Small Story 370.

Small Story 370 Route 370: Where Crushes Collapsed After the introduction of the new bus route 370 from Central to SS Colony via Arasaradi in Madurai, the commuting pattern of the residents underwent a noticeable change. Aruna, a young professional working at TVS, was intrigued on her first ride by the elite crowd that the new route attracted. That day, something unexpected happened — her mind was captivated by a well-dressed, decent-looking young man carrying a professional bag. Her instincts told her he was a medical representative, and she was right. As he got off the bus, she overheard him telling a friend on the phone, "I'll be at the doctor’s clinic in ten minutes." That confirmed her guess. The whole of yesterday, Aruna found herself thinking about him — wondering what his name could be. She was infatuated, deeply curious. That man was Aravind, a district manager working for a multinational pharma company. He lived with his parents in a newly constructed flat near the Ice Factory in SS Colony. Unaware of Aruna's feelings, Aravind hadn’t even noticed her. The next evening, as Aruna boarded the return bus, she spotted Aravind sitting opposite her. This time, she smiled at him, and he smiled back. Aruna struck up a conversation: “Hope you're in the pharma industry? My dad, Narayan, was with Lederle as a regional manager. He's in the U.S. now with my elder brother.” Aravind was pleasantly surprised — both by her approach and her background. He felt a flutter in his heart too. When the bus reached the Ice Factory stop, Aravind said goodbye. Aruna smiled and asked if she could have his number. He agreed. The next day, Aruna received a call from Aravind. She was thrilled. He explained he was busy with meetings the previous day and invited her to a newly opened coffeehouse on Town Hall Road. At exactly 5:15 PM, they met. Both were glowing with excitement, smiling at each other like characters in a romantic film. Over coffee, they talked about their likes, dislikes, and future. By the end of the evening, both had decided to speak to their parents about getting married. The next day, Aruna handed over her horoscope to Aravind, who appreciated her traditional values and was excited about the prospect. He returned home with joy in his heart. Showing the horoscope to his mother, he said, “Nice name — Aruna. She’s as beautiful as her name.” His mother smiled, but after glancing at the horoscope, her expression changed. “Aravind,” she said after a pause, “she belongs to the same sect and gotram as us. We can’t proceed with this match.” Aravind was shocked. Despite the modern setting of their meeting, old traditions stood in their way. Bound by his parents' sentiments, Aravind had no choice but to respect their wishes. Their beautiful journey, sparked by the new Route 370, had taken a romantic turn — only to collapse under the weight of tradition. K.Ragavan 16-9-25