Marriage vows or woes

' Marriages are made in heaven ' this is a very old and often heard statement as children grow into adults the first wish parents make is to get them settled and settlement includes getting a job and getting them married. Of course the parameters do change with regard to a girl child (lady) and boy (man).    

 In India marriage is not pertained to a relationship between the bride and the groom it becomes a complete family matter. Lot of money is spent on the celebrations, and a lot of planning goes into the Man event and later too. The rituals are many and the enjoyment seems unending. Good if everything works out well and the couple live happily ever after. This story that you are going to read is a real-life episode that made people who faced the consequences, yes you heard it right feel that even though marriages are made in heaven they show people how it is to be in hell.     

Tarun was in the center of all discussions happening at his home. Why not? He was approached by a well to do family asking him to get married to their only daughter. So, what is so special you might wonder. Wait! The reason being the girl in question who would be his bride was rich, good looking, educated and above all she was interested in getting married to Tarun. She happened to see him at her cousin's wedding as Tarun was present at the wedding since he was the groom's friend and the groom happened to be the would-be bride's cousin. The girl expressed her intention of getting instantly attracted to Tarun and would like to get married to him as early as possible. Since her parents were already looking for a suitable match for their daughter everything fell in place and the marriage was solemnized very quickly with all pomp and show. All relatives were happy to see the couple and blessed them whole heartedly.        

Then started the real ordeal for Tarun and his family. The bride walked into Tarun's with a big suitcase. She was traditionally welcomed as per the custom and was taken into her room which was Tarun's bedroom. The bride sat on the bed and continued to sit for a very long time without uttering a single word to Tarun's sister or his cousin sister's. All of them felt that it was normal for a new bride to feel shy and so they left them alone and went out of the room. She was made comfortable by Tarun and his mother, she was asked to change and get fresh, and she was served dinner in the room itself. All this to make her feel free and break the ice. At around 9 pm Tarun was left alone in the room with his new bride and all others left giggling and teasing them which is a norm in Indian household and marriages.      

Tarun shyly closed the door and sat beside his new bride. They spoke to each other in a friendly way, and it was time for them to sleep. The new bride Vandana said she was feeling tired and sleepy. So, Tarun felt it was not right to get physical that day and he would wait for another night to celebrate his first night with his new bride. Both of them went to sleep.               

The next morning when Tarun got up it was already 8 am and he found Vandana still fast asleep. Tarun felt she must be tired due to the wedding ceremony, and he got up and asked his mother to make a cup of tea for his new bride. His mother prepared the tea and served it hot. Vandana got up and had her bed tea and still continued to sit on the cot. When Tarun asked her to take bath and get fresh so that she can get into the kitchen along with his mother to become familiar with his house and surroundings she cited headache and said she wanted to sleep. This procedure continued for a month or so. Tarun's mother and sister kept doing the household work like cooking etc. A maid used to do other work like washing mopping etc. Vandana used to get up late, finish her bath etc. Have breakfast and watch television and would be glued to her phone as well. Tarun's mother wanted to know what the reason was, but she thought of giving the new bride some more time for her to adjust to the new family and surroundings.      

After three months Vandana's parents came to meet her. That day she gets up early, finishes her daily routine work like bathing etc. and for the first time enters the kitchen. To the surprise of all she even starts chopping vegetables kept on the table and offered to cook a dish or two. This was a pleasant surprise to Tarun's mother, and she was obviously happy and relieved. Vandana's parents stayed there for a few hours and after they left Vandana got back to her original routine. After about six months she announced her pregnancy for everyone's delight. Tarun's parents were happy, and they arranged a traditional function of the same. Vandana seemed to be happy that day. After about a week she left to her mother's house as her delivery would be taken care of by her parents which is a norm in Indian society. After about 5 months she gave birth to a beautiful girl child. Tarun went to see his child and his wife with a lot of happiness and many gifts. When he expressed his opinion of taking his wife and child after a month or so to his place his mother-in-law requested him to leave them there for a month more. She assured him that good care would be taken of both of them and Vandana would come back to him as early as possible. Did she come as early as possible or what was it that came let us see in the next part.     .. .... ... ....                   

Second part.   

                 

  Vandana did not come back even after 4 months. She kept giving the reasons of the child being weak, about her own health issues etc. Tarun tried to coax her to come back but in vain. After a month she did come but with a lawyer's notice that Tarun and his family was harassing her to bring dowry or gifts from her father. She blamed in the notice that Tarun was physical and mentally abusing her and so she had to stay back at her parent's house and with legal notice being issued she dared to come back. With this at the background she came back only to create trouble unbearable to Tarun and his family. She used to walk out with her kid at midnight only to be brought back by Tarun almost begging her to come back. She used to threaten about going to the police and getting all of them arrested. She wanted to stay separately away from in laws and Tarun shifted to another house on rent. There too Vandana used to create ruckus every now and then. She used to go to Tarun's relatives and his family friend's and talk I'll about all of Tarun's family members. Their public image took a big beating and their business got affected because of this and the other reason being Tarun was not able to concentrate on his job due to the disturbance in his personal life. His daughter was 3 years old now. Then something very drastic happened that changed the entire scene. Let us see this in the next part.                                

Now Tarun was mentally and emotionally down. and his financial condition too was getting affected. As he was not able to pay the rent of the apartment he had shifted into along with Vandana he had no other option to listen to Vandana when she said they will go and stay with her parents living behind Tarun's parents so that they will start a new business with her parents support. Otherwise she threatened to go to the court with the dowry harrasment case. Tarun with no option left followed her to her home town. For a week it was okay and then started the process of Ill treating him at every step. He could not even eat food properly nor he was allowed to go out of the home. With no money and with worry about his parents back home one day he quietly left Vandana's home and went back to his parents. His father who was sick succumbed and he and his mother had to run around courts and lawyers what with a threat of a newly introduced law that would severely punish the husband as well as all his relatives. They fought the case for many years spending money a lot and finally Vandana demanded a divorce along with the custody of her minor daughter.                   

Even today Tarun wonders why Vandana almost forced him into marriage, why she went ahead with imposing so many serious allegations when she only wanted divorce why she opted for living together for sometime and why she conceived so early in marriage? These are some unanswered questions. And the most unfortunate thing is Vandana is remarried and living happily while Tarun is left with social, emotional and financial scars.          ...      

 looking at his ordeal many of his close relatives wonder whether marriages are really made in heaven.