Asha had blissfully
forgotten that someday she will settle down like all her other cousins and friends,
but now things were changing. Ever since Holi, her parents were pestering her
to start thinking seriously about marriage. Damn! They had even got her a ‘boy’s’
photograph and had asked if they could proceed with the matter. She had somehow
escaped the situation saying she needs some more time to think about it. In
between all this, she had an interview with a prestigious newspaper lined up
for next week, and she didn’t want to lose focus by thinking on anything else,
she HAD to get this job.
Taking a walk through
the neighborhood park in the evening, she couldn’t help but notice an old
couple who too were taking a stroll in the park. She wondered if her marriage
too would last that long. She suddenly thought of the guy whose picture her
parents had given to her. The guy didn’t seem that bad after all – looks good,
has a sound educational background, comes from a well to do family and has a
good job in a big firm, she had even went on to check his Facebook page and was
quite interested in the guy; but she was not sure if she was ready for marriage.
She would have minimal
amount of gold, unlike the trend these days where the bride would be decked top
to toe in gold. Asha was always reminded of elephants with their nettipattam – a golden head covering ornament
usually used to decorate elephants before taking them out for processions
during festivals- whenever she saw girls decked up in so much of gold. She had already
planned that she wouldn’t want that and she would use minimal jewellery
ensuring that she stood apart from the crowd, yet did not make a fool of
herself. She was also against the practice of ‘dowry’ that was still very prevalent
in the villages of her country. She would go completely traditional in terms of
her attire – a red saree with golden zari
work on it. She loved the colour red and the colour always seemed to be lucky
for her; jasmine flowers in her hair, mehendi
on her hands…
Before she knew it, she was lost in a magical world
– a world that is so vividly brought to life by the bollywood flicks where the hero meets heroine, love happens at the
snap of a finger and then, they live happily ever after.
*********************************************************************************
Girls in India are caught in the drift when they reach a particular age. They suddenly face a dilemma as to what to focus on in their life, whether to make a career and ensure a living or to get married and secure their life. Girls who remain single after the so called marriageable age are frowned upon by the society and are considered a burden for their families.
A - An Arranged Marriage
B - Bridal Dreams
C - Cherubs From Heaven
D - Rusty Dusty Delhi
E - Ernakulam
F - Fretting Over F.R.I.E.N.D.S & Fiancé
G - Gratifying Rendezvous
H - Hospitality Crash Course
I - I Love You??!!
J - Journalism's Joy
K - Krishna
L - Love, Longing & Life
M - Milan - A Meeting
N- Noodles, Nimbu Paani & A Nice Guy
O - Online?
P - Phone Number
Q - Questions!
R - Risks
S - Some Soul Searching
T - Timeless Tableau, A Twist in The Tale
U - Union
*********************************************************************************
Girls in India are caught in the drift when they reach a particular age. They suddenly face a dilemma as to what to focus on in their life, whether to make a career and ensure a living or to get married and secure their life. Girls who remain single after the so called marriageable age are frowned upon by the society and are considered a burden for their families.
Throughout the month of April, thanks to the AtoZ Challenge, I am trying to portray the life of Asha, a common Indian girl with dreams and aspirations. Everyday we focus on one alphabet starting from A on April 1st till Z on April 30th. Stick with me till the end of the journey and do tell me what you think of my writing and my Asha.
A - An Arranged Marriage
B - Bridal Dreams
C - Cherubs From Heaven
D - Rusty Dusty Delhi
E - Ernakulam
F - Fretting Over F.R.I.E.N.D.S & Fiancé
G - Gratifying Rendezvous
H - Hospitality Crash Course
I - I Love You??!!
J - Journalism's Joy
K - Krishna
L - Love, Longing & Life
M - Milan - A Meeting
N- Noodles, Nimbu Paani & A Nice Guy
O - Online?
P - Phone Number
Q - Questions!
R - Risks
S - Some Soul Searching
T - Timeless Tableau, A Twist in The Tale
U - Union
Lovely! I know a lot of girls who would go awwww multiple times reading this post :)
ReplyDeleteAkhil Kalsh.
Thanks Akhil. Glad to know you fond my post enjoyable :)
DeleteHope to see you around again.
LOL Bridal Dreams will do it to you. You start all nervous and skeptical and the next thing you know you are knee deep in briadal magazines and planning a wedding to rival all the ones in your dream. Great piece.
ReplyDeleteHe he.. You are absolutely right.
DeleteThanks for coming by and reading :)
Awwww this was lovely, I wanted to know what happened next.
ReplyDeleteThis is a huge compliment for me, especially coming from you, who have many books to her credit.
DeleteThanks a bunch for coming by and reading :)
Absolutely awesome... I got lost with Asha too :)
ReplyDeleteI hope that means I have you hooked :)
DeleteThank you for reading through..
LOL'ing at the elephant picture you painted! It's true that some girls are weighed down in gold at their wedding!
ReplyDeleteYou captured the moement- daydreaming in the park- really well in this post. Good job!
ReplyDelete