I met this girl on the streets of Raja Park during one Jaipur Women Blog campaign. Call us creeps, but we exchanged phone numbers. Next day, we were Facebook friends. Off the record, her photo-bombing skills are the best.

Nikha, an IT Professional, caught my eye while I was standing with a placard in my hands inviting people to participate in our social campaign. Instantly, I wanted to monkey her ‘modernized’ traditional looks. Gee, that Eastern look blended with chudas newly-married Rajasthani Rajput women wear was engaging!

Her full name is Nikha Singh Rathore, and that’s not the only interesting thing about her.

Me: This name and those looks. I bet, there is a story. That too, an exceptional one.

Nikha: *laughs* I am a Rajput. My father is a Rajput from Bikaner while my mom is from Sikkim. As you can see, I bear her looks and his name.

Me: Ohhhh. Do I smell a filmy love story?

Nikha: Call your’s a dog’s nose! Yes, they married against all odds and enjoyed parenting three beautiful daughters. *Teehee*

Me: Where is the poop, Nikha?

Nikha: *laughs* Our daddy is a RAJPUT father. Us girls were strictly told not to fall for any random guy. If ever we were to choose a man, he had to be a Rajput. Until that time, I guess our life wasn’t that filmy!

Me: Annnnddddd?

Nikha: My boyfriend belonged to the Jat community and….Wow! Lavanya, your eyes are glowing. This does sound like an interesting story to you, doesn’t it?

Me: Go on.

Nikha: So yeah, when this happened, like Simran’s father from DDLJ, he tried to change my mind.

Me: Tell me you didn’t believe him. Tell me you followed your heart. Tell me. TELL ME.

Nikha: I married Ronak. And trust me, it’s one of the best decisions of my life. I am glad, everything happened with our families’ blessings.

Me: Did any of the nightmares come true?

Nikha: *giggles* I enjoy breaking the pigeonholes. Ronak’s family is nothing how people think of the Jat community. They are cool AF. Of course, there were few cultural changes, but I enjoy each one of them. That’s the whole point of marrying. You meet, you fall in love. Not just with the person, but also with his lifestyle, family and culture.

Me: Any fond memory?

Nikha: Actually, many. When I went to his ancestral home in Sri Ganganagar, for my Mooh Dikhai ki Rasam, I was astonished. Hundreds of women from far-far-away came to see the face of the new Dulhan. I was sitting wearing this beautiful Poshak (probably chewing strawberry gum), and enjoying the compliments for my gorgeous skin and hair. Ha-ha!

Me: Were your oriental features the talk of the town?

Nikha: Psst, tell me about it! I loved the attention. Dude, they even made me milk a cow. Now let me take a moment to tell how much strength this task needs. It took me some time, but once I could perform it without any hitch, I was jumping in the keenu fields. Now I am not sure who from my ‘new family’ saw me doing that.

Me: Ha-ha-ha! Do your looks attract extra attention in Jaipur?

Nikha: When I go shopping in the walled-city, I get to hear Chinese and Korean. I enjoy the attention and at times, to be honest, every time, I speak in a different accent to make a fool out of them. Later, my Indian bargaining skills turn their faces red.

Me: Coming back to the spicy stories, is there a mystery behind your name?

Nikha: *chuckles* It was Shivanjali. I changed it into Nikha.

Me: I am happy my predictions about you were entirely correct.

Nikha: Party this weekend?

Me: Today?