As A New Bride I Was Met With Resentment Because My Father-In-Law Thought I Stole His Son
( words)
*For representational purpose only.
It was our ring ceremony, and little did I know that it would turn into a nightmare.
My father-in-law, angered by the fact that my parents had arranged a Mata ka Jagrata on the same day, insulted my father in front of everyone, sparking a dispute that seemed senseless to us.
The reason? He believed his guests wouldn't get enough chances to dance on the DJ because of the Jagrata. It felt absurd, and my simple father couldn't comprehend the reason for his anger.
Things only worsened from there as my father-in-law had several arguments with my husband, including pressuring him to take dowry, which my husband firmly opposed.
Post our marriage, we shifted to a different location due to our jobs, but my father-in-law continued to believe that I, along with my parents, were influencing his son.
In an old Bollywood-style move, he even wrote a handwritten letter to my parents, blaming them for the supposed changes in his son.
The situation became even more ridiculous as he blocked my husband's number when we returned home.
As a newlywed, I had dreamed of a happy family, but it shattered when I realised I'd never be wholeheartedly accepted by my father-in-law, who saw me and my parents as thieves who had stolen his son away.
He never seemed to understand that his son is educated and capable of making his own decisions.
Despite being an educated and independent woman, I was forced to wear a saree and put on a ghunghat against my wishes, and ridiculed when I chose to wear a suit at a relative's place. But I count my lucky stars for having such a caring and understanding husband who always stood up for me.
It's disheartening to see that some families claim to be progressive, but their expectations for their daughter-in-law are far from equal treatment. They want her to put them first and forget her own family, yet they want their son to be their son alone, not someone's son-in-law, even for a moment.
To all the parents of girls out there, I urge you to do a proper background check before fixing your daughter's marriage. If you've raised her well, educated her, and made her independent, she deserves to be treated with respect and love in her new family.