And then, again, a cool breeze blew, embracing us. We lay down on the harbor.
That was when the discussion started. A serious discussion; a discussion that changed my life. It
started with another 'So'.
'So?' Amardeep asked this time, looking at Happy.
'What?' Happy asked, raising his chin.
'What's the next important thing?' Amardeep asked.
'You mean dinner?' MP jumped in.
'No, I mean the next important thing in life. Schooling—done. Engineering—done. Getting a good
job—done. Going abroad—done. Bank balance—in progress. What's the next milestone?'
'Ah! I know what you're talking about,' Happy nodded. 'Ask him,' he said, pointing his already
raised chin towards me.
Everyone looked at me.
'I don't know what's going on in your life and family, but my mom and dad are going crazy.
They're after me like you wouldn't believe. Don't I make a good bachelor?' I said.
'The story is the same everywhere. We poor bachelors,' MP said trying to be funny.
'I am serious, MP,' Amardeep said.
'So, have you or your family fixed something?' I asked him.
'No. My story is just like yours. But the fact is that, one day, we'll have to settle down with a life-
partner. How long can we ignore our parents' questions? They too have expectations, wishes and
dreams for us.'
'I know what you mean Amardeep. But are you really ready to spend your whole life with someone?
I mean, in our four years at the hostel, there were so many times when we had to adjust with each
other … This one will be for a lifetime,' Happy said.
'But, sooner or later, we have to do this, right?' Amardeep asked.
'What if we just carry on the way we are?' MP said.
'Then imagine yourself at the age of sixty, living alone. Life isn't that easy, my friend. It's a
journey. And the best way to complete it is with a life-partner,' Amardeep said.
That night, on the bank of the river, the four of us discussed this issue seriously, for the first time.
Maybe it was the first time we felt we were mature enough to talk about it. So many questions, ifs and
buts were raised and answered between us. So many views were brought in and debated. None of us
was against marriage but we wanted to evaluate its benefits. Amardeep and I were quite convinced
about the marriage thing. And this discussion made Happy and MP think about the matter quite
seriously, even it didn't convince them. (Which reminds me of a slogan I read on a T-shirt: If you
can't convince her, just confuse her!)
'But then, other things come into the picture. Love marriage or arranged marriage? Parents' choice
or ours?' Happy said.
'Now, that's a personal choice. But given that we are independent, I don't think our parents will
object to our decision,' Amardeep said.
Happy kept mum hearing this.
'But Amardeep, look at our lives. All of us are North Indians, working in far-away states. The
chance of finding a soul-mate, in this case, is quite slim. Moreover, the kinds of jobs we have don't give us the time to interact with different people. And above all, none of us would like to marry a girl
chosen by our parents, if I am not wrong,' MP said.
'I don't know if your last statement is valid or not, but the rest is in your hands,' Amardeep replied.
'But MP has a point. In my case, I would like to marry a girl of my choice, but for the last one year
I was abroad and I don't know if, in the next couple of years, I will be in India. Given this fact, it is
quite hard for me to work on my marriage plan. And for a person like me it's impossible to settle
down with any girl who is not Indian. Forget Indian, she has to be a Punjabi first of all,' I said.
'How did you apply for your job at Infosys?' Amardeep asked, digressing from the topic.
I answered, 'Through some job website.'
'And Happy, how did you transfer money from London to your parents?'
'Through my Internet banking account. It's quite fast,' he answered.
'See? The world is becoming Internet-savvy. And, given the fact that we all are IT graduates who
are on the net almost everyday, why can't we use this for the marriage thing too?'
'Are you talking about matrimonial websites like Shaadi. com?' Happy asked.
'Yes.'
'Are they really useful? I don't think so,' MP put forward his view. 'To know if a dish is sweet or
salty, you have to taste it first. That's the only way to know things for sure,' Amardeep answered.
'Or better yet, ask a person who has already tasted it. Why take a chance?' Happy said, trying to
make us laugh.
'So Raamji, are you on any such website?' I asked.
'Not yet. But I'm thinking of it …'
When we did not say anything, he explained, 'The best thing about this service is that you can go
through so many profiles without leaving your desk. The filters are good enough to provide you
suitable matches. And you can interact with the persons who interest you … Everything is so
systematic. Above all, you don't need to worry about your physical location …'
Amardeep made some valid points, which is probably why we didn't have much to debate about.
'Hmm … Well, I don't know if this thing is going to work, but it is worth giving a try. Who knows
…?' Even MP was convinced.
It was 1.30 a.m. Our empty stomachs reminded our brains of their existence.
Amardeep said, 'It's quite late and I'm damn hungry. Let's get home.' And he stood up stretching
his back.
'So who's the first one?' MP asked while we all were dusting our clothes.
'The first one to marry? Or first one to make his profile on the website?' Happy asked, laughing.
'Both.'
'I think this guy,' Happy pointed his finger at me, I don't know why.
It was probably 4 a.m. by the time we had dinner and slept. And, after a long time, we enjoyed the
kind of sleep we used to enjoy in our hostel. That day became one of the most memorable days in our
lives.
We spent the next day visiting some of the best hangouts in Kolkata. And we went again to the
Launch Ghat in the evening to ride the ferry to the other side of the city. And, believe you me, being
on the ferry was no less amazing than boarding the Titanic in 1912. Being with your best friends is simply wonderful. We ate, drank, talked and enjoyed to the fullest at a pub called Some Place Else.
That was the last night of the reunion trip.
All three of them came to drop me at Howrah Station and, once again, the four of us hugged, just
like we had at Hyderabad Station, on the last day of college.
'Who's going to cry first?' MP asked. But all of us laughed at that stupid and senti question.
The train called me with its final whistle. I got into the carriage and stood at the door, waving to
them all as the train left the platform. I reached Bhubaneswar the next morning. That same morning,
Amardeep and MP boarded flights back to their respective places. Soon afterwards, Happy also flew
back to London.