Gujju story of life !!!

Hi all,

Recently I started reading this forum and after reading so many stories, It is time to share our story.

My name is Neel . This is my story of life which has gone through many ups and downs of different phases of life including study related, love life related.

So let me introduce my background to make sense of things. I am coming from middle class family and in our family we were 4 people including my parents and my younger brother. I used to live ( and my parents still lives) in ahmedabad. Being from middle class like everyone else's parents , my parents had high expectation from their 2 boys that they would grow up and achieve something more than what they have achieved. Being elder son , I understood their aspiration by the time i was in 10th standard. Being good in study raised their expectation more and that motivated more to do something good. Since old days , I was fascinated with "doctor" degree.

Before i move forward, Let me talk about my friend. We used to live in united family till the time in i was in 5th standard with my grand parents and my younger uncle /aunt. When i was in 5th ,we moved to our own place and my grand parents remained with my uncle/aunt and their family. But while we were living as united family, opposite to our home , my best friend tejas's used to stay. We were probably less than 1 year different in age and not only we being good friend but our moms also were very good friends ( like sister).

Once again let's fast forward and go to my 10th standard result , i got 92% and elected science as my field for 11th and 12th standard study with eyes on becoming doctor!!! I worked really hard during those days and used to secure more than 90% in school prelims ( one of the top schools in ahmedabad) and i was confident , that i would score enough markes in 12th standard to gain admission in medical field somewhere in gujarat ( even after knowing that there were only close to 900 seats available in total gujarat at that time). Apparently my 12th standard results came and i secure 89.26% and that was 1 mark less than minimum required to get admission in medicine field. I was so blindfolded by my love towards medicine field, never consider anything else . But when that happened and on day of admission at last moment, i had to decide weather to become dentist or engineer. Being disappointed with my failure to become real "doctor' i just left it to my loved one and they decided engineering is the field i should go into. I secured admission in engineering field and started studying into it. First year of engineering was ok , as i barely secured distinction but still i was settling down from my setback of not being "doctor".

At same time tejas had taken in commerce college admission and he was doing his BCOM. being from Upper middle class or you can say rich family, he was more free spirit than myself.


During summer vacation after 1 year study of engineering, i spent probably 1 month at my uncle/aunt's place as it gave me chance to spend time with my best friend tejas. During that summer vacation one of my friend's cousin who knew my story kind of reminded me that i need to do better in engineering. I can't live my failure, i need to learn from it and move on. It kind of opened my eyes. And once again i become same self confident person!!!


Another year passed by and i completed 2 more semester ( 1 year ) of engineering and zoomed to top 5 -7 students of engineering discipline i was studying. Then came monsoon of year 1999 and "navaratri" of year 1999.


I would never forget that time as it brought entry of someone special in my life and i would never forget that.

Can you guess, who would have played role ( though unknowingly) in making that special someone and myself meet? if you guessed it is tejas, you are right!!!!!

It was 3rd day of navaratri and my home phone rang and on another side of phone tejas was there. He was asking weather i would like to join him for navaratri that night . he is going out with his group in college and he thought i may like . In previous years we used to goto gether most of time for time pass during navaratri but since last 2 navaratri , we hadn't gone out together.

I just told him sure and i told him, i would meet him at his home @ 10pm. I never expected that this night would change my life forever.

I reached his place at 10pm and he was waiting with few of his friends . We talked for half hour and after couple of phone calls , we decided to go to "Fun point Club" for garba. When we reached funpoint club there were few other friends of his group were waiting.

So total in his group (excluding myself), there were 11 people ( 6 boys and 5 girls) and i was 12th person. He introduced me to all the people in group and part of that group was someone very special named "Parita"!!! Everyone used to say her "Pari". First time , i met her , i won't say i fall in love but she was different than all other that's what i felt.

Not being very keen dance, i spent most of time with sitting on grass and talking with all people. Suddnely pari came told me Neel you need to dance you just can't sit here and keep talking. I told her that i am not good dancer. So she said smilingly "I would teach you ". She did teach me few steps in side and than probably i did garba for half hour on same steps

after that it was break time in garba before dandiya time. We were sitting on grass and pari and myself were talking. She was telling me that her aspiration to become good "CA" . She somehow knew my aspiration was to become doctor and now i am doing engineering. She must have overheard from tejas that's what i figured.That night after that garba time, i talked mostly with her and i assume same with her. I find her personality very intriguing and special.

By 3am , it was time to go back home and girls departed in their car and i departed with tejas towards home. After reaching home, i was staying at tejas's home till morning so we both went to sleep in her room and while talking i figured that pari's family is also well settled and in "rich" category. She also has 1 elder sister in family.

