So, here’s a true story:
Two people, both young and independent, met at a wedding. They were both from the bride’s side and yet, had never seen each other. There, amidst the bright colours and cheerful place, their hearts began to flutter. It seemed like a beginning. It was so beautiful. Like the start of a new romance, a new story.
After the wedding was over, once they were away from the prying eyes, they met again in the common city, the city in which they lived. A small smile here and a small talk there was wonderful to make their heart beat fast. A brief hug and tiny kiss was the most wonderful feeling in the world. A small date wouldn’t harm anyone, now would it?
The relationship started and the friendship grew. But we live in an Indian society where women are hardly given rights to do anything. So here is a twist.
She had to marry someone else. And so she told the boy that.
He was sad, but they remained friends. That was their decision and it was their life. Nobody can comment or say anything there because they were their own people and they had their own lives.
But, when this small friendship grew, relationships were strained. Did I mention that they were both from the bride’s side? Yes, the bride’s mother knew both their mothers. The boy was friends with bride’s sister. The girl was very close to the same sister.
It shouldn’t have mattered. They were individuals. But, remember, we live in an Indian society, where one person’s life is not one’s own, where any action you do creates a ripple effect, where every single step should be taken wisely.
The bride’s mother’s a simple woman. Not too grand, just a mother you see everywhere. Caring, worried, a tad overprotective and living in the ties of the society and her extended family. Also, she was younger than both the boy and the girl’s mothers.
And, thus, started the drama. This relationship ruined it all.
No, them being together did not ruin it. What ruined it was the web of stories and fabricated statements and god knows what. A small untrue statement, a little blame on someone absolutely irrelevant, the disapproval from the girl’s family and things said which was told to be said by the bride’s family.
It shouldn’t have mattered, but the bride’s sister did not want to strain these relationships. And when, suddenly, the conversation with two people she liked so much and cared for suddenly stopped-well, I doubt that would have been pleasant.
She confronted the boy and he spilt everything, how they had been talking about their childhood and small petty things. How he had heard that she, the bride’s sister and mother, had been speaking things about him and his family and all in once, the relationships that had taken years to build were brought crumbling down.
The bride’s mother meanwhile was facing her own dilemma. The boy’s mother, may I add, wanted the marriage because she approved of the girl. However as mentioned, the girl had to marry someone richer. So the girl’s mother was not really in the favour. What can you say, typical Indian society!
The bride’s mother called up the girl’s mother and asked, rather demanded what had happened. She denied a lot of things which are not really suitable to say. But let us say it involved some things that should have been said long ago. And till this date, the girl’s mother has yet to step into the bride’s home.
The boy’s mother blamed the bride’s mother for interfering and trying to break the match. She has not talked to her since the relationship started blossoming, and the series of fabricated statements started flowing. The conversation, which once overflowed with emotions and secrets, was now restricted to-‘Hello, how are you? Okay bye.’
Now, like I said, there was nothing wrong in the relationship. There was nothing wrong with the things they told each other. If I may dare, I may add there was nothing wrong with what the boy and the girl mothers thought for their children and because of their society. But what of the bride’s family?
I know all of them personally and no I am not a part of this. But read what happened and think…who has suffered? The bride’s family.
Who has been tortured mentally? The bride’s family.
Who is the one who has lost some relationships? The bride’s family.
Relationships take years to form. But one simple misunderstanding and before you know it, it is gone.
I want to ask, if this is not an example of stupidity, ego, madness and typical Indian society, what is?
And do we really want to live in such a society?
