Marriage’s Market of Pride

Mayankbhai's son's wedding was being celebrated with pomp and splendour. As Ashokbhai and his wife Kantaben got down of the taxi, they were awe-struck. Mayankbhai's farm house was lavishly decorated. A grand high entrance, colorful flower vines, royal Moroccan theme decorations and glittering golden chandeliers graced the wedding hall. While walking on the pink carpet spread through the long passage, Kantaben said to Ashokbhai,
“Didn't I say? When the invitation card itself is so expensive, what kind of wedding that would be!”
"One would obviously spend money on the wedding of their one and only son! What a nice mandap has been made.” Ashokbhai added.
The entire wedding ceremony could be seen live on the front LED screen. At the entrance, the invited guests were smiling and taking pictures in front of the professional photographer's camera. Ashokbhai and Kantaben also took pictures and went ahead. They saw Mayankbhai and his wife were welcoming the guests amidst the fragrance of perfume in the atmosphere. Seeing Ashokbhai, Mayankbhai folded his hands and said, “Welcome Ashokbhai. How are you Bhabhi? Please come!” Ashokbhai's chest raised high. "Mayankbhai is a very good man. He’s an old client of ours, I know him. He takes care of every person in the company. And he hangs out with all big guys”, Ashokbhai proudly said to Kantaben. Both husband and wife came close to the wedding mandap. There, Mayankbhai's young nephew Rohit came to Ashokbhai and said, “Namaste Uncle! Come, sit here on the sofa. I’ll send drinks for you.” Ashokbhai proudly sat in the middle of the V.I.P. sofa to enjoy the marriage. Kantaben was not interested in watching the wedding ceremony. She got busy talking about sarees and ornaments with the other ladies.
Soon, the District Sub-inspector came to the wedding. Rohit came and said to Ashokbhai, “Uncle please, could you sit on the next sofa? Sub-inspector has come, we will have him seated here!” Saying, “Yes sure!” Ashokbhai did shift away, but inside he felt a pinch that, "If you had to move me, why did you make me sit in the front?" In a while, Seth Zawerchand Laxmichand came. At the request of Rohit, Ashokbhai had to sit in the second row. Just then, the Collector came to the wedding. Once again Rohit came requesting Ashokbhai and had him seated in the third row! Ashokbhai thought within that, "What kind of idiots’ place I have come, don't they know me?". Just then a waiter came with a tray of cold drinks and gave Ashokbhai a glass of 'Sweet Sunrise' mocktail. But Ashokbhai's face was pale as if he had drunk castor oil. He didn’t get any taste in the sweet drink!
In some time, everyone left the Mandap and rushed towards the entrance. Ashokbhai turned and saw that four big cars of the Chief Minister entered. Mayankbhai's daughter was married in the house of C.M. Sir. The Minister and his ten-twelve commandos were coming in different cars. Minister Saheb was welcomed by garlanding him and Mayankbhai himself brought him to the mandap and introduced him to the bride and groom. Then he got the Hon'ble CM. seated in the centre seat of the frontmost sofa. Without asking, the commandos made room all around him. Rohit just signalled from a distance and Ashokbhai immediately got up and sat in the last chair from where no one could get him up again.
After finishing her talks, Kantaben came to Ashokbhai, "Since long, I am searching for you there on that sofa, and how did you come here?" Ashokbhai was in a startled state, but Kantaben was in her own mood. “Come on now, I am very hungry. I heard that the food is very tasty. In the menu here, it is not just Indian, but Japanese, Pan Asian, Thai, Moroccan, there are dishes from all countries.” Saying so, Kantaben dragged Ashokbhai to dinner. But Ashokbhai's appetite was dead. “I have a severe headache. After dinner, we will leave immediately”, saying so, Ashokbhai forcibly went to have food. Ashokbhai, who looked tall and erect while coming to the wedding, had become sloppy. After having food, both of them came out. Just there, Ashokbhai met a manager of the company. “Hey Ashokbhai, I arrived late, but why are you leaving early? And how was the marriage?” he asked.
“Hey, leave it! It’s all useless expenses and show off. How much money he wasted in one wedding. They have spent a lot of money on the decoration, over and above, have invited big people, and the food is not good at all. I am having a bit of headache, therefore I am leaving. Otherwise also, there’s no fun in staying here” saying this he quickly left from there.
Kantaben did not understand that “when he came, he was all praise for this wedding. Suddenly what happened to him? The food was so delicious!” But where did she know that in fact, marriage is a market of ‘Moh’(attachment) for women and a market of ‘Maan’(pride) for men! Human ego is such that if respect is received, then everything seems positive, positive. But if insulted, then from that very moment, it becomes negative, negative.

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