By that time , i was just seeing difference in financial situation of my family and in her family and so even after finding her personality special and having little soft spot i just killed any thought and went to sleep and day passed by like that!!!!

more to this story later!!! this is just start!!! Even today after more than 14 years ,this sequence gets me excited!!!

 

Back with more!!!

So as i said, I was afraid of financial differences between 2 families and so even after having spot soft for Pari , i just killed my heart with my mind and started living my normal life of study and ambition of doing something in life!!!!

Time pass by (may be another month) after diwali, one weekend i got call from tejas. He asked me that i would be interested in joining for picnic on sunday with his group. I said "NO" with excuse of some college work need to be done. At that point he said he called just because Pari inquired weather "Neel" is joining them or not.

Between this call and navaratri, i had few talks and face to face converstion with tejas but he never mentioned anything about pari or anything. So i was surprised with sudden declartion of him that pari was asking about me joining or not!!!!

He told me full story. He said he called pari probably hour before and asked her for picnic. She kept asking who is coming many time. And when at last tejas told pari , all of the group members are in. She asked him what about "someone outside from group" .Tejas didn't get idea about it at first and he asked her, whom she was asking about. And pari said your friend "neel".

Tejas told me "Neel, pari wants to meet you and that's why she was asking about me!!! That's what he thought!! This part of conversation kind of get me interested in picnic and soft spot which mind had killed once again got live and this time my heart with over mind. I said "yes".

As planned we went out at 8'o clock in the morning towards Goyal water park near ahmedabad. By the time we reach there it was 9 am . Tejas's father has bought a farm house there , so we got our self settled there and started having tea and some snacks. I was very happy to see pari again and i thought feeling was mutual. upto that point we had just talked high hello only. Suddenly she brought her chair near to my chair and started conversation. We talked about study and stuff for sometime. Suddenly she asked question after garba day , you are lost. I was kind of taken back by that question as i was not expecting that. I kind of put together garbage answer like " i was busy with study".

Pari : oh oh.. you are really very busy that you don't have time for anyone.
neel: nothing like that but most of day goes in college and than i have to prepare for upcoming exams too!!!
pari : we also study but we still remember friends.

By that time i figured in my mind, i won't be able to win that conversation and i told her " sorry didn't know people were eager to meet me again ".

Around about 10.30am everyone decided to go inside water park after snacks and she asked me in private " Can we go insider after hour and let's take a walk". I nodded my head and she said to everyone you guys carry on ,myself and neel would be there in sometime. We are going to take walk.

Frankly speaking , I was happy to get some time alone with her but part of my mind was confused about what was in her mind and was this any indication of anything or what???

After everyone went , we didn't go out but sat their on chair for sometime.
I asked

Neel : would you like to go for walk?
Pari: we would go in some time .we can talk her only . is that ok?
Neel : i said ok

We talked here and there stuff about movies and what do i like. few things about family (mostly about my younger brother and her elder sister and who else are there in our extended family!!!).

Pari: neel, if you don't mind can we share phone number? At that time cellular was not there or many not wide spread. So i gave her my phone number and my email address.

Neel : I told her it would be easy for me to check email and we can keep in touch with email.

Pari : Ok , and we exchanged our email and phone number.

Than we took few rounds in club house loan . Most of time , we didn't talk anything very important , but as i was enjoying her company and that was case with her. We didn't figure it was already close 1pm and people who went inside water park came out started questioning us why we didn't come and what are we upto.

I just said , i had some headache and so pari was giving me company as i was not keen on going into water.

We had our lunch and we played few games in the home. during all this time she was always right next to me and always part of my team in anything we did. At one point, my heart never wanted sun to set and day to end. Anyway day ended like with fun and only sad thing was it ended.

While going back home, my mind was full of her thoughts and my heart always wanted to be near her.

Next day morning, i went to college and whole day my heart and mind were not present were i was physically. During computer lab class , i checked my email and i had an email from pari with title "good morning". That kind of cheered me up.

In the evening, i reached home and was doing my normal routine and got call from tejas and he told me over the phone

Tejas : so how are you been?
Neel : Same old dude!!! went to college and now back home !!!
Tejas: seems like you are still in "picnic" only.
Neel: what??
Tejas: I think you like her. Don't you?
Neel : let's talk when we meet. Not right time to talk oh phone with everyone around.

Now it become everyday thing for us, myself and pari exchanging emails and small talks into it. sharing our daily routine and what we did !!!

On one day evening, while i came back from college, tejas came to my home. He being my friend from childhood , he was like another "son" in my home and he can walk-in at any point of time without any issues.

