Paradise ~ A Devdutt Padikkal Story

39.

Since the Mehendi day, Dev tried to think of all the possible reasons for Vedangi ignoring him. Being a celebrity, getting ignored was not something usual for him and the person concerned was the love of his life.
Dev along with the whole Test team of India's upcoming December tour to  New Zealand had an online meeting with the Indian Cricket Team coach Rahul Dravid scheduled at nine in the morning.
It was the day before the wedding and everyone was busy with their own errands.

Around eleven thirty in the morning, Dev came out if his room. He was informed that Vedangi and Dhruv had gone out to roam around Allepey.
She didn't even bother to ask him if he wants to join? Who knows Kerala better she or him?
Dev was left with no option but to ask Disha to accompany him for a round around the town to which she happily agreed.

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"So what is our itinerary for today Madam?" Dhruv asked as he and Vedangi sat in the rickshaw.
"Allepey Market, Shri Krishna Swamy Temple at Ambalapuzha, Allepey Light House aur end mein beach." Vedangi revealed.
"Pura din lag jayega!" Dhruv chuckled.
"And that is exactly why we have to do all of this and return to the hotel by six. There's some other ceremony at night." Vedangi said.
"Oh yeah the bride and the groom take blessings from all elders a day before the wedding." Dhruv told her.

At the temple Dhruv observed the spiritual side of Vedangi. She was so invested in praying to Lord Krishna that he could feel the immensely pure connection between them. The pujari applied Ashtagandha on both of their foreheads and Vedangi joined her hands quickly in a prayer position before they stepped out of the main temple area.
"Bohot shradhha hai tumhari Krishna pe." Dhruv said to Vedangi.
"Ha bachpan se! Kanha Ji humesha sab ki raksha karte hai." Vedangi agreed with him.
"You see the life of Krishna was always so complicated. He loved Radha but that will always be an incomplete lovestory.  Then we see Meera and the devotion she had put in is inexplicable! They say that she actually merged with Krishna's murti."
"There is Mahabharat where he narrated the Bhagvadgita to Arjun, he protected Draupadi, he endured Gandhari's curse with no fault of his." Vedangi recalled while Dhruv listened intently.
"He taught you what pure love looks like." Dhruv said spontaneously as if he read her mind.

Vedangi looked at him in astonishment.
"Yeah you can say that. Krishna loved everyone equally! He was never partial! Be it Radha, Meera, Rukmini or Satyabhama."
"Meera is also an exceptional example of what pure love looks like! It is unconditional and with no expectations, it can be torturous but at the same time ecstatic. It can be all other things in this world but not selfish. Real love is never selfish and what is selfish is not real love." Vedangi stated philosophically.
"Spoke like a true philosopher." Dhruv chuckled and Vedangi hit him lightly.

At the market, Vedangi bought a Kasavu saree for her mother. She knew how much her mother was fond of sarees. Vedangi had already sent a Mysore Silk saree back home in Mumbai owing to her own excitement. There were numerous saree shops all over Bangalore and Vedangi had visited one right after she received her first stipend from the internship at Hinduja Law Firm.
Vedangi also wanted to get a saree for herself. She had never been a saree person until she saw the beauty of Malayali women clad in sarees. That moment onwards she had decided to own a saree collection. Her eyes scanned the store until they stopped at a brown piece. It was a dark brown maroonish saree with a thin golden border.
'Brown looks good on you' Her mind replayed the compliment Dev had given her days ago. It only provoked her to make up her mind on buying the brown saree as remembrance of his words.
"What do you think about this one?" Vedangi showed Dhruv the saree placing it on her shoulder.
"Looks great, you're getting it?" He asked amused.
"Yeah I was thinking of getting this one. I've suddenly become a saree person." She chuckled before asking the owner to pack it along with her mother's Kasavu.