This article is a Karwa-Chauth special. Like our ritual goes, on every women related festival, we go around Jaipur to chat with people. This time we roped in few couples to talk about the time they spend together. And by this time, we mean quality time – without kids, work, etc. Just the two of them.
We started with Mr. & Mrs. Gitai. Sunanda and Anurag had a love marriage & they know each other from last 28 years now. Wow. And how long have they been married?
“21” “22 na” “Actually its 20+”
This is the ease they share. But we wanted to dig in & know if they still spend that quality time with each other just like when they were dating!
JWB – We want both of you to look into each other’s eyes for 2 minutes. Sunanda – Wow.
Anurag (chuckles) – I know.
We started the tick-tock for 2 minutes making them sit face-to-face and look into one another’s eyes. We were sitting on their rooftop garden at 8 pm with a lamp on one side and swing on the other. The sound of fireflies mingled sonorously with the tick-tock.
As they were gazing into each other’s eyes, we noticed a brisk smile shaping their faces.
JWB – What were you feeling? Did you read anything in each other’s eyes?
Sunanda – I was thinking about the old days we had spent together – the dating period.
Anurag – Umm…I was thinking we haven’t looked into each other’s eyes since a long time. We gotta do such things, Sunanda! JWB – How much quality time do you spend together? Anurag – We have fixed slots. So after dinner we go for long drives. JWB – Daily?
Anurag – Yes. JWB – Even if it is raining? Anurag – Absolutely without fail. Even when we didn’t have the car, we would go on scooter, all drenched. Sunanda – It was fun. JWB – That’s amazing. Anurag – We look forward for this time together every single night since we are busy the whole day.
Sunanda – We call it the ‘Paan-drive’. We go to eat paan together. We noticed the couple was holding hands during this interview. Made us go ‘Aww’ in loud. JWB – Tell us, in case you have an argument, who is the one initiating dialogues? Sunanda – I do.
Anurag – She does. JWB – Sometimes marriage is about boundaries and not freedom, especially in India. Talk about allowance and prohibitions in your relationship. How do you communicate – I am going or can I go? Anurag – Not a chance for ‘Can I go’.
Sunanda (laughs) – All we do is inform, that too if required. Not that I am married and bear kids along with a job, have I blocked my personal space. I go out with my friends from all age groups and Anurag is cool with it. Same goes with him. We enjoy our friends’ company as much as we do with each other. Anurag – We share the same openness with our 2 teenage kids. JWB – You have reached the stage when relationship can go either go monotonous or can be recharged. What is your fuel to keep it alive?
Sunanda – Becoming friends before you are a spouse is the key. We crave for time together like friends do. Anurag – We have a common interest – adventure. We are smart and club our work trips with holidays. (laughs) Sunanda – I feel this ‘breaking-free’ feeling with him even after so many years of marriage. It seems we have met just yesterday. JWB – Any message for our married readers?
Chorus – Don’t accept monotony. JWB – Great! Now here is a task. We give you separate papers to write all those questions for each other that you wanted to ask but couldn’t because of time or responsibility constraint.
Sunanda & Anurag exchanged looks.
Anurag – I have nothing to ask from her. I don’t keep things for later. JWB – And Sunanda you? Sunanda – Umm…nothing.
….only to message us next morning saying she was still awaiting an answer from Anurag since long. Though we didn’t ask what that question was, but we hope Anurag will answer it soon without checking her patience. 🙂
The magic in each photo was brought by our photographer Mr. Vinod Singh Gusain.
By Lavanya Bahuguna,
Blogger