Greetings, dear readers. It is good to be back with another reflection on the impact of life here in India. This is going to be a philosophical debate and I am looking forward to getting your observations/comments on this post.
As you have all come to know and envy, I have a wonderful cook who has made my life so much easier. Everyday we are eating fresh, homemade food, with hot chappatis off the griddle. Sorry, not trying to make you envious, but just could not resist. What can I say? I am only human. But the story is not about the cook, but her adopted niece who accompanies her from time to time probably an apprentice in training. She is all of 22 years old, has studied upto 11th standard and is a very pretty, demure and pleasant young girl whom I will call Roja for our purposes.
Since I am always curious about youngsters and their dreams and aspirations, I engaged her in conversation to find out what she wanted to do in life. I come to find out that she is waiting for her parents to find a 'suitable boy' for her so she can be married and complete that aspect of her life. In the interim, she is tagging along with her 'aunt', picking up cooking skills and other domestic duties, which I presume will be a very important criterion for the groom/groom's family when they come to 'see' the bride. So, of course my curiosity is piqued and I ask her: So what kind of husband would you like?
From the puzzled/slightly taken aback look that confronted me, I fathomed that she had never been asked this question. Roja's response floored me. She said, I want a 'good man'. And that got me thinking. How many of us can say that we approached marriage (a lifelong commitment for most people) with just that one aspiration: a good man.........?
As you have all come to know and envy, I have a wonderful cook who has made my life so much easier. Everyday we are eating fresh, homemade food, with hot chappatis off the griddle. Sorry, not trying to make you envious, but just could not resist. What can I say? I am only human. But the story is not about the cook, but her adopted niece who accompanies her from time to time probably an apprentice in training. She is all of 22 years old, has studied upto 11th standard and is a very pretty, demure and pleasant young girl whom I will call Roja for our purposes.
From the puzzled/slightly taken aback look that confronted me, I fathomed that she had never been asked this question. Roja's response floored me. She said, I want a 'good man'. And that got me thinking. How many of us can say that we approached marriage (a lifelong commitment for most people) with just that one aspiration: a good man.........?
