We had invited you, our readers to share your love story this Valentine's Day.
Manju from Gujarat tells us how she met Adharsh from Maharashtra through a matrimonial website and fell in love.
The love story I am going to share is very simple as everyone's love story can be....but "sabki kahani unke liye khaas hoti ha kyunki jivan me unhe aisa koi hamsafar milta ha jinhe wo sabse jyada chahane lagte hai aur wo unki jindagi ban jati hai".
It's the same with me.
Our relationship may be just one-year-old but we never felt it that way.
In fact, it seems like we met only yesterday and are still trying to impress each other as we do in the beginning of any relation.
Last year, I was 29 and had just come out of a worst relationship which lasted for 5 years. I was looking for a partner for life.
After my last relationship, I had lost all hopes that I will ever marry anyone.
But they say that when things go beyond our tolerance and level of patience, either it comes to an end or we find a new beginning.
And for me the end of this relationship became the new start of my life which I never knew would be so wonderful.
From the mid of 2011, I was seriously considering marriage proposals through matrimony columns and websites.
This time I had decided I won't ever compromise my happiness for the sake of any man on this earth.
So, I was very choosy and careful while screening proposals from matrimonial websites.
By the end of 2011, I had interacted with three to five men but somehow they did not .
I was soon getting tired but my parents were very supportive and never forced me to do anything, they left it upon me to decide upon for my life.
The past relationship was my mistake and the guy had made me realise that.
Today I thank him because it is only when we meet bad people, that we realise the value of having good ones.
In January 2012, despite being hopeless, I decided to give it one last try because I realised that I was approaching 30 years of age and it was already too late for me to settle down.
As a part of the search criteria I tried to find someone who matched my Zodiac sign and belonged to my neighbour state that is Maharashtra as I am from Gujarat (A Malayali born and bought up in Gujarat).
So one fine day while browsing the internet, I clicked the Kerala matrimony website and filled up my special criteria and hit the search button.
When the list of few proposals from Maharashtra region came, he was on the top of the list.
He was wearing a black shirt and had an enchanting smile behind the black framed spectacles he had displayed on his profile.
The first thing that attracted me towards him was his smile.
I decided to go through his profile.
From his intro, I learnt that he had cerebral palsy -- a physical disability since childhood which hindered his movement from left leg.
Reading through his interests, likes and dislikes, I realised he was looking for a partner whose qualities resembled mine.
I mustered the courage and sent him an interest note only to realise that neither he nor I were paid members which restricted us from contacting each other.
Jab We Met stories!
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Dear readers, do you have an interesting love story that you want to share? Tell us where you first met your partner and how the two of you fell in love. Write in to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: 'Jab We Met'). You can also include a photograph of you and your partner and we'll publish the best entries right here on rediff.com
'I loved his voice and the way he talked'
Then I saw that he had smartly entered his phone number in the profile description.
I sent him a message saying "I am Manju, I have sent you an interest. If you are interested Jab We Met stories!
Follow this link for our Valentine's Day coverage
Want to send a gift? Choose your gift on Rediff Shopping!
Dear readers, do you have an interesting love story that you want to share? Tell us where you first met your partner and how the two of you fell in love. Write in to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: 'Jab We Met'). You can also include a photograph of you and your partner and we'll publish the best entries right here on rediff.com
'I was afraid to confess my love'
That evening he called me up and spoke for almost an hour about his life and the bad times.
His words touched my heart. I wasn't his fault and the loss was irreplaceable. That day he requested me to be his good friend as he'd never had a girl as a friend cause of his shy nature.
But he made me realise that I should drop the idea of going for a lifelong agreement with a person like him.
To respect his view and not to force my liking on him, I kept myself away from that thought that we can go further than friendship.
We spoke through SMS, e-mails and web chats. Our friendship went on increasing day by day and we enjoyed each other's company.
Three months, later, there was a situation where I had to choose my past or him cause my past again came between us
The dilemma was tough not because I wanted to give a chance to my past but cause I was afraid that my past will ruin my present.
I'd hated my past and half heartedly, my decision slid towards my past.
This affected him and we lost touch.
But all of a sudden I realised that my past is not worth my life, and that I'm more worth to Adharsh than anyone else.
Those two days brought us closer to each other and we felt we can't live without each other.
Adharsh knew about my past after and yet accepted me whole heartedly because he felt I was the kind of girl he was waiting for -- a bubbly, fun loving gal.
