And it rained...

Radha was a final year engineering student who had been placed in one of the best MNCs in the country. There were just few months for the college to get over and since it was the last semester the bonding between her friends had increased. They would roam around in the campus and spend most of the time in canteen. The last few days of engineering got over with parties and fun. Till the last day everyone was busy filling up each other’s scrap book; a token of remembrance for future. Finally the day arrived when Radha was parting her ways with her friends with whom she had such a wonderful time for 4 years. There were tears in everyone’s eyes and everyone was hugging each other. This was the time they realized how much they would be missing each other. From the college Radha went back to home.

Radha was 21 and she had completed her engineering; she also had a job from campus. She full filled every requirement for the search of the suitable groom. Somehow Radha was not ready for marriage yet; as soon as she landed at her home the prospect of her marriage started being discussed. Her father decided to create her bio data and start the search for that suitable groom who will marry his daughter. There was a detailed discussion with the relatives about how the search should begin and before the search began there were suggestions of getting some beautiful photographs.

Radha was informed that they would be going to a studio where some professional photographs of her would be clicked in the studio. She wore a light blue saree and did some light makeup and came out. Radha was not at all interested in the studio drama but she did not have much options. The studio person started asking her to give different poses; instructions related to chin up or chin down; the place where she should keep her hand; with all this drama Radha was just getting more irritated but she could not show her irritation on her face. She quietly kept doing what her parents wanted her to do and finally after an hour of photo sessions they left the studio.

Next day Radha’s father brought the photographs and showed it to her and her mother. She could see how much changes were made in the photograph and how they had tried to show her more beautiful than she actually was. Thanks to modern day tools such as photoshop which are helpful in modifying the photographs but anyway her parents were happy so even she was happy looking at the photograph. The next few days before her joining at the company was tough as the only discussion which would happen in the house would be related to her marriage. The prospective grooms and their details was what were discussed at the house and Radha was desperately wishing to join her job and runaway from this discussion.

Finally her date of joining arrived and quick arrangements of travel were made. Her parents and her brother accompanied her to the new city where she would be joining her job. On the way she was given list of instructions about being aware of her colleagues with whom she would be working; and the importance of performing well in the job. Her parents accompanied her till the training center and since during the engineering days Radha had stayed in the hostel she was not feeling much pain of separation; still on the first night she decided to stay with her parents. She kept her luggage in the hostel of the training center and went with her parents to their place. Next day she got up early and rushed to the training center.

It was her first day at job; there were around 200 other people along with her who were joining the job that day. She could find some familiar faces from her college but she had never interacted with them before. Now she was no more student but an employee and she felt excited about the fact that she would be earning her own money. For one week induction program of freshers at the company happened and then the training program began. It was three month long training and Radha was pretty much engrossed in her training; during her training period the discussions about marriage was not happening much. Radha was relieved that she could completely concentrate on her job.

Her training was over and her posting location had arrived. Radha had to travel on diwali to Kolkata and this was the first time she would not be at her home during diwali. Radha was bit sad but she realized in job such situations will keep coming and she was going to miss many more festivals in future. At the new place of her job there were no projects so technically Radha was on bench. During her bench period she had nothing much to do; she had made some good friends during her training days and like her they were also on bench so they would mostly chat over the office communicator.

One year of her job got over and by now Radha had got into a development project. She was enjoying her job and everyday she was learning something new. Finally her father informed her about one prospective groom whom she had to meet at Delhi. The bio data of the guy was forwarded along with his photograph and Radha scanned the bio data there was nothing much in the bio data except for the general details about his school, college, job and family. Date, time and place for meeting were fixed and Radha along with her family would be meeting the guy and his family. She had to travel down to Delhi as the guy worked at Delhi and his family also stayed at Delhi.

