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  Love after Marriage

  Bhagya Chandra

  Copyright © 2014 Bhagya Chandra

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author.

  Contents

  About Love after Marriage

  Glossary

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  About Love after Marriage

  Compassionate and deeply emotional, ‘Love after Marriage’ is a contemporary love story about Deepak and Roshni, a young couple flung together in a traditional arranged marriage. The story authenticates the concept of an arranged marriage, which has prevailed in India for several hundred years. It centers on the conviction that husband and wife, strangers at the time of marriage, can develop a stronger love if they are honest and committed to each other.

  In Love after Marriage, Deepak and Roshni embark on the timeless journey, only to discover that it’s not quite as simple as they expected. What follows is an exploration of understanding and compromise, weaving a tapestry of love and affection that lasts longer and grows stronger over time.

  Glossary

  Aai – Mother (in Marathi language)

  Acha – Okay, Yes

  Aloo – Potato

  Amma – Mother

  Arati – Is a Hindu religious ritual of worship, a part of pooja in which light from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities.

  Ashtami – 8th day of Lunar Calendar

  Baba – Father

  Babuji – Father

  Badi – Big, older

  Baraat – Bridegroom’s wedding procession

  Behena – Sister

  Besan – Chick pea flour

  Bete/beti/beta – 'Beti' is daughter and 'beta' is son. However, 'bete' is similar to 'child' used here and can be used as a more affectionate word for son or daughter.

  Bhabhi – Sister-in-law

  Bhai saab – Brother, saab – sir

  Bhaiya – Brother

  Bhaji – Indian vegetable curry

  Bhel Puri – A North Indian snack dish made with puffed rice, spices, onions, and various herbs.

  Bidaai – Time when the bride leaves her parents’ house.

  Bread rolls – Potato curry stuffed in softened bread, rolled and deep fried.

  Burfi – A sweet in form of bars shaped in squares, rectangles or diamonds. Several varieties exist.

  Chai – Indian tea with cream and sugar and spices.

  Chacha – Uncle

  Chakli, chewda – Indian savories

  Chapathi – Indian bread similar to a tortilla made with wheat flour.

  Chathurdasi – 14th day of the Lunar Calendar, waning phase of the moon, a day prior to new moon (Amavasya) or full moon (Poornima).

  Chat – Snack type dishes such as samosas, bhel puri, etc.

  Chat pata – Something sweet and spicy

  Chole – Garbanzo dish, garbanzos cooked in various herbs and spices.

  Churidar Pyjama (pajama) – Pants with folds at the ankle

  Chutney – A side dish accompanying meals. Chutneys can be wet or dry powders and vary from coarse to fine texture; made with various vegetables, lentils and fruits.

  Curry – Indian vegetable dish with spices

  Dahi – Indian homemade yogurt

  Dal – Indian lentils, lentil dish is referred to as dal

  Darshan – Vision, sight or glimpse, a term that is usually referred to in religious context: darshan of a deity in a temple, darshan of ‘Guru’, etc.

  Dasami – 10th day of the Lunar Calendar

  Dashera – A major Hindu Festival, it is a ten-day festival.

  Durga – Indian Goddess Durga

  Dhaba – Small fast food type restaurant for Punjabi food

  Didi – Older sister

  Diwali – Indian festival

  Dosa – South Indian food, thin crisps made with rice and lentil flour, and served with potato curry and chutney powder.

  Dupatta – Stole/shawl worn over Indian dress

  Durga Devi – Indian Goddess

  Gulab Jamun – A cheese-based dessert made of milk solids, traditionally from curdled milk, the curdled milk is made into small balls, deep fried in oil or ghee, and soaked in sugar syrup.

  Garam masala – A combination of various spice such as cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel, nut meg, cinnamon, etc.; very commonly used in North Indian cuisine.

  Haan – Yes

  Hing – Asafoetida: dried latex used in food as a condiment.

  Idli – Steamed rice cake made of fermented rice and urad dal (lentil) flour.

  Jalebi – A sweet dish, orange in color and made of wheat flour and deep fried in circular shapes and soaked in sugar syrup. A very popular Indian sweet made on special occasions.

  ‘Ji’ as in ‘Vivek ji’ – Attached next to the name, people addressed respectfully.

  Kaki – Uncle’s wife

  Kangan – Bracelets

  Kanyadaan – Giving away of the bride by bride’s father.

  Kheer – A desert generally made with rice, sometimes vermicelli and tapioca are used; consistency is similar to rice pudding.

  Kula devi – Family deity

  Kurta – A piece of clothing worn by males. It is a long shirt with full sleeves, worn for fashion, tradition and culture.

  Laddu – A ball-shaped sweet made in India with flour and sugar, ingredients vary by recipe.

  Lehenga-choli – A long skirt and a matching blouse

  Maang – Parting of the women’s hair

  Maharashtrian – A person hailing from the state of Maharashtra in India.

  Maiya – Divine mother

  Mandap – Platform where marriages occur

  Mandir – Temple

  Mangala sutra – A sacred necklace that a Hindu groom ties around the bride's neck during the wedding.

