16
Preeti was overjoyed when she heard the news.
We choose next Sunday for the family union lunch for three reasons. One I didn’t want anything else to come in between and this planned thing . Two I wanted the momentum to keep going and third there was a India-Australia match coming up which will keep the Dads involved together.
“So you must be supporting Harbhajan singh”, my dad asked Preeti’s dad. Both were busy looking at the cricket match of India-Australia.
“NO!! He was good, he is good at times, but I think there are other talents in queue who can perform better these days. But why do you think that?”, Preeti’s dad asked in response.
“He is Punjabi right?”, my dad was surprised to hear that Preeti’s father is not supporting Harbhajan Singh
“Who cares? It’s an Indian team, and I should support India, not the regional players”.
I felt I should applaud for that answer.
My dad thought for a moment and nodded.
Inside, my mom was quiet, or should I say her voice was suppressed by Preeti’s moms’ constant talk. My mom just has to start a topic, and her mom was all over it.
Whereas, we both were busy, covertly gazing at each other, communicating with eye-language.
Preeti was wearing a magenta colored saree which was looking beautiful on her fair complexion. Her long untied hair looked bit wet because of some conditioner she used, added the freshness of her beauty.
I winked at her. She smiled and went inside kitchen to offer help.
“How is your leg Tarun?”, Preeti’s dad asked me over a lunch table.
“It is recovering well”, I said.
“So are you on leave these days?”, he asked me
“No uncle, I am working from home. We have this VPN connection using which you can do the same work, which you do seating at office desk.”, I explained him what the VPN connection is and related terminology.
“Wow that is a great technology! You guys are so lucky to born in this era. I wish we had the same technology and Preeti could have got a brother / sister, considering I can work from Home”, his dad said mischievously
Well, it was a poor joke, but for no reason, everybody laughed.
The scene looked like a perfect happy family.
Lunch was over and Preeti served us Desserts from fridge.
“So when are you planning for Preeti’s wedding?”, my mom asked
“NO MOM.. DON’T ASK THAT QUESTION”, I was about to shout. Everything was going so well and then this question will spoil everything. I don’t want Preeti’s parents to say, “We are looking for”, or “Next month we will enroll her name to some PunjabiMatrimony.com” or something like that.
I was looking at them with my deserted spoon hanging in air.
“Whenever you say so”, they replied
“Well, then this is the plan”, mom continued, “.. let’s plan for an engagement of Preeti and Tarun next month and in another three months, WEDDING”
I WAS DROP DEAD. From out of the blue these things came and banged on me. I felt like a huge comet stroked on my chest. Neither I could eat the dessert, nor could hold the spoon in hand. Spoon slipped and fell on the dish.
Everybody looked at me, “Why Tarun? Don’t you want to marry our sweet little daughter?”, Preeti’s mom asked me.
I looked at Preeti, we exchanged glances. Her magenta saree color was reflected on her cheeks. She was equally shocked.
“No aunty ji, I mean yes aunti ji”, I said
“Alright then, let’s catch-up again on Wednesday, and decide on dates. Alright?”, my mom asked to which everybody nodded, except me.
I wanted to get married to Preeti right now
“Preeti, can you wait for some more time? I know you and Tarun have lots of questions. Tarun will drop you home”, Mom asked Preeti
“Is it okay with you?”, Mom asked Preeti’s parents.
“Oh Jee, okay ki kya baat hain?, aap hi ki hain who”, preeti’s father said merrily.
I bent down and touched the feet of Preeti’s parents, for the fact that I was chosen to be their sonin-law .
“MOM, What was that?”, I asked her a question once Preeti ‘s parents were out of sight.
Mom smiled and said “You happy?”
“Of course mom I’m happy. But how did you know about it?” I was still surprised.
“Sit down” mom said pointing towards a settee. Mom pulled Preeti close near her seat.
Looks like my father was aware of all the facts and files, so he left to have a walk after a heavy and pleasant lunch.
Mom started the climax.
