A week later, it was back to the same grueling ritual. A boy was coming to see Sandhya, pronounced the uncles proudly, exclaimed the aunts excitedly, chanted the children cheerfully. Dadi once again called Sandhya to her room and solemnly explained to her how young ladies of her age are expected to behave. The other members of the household got busy in getting the house ready. Courtesy the kids squad, the Desai dwelling was back to its usual untidy self, as though all the preparations that had been done for Prashant's visit had never happened.
The family had been most disappointed to learn from Sandhya that Prashant was still in love with his ex-girlfriend, but had recovered fast enough. Within an hour, Geeta Chachi had impressively declared that she had always felt in her heart that Prashant was not good enough for their daughter. To this, Sandhya had vehemently protested, in defence of her friend, but sadly, in vain.
But let's go back to the suitor who came that afternoon. A certain Rohan Patel, a civil engineer based in Bhopal. Rohan was short, but thankfully, not shorter than Sandhya. He had big round owl-like eyes and very neatly combed hair that looked glued to his scalp. His smile, Sandhya decided, must be his best feature. It had a most endearing sweetness to it, like a childishness almost. Within minutes of talking to him, Sandhya was bored out of her mind. The man talked in quotes from Bollywood movies, for god's sake! Their conversation had run somewhat like this.
"So, what are your hobbies?" Rohan had begun.
"Well," Sandhya had answered, "I paint stuff and I like to read a lot. I'm a literature teacher so I guess it's what I do best. I also love hiking and listening to music. I watch some tv as well, but only to pass the time."
Rohan looked content with the response. "That is very good, Sandhya. Watching tv makes you learn many things in life. I also watch a lot of tv. I watch the news and also, some of the soap operas that teach you how people are, how to maintain good relationships and be a good person in life. As far as relationships go, basically, I believe that the foundation of any relationship is trust, and once that is there, nothing can go wrong. I know I seem very wise, but I've never had a girlfriend. I was waiting for the right person. I think somewhere, there's a person that's meant to be for every one of us. And sooner or later, we meet that special person and we know it's her we've always been waiting for. You know, Sandhya, you're just like I had imagined you'd be. Don't you also feel that we're made for each other? See the games that fate plays, you're wearing a pink sari, and I'm wearing a pink tie. And it's not like I knew what you were going to wear or anything. I promise you I didn't know! Isn't it amazing? This, is destiny."
"Or a coincidence," Sandhya had managed to butt in.
Rohan had laughed softly, but not unkindly so, before stating, in his usual matter-of-fact tone, "Oh, you're so naive! You know Sandhya, marriages are made in heaven, solemnised on earth. We come with our destinies written in the palms of our hands and all we have to do is follow. When I saw you, I knew. You're the one I've always been dreaming about. In fact I have everything planned. I was just waiting to meet you. And now we'll get married. You'll wear a red and pink sari. A marriage is not just a union of two bodies, it's a union of two souls. And so, on a moonlit night, our souls will become one. Then we'll go for a honeymoon because it is important for a newly-wed couple to spend some time alone together. We'll go to Shimla, because I cannot afford Switzerland'yet. We'll have tea together and watch the snow. I'll give you my jacket to keep you warm and you'll smile shyly at me, the way you are now, and -"
"I'm not shy," Sandhya had interjected stubbornly, "I was thinking, why don't we try get to know each other before planning all this?"
"Of course. Well Sandhya, I must tell you, I don't smoke, but I do drink sometimes. But rarely. I hate smokers. And I'm a pure vegetarian because that is how God intended us to be. Your Chachi told me you're also vegetarian. That's very good. You will be pleased to note that you have all the qualities that my wife should have. And you will bring up our children to be just like you, respectful, disciplined and simple-minded. I think we'll have two children. Our first son, we'll call Gaurav. And then we'll have a little daughter, Priya, who'll be just like you, calm and composed. Our daughter will be a doctor. You know, women are best at serving others because they are so strong that they can forget themselves in order to be of use to others. Gaurav, that little brat, will be an engineer, like his father..."
And so it had gone on and on in the same vein, the one-way conversation. Rohan definitely liked the sound of his voice. He was so self-assured that he didn't think he had to listen to what Sandhya had to say, and so, after a while, she gave up trying to put in a word whenever he paused to take a breath. She felt a bit sorry for him but that did not make him any less exasperating.
Midway through his drone, she realized with a jolt that she could not possibly live with him all her life. She promptly stopped him and told him so, as politely as she could. She tried to explain to him that she was not the one he had dreamt of and that in fact, she did not share his dreams. But such an idea was too remote for him to grasp and so, as a last resort, she let down the three shocking words, like a bomb: "I smoke, Rohan."
Rohan was suitably stunned, speechless at last, and that was the end of the matter. Just a small lie, Sandhya reasoned to herself, for his own good. She could not bear the idea of lying or being lied to. It made her dizzy and nauseous. But it was necessary in this case, she persuaded herself.
The next person who came to see Sandhya was worse than Rohan. An insurance guy by the name of Nitin Kumar. A boastful, pompous, narrow-minded, chauvinistic, narcissistic, balding young man. It was far easier for Sandhya to get herself rejected by him, seeing that he was looking down at her in the first place. To her strongly-worded objection to his outrageous advice that she should straighten her hair and look more coy in front of his family, he had merely spared a derisive snort before storming away haughtily.
Sandhya and her family were relieved to see him leave. Nobody had quite liked his and his family's high-and-mighty ways.
By the time Rohan and Nitin had come and gone, Sandhya had resigned herself to the fact that she was most probably doomed to a life of eternal spinsterhood. And then, Shekhar came.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
