Seven Vows Part 1- Published

The Community Meeting

Rajasekhar was quite worried Sunday morning. They had to go to community meeting. Tilak and Sudhir were equally stressed. Sreedhar had assured them not to worry. But the problem was even asking multiple times what he had done he didnt tell what did he do. " Priest wife is telling today the group of Sumangalis will submit a plea to the committee on the ill effects of allowing a widow to do things she is not supposed to do " told Vindhya" What are the ill effects they perceive " asked an exaseperated Maheswari. She knew VIndhya would have collected all the info " They say some astrologer has told rain fall will be less. Chances of Sumangalis facing widow hood are more. Since Goddess being unhappy prosperity will be affected. Young girls marriage will be affected " " Maa if I dont teach dance or paint this problem can be solved, tell them I wont paint or dance. There is no need to sit through trial because of me . I have accepted this fate of mine and have learned to live with it too. " Suman couldnt take anymore what was going to happen in community meeting" Suman decision was taken by me on what you should do and should not do. Sreedhar had told this will not be a problem in community meeting. I had taught all my sons not to committ something which they cannot deliver. Stop feeling guilty for once. "told Maheswari

" Maa I am telling everyone not to worry since yesterday. Not to give ears to this bakwas. Nothing will happen"

" But you are not telling us what you have done to alleviate our fears" told Tilak

" Bhaiyya everything is not told, something has to be understood " told Sreedhar

"Time for us to go for the meeting" told Renuka. " Suman kids will be here, hope you can manage all 3. Maid is still doing the work. Lunch for you and kids I have made . We will have lunch in community meeting "

" Sreedhar I only hope I can watch DDLJ in peace" told Vindhya

" We are all tense about Suman and you only think of DDLJ. I still don't understand how my mother made you her bahu " told an exaseperated Sudhir and Vindhya made face.

As they all walked out Suman as usual was desperately trying to catch Sreedhar's eyes. Sreedhar walked near the sofa, put something under the pillow, turned and gestured her towards the pillow. Suman nodded telling she understood and moved to the sofa and pulled out an envelope under the pillow and hide it in her pallu. She had to read it. But not now with the kids.

She went and kept the envelope in her room, came down and sat reading story to Adwaith while Nami practiced dance and Aakash as usual was watching TV munching snacks.

Everyone was in the community hall. As expected the ladies headed by temple priest's wife made a plea on how Maheswari Varma was breaking traditions allowing her widow bahu to do things which the traditions didn't allow. Then another lady spoke about what the astrologer Sant Guru had predicted on the ill effects on the community if a widow does dancing and painting.

Priest asked Maheswari if she had anything to tell. Maheswari got up and told " See my widow bahu is not doing any Sringaar. She did the painting for my Suhagan bahu's saree. Why cant my Suhagan bahu wear good sarees. Isnt that banned for her also. Second she is teaching dance to my grand daughter. My granddaughter is happy when she teaches her. I have not gone and told anyone about this. Nor has requested anyone to do what I am doing. What I am doing is in my house with my child. My husband and myself has been active in this community for more than 35 years now. Before that the illustrious Varma family has made so many noble contributions towards the welfare of the community. So to tell I will do something that is not good towards my family or the community as a whole hurt me and my family deeply . Now coming to astrologer Sant Guru. He is the one who has told my DIL Suman has Sowbhagya yoga. I would be very grateful to him if he could explain to me how my DIL became widow on her wedding day"

"That is because of her Karma. " told an agitated Sant Guru who was there in the hall

" So Karma can change astrological predictions. So Karma can change this prediction also right " got up Sreedhar to defend his mother

" How will you know what Karma can change the prediction" argued Sant Guru back

" How did you know what Karma has changed Sumanji's sowbhagya yoga to widowhood " shot back Sreedhar

Priest asked everyone to be calm telling he has reached a decision. " Look he told. I knew this issue was coming up today. Usually I take decision even before the issue is presented as you all know how much respect I give to traditions. But yesterday evening I was feeling unusually agitated about this issue. I didn't know why. So I asked Murali Manohar whether he wants to give me a message. When a true bhakth asks Kanhaiya always gives solutions. So yesterday night I had a darshan of Murali Manohar in my dreams. Now I am giving the verdict as per his direction. Look we all have to understand in this issue the emotions of Maheswariji's grand daughter is involved. She is an innocent child of 8 years who doesn't understand the meaning of traditions and other things. Krishna Kanhaiya told me nothing should be done hurting the emotions of a child. So let whatever Maheswariji's bahu is doing let her continue doing it in home. I request Maheswariji not to request any mother's of the community to send her children to study dance under your widow bahu or request people to give their sarees, dresses etc so that they can be beautifully painted by your widow bahu. Make sure your bahu is only inside the house and does not come in the path of Sumangalis doing their duty.

Rajasekhaar was relieved and other community members also didn't tell anything as it was concerned with the dream the priest saw. But Sant Guru was a deeply agitated man and glared at Sreedhar. Sreedhar glared back at him.

In the car Tilak and Sudhir were discussing how come priest got a dream. Tilak told some 6-7 years back he had a similar dream post which he allowed kids to have food. They were puzzled, but didn't try to think much about it as their problem was solved.

Family had a happy time watching the movie DDLJ. Sreedhar and Suman sat at 2 corners of the room yet every moments their thoughts they were once again together in the box seats of cinema hall in delhi leaning against each other.

Once she was alone in the room Suman opened the envelope Sreedhar has placed for her. In that Sreedhar had written what he had done. He had told the priest's story and the hidden negatives he had of that story. He had written just like she couldn't lie to him, he can also not lie to her. Community will not be able to undo the Ghungroo his mother has allowed her to wear.

She felt happy and sad at the same moment. Happy because she was still in his heart, sad because she knew how painful it was for him to see her like this everyday and she couldn't go near, speak to him or hold him to reduce that pain.