FOREIGN BRIDES LIVING & LOVING IN INDIA
LOVE ALL What does it take to fall in love with an Indian, marry him, and move to his country to live with him? Foreign brides on curry, desi languages, and driving on Indian roads...
Dominique Lopez, 37 Chennai
She is Dominique Lopez, a French and he is Siddharth Lulla, hailing from a Sindhi family of Dehradun. They met for the first time at a party in Paris in 2003. “It was not love at first sight. But we kept in touch,” she said. But when Dominique came to Delhi where her friend was getting married to Siddharth’s friend, we spent time together. Friendship slowly began growing into a relationship. She recalls the time when Siddharth would come to Lisbon, where she worked as a demographer.
For three years, we met in different countries. Siddharth works for a technology company based out of Chennai and travelled for work. It was in 2009 that they decided to say ‘I do’, with a french wedding in Paris, followed by an Indian one in Dehradun. “Since then Chennai has been my home. And I’m happy for it despite some sacrifices I had to make,” she says. “Love, family bonding are the two things that keep Dominque rooting for India. "My in-laws are so understanding, loving and caring,” she says.
The flip side, she misses French, culture, fashion and her friends. “But we visit Paris twice in a year and my parents visit us here in Chennai every year. She lost her freedom to drive around, as driving on Indian roads makes her nervous. She does not regret giving up her career as she kept busy with some freelance work before they had a baby six months ago. She is learning Bollywood music and dance.
And would they move to France ever? She says the thought never crossed her mind. “Not yet,” she says as she glows in the warmth of her husband’s and his family’s love.