The Spicy Wedding

V idhur was ecstatic. He was getting hitched to his dream girl. Their love had literally blossomed overnight. Thanks to the efficacy of social networking sites, he managed to navigate the long-distance hurdle to woo his lady love. Their love bore the hallmarks of heroic proportions.

Vidhur, eldest of 3 siblings from a below poverty line family based in Kodagu, Karnataka, was a mild-mannered boy who could talk his way into trouble and had been a school drop-out from early teens. Past legal marriage age, he was lucky enough to land a helper’s job to the temple priest in Kasarkod, Kerala. With mundane work occupying his daily calendar at the temple, Vidhur had time on his hands to indulge in extracurricular activities. Inadvertently, his attention would seek the 5-inch screen. With the world at his fingertips, the social networking sites seemed the right anecdote to employ his leisure time.

One such escapades on social media led him to follow a cute girl on Facebook. He liked her photographs. Shortly infatuation became formality. He could not stop thinking about her. Even during his temple chores, he would envisage the girl walking into the temple. Vidhur would appear lost in her thoughts throughout the day. The priest would reproach him for being slouch at work. He decided to take it one step further and send a friend request. The agonizing waits almost got him killed once as he was busy checking his status while drifting in the middle of the road. He longed for the girl to accept his request. His nights stretched long and staring into phone a norm. After a full month, he received notification that the girl had acknowledged his friendship application. His happiness knew no boundaries. He even ran to the priest and kissed him on the forehead. The first barrier had been breached.

Immediately he set about acquainting with her. He commenced chatting, initially only in spouts, but later in sprints. The girl, reluctant at first warmed up to Vidhur once she realized he was a harmless homo-sapien. She introduced herself as Kamakshi. She was working in Bangalore at a departmental store and hailed from Sirsi, a remote town in northern Karnataka. She moved to the metropolitan at her friend’s habitat post completion of her graduation leaving behind parents and elder brother.

As days trickled, nights grew lengthier for Vidhur and Kamakshi. They chatted throughout the day and at dusk, when both came off duty, conversed right until dawn. They had few things in common, same mother tongue, no language barrier, humble background and masters of social media. There was one issue hindering their compatibility; they belonged to different castes and Kamakshi suspected this to be a bottleneck incase their relationship progressed. However, the girl bottled this within herself. There would be time to discuss this later.

Vidhur realized he was falling for Kamakshi. Her smile during video calls, openness and unpredictable nature drew his special attention. The more he thought of her, the more certain he felt about her. Although he believed she also felt the same way, there was always a lingering feeling that she might reject him. He decided to test his faith, but dreaded the outcome.

Kamakshi had found a kind hearted friend in Vidhur. She felt very comfortable talking to him and considered him as her go-to person. She treasured his listening skills, his stirring humbleness and impressive confidence. She had started liking him, but felt very shy expressing herself. All she wished was for a meeting between them.

At new years’ eve, barely 3 months after engaging on social media, Vidhur, with lion-hearted courage and a rabbit like nervousness, professed his love for Kamakshi and proposed her for marriage. She was taken by surprise with the proposal. Although she liked him, Vidhur was taking this to a superior level. After only a brief silence, Kamakshi answered in affirmative. But made it well clear that there were a lot of issues that needed ironing. The water below the bridge needed to be flushed out. As uncomfortable as it might be, she needed to express it before proceeding further.

Kamakshi had not discussed this matter with her parents. The boy was from other caste, that was a tolling within her. She did not have the courage to profess her love for Vidhur to her parents. They would simply reject him or worst decapitate him. She feared her parents would summon her back and that would put rest to her career ambitions. They would immediately marry her off to a stranger thereby strangulating her freedom. Before talking to her parents, she decided to discuss with Vidhur.

Vidhur was nonchalant on the caste matter. He could not be bothered with it and assured her matter-of-factly. He wanted to marry Kamakshi at the earliest possible. He told her to maintain a firm stand with her parents, like himself. He had literally hand-twisted his parents into accepting Kamakshi as their daughter-in-law. They had grudgingly agreed, as Vidhur threatened to attain bachelorhood if they did not align with his choice. They requested him to wait for his sister’s delivery, which was 3 months away, but Vidhur was having none of the argument. In stark contrast, Kamakshi could not muster the courage to break this news to her parents.

