Marriage with a Runaway Girl

Abhinav loves Chinese food
This is the story of a new bride Suchitra, who in her life learnt everything on her own.  A story by Rekha Mittal Gupta
Abhinav loves Chinese food
Abhinav loves Chinese food

The firsts of a baby are cherished by his parents. However much flawless his firsts are, his parents applaud him, encourage him and appreciate him.

He learns, commits mistakes, gets guidance and then rectifies them.

But, the firsts of a newly wedded bride are always under thorough scrutiny. Even the minutest of mistakes are pointed out and exacerbated to leave no stone unturned to embarrass the new bride.

This is the story of a new bride Suchitra, who in her life learnt everything on her own. Her mother expired when she was just two. Her dad remarried and she became the undesirable and unloved stepdaughter.

When she could no longer endure the atrocities of her stepmom, she ran away from her home. Her life became her biggest teacher. She found shelter in an orphanage. Though most of the time, she was on her own to manage herself, she loved it there as all the kids were sailing in the same boat.

A teacher didi used to come there daily to teach them. Being a bright student, Suchitra learnt quickly. When she was in VIII standard, she started giving tuitions to junior students of her school. From then onwards, there was no looking back for her. She earned as well as studied.

She became a master of all trades. As throughout her life, she had lived on her own, she knew a lot. She had learnt many basic life skill lessons. What she was deprived of was the traditional lessons and the cultural lessons.

Gradually she became the in-charge of the orphanage and she also started a small school in the vicinity of the orphanage. While she was struggling to get approval for her school, she met Abhinav and it was love at first sight.

Though Abhinav’s parents disapproved of the alliance of their son with a bhagi huyi ladki, they had to bow down in front of his intention.

They finally got married.

She was not wholeheartedly welcomed by her parents-in-law. On the day of her first rasoi, her mother-in-law just informed her the time of lunch and how many mouths she had to feed for lunch.

Her mother-in-law also made sure that her jaithani(sister-in-law) didn’t help her. She was finally left on her own.

She started her cooking escapade. The sooji(semolina), potatoes, sugar and various ingredients in the kitchen were flabbergasted when despite all of them being there, she didn’t even give them a look. Rather she was opening different cupboards and refrigerator and amassing various other ingredients.

The masala in the masala box awaited to get a glimpse of the new bride, but the wait never came to an end.

She surely was cooking but why wasn’t she using the spices, was a dilemma. Turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli powder and garam masala were getting envious of the salt and black pepper which she was using.

The other basic ingredients which a new bride uses to show off her culinary skills during the first rasoi were all furious and frustrated. At lunchtime, she set the table and the family members gathered to relish the taste of the food cooked by the new bride.

As everyone sat down, she opened the hot cases one by one and her mother-in-law shouted, “Oh My God!!!!? What is all this? Is this what a new bride cooks in her first rasoi? Where is the halwa, poori and sabzi? What is all this?”

Scared Suchitra said, “Abhinav loves Chinese food, so I prepared fried rice, Manchurian, noodles and chilli paneer. I didn’t know that first rasoi has a specific menu”

Her mother-in-law looked towards Abhinav and scolded, “Look, what has she done? I had told you not to marry her, but you didn’t listen to me. See, how brutally she has crushed and murdered the traditions and customs of our family

Mom, did you tell her what to cook? Did she not listen to you?” asked Abhinav

Looking at her speechless mom, he understood and continued, “You can not accuse her saying Apne maike se kuch seekh k ni ayi kya. Haan ni ayiseekh k. You very well know about her past, mom. You will have to guide her. Did you never guide bhabhi?”

He went near her bhabhi, put his hands on her shoulders and asked her, “Bhabhi, you were from the same religion and caste as us. Did you still find things the same at your maika and sasural? Did mom never guide you?”

His bhabhi denied. She said, “I learnt everything here only after my marriage, as before marriage, I was busy focussing on my career. Suchitra still has managed to cook so many delicacies, I remember during my first rasoimummyji cooked everything, I just poured in some sugar and ghee in the halwa.”

Abhinav looked at her mom with accusatory glances and said, “If I will say more on her behalf, I will be termed as joru ka ghulam but just think, if what you did today towards her , was it fine? Mom, she is like a blank paper, fill it with your love and compassion. Teach her, she is willing to learn and become one like usShe never had a maika. Give her the maika here only. Give her the mother who died when she was just 2.”

Suchitra now had tears in her eyes. Abhinav went to her bhabhi and said, “She never had a sibling or an elder sister. Can you be one for her?”

His bhabhi looked at her husband, who nodded. Then she looked at her mil who too was feeling guilty. His bhabhi went to Suchitra, hugged her and said, ” Common, let’s go to the kitchen and hurriedly, prepare some sooji ka halwa. My kids aren’t able to endure their appetite looking at such sumptuous meals in front of their eyes.”

Haan Chachi, please hurry up“, her sister-in-law’s two kids shouted in unison.

Abhinav’s mom too affirmed, “Yes, go both of you. Even I can’t wait to devour the Chinese meal in front of me.”

Suchitra looked at her mil, hugged her and whispered, “Thank you, mummyji

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