Being a perpetual singleton, I was warned by all my couple-friends that being single is good, as when you're in a relationship, barring the initial six months, all you do the entire day is fight! I never believed this, until I saw it for myself. I was sitting with my best friends, who have been coupled since the past 4 years and here's a sample of their conversation which sent shivers down my spine, if I'd be doing the same after 4 odd months!
Girl : You've put on a lot of weight. (she then hit his hand when he came forward to eat fries at McD, and then ate the entire thing herself!)
Boy: Huh? Why do you always criticise me? I never criticise you!!
Girl : That means that you do want to criticise me!
Boy : I didn't mean that!
Girl : Oh yeah, what you meant was that now there are things in me that you want to criticise!!!
And this continued for the next seven days!!! Man! These coupled-since-a-long-time-couples are scary!!!
My Mom had been to a wedding last week and she told me all about it. It was a typical upper-rich class Gujju wedding ( I never knew I had rich relatives!!), so the wedding was like a typical Gujju wedding. Ostentatious. In your face exposure of your wealth...and yeah enough exhibition of gold to make you go blind. And I'm not exaggerating. The saying, "Diamonds are a girl's best friend" doesn't hold true for Gujju women! The only thing I hate about Gujjus is the pretense! I mean why do you have to call the entire town for your wedding? People who wouldn't give a fuck about you the minute they are off the stage after wishing you. People who's only discussion at your wedding would be either the girl is too good for the guy or the guy is too good for the girl and why is the cost per plate is so less (neverminding the fact that the cost per plate was 1050!). And I don't understand why people even pay so much to feed people who can very well feed themselves. When I was debating this with my aunts and uncles once, they said, it's all about feeling happy and sharing your happiness with people! Why not feed people who can't feed themselves. I'm sure you'd get more happiness in doing this!
I'm always accused of being a pseudo Gujju. And I'm glad of it! Rather be a pseudo Gujju than be a pretentious one! I've had a million fights with my my Mom regarding my own wedding. I always argue that I'd be more than happy to get married with only my parents, sister and 3-4 good friends of mine present. But, like all Moms always do, I was shut up! The older generation always accuses the newer generation being very friend oriented than being family/relative oriented. And I agree to that. I mean, when I cry, the person who is there patiently listening to me rant for 4 years is my best friend not my distant aunt!! But people today seldom want to see logic!!! To be honest, I've even made the guest list for my wedding! It has just 10 people from my side!! I'd only want these 10 people, because they've been there with me, even when I erred, patted my back when I did something good. Never left me wanting someone else. In a way, they've earned their way to my wedding.
I don't know why we have to do things the way they've been going on for years without questioning their rationale. And then, we complain that our education system sucks. We do the same there as well, don't we? I know it's a hard battle ahead to convince parents to get things done your way, but am sure it'll be worth the try. Of course, you could use the money they saved for your wedding for having an extravagant honeymoon!!!!! *wink* In the least, your parents' hard earned money would be spent on you and not on people who wouldn't care about you 10 seconds after they smile at you!
Like someone I know said, 'Let your parents win the battle today, you plan for the war for tomorrow!'
