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2 States: We could have eloped... but didn't
We invited you, our dear readers, to share your 2 States story. And here is the latest set of responses! Keep writing!
We start out with Kalpaka's story:
My 2 States story began on April 9, 2009.
Jayant and I landed in Bengaluru (he had come from Kolkata and I from Delhi) and had to wait for the company cab for almost three-and-a-half hours (that's more than the time taken by the flight from Delhi to Bengaluru).
As part of our orientation programme, all the new recruits met at the hotel for the first time.
I came across to him as a snobbish girl from Delhi and he came across to me as an arrogant guy from Kolkata.
As the training began, we shared weird glances towards each other. Then the trainer made us do a task together, which broke the ice.
We realise d that behind the façade lay two individuals waiting to be loved and cared for.
We bonded during the 10-day training session.
On the last day while parting, we realised something was amiss.
And while we reached our respective destinations (Delhi and Kolkata), we realised we had given our hearts to each other.
Soon SMSes, telephone calls, emails took over but still we longed to be in each other’s company.
Jayant was a manager and had responsibilities to lead the organisation from the east whereas I was posted in Delhi.
He used to visit Delhi once or twice every four to five months.
Work pressures, distance between the cities made us go slow on our relationship initially but after three years we decided to bond forever.
Born to a Marathi family, marrying a Bengali was never thought off.
We had a tough time but eventually, we managed to convince our families.
We believed that true marriage is not just between two individuals but it is a bond between two families.
We could have eloped and started our lives… however we wanted both our parents to accept us whole-heartedly.
We got married in accordance with the Bengali tradition and the next day we followed the Marathi rituals.
And we've loved each other more with each passing day.
He tries to understand Marathi and even tries to amuse everyone with his broken Marathi.
As for me, I can understand and even write Bengali (just to impress my mother-in-law) and speak a little too.
And as for food?
Sometimes we both feel that chicken brought us together (we went out searching for for a joint that'd serve chicken when we were in a Bengaluru hotel that only served vegetarian food)!
But now I also love eating fish much to the disbelief of his family and he loves pithla (a local Marathi dish) much to the disbelief of my family.
It has been one and half years since our wedding and we really are living our dream!
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'I never believed in love marriages'
Neha Potle shares her story:
I have always been very independent and liked being single. I never had time to be in love… not until I met Ravitosh Mishra.
At first we hated each other.
Eventually we became good friends and then fell in love.
We are now set to marry on November 30 this year.
Before I met Ravitosh I never believed in love marriages; I wanted to have an arranged match, much like my parents.
At some point we realised it'd be difficult for us to convince our parents, what with the differences in our castes, rituals and languages.
It was a very difficult period and we were totally shattered and were feeling pathetic.
We didn’t want to hurt our parents and so we decided to break up.
For about a year we stayed away but soon realised we couldn't stay without each other.
We began trying to convince our parents and now after much cajoling, they agreed and we are now engaged to be married!
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'Her parents still don't talk to her'
Finally, Atanu Senapati shares the story of his marriage to Mala Aggarwal:
I am a Bengali and my wife is from an Aggarwal family in Haryana.
We met about seven years ago in Delhi where we were studying for our Master's degree.
It was love at first sight.
We hadn't thought of the consequences at first but when reality sunk in, we tried to stay away (without much success).
So after six years of being together we decided to tell our parents that we'd like to get married.
Things didn't go down very well.
There was no communication between us for about a year during which time, she convinced her parents to permit me to marry her.
They agreed but reluctantly.
On June 2, 2013 we got married in accordance with the Aggarwal rituals. (not mentioned whether the parents agreed or not)
So if they are seeing this page, I want to tell them that still their lovely daughter loves them more than before and misses them very much.
Are you a north Indian who's married a south Indian or vice versa?
How did you two meet?
How did your families react?
Was there enough drama for a Bollywood movie or a bestselling book? :-)
Tell us!
Email us the stories of your inter-cultural marriage!
Write to getahead@rediff.co.in (Subject line: 'My 2 States story') along with a picture of you and your spouse, and we will publish the best stories right here on Rediff.com!