Swiping for Shaadi: Episode 10 - The "I want to get married" Phase

“Hmm..?” Father confirmed, being skeptical about his daughter’s sudden desire to get married.

“Papa, I think this is the right time to get married.” She reaffirmed, that her father couldn’t digest her statement.

Assuming that her father had understood her ‘It’s too early phase,’ she continued, “Papa, you remember Avni? She is getting married. Papa, now that I am settled in my job, I should think about marriage seriously.”

“Really, beta?” Mishraji asked, his voice sounding sarcastic to Anjali. “I thought that you were thinking about marriage seriously when you checked out the guys’ proposals I forwarded. What were those meetings about? Leisure time activity or something interesting for your Insta-finsta?” His ironical words were too heavy for Anjali to bear and so she diverted his attention instead. 👨

“Papa, I will come home this weekend. We can talk about it in detail. Anyways, it is a long weekend.”

“And you haven’t planned any of your solo trips it seems?” He asked.

Oops! How did he know? Even though Mishraji was not on any of the social media channels, he had people around him who supplied all the accurate details about Anjali’s backpacking trips. Of course, that’s why it is called ‘social media!’

                                                  -x-

“So, your daughter has finally realized that she wants to get married like her other friends? Kehte hai na – subah ka …” Alokji tried to enter his usual nagging zone when he noticed Anjali after nearly two months, sipping on morning tea, but Daadi intervened him.

“Chup kar! You just need a reason to undermine your elder brother’s daughter and put your kids on a pedestal. Instead of criticizing her choices, you could have focused on your kids’ careers. 40%, 50% are these even marks?” 🧓

But Daadi had her usual way of ridiculing everyone in the family. When she scolded one person, she didn’t favour the other. She would provide the same brutal treatment to the others. So, after bashing her younger son, she turned towards Anjali and fumed up, “So, you are done checking out Mumbaikar boys and that’s why you want to do an arranged marriage? I am sure someone must have dumped you.”

But Anjali was not a cow. She answered back, “Shuruwaat hi nahi ki, long is the question of someone dumping me! I don’t give that freedom to anyone, Daadi.”

“Ha! Look the way she has speaking Hindi like a bambaiwali.” She squeaked and turned towards Anjali’s father. “I want to see her marriage in this life. You have to search for a man fast. Forget the native place and roots. He should be educated and be capable of handling this spoilt brat!” She smirked, still glaring at Anjali.

Mishraji turned towards his 26-year-old daughter and asked her intently, “Why such a sudden realization of getting married? You were never serious about marriage when I suggested 10 proposals in the past? Did I sound like a fool to you, beta?”

Father’s words were like pointed arrows that pricked and injured Anjali’s heart passively. Why does he have to blackmail me emotionally, especially when the topic was about her marriage?

“Papa, I was thinking, but I was only thinking of marriage previously. But now, I am seriously considering marriage.” She fumbled at every word while answering him.

“So, first you were thinking, now you are considering?” He confirmed with her which sounded comical to Anjali. She bet Sid would have laughed hysterically but she calmed down her urges to laugh out aloud. 😂

“Two years back, I was new at my first job and a novice in the city. I wanted to explore and try out things I liked. But now, I have settled, I think this is the right time.” She explained herself, but it didn’t sound genuine to her father.

“Hmm..” He grunted again and talked to his wife instead, “I am leaving for Lucknow. Will return after 2 days. We have a get-together of our community…”

“Ha samjhi! I know you are a very social person.” Kamalaji interrupted him from speaking further.

Anjali could guess that her father was not only mad at her but was also frustrated with her mother’s behavior (maybe because she had added two more shrubs to her little garden).

                                                  -x-

In the evening, Anjali’s heart skipped a beat as she read a message on her mobile phone. It was Varun’s.

Hi! Are you free this weekend? I thought we could catch up. 💛

Damn! Why did she choose to fly to Agra that weekend and not after that? Why did her marriage become a crucial business to consider all of a sudden? She cursed herself and instead of replying to him, she called up Sid for some solace.

“I made a wrong decision. I could have spent Sunday evening with Varun and I am in Agra now with my family who treats me like an unwanted, unmarried person?”

Hey, cool down! Sis, first clear your mind and decide whether you want to date Varun or get married and settle down like Avni. You can’t do both. I mean you can do both, but you don’t have to call yourself a good woman then.”

Anjali understood the significance of his explanation, but she was herself in a dilemma. “I don’t know, I am ready to get married, but this is not internal motivation. This is because I am scared of being alone or left out in the world. I simply want to rush with the marriage thing to gain respect from my parents, relatives, and society. I still hope that once I get married, my father will become the same good father he used to be and treat me like a princess. I don’t know, Sid. I really don’t know what I am turning into.” 😕

Sid didn’t try to point out her mistakes and flaws in her behavior and consoled her, “Don’t be scared. I know it will be hard for you, but it is for every girl who is convinced to get married. Believe in yourself, you won’t make the right choice. Remember that!” 👦