Tuesday, January 13, 2009

TRADITIONS & CUSTOMS... BOON OR BONDAGE???????

Trin Trin... My cell phone rang like bizzare..[n i simply hate my cel disturbin me in my noon nap :P]..... Groanin, I sumhow answered d call ..D voice at d other end sounded familiar.... It ws my bst friends bro ... n he said " Ruchu Di , **** di got fixed up" [ sowie cnt put d name ]... I really got pissed off..[ dat happens wid meh wen sum1 wakes me up 4m sleep] n snarled back at him".. Dude, grow up..... n dis isnt April but Feb... so stop foolin me around"... Den he replied.." Di m nt foolin U ..dis is d truth ..D guy n his family had come 2 see her yesterday n they have answered in affirmation "..Now I sensed d xcitement in his voice n jumped out of my bed.. my heartbeats were racin faster wid every passin moment ... somehow i managed 2 come 2 my senses n told him " congo"... **** Di hai?/..He handed over d phone 2 my friend...I was about 2 shout my guts out on her... but as soon as she said hello .. i forgot everythin... i simply cudnt mistake n miss out d xcitement in her voice... i just congratulated her absentmindedly........

I headed towards my parkin ,took d car out n rushed 2 her place...There was chaos all around... D phone ws ringin incessently, and it ws a gala affair at her place..every1 ws rejoicin....D place ws freakily crowded.. Somehw i manged 2 find my way in n reached her... I hugged her tightly n told in her ears" i wanna have a word wid u..rite nw!!!!!!!!!" .. We both went in a secluded corner n I started bombardin her wid non stop questions..." R U mad? R u out of ur senses girl...Y do U need 2 tie D knot so soon?...N hw did it all happen...?/"" ..bla bla bla... i ws jst going on n on.... She simply responded " Chill ya... m happy.. All d elders in my family like him. dey chose him 4 me...Its all fixed up".... All hell broke loose upon meh... here i ws tryin 2 convince her 2 think over her decision again....n dis gal ws tryin 2 convince me d other way round... seems she had made up her mind... [ itzz true.. luv desenses u.. n ur brains stop workin:P...or mayb d concept of arranged marraige doesnt appeal 2 me at all..]......

Finally i came in terms wid d reality ...n sumhw managed 2 digest d fact dat yup dis is not a nightmare...itzz all real... den i asked her " Whose d guy? Where is he 4m?...bla bla bla.... Den she told me d name n all.... I came back 2 my place n googled his name... n alas!!! dis guy 's non existent on orkut as well as fb... doom doom doom doom:P:P...............

Next day I went 2 her place ....her engagement ws slated up 4 d same weekend... n den she ws all confused as 2 wot 2 wear n stuff? [ i guess girls r born wid d genes embedded wid d confusion traits]..... Finally I chose a Ritu Kumar creation 4 her...d detalilin on d saree ws so intricate n fab... bt it ws way tooo heavy in weight... so she ws a bit apprehensive on wearin it...bt sumhw i convinced her 2 wear it on d D day... Meanwhile i commented" I wonder how U will b able 2 mange dis saree ya?"....n suddenly aunty replied..".Beta ab toh isko shaadi ke baad sari hi pehni padegi.... she hs 2 get used 2 dis attire"....

O freak.. I simply cudnt believe my ears..n truly got out of my senses... my best friend wl b wearing saree all her life... i asked aunty "Y? Is it compulsory at her in laws place 2 wear sari ?".... Aunty nodded ... n went on sayin " yesbeta, wo Khandani log hai.. itzz d richest family in town.. dey r of d same community...D guys well settled ...n bla bla bla..."... Everythin ws fallin on deaf ears... my mind ws still nt ready 2 absorb dis gr8 shock... Finally my rebellious streak[ which i always kip at bay] got activated n i almost shrieked...i told aunty" Bt U had promised U will get her married in a mod family??"... Aunty said " yup.. d family is all mod.. D guys pretty outgoin... wl kip my daughter happy n d family is of our status..."..... I snarled " how can a family, which is so bound by traditions n customs n makes der daughter in laws wear saris ,b called mod?".... den aunty said in a defensive manner " Customs n traditions r our pride..n ek ladki ki sundarta indian attire mein hi dikhti hai[trust me had dis cum out of sum1 elses mouth he wud hv gt d deadliest luk ever 4m me... bt sumhw i controlled... yoga truly helps at times:):)]... n she will have 2 wear saree in front of her in laws... Its a mark of respect... Even we xpect d same 4m our daughter in laws as well.."..

