The Marriage Interview – Story 2

As mentioned earlier I had also brought the subscription of one of the most popular matrimonial sites for giving wings to my search for a suitable girl. One of my friends who recently got married after finding a match from this site suggested about it’s credibility. Anyways, after the routine office hours, for some time the priority work became searching for a suitable match. When I was sliding the profiles matching the set criteria, I got a pop-up message.

It was from a girl in her initial years of work in the software field from my hometown. She had sent the request to connect. I visited her profile; she was from my home district and staying in the current city with her uncle and aunt. I accepted the request and maintaining the formality for the time being did not message or contact.

The next day when I was in the office, I got a message from the other side. After the initial introduction got to know it was girl’s aunt who was handling her profile. The first thing I was asked to do, was to confirm that if I was serious for marriage because once I say yes and families got involved there will be no backing out. This was her aunts’ condition which I obliged. It is common most of the time for family members to handle the profile of would-be bride/groom to have an on-time and shared feedback.

Here my first round of interviews started. All verification’s related to my educational background, job, family background, and drinking habits were done on the call itself by her aunt. If her aunt would have been an HR, she would have filtered the best suitable candidates for the job profile. Luckily, I passed this initial phase and next was the time for face to face meetings.

That loafer, jeans, and watch followed from the last meeting which I had with the first girls’ family and a new semi-formal shirt was introduced this time. The venue was decided one of the largest malls on the Delhi Gurgaon border. I reached the venue again on my black Pulsar. Yes, I can feel that you are thinking a similar incidence might have happened this time also with my bike as in the last story. No, it did not.

I went to the venue alone and from her family came two aunts, two uncles, and one little kid. It was some donuts shop which I exactly do not remember. After initial Charan Sparsh and handshakes, we settled down there. There is one more twist here, if you do not touch the feet of a girl’s family you might be considered rude and ill-mannered. And when you try to touch, out of courtesy the person in front of you asks not to do it. Yeah, I know how foolish this is.

Anyhow, after we settled down, I got to know about the girl’s education and their family background while having a few pieces of the donuts, which was satisfactory for me. After that they inquired about my parents and their retirement plans? They had other queries regarding my family which I answered. Then came the question which I was not prepared for. One of the girl’s aunt asked “So, what is the plan after your parent’s retirement?” Her tone suggested she wanted me to confirm that my parents will not stay with me once they retire which I did not oblige to confirm.

Meanwhile, I noticed that girls’ aunts were frequently looking outside the donuts shop as if someone is watching from distance. I felt as if the girl was there, which I got assured after a phone call came to her aunt. After this discussion, the girl’s parents planned a visit to my house in my hometown. On weekends after the hectic schedule of my parents throughout the week, it almost became part-time for them to host guests who were visiting them for my marriage purpose. Anyways the meeting with my family went well.

Now comes the last round of interviews. An onsite round was scheduled with a girl’s uncle from the U.S. It’s all up to you to decide why I term these conversations as an interview.

Her uncle started by asking details about my education background, then moved to my projects, my domain, and then that most famous interview question came. Where do you see yourself in the next five years? By then I had understood that if I want to qualify here, I will have to be a thorough professional while giving answers, which I did. I explained I am more inclined towards a technical role than managerial in the coming future.
It is not clear, which round was bad, the result somehow was not positive . Reason I got to know is that girl’s family were not sure whether I can settle outside India if I ever wish too as I am a master’s degree holder in computers, not B.Tech. I found it a little funny because just six months back I was back from Europe where I was working on the work permit and recently switched my job, from where the process was in line for onsite travel again. I was relaxed after this result, considering the professionalism of the girl’s family.

Six months went by, I was roaming inside the nearest mall with my friends on weekend. While I was entering the mall building, I saw a girl coming towards the ground floor. At the very same moment as usual like any other bachelor, I was looking here and there on the greenness around. When I looked towards accelerator again, I and that girl had brief eye contact and we both felt we knew each other, which we did. I left the ground floor to another floor and while coming outside saw her calling someone. As it was 7 or 8 PM and she was alone I think she was calling her aunt to pick her up.
While I was leaving the mall with friends she was also leaving. When I was about to cross the exit gate, we crossed each other path. She looked at me, I also did. We shared a smile and left for our destination.

My search continued…

शुभं भवतु !! Gaurav Raj !!