It was a bitter cold day. Priya could feel the cold in her body and mind. She sat by the window reminiscing- She had absolutely no role in the ugly situation. It was the stars! She had everything but not the stars in her favour. So thought her parents. Wasn’t their anger righteous?

But Priya was bereft of feelings. She started for office as usual the next morning. Her colleagues were freely criticising in hushed tones. Said Kalyani, the desk clerk - “The girl has real guts! If I were in her shoes, I would not have seen a new day”. She went back to her work, her safety-valve released. The men folk were also very generous with their criticism. They all felt unanimously that Priya deserved her fate for her nose high in the air behaviour. Women should be meek and humble and not have open defiance at their fate.

Priya was least bothered and was pouring into her files with all seriousness. As she walked back home that evening, thoughts rushed to her mind. Priya had met him first at the bus stop. Sunder, a budding Chartered Accountant usually commutes in his motor bike . As luck would have it, his bike stopped in the middle, fortunately near a bus stop.

He has heard people say that the bus stop is the best place to get a quick auto. Come it did,but Priya got it. She has to be in the office early that day to set the files ready for inspection. Shy by nature, Sunder other days would have refused to ask favour. But not so today. Doesn’t he have a very urgent work in the office, failure of which would cost him his job.

He rushed to the auto and asked “ Are you going to Broadway?” With hesitation she replied affirmatively. Out came the second question as she had expected. “Would you mind my sharing the auto? It’s so very urgent. “ Even before she could say yes, he had got in. Priya could gauge his urgency. Sunder, a thorough gentleman thanked her profusely for her timely help. That was how it had all started! Fate contrived well-knit situations enabling both bump into each other often- thus blossoming a relationship!

The main factor which eluded these two is the caste. Never had they given any serious thought to it. Priya failed to think that her upper-class background would be the greatest stumbling block to marry Sunder. Nor did she want to go against her parents’ wish. She hopefully thought that she could convince them. She was aghast at their reaction. They refused to send her to office. Blocked all ways of communication with the outside world and went ahead in jet speed for a groom for Priya. Poor Priya was helpless and could just weep out her bitter heart! She cursed her fate but could not be disloyal to her parents. They hastily chose a doctor bride groom who agreed to the bride at the first sight itself.

Nitin was at least a decade older than Priya. But that definitely wasn’t reason enough so long as the caste factor was satisfied.

Priya the bride, decked with jewellery- conventional and otherwise with no trace of happiness or eagerness on her face was brought to the pandal. Amidst the chanting of the mantras, Nitin took the mangal sutra and was about to tie it around Priya’s neck but lo- he vomited blood and collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital and there pronounced dead. Immediately tongues started wagging. Is she a girl or an ogre ready to suck the life of a man even before he could become hers? Such girls of ill-fortune should never be entertained.

Priya’s parents hung their heads in shame. Was there not truth in what they say? Surely their daughter was a victim of ill- luck. Priya on the other hand was very defiant and happy at heart- though she felt bad for the untimely death of the doctor. None of them knew the real reason that Nitin was a heart patient and was advised against excitement of any sort. His parents failed to divulge the reason. They believed rather the soothsayer who promised that marriage could bring good fortune and health to Nitin. Though a doctor , his upbringing always gained an upper hand over his medical knowledge. And poor Priya had to bear the brunt of it! Her parents tried vehemently for other alliances. But no one was prepared to ‘sacrifice’ their son. Her parents gave up finally.

Priya felt remorse and wept bitterly for having treated Sunder so shabbily. In fact , there was never any objection from his family. Sunder had knowledge of the sincere efforts and failure of her parents in fixing a match for her. He felt bad for Priya. She never deserved being branded as a girl of ill- fortune. Did he not get his first pay hike the day after their first meeting? It was fate that brought the stalemate in the situation. But he was prepared to fight against fate. His Priya should never be a recluse and a laughing stock for others to decry.

Sunder entered Priya’s house with a firm decision. Pressing the calling bell, he waited with bated breath. The door was opened and he was shattered by the look of Priya’s father. Without much ado, Sunder told him the purpose of his visit. “Sir, Priya and I were friends for quite sometime and then wished to become life partners . We never thought our caste would be a barrier. There was no objection from my family . But Priya couldn’t go against your wish and hence we called it off . My offer is still open. I consider Priya my Dame luck . Only with the blessings of both our parents , we can start our life together.”

Priya’s father , tears of gratitude welling up in his eyes, embraced him. The pall has finally been lifted from that home. It will never ever be a house of ill- fortune. Fate after all could not play foully in the life of Priya who finally got her Jack!