August 1, 2011 Monday
Today started as a usual day. Once again, I got up late from bed, rushed to the loo only to find that despite of reminders to the landlord, the flush tank still leaks making it impossible to do my business. Okay, I have decided that I will speak to him sternly or else will go house-hunting this weekend. To irk me further, my bai has not dropped in yet so, no breakfast today as well. God hail, Kellogs Choco and bread! I rushed towards my car only to find that fuel tank is steadily nearing the empty mark. Anyways, right now I am terribly late for office and maybe will attend to the situation in the evening.
At work, as usual, the boss glanced at me, smiled in taunting way and looked towards the magnanimous watch. I hate him!!! Anyhow, like it would affect me. I smiled back and walked like a beauty queen (especially after winning the crown) towards my work station. Have you ever noticed, if you are late to a class/work, people leave their work only to look at you like you have committed some sort of crime. Like give me a break!!! Sometimes I feel like breaking that stupid watch hung right at the entrance of the office.
After the usual gossip, bitching, and some work, it was time to call it a day. Just as I was sitting in the car and making plans for the rest of the evening (gym/power yoga/eating/movies), my mom called up. These days when she calls up it is usually about the ‘marriage gyan.’ After exchanging a few rounds of pleasantries, it was time for the real talk.
She basically called to inform me about the engagement of my younger cousin sister Aarohi. While she was so charged up about the engagement, I went in a state of shock. Aarohi is like what, 20 years old, just finished her graduation, and what she is getting married. She often discussed her plans about job, MBA, and her boyfriend, Anant with me. When I asked about her fiancé, it turned out he was some rich brat settled in semi-rural area of UP with an illustrious lineage. While my mother was delineating her plans on the wedding dresses, I was still finding some air to grasp this piece of information. Before she could start with her regular talks of convincing me to meet the prospective guys, I excused myself stating the usual traffic thing. I love Delhi’s traffic.
Reaching home, it was the usual bickering with landlords, with roommates regarding the cleaning of the room, with bai for putting loads of red chilli powder once again in the food. Perturbed, I picked up my only solace, the DVD of my favourite TV show SATC.
Few minutes into the show, I could not concentrate on the show and was imagining Aarohi’s plight. How her dreams are getting slashed in the facade of marriage. Her youth, aspirations, and desires will be burnt in the holy fire of marriage. It is not like I am against marriage, hey, I too wanna get married at the end of the day.
It is just that we live in a marriage obsessed nation. As children, we often do not understand the discrimination between the two genders. Suddenly in adolescence, we understand that the world is not black and white. In our early twenties, we realize that ours is a hypothetical society. We have ushered in the technological era; still our fixation with marriage is not receding. Suddenly, parents become worried about their daughter’s future as soon as she turns 21 years old. The society especially the relatives (mami, chachi, bua.....urghhhh) ask in a taunting way, ‘So when are we hearing the wedding bells for your daughter?’ I do not understand what is their problem? My parents (especially dad)for instance, are very chilled out but as soon as they go to attend any relative’s wedding they too become marriage conscious.
Now that, there is Aarohi’s wedding on the anvil who is apparently younger to me, they are going to give me a tough time. I literally dread going to her wedding. Wait, I can make up excuses like.....lack of holidays (Oh God! it is a weekend wedding in Delhi, so cancel), or maybe friend flying from US (they know I have no friend in US, so cancel), or maybe I calling in sick (mom will panic and come to my place, so cancel). Oh God! I can’t think of any solid excuse. I still have two months to come up with the same. I hope I can find one. Shit!!! Its 11 0’clock, I better sleep or else will get late tomorrow, like sleeping in time would help, but anyhow I will still work towards that. Still, I do not understand this connection between Indians and Marriage. Seriously, marriage is so over rated.
