16 and 17th 

Granted leave without request 

In my blog of 7,8 and 9th i stated that i took Venita to Assam in 1967 after marriage. There were some interesting  development just before marriage. I was then posted as the Assistant Superintendent of police, Jorhat. One day my Superintandant of Police, an uncanny Bengali from Sylhet, of Jorhat, was informed by the then IGP,Assam that i had been granted 15 days casual leave to get married and that i should proceed to Fatehpur immediately. My father had not informed me about the sudden development. In fact he came to know after i informed him about it. My father-in-law had contacted the then DIGP Shri Lala Dey. He had come to know of him during his posting in Assam in early 60s. He was instrumental in getting me leave. In fact  Venita's Phufaji, then a Chief Engineer, CPWD had also spoken to IGP,BK Barua for my leave. I was not asked by IGP about leave. My position was worse than that of unassuming illiterate woman of India who were married without seeing their would-be life partner.....On arrival at Fatehpur i came to know that my sanguine sisters had  already done 'muh dekhai' of Venita and the first ceremony 'Bariksha' had been done. I saw Venita's  photograph. Before i could say anything about her, they said that she was quite thin and that her younger sister was better. But now nothing could be done. My father-in-law wanted me to visit his family. I told him that my family won't like it before marriage. I wish i could have mustered courage and met the family before marriage. Perhaps we were not destined for that..... At  Jorhat i was seen off by Jhinganarn family and some police officers. Shri Jhingran was the Principal of the local Central School. I remember that their 8 year old daughter was crying bitterly and telling,'Uncle, don't get married so early'......After all the above, marriage was a fait accompli.

Quotable Quotes :"Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute."Josh Billings