Nw it ws d height 4 me... I snapped back n said" BUT wot does a saree has 2 do wid respect?... Do U mean dat people who dont wear sarees dont have respect 4 others... n after all...respect is not in what u wear... but itzz in ur attitude ,ur behaviour, ur eyes... i simply fail 2 understand y we fall victims 2 such century old traditions n customs which r truly irrelevant n baseless..... I told aunty dat tomorrow wen i wil get married,, i wil surely make it a point dat I m being part of such a family where I wl b treated like their own daughter... where i wont have 2 live under d burden of stupid customs... n well.. i know it vv well dat I will give my in laws equal respect, care n concern wot i had given 2 my parents..i trust my values 4 dat .. .n I can do dis by wearing denims as well... I mean where does my denim stops me 4m respectin my in laws? cant i cook food wearin denims?... R dos bitchy "K" serial bahus clad in sari better dan a sweet sensible gal wearin western outfits????? Does dat mean i wud luv my husband less in denims?.. Does wearin saree makes me d imperfect wife, Bahu...........Wot crap!!!! Gimme a break ya... "..

[ i guess i over reacted.... cuzz even though i ws born in a marwari household , my family is way too mod... n dats rite 4m d times of my granmom... so all dis stupid illogical stuff doesnt makes sense 2 me.. i hv been Gods favourite child i guess.... i ws blessed wid such freedom dat even my cuzins [guys] get d "J' feelin... . d bst of d education..U name it n I had it... I tuk my own decisions ,, so dat if nethin goes wrong I shud b able 2 take d entire blame on myself... mayb itzz jss d way i m moulded ...n m really vvv proud of my upbringin... My values r still v much intact... I guess i hv d bst of both d world...TOUCHWUD...... n a bigggg thnxxxx 2 my grandmom n parents 4 it...Luv U guys]....

Well dat ws a topic I cut short dat day cuzz i simply cant shout on my elders .. n it ws gonna b a non endin argument otherwise... [ 4 datmatter i cant shout at ne1... high pitched agitated voice is a big turn off 4 meh]... n i knew it ws all gonna b in vain explainin my views 2 people who live in a shell n r afraid of gettin free of d traditons...

I m nt sayin I dunn value D traditions..In fact m proud of d Indian culture..I truly believe Sari is indeed d most ethnic n d sexy outfit we have n i hv nothin against dem who wear it...Bt my point here is nobodys shud b forced 2 wear it if dey aint comfortable in it... We live in d largest democracy..we talk of our own rights... Den y d hell shud we stay under d burden of dis century old traditions which makes no sense... Cant we even dress up according 2 our choice? Y we wanna fall prey 2 such frivolous issues????? .... itzz been almost a year 4 dis incident... even 2day wen i think of it i turn gloomy n find myself helpless..... but m happy my friend hs found her perfect soulmate n wearin a sari is a v small price 4 it...

Bt I truly pray 2 God dat every1 shud seriously giv it a thought..D youngsters n d elders alike...We need 2 understand each other n stop fightin under d cover of Generation Gaps... Lets b like a sponge n b absorbent enuff 2 absorb all d gud things around ... n i wish even d elders break free of d mould n try n understand dis generations point of view as wel.....n even we youngsters understand der views cuzz itzz wot dey speak out of xperience n all 4 our benefit.. I guess itzz like a double edged sword... Giv it a thought guys

Happy readin... Tacay:):P

1 comment:

  1. ... d transition process is on... perhaps, a generation or two ... nd this will end altogether...

    either by defiance or approval...

    ReplyDelete