by Rani Jhala
The struggle for Independence
Just after my 21sh birthday, I had come to Sydney for my best friend’s wedding. Tina had been dating an Australian cricketer but the wedding in the ‘Land Down Under’ had come as a surprise.
We arrived three days before the wedding day. Rita wanted me near her, so I too stayed with Mark’s aunt. And there I met her son. By the end of the day, Jared and I were being called an item. After Tina left on her honeymoon our group stayed on an extra week to see the city. By the end of that week Jared and I knew that we had truly found love and that neither of us could ignore what we felt.
The night before I was to fly out Jared proposed and without any hesitation I accepted. Jared was everything I had hoped for in a partner.
My parents too expressed their happiness. Their only request was to have the wedding in India so that the relatives could attend. Jared’s plan to marry straight away was put aside but they agreed to a short engagement.
At Jared’s request I cancelled my stopover in Singapore and stayed on in Sydney and organised to catch up with the group on their last leg to India.
The next couple of days with Jared had been magical. People say that western families are not as close knit as Asian but I saw a different side. The whole family was tied by a humungous knot of love and respect. They lived each day to the fullest and slept each night in peace. I think they understood the need to be thankful for each day for they knew that tomorrows were never guaranteed. You see Jared was in the armed forces and the family had learnt to live with uncertainty.
Jared saw me off at the airport, and for the first time I saw a defense personnel’s eye misty. My brother was in the army and ensured he never displayed that soft side to us. When I remarked on it, Jared replied ‘Ah, but he must not, yet be in love’.
If I left in the bloom of happiness; I arrived to the depth of silence. No one wanted to talk about my engagement, my fiancé or even my trip. It was as if these episodes had never occurred.
I rang Jared’s mum to let her know that I had reached safely. She promised to ring me back after she had contacted Jared. Worried at her silence I rang her again later, only to learn that she had tried to ring me on three occasions and each time had been told that I was unavailable. Confronting my parents I became aware of their true feelings. For them, Jared did not even exist. They had found a perfect son-in-law from the same community, social standing and faith.
I did not want to hurt them but I knew that I was being given one chance at happiness and I was not going to lose it for anyone. I did not realise the battle I was going to take on. In this century where every crime is prosecuted by law I was turned into a virtual prisoner. My work was informed that I was unwell, my mobile was taken away and all communication banned. My only contact to the outside world was the newspaper and my only ally, the family maid. Through her I passed out two letters – one was to Tina and the other to Jared. In them, I explained all.
I later found out that both had called but the calls had not been put through. I sent another letter to Jared offering to end the relationship. Again all calls were intercepted and denied.
Destitute and forlorn I clung on to hope, and that hope turned to sheer joy when I saw a tiny ad in the classified section of the newspaper that read ‘It is too late to accept your offer’ Jared.
And so began a month long communication. Somehow through an uncle, my parents found out. Two days later I was flown to my aunt’s home interstate. No maid, no newspapers! I learnt there that my marriage had been arranged. I was to fly straight to the altar on the morning of the wedding. My fear turned to horror, when I heard that Jared had arrived in India and worse that they had reported him for ‘stalking’. I was given one warning - communicate and he goes to prison.
Surrounded by uncles, I saw no hope of escape as the plane soared into the sky. Then I saw an angelic vision. An airhostess beckoned me to the rear of the aircraft, near the toilets. No word was exchanged but a note was passed into my hands. ‘Be ready to marry me. Jared’
The plane landed and my brother greeted us. I was locked into his car and the cavalcade moved. At the first roundabout our car broke rank and turned left. I worried as it turned into a narrow alley and then stopped. My brother turned and said ‘I am fighting to keep our country’s independence safe; you go and fight to keep your love.’ With that he pointed towards a white van and the man beside it. I hugged my brother, then ran towards Jared.
We married on reaching New Delhi and then flew out to Singapore. It was the 15th of August - the day India had won its Independence. I too had won mine. Not from the country that gave me birth but from the people that gave me life.
I stayed there with his friends until my Australian visa was approved. Jared had to return to work. In India, my brother ensured that the police records were cleared but was unable to change my parent’s views.
Three years later I still dread each time Jared gets assigned to a foreign post. But from his mother I have learnt to live each day to the fullest and to be grateful for what I have. I do not waste time regretting that my child will never know her maternal grand- parents because I have to ensure that my child does not miss out on knowing her dad.
THE END
