And That's How We Do It In India...

They lay silently under the moonlight, on colossal grassland far from the discerning eye of the villagers, trying to remember the last time they led a normal life. No home to return to, no workplace to be at, no coins to run away to a distant land. They were of different castes, diverse cultural backgrounds, where love was considered a punishable offence. The last year had been tough, working their way around the schedules of inhabitants of the village, tip-toeing out at vile hours of the night only to sit by the creek and gaze at each other. Living under the constant dread of being discovered had taken a toll on them, until they decided to walk away, leaving behind all that they ever knew, in a small village that was “Lachen.”

Kishan, who had undergone vocational training in agriculture from Southern India, had migrated to Lachen in search of farming opportunities. There was a lot of apprehension among the villagers in accepting him initially. But he was devout, an enthusiast and always ready to help, and so was slowly welcomed into society, though with cardinal cultural and social restrictions. If the villagers got to know about his ‘secret love’ for Radha, they would have castigated him and awarded him a death sentence.

Having turned fifteen, a gargantuan challenge stared Radha in her face. Her family had begun the search for a suitable groom. Soon she would be married off into a family her parents thought was best for her and she would never be able to see Kishan again. This thought seemed preposterous and the reality daunted her. She could not confess her love for Kishan, as she did not want his fate to be the same as the fifty eight other young men who wanted to espouse girls of their choice in the recent past. Yet, she did not want to let go.

It was growing chilly as the night progressed. They barely had any warm clothes on to protect them from the wind. Radha was beginning to feel hungry and was pining to meet her family. The fact that she had just walked out on the very people who gave her life and raised her was tearing her apart. Kishan’s mind was racing, he had to take a step forward. He was contemplating going back to the southern part of India and starting anew, but Radha would not be accepted there. His only option was to earn some bread and take off to a place where no one could find them.

Slowly and steadily they built a new life for themselves. Not a day went without wishing and hoping that the situation in Indian villages would change for the better and the mindset of people became more progressive, so that the younger generation could live in peace and transcend set boundaries.