How I met her .......

www.chitrannaa.blogspot.in

 

My marriage was sort of a whirlwind trip. I was working at Gulbarga, our native place and my father had come to Bangalore dairy on deputation from revenue department. And I came to visit him.This was way back in 1987.

And let me deviate a bit here to tell what Bangalore meant to us, for people born and brought up in small towns of North Karnataka. Nowadays with MOM and mobiles, Facebook and Whatsapp, the world has got truncated into a small place and you have access and connectivity to anybody from any place in the world. Living in any place in the globe is no big deal now. But back then for us Bangalore meant BANGALORE! A big dream all of us had was that at least once in life we should visit Bangalore! 

Some rich and well pocketed among us would visit Bangalore and show us small black and white photos, boasting about the places they had visited and the people they had met. And for most of the honeymooners, Bangalore was THE PLACE. When they showed us their photos in Cubbon Park, rubbing shoulders with actors like Rajkumar, Manjula, Vishnuvardhan, Srinath and Aarathi, as most of the films back then were being shot there, we would turn starry eyed and look at our friends with awe and admiration!

www.chitrannaa.blogspot.in

And then I met Prakash on 28 th of April, got engaged on 7th of May and married on June 3rd and got Bangalored! And my children became “ Bengaluru Mandi ”,  articulate, suave and sophisticated. When they crossed their teens, I would jovially ask them what their preferences would be, what they would want in their spouses - whether beauty, brain or wealth and man, they belong to the Gen Y and of course are “Bengaluru Mandi” – and would say “ But of course all!” Touch wood! I am seeing their dreams materializing and have no complaints, though I clearly remember turning high handed and preach them that you can't expect to get all and though you want ten on ten, you may have to be satisfied and settle for a seven or eight on ten!

www.chitrannaa.blogspot.in

My husband Prakash is a fun loving and jovial person. Enough if I quote Joanne Woodward : “Sexiness wears thin after a while, but getting married to a man who can make you laugh all the while, Ah! that would be the real treat!” And this trait of him is infectious and has rubbed on our children also. There will be always fun filled, witty and jovial comments and repartee at home and I cherish these moments more than anything else in my life.

www.chitrannaa.blogspot.in

And  when I started looking for a bride for my son, secretly I prayed to God that the girl should bring more laughter into our life and should be positive and fun loving and has a nature that blends with the family.

Thanks to my sister-in-law Manjula, Sumana, my would be daughter-in-law came to our home, into our life. On the very first visit, she was friendly, bubbly and without any airs about her. After meeting her, I suggested that both Nikhil and she can have a talk alone. And hardly a few minutes had passed - they were in fact meeting for the first time - and I heard both of them giggling like long lost friends! I was pleasantly surprised and could hardly wait till the girl and her parents  left to ask for the reason.

www.chitrannaa.blogspot.in

As it turned out, Sumana is born on 1st of April. When she told her date of birth, Nikhil could not hide his amusement and she also started laughing. And then she narrated how, during her birth, when her father telephoned all the family members that a girl was born, everybody thought he is making them a fool and nobody came to visit them in the hospital! This helped to thaw the ice and once they started laughing at the funny situation, they realised that both of them have funny bones and it is going to be one pleasant journey together!   

And once they decided to go ahead to tie the knot, I told Sumana, the best thing I like about her is her positive bubbly nature and the quality to laugh in, at and about everything in life. Amen!