I am not referring to any chain of thoughts supporting feminism as one could assume from the title. This is literally referring to the “chain” aka “mangalya” that is tied to the Hindu bride on the day of marriage. There has been a lot of historic, religious and medical reasons attributed to the mangalya and I truly believe in most of them. I want to narrate some of the funny incidents related to a generation of people who know nothing of the real reasons but simply think Mangalya = Marriage + Husband.
I recall a few years back when there was a chain-snatcher actively roaming around in our neighborhood on the look-out to pick the gold chains from ladies. Now, my mother was very sensible and decided to leave her chain back at the house whenever she stepped out, but there was this one neighbor of mine who lectured us on how keeping her chain on her always meant keeping her husband alive and marriage intact. So, she decided to walk around with her thick gold chain that could cause glares to birds flying above her and as predicted, the snatcher struck the very next day. While it was indeed shocking for the woman to lose her chain, the first thing that she shouted out loud was about losing her Rs. 500,000 gold chain and choicest of abuses at the snatcher who had sped away on his bike. I had half a mind to ask her if it was the Rs. 500,000 that was bothering her or her husband and decided to keep quiet for her sanity’s sake.
I personally find the mangalya very stifling to wear irrespective of a chain-snatcher around me or not. I have never really worn anything on my neck unless it is the occasional light jewelry for a few hours and decided that between a free neck and marriage as some see it, I choose free neck. There have been a lot of fun moments due to my decision that I have now come to enjoy. I met some of my loved ones after a gap of 1.5 years and the first statement that came from the other side was asking me about the whereabouts of my mangalya. I realized then on how lucky I was because it was so much more economical to take care of just the neck’s wrinkles than investing on amazing clothes to wear or cosmetics for my face. It truly would not have mattered if I had turned up in a Halloween costume or even with some horns sprouted and it feels great to be not judged.
For the women who do not enjoy these fun moments, it gives me an idea for starting my business of Rent-a-chainsnatcher! Just let me know where and at what time would you need a chainsnatcher to be available for an insider job and he/she gets the job done without hurting anyone’s sentiments and freeing your neck.
To the aforementioned type of people, my husband and I are very much in love and our marriage still exists without the chain in the middle. Keep those fun moments coming!
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