Sharmaji's Marriage

It was a marriage of two states, without much essence in it. The groom and bride, though from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, had a common residential domicile. In that binding cord, they bond. Both were conversant and easy on every matter that concerned them. This nurtured their love for each other that nourished their longingness.

They met in college while pursuing professional studies in the late eighties and early nineties. Used to come home and go back together during college breaks; not to speak about attending common classes and the daily strolls by the famous lovers' lane in college. This lane had street lights that never used to light up. The best caption I heard about was that the picture of love developed best in dark! Don't know if that holds good today as the present generation wouldn't know how a good photograph used to develop from a polymer negative plate encased in a dark chamber. The luxury of having a camera and a print in colour is etched in our minds unlike these days where everybody talks about megapixels.

After finishing their courses, both of them came back home in Calcutta and started working in a firm of excellent repute. Meanwhile, their parents had come of know about their relationship and consented the much awaited marriage of the love birds without much hesitation. It was a wedding to remember and, the two were too excited about it.

With invitations flying out to all dear and known, began the life cycle for a bigger and fatter Indian wedding. Every step and, every move was evolutionary that no accepted models of management could engineer the end result. The magnitude of arrangements were gargantuan and, less said the better.

The day of solemnisation of social marriage had come. Canny decisions on the size and content of the groom's entourage were made so not to upset any decorum. The mood was upbeat. The metaphysical part beyond all these was heightened pure spirits. The auspicious moment was drawing closer and the groom was well decorated for his marriage. All who would accompany the groom were in their fineries, just perfect for the wedding. The well decorated car of the groom and the bus that would accommodate his accompanying relatives and friends set off for the marriage hall where the social marriage would be solemnised. The band party was stationed at about 200 meters from this marriage hall from where they would blow their drums and trumpets in full frenzy, playing the latest and classics from Bollywood movies, just apt for the occasion, escorting the car to the site. A few relatives were already there as advance party to see that all arrangements were precise.

It was almost 6:30 PM by the time the groom's car, followed by the bus, arrived at the scene, adhering punctiliously to the schedule as the shubh muhurat for the wedding was slotted at 8:12 PM. Enthusiastic maternal and paternal uncles got down from the bus and urged the band to get ahead of the car while the ladies stayed inside. Kids and adolescents too got off and danced all the way to the venue that went like a procession. It was at the gates where firecrackers were burst announcing the arrival of the groom. In the joyous environ, it was realised soon that no one from the bride's side was there to greet them and do the necessary formalities to welcome the groom and the guests. All merriment came to a grinding halt. Jaws dropped, eyebrows shot up and an eerie amplified silence descended!

Few workers, readying the gates at the entrance with decorative flowers and lights and, a handful inside tending to raw items that would go into the cooking for dinner. Chairs and tables were scattered and the entire hall bore an unkempt look all over. This was the scene at the marriage hall. All were dumbstruck as to what was going on and, where the bride's party was. This was totally unacceptable and exhibited dishonour for the groom and his companions. It was different strokes for different folks – lest call it mayhem. Tension was mounting high with different thoughts encroaching the merry brains. Trenchant critics were smiling within trying to look liberal with an outlook that reaffirmed their trait in honour and prestige for the comity of families. Pageants of our celebratory indigenous art of improvisation, of doing jugaad, was nowhere in vicinity. Sharmaji was cornered and marginalised beyond ignominious lows struggling hard to figure out what went wrong. The situation was befuddling for all and provided juicy fodder for the critics; all rolled into one. Everyone waited with bated breath as to what would follow next.

Allaying all fears, Sharmaji who was already drenched in sweat by now, sitting in a non airconditioned car fearing the worst, came out to take charge of the situation. He took command with his baritone voice flowing over the dismayed and baffled baaratis. Instruction was passed to maintain calm and search for a nearby PCO. In those days, it was the PCOs that were much in vogue to keep connected. A telephone call was made to the bride's home to find out what was going on! Fears of mulling the idea of a rollback kept the tension running with an uncanny silence to the festivity and the disgrace following it. It was traced that all in the bride's party were busy dressing up and it was the delayed visit of the beautician that ushered in the delay and that, they would reach within half an hour.

This assurance was conveyed to all that brought some relief despite the initial setback with the crises finally bowing out! As harrowing as in a thriller, the experience have shaken the nerves of all. The assurance tamed the scurrilous and malicious attack on his choice of bride and, that exhorted the can do spirit of undaunted Sharmaji with elan. Hospitality ran afoul of everyone's mind and they waited with abject patience for those thirty minutes to end soon lest, the day should serve up any another surprise. The entire episode of disruptions unfolded like plausible storylines resembling the most fanciful fiction to be hard to believe but true to the greatest extent.

Finally, after 45 odd minutes' of pathbreaking patience, saw the bride's entourage finally descend on the venue with all modesty, breaking the impasse. It was eventually a happy ending, vowing to remain committed to each other for ever despite the initial - shall we call the jolt or hiccup? 😄