Ramayan The least I expected

16. Photo Album

"It's Dada Ji, isn't it?"
Said Luv, pointing towards Dasharath in the picture.

"How lucky he is to have you all."
Said Kush, making everyone smile.

.......

Then Sumitra flipped the page, and it revealed the page behind. It had a beautiful portrait picture of Maharaj Dasharath stretched across the page. He looked like a gentleman, with bright, powerful eyes, a mighty glow, and a fresh black beard and mustache covering his face.

Seeing everyone just hold their breaths, remembering him, the mothers turned numb, their eyes turning moist, and Dasharath Nandan's held a smile of pride, seeing him.

Then Ram slowly traced his warm palm over the page, taking his blessings.

"Wow! Dada Ji, how cool he looks!"
Exclaimed Angad.

"If he would have been here with us, I would have definitely changed my chamber."
Said Chitraketu, nodding to himself.

Which made Matas smile.

Then she flipped the page, landing on the next, which had the trio of Matas, posing and hugging each other.

Which just made the Matas, remember their young times, for which they smiled.

And then the next revealed a collage of baby Rajkumars: Ram, Bharat, Lakshman, and Shatrughn.

.........

"Arya, it's you, isn't it?"
Asked Sita, pointing towards the first picture in the left corner.

"Yes."
Said Ram shyly.

"How do you know, Bhabi?"
Asked a curious Lakshman.

"Because Kush exactly looked like him when he was small."
Said Sita, smiling.

"Oh! Pitashree, you look so cute."
Luv said it in a baby tone while tracing his fingers on the page.
Which made everyone laugh.

"Then who's this?"
Asked Kirti, pointing to the picture.

"It's Lakshman."
Said Ram.

"Then this one?"
Asked Kirti in confusion.

"It's Shatrughn."
Ram said it skillfully.

"How do you differentiate between them? They both look so similar."
Said Kirti.

"Yes"
Agreed Mandhavi.

"That's the magic."
Said Ram, moving his hands like a magician.

For this, all of them chuckled.

.........

Then it showed the family picture, with Maharaja Dasharath at the center, the queens beside him, and Guru Vashisth to the right of Dasharath. And in the front row stood the boys around seven, Ram in the middle, the brothers beside him, and an older girl to his left, lovingly hugging him.

"Who's she?"
Asked Sita in concern.

"That's me."
Replied Shanta.