He told me let's go out . We went out to drink Chocolate -Coco. while drinking he asked me

tejas: so now tell me ,story, what is happening?
neel : trying to be naive , i asked about what?
tejas: don't try to be smart. tell me.. do you like pari?
neel : man what like? she is good girl but !!!
tejas: what but? answer my question do you like her or not?
neel : i can tell you but don't share with anyone. I like her but you know very well as you have told me there is large gulf between financial situation of 2 families and it would never go anywhere. So, i don't want to entertain anything more than friendship. I told him that we are exchanging emails and stuff.
Tejas: i know you guys are in tough, one of other friend of pari named "shalini" told him that . Shalini thinks we both like each other but no one is able to say.
Neel: I like her and may be she does too!!! but it would be heart break at the end of day.
Tejas ( Angrily) : If there is anyone who can secure good future with his intelligence , it is you. It would be stupid to think that way for his family. he tried to put many arguments and convince me to not think that way.

At last we departed with agreement , that i would be in touch with her and we would see what is in future in future.


Need to take break but would be back soon with rest of story!!! first most romantic and than most horrible turn of my life!!!

 

Like this few weeks passed by, myself and pari met alone many time during weekend for hour or so in coffee shop and other places ( anyone know "rasranjan"??)..We used to love each others company.

My college friends those days used to ask me , what are you upto? you look and act different than Neel we know. They were thinking very goal oriented neel has got some another wings too!!!!


FEB 2000 -- Valentine month
--------------------------------

Time passed by and our meetings were every weekend and emails were everyday affair. We used to share each and everything in each others life and motivate each other to attain their goal. Pari knew that i have my family very much important to me and she was very respectful of that feeling. I always appreciated that even though being from rich family, she has been down to earth girl with ambition of her own to become something good.

But with our career ambition, we both were grown into each other too!!! Exactly 1 week before valentine day , i met tejas again. He came with Shalini ( remember pari's friend). Shalini told me that she knows pari really likes me and would be happy with me. Tejas asked me what you think of pari?? I told them yes, i also like her . I told them i would talk with pari about my feelings for her ( not as friend but someone special) and let her decide about our future.

I remember exactly, in year 2000, Feb 14 was on monday.myself and pari met on saturday evening. We talked about some time and than we had following conversation.

Neel: Pari, we have grown our frendship in last 4-5 months and i enjoy your company .
Pari : me too.
Neel : more than enjoying your company , i think we have similar line of thinking and values.
Pari : yes we do. Neel, what are you trying to say ? please say clearly. Why are you going round and round
Neel : Pari, Truth is " I LOVE YOU". At last i ended up speaking those 3 words . But as soon as i spoke those, i realized what did i speak and was worried inside weather that would end this "friendship" and dream of mine.

Pari: Still she kept looking at me (without uttering any word).

Neel: Her silence made my life difficult, i told her, pari it was hard for me to not say to you this. I would be perfectly ok if you just want to be "friend" with me. I am just saying whatever is in my heart. i think we are good enough friend and we have shared everything with each other in last few months.

Pari: Still looking at me blankly.

Neel: Pari, I also wanted to think about it twice even if you have same feelings. Becasue i anticipate ,there may be some push back from family on this relationship. I am afraid of that family financial gap since 1st day.

Pari: Neel, i am glad you have spoken up. I also "Love you". Since i met you on that garba night, i had feeling for you but initially i was not sure weather it was infatuation or something else. but as we knew each other i figured tha i love you. I never said this ,because i was afraid that you are so much concentrated on your goal to reach somewhere and fullfil your career ambition you may not realize my feelings or what if i alter your ambition path . I didn't want to be reason for your failure to achieve or percieve like that.

Neel: (with happy tears in my eyes) Love you pari!!!

After that we left the coffee place and went to a famous Garden (law garden). That's the first place we went as we wanted hug each other but can't do in public. There was new light on both of our face. Her smile was brighter , her laugh was beautiful and her voice was like angel. It felt like i was in heaven and everything around me except her was noexisting.

we talked probably for another hour and than left for home. reaching home i was so happy and later she told me that she was so happy and bubbly in the home that her elder sister ( whose marriage was schedule in may 2000) questioned her , you seem more happy today than her own marriage were scheduled.


That saturday night when passed by i didn't know but i didn't sleep for sure. I woke up early morning , went for walk and then got ready and went to meet none other than tejas. We sat on swing outside is home and i told him what happened. I also thanked him for introducing me to love of my life. he was very happy and instantly called pari. He never told her that he knew about "love story" and just said let's meet in evening. Pari agreed hesitantly ( i think she was expecting date with me .

