Getting Settled

“Getting settled” – I am not sure if there is such a term in Queen’s English, but yes, in India it is commonly at par with getting married. I get amused by this term quite often as I fail to understand how getting married can mean “getting settled”!!! Its start of an entire new phase of your life, isn’t it???


People in India use this term at their own convenience, interchangeably with getting married. Two years down your completion of atleast one post-graduation degree, you are asked to “get settled” (GS). It usually starts at home, then your relatives and then your friends, who are already planning to GS. You should not waste time, everything should happen at a certain age, delaying something like marriage will not land you anywhere, are the common arguments that take place in a house who have a legible bachelor/ ette….

Then there will be comparisons drawn infront of you (even if you don’t like). Look at him, he was earning as much as you are, still he went ahead and got married….(Hell! It’s foolish I’d say)…which will usually get lots of accolades by your parents and relatives!!! GS, haunts you all over and finally there is rejoice and time for celebrations…no…not because you have found “the one”,,but simply because you have agreed (given the green signal - another of India's own terminology) to GS!!!

I am not of the opinion that you shouldn’t GS. But how is that people call it GS?? It is such a paradox in itself…It should be more like get started (the abbreviation still remains GS….;-) )..Settling down is something you do once you grow old and retire and pay for your children’s higher education, square-off your investments…those things, according to me are more closer to getting settled…finally…..:-)

Even I GS this year and believe me, not for one moment since then have I ever felt that I have "settled down" or "got settled" in life!!! Festivals, household chores, bills, payments, documents, signs, agreements and what not...Everything seems to be giving us a new experience each time along-with its own teachings...

This year has been the year of GS for almost 10 of my friends as well. So heres wishing all of them a very happy GS….not getting settled but getting started….and all the best!!!