We all have an ideal scenario when it comes to meeting the right person. Maybe get a sneak peek at them while attending classes or your cousin’s wedding. How about you bump into them in the college hallway or your building’s corridor? The options are endless, and love is limitless. But what if a meet-cute between two strangers (while the term did not exist back then, it does now, and this story is the perfect instance of that) led to a successful relationship that led to a 10-year-long courtship and a 34-year-long successful marriage? The Statesman talked to Sonali Roy and Subhamoy Roy this week about how they met and what really helped evolve their relationship into the blissful marriage that they enjoy now.
A quick encounter between both of them in the year 1980 gradually evolved into a love story that the generations thereafter would listen mesmerised. “We met during the griha pravesh of my home. And the funny part is he wasn’t even on the guest list. He was actually passing by, and because my house was situated on the main road and I was standing by the gate, that was where he saw me for the first time. He was a college student then. Our families did not give their yes for several years before we finally succeeded in getting their blessings. I have always seen my father being a patient and loving partner to my mother, and I found that in my husband as well,” said Sonali Roy. This eventually led to a courtship that lasted for 10 years, and they got married on 1 July 1990. “I remember that on my wedding day, it had rained profusely, and we were all extremely worried whether the rituals could be done smoothly or not because of it. We even had to face a heavy downpour on my reception day as well,” said Sonali Roy
What do you think makes a marriage successful? “Understanding and compromise will always be at the forefront. When it comes to a marriage or even a relationship, per se, while it’s equally important to think about yourself individually and retain it, it is equally crucial to think and be responsible towards the ‘we’ factor. For example, your partner’s parents are not just his parents, and vice versa; therefore, the responsibility to keep them happy should be equally shared,” said Sonali Roy, to which her husband Subhamoy Rou added, “Adjustment is often a crucial factor. When you are young, the ‘I like someone’ perspective can often drown out other practical thoughts; however, that is not enough to make a marriage last. Trust, friendship, respect, and the fact that you are ready to compromise and accommodate should never be given up upon.