How I met my wife.

How I met my wife.

May 4th 2016 we will be celebrating our 15th anniversary.

But it all started way back in 1999, when I was enjoying my bachelorhood, that time I was around 34 years of age, but still I was not in hurry to get married, I was living in Abu Dhabi UAE.
I was having my independent flat but I always end up at Bobby's flat, his flat was shared by another two of his friend, I don't remember one flat mate's name the other was Anand Iyer and Bobby, still a very good friend, why I remember Anand  you will soon know. Anand and other were more of Hi Hello friend but were jolly good guys.

Anand was 24 years old but was very eager to get married, he use to keep an eye on Friday matrimonial column at Gulf News. It is normally a difficult task to find a 21-22 year girl at matrimonial column and that too of your same cast, just too difficult, but he use see an ad. of a Tamil girl but age was 31 years, he use to tease me, Ramesh this would be perfect match for you, why don't you call the given number, i always use to ignore him with a joke saying, just worry about yourself, I would love to die a bachelor. This went on for 4-5 weeks. One Friday when he again saw the ad. for a 31 year old Tamil girl in the matrimonial column, he took my mobile and secretly called the given number and gave it to me saying "Talk to the guy on the mobile, he is girl's brother" I did not wanted to be rude and cut the call, I did not had any choice and but to continue talk to the person on the phone, we exchanged family details, being Friday he (Dr. Rajan) wanted to come down to Abu Dhabi and meet me, I told him, not to be in a hurry and let's meet the coming Thursday at Dubai, as I would be coming there for some work, he agreed, we met and more details exchanged, we agreed to meet couple of more times and we met, this went on for around 2 months, in the mean time I left the job and came back to Nagpur for good 6 months, thinking that I will never return back to UAE, but as destiny would have it, I was back in UAE, this time in Dubai within 6 months, our previous meetings (me and Dr. Rajan) got abruptly ended, he couldn't call me as he did not had my India contact and I did not called him as thought that he was interested in me for his sister because I was in UAE, to a certain extent that was true.

I was back in Dubai in next 6 months, one fine day I gets a call from Dr. Rajan, first he shouted (friendly) at me that I did not informed him before going back to Nagpur, than he felt happy for me that I got a better job in Dubai, again we started meeting for coffees and teas, this went on for more than 6 months in the mean time he completely forgot why we started meeting. In the mean time my other Brother-in-law Kittu, called him and asked him, what happened to the guy, who you said that will be a good match for our sister, is he still there or should I look out for some other guy, when the call came, I was next to him, after cutting the call, he turns back to me and ask me  "I started meeting you for my  sister, right?" I said "Yes", he continued "There is a small issue, as you are from Nagpur, and you mentioned that you mostly speak Hindi at home, my mom wants to talk with you in Tamil" I said "I don't mind" he immediately connected to his mom and we spoke for at least 15 min. in Tamil, his mom was ok with my Tamil communication and gave a go ahead for me, you can say I passed the Tamil exam :) .

Dr. Rajan said that his sister Rani is coming to Dubai for shopping for his cousin's marriage, why don't you meet her at that time, we agreed, it was a very small meeting, we met on Thursday evening in full packed restaurant (Royal Garden) they had to put an extra table for us to sit, Rajan, Rani, Gracy and me, we exchanged some smiles and greetings, all I remember of Rani talking to me is she said "Podum" (Enough) when asked whether she needs anything else to eat.  After this brief meet they proceeded to their home, whilst they were on their way I called Rajan and asked him "You know that I am 35 years and not 25 years" he amusingly replied "Yes I do, why are you asking that" I said "your sister looks 21 and not 31" he just laughed, even today after 16 years Rani ask me "Ramesh, what did you ask Rananna after the meeting". Well the second hurdle cleared, Rani did not had any problem with me.

Rajan went to Nagpur and met my parents and spend some time over there, he was ok with my family and invited my family to his place. My mother was very happy, she said that she is going to their place with the preparation of  engagement, unless there is a grave problem, we are not going to reject the girl, morning we will see the girl, if everything goes fine, evening we will do the engagement, I said, I can't be there in such short notice, my mom replied, "you had seen the girl, you are ok with her, she had seen you, she is ok with you, we will do the engagement without you, make sure you are available for the marriage". As planed they saw her in morning and in the evening they did the engagement ceremony. I called her after the ceremony if everything is as per her wish, she is not been forced into this marriage, she replied, yes it's as per her wish, she is not been forced, after two months into the marriage she tease me that I should have asked that before the engagement ceremony.  

We got engaged on 11th of Feb 2001. I called her on 14h Feb. to wish her happy valentine's day, her reaction was "what is that" a couple of days later, India beat Zimbabwe in one day international, that was the first time in history that a team chased 300+ score and won, Kumble and Srinath played a fantastic inning, I called her and asked if she had seen that match, her reply was negative, that time I realized why I stayed bachelor this long and did not had any girlfriend. 

May 4th was set for our marriage, well, about the marriage ceremony, sometime later, all went on fine, now today we are celebrating our 15th anniversary.

Even Today, whenever I mess up, it is always Anand Iyer's fault. :) :) :)