marginally scored above her to grab the topper’s spot. She congratulated me with intense feelings. But I was not elated. In fact I wanted her to be the topper. Since there was no school in our village at that time for further studies I took admission in a school in a nearby village about three kilometres away. Most of my class mates also went there but not my best friend and competitor. Somehow this tormented me. I went to her house to ask her why she did not pursue further studies being such a bright student. Her parents explained to me that a girl did not need any further education as she would be married off in a couple of years and needed to learn household chores. Not satisfied, I argued with them but they simply asked me to ‘get lost’. I was dejected and tears well up in my eyes. She could sense my plight and told me, ”I know you are hurt. I know you wanted me to study and do something in life. But our society does not give that liberty to girls. Do not worry about me. But you study hard and become something great. That will give me pleasure.” I looked at her expressive eyes which were overflowing with tears. I did not know what I saw in them but for a moment I felt like breaking all social norms and taking her away with me so that she could study further. 

          I have had no contact with her since that day. I have never met her again in life. I have never tried to keep any news about her at any time. I am leading a normal mundane life of a responsible householder. But I can never forget those expressive eyes. Even today when I see a girl child being neglected in any sphere of activity a feel a sense of revolt in me and those expressive eyes of my childhood chum flashes in my mind. Whenever I feel a sense of low I remember her last words “You become something great. That will give me pleasure”. That puts me back on track again.

         What will you call this? I do not know. I think this is perhaps what a soul mate is.

PS: I do not know where she is now. Whether she remembers me or not. But if by any chance (which is very remote) she happens to read this post let me confess that this the first time I am telling this to the world. Thanks to Indispire for instigating me to open up the secret chamber of my heart.

PS2: This piece has been put together in response to IndiSpire Edition 50.