Japanese daughter-in-law for Gurinder

Jagdeep and Rie's love story seems a straight lift from Gurindar Chadha's crossover flicks

Rie and Jagdeep J Singh

Scene I: What happens when a Punjabi munda in Amrika decides to wed a Japanese onna-noko (girl)? You can almost hear Gurindar Chadha shouting action as the baujis, beejis and bebes , back in India, run up the telephone bill trying to show their puttar the error of his ways.

Scene II: The family hysteria abates. Sadda Jagdeep J Singh flies down with Rie for a traditional Punjabi wedding on Feb 26, 2005. The family mills round the Japanese bride-to-be extolling her virtues.

"Cross cultural marriages are in vogue in the US with many Asians settling for spouses from strikingly different cultural background," says JJ, a senior system analyst in Kansas.

The hullabaloo over marriage was no less pronounced in Rie's home," What added to the confusion was her parent's inability to speak English and mine to converse in Japanese," he adds with a hint of smile.

Already declared man and wife at a civil wedding in Kansas, JJ and Rie decided to go in for 'take II' as "The family oriented and group culture is also, like in India, an integral part of Japanese ethos, hence I felt necessary to seek the blessings of the elders," says Rie cutting a striking picture in a deep blue salwar kameez.

The petite lady nonetheless was quite "inquisitive" about the ways of life of a Punjabi household. "I took her to see 'Bend it like Beckham' and told her that's what we are like. People, people and more people around you all time of the day," says Jagdeep as his wife breaks into a laugh and asks " Chai pini hai?"

A Buddhist, Rie on her part finds Indians to be "Super-religious. Japanese simply believe that good goes and come around but are not ritualistic and demonstrative about their beliefs," she explains.

Food, surprisingly though, was a no problem point for her. "The spicier the better. Paani puri, gobhi and aloo parathas , tandoori murg , have gone down well with her. In fact she has posted the recipe for making Indian masala tea on a website in Japanese. The response has been quite overwhelming," says JJ as he fondly puts an arm around Rie.

The young man on his part enjoys sushi, izakaya and almost all Japanese preparations "Except for nako , which are fermented beans. Even the Japanese think twice before popping them into their mouth," he says with apparent distaste.

The banna and the banni know that life ahead may throw up many unexpected challenges. "In the aftermath of the September 9/11 attack I had to get my hair cut. Rie insists that I grow them back in keeping with the wishes of my folks. She in her own way is reaching out to my family..., guess love always finds a way," says JJ as his wife gives him a look of reassurance.
vandana.soni@timegroup.com