The sky is covered with thick grey clouds and strong winds were blowing warning of heavy rain. A moderate height timid girl dressed in a blue colour salwar suit ran in the lawn to take down all the hanged clothes.

" Are shravani bahar haldi sukh rahi thi use bhi le aao varni geeli ho jayegi "

(Hey Shravani, turmeric was drying outside, bring it too, it will get wet.)

" Ji Chachi " ( yes chachi)

Yes this girl is Shravani. In her village she is considered as a definition of beauty. But not all Beauty is meant to be appreciated and shravani too  indeed being the best suffer from random taunts. Bringing the haldi and clothes she kept them in their respective places and went back to help her mother.

" Maa baba abhi tk Ghar nhi aaye barish kabhi bhi ho skti hai"

( Mom and dad haven't come home yet, it can rain anytime)

" Hmm...... Tu chinta mt kr... Sumit aaya wapis kaam se?  badal ke karan adhera Ghana lag raha h tu rotiya bana le jb sb aa jayege to khana paros dena "

(Hmm..... don't worry..... has Sumit returned from work? It is looking dark because of the clouds. You make the rotis and serve the food when everyone arrives)

SHRAVANI POV

As I completed making rotis baba and my brother Sumit came back , Strangely munim ji also accompanied them. Fixing myself I served them food and stood near the gate to listen to their conversation.

" Munim ji aap to jante hai hum ye court kachari wale loog nhi h agar unko zameen chahiye to batwara karle pr mei Puri zameen nhi de skta betiya badi ho gyi hai vivah krana hai uska agar zameen bhi chin lege to kaha se launga dahej " baba asked munimji while having his meal

(Munim ji you know that we are not court-keepers, if they want land then they can divide it, but I cannot give them the entire land, my daughter has grown up, I have to get her married, if they take away the land also then from where will I get the dowry)

" Tumhari bate samjh raha hu hemant pr tumhara Bhai bahut harami hai Paisa aur power hone ka vo pura upyog kr raha h zameen ka batwara nhi ho Raha to na hi sahi tum court me zameen ke paise ki mang to kr skte ho " munim ji  answered making a bite for himself

( I am understanding your words Hemant but your brother is very corrupt, he is making full use of his money and power, if they are not dividing the land  then let it be, at least you can demand the money for your own land in the court )

" Pr zameen bechna galat hai vo purkho ki amanat hai "

( But selling the land is wrong, it is a trust given to us by our ancestors.)

"Are hemant maharaj tumhari nao dub rahi hai aur tum purkho ki zameen ko bacha rahe ho yesa hi raha to na tum bachoge na hi zameen"

( Hey Hemant Maharaj, your boat is sinking and you are saving the land of your ancestors. If this continues, then neither you nor the land will survive )

" Hmm..... theek hai " (hmm....okay)

" Waise munim ji maine apko ladka dekhne ko bola tha Shravani ke liye kuch hua " baba questioned in serious tone

( By the way Munimji, I had asked you to look for a boy for Shravan, something happened  )

"Ha ladke to hai pr Shravani unko bha nhi Rahi jinko achi lag rahi h vo dahej bahut maang rahe h" it's about my marriage proposal

( Yes, there are boys, but they don't like Shravani and those who like her are asking for a lot of dowry )

" Hey bhagwan.... Kya karo ab mei munim ji ye gaon walo ki soch ne meri beti ki zindagi Barnard kr di h ab kon biyah ga ise "

( Oh God.... What should I do now Munimji? The thinking of these villagers has ruined my daughter's life. Now who should I marry her to?" )

" Chinta mt kro hemant Shravani Sundar susheel aur gurdwan hai jo use payega vo sadev khush rahega tumhari beti bahut khoobsurat hai logo ki bato se maan chota nhi krte "

( Don't worry Hemant Shravani is beautiful, she is very polite and intelligent, whoever gets her will always be happy, your daughter is very beautiful, don't be disheartened by what people say )

After having a random conversation munim ji went back. But his words were still ringing in Shravani's ears. She was a tan colour girl whose skin resembles a lot like wheat but people call her pale and sick. She is a little chubby with a flat waist  heavy chest and hip making her look a little mature in her age. People and especially women being jealous do sometimes give her names. 

ARUNA POV

Today we have called pandits  of different villages to look for potential bride pictures for Shaswat . Hope Shaswat likes someone and we proceed with the marriage proposal.

" Arunaji ye dekhe ye h sarainagar ke mukhya ke beti bahot hi sundar hai"

One pandit's voice broke my deep thoughts. Staring the picture I forwarded it to shaswat and he denied it of course.

(Arunaji look, this is the daughter of the head of Sarainagar, she is very beautiful)

Sighing " Shaswat tum ne din bhar me pachasiyo picture dekhi hogi tumko ek bhi achi nhi lagi ? Agar tumko nhi karni shadi to bta do yese sabka waqt barbad mt karo "

( Shaswat, you must have seen at least fifty pictures in the whole day, but you didn't like even one? If you don't want to get married then tell me, don't waste everyone's time like this )

" Nhi maa mujhe sacchi koi pasand nhi aai " " pandit koi mamuli seedhi sadhi ladki dikhaiye "Shaswat asked pandit looking deeply into his eyes.

