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Friday, February 5, 2010

He-She

Something is not in the way it should have been. I am taking a break in between my posts and more irregular in my friends blogs. Wish am regular from now on. Recession has finally hit the blogging world. Everywhere, I mean in many blogs authors are complaining about the lack of readers and their enthusiastic comments. Am no exception. The crux of this story is a real thing which we witness one day or the other. But this is a fiction. You will understand once you start reading it.

He opened his eyes when the sunrays caressed his face from the slightly opened curtains. The thought of yesterday's night sent a tingling sensation throughout his body. He thought, 'Really marriage makes a man complete'. He smiled to himself and saw the sunrays escaping from the red and yellow striped curtains. He turned and hugged her sideways. To his surprise his wife was wide awake. She lifted her face from the pillow and gave a brushed her lips softly in his cheek.

She got up and bundled her freely falling hairs. "At what time should we vacate this suite?". He changed his position in bed and said, "We have taken it for the wedding night only. So we can be here till 9Am I guess. That's what the manager told me". She nodded and let a faint smile. She went to wash her face. The smile which escaped her lips bothered him so much. 'What happened to her? I thought she was happy last night. But now..', his thoughts broke half way when he heard the bathroom door open.

She ordered coffee and sat in the couch after switching on the TV. She was completely lost in thoughts. He got up, came near her and sat on the same couch. He hugged her in the same sitting posture and asked, "May I know what's occupying your mind honey? After all its the first day after our reunion". She released herself from his grip, stood up and reached the balcony. He followed her and when he was about to start the conversation, the room service brought the coffee they ordered. He signaled the room service and thrust a 100 rupee note and asked him to leave.

She came inside the room and poured 2 cups of hot, steaming coffee. "You generally have black coffee or you want cream?", she asked. He wanted to impress her and make her feel comfortable from the very first day. So he uttered, "Whatever you wish...". She cut him short by saying, "I asked you want cream or not". He was shocked by her instant reply and said, "You hav....have yours. I will mix mine". Again she smiled at him and mixed cream in both cups and gave one to him. He wiped the perspiration that has formed in his head and took a sip.

She made weird patterns in the cup and was staring at the TV news. He asked, "Please let me know what you are thinking. I will try to resolve it". She shook her head by muttering, "Nothing darling" and took a sip from the cup. That Nothing again made him feel uncomfortable and tried guessing her thoughts. But he never knew the fact - Men are capable of even understanding the most difficult theories of nuclear theory than knowing/predicting/understanding what's running in the girl's mind.

She took her cup and moved to balcony and saw him lost in thoughts. She said, "What's my cost darling?". He was flabbergasted by this monologue and asked, "Whatttt?". She replied calmly, "I want to know the amount my parents have given you, or should I phrase it as hmmm... Wait......yeah, the amount you guys asked from them for having me". He licked his dried lips and kept the coffee unfinished in the table. She was expecting a reply but silence was the answer she got in the end. She came inside, kept the cup on the table and continued, "I am working as a system architect like you and earn as much as you do, in fact better than you do. But still you want dowry. Cant this wedding night be more satisfying if it took place in our 2 bedroom flat? Half a lakh for the royal suite we took in this star hotel for enjoying the wedding night. But that would have been more contended than this. Why do people still expect that the bride's family should spend their life's earning for the marriage along with dowry? I never wanted to tell you this. But I can't tolerate if my dad cries. From the royal suite to the reception, everything my dad spent. He is almost a pauper now."

She broke down after letting her heart speak out. He let out a deep breath and went near her. The moment he hugged her from behind, she turned and buried her face in his chest and started weeping continuously. He kissed her forehead, took her face in his hands and told, "Hey honey, stop sobbing. I understand you very well". She told thanks amidst her sobs. She took her bathrobe and went for taking bath. He understood her well.

He dialed his father in law's (FIL) number. At the other end, his FIL promptly attended his call in 2 rings. After exchanging pleasantries, FIL asked "How is the suite? You both are comfortable I guess. If you have any inconvenience tell me. I will speak with the hotel people for giving you the convenience you asked for". He shot back immediately, "The suite is absolutely fine and we love it uncle. Actually I called you to ask about the Honda Civic car you have promised to give me during the marriage". The old man felt a lump in his throat. He replied, "I have booked the car. But am expecting payments from two places. Will pay the full amount within a week and I will make sure that you get the car after you come from honeymoon".

He told, "Yeah mom told last night about this. I called you to tell something else uncle. I don't need the car...". The old man's heart skipped a beat and he was excited. While he was searching words to thank his son-in-law, he continued, "Instead deposit the amount plus some 5L in my account. If I get the car, your daughter will think that as a dowry. But this way, she couldn't find unless you tell her. I know you won't tell her. And don't forget to deposit the amount within a week". Again the old man's heart skipped a beat and he struggled to find words. Tears flowed freely and at the other end his SIL let out a sigh of relief. He checked the bathroom door and heard the closing of shower. He thought, 'She won't know this - Forever'. He understood her very well.

P.S : These kind of things are happening still. When the society going to change?

With Love,

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Image Courtesy : Google Images

30 comments:

Karthikeyan S said...

Really Nice.. U have Narrated in nice way!

Everyone Knows dowry is social evil..
"I Wont ask From Any one".

Y Bride's Parents are Giving Dowry if asked? Y cant they Stop Marriage? Wont their daughter Get any other groom??

"Not All Groom Ask For Dowry"

Shruti said...

>>KK
Thank u da! If the girl has to be happy, in their terms they must give the dowry. This is a common factor in most of the arranged marriages.

"Not All Groom Ask For Dowry"
But still some of them are getting right??

