I'm A Man

chapter 1

Date- 12/01/2010
Place- Baliya, India.

"He is 35 years old now. What had his parents not done to get him married. He was rejected so many times. Shuklain knocked the door of each temple. After so many prayers, after so many offerings finally they found a daughter in law." A woman, sitting in the decorated house said.

"What could have been done more, behen ji(sister). The boy is not settled yet. Shukla ji demanded a good amount of dowry. Now who would offer that much for a boy who doesn't have a government job. I wonder, they must be hiding boy's job. That's why girl's father agreed to give them so much." Another woman said.

"I thought so too.." the first woman whispered.

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"Maa, I'm going out with friends." Ravi said.

"Beta (son), your days of playing with your friends are over. You're getting married tomorrow. Atleast now be responsible. You're going to start a new family. After few years, this angan will be filled with children. Stop joking around with your friends." His mother said.

"Maa please na, no taunts today. Please."

"Yeah why not? Now whatever I'll say will sound like taunts to you. Beta whatever I'm saying is for your own good."

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"Bhaiya buy me a pair of gold jhumkas (earrings) for dwarchhekai (see in the note). " Ravi's sister said.

"Pooja wait for sometime. There's some problems right now." Ravi answered.

"You never have money for me." Pooja left the room.

"Now you made her sad. She's is your only sister. You can't even fulfill a single wish of her? Think what will she say when her in-laws will ask what she got from her Maika (parents' home). " Ravi's father scolded him.
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Author's note
Dwarchhekai: a ritual after Indian wedding in which groom's sister restrict the newly wed couple from entering their room and demand presents from her brother. Only after being satisfied with the presents, she let them enter