In India—especially among Tamil Brahmins—weddings are often once-in-a-lifetime ceremonies meant to last. Arranged marriages, in particular, endure for many reasons: the sacred Sanskrit chants, the rituals performed before the fire god, the public commitment before friends and family, and the merging of two families rather than just two individuals. Of course, there are exceptions, but most couples find themselves too busy tending to responsibilities, finances, and parental demands to recognize how quickly time slips by. Only the truly mature realize they must create their own moments of laughter and warmth.
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That was indeed a small house, awaiting to turn into a sweet home. They stepped into that small house far away from their native lands and folks. They never knew that life would make them meet.
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She and he had never imagined their paths would cross, yet they found themselves in a small house far from their native land. They first “met” electronically, after elders decided they should wed. The distance took its toll: she sensed he was strong and kind, yet guarded, while he remained an enigma to her. Undeterred, she built a world of dreams, filling a journal with fantasies from October to April.
When the wedding announcements came, so did family gatherings that often led to emotional rifts. Eager to fit in, she woke early, preparing meals and coffee while he scrolled his phone in quiet mornings. She yearned for goodbyes sealed with a hug or a kiss—gestures that never quite materialized. Her only solace was calling home, recounting tales of life in a foreign place: its bus drivers, neighbors, and quirky daily encounters.
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Flushing her thoughts, she woke up at dawn - say Six or even before. She refreshed herself, did some sacred things in the pooja rack which she never used to do earlier, and pushed herself into the kitchen. She moved all over the room like a top, managing the four burner stoves, having vessels on their firey mouths all at a time. She finished transforming the raw ingredients into edible - tasty as how his friends commented, food! Stuffed them into those glass boxed and snugged the box into a spongy bag. In the mean time, woke him up with a voice, brewed coffee was steaming hot in the cup. They both drank , mostly in silence or the john Oliver speaking through the iPhone 6S plus of his! After sending him to office, with a lost expectation of good bye hug or a good bye kiss that vanished in the faintest dreams of hers, she began clearing up the home. Calls to her homeland were the only moments that made her feel good. Her lost naughtiness, fun - tease - nonstopchatter - moments with her only friend, was what she looked for. Her talks were always about the new people in the foreign land, the climate, the bus driver, the lady with the dog, the never-smiling - opposite - house northie figure, culinary experiments and many more.
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Her friends were shocked at the nature of this “arranged” marriage. They knew her as a writer whose words had transformed their own relationships, and they expected a whirlwind romance filled with poetic declarations and social-media updates. Yet her own reality felt distant from those imaginings. Sometimes, she and her husband argued fiercely; other times, they simply avoided conversation altogether—he lost in his movies, she in her books. She had always dreamed of waking in his arms, exchanging secret smiles, or reading poems he would praise with genuine affection. Instead, she found herself forging an independent identity, shaped by past struggles and successes.
Whenever she tried sorting out their differences, it often spiraled into reminders of hidden truths or lingering resentments. She felt labeled as difficult or unyielding simply for standing by her parents. The handful of wedding photos on the wall were soon replaced by clocks, the once-decorated space now stripped of that newlywed glow.
Still, each day they strive to bridge the gap, believing they can untangle the knots in their relationship through patience and honest conversation. Life, after all, goes on—and they are determined to journey forward, hand in hand, even if the path seems uncertain.
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Still, she and he battles every day, to understand their counterpart and make an heart to heart conversation! And, they believe, they can work upon the messes . . ! Life goes on . . !
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PS : This piece is a reflection of A Fictional Reality - (un) existing in the Society - Any resemblance to the situations/characters mentioned above is (im)Purely (un)Coincidental ! All the Pictures in the article are owned by WBK Photography - Cited with PERMISSIONS!
Kamakshi
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