Are You A Virgin ?

"Are you a virgin?" Arjun asked his would-be wife in a coffee shop.

"W-h-aat?" Amrita was shocked. Spilling her cold coffee a little, she stared at Arjun, shocked , embarassed and a little tensed for this sudden unexpected question.

"I asked, are you a virgin?" Arjun said calmly.

"What if I-I-I'm not, I mean will you...call off the wedding?" She looked worried.

Arjun smiled: "Do you find the question so inappropriate?"

Amrita sighed. "I-I don't know. I mean I shouldn't be feeling so---weird to talk of...you know..about-"

"Sex,"Arjun helped.

"Yeah I mean I shouldn't be feeling shy or....erm..."

"Or ashamed. Why should you be ashamed of your own body? You have a beautiful one, and an even more beautiful heart. You are an

independent woman-so established in your career,why do you feel weird when someone asks you about sex?" Arjun asked.

"I don't know....I mean we are all sexual beings...with these-you know these---these stimulations, which are but natural. Yet we never talk about them. Why?"

Amrita wondered.

"Well maybe because the society has labelled them as taboos , "Arjun answered.

"Which is so unfair...I mean they talk about corruption, violence ,poverty ,molestation ,robbery, kidnapping-so on and so forth in the news but miss out something so

essential about ourselves ,our own bodies. Nobody ever explained me what my body was going through and why in my adolescence. It seemed to be something shameful

to ask about these minor details even to our parents- the closest relation we have."

"They say India is progressing, but Indians are definitely not. Its equally important to know what your body wants at the age of twelve or thirteen as it is to know

about the Mughals and Mauryans and to be able to slove logarithm problems. Yet the only feasible knowledge the kids get is from the one restricted chapter in the

biology book which isn't even explained properly by the teachers as they prefer sticking to sophisticated scientific language. I mean , come on!

The kid is 13, you can't just throw the terms 'menstruation' , 'menarche' and 'puberty' at their faces! " Arjun looked annoyed.

"You know , since the curious minds in the teenage aren't able to find answers from their only trusted sources-'school' and 'family', they turn to internet and

I say pornography is a consequence. And ironically, parents blame their children to stick to their gadgets for hours. Hah, like they are gonna answer

them directly. You know, i feel that this continuous ignorance leads to the formation of criminals and rapists and no doubt the molestation incidents are

increasing day by day,"Amrita said.

"You know, when I was 14, I asked my mother once what did the word 'prostitute' mean to which she flew to a rage and asked never to pronounce it again

as it was supposed to be a 'bad word'.I was unanswered."

"I remember being in a super awkward situation while playing a game of 'Identify-The-Movie-Name' with my elder cousins for I had asked them to enact the movie

with the name 'Sex in the City' having no idea what the word meant.

Also, I used to tell my mother that I would never get married but have babies through accident. Nobody explained me then,though. Not even later."

They both laughed at this. Amrita and Arjun did not know each other for long. This was their first date before their wedding scheduled to take place in

the following month. Previously, all their conversations took place in front of their families, as theirs was supposed to be an arranged marriage. They were

both relieved to be able to be comfortable with each other and think in the same manner. Definitely,the couple would not be a mismatch.

"You know these socially labelled taboos are so....sickening."Amrita commented.

"Maybe that is the reason why we are still a developing country. Even in mass media---television , social networking sites, we are tolf that sex is a

bad and secretive thing, and so is menstruation, and so is our bodies. I feel that so is their mindset." Arjun looked disappointed.

"Exactly, I meam, I still have to change the channsel when the Stay Free Secure's advertisment come up in the TV when my father is in the room or even

walk out of the room if there is a kissing scene going on and I'm watching the movie with my family--like AS IF!!!!"

"And people laugh at girls with stained skirts, which, again, is so sickening."

"You know I had read this article where the girl was objecting on the usage of the word 'shorir kharap' as the Bengali term for periods. She was raising

open questions like 'What's so wrong or sick about the body?' I mean this is a natural process and meant to happen. And that's how the lovelies relationship

emerges- a mother and her child's, its not something to be ashamed of ,rather something to take pride in."

"The only sick and wrong place is their brains with cheap mindset. Anyway Amrita , its kind of late. We must be going..."

"Yeah we must leave. Since 'boys and girls should not spend too much time together before getting married'." Amrita imitated her grandma. They both laughed hard.

"You know,there are these failures--failures as parents. Let's try and change that. Lets make ideal parents."

Amrita blushed.

"Why not? And as for your question, I am not a virgin."

"Nor am I,"he said,bringing his chair a little closer to hers. And when they lest the coffee shop, they had their hands clasped to one another.