An arranged marriage

Chand ne kuch kaha
Raat ne kuch suna
Tu bhi sun bekhabar
Pyar kar… Ho ho ho pyar kar

Aakash punched the boxing bag in front of him. Swiping the sweat fast forming droplets on his head, he impatiently hit the bag a few times more. He couldn’t believe what the next day was going to bring in for him.

Aai hai chandni
Mujhse kahne yahi
Aayi hai chandni
Mujhse kahane yahi
Meri gali mere ghar
Pyar kar… Ho ho ho pyar kar

Geeta looked at the full moon shining brightly in the sky and sighed. The sound was a sad and slightly thoughtful one. Geeta looked away, unable to bare the thought of what the next day was going to bring in for her.

Pyar kar… Ho ho ho pyar kar

“Geeta, are you dressed yet?” asked Geeta’s mother impatiently knocking on her daughters bedroom door. “Uff, hurry up! You know we’re expecting guests.”

Geeta frowned at her reflection in the mirror and with a frustrated sigh opened the door. Her mother stood before her, dressed in her best kangivaram saree, with a tray of delicious samosas and some hot tea in her hand. Geeta’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, but she kept her mouth shut. Best to get it over with.

“Chalo, atleast you look good, even if you haven’t made these samosas yourself. Now smile, wipe that frown off your face,” urged Geeta’s mother. With another frown of much bigger proportions than the one already on her face, Geeta took the tray from her mother’s hand and proceeded towards the living room.

Kya kahen kya pata
Baat kya ho gayi
Dillagi ye mere
Saath kya ho gayi

Aakash pretended to understand another joke that was cracked by his father and gave a small smile. He shifted uncomfortably, feeling slightly suffocated in the suit his father had insisted he wear. Aakash couldn’t believe what was happening here? He had actually come to a girl’s house to fix up an arrangement of marriage. Aakash viciously bit his lower lip.

Ik ishara hai ye
Dil pukara hai ye
Ik ishara hai ye
Dil pukara hai ye
Isse churana nazar
Pyar kar… Ho ho ho pyar kar

‘Where was the girl already?’ Aakash though to himself. Impatiently shaking his leg, he stopped as soon as a pretty girl in a green saree stepped out of the inside room. She carried in her hands a tray full of samosas and tea, but what held his attention was the slight frown on her face. It was the fact that she also hated this prepostrous idea that intrigued Aakash. Maybe it won’t be so bad, he thought to himself. She sure was pretty.

Hai kaun kya khabar
Koi to hai magar
Sapno mein hai kahin
Aata nahi nazar

Geeta kept her eyes lowered as her mother had instructed. Greetings and warm hello’s accompanied her entrence into the hall, and before she knew it, Geeta was sititng between both her parents, facing a really bossy looking woman she figured was the mother of the boy who had come to see her. She averted her gaze before her own mother jabbed her in the ribs for disrespecting the tradition.

Geeta was curious, where was the boy she was supposed to be seeing? Sureptiously, she looked around so that she could spot him.

Mein yahan woh wahan
Aa rahi phir yahan
Mein yahan wo wahan
Aa rahi phir yahan
Aawaz kiski magar

She looked up in time to lock eyes with a man she thought looked interested. She raised an eyebrow at him, and to her surprise he grinned. She looked thoughtfully at him for a minuite before deciding that she quite liked his face. Hmm…..not so bad. He was dressed ridiculiously though, in his best black suit, but she figured that was because of the parents.

Maybe this arrange marriage thing might not be so bad, Geeta thought to herself. She nodded to him and he nodded back. So, lets see where this goes.

Pyar kar

Ho ho ho pyar kar

“Geeta, this is Aakash,” introduced her father. She smiled sweetly and said her namste.

“And Aakash, this is Geeta,” introduced Aakash’s father. After quite sneakily winking at her, Aakash said his namste as well.

Geeta grinned behind her hand, and offered Aakash a samosa. He promptly picked one up.

“Ha ha, khao beta. Geeta made these samosas,” said her mother quite loudly. “Why don’t you two speak alone,” she added further.

Jispe hum mar mite
Usko pata bhi nahin
Ho.. jispe hum mar mite
Usko pata bhi nahin
Kya gila hum karen
Woh bewafa bhi nahin
Humne jo sun liya
Usne kaha bhi nahin
Aye dil zara soch kar
Pyar kar… Ho ho ho pyar kar

“So you don’t get this whole arrange marriage thing either?” asked Aakash.

“Not really. I was petrified to tell you the truth about today,” replied Geeta.

“Tell me about it. Look, I just got out of a very serious relationship and was hurt quite badly. Thats why my mother took advantage of the situation and set this up. I want you to know that I quite like you, but if there’s any problem from your side, please let me know,” said Aakash.

Geeta smiled. “Actually, I’ve never believed in the concept of an arranged marriage. Mostly, idea was making me all angsty.”

“I know, I can understand. But I think I quite like you. What do you say we give this a try? You and me? Two non-believers of arranged marriage?” asked Aakash.

“I think I’d like that. Lets begin again,” said Geeta. She brought her hand forward, “Geeta.”

“Aakash”, he said bringing his hand forward to clinch the deal.

They shook hands.

Aayi hai chandni
Mujhse kahne yahi
Aayi hai chandni
Mujhse kahne yahi
Meri gali mere ghar
Pyar kar… Ho ho ho pyar kar

The moon shone that night again, but this Geeta and Aakash were not frowning.

Pyar kar… Ho ho ho pyar kar

Disclaimer: The song ‘Pyar Kar’ is from the movie Dil Toh Pagal Hai, and is the sole property of the Yash Raj group and the people involved in the making of the song. No infringment is inteded. The only thing that belongs to me is the idea of Geeta and Aakash’s less than perfect first meeting.

Comments

Popular Posts