Sunday evening ( 13th Feb 2000) we met at one of the restaurant for dinner . Tejas,pari,shalini and myself. Shalini and tejas asked me to hide when he saw pari's kinetic coming. I did same. When pari came, she looked happy and bubbly. they all sat down .

Pari : So we 3 are the only people meeting here??

Tejas: i called rest of friends ,but none are free today.

Shalini: why any issue? do you want to invite anyone else (smilingly).

Pari: No just like that. Who else can come?

Tejas: may be your bigger friend?

Shalini: or may be special someone?

Pari: What are you guys talking about ???

Suddenly, i came out from back and closed her eyes. Shalini faking knowing someone just said "you???" . And than she asked pari, "we know him"!!! Guess who is he?

Pari try to remove my hand and looked behind. Finding me right behind her, she was so happy. At same time shalini and tejas congratulated us. pari was little bit shy but she said thank you and i sat next to her.

while myself and pari were looking at each other and smiling , shalini and tejas did most of talking. After 15 minute, waiter came with heart shape cake with Pari and neel written over it. That was surprise from tejas and shalini for us. They told us you guys can have your "first valentine" for yourself and we won't disturb you tomorrow .

Once again night ended with smile and hug from pari. I went upto 1 street close to her home and she left from there. I started driving towards home and i was thinking about what to do tomorrow for pari.how to celebrate our first valentine together.

In the morning, I called tejas and asked him to call pari and told her to meet me at 12.0pm near Gujarat University library. i had already decided to skip my college . I left home as normally i go to college but i didn't have plan to go to college and went to flower shop and got bunch of roses ( red for our love, yellow for our friendship,pink for our love and apprecite for her and white for purity of our love).

I waited for her outside library starting 11.45AM. Around about 12.05PM she came out of library (to my surprise). She came to me and gave me huge card which was hand prepared for me for valentine gift. It had few photos of us from garba night/picnic and few memories written in the words. That gift was far better than what i had for her. I later learned that she has been in library since 9am preparing card for me ( oh my love pari!!!). After she gave me that card, I gave hear that white rose for purity of her heart and our love. Then pink for appreciation of her ,yellow for our friendship and last red rose for our "love"!!! I also planted a kiss on her cheek as part of this valentine celebration on which she got little bit shy. After that we went out for lunch at one of the secluded restaurant to give us some privacy!!! We talked lot about our life in future ( Frankly i was worried how we are going to cross family hurdles but that was not the day to raise those issues!!!))..It was fun day when we were able to watch movie together first time in theater and then at night went for candle light dinner!!!

Those 3 days in feb 2000, went like whirlwind and suddnely we have to go back to our normal life with accomodating our love life!!! Slowly but steadily we were able to figure out how to keep our normal life (study keep going) as well as giving each other enough time.


Then after few months , probably 1 month before her elder sister's marriage she kind of got busy with marriage preparation ( understandably!!) but biggest issue happened when her sister found her email account opened and found out about email between her and myself. Which kind of opened up our relationship. Her sister had little conversation.

Sister: Pari, you left your email account open you know that.
Pari(afraid of potential issues): oh, did you close it didi?
Sister: yes, i did but i found something. do you want to talk?
Pari: about what didi?
Sister: Pari, you know very well what i am talking about. we have been good friends . you can tell me.
Pari(Closing the door of room): Didi, I believe you show email from neel.
Sister: yes
Pari: Didi we love each other. We met via common friend (tejas -did knows him as he is in same class with her and many time visitor to her home). He is doing engineering and very nice.
Sister: Pari, i don't have any issues and i won't let know anyone. so don't be afraid. What i want you to understand is if you go this route, you are going to get resistance from papa.
Pari: I know didi. Specially papa has been very possesive about us and he would be looking for similar match (finance wise) as you for me in future.
Sister: yes, but if you really love him be strong. I would be with you with Jaimin (Pari's Jiju).
Pari: Hugging his didi and thank you.
Sister: So when can we meet him?
Pari: I would arrange something on weekend for four of us to meet.
Sister: Good. i would talk with jaimin and wait for meeting .


Same day, pari passed same msg to me via email and my mind started swirling . It seems like his sister is genuinely able to help me but what if she is playing games.I was worried and called tejas and asked him what should be done. he said pari's didi is very nice person and he doesn't think she would play any games. So i decided to meet his didi and jiju saturday evening.