Radha was feeling awkward and she had no idea what she would be talking there; this was the first time she was actually going to meet a guy with the prospect of marriage. She was asked to wear a saree and she wore a saree. A restaurant was decided where the family would be meeting. The families met at the decided venue; she was standing there tensed; everyone got inside the restaurant and sat on the table. The parents began talking to each other but both Radha and the guy were sitting down tensed and did not know how to start a conversation. Finally the parents pushed them to talk and they started a conversation. They discussed about their college; their job and then there was silence. Finally Radha and the guy got to spend time alone and they were still not sure as to what should they talk about. Her first meeting ended up with nervousness and tension and a big question which Radha was asking herself was she ready for marriage yet.

Anyhow Radha’s father called up guy’s family and they said a sorry and made an excuse that the match did not fit well. They wished her father all the best for future search. Radha’s father was a bit disappointed and reasons for rejections were being discussed. Maybe it was a problem with Radha’s teeth so it was decided that Radha would get braces and get that perfect smile which would attract the guy.

Next few years went like this only where Radha would meet a guy alone or along with his family and they would come up with different excuses. ‘The girl is fat’, ‘she is not tall’, ‘she is not smart’, ‘sorry the kundali did not match’, and host of other excuses. With every rejection there would be disappointment and Radha would be upset thinking about how bad her parents would be feeling. Now the meeting process was becoming unbearable for Radha and she was not sure what men wanted in a wife. She thought it would be better if in this technology savvy world a guy could interact with her over the phone or chat with her on internet they could get a better understanding whether their frequencies matched or not.

Her father did not give up and kept on searching for the suitable groom who matched his requirement. Radha was given a detail of one guy who she had to meet and he worked at her city itself. Radha decided to be casual herself and meet him the way she usually dresses up. Radha wore a short kurta which was above her thighs along with a churidar. They were to meet at a mall at 12 in the afternoon. She took her sling purse and left; by 12 she reached the mall; she messaged on the number given by her father that she had reached. The guy replied back that he was on his way and asked her to wait at the entrance.

Radha was waiting at the entrance; looking around at people and thinking did they know her purpose of visit at the mall. Anyway she ignored them and finally one of the suitable grooms selected by her father arrived. He went straight towards her and they exchanged ‘hi’ ‘hello’. They decided to go inside and sit in the foodcourt and become more comfortable.

They started talking; they were all the usual questions as to what do they; their hobbies; how do they spend their time and finally it was time to get up and leave. They both started walking towards the exit of the mall and found it was raining heavily. Neither Radha nor this guy had brought an umbrella so they were stuck in the mall. They did not know what to do now. Finally Niraj, that was the name of guy whom Radha was meeting, said there was not much option but to wander around in the mall till it stopped raining. But the question was where they should go; they hardly knew each other and they decided to walk around the clothes department of the mall.

Finally Niraj asked Radha – “Do you watch movies?”

Radha – “Yes. Why?”

Niraj – “I was thinking that we should go for a movie till the rain does not stop only if you don’t mind.”

Radha – “Ok.”

They went up to the multiplex and booked movie tickets for the next show. In the meantime they decided to have lunch together and they took Indian meal from the foodcourt. Finally they went for the movie and they had a good time together; they laughed; they passed comments and they were not feeling that they were strangers. The movie was over and as they came out it had stopped raining also. They both said a good bye and left the mall.

Finally late at night Niraj messaged Radha – “It was nice meeting you.”

Radha – “Same here I also had a good time.”

Niraj – “I was wondering if we could spend some more time together.”

Radha – “Yeah sure that would be a good idea.”

Niraj and Radha kept meeting, talking, messaging each other for a month and finally they decided they would be getting married. Niraj and Radha informed their parents about marrying each other. The families were happy that finally their children will be getting married.

The marriage date was also decided and even on that day it rained. It rained and Niraj and Radha remembered how they met each other; liked each other and would be very soon married to each other. It rained and brought happiness in the life of Niraj and Radha.

It kept raining and Niraj and Radha kept looking into each other’s eyes as they got wet. Some rainfalls are hard to forget.

P.S. Do you love rain?