On Valentine's Day, Prabhat Kumar shares the story on how he met his wife Ranjana.
You can share your love story too... Mail us at getahead@rediff.co.in (Subject: Jab We Met) along with your pictures.
Growing up in the '90s meant living in a world very different from today. There was no dating culture, no swiping, no late-night chats.
Most middle-class families believed love began only after roka and chheka (both ceremonies are considered to be an engagement).
I was an engineering graduate from Patna, still looking for a job, like most civil engineers at that time. Families usually waited for the boy to get a government job before thinking about marriage. But I didn't want to waste years waiting to get 'settled' before starting my life.
In Bihar back then, dowry was openly discussed and quietly accepted. Parents worried more about the money they would have to give away than the boy their daughter would marry. I grew up thinking this was normal. That thinking changed the day a proposal came for me -- a simple girl from a village who had just finished her BA.
We hadn't met. There were no phone calls, no pictures, no 'talking stage'.
But something about the proposal felt honest.
Slowly, through letters and a few exchanged messages through family, a quiet, innocent bond started forming between us. We didn't know each other, but somehow we felt connected.
I was struggling to find a job, and both families kept delaying things because of the dowry and the uncertainty around my career.
During those days, boys were not supposed to interfere in marriage discussions. But our growing attachment made me step in. I told my family that I wanted to marry her, I didn't want dowry, I didn't care whether if I had a job. They finally agreed.
That was our Ek duje ke liye moment.
We got married with almost nothing in hand. No savings, no stability, just a lot of hope.
She never complained, never demanded anything even when money was tight.
We were blessed with our first son while I was still studying for my master's and struggling to meet expenses. Later, when life became easier and I got a good job, we welcomed our second child.
Three decades have passed since then. We've lived through countless Valentine's Days without gifts, without fancy celebrations, just the comfort of growing old together.
Today, when we see the younger generation afraid of marriage or struggling to trust each other, it feels strange. We build a whole life out of patience, faith and very little money. Maybe that's what kept the love strong.
Our story didn't start with romance. But it grew into something deeper, a partnership that has lasted a lifetime.
Dear readers, Tell us where you first met your partner and how the two of you fell in love. Write to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (Subject: Jab We Met). Do include a photograph of you and your partner and we'll publish the best stories on Rediff.