Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Marriage - Is a Relative Term

What kind of a girl are you looking for to settle down in life??

I usually wake up in the morning to sounds/questions like, "Kartik, wake up!! Its 7 AM!!" or "Kartik, don't you have to go to office today??" and sometimes to, "How come you are up so early?? Its only 12 O'clock". But definitely not to the question mentioned at the start of this post.

As soon as I am out of bed, I prefer to brush my teeth first and then talk. Keep asking me a hundred questions and I will just nod. I simply don't like to talk without brushing my teeth. Recently in Bangalore, when I was asked this question by a distant relative of mine, the first response that came to my head was, "Umm.. Maybe someone who brushes her teeth in the morning!!" But I resorted to a smile, because it makes other people wonder what you are thinking.

You cross 25 and all hell breaks loose in the family (extended family to be precise). All the relatives start behaving as if they were born to fulfill their ONLY (cant stress this word enough) purpose in life, which is getting you married off. Suddenly, even before you know that a particular person is somehow related to you, he has a marriage proposal lined up for you. The relative of mine who raised the above question was my mother's mother's cousin's husband's brother.. phew!!! (or something like that).

In a large family gathering, knowing that I had crossed 25 a good three years ago, caused a mini panic. There was a frenzy as if people had some deadline to meet and now they have three years of work piled up. I don't know why Indians are so obsessed with marriages. It is fun to attend a function where all the relatives have gathered to celebrate but imagine the state of the guy at whose expense all this occurs. On second thought, if the population of this country is any hint to go by, I now see the obsession with marriage ;)

Well, happiest people are those who are happy doing what they want to do. So its in best interest of everyone to not meddle with anyone's business. It is ultimately my decision to choose the person I want to get married to (provided that person chooses me too :P) and I just let all the weird stuff happen around me and enjoy while it lasts.

Not that I am getting married anytime soon, actually I don't even know whom I'll end up with. But I am sure everyone has to go through these weird times once in their life. Like I said, Enjoy while it lasts!!