Sunday Story "Swiping for Shaadi" Episode 8 - Marriage is on everyone's minds

Father’s alien attitude towards her camera saddened Anjali. She recollected the good old days when she would secretly participate in an inter-school competition and win a trophy for being the best orator in the city, and her father would beam with pride.

“I know when I enter this house, Anjali beta is going to shower me with tokens of victory all the time.” 👨

Then, she became the first in their family with an IIM degree. The most prestigious moment was getting a job in the MNC she was working currently. The title of Senior Executive made his cheeks pink with pride and triumph. But that day, when Anjali had purchased one of the precious items on her bucket list, her father resented it. What does he want? Maybe, another promotion in the company or the Best Employee of the Year Award, she guessed, but she was wrong.

“We have a few proposals for you, beta. These are from really good families, and behave like a good, well-mannered girl.”

“I am a well-mannered person. Who said that doesn’t deserve to be in my life?” She exclaimed when she munched on her bread pakoda.

“You haven’t prepared anything that I liked or did not get in Mumbai, Ma?” She inquired, disliking the taste of pakoda.

Her father answered before her mother could say anything, “Bring us some real good news and we will serve a buffet on your wedding day.”

Anjali’s heart sank. She had no intentions of getting married till the age of 26, she still had one more year to stall the guys and suffer the brutal rejections on unreasonable grounds. But she swallowed the humiliation and continued to eat her breakfast.

It was not enough. Even the other family members had taken a bitter stand towards her. It was her Chacha who nagged her singlehood.

“Next December, she will turn 26. It will be high time she remains unmarried in the house. By then, Divya will also start getting proposals and we don’t have any noble intention like Bhaiya to let our daughter be highly educated. But bhaiya, we don’t our Divya to get married when her much-elder sister is sitting at home bin-byaahi.” 🤠

Anjali couldn’t bear his continuous nagging remarks and she snapped at him, “I am not sitting at home. I have a job, I also do photography. Even if I leave my job, I can follow my passion and do something really well.”

“Wow! So, your daughter has even planned to leave her job her father is super-proud of? Bhaiyaji, dekhiye, control your daughter’s passion and desires, or one day, she might slip out of your hands.”

It wasn’t her father, Mishraji who responded but Daadi who roared in fury, “Quiet! Alok, you better do your social work in the morning and sit at home. And Bhaiya can head towards his work and not ridicule his daughter. And his daughter can help with household work if wants her favourite breakfast and meals. All are useless in this family except me.” Daadi roasted others and put herself on the pedestal. 🧓

Anjali’s visits to her house in Agra started becoming torture because of her single status. It wasn’t their constant nagging that troubled her, but she missed the fun and pampering she received from her parents, especially her father. Her father flipped his attitude towards her in a short span of a few months.

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Gradually, she spent most of her time working in the office. Maybe, if she gets a promotion, her father will be back on track.

“Beta, can you come on this weekend? I will book your flight tickets, don’t worry. He is my school friend’s son and I genuinely feel that you and Rishikesh are a match. We even checked with an astrologer regarding the same.” Her father asked her to visit home, even though she was back from Agra a fortnight before.

“Papa, I am working on this weekend. And it is crucial. If I don’t go to the office, it won’t serve a good impression.” She explained to him, but he was adamant.

“This proposal is more important than you. You can get a job even after your marriage. Why worry about that? You will be 26 in 2 months; we can’t keep you in the house for long.”

Anjali disliked what her father said, she felt alone and miserable, but she thought that it must be a common feeling for all girls who want to get married. Gosh, why don’t we display such true emotions on social media?

“Papa, I can’t come. We can have a video call instead in the evening. I am already going through work stress. Please understand. This job has been a badge of honour for me and you, how can we leave this opportunity?” When she counter-asked this question, Father returned to his senses. He didn’t pressurize her but didn’t utter a single word further.

She wanted to make him remind that his talented daughter should not rely on a man, but he was not in a state to understand her. Society was more important to him at that moment, and not her daughter’s self-discovery of life.

But Mishraji understood that her daughter wasn’t interested in getting married and her career was the primary goal.

“Okay beta, you don’t want to marry. It is fine. But after some years, when all of your friends would be happily married and enjoying their lives, don’t come crying to me that you are the lone soul in the world. I am your Papa. I have given importance to your extra-curricular activities, education, and career as and when needed. But now, it is your marriage that is of utmost importance. I hope you will reflect on it and understand the significance of getting married at the right time.”

She had no words left. It was a long weekend ahead, and they had planned for checking the same guy, papa’s school friend’s son. But after hearing this warning, she had no feelings about visiting her home. She logged on to her laptop and booked a ticket to Rishikesh.

Yeah, the right Rishikesh 🌄 that she wanted to check out with her new camera!