Mr. Vinay Garg, Arunuday’s father welcomed Deepa’s family. After tea was served by Mrs Garg, Arunuday called Deepa to his room and Mrs Garg took Mrs. Srivastava to another room.
Then Mr. Garg started, ‘Arunuday likes your daughter and we have no problem in his liking. Rather we are happy that he is ready to marry someone he likes or loves. So when do you want marriage should be solemnized?’
‘Whenever you want, we are ready at any time you suggest. However, being our only daughter, we want to invite all our relatives well in advance so that they can attend.’ As a father of the bride, he had actually no choice.
‘Ok, consult your Pandit (clergy) and let us know a suitable date.’ Mr. Garg was open for a date.
With a hesitation Mr. Srivastava asked, ‘Please do not take otherwise, if you or Arunuday wants any specific gift before or after the marriage, kindly let us know. We shall try our best to fulfil the wish.’
With a smile Mr. Garg said, ‘Aru has a brand new car given by his mother on his last birth day, so you need not have to give another car. All our rooms are already stuffed with furniture, so you need not have to give any furniture. Aru has a big room with a king-sized bed. The poor fellow has to sleep on that bed alone. Therefore, he wants a wife to share his bed. So, I shall be extremely happy if you send your daughter with her personal belongings so that she can share his bed and life with our only son.’
Mr. Srivastava’s voice was too choked with emotion to say something. At this Mr. Garg said again, ‘We have only one child. We want he should be happy with his wife. Material things have no practical value for me or for my wife. We shall have sufficient money even after my retirement to look after ourselves. Your daughter hopefully will be happy with my son. I want she should be a life partner for him in his good days and in his bad days as well. So far I am concerned, she will be only a daughter for me with whom I am going to fight on silly matters which I missed in all my life. I cannot guaranty about my wife, as you know, promising on behalf of wife is a very tricky matter!’
Their discussion was interrupted by the entry of Deepa and Arunuday to the room. ‘Dad, do you like Deepa?’Arunuday asked his father without mincing indirect words.
‘Which Deepa, to be wife of yours or to be my daughter? Deepa, you have to teach your friend how to ask question to your father!’
Deepa touched Mr. Garg’s feet and Mr. Garg gave his blessing to his to be daughter in law. Garg told Deepa to sit beside him and said, ‘I shall not interfere in your life after your marriage to my son. But remember one thing, if you find any difficulty, so long I am alive, come to me for advice or help with or without permission of this duffer. Even at this age, he is fully dependant on his mother for his daily matters. His mother use to scold him for not keeping his clothes properly till now. But real culprit to spoil him is also his mother only. Now he is a spoilt brat who cannot take care of himself. Therefore, after marriage, you have to take care of him. So far you have seen him from a distance only, he may not be the same person of your dream. You may have to adjust your dream with reality. That is the period your calmness may have to play a role.’
Deepa could not find any words to respond Mr. Garg. But Arunuday had, ‘Dad, it is unfair. You are informing all my negative points. You have not asked her father, what her negative points are.’
After taking dinner at 9-30 they discussed about the reception. Mr. Garg told, ‘If you like to a have a joint reception, I have no problem. In that case, cost of reception will be divided equally.’
Mr. Srivastava thought, arguing with Garg may backfire, so he kept mum.
While returning home Mr. Shrivastava told to his daughter, ‘This is the toughest interview I have ever faced in my life. Thanks God, hopefully I passed the interview mostly keeping my mouth shut. We have cleared the first barrier. Now, Deepa you have to be make yourself to be the perfect daughter in law of that family. Whatever comes in your life, do not leave the hands of Arunuday and follow him blindly. He must be a gem like his father.’
Deepa did not say anything, but promised to herself, she will follow the advices of both the fathers. She realized she got another father in her life.
Chapter IV: Result of the First Interview
Just after one week, Arunuday got the offer letter for the job. He was surprised to see that the benefits offered along with forty percent jump in the net salary have been exceeding his expectation. The last clause had stamped him further. He was allowed to leave the earlier office at his convenience and if the company wanted to impose some fines for immediate resignation, the entire amount would be borne by the present company.
Before resigning from the erstwhile company, he went to meet the HR manager whom he had to report.
When he met the HR manager, the manager asked, ‘Are you joining today?’
‘No. I am not joining today. I could not understand some of the clauses in the offer letter.’ Arunuday told.
‘Is it? Which clause disturbs you? You have to work outside India?’The Manager asked.
‘No, I have no problem going or working anywhere in the world. However, I may not be comfortable working in a developing country for a long time.’ He has always been truthful to air his views.
‘Do not worry; the foreign country means in your case is USA. Any other points you want to discuss? Kindly join us as soon as possible.’ He requested.
‘When I have to go to USA as my parents are arranging my marriage in the next month?’
‘No problem, you may undertake your journey after your marriage. Where your wife is working? Do you want her to accompany you to USA?’
‘Yes, I do not want to leave her alone here. But I think it will not be possible for her to go along with me!’ Arunuday commented.
‘We shall try, if you can communicate her details.’
‘Actually she is working as a senior Executive in – MNC. In fact, for the post for which I have been offered appointment, she also appeared, but she was not shortlisted. Her name is Deepa, Deepa Shrivastava.’ Arunuday told.
As advised by his father, Arunuday joined the new posting after one week. Three days after his joining Deepa was also offered a job by his new office in the same capacity.
Chapter V: The Marriage
Because of sudden change of job and for his expected outside posting, their marriage had to be solemnized in a one month time which was much before the original date. Once the new date was finalized, basically they had only two weeks time for preparation of the marriage.