  Mango lassi – A drink made with mango, yogurt and water with a little sugar.

  Mantras – A Sanskrit term for a sound, syllable, a word or group of words, usually starting with the sound of ‘Ohm’.

  Marathi – Language spoken in the state of Maharashtra.

  Masala/Masala Powder – Curry powders/spice powder

  Mithai – Hindi word for sweets

  Muhurat – Auspicious time during wedding ceremony when the groom ties the mangalsutra around the bride’s neck and fills vermilion in her partition.

  Naan – Type of Indian bread made in a Tandoori oven.

  Namaste – Anjali mudra (palms touching each other near the heart region)

  Onion Bhajiya – Deep fried onion fritters made with chick pea flour with v
arious spices and herbs; also called ‘onion bajji’.

  Pag – Pheri – Newly wedded couple visit the bride’s parents’ house.

  Pagari/pagari – Turban worn in India

  Pakoda – Deep fried fritters made with potato, onion or other vegetables.

  Pallu – End of the sari that drapes over the shoulder.

  Paratha – Stuffed flatbread

  Phere’s – Going round the pious fire during the wedding, an important ritual in a Hindu wedding.

  Pooja – Ritual

  Pooja Thali –A plate with all the ingredients required for pooja.

  Poories – A small ball of dough rolled out in a circle and deep fried in oil, usually made of wheat flour.

  Pulav – Rice dish cooked with various spices and vegetables.

  Prasad – Offering to the God

  Raita – Yogurt-based side dish

  Rajma – North Indian dish made with kidney beans cooked with spices and herbs in a tomato sauce.

  Rangoli – A decorative design generally made of rice flour in front of the altar, living room or in front of the house. It is believed that it is sacred and welcomes the deities.

  Ras malai – Ras Malai consists of sugary white, cream or yellow colored (or flattened) balls of cheese (paneer) soaked in cream flavored with cardamom.

  Rawa Upma – Cream of wheat dish, a common South Indian breakfast dish

  Sabzimandi – Vegetable market

  Sada Suhaagan – May your husband live long.

  Salwar kameez – Indian traditional dress, loose pants with a long shirt

  Samosa – A fried or baked pastry with a savory filling, such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, green beans and carrots. Its size and consistency varies, but typically, it is distinctly triangular.

  Sari – Indian traditional clothing for women

  Satsangh – Meeting like-minded people (mostly related to spiritual meetings)

  Sherwani – Long coat-like garment worn during special occasions, especially weddings.

  Shirdi Baba – Sai Baba, a saint, a guru who lived in a small town of Shirdi in the state of Maharashtra.

  Sindoor – A traditional red-colored powder (kum kum or vermilion) that is worn by married women along the parting of their hair or a dot on the forehead near the parting, this is first applied on the woman by her husband on the wedding day. Unmarried women or widows do not wear this sindoor in the parting.

  Suhaag raat – It is a significant ritual in the life of a newlywed couple in India as it refers to the maiden night after marriage between the husband and wife when they go intimate with their physical relationship for the first time.

  Vada – Also known as ‘Medhu vada’ in South India, it’s made with urad dal and herbs.

  Vada pav – Sometimes spelled ‘wada pav’ or ‘vada paav’, it’s a popular spicy vegetarian fast food dish native to the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a potato vada sandwiched between two pieces of pav (bread).

  Vaishno Devi – The name for Mother Goddess, the temple is located at Trikuta Mountains in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India.

  Vegetable curry – Vegetable dish made with various spices.

  Wah – An expression of subtle sadness, often resulting from disappointment or bad news.

  Wati – Small stainless-steel bowl

  Yaar – An informal way to address friends

  Zari – Golden thread embroidery

  Prologue

  November 22nd, 2009

  Mr. Sashank Verma heard the announcement of the landing of Singapore Airlines flight 456 at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport. The crowd jostled him as families and friends all headed to the arrival gate at once. Heading for the baggage claim area and the exit gate, he searched for his brother Deepak, who was arriving from San Francisco. After several minutes, Sashank spotted his brother and waved his hand.

  Deepak walked to meet his older brother and touched his feet in respect. “Bhaiya, how are you?”

  The brothers hugged each other, and Sashank asked, “Deepak, how was the journey?”

  “All right, but it was a long trip.”

  Sashank looked around to see if there was somewhere Deepak could wait until he brought the car. Finding no area, he shrugged his shoulders. “Deepak, please wait here. I will bring the car.”

  Once the luggage was loaded and they were headed for home, Deepak asked, “Bhaiya, how are you and how is Akash?”

  “All right, keeping myself busy and healthy,” Sashank replied. “You know Akash – he is at a discourse and could not come; otherwise he is doing well.” He smiled and nodded his head. “And how is your job? We hear so much about recession and bad economy in the US; has that had any impact in the area, your job?”

  “The US is certainly going through hard times now. Several people have lost their jobs. By God’s grace, it has not impacted our company. As a matter of fact, I just implemented a big project a couple of weeks ago. Because of this, I was able to get some time off to visit you all in India. Definitely a good break, I needed it. We spent long hours at work for the last few months.”