I can say we both fell for each other the day we first saw each other through the photograph and then our thoughts, our nature and views of life helped us to get along together much.
I never knew I will like someone so much after getting hurt so badly in past.
I was afraid to confess my love but deep down my heart I was sure he was the man I was waiting for since years to complete my life and make it meaningful.
The love, care and respect I dreamt for came from him.
After four months of friendship, we decided to meet each other for the first time.
I went to his place to meet him. That day and the day before that he was very nervous thinking that after seeing him I might change my decision cause of his disability.
But I had already told him I was also not so pretty, so it was possible that he might reject me.
We met each other on April 9 2012 for the first time. I'd reached his city early in the morning.
I took a bus and reached the secluded venue earlier than him. After 45 minutes, I finally saw an auto approaching my way but it went a little ahead.
I saw a smiling face peeping out of the auto and there he was. That smile of his continues to be the gem of my life.
Today, I feel proud to say that I am the owner of that cute smile.
I got into the auto and sat next to him.
As we had already talked so much I was comfortable talking to him face to face.
It surprised me that he did not look at my face but kept looking outside as he talked.
I asked him if he felt shy. He denied, cleared off his throat and cleaned the sweat off his forehead.
At any other moment, I would have exploded laughing but seeing his shyness, I felt like kissing him there but I had to control my feelings. He was like an angel sitting next to me who wanted to ensure that I was safe in a new city.
I was outspoken, frank, and loud while he was more shy and silent.
As we reached his housing society he asked me to get to the lift first and that he'll follow me. Since this was the first time I would see him walking, he was afraid.
After getting down, I walked a few steps and stopped to walk with him.
To my surprise he walked differently than I had imagined but it did not shock me, or seem like an issue.
I loved him truly. We reached his place and was greeted by his family.
As I spent the day with him and was there till 7 in the evening he kept asking and confirming whether I liked him or not.
Finally I asked him not to worry and gave him a positive answer.
I said, "I loved you before meeting you, how do you think my love for you would change after seeing you? Even though you walk differently, I would be there beside you to support you in all your problems."Follow this link for our Valentine's Day coverage
Want to send a gift? Choose your gift on Rediff Shopping!
Dear readers, do you have an interesting love story that you want to share? Tell us where you first met your partner and how the two of you fell in love. Write in to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: 'Jab We Met'). You can also include a photograph of you and your partner and we'll publish the best entries right here on rediff.com
'I love him for what he is'
Time flew very fast that day.
He took me out for shopping in a mall, gifted me a handbag (the most expensive one I have till date) which I still treasure.
He dropped me back to my bus to my city in Gujarat, which is almost 10 hrs journey I'd have to take alone.
When I boarded the bus and he bid me good-bye sitting in the rickshaw tears rolled down my eyes because I wanted to run back to him and hug him and say "I love u so much....and will always do."
I was not willing to leave him.
Days kept on passing and our relationship also grew.
Four months later, we decided to meet again.
This time I really got quality time from his family to talk and know each other better.
We approached our families to take our relationship to the next step
Our families met and we got engaged on November 18, 2012.
We will get married on May 20, 2013 which we both are eagerly waiting for.
We've completed 1 year of our relationship and we have only met 3 times. But we have realised that we don't need to meet for our love to survive.
Today, we love each other just as much as we did on the first day and thank god that he made our paths cross and we are together today.
I thank god so much for his blessings. Adharsh's love and care made me realise my actual self, he introduced me to myself once again.
He gives me the freedom I want and takes utmost care of me and never hurts me.
And whenever he does, he realises it soon and pampers me the best way he can which I enjoy the most.
I love him for what he is and thank God that he made me meet the Prince of dreams.
I have realised that it doesn't take years to form a strong relationship.
A relationship gets stronger because of trust, love, care and above all respect for each other for what they are.
This is our love story which happened by chance.
These lines are for you, my love "Aap hamari jindagi ho and usme jo har pal ki saans hum lete woh aapke dum pe hai ab...ek pal ki bhi doori aapse ab sahi na jayegi..."
Follow this link for our Valentine's Day coverage
Want to send a gift? Choose your gift on Rediff Shopping!
Dear readers, do you have an interesting love story that you want to share? Tell us where you first met your partner and how the two of you fell in love. Write in to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: 'Jab We Met'). You can also include a photograph of you and your partner and we'll publish the best entries right here on rediff.com
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