The North-South Love Saga

Kuch Toh Hain Tujhse Raabta

Neither Vardaan nor I felt ready to get married at such a young age. I was 24, and he was 25. While girls in my family typically married early, around the ages of 21-22, I still felt like a child. On the other hand, in Vardaan's family, boys didn't usually marry before the age of 30. Convincing their entire family to accept our decision for an early marriage seemed like an uphill battle. We had no clue how to navigate this situation.

To make matters more challenging, our horoscopes or kundalis didn't match. We had to go through various pre-wedding rituals to ensure astrological compatibility. Apparently, there was only one auspicious date or muhurat when our stars aligned perfectly. If we got married on that day, it was believed that we would encounter fewer obstacles in our married life. It all seemed like an elaborate plan concocted by our parents to compel us into getting married. Was the pandit in on it too? While we didn't personally believe in astrology, our parents held strong beliefs, and it seemed like it was their way or the highway!

Burdened with guilt over hurting my parents throughout the years, I reluctantly agreed to everything they proposed. They made all the decisions, from the catering to the outfits. I allowed them to take charge. So, the wedding date was set, and there was nothing we could do about it. Next came the wedding planning. I had initially wanted to be a bridezilla, but I relinquished control and let my parents handle everything. I decided to go with the flow and let them do whatever they wanted.

Vardaan and I had initially envisioned a simple registered marriage or a temple ceremony. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible due to the expectations of Vardaan's relatives, who had to travel from Dehradun to Hyderabad for the wedding. Although my in-laws suggested having the wedding in Dehradun, our culture dictated that the wedding should take place in the bride's hometown. A cross-state wedding wouldn't be complete without some cultural clashes, right?

I entrusted all the planning to my parents. The only thing I insisted upon was choosing the venue. We wanted a grand wedding to honor the relatives who had made the effort to attend, rather than a lackluster affair. I personally selected the venue, a place where I had attended numerous weddings before. I recalled a time when my parents had unknowingly introduced me to a potential match at that very venue, despite my relationship with Vardaan. I called him "bhaiyya" and quickly made my escape.

As the wedding date approached, Vardaan and I finally came to terms with the fact that we were actually getting married. I had dropped subtle hints to Vardaan about wanting a proposal. Even though we were already engaged, I still yearned for that special moment. I had never explicitly told him, but he knew how much I cherished romantic gestures. Months went by, and I had made peace with the idea that perhaps it didn't matter to him since we were already engaged. I had almost forgotten about it.

Just before leaving Bangalore to return to Hyderabad, our hometown, as a married couple, we packed our bags. We had a tradition of praying and lighting a lamp whenever we embarked on a significant journey. This time, we prayed fervently for everything to go smoothly and to bless our new journey together. With closed eyes, I poured my heart into my prayers. When I opened my eyes, I was taken aback to find Vardaan on one knee, holding a ring. He asked, "Will you marry me?" In that moment, my excitement overflowed, and I ecstatically screamed, "YES!" It was the most perfect proposal I could have ever imagined!