It was a moment of reckoning, a decision had to be made. Vidhur kept pressuring Kamakshi to discuss the matter with her parents or let him handle it. Kamakshi could not affirm neither. In the end, they came to a tenacious pronouncement. They would marry first and then break the news to her parents. Kamakshi half-heartedly agreed, she would face the consequences later after marriage along with her partner. Vidhur informed his parents. They protested fervidly, but the iron had been cast. Vidhur would not change his cognizance. The plan was hatched for the run-away wedding.

Kamakshi would take few days off from job, reach her parents place. From there on, she would travel to her Grandmother’s place at the pretext of visiting her in Skandnagar. Vidhur and his family would travel on the day of wedding, pick up the bride-in-waiting and both would be entered in wedlock at a private ritual in Kopali, at a temple famous for handling inter-caste marriages. A grand reception was planned the subsequent day. Kamakshi with support from Vidhur would inform her parents and invite them for the reception. They hoped her parents would eventually accept and bless them. And so, the plan motored.

Vidhur was jubilant. He spread the news far and wide amongst his temple peers and friends. He applied for a month long leave and promised to come back as a couple. Reaching home, he set about the preparations in earnest at full swing. He forced his mother in purchasing a loan from the local landlord, notwithstanding the higher interest rate. They shopped for jewelry, clothes for bride, groom and all the family members. Transport was arranged. The hall was booked for next days’ reception. Orders were placed with decorators and caterers. The reception would be grandeur affair. The house was colorfully decorated for the impending wedding. They had not informed the town folks of the wedding, but were invited for the reception. The buzz around the house was deafening.

Meanwhile, Kamakshi was nervous right through her journey from Bangalore to Sirsi. Back home, she tried to appear calm, while the storm was raging inside her. Hundreds of times, she thought of bringing up the wedding topic, but each time she withdrew into her cocoon, shuddering of the consequences. She resolved to traverse the plan. Two days before D-day, she voyaged to her maternal place. She was closer to her grandma and hoped to bring up the topic with her at the perfect time, if at all she found her valor.

Eventually the day of reckoning arrived. Night before, he had thrashed out the granular details. Vidhur and his family started their journey to Skandnagar at 6.00 am. He asked Kamakshi to be ready by 9.00 am. They would pick her up from bus stand and reach the temple by 11.30 am. Post wedding ceremony, after lunch at the temple premises, they would voyage back to his base and reach by 6.00 pm. He had few preparations to be completed for the reception. He was excited to meet his bride for the first time.

While on the way, as he was trying to contact his to-be-bride, she was not picking up his calls. This bothered Vidhur. Normally, she would pick up the call in a trice. It was unlike her. He kept this news to himself and not worry his parents and siblings. As they neared destination, he tried to call her several times, but each time the calls went unanswered. He was feeling anxious. Something did not feel right. He was obligated to share his concern with parents now. They decided to wait at the bus stand, set as the meeting point for union.

As the excruciating wait lingered for next hour and half, there were no signs of Kamakshi. After long deliberation, they decided to visit her grandmother’s place. Vidhur hazily remembered the general location during one of his conversations. After inquiring around, they reached her place. They rang the bell and were met by the granny at the door. To Vidhur’s utter surprise, the brother hovered around. There were no signs of Kamakshi. The parents introduced themselves. They were let in. The most uncomfortable silence ensued, each party willing the other would open the topic. Vidhur broke the deadlock. He asked for Kamakshi.

The granny flatly refused to let them meet her and told them with grievous tone, that such a meeting can happen over her dead body. The parents chirped in and tried to reason out with the old woman; the young couple were in love and it was the elder’s duty to accommodate their happiness. Granny interjected saying no inter-caste marriage is possible under any circumstances. The brother was a silent spectator, prowling menacingly around the discussion with hatred filled eyes for Vidhur. The dialogue stretched for 30 minutes, each party trying their best to represent their case. Incredulously, there were no signs of Kamakshi. Vidhur feared either she was locked up in some corner of the house or shifted to some other place. He was losing his marbles. He had enough of the discourse.