( No mother, I really did not like anyone" "Pandit, please show me some ordinary girl )

" Ek kaam kariye pandit ji aap log kal aayega Aaj sham ho gyi hai  isi bahan aap logo ko aur ladkiya ko chaan lene ka mauka mil jayega "

( Do one thing Pandit ji, you all come tomorrow, it is already evening today, in this way you all will get a chance to choose more girls as well )

All the pandit started packing their bags ready to go back home. While leaving a picture fell from one of them at the gate. Vanaya was standing nearby she picked up the picture.

" Wah maa ye to bahut sundar hai " Vanya excited and passed me the picture

( Mom, she is very beautiful )

"Dikhaana to" (please show it )

" Maaji .....ladki to sunder hai shaswat tu bhi dekh le ek baar "  she was honestly enchanting I passed the picture to maa and shaswat if these picky people liked it I would be the happiest among them

( Maji...the girl is beautiful, you should also look at her once )

" Ha bacha ek baar dekh masum sa chehra h susheel maloom hoti hai "  maaji said and gave  him the picture

( Yes, look at her once, her innocent face looks very nice )

After repeated insist Shaswat looked at  the pic and he was stunned. Mesmerizing was the only word which escaped his mouth

" Pandit ji ye kon hai " I asked

( Who is she pandit ji )

"Aruna ji ye Shravani h kuch Kos dur pitampura chetr ki h 21 saal ki h mujhe waha ke munim ji ne iske liye ladka dekhne ko bola tha. Achi to bahut hai mei khud bhi mila hu iske pita se,  ache log h pr maaji ye rathore sahab ke liye theek nhi h"

( Aruna ji, this is Shravani, she is from some distance away from Pitampura, she is 21 years old, the Munim ji there asked me to look for a potential groom for her. She is very good, I have also met her father myself, they are good people but maaji, she is not good for Rathore sahib)

" Kyu .... Beva hai ya koi bimari h ise sunder to Lage h tune pehle kyu nhi dikhaya ise apne rishtedari me biyahe ga ke "

( Why.... Is she a widow, or does she have some disease? She looks beautiful, why did you not show her earlier are you planning to marry her with one of your relatives )

" Nhi maaji yesa nhi hai maaji  ye apki jaati ki nhi h aur madhyam vargiye parivar se hai Ghar me khana mil jaye utni hi aamdani hai aabhi 4 mahine pehle hi iske Bhai Sumit ki sarkari Naukri lagi h teacher h bappu kisan h sunna hai  pehle theek thak paise kama lete the ye pr inke bade bhai ne Sumit ke janam ke mahine bhar baad hi dhoke se sb harp liya. Tb se sadharon zindagi ji rahe h abhi kuch din pehle se inki zameen cheenne ke liye court me mukadma chala rahe hai inke bade bhai "

( No maaji, it is not like that maaji, she is not of your caste and is from a middle class family, she has that much income as she can get food at home, just 4 months ago his brother Sumit got a government job, he is a teacher, father is a farmer, I have heard that earlier he was earning good money but just a month after Sumit's birth his elder brother took away everything by deceit. Since then he is living a simple and happy life, just a few days ago he went to the court to snatch his land )

" Are.....bechari  aur koi nhi hai hamari jati ki itni hi sunder "

( Hey...poor girl, there is no one else as beautiful as from our caste )

" Maa mujhe aur koi nhi dekhni aap isi ke sath baat badao "

( Mom I don't want to see anyone else you should continue the conversation with her only )

" Tu pagl ho gya hai kya ye humari jaati ki nhi h "

( Have you gone mad?  she is not from our caste )

" Maa apne shadi ke liye bola tha jaati nhi mujhe ye bha gyi hai agar ye nhi to koi nhi "

( Mom you had told me to get married not considering caste, I like her, if not her then no one else )

" Shaswat bache log kya bolenge upar se halat dekh kr mujhe nhi lagta ye dahej de payenge "

( What will the remaining people say and looking at the situation I don't think they will be able to give dowry)

" Haa aur Umar bhi kaam h 21 saal ki ladiya Ghar bhar sambhal ne me paripak nhi hoti hai "

( Yes and the age is also less, 21 year old girls are not mature enough to handle the whole house )

" Maa meine aapna Faisal bata diya hai  ye chahiye ya koi nhi, samaj or dahej ye dono mere liye maiyne nhi rakte aur haan agar aap logo ne koi bhi hosiyari ki to mei Bina bata biyah lao ga ise "

( Maa, I have told you my decision, whether you want it or not. I do not have any understanding of caste or dowry, both of these do not matter to me and yes, if you all did anything smart, I will get her married without telling anyone )