On saturday evening we met at one of the pose restaurant in SG highway . Indeed her didi and jiju were nice and they were happy for us being together. They had same advice that be strong and support each other. So it went smoothly. Once again we are back to normal thing but our love story not being limited to our friends but known to some family member. Meanwhile my brother the spy he has been ( apprently he has exposed some love stories in our community) was finding something odd with me and one day he found card given by pari to me on valentine day from our room. He told me he knew but he also told , he won't tell anyone he just want to meet bhabhi.

while all this daily life was progressing her sisters marriage got over , i was invited and went to marriage and reception with tejas for sometime. Pari was looking stuningly beautiful in her sister's marriage and i was already day dreaming about our marriage . While all this dreams my study was also going and in july 2000, my father got heart attack and got hospitalized . There were 2 artilery blocked and he was operated in quick session via angioplasty to insert stent. During that 1 month, it kind of tested our patience for each other and support for each other. I had hardly seen her only once during that time that also when she came to hospital with tejas. That was first time she introduced herself to my mother and brother as friend. With tension of hospital anyone didn't find anything suspicious and we met for half hour. I told her sorry to not see for this long and not able to call her. Her response was don't be stupid. you have more important things to worry about than we meeting. If anything she needs to be more available to help me and support me. that made my day and relieved my tension.

My father got discharged and went home and steadily normalcy returns to lives. It was already another navratri time by that and this was our first navaratri as couple where we enjoyed dancing on tunes of garba many times.We kind of remind ourselves of last 1 year and where we have reached from unknown person to people who can't live without each other.

But now as time was passing by i was less than one year away from my graduation and preparing for GRE/TOEFL for further study in USA or if job offer comes which can't be neglected i would take that. I thought either way we would be facing only hurdle in our life tobe gether was to convience her father and that would be it . But wrong I was.

Than came the next tragic turn of Earthquake 2001 in ahmedabad.which i would remember for my life as bad memory!!!!


26th jan 2001, 8.46 AM ..

Gujarat got rocked by major earthquake and ahmedabad felt after math. When that happened i was at home in my bathroom taking bath and by the time ran down from our flats, it has gone.I was happy to see my family safe and secure at my uncle's place who has bungalow.

But in my heart was worried as pari with her family lives in one of the posh flats!!!I can't leave my family as no one would allow me to go under mahem it was and i was not able to contact her.Her home phone was not ringing even. That made my heart miss heartbeat. I tried to call many tejas and shalini and didn't get any words on pari.

After almost 3 hours of earthquake, we got news that flats pari and his family used to live has collapsed... and that take out life out of me!!!!! I urged tejas to come and told him to visit together her place...


Tejas came around about 12pm and we reached to location of pari's flat in half hour!!!! When we reached there there were lots of people and they were looking at fallen bldgs but no one had any idea of survivor and who left inside and who was able to leave the bldg on time. We try to inquire around trying to find any person with knowledge of that stuff but there was no local almost all people there were onlookers. That broke me badly and even today it send shivers to my body!!! That seen was horrible in good words..i can't think anything but her and broke right there!!!! tears in the eyes and heavy heart. I didn't know what to do. few onlookers try to ask us , where there any relative in bldg? what can i tell them.


Luck had played cruel joke on me!!!

 

Luck had played cruel joke on me!!!

We tried to inquire with everyone present there. Police people and anyone on next bldg but no one had any idea. Closed to 1 pm, fire department arrived with 1 bulldozer. We were not sure what was their plan to look for survivor in rubble or remove the rubble!!!
We were still not sure when and how building collapsed. did it collapsed during earthquake or after it.because if it collapsed during earthquake itself chances of people making out of their homes were less compare to it collapsing due to weak base aftewards earthquake which could have provided enough time to people to go out!!! There was not authority present to answer any of questions..just onlookers!!!

more later!!!!

 

this is true story and we all are true person in this story! Anyway I would post last part soon

 

So as I said earlier "Luck had played cruel joke on me!!!" and i meant it.

It was cruel joke. We waited probably few hundred meters from fallen flats with heavy heart till 2.30pm or so.
and that's when someone knocked from back on my shoulder. I turned around to look who was that
and it turned out Jainmin jiju. Seeing him , i was not sure what to ask him.But before i said anything
he asked us " What are you guys doing here???".

Tejas replied we came here to inquire about Pari and family!!! Where are they? They are ok,right?

Jaimin jiju looked at me and told , don't worry neel. Pari and everyone else are fine. Apparently they were able to move out
of building well before it collapsed. But they saw it falling and undestandably still in shock.

He told us to visit his place as Pari would be happy to see us and relieved of some shock and worries. tejas gladly accepted offer
before i say something and said , we would go right now. We drove to jainmin jiju's bungalow on CG Road. Tejas has been there for
some marriage related function and he knew jaimin jiju's father via some business contact of his own father. We entered the bungalow
and went in to drawing room. That's where we found Pari's parents, pari and his sister with pari's in-laws sitting there.

