Page 21 - Seniors Today Febuary 2020
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The innocence of first love seems like something from a lost era
Bullock Cart – dark as hell, it opened at 10 am – and girls had a say in their marriage at that time.
yes, in the morning. Sex was not easy because what if the
Communication between boys and girls was relationship didn’t work out? For a girl her
extremely difficult. There were no mobiles and reputation was of prime importance. A girl went
few homes had a landline. If the phone rang, to bed with a boy only if she was 100% sure that
besides mother there would be another who ran this relationship would result in marriage. Most
to answer the phone. And after a few blank calls boys just wanted to have fun. If word got around
it was understood that the phone was for you. that she was an easy lay her marriage market
Sure enough, if you answered everybody would would get very badly affected. The girl was
have a knowing look on their face. If you took expected to be a virgin on the wedding night. The
tuitions for accounts or stats the other person on primary reason for marriage in those days was
the line could leave a message saying today’s class sex.
was at this particular time. That’s how one tried A friend and two of his cousins would drive
to outwit parents and other at home. from Nepean Sea Road to HR College every
morning. This drive was also dadaji’s outing.
Short-lived romances Those days Nirodh was widely advertised on the
A college romance lasted 6-8 months to a year. It radio – “pandhra paise me teen… mardon ke liye
would end for the sole reason that the boy wanted Nirodh”. One day while seated in the front seat
to have sex and the girl was not willing or if either next to the driver dadaji asked the elder grandson
one was cheating on the other and had multiple “What is this Nirodh?” Dadaji himself had
beaus – “multiple” in those days meant two. Most fathered about 15 children. The boys laughed and
college romances ended with college and few of said they would find out and tell him. Nirodh did
them fructified into a marriage, and that too if it make sex easier.
was acceptable to both parents. Very few boys By the 1980s girls were more open to having
21 SENIORS TODAY | Issue #8 | February 15, 2020
