The Search For A Bridegroom

“Shalini” called her mother. “Come early today from office. Some people are coming to see you.”

“But Amma, I have an important presentation to make tomorrow morning. I wanted to tell you that I will be coming home late tonight,” she replied.

“I don’t want to hear any excuse,” said her mother sternly. “You are coming home by six o’ clock latest. I don’t care if you have a presentation or anything else. You are a girl and a girl must be married in time. This is much more important than your office.”

“But,” said Shalini, and before she could continue, her mother cut her short.

“I said, I don’t want to hear any excuses.”

Shalini gave a deep sigh of anguish. She knew her Amma. Though she was the sweetest person on earth, very calm and cool, always at Shalini’s side when she needed her, the subject of marriage had her up in arms. In her mind, Amma felt that nothing could be more important for a girl than getting married and settling down with a family in town.

She went to the office and tried to finish her preparations for the important presentation to be made the next day. Being the team leader of a project meant that she had to interact with the other members of the team and get the work done. It was a responsibility she usually loved. She got immersed in the discussions and completely forgot the time. It was when, Anisha, a junior member of her team requested her that she be relieved early for the day, that Shalini suddenly remembered her Amma’s instruction.

‘Oh my God, it is almost six here itself,’ she thought. ‘If I don’t reach within a few minutes, I will have to listen to an earful of admonishments from Amma.’

She quickly closed her laptop and literally ran out of the office. She reached home at around 6.30 pm. Amma was waiting at the door. She shoved Shalini into the house fast, as a car had just appeared in the portico.

Shalini went to her room, had a quick wash and changed into the sari her Amma had laid out for her. By the voices began to waft upwards, indicating that the all-important guests had arrived. This was not the first time that some man had come to ‘see’ her with his parents and relatives in town. Amma would prepare sweet rava kesari and bondas to serve them along with coffee or tea. Shalini would be made to dress up for the event and as a doll, she would present herself before them with hands folded in a namaste gesture. The women would give her a glance from top to toe making her squirm uneasily. The elderly men would be more interested in feasting on the tasty savories spread before them. The to-be bridegroom generally would also be uncomfortable with the girl’s parents eyeing him through the corner of their eye to see whether he would be a suitable match for their darling daughter. The entire episode would last for about an hour and then the guests would part with a “we will let you know as soon as possible.” An ensuing silence would mean that the search was still happily on as none of the men who had come to ‘see’ her so far had been appealing to her.

Shalini had repeated arguments with her parents, saying that she did not want to be paraded like a doll. But her Amma always insisted that this is the way it has happened through the ages and she, as a girl of marriageable age, would have to undergo the rigmarole whether she liked it or not. Her father usually was a silent spectator.

Shalini did not expect it to be any different this time around. But when she entered the hall on cue, as usual, she was surprised to see a young man in casual wear accompanied by only his parents, talking freely with her parents. As soon as he saw her he stood up.

 After the cursory introductions, Anand asked her to be seated comfortably and partake in the discussion. Shalini was taken aback, albeit a delightful surprise. Her Amma almost swooned in amazement. But her father was delighted. He knew he had found a man who would love and respect his daughter’s thoughts and wishes.

Not surprising really, that the search for a suitable bridegroom had ended on a happy note.