Pari's sister stood up and welcomed us in. We went to pari's parents and asked about their wellness. After sometime Pari's sister ask pari to go and have some time with her friends on upper floor or outside on swing. We went backside in garden which was out of visibility. As soon as
we reached garden , pari started crying on my shoulder. Apparently she has been going through same state of mind as me and was worried about my wherebeing.
I consoled her that everythin is ok and I am with my family absolutely fine. After spending good half hour with her in garden, we were joined by pari's sister . she asked us how did we find that pari was here. And we told her that jiju apparently met her outside their collapsed bldg and we have been standing
there since last 3 hours to find out whereabout of resident of bldg.She told us not to worry about anything and just be relaxed as everything would be find.


It was close to 5pm in evening and we took off from there as myself and tejas were out of our homes since 12pm in afternoon and it was high time to go back home. I asked pari to not worry about me and take care of herself. Her sister gave me her cell number and asked me to call on that if i want to talk with pari.
here at my uncle's home another of my 2 uncle's family joined us as they were also living in high rise and even though their bldgs were not damaged people were afraid of potential after shocks!!! so it was almost 12-14 people in my uncle's home. When i went back my sister-in-law ( archna bhabhi) took me to side and asked
me where i have been. What's the matter? she has been one of my cousin sister-in-law with whom i was close but even she didn't know about pari. i told her that i would tell her later as this is not right time. In the later in the evening, when all adults went to sleep ,we all were on 2nd floor of bungalow and that time my cousin(jay) and sister-in-law(archna)
asked me again where have you been whole afternoon? I told them about pari and our relationship and what happened to her family. it was necessary for me to take someone in confidence with this matter as elders were reluctant to allow any of youngsters outside in that atmosphere .

Few days passed by , I used to call pari almost 3-4 times a day on her sister's phone and we used to talk. She was recovering fine from shock and was doing ok. I didn't find it appropriate to visit her sister's place as it may
raise some unnecessary questions from pari's parents.Almost 15-20 days passed, pari's father able to get another bungalow in the rent so they moved to new place for time being. Atmosphere in city was getting normal (except for once in a while aftershocks would shaken up people's
mind and heart. this way almost it came to march and apparently i also got admission from 3 universities in USA for MS program. Now came difficult part as due to earthquake and all other issues, not many companies has shown up for on-campus interviews and so i haven't landed job. I had an option of going for student visa to US consulate and if granted i can go for further study but that would complicate my relationship with pari as it would create long distance.
Though pari has been supportive of me going for further study and achieving goals rather than worrying about us. she used to tell me , till the time i am taking breath , i would be yours only and you don't need to worry about distance between us.
But i waited and waited till month of may for me to get some job and didn't pan out. At last one of the new wireless service provider in india came to campus for interview and i landed 4lakhs per annum package with them in india.Good thing about job offer was job was for ahmedabad posting after 6 weeks training in chennai.i already accepted offer on campus and suppose to join training in 2 months time as soon as final exams for final semester gets over. My parents meanwhile unaware of my relationship with Pari , were of view that i should not take job and go to USA for further study. In their mind , it was a once in a life time opportunity to be in "land of opportunity".

After trying to convience my parents and my other family members, one day evening i went to meet pari. Before i said anything pari told me neel , do you love me? i told her what kind of question is that. She told me than would i listen to her and do what she would say? At that time i was kind of knowing in heart what is she going to tell. she told me that i should go for further study. She told me that i was taking job just to be near to her but that's not right decision for future. In my mind, i was worried that me being away for atleast 2 years in USA for further study would make her life difficult and would test our relationship in all earnest!! Also, some part of my heart was worried what if his father would try to get her married as she was already 22 and as per gujarati people 23 something is right age for daughter's to marry.
we left that day with debate and kind of disagreeing with each other. Probably it was first time in our relationship,we had a small difference of opinion and we were kind of unhappy with other person's approach but all in all both were looking at happiness of other.

For few days myself and pari did talked but she was little bit angry on me for not listening to her advice. After so much contemplation , to keep everyone's heart, i announced i would appear for US visa interview and i get visa i would go to USA for further study. Obviously my hopes were I wont' prepare for interview with real heart and with less than stellar financial backing ,chances would be weak for me to get cleared. For some reason pari thought i was just playing nice and she got me to take her oath, that i would give my best during visa interview.
So now my hands were tied and i was hopping that i won't be "lucky" to get US visa. But day came and i was given visas after just being asked about my GRE and TOEFL score and admission places.

