Let me first attract every one's attention. There is a universal law, which any bachelor who has travelled on a train, or any public mode of transport for that matter, would vouch for. The law has been termed by yours truly as "Universal law of Beauty and the Berth", which states that:
"Probability of a girl occupying a berth next to you on a train is inversely proportional to her beauty".
"Probability of a girl occupying a berth next to you on a train is inversely proportional to her beauty".
Now that I have your attention let me tell the reader that this blog is a frail attempt at writing a play (not the Shakespearean style, laden with various figures of speech but pretty normal without anything about the characters mindset).
The characters:
Engineer(Er): A traveller and a SW engineer.
High School Teacher (HST): Teacher and the lover.
Sr Engineer(SEr): Another senior SW engineer who has seen all and still clinging on.
Housewives(Hw): There are at least three, with at least one being a Bengali.
An would-be engineer(Wb): All passionate about the big bad world and may be a little about engineering as well.
This is going to be just a series of dialogues hence the ambience and the costume is left to the imagination of the reader. Though the setting is essentially a typical Indian Rail compartment.
ACT 1:
HST: You must be my junior...let me tell you that the world is really tough. By the way which year did you do your 10th?
Er: 1997
HST: Oh that makes you my senior by an year. May be I have seen world better than you.
Er: How old are you?
HST: I am 26 and work as a High School Teacher. I had gone on an election duty to a place called Akhripur.
Er: Where is the place?
HST: 25 kms before Jasidih. The place was amazing, surrounded by hills and hardly any living being around.
Er: Naxal belt?
HST: Yes. Thankfully I experienced all this before my marriage.
Er: Yes it would have been tough for your wife to stay at such a place.
HST: No the government doesn't provide accomodation for spouse. Besides it was just a 2-day duty.
Er: So your folks are thinking of your engagement now?
HST: God knows what they are thinking. They are seeing a few girls but not exactly keen on one which I like.
After a pause,
The thing is I like the girl and whoever has seen her photo has told me she is the best one for me. She is very beautiful but my parents are asking for a dowry of 4 lacs. Her folks have very limted means and I don't think they can arrange for it.
Er: Oh!!
HST: Anyway I talk to her on phone and try consoling her.
Er: What is your name?
HST: I am Rajeev Kumar Bhardwaj.
Er: I am Vinayak Shukla.
HST: Brahmin?
Er: Yes.
HST: Have you ever heard a story which starts as "Once upon a time lived a poor Rajput", it is always "Once upon a time lived a poor Brahmin".
Er: Hehe...True.
HST: Once she had called me to Deoghar and asked me to meet her near that Naulakha Mandir. Since she has not seen me she has that urge. You know what, in cases of marriage only if the girl's side has money you can make demands that you want to see the guy before proceeding with other formalities.
Er: So did you go?
HST: No I didn't. You see it could have been bad for both her and me. If someone from her end had seen me it would have created some problem for my family and if her friends or relatives had come to know about it her character would have been maligned. There is another family who is ready to give me 5 lacs and a bike but am not interested in that girl. But my family seems to be more than interested.
Er: So what are you thinking now?
HST: I seldom call her now thinking that we might end up getting a bad name for our respective families.
After a long pause,
However in my last call I have told her to be ready. I would take her away to some place and we will marry.
Er: Gandharva vivah!!
Housewives(Hw): There are at least three, with at least one being a Bengali.
An would-be engineer(Wb): All passionate about the big bad world and may be a little about engineering as well.
This is going to be just a series of dialogues hence the ambience and the costume is left to the imagination of the reader. Though the setting is essentially a typical Indian Rail compartment.
ACT 1:
HST: You must be my junior...let me tell you that the world is really tough. By the way which year did you do your 10th?
Er: 1997
HST: Oh that makes you my senior by an year. May be I have seen world better than you.
Er: How old are you?
HST: I am 26 and work as a High School Teacher. I had gone on an election duty to a place called Akhripur.
Er: Where is the place?
HST: 25 kms before Jasidih. The place was amazing, surrounded by hills and hardly any living being around.
Er: Naxal belt?
HST: Yes. Thankfully I experienced all this before my marriage.
Er: Yes it would have been tough for your wife to stay at such a place.
HST: No the government doesn't provide accomodation for spouse. Besides it was just a 2-day duty.
Er: So your folks are thinking of your engagement now?
HST: God knows what they are thinking. They are seeing a few girls but not exactly keen on one which I like.
After a pause,
The thing is I like the girl and whoever has seen her photo has told me she is the best one for me. She is very beautiful but my parents are asking for a dowry of 4 lacs. Her folks have very limted means and I don't think they can arrange for it.
Er: Oh!!
HST: Anyway I talk to her on phone and try consoling her.
Er: What is your name?
HST: I am Rajeev Kumar Bhardwaj.
Er: I am Vinayak Shukla.
HST: Brahmin?
Er: Yes.
HST: Have you ever heard a story which starts as "Once upon a time lived a poor Rajput", it is always "Once upon a time lived a poor Brahmin".
Er: Hehe...True.
HST: Once she had called me to Deoghar and asked me to meet her near that Naulakha Mandir. Since she has not seen me she has that urge. You know what, in cases of marriage only if the girl's side has money you can make demands that you want to see the guy before proceeding with other formalities.
Er: So did you go?
HST: No I didn't. You see it could have been bad for both her and me. If someone from her end had seen me it would have created some problem for my family and if her friends or relatives had come to know about it her character would have been maligned. There is another family who is ready to give me 5 lacs and a bike but am not interested in that girl. But my family seems to be more than interested.
Er: So what are you thinking now?
HST: I seldom call her now thinking that we might end up getting a bad name for our respective families.
After a long pause,
However in my last call I have told her to be ready. I would take her away to some place and we will marry.
Er: Gandharva vivah!!
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