“Couple of days before you met with an accident, your friend was here.”
“My friend? Who?”, I was surprised
“Neha, she was here”, mom said
I looked back at Preeti, she was listening curiously.
“She wanted to see me. She told me about your relationship with her. She was hurt deeply that you separated from her because she was of some other cast, and now you are in love with Preeti who is not only of other cast, but completely of some other culture.
I noticed that she was still involved in you even after she got married.
I felt sorry for her. I was frustrated with your act Tarun. You were very well aware that our family is against inter-cast marriages. Why do you have to get involved with somebody like this? I don’t know about you, but she was involved in you by all means.
That also alerted my mind, with Preeti the same thing could happen. At that point, I was not sure about your involvement in this relationship. What if tomorrow you two gets separated again, with a re-born of new Neha in the form of Preeti.
It is easy for guys to move on, but difficult for girls.
So I decided to talk to you about this and I was all determined to separate both of you.
But just then, this accident happened. I saw Preeti sobbing for you just like a kid and even I heard you couple of times calling her name when you were asleep under the influence of steroids. “
I looked at Preeti, she was looking back at me with a puddle of love in her eyes.
“We are your parents Tarun”, mom continued, “And no parents in the world need a super-power to understand feelings of their child. You should see your face when you talk about your friends and when you talk about Preeti. You become over-cautious, worried not to spill up your secret.
I thought and re-thought on this for a long long time. I was not able to convince myself.
That day, when I was out with Preeti in the market, I tried my best to hurt her. I deliberately posed some daunting questions about your relation-ship. Preeti told me everything. She still could have lied lot many things, but she was open to me.”
‘I love Tarun from bottom of my heart. I will take every care not to hurt him or his parents’, she said looking into my eyes. ‘I might not be of your cast or culture, but that doesn’t change our feelings to each other. Love knows no language. We were in love without thinking about which culture we came from. Aunty, I am trying to learn Marathi, I will cook food that you eat daily, I will follow the custom that you follow, I will…’
You know Tarun, I cut her off. She don’t have to say all this things, I was able to read the pure love for you in her eyes. I then know she loves you, I then know that she will make you happy. Infact, I was able to see, you already are happy with her.”
“That was touching”, I said without saying a word to Preeti
Mumma took Preeti’s hand into her hand and continued..
“Preeti asked me finally, ‘Aunty, can I call you Mumma?’
We hugged each other with warm tears dripping from eyes. A proposal of being a daughter-in-law was quite unique, isn’t it?”
I kept quiet, I was speechless.
“Next day, I talked to your dad. I was not sure how he will react, but he was already in your favor.
It was difficult to stand by to our principals for the sake of Preeti. We felt we should not lose her for such useless principals. We decided to break it.
I was against the inter-cast marriage, so was your dad. Had it been another girl, I am not sure how we would have reacted. But with Preeti, there was no question of such stupid things. She is an angel Tarun, and you should thank god, you are blessed with a touch of an angel.
Same day, we both went to Preeti’s home to talk to her parents. They are such a sweet people. Without saying or asking a single thing, they agreed, just for the sake of their daughter’s happiness.”
Mom cleared her eyes using tip of her saree.
17
Here we go, the last vedic mantra of the evening that was about to begin.
I tried to catch face of Preeti behind the Anterpat. But I could see nothing. I beckoned one of my friend in the crowd who was standing in a position from where she can watch Preeti. She looked at Preeti and gestured with her left hand feast rubbing on her eyes, to indicate that my love is all tears on the other side.
“Tadev lagnam…” and it began.
I know it is tough for a girl to leave their parents and join a new family. Tears in girls eyes at this time are well justified. But at the same time, I was sure that those tears were not just because of the grief, but because of the happiness that she was flooded with.
People clapped and we were showered with colored-rice grains thrown at us by so many happy souls with their blessings.
Anterpat was taken away and I saw a Preeti’s face with a cheerful smile, a smile that already had stolen my heart away.
T H E B E G I N N I N G