Everyone at my home were happy as i was the first one to go to usa in extended family ( apparently all of my cousins on father side had settled in ahmedabad either as surgeons or lawyers or engineers or enterprenures!!). Everyone were happy and pointing that me missing "medicine" field was indication good things waiting to happen( visas to usa). I met pari after coming back from mumbai and she first congratulated me and then cried for almost hour. i asked her again than why did she force me to go for visa and she told me that she wants me to be successful in life and not hold
myself back for her. My sweetheart pari had sacrificed her happiness for me. I felt lucky to have this gal in my life and sad for her heavy heart. I promised her to be back in india on her 1st phone call to be back here. My departure day to usa was set as 30th July just 3 days after pari's birthday on 27th July.

Meanwhile last 1 month before departure to usa, we spent most of time doing some shopping and spending quality time together as my exams were over by end of june.
she knew what i would need in new country/new place where i am going as she had find it out from internet and all other sources. just lucky enough to have parents so caring and to be wife so caring too!!!.
On the day of her birthday, i took her out for dinner and gifted her photo CD of our memories together.After dinner we had planned to meet her sister and jiju, as they wanted to see me before my departure.
During our meeting his jiju offered me any help i need there via his friends in USA. I just told him if he and didi can ensure me that they would look after pari as my "amanat" with them for next 2 years till the time i am back after my study, that would be biggest favor. Didi again promised me that time that till we both love each other and wants to be with each other they would be standing with us in any situation. Day after her birthday, i also introduced her to my sister-in-law (archna bhabhi) so she can keep in touch with her and be ensured that there are multiple pillar of support she can rely on in case of need.
One thing i noticed in last few days before my departure, the smile on her face was vanishing and she seemed deeply sad. Even though she never said anything her eyes were telling me story of her very sad heart!!!!


At last the dreaded day came, she came to drop me off to airport with tejas in big group so no one can figure out or have any suspicion with rest of my family. every step towards check-in counter i took were with heavy heart. I found many other students on plane being happy to get opportunity to fly to "USA" while
here i was very sad leaving my family and my life behind in india going to usa. once i reached usa, initially i found very hard to adjust there with memories of parents, brother, other family member and pari kept hovering around in my mind. I used to talk with pari and my parents everyday for hour or so via yahoo messenger
but still "YED DIL MANGE MORE". Slowly but steadily, fall semester work started to piling up and i didn't have any option to concentrate harder. Luckily same people were my source of strength too . Pari and my parents being sad for me being so far away from him keep telling me to concentrate on study and achieve what i have gone to achieve. Their strength helped me to get passed fall semester. During spring semester,something weird happened . I was talking with pari on saturday morning US time ( so saturday night US time) on yahoo messenger and his father walked in to her room.he found pari talking with me and he questioned her whom she was talking with and regarding what. That kind of put seed of doubt in her father's mind. Next day morning he inquired little bit strictly with pari and she told him about us. As expected his father was angry and against concept of love marriage. He raised the issue of boy not being self sufficient and still being student and what pari wanted was not possible. He also breached issue of many more potential partners for her from affluent family. pari sent me all this information via email and called me multiple time to update what is happening. That made me very worried and i was prepared to fly to india as soon as spring semester gets over in May eventhough i had summer internship at one of the premier US company lined up. But i got
call from her sister and she once again ensured me that not to worry about pari and just concentrate on study and internship. She ensured that pari won't be forced into anything against her wishes. Her sister and Jiju calmed down her father and explained him to give chance to me. His jiju is a class guy who explained his father-in-law in terms
of share market language (which apparently we Gujarati's understand better than anything else ) that this boy is investment which may not seem big enough right now but would turn out to be golden one. This is what i heard from pari and i kind of laughed at comparison. But whatever calmed down my future father-in-law.he decided to wait out till my study gets over
and see were i am going with life before deciding to weather to give blessing to my and pari's love or not!!! That was ok with me and pari as that bought us some time but it also brought lot of pressure on me to succeed in this "land of opportunity" as many dreams were build upon that success. Failure was not an option for me. I worked hard over summer internship in
hope of being converted to full time employee but it doesn't turned out to be that easy. Due to previous year 9/11 , economy was already struggling and companies were on hiring freeze or lay off mode. My inability to gain full time opportunity made me very insecure for pari as i could not imagine my life without her on my side.


