Non Veg Neighbor

There was a different kind of excitement in the house. There were varieties of sweets and snacks, making an awesome aroma all around. I wore the maroon saree, which my mom had gifted me for the Durga puja. Maroon made me look vibrant, what my aunts said. 

Finally, the awaited guests arrived, half a dozen of them. Mom and aunts rallied towards the living room while granny was busy in the kitchen preparing some of her specialties. I kept sitting in my room, with few of my cousins. 

And the time arrived. I was taken to the living room where all elderlies were sitting to take my interview, to scrutinize me keenly. This was happening though matrimony-site. We both were Brahmin families. I saw Mahesh’s photograph and we had talked on phone for three/ four times, thus, when he was in India, immediately our parents decided to meet and if all would go well, fix our marriage. All of them asked Mahesh to sit next to me so that they could see how would we look together.

The questions started flooding….one after another – “what was I doing”, “did I know cooking”, “what were my hobbies” etc. etc.

Mahesh’s aunt asked me, “Do you eat Non-Veg?” 

I replied, “Occasionally!!! Not at home, but outside.” 

I knew Mahesh also used to eat Non-Veg outside home. My parents were not prepared with that question, but I felt Mahesh’s family was quite broad-minded. The interview was going great guns…All were in cheerful mood.

Suddenly, the calling bell rang. We were interrupted. It was Dhani, our neighbor’s daughter. She was a diva for me – long curly hair, fair, beautiful eyes, tall, smart and very sweet speaking. She used to work in a multi-national company in Delhi. She came inside, sought apologies for coming inside like that during this kinda auspicious occasion. She just came to check if her parents were there, as she had just landed from Delhi, and found the doors of her home were locked. Mahesh’s mom asked her to sit beside me, saying, “No issue, beta.”  I could feel many of Mahesh’s relatives started asking lots of questions to her as well. She was very enthusiastic in answering them.

In sometime, Dhani’s parents came. And talked to all our guests too. They were a lively family. Infact, Mahesh’s uncle somehow someway found some familiar link with Dhani’s dad.

However, all went well. Mahesh’s family was quite happy to meet everyone and said they would get back to us after discussing among themselves. 

One day gone, two days gone…..I tried Mahesh’s phone, his phone was busy, and he didn’t call back too. We had a plan to meet before he would go back to USA. 

One week gone…My parents called up his parents to know the status. It was as we expected, they canceled our wedding as I was occasional Non- Veg. 

In two months, we came to know that Dhani got engaged with a guy who lived in US. The engagement happened in Delhi. Unfortunately, we did not get any invitation from them. In sometime, we came to know that the guy was no other than Mahesh. And Dhani’s family was Non-vegetarian to the bone.