Within a short time getting hall for any function is the most difficult task. Once hall is finalized only then one can do the other formalities including printing of invitation letters. Distribution of invitation letter itself is a herculean task. Mr. Srivastava had a sinking feeling thinking all the problems
However, as usual cool, Mr. Garg assured Mr. Shrivastava not to worry on that account. As promised Mr. Garg was able to manage a banquet hall in a five star hotel at a reasonable rate.
Many of the relatives from Deepa’s side complained for receiving invitation late. Somehow all the close relatives were able to attend the reception. Due to short notice many could not attend the reception for which Deepa’s father became little bit disappointed.
On the other hand, Mr. Garg was not upset about those small formalities or complaints as he knows that actual well wishers do not make tantrum for late invitation etc.
However, the biggest causality of advancement of the marriage was honeymoon for the newlywed couple. They have to divest with the idea of honeymoon as they had to leave India for their new job in the USA within a short time after their marriage.
Finally exactly after fifteen days of their marriage, Arunuday and Deepa left for their new assignment in USA.
Chapter VI: What is an Interview?
After flying for twenty hours, both Arunuday and Deepa joined their new posting at USA.
One day, few days after their joining, while taking lunch one senior officer, Mr. Sharma asked Arunuday,
‘Are you Mr. Arunuday Garg? I am Dr. Arun Sharma.’
‘Yes Sir. I know you sir. Glad to meet you, Sir.’
‘I am also glad to meet you. You are one of the blue eyed boys of our Chairman, Sahni Sir. He instructed our local chief, Karmakar Sir before your arrival that you should be treated well.’ Sharma commented.
‘But why, I have not done anything extra ordinary for the company nor am I the most brilliant new comer to the company! Rather, even on the day of interview, I suggested to appoint the other candidate for this post, because she needed the job more than I need.’ Arunuday smelt something rotten about his appointment.
‘You do not know why you have been selected for this post? Even your wife has been appointed who was not even short listed!’After saying those sentences, Mr.Sharma realized he had crossed the limits which may not good for him. ‘Do not misunderstand me, I meant to say that you were the most deserving candidate on that day. Further, I want to say that our company has a policy to accommodate spouses in the company itself as far as possible.’
His explanation did not go well for Arunuday.
On that night he discussed the matter with Deepa.
‘I was also surprised when I got my appointment letter. I heard that for me also this company paid the amount for early release. Why we are so preferred?’ Deepa also smelt something rotten in their appointment.
A few days later when his friend Joshua visited their home, the veil of mystery of their appointments was lifted.
He told, ‘I do not want to undermine your calibre. But, the other girl who was shortlisted but not selected on technical ground, I know why she was not selected. She had lot of liabilities for her family. No company wants a person who has lot of family responsibilities. On the other hand, they saw assets in you. You are the only son of a top bureaucrat of Government of India, whose help may be necessary at any time for the company. Your appointment may help in expansion their base in India and other south Asian countries. It may be a conjecture, as no where it might be written. Only your positives in the technical fields are written for your selection to the post. There might not be even a simple mention of your father’s designation etc. in your dossier. But it is an unwritten rule in the corporate world to appoint sons and daughters of top bureaucrats and politicians. Even we agree to your appointment as a genuine one, at least none can agree the appointment of Deepa was a genuine one.’
There was a complete silence in the room. Joshua broke the silence, ‘You were selected long before you have appeared for the interview. Any way who cares for an interview now a days!!!!!!’
After Joshua left, Arunuday asked his wife, ‘Should we resign our posts and go back to India?’
‘No two wrongs can make one correct thing. Instead of doing that, probably we have to work harder than others to prove our worthiness in the eyes of our colleagues. Among us, I am more vulnerable for critics. So I must work even harder than you to prove myself. Further, I know your father; he would not have told anyone to favour you in the interview.’
‘I know my father last so many years; he would be the last man to ask for a favour from any quarter. But the problem is like keeping gold ornaments in a bank locker. You may not use those in your life time; but it gives you a feeling of security. Likewise companies favour the top politicians and top bureaucrats which give them a feeling of security that it will be possible for them to approach the powerful persons whenever they may need their help. Even though, my father never uses his clout behind me, the other party who fails of their own, thinks that my father uses his clout. Further, a company may think he (my father) will be a great help to the company for the sake of financial security of his only child.’
Remembering the advices of her father and father in law, Deepa embracing her husband told, ‘Forget what Joshua told to us. We shall work harder than those other officers who think they were selected for their merits and we were selected for our contacts.’
Arunuday’s mind became as peaceful as a sea after a typhoon. He embraced his wife tightly and promised himself to prove his worth in the eyes of his colleagues.
After two years of hard works by the couple, they were able to establish themselves as selected by the company for their merits not on the basis of contacts.
On the family front also, they were blessed with a cute daughter!!!!!!!!!!
The author is a Government servant and a man of vivid experiences derived from his official postings across the country, travels across India and numerous visits outside India. He is presently placed at New Delhi.
His earlier publications are:
1. Random Thoughts through a Coloured Prism
2. Dilemma of a Young Mind
3. Funny Statistics and Serious Statisticians
4. Melody of Fragrance
5. Akhadya
6. Few Cities through Lens of Hiranya Borah
7. Guilt: Gift of Winter Spring
8. Beautiful Ghosts
9. Great Fighters: Grace of God
10. All Blurred
11. Putting Kids to Sleep
12. How to become unpopular
13. Soulmates
14. My Grumpy Face
15. Love and Worries
16. Discussion of own birth: A Taboo
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