My father whispers back in shock "That's your daughter?"
She is Ram Murthy Sir's daughter! Oh, God! Bless us! But, I can predict the consequences. I can see my dad already bending down to his knees. "I'm so sorry Sir! I know it's a shame and harm to your family to even have your daughter's portrait in my home. You can take it away and destroy it as you wish to. Please don't take this matter to the village head's notice, my family will be ruined. We will leave the village forever, please forgive us". This society has the caste differentiation pierced to the human's sub-conciseness. I can't bear to see my dad give up on his self-respect.
I run to my dad and pick him up. Before my dad starts to show his arrogance towards me, Ram Murthy Sir paths on my shoulder "As I said, I am probably the first Brahmin to encourage equality in the Society. And I'll be the first Brahmin to marry our family's daughter to a sculptures family."
We can't believe what we just heard. I and my father stay stunned and motionless. In a surprise, all we do is staring at him.
Smiling, he says "My daughter has been rejected a lot of times for being dark-skinned and short. But, looking at the portrait of my daughter your son drew, I realize he was able to witness her soul, at the very first sight itself. Her calmness, her innocence, her devotion to God, her love and trust for God, I can see every emotion of my daughter in the very portrait. Looking at the smile he has drawn in here, I am sure your son will ensure her smiles throughout her life."
Looking at me, he questions "Do you love my daughter, will you marry my daughter?"
I am melting down, my legs can't carry my body anymore, I fall onto my knees and touch his feet "Bless me, Sir!" I can feel his warm hand on my head blessing me.
My father grabs his hands and emotionally speaks with tears, "What did we even do to deserve meeting an ideal person like you in this cruel society."
We get back a reply "You are going to be my family."
"This person who offers prayers to Lord and performs rituals for God, is no less than that God!" says my emotional father.
"How can I ignore a person who loves my daughter for whatever she is? Even if I do ignore him, it would only be my foolishness. How can I ignore a person who enjoys her innocence and sincerity? To be loved by a person selflessly is the most valuable gift any soul can desire. How can I be the reason for my daughter to lose such a precious gift! Love through blood relations are natural and unconditional, but sincere love by the life partner is a rare thing, and my daughter is lucky to get that kind of love. Your son will be my daughter's husband, irrespective of any forces that try to stop us!"
Unaware of all the drama going on here, my mother excitedly comes, stands by the door, and humbly says, "Ram Murthy Sir, meals are ready." Ram Murthy uncle places his arm on my dad's shoulder, gives a warm friendly feel, and says "I'm excited to taste the dishes made by my sister."
A few months passed by. It's April 21st, 1986 and from today, she starts to be my beloved wife, Vasavi Vishnu. None of her family or community were a part of our marriage, as they strongly opposed this marriage between two different communities. Our marriage was held at the very temple where I saw her for the first time, and where I realized my love for her. Among my relatives and co-workers, we celebrated our marriage. Ram Murthy sir himself played the role of bride's father and Priest.
Night falls and to my delight, Vasavi is at my home, in my room! God, bless us, but I can't believe this as reality. I sit by her side. Even without looking at me, she smiles and acknowledges my presence.
"So, Vasavi..."
She continues looking at the floor with a smile.
"Do you like me? My family is quite poor but you were brought up in a wealthy family. How did you convince yourself that I'll take good care of you?" I ask. "I never question my father's decisions. It's not that I'm nervous to do so, it's because I trust him so much."
"Do you know I don't even belong to your community?"
"It does not matter to me. I'm sure, my father had stronger reasons to ignore the community constraints and marry me to you."
"Aren't you curious to know those reasons?"
"You probably won his respect by being the 'Good Man!'.
"Vasavi, look at me."
She is a lot shyer than I expected. Slowly turning the face towards me, she looks at me. I hold her hand, stand up, and start to walk "There is something you have to see." As I pull off the white cloth covering her portrait painting, I see a shocking expression on her face.
Vasavi POV:
It's as if I'm meeting my own soul. I can see my heart depicted over here. The emotion expressed on my face and the pleasant happiness I felt on that day in God's presence is so beautifully portraited here. It's as if I am going back to that day again. I can recall this day and that moment.
As my thoughts keep flowing, I hear him say "Our marriage is a love marriage."
I reply "Yours is a love marriage."
"Oh! Yes! Right. Mine is a love marriage. And for you, it is arranged."
"I remember this day. It was the first time I and my father visited this village."
"I saw you, fell in love with you, waited for you, and prayed for you."
Slowly is turns towards me and our eyes meet. "Never did I know I had the good destiny to win you as my soul-mate. Before the all-mighty spelled all his magic to bring you and me together, I was really afraid of forgetting you. And so, I drew this."
"Did my father see this?"
"Yes, and that's why you are my wife today. He respected my love for you."
"True, God does give us some good opportunities to choose our happiness. It's the humans who lack the maturity to see those opportunities."
"If there was anyone else in your father's position, my life would have been ruined since people would assume me to be a flirt."
"Unlike any of those, my father saw your love for me and chose you to be my life partner. And hence, I will be a happy wife in a prosperous family, all along with my life! My father is a hero!"
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