The Promise of Love

There are few things that succinctly describe the many layers of an emotion or event as well as poetry or songs. Take this 1956 song from the movie CID for example:

“Ankhon hi ankhon mei ishara ho gaya
Baithe baithe jeene ka sahara ho gaya”

Sung by Geeta Dutt and Mohammad Rafi, the playful song beautifully brings to life the old world mystery of falling in love through brief glances, promising one’s life to the other without a fuss or too much deliberation. Going by the year of the song, one could say that this is the tale of how our grandparents loved and married where love and marriage went together or where one had to follow the other. One can argue that this isn’t true for our time where love is not bound by marriage and where couples wait for the security of familiarity to arrive before they can commit to each other. But what one cannot argue about is the presence of magic and hope when it comes to weddings.

Even the most hardened of skeptics cannot help feel the tug of romance at the sight of homes adorned with strings of marigold and jasmine and the sound of dholki and laughter wafting in the air. Families gathered together despite their differences, sharing food, making jokes and helping each other with preparations somehow creates this sense of belonging. How many times have we all heard our elders say this before weddings in the family, “Shaadi byah ke waqt kaun gile shikwe yaad rakhta hai?” or “Shaadi wala ghar hai, hamare layak koi kaam ho to bataiyega.” Who remembers discord at the time of a wedding? Or, this is a house with a wedding; please tell us how we can help. There is something about weddings that has always made people come together to celebrate. One can also say that weddings bring out the spiciest characteristics of every family. There will always be that one uncle or aunt who will find something to criticize despite best efforts. In that sense, weddings also bring out all the hidden angst and insecurities within families.