Mariamma Oommen Chandy

 It was shortly after our marriage was fixed. I received a letter in the bridegroom’s handwriting. The first love letter! When I opened it, the letter contained just two lines: ‘It is election time, keep me in your prayers.’

I did not know much about Oommen Chandy or his politics then. It was his second election from Puthuppally. The opposing candidate was P C Cherian. It was a tough contest. “You pray hard”, said my cousin, making me more apprehensive.

I prayed hard. If he lost, wouldn’t people say that his future bride brought him bad luck? But he won with a huge majority. We were so happy on that day! 

There have been many elections after that. But the happiness on those occasions cannot rival the one that I experienced that day. He became a minister after that win. Because of that, our marriage was delayed further.

In Kunju (that is what I call him), I like and detest the same quality – he is naïve. He inherited it from his mother. He cannot say ‘no’ to anything. He exhibits enormous patience and humility.

Probably, it is this trait that keeps the 43-year-old marriage going. He was never arrogant, never tried to control anyone, and seldom got angry. There was complete freedom. That was him. 

In Old Testament, Jacob falls in love with a beautiful Rachel. He embraces her by the heart. But by the turn of fate, Jacob has to get married to an unattractive Leah. Puthupally is Oommen Chandy’s Rachel and I am his Leah. 

We lived with mutual trust and respect.

(This article was written by Mariamma Oommen Chandy.)