excerpt

Whilst helping my father clean out his study on a recent trip to England, we found a letter from my grandfather written in 1959, the only letter between them that has survived after 50 years of moving here and there, all over the world. My father translated it for me into English from Urdu. Grandfather speaks of various ailments and news from home, but the bit that I chose to include here is amusing, read in view of what happened in their lives.

...we had desired that you get married and it will still happen. Some people have helped me meet some nice families but without your presence and your permission, we cannot do anything. When you come home, everything will be put right...

A year later, my father met my (English) mother: that kind of messed up the family plan for an arranged marriage, Indian style!

However, my mother is very much loved by her in-laws and they forgave my father for marrying a foreigner haha.