"Chai.. Chai.. Chai.. Chai Garam Chai..", the tea seller boy walks with a kettle and few earthen cups.

Sidharth: Vidhyadhar ji, Would you join me for a tea?

Vidhyadhar: Sure Mitra (Friend), It would be great to hear your story sipping cup of tea.

Sidharth: (signals the tea boy) 2 cups please.

He pays the money and sips on the tea.

Sidharth: These Britishers have left us with this tea. Who knew until few months back that even common man like us will have this tea. It's so addictive.

Vidhyadhar: Just like your story, Mitra. I am eager to know what happened next?

Sidharth smiles and continues the story.

Flashback:

Sulochna: I liked the girl, she is doing her matriculation and a very simple, sober and sweet girl. What do you have to say son?

Sidharth: Whatever you say Maa.

Sulochna: (to Station Master SM) We liked the bride. So when do we get them married?

SM and his wife were happy.

SM: Ari Bhaagwan, muh meetha karao sabka.. {Wifey, get some sweet for everyone} I was wondering if we can wait until she completes metriculation. Just a matter of 6 months.

Sidharth has a short discussion with his mother before Sulochna puts her point forward.

Sidharth: Maa, I don't want to visit this village again to stay at Dayanand chacha's house for marriage. So ask them to arrange for marriage before we leave itself.

Sulochna: But son, marriage requires lot of planning and arrangements. You can't get married overnight.

Sidharth: No need of extravagant weddings. We are not landlords. We can marry in temple infront of God.

Sulochna: Okay. Let me ask them. (To SM) Bhaisahab, we want the marriage to happen tomorrow or day after itself. We aren't expecting any dowry or grand wedding. So we can get them married in temple as well.

SM: I am very much impressed by your thinking and appreciate it. However, I just wanted my daughter to complete her schooling. If we get her married, she will lose whatever efforts she invested in last 6 months. Marrying is a responsibility as well and she may never be able to study in future if she has child of her own.

Sidharth: I assure you that I will just marry her and not even see her until next 6 months. She will stay with you in Lakhanpur and once she has done her metric, I'll take her home.

SM discusses with his wife and they agree. They eat sweet as they congratulate each other. SM checks for the auspicious day between the two days and they decide that day after tomorrow will be fine. Sidharth and his mother were suppose to leave in the evening, so they plan for marriage in the morning.

The next day they do immediate shopping of clothes and other necessary things required for marriage.

The next day, Sidharth gets dressed up in a nice silk kurta and dhoti. They reach the temple where all the arrangements were done for the wedding by the priest. The Station master along with his wife and two daughters were already present.

Sidharth tries to look at his bride, Sunaina sneakily but she was wearing a long veil like every other bride plus he had also promised that he won't see her face until she completes her metriculation.

The priest chants the mantras and the marriage was done in another hour. Sunaina and Sidharth take blessings of God, priest and elders. Sidharth and his mother leaves to station leaving his newly wedded bride, Sunaina behind.
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Jagesh: Congratulations Bandhu. See I told you 75% of marriage was already done when you got the proposal. Look at you. You didn't even give chance to your friend to attend your wedding. If you did then I would have found a bride for myself in the wedding.

Sidharth: Sorry Jagesh, everything happened in hurry that even my sister Sukanya couldn't be informed.

Jagesh: So, how was the nuptial night? (Winks)

Sidharth: (blushes) I haven't seen my bride yet forget about nuptial night.

Jagesh: What? Are you so shy that you haven't lifted bhabhi's veil? You do so much exercise and have so much muscles yet you couldn't lift one delicate veil?

Sidharth: No, I promised my Sasurji that I will take her home after her studies until then she will be with them.

Jagesh: Oye hoye! Time is going to be harsh on you. What's bhabhi's name?

Sidharth: Sunaina (blushes)

Jagesh: You blush too much infront of me. How are you going to act infront of bhabhi? I will give you proper training on romance until next 6 months.
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Sidharth: Maa, I've passed my 12th with first class. (Touches her feet to take blessings)

Sulochna: God bless you my son! Your father would have been so proud. Listen Sidharth, I got a letter from your in-laws, they've asked you to take your bride, Sunaina. Even her exams must be over. It's a very auspicious day after 5 days, after that there are no auspicious day until next 3 months for Griha Pravesh. So you have to leave tomorrow and catch the train back after 3 days.

Sidharth: (shyly smiles) Okay Maa.

Flashback ends.

Vidhyadhar: Toh aap apne patni ko lihaane jaa rahe hai? {oh, so you are going to take your bride home} Destiny has played it's game so well. You went to see someone but ended up marrying Sunaina bhabhi. Truely marriages are made in heaven. Congratulations Mitra.

Sidharth: Thanks mitra. Wish you all the best in meeting your bride.

The train stops at the Lakhanpur Station. Sidharth and Vidhyadhar both get down.

"Jamaai babu, padhariye padhariye..{Son-in-law, welcome welcome}", the Station Master, Mahinder Mahanth greets Sidharth.

Sidharth pays obeisances to his father-in-law with a smile.

Mahinder: The horse cart is ready waiting for you. Let's go home.

Sidharth: Sasurji, your duty? Don't worry, will manage to go home by myself besides I have my friend Vidhyadhar with me. Will both go together.

Mahinder: Okay Jamaai babu. I'll see you in the evening.

