Finally I have managed to watch ‘The Japanese Wife’, a mesmerizing movie by the Bengali Actress turned Director Aparna Sen. And now I can say that, I have learned the true meaning of Love and Marriage.
The movie starts with a rickshaw carrying a big box from Japan through the earthen roads of a village. Its destination is the house of the Snehomoy, a school teacher in the Sundarban area of West Bengal. Snehomoy lives with his aunt who has been his guardian since his parents’ departure from this world. He is a simple human being. If I say in Bengali, a typical Matir-Manush. He teaches math in a local school and enjoys his life in spite of all the odds he has to face. The villagers call him Mastermoshai meaning school-teacher. The village has to adjust with the swinging moods of the river Matla, but in spite of that the villagers love to sail with its waves.
On the other end of the story Miyage is living in a village of Japan with her aged mother and she runs their family shop. Her brother works in a company at Yokohama.
Snehomoy and Miyage became pen friends when Snehomoy was in College. Yes Pen friends. Shocking?? Yes in this age of digital conversation it’s kind of outdated, but the best thing about being outdated is that you can feel the magic of Love and Friendship.
Well let’s come back to the story. In turn their pen friendship matured into attraction and then love but neither of them could understand that. Three long years passed like they were fraction of moments and finally Snehomoy completed his degree and took up the job of a school teacher. It was then, when Snehomoy’s aunt was planning to get him married to a girl named Sandhya. Snehomoy was in dilemma not knowing what to do and then after three years of friendship Miyage wrote to Snehomoy “I don’t know how will you react to this, but if you accept I would like to offer myself to you as your wife.” Snehomoy accepted that and there was the beginning of their married life. Snehomoy send Bangles and Vermilion Power to Miyage as the symbol of their marriage and told his aunt about Miyage. She retorted at first but in turn she accepted the relationship.
And after that 15 long years have passed. Within this period they have exchanged numerous gifts and letters. Snehomoy’s room is finely decorated with the gifts from Miyage, starting from Japanese lamps to kites.
But fate has some different plans for both of them. Sandhya come to live with them with her son Poltu after the early death of her husband. But this cannot affect the commitment of Snehomoy towards Miyage, though Sandha is a nice woman who knows her limitations on being a widow. Snehomoy tells Miyage about Sandhya, each and every thing about her without the fear of losing her as he knows very well that by telling the truth he can never lose her. In the mean time Miyage’s mother dies and she goes to Yokohama to live with her brother. It is then when she comes to know that she has Cancer. The news struck Snehomoy to the core. He starts visiting each and every doctor he can find for a cure for his beloved wife. But at last he loses his hope and on a rainy day he goes to Calcutta (Kolkata) to meet a Cancer specialist. On his way back home the cruel rain drains away the life force from his veins and he reaches home burning in fever. The next day he gets a letter from Miyage telling him that she too is dying and she is sending him her will. That very night Snehomoy dies of a broken heart.
But the story doesn’t end here. Miyage comes to his house after getting the news from Snehomoy’s aunt. She was all dressed in white sari and she has shaved her head as once Snehomoy had told her that Bengali girls do so after the death of their husband.
Both of them loved each other unconditionally. They never met in their lifetime still they have been Husband and Wife for a lifetime.
Numerous of us are not happy being with our soul mates. We live so close to our loved ones and still complain about their love and commitment. Think about it.
Hope you know the meaning of Love and Marriage now. Love means being with the better half of yours in the true sense, telling her the truth no matter how bitter it is.
Love your LOVE.. She is the one for you. You may not always feel to say “I Love You” to her, but you will know her love when she is away.
Sapnochora 