My tension and worry started to eat on my health in fall 2002 and i got sick multiple time resulting in hospitalization 2 times. That made everyone worried back home including my parents and my love. At that time my sister-in-law decided after talking with pari that it was time to intervene and get things going from two family sides rather than i am fighting my
battle alone. She explained whole circumstances to my parents and my uncles who approached pari's dad for her hand. Her dad didn't say no but he didn't say yes too and just said let's wait and see what kids want to do. It was clearly delaying tactic as myself and pari didn't have any other options in mind except for being together. I also heard from pari that he raised
money issue with one of my uncle (who himself in rich category) and told him that if it would have been your son i would have agreed but for neel's parent i can't say same thing. That kind of got me angry and i may have unknowingly shown my anger on pari. I think that day pari cried so much and his sister called me asking reason for me being angry with pari.
That time i figure that i just lost control of myself in heat of moment and kind of hurt my love's feeling who have been standing with me in this battle all time. I called her instantly and apologizes and promised her i would never ever lose my temper on her. For accounting sake, that day and today, i have never lost my temper on pari..never ever!!! She is "my life" literally
and i can't hurt her feelings!!

Anyway time passed by while all other in india keep trying to convince my father-in-law , here it was already spring 2003 and i was close to graduating and no news of job interviews even (Deja vu experience of my bachelors last semester)!!!! March passed by and april 2003 arrived. I was questioning everything i was doing and doubting my own ability some time as after constant 9 month job search hasn't resulted even in interview.
Suddenly one day my phone rang and got call from one of the top "Semiconductor" company for interview. After going through 3 telephonic interview and many one-on-one face to face interview, i cleared interview and offered position with hefty pay and perks. That made my day and more than my day it made everyone involved in this journey very happy. Pari was on
probably on 7th sky as for her that means my return to india was near and she was just eager for that.

I asked company to process my H1 and give me permission to fly to india for 1 month just 2 month after
joining job in 2003. So i decided to fly to india in July 2003 just before pari's birthday to surprise her. I had told her , I am coming on 1st august while actually i reached there 5 days ago to surprise her.Once again, this time my partner in crimes were tejas and shalini. They took her out to celebrate her birthday same place where we met on day before our first valentine and same settings they recreated. I am not sure weather pari doubted or not ( she claimed she didn't !!!) that something was fishy but same way i came from back and closed her eyes. At that point pari figured out that this has to be neel.She just stood up and turned around. seeing me tears started flowing from her eyes and she just hugged me tightly without worrying about surroundings.I was also dying to see my love and give her big hug. I let her calm down by herself and after probably 5 minute, she just got hang of situation and gave me kiss on my chick and thanked tejas and shalini. we both sat down on same chari and once again shalini and tejas ordered same heart shape cake with arrow going from Pari to Neel.

But apart from tejas,shalini and now pari only my cousin brother(jay) and sister-in-law (archna) were aware that i am already in ahmedabad. Next day we had scheduled fake party by my cousin jay and asked all family member to come to fun-point club for party.We also asked pari to bring her sister and jiju to party by saying them that you need to attend it for neel and they need to accompany her.
On day of party, After some time , my cousin asked everyone to concentrate on cake as everyone was asking for reason behind party and that time i entered with pari . My parents and brother were really happy to see me arrive early . All of my extended family were elited to see me back and pari's jiju and sis were happy to see pari smiling full fledge while accompanying me.
We spent afternoon there taking lunch and talking with everyone. I introduced pari to everyone in my extended family who have just heard about her but never met her.everyone were making plans for grand wedding. Pari's sister congratulated me and her jiju said he is proud of my journey!!!! It was all in all fun time.

Now to final frontier!! Time to convince my in-laws to say yes!!! Next day morning i reached their place with my parents and brother. Her parents were aware of our pending arrival and they were waiting for us with pari,her sis and jiju . On meeting his father, his father questioned me on many things and my opportunity in USA and at last said yes. He also said he is proud of what I had done to come and ask for her hand as self sufficient young man!!!So now was time to celebrate and decide on marriage date. Our marriage date was fixed in Dec 2003 and we got married in grand wedding ceremony!!! All of our dreams came true on 12th Dec 2003. We went to mauritius for awsome honeymoon and than to usa. We stayed in usa for 6 years and got our citizen ship by that time. We moved back to india in 2010 and happily settle in ahmedabad with our 4 year old son. We live in united family with my parents, us and my brother and his wife in newly constructed bungalow of 5 bedroom/5bathroom. Life has been awsome as my brother has gone places as grown up man and is general manager of pharma company sales while i am doing some outsourcing work for us corporations and some local business with my friend tejas.


So our up and down life has settled down since last 10 years but during those initial up and down periods, we found our true love for each other and found true friends like tejas/shalini and family members who were always there for us in all circumstances.But we both cherish our past time most and still love each other madly. I can't imagine myself without her even 1 day . If i have to give away whatever i have for her, i won't hesitate and won't mind going through all the trouble to keep her happy!!!!