Sita Mathur, IAS. An honest, loyal, dedicated, intelligent, kind, and fierce IAS officer to the outer world. But, a sweet, loving, bubbly, cute, and obedient girl for her family.
Ram Raghuvanshi. A strict, powerful, emotionless, and ruthless "RR" of...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
18 OCTOBER 2023, 9.50 p.m.,
I had a continuous cough that made it difficult for me to breathe. Chachi was sitting next to me and patted my back, which helped me to calm down and breathe normally again. After that, I looked at Dadi, feeling unsure of what to say. Suddenly, the men in our family started to speak in annoyed voices, breaking the silence.
"THERE IS NO WAY THAT SHE'S GETTING MARRIED." my dadu said
"SHE IS STILL YOUNG," my brother said
"SHE CAN GET MARRIED AT THE AGE OF 39." my chachu said
"SHE IS JUST A CHILD," my dad said. Have I failed to mention that the male members of my family tend to be exceedingly possessive and exceedingly watchful over both me and my cousins?
"ENOUGH" Dadi's voice silenced them.
"Could you please clarify what you meant?" she continued.
"Yes, she is not a child. She will be turning 26 in a few months." mumma supported her.
"This is the right age for marriage," Chachi said.
Papa argued, "Let's get Anirudh married first. My daughter will stay with me forever."
"Yes, Anirudh is the oldest. Let's arrange his marriage first," Dadu agreed with Papa.
"What are you talking about, Nandhan ji? You know that in our family, it's a rule for the sister to get married before the brother," Dadi pointed out.
"Whatever happens my princess, will not get married now?" Dadu finalised.
"You all are speaking like she is leaving you all forever." mumma said sarcastically
"If she gets married that will happen," Papa said
The truth was even I didn't want to go from here. Understanding their emotions the ladies went and sat with their husbands. Mumma held Papa's hand and said,
"Janak, the life of a daughter transforms drastically after marriage, as she assumes a multitude of roles in her husband's family. She becomes a devoted wife, a caring daughter-in-law, a supportive sister-in-law, and much more. However, she would not forget her roots, and staying connected with her birth family is equally important."
"Janak, Naina is correct. Even though Sunaina, Yashasvi, and I are married into this family, it does not mean we have disconnected from our maternal family. We remain in touch and visit them, although not as frequently as we would like." dadi said
"In our society, there still exists a deep-rooted prejudice against unmarried women who cross the threshold of 30 years of age. Despite the strides we have made, such women are often subjected to harsh gossip and rumors that can tarnish their reputation and that of their family, regardless of their social status." chachi explained.
"Yes, no matter what we do, we cannot control the foul language of others. Furthermore, Sita has completed her education and currently holds a respected position. Not only that, she is a stunning beauty crafted by the divine, as well as being brave, strong, and courageous. Do you believe that she will follow in the footsteps of someone else? She is a person who can forge her path and fight her own battles." Mumma said.
"As we move on from her life, she will require a companion who will stand by her side, offering unwavering support and children who will bring new meaning to her existence. It's essential to think about her future beyond our time together and ensure that she has the love and companionship that she deserves." Dadi completed her.
The men pondered silently before Bhai spoke up."Alright, If we have to agree to this we have some conditions"
"First, Sita should agree to this," Chachu said.
"Second it is important to select a groom who is already settled in Mumbai." Papa completed him.
"It will be hard to part with her from this house, and even harder from Mumbai," Dadu said.
"OKAY," all the women agreed. Everyone turned to me, waiting for my opinion, but I couldn't speak. Finally, Mumma asked,
"Sita, is it okay to start looking for a groom?"
"Mom, I'm in a dilemma. I don't want to leave you or disagree with marriage."
"Do you have someone you love, Beta? If that's the case, we would like to consider them."
"No, Mom. I'm not ready for marriage. I'm not sure I'd make a good wife or daughter-in-law.."
"Dear no one is perfect, and no girl has experience being a daughter-in-law or wife. Don't worry, with time you will learn." Chachi said softly.
"Do you give us permission to search for a groom for you?" Dadi asked. I looked around at everyone let out a sigh and said
"Alright, you can"
The women were very happy, despite the men's slight discomfort. My cousins embraced me tightly and exclaimed enthusiastically.
"Di, you're getting married. We'll have a jiju who gives us anything."
"As if you don't get whatever you ask for now," Chachi said sarcastically.
"Although we can acquire anything we desire, we lack a brother-in-law to request it for us." Radha defended them.
"Exactly," Radhika said. Everyone shook their head and laughed at their silliness.
"Who will be this Sita's MARYADA PURUSHOTHAM RAM (Perfect Man Ram)" I thought.
