Miracle Marriage

Chapter 1

Sathya, the Ambitious Girl

Dawn in my village looks more gorgeous from the top of the Ayyan mountain. The valley of Ayyan Mountain is filled with paddy fields and coconut plantations. Our village is on the borders of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, so the beauty is inexpressible. I have so many friends in my little village and I love to explore with them since my childhood. The school I and my sister and all the children in my village went to is at the end of our village, it kind of connects two villages.

"Dei, Sathya, did you hear the song from that new film? Narumugayee..... Narumugayee..... Nee oru naaligai nillaai (Song from movie Iruvar) Oh! it's so good. I loved the heroine, what's her name? The one with blue eyes? She was pretty, huh! Aishwarya Rai, I think," my best friend Durga said while chewing her guava fruit.

"Yes, I heard it on the radio yesterday. It's so sweet to listen to, but is it a good film? Did you see it?" I asked her excitedly because I fell in love with that song immediately. These days films and music are so good.

"No, my mama(uncle) watched it in the theatre. He said he became a fan of that heroin but the cinema is not for us. I don't know why he said that, but something political and in the news it's making so many issues. I am kind of jealous of him liking the heroin. but he is true, she is beautiful from the posters. I am sure she will become so famous one day." Durga said frowning her lips.

"You are jealous because your mama likes the heroin, whom he will never meet in his life," Hahaha... I burst out laughing after hearing her reason. Well, I can't blame her, she has been raised just to marry that mama. We have a tradition, which I hate the most, family forces girls, who reach adolescence, to marry their mother's brothers. Durga and her mama have 8 years difference but they are in love since high school. I don't think I can ever love someone who is so older than me. It's outrageous. I am lucky that my Amma only has sisters.

"Huh! Sathya, I heard from my father that Suriya Akka(elder sister) is getting married soon," she asked suddenly while coating her guava in the chilly salt powder.

"Yes, she is already 23, my Amma (mother) says it's unusual for a girl to stay unmarried that long, I don't see why but my Appa (father) is ok with it and he mentioned an alliance yesterday. I think they are coming to see her next week," I smiled.

"You are lucky, Sathya, I envy your parents." She bit the part of the guava garnished with chilly salt powder and closed her one eye as it the after-effect and inhaled a bag of air to cool down.

"Aama(yes), that's why I'm so lucky," I knocked lightly on her head with my fingers and then stared down at the village. We both loved to eye the scenery of our village laying at the foot of Ayyan mountain like it was a beautiful anklet, from the top. To stand on top of this mountain feels like the sky is a little closer to me, that I can touch it one day.

"Sathya, di (hey), You will also get married soon, right? Mine will be in 3 months after our pre-degree graduation. Then we can't see each other like this. Even if Mama lives here, he says, move to Madras(Chennai) after marriage," Durga rests her head on my shoulder holding my arm. I felt sad after hearing it. Isn't painful and unequal, I thought. Why do only women need to obey all the rules and traditions harshly while others are ok if men don't? It doesn't make any sense. I hated this kind of tradition, humming to her question, I gently patted her head.

"If you don't want to marry, tell your family that and I am not going to marry now or later, I maybe think about it after becoming a doctor," I grinned at her comically, dancing my brows.

"You are not a girl, you should have been born as my man. I would have surely pursued you singing... uyire... uyire... Vanthu ennodu kalanthhuvidu"... (song from movie Bombay) hahaha... she laughed after singing the song imitating Aravind Swamy. It makes me feel joyful, to see her relishing life like this. I am scared, about her married life and about my future. "Vaadi (come)... sing with me." She stood holding me in her arms and circling like the main lead of a film, dancing under that banyan tree.

"Kaadhal irundhaal endhan kannodu kalandhuvidu..." I began singing along with her. Living and enjoying the moments of freedom for her, making lovely memories that she can recall when she leaves me, leaves this village.

Days passed by. The mappilai who came to see my sister was not suitable for her after that two more came. Amma and Appa didn't like the first and me and my sister didn't like the second. Today, I turned 18 years old and tomorrow is my graduation. I am enthusiastic about my new life, hunting for my ambition, striving for my dream, my future, I am coming.

"Sathya, stop moving your head. I can't apply oil correctly. Your hair started growing, you have to take care of it more from now on, ok." My sister while applying oil to my short hair, scolded me.

"It's not my fault; Appa is to blame, he is the one who offered my hair at Tirupati (referring to Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh) for good yield in his farming," I said forming lips and brows curved down.

"Oh! I understand-ma, don't bite my head, stay still," she massaged my head and honestly said, this is the best feeling in the world. I can sleep like Kumbhakarana when she does it.

That night, while having dinner Appa talked about another marriage alliance for my sister. This time I was the one who is more excited because the mappilai is a doctor in Kerala.

"That's a very good alliance, how did you find it?" asked my Amma, obviously more excited than me.

"Do you remember that marriage broker from Chennai, I met in the last market season? I saw him today at the market again, and he told me about this groom. He said, the groom's father died long ago and he only has a mother, and no siblings. They are a very prestigious family in Madras. His mother was pushing him to marry, he is a little aged but a good and kind man and a Doctor. His name is Dr Balakrishna Chandrasekhar. Powerarikaale (isn't it powerful)?" Appa remarked proudly, while mine and Amma's faces lit up bright like a happy sun and eyes glowed like stars. My Amma was thrilled about the fact that her daughter is going to get married to someone respected by others and me, on the other hand, was happy because I can learn how to become a doctor from him. So I and Amma started convincing my sister of our happiness, selfishly.

Then the day came. The day groom and his family visit our house to see our family and the bride. My Amma urged me to wear a half-sari, while my sister was adorned in a traditional podavai (sari) and ornaments with beautiful jasmine flowers on her hair. She already looks like a bride. I glanced at the mirror and observed myself from head to toe, short hair, dark complexion, masculine look, appearing funny in a half-sari, can't help it, I got my Appa's genes more while my sister got our Amma's. She looks like a devathai, (goddess) I look like my Appa. I sighed it off then helped my sister get ready.

"Mappilai's family is here" We heard someone yelling from outside the house. I went to take a glimpse of the groom with Durga.