He accusingly pointed his fingers at granny and in high pitched tone, blurted out to summon Kamakshi. Brother glowered at him, almost ready to strike Vidhur, if his vocals made one more attempt. The granny showed the door to the parents and asked them to leave the place immediately or they would call the police for harassing them. The parents cowered. Vidhur, frowning at the granny and brother, dug his heels in and refused to budge. He desperately wished for Kamakshi to enter the scene, but there was no sign of her. Before situation could get any worse, parents dragged Vidhur out of the house. Exasperatedly he caved in only after vehement protests. Emotions hit like a tsunami. Anger rose through him and his body shivered. His delicately built dream crashed like a deck of cards. Parents tried to pacify him, but he was distraught. He cried his heart out. His confidence in tatters.

By the time the caravan reached back, Vidhur has made his mind. No matter the circumstance, he would marry and leave town. His Ex did not feature in his future plans now. She was history. He blocked her contact, imposed social media boycott and gridlocked her out of his mind. He would make his own destiny. He pressurized mother to get him hitched within the next 20 days. Mother protested mildly, but could not refuse her son’s behest. An immediate herculean task lay ahead of them. They cancelled all the preparations meant for reception. Called up the invitees and informed them of the dissolution. Many questions arose, they averted them deftly.

From next day onwards, mother set out on bride finding mission. This would be tougher than finding life on Mars. The task looked more menacing with Vidhur hounding her every hour asking for updates. Vidhur did not want to go empty handed to Kerala; after all he had promised to return with his bride. Without her, he would be a laughing stock. On the third day, they heard about a girl in the neighboring town. Mother spoke to the girls’ parents and it was decided to visit them the following day. As the girl was being introduced, Vidhur immediately took a disliking to the girl. She seemed too tall, too thin and dusky for his liking. Though at the time he kept his opinion to himself, later he informed mother as much and told her to continue with her mission. Vexation grew large on her face. She knew Vidhur would not relent till a solution had been reached. She clambered into additional contacts at her end.

After about 1 week of limited success, the pregnant sister aided in the search. She had known that her friend’s parents were on the lookout for a groom. She broached with mother. Only issue, she was from another caste. Apprehension grew hefty. Mother ploughed ahead and decided to approach the girl’s family. The elders spoke and it was agreed to meet the following day at the girl’s house. The girl appeared shy, reserved and tad rigid, probably overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation. Vidhur had only eyes for her. He immediately warmed up to her and tried making eye contact. The girls’ shyness prevented any such advances. When the troupe reached home, Vidhur immediately said a resounding yes. There was not an iota of doubt in his mind. He would marry this girl. Mother informed their decision and the marriage date was set exactly a week later. Reception would be the following day. Marriage would be a low-key affair at Kopali.

Preparations began in full swing. Vidhur ploughed with renewed vigor. He wanted the days ahead to be memorable and magical. His wait would be finally over. The day arrived. The bride and groom hooked into eternal bonding, blessed by the parents and priests. The joyous contingent was back at the groom’s place by evening. Mother sighed relief. The last month had been harrowing, she looked forward to some harmony. Her son was in fervent mood, meeting and greeting everyone alike.

The next days’ reception was a grand affair with over 500 invitees present at the ceremony. The couple were showered with gifts, cash and copious amounts of blessings. The cuisine spread out on typical banana leaves, one to savor for generations, assaulting the taste buds with varied recipes and spicy rich ingredients.

As the ceremony settled down, Vidhur heaved a sigh of relief. The roller coaster ride had reached the station. Despite all the mavericks of social media, it was the traditional meet – greet, brick – mortar flair through which he found his life partner. As Vidhur looked deeply and lovingly into wife’s eyes, he realized she was worth all the troubles.

About a month into marriage both were enjoying the marital bliss. Vidhur had joined back at the temple. One day he received a call from his wife. She complained of severe headache, fever as well as sharp pain in the legs and joints. She was also bleeding from her nose. Vidhur stiffened over the call. Dexterously he tried to remain calm and reassured Vindhima. He took her to the medics. She underwent few tests. Vindhima was diagnosed with chronic leukemia. Vidhur’s heart lurched. Tears sprouted from deep within and overwhelmed his senses.