  They discussed whether Deepak was going to stay for a few weeks, and Deepak responded that he was here for five weeks this time. Sashank was very happy and suggested that he should rest and enjoy his stay.

  Deepak nodded. “Haan, bhaiya, this trip is all rest and relaxation for me. We have another project ready, and we will start on it after I get back, probably early next year.” After a few minutes, Deepak enquired about Kaki and Lakshmi.

  “Everybody is fine, and they are excited. Kaki and Lakshmi have been talking about cooking your favorite dishes; Lakshmi, as usual, is excited for chocolates from you.” Sashank smiled. “She’ll never change, and she still behaves like a child when it comes to chocolates.”

  Deepak smiled and looked forward to seeing them all. He looked around as they drove – the noise, the smell and sounds and honking of vehicles – and the crowds on the roads took him back to the days when he lived in Mumbai. He missed this in the US!

  They arrived at Sashank’s residence. Tropical winter had arrived in November, and the temperatures were a little cooler in the evenings and early mornings, but the air was humid. Deepak got out of the car and took a deep breath, smelling the air. He was so happy to come back to the house where he grew up. He looked around and tried to identify some neighbors and said to himself, “I wonder if it is the same neighbors?” He sighed. “Everything looks the same. I am so glad to be here.”

  It was past 11 p.m. Deepak and Sashank walked in with the luggage; Kaki and Lakshmi waited eagerly to receive Deepak. Deepak touched their feet and enquired about them. In a few minutes, Akash arrived from satsangh and greeted Deepak.

  “Ha, Akash bhaiya, how are you?” asked Deepak, hugging his brother.

  “Deepak, how are you and how was the journey?”

  “I am doing well.”

  Then Akash looked at Kaki and Lakshmi aunty. “Kaki and Lakshmi aunty, it is late. Deepak and I will have dinner together; both of you please retire for the night.”

  “It’s all right, Akash. Deepak beta is here; I can help warm up the food,” responded Kaki.

  It was late in the night, and Deepak wondered why Akash had not had his dinner yet.

  “Haan, I tried to explain to him several times, it is not good for his health to have such late dinners but…” said Sashank.

  “Bhaiya, please…” Akash pleaded with him not to say anything.

  Akash helped Deepak with his luggage. “Deepak, I will wait for you. Let’s have dinner together; please come back soon.”

  Deepak agreed and left to freshen up.

  “Sashank bhaiya, I will keep Deepak company, and we will have dinner together. You can retire for the night,” Akash said.

  “All right, tomorrow is Sunday, and I will catch up with Deepak then. Both of you eat well.” Sashank patted Akash’s shoulder and left for his room.

  A wooden Deco-Lam table with six chairs sat just opposite t
he kitchen. Kaki and Lakshmi got the food and table ready for dinner. The stainless plates, watis and glasses for water were arranged for each of them. Kaki brought the dal, a vegetable curry, chutney, chapathi, and rice to the table. Akash again asked both the ladies to go rest for the night while he and Deepak took care of the rest; Kaki and Lakshmi agreed and left for the night.

  Meanwhile Deepak was fresh and wore a comfortable cotton kurta pyjama and joined Akash at the dining table; both brothers had a casual conversation during dinner.

  After a few bites, Deepak said, “Ooh, this is so tasty! It has been so long since I ate such good food.”

  “What do you do for food, Deepak?”

  “It depends; most times I cook a simple meal or go out to a restaurant. I don’t always eat Indian food.” He smiled. “I eat Chinese, Italian, and Thai also, bhaiya.”

  “Hopefully all is vegetarian,” stated Akash with a smile.

  “Of course, only vegetarian,” replied Deepak and smiled back.

  “Okay, eat well. Kaki and Lakshmi aunty are very good cooks. If you need any special items, just ask them, and they will be happy to make them for you.”

  Both brothers relaxed in the family room after dinner, catching up on a few topics.

  Akash sighed. “I am glad you came, Deepak. It is too lonely sometimes with just the two of us. Acha, tomorrow is Sunday, and we are home. Let’s catch up tomorrow. I am tired and want to go to bed.”

  Deepak was tired from his long international journey too, and both brothers retired for the night.

  ~ ~ ~

  Deepak’s visit to India this time had a purpose. Of course he wanted to spend time with his brothers, especially Sashank bhaiya. Secondly, he had met a girl, Karen Foster, who had worked with him on the recent project. Deepak, being the lead on this project, was very appreciative of her dedication, her engagement and willingness to work. She was a mature and disciplined individual, and Deepak admired her and started to show some interest in her. Deepak knew nothing more of her other than her employment in his company. Of course, he was apprehensive of the cultural differences but wanted to get to know her better. However, before he could take the next step, he wanted to discuss this with his brother, Sashank bhaiya. Sashank had done so much for Deepak and Akash; Deepak would not dare do anything to cause distress to his brother. He was also confident that Sashank cared for Deepak’s happiness, so if Deepak decided to pursue his relationship with Karen, Sashank probably would not object.