Deepa and Nitish are inching towards their 20th wedding anniversary this December. But theirs is a classic case of a silent divorce - a marriage that exists on paper, yet has long ceased to exist in spirit.
They still share the same roof, but their worlds no longer overlap. Conversations are limited to bare necessities - “food is ready” or “do we need anything else from the market?” Weeks can slip by without a single meaningful exchange. There is no warmth left in their relationship - no laughter, no curiosity about each other’s lives, no physical intimacy.
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Their daughters are grown and working, busy with their own lives. Outwardly, Deepa and Nitish still play the part of a couple - attending family gatherings together, posing together with their daughters for family pictures on festivals. But inside their home, the disconnect is stark. Deepa spends her days immersed in chores and mindfulness classes, while Nitish throws himself into work, drinks with friends at night, and returns home only to sleep.
They do not fight, they do not part ways - they simply co-exist.
This situation, often called a ‘silent divorce’, is the reality of many Indian households. On paper and in society’s eyes, the couple remains married.
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