Sidharth and Mahinder sit in the cart.
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"Laado get ready quickly. Your groom will be arriving shortly.", Amma orders.

"Yes, amma", she says as she wears the flower garland into her long plaits. She then puts on the huge veil and puts on the bindi on her forehead.

Amma checks the food and other arrangements and then goes to check on her daughter if she was ready.

"What's this beta? You still can't tie your plaits properly? What will you do when you go to your in-laws house. I can't accompany you everywhere neither expect your mother-in-law to do it for you. You should be doing your in-laws' seva, and not the other way round." Maa says as she takes off her veil and undoes her plait. She ties the plait properly and arranges the flower properly before setting her veil on her head properly.

She looks at her and then removes her 2 gold bangles from her hand and puts it on her daughter.

"Amma, all this day when I asked you for a bangle you never gave me. But today you yourself are putting it in my hand.", She asks.

"Laado, I was scared you might lose it somewhere but now I am rest assured since you are a big girl.", Amma says as she puts a black mark on the back of her neck to ward off all evil eyes. "Beautiful", says Amma as she cups her face and kisses her head.

Amma's eyes were full of tears.

Flashback:

There was a knock on the door. A handsome young lad stood infront asking if there is any probable bride in the neighbourhood. Shakuntala Devi calls her husband who excuses the boy and comes inside.

Shakuntala Devi (SD): Why don't you show him our daughter Sunaina? She has passed the age of marriage. We still have our other daughter to marry off.

Mahinder: Huh? But she has to finish her metriculation. How is it possible?

SD: You haven't searched for a single groom for her. Now that the groom himself knocked at our door, will you send him to neighbours. Let's show them Sunaina then see if they agree.

Mahinder agrees and invites them inside. His mother meets Sunaina.

"Beautiful bride. How old is she?" His mom asked by cupping her face.

SD: She is 16 year old.

"Very nice. Beta are you schooling?", She enquires.

Sunaina: (nods by putting her head down) Yes, I am studying in 10th.

"My son, is studying in 12th. You are okay with marrying my son.", His mother asks.

Sunaina looks up at her mother who nods yes and then nods yes by putting her head down again.

"So happy. I'll inform my son.", She says as she gives her a gift of Rs.2 for seeing her first time and goes out of the room.

The mother son agree for the marriage and they ask to get them married in two days. SD convinces Mahinder and they agree for marriage but they seek 6 months to send her to her husband's house as she had to finish her 10th standard.

They do the shopping for marriage and get ready with every arrangement for tomorrow. However, in the morning they couldn't find Sunaina in her room.

SD: Haaye!!! (Cries) Muh kaala kar gayi ladki.. aur padhao aap! Ab zeher peene ke alawa koi rasta nahi bacha. Humari dusri beti ko kaun byaahega? {The girl left us in humiliation, you wanted to educate her right. Now we dont have any option left apart from consuming poison. Who will marry our other daughter?}

Mahendra: Keep quiet Bhaagwan, your voice will be heard in neighbourhood and people will shame us.

SD: That will be done regardless. What are we going to do when the groom comes. What answer will you give him? The news will spread in whole village like wild fire. That's why I was telling you to marry her off when she turned 14 but you wanted her to study.

Mahender: Shut up now! Let me think of other option.

SD: We only have one option left. I'll get Sana ready. Anyways as a bride she will be in veil.

Mahinder: Sana? She is just 13 and isn't even got sayaani {menstruating}. Getting married before 14 years is illegal as per law.

SD: She will be 14 in another 2 months and we still have 6 months to send her to her husband's house. She might start menstruating by then. If you say no now then she won't be married ever.

Mahinder: Hmm.. okay.

SD: Good that Sana wasn't here when they came to see Sunaina. Will ask our neighbourhood girl to stand with us so they think it's our other daughter. Sana though 2 years younger then Sunaina, looks plumpy and as tall as Sunaina, so there won't be any doubt about the girl in veil.

SD gets Sana ready in bridal dress who had absolutely no knowledge about what was happening with her. Her mother instructs her to stay in veil, keep quiet and follow instruction of the priest. Within no time she was married to the groom. After the marriage, the groom left to his hometown along with his mother.

The next 6 months SD trains Sana to do household chores. Along with Sana passing her 8th standard, turning 14, she starts menstruating after 5 months from her marriage.

Today her groom, her husband was arriving to take her home with him. So SD asks her to get ready.

Flashback ends.

Sana: Why are you crying amma? I promise, I'll do good seva of my in-laws and husband. I won't bring shame to our family.

SD: I am worried about their acceptance. Though the groom doesn't know anything, his mother had seen Sunaina. I just hope everything works fine.

Meet Sana Mahanth.. a.k.a. Shehnaaz Mahanth oops!! Shehnaaz Sidharth Shastri, Age 14 year old. Daughter of Mahinder Mahanth and Shakuntala Devi Mahanth. Married to Sidharth Shastri at the age of 13.

(Edit kaisi lagi batao jaldi- vote karo/comment karo please)

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To be continued.. ❤️❤️

You can say this is a kind of my Strange Marriage series.. How are you liking it?

Note: Before 1950, the legal age of marriage was 14 year for girl and 18 year for boy. Which later got changed to 18 and 21 respectively.

So, excited to witness their first encounter?