"I Wont ask From Any one"
Very good KK and know what I won't give dowry too :P
Even the marriage costs must be shared!

Karthikeyan S said...

I Accept...

Also There is A Thought in Bride's Parent's Mind That there may be Some Problem With Groom if dowry is Not Asked From their side..

This Is also a stupid Reason for Getting Dowry.

gils said...

nice theme..but 2.5 billion??? athukula double aagitoma!!
//I won't give dowry too :P
Even the marriage costs must be shared!//

LOL :D

Makk said...

lollzzzz

bloody croock ...he is yar..

but the way ....its not all fiction.
is it?

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

A post brilliantly written,

Yvonne.

Samadrita said...

Good one Shruti.Despite people saying that dowry is a thing of the past now this deep-rooted social evil refuses to perish from the face of our society.Even people from the so-called 'cultured and educated' families don't hesitate to extort money and valuables from the bride's parents.
And you've made this very clear in your story.The woman's husband is clearly a hypocrite and not to mention a friggin' coward as well.

aayanman said...

You have a strong story and well etched characters...what i'd like to see as a reader is better sentence construction..like I noted here -
'She took her bathrobe and went for taking bath'
I am guessing this might be a mere oversight...

liked the post quite a lot.Good job.

Arnav said...

A strong story ,
Its sad, yet true... Here parents need to understand , I still find around me parents who are willing to marry their daughter away to people who shamelessly ask for dowry, and ironically even well educated parents do this.....

I wander don't they realize that their daughter will never be happy in such a family ....

in this case, the girl was educated and had a well paid job, then why should she give dowry ! her father shouldn't have agreed , and should have looked for another family !

Lakshmi Rajan said...

Really good. A strong script and characterization. For many Marriage is a business - Money is traded for people. Silent tears burried amidst the ceremony. Boy trade his self respect for dowry. Life goes on...

Lakshmi Rajan

GingerChai.com

The Aspirant said...

well u alwaz put such unexpected things in d end nd den u blame me y i dint xpect simple or obvious endings frm u.....

regarding this, awesum yaar......so taling abt social evils.....
really i dun't know y such things still happen,nd dis dowry system is really bad but our society needs tym fr understanding things nd may b we ourselves too........coz saying is easy bt following d said wrds is still not seen regularly....

Rauf said...

y blame the guy for boneless parents... there r people who r ready to give laks for stupid engineers... wen so much money is looming around which guy wouldn't have the temptation..

Shruti said...

>>Abdul
If a guy gets tempted can he do anything? What the damn is this? If their parents ask, he must convince them and not get tempted

P.S : I rejected your comment for my other post and no ABUSIVE WORDS id encouraged in my comments!

RamNarayanS said...

Nicely worded stark narrative. Dowry is a feudal mind-set. True Lies!!!

// recession in blogging world.

:-) :-) Attention span deficit disorder has hit the Netties. Well, you are creative. Randomness in posting is always good. Sometimes after a long break (not too long)and sometimes short. Have a good time.

Shruti said...

>>KK
This is true too! But all these are very prominent in middle and upper middle class family! But still they have to be punished!

Shruti said...

>>Gils
Indha stats ah patha thala girrunu suthum!

Rachana Shakyawar said...

@ Shruti

Simply moved with this story. This is your very remarkable post. Indeed this are much worst...and yet no straight solution to it. Even education have not been able to make as much difference into life...perhaps..being empathetic might just help...!

Dowry has to b abolished at any cost and at the quickest!


Anyway loved ur post!
I'm sorry to have comment this post so late...it just i have been a bit busy in phase of my life!!

Hope u understand :)
Keep the spark Alive..

Anonymous said...

W.O.W girl. that was amazing. I really thought that "he understood her well". The ending was really shocking. How mean he is!!! Dowry is something that we really have to get rid of. And this society is still male-dominated even if people say equal rights etc. Loved this story!! :)

Shruti said...

>>Makk
Makk, he is definitely a crook.. It is a fiction, a complete fiction :)

Shruti said...

>>Yvonne
Thank u lady :)

Shruti said...

>>Sammy
Very true, bloody coward he is!! But we became educated fellows, but dowry is collected for the groom's education.

Shruti said...

>>Gyanban
Thank u and I understood the point you made :)

Thanks for visiting and following my blog :)

Shruti said...

>>Arnav
Everything seems ok theoritically. Certain things are very good to speak. But while applying them on them practically, they become impossible.. These are some woes for the middle class families. Further, if a marriage is fixed and then if it has to be cancelled, the girl's family fears the reaction of the society!

Shruti said...

>>Chaiwala
Boy trade his self respect for dowry. Life goes on
Perfect statement!! Such is life.. Such is our society :)

Shruti said...

>>TA
:P :D
It happens!

We say many things! But how many we are remembering and how many we follow? Hardly few, this dowry thing is one among the forgotten thing.

Shruti said...

>>Rammm
I dunno whether am creative! But am not regular like before!!

Shruti said...

>>Rachana
Dowry has to b abolished at any cost and at the quickest!
Very much true!! Hope u r fine and got back frm vacation! Start blogging soon :)

Shruti said...

>>AK
WOWIeeee!! AK IS BACK!!! *Trumpets blowing*
Thank u for the appreciation :)

Priyamara said...

In order to avoid dowry, my precautious thought is to never marry! Why the hell should i adjust myself 4 someone else or let someone else feel me as a burden..

Unknown said...

Well narrated Shruti – as usual!!!

The theme is good, but for the first time I see such a very negative character in your writing. I don’t like that.

All men are not bad. Also, in most cases, they are just cornered by his family.

Anyway, gud post Shruti!!

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