In India, the concept of "love" marriage is still quite a taboo. You might argue against it, but at the back of your mind, you know there is some truth to it. Castes are different, societies are different, there might be a language barrier. Arranged marriage is the way to go, to avoid setbacks, to avoid fights, to avoid all that Bollywood drama. After all, there can be no mistakes when kundalis are matched, can there?
They both spoke the same language, their castes might have been different. But a mutual friend introduced the two families and it all clicked. There was an exchange of property so that it all stayed within the families. A joint merger of sorts. The wedding, a grand success. However, a certain part of the wedding party had confidence this would fail, they wanted it to fail. They weren't too happy about it.
Years later, the family, now with a child, continued to live. To survive. For differences about property crept up. Who used what, and to what extent was the problem. Not that they didn't want the other to prosper, but they wanted themselves to be ahead of them. Irony.
The child was successful. The parents however, no longer able to look at each other. Income distribution hadn't been fair, or so one of them claimed. Inheritance rights weren't implemented. One side remained forgotten. It got to a point where there was no looking back. Divorce was essential. Unfortunately, in all this battle for property, there was another battle. A custody battle of a daughter who could live independently, but neither parents wanted to give her up. Her fate, out of her hands, and in the hands of a judge.
A marriage destined to fail.
So long a United Andhra. So long.
To Hyderabad. Pachees saal se idhar hoon....aaj izzat mitti mein mila diye tumhari. But you will forever be our shaan. Once a Hyderabadi, always a Hyderabadi. From a United Andhra.
They both spoke the same language, their castes might have been different. But a mutual friend introduced the two families and it all clicked. There was an exchange of property so that it all stayed within the families. A joint merger of sorts. The wedding, a grand success. However, a certain part of the wedding party had confidence this would fail, they wanted it to fail. They weren't too happy about it.
Years later, the family, now with a child, continued to live. To survive. For differences about property crept up. Who used what, and to what extent was the problem. Not that they didn't want the other to prosper, but they wanted themselves to be ahead of them. Irony.
The child was successful. The parents however, no longer able to look at each other. Income distribution hadn't been fair, or so one of them claimed. Inheritance rights weren't implemented. One side remained forgotten. It got to a point where there was no looking back. Divorce was essential. Unfortunately, in all this battle for property, there was another battle. A custody battle of a daughter who could live independently, but neither parents wanted to give her up. Her fate, out of her hands, and in the hands of a judge.
A marriage destined to fail.
So long a United Andhra. So long.
To Hyderabad. Pachees saal se idhar hoon....aaj izzat mitti mein mila diye tumhari. But you will forever be our shaan. Once a Hyderabadi, always a Hyderabadi. From a United Andhra.
2 comments:
The truth Shreyasee! Wonderfully penned!
Thanks Sonal
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