Seven Vows Part 1- Published

Janmasthami

Suman entered kitchen. Today was Janmasthami and since it was holiday all the men were at home and her father in law had requested mid-morning tea. Maheswari and her other SILs were preparing lunch. She knew the family is not celebrating the festival for obvious reasons and because of that there were no festivities in house. But Maheswari had allowed children to go out and enjoy some time. Sudhir was gone with them. Sreedhar had gone to market to buy things and Tilak as usual was busy in his work which he carried home.

" Maa I know we are not celebrating the festival this time. But wont you make puris and gajar ka halwa today" asked Vindhya

" Vindhya " Renuka tried to shut up her SIL seeing Suman so that Suman is not reminded of the real reason of not celebrating the festival

" Vindhya Bhabi does Maa makes puris and gajar ka halwa as Prasad for Krishna " asked Suman amusingly as those things were not generally made as Prasad

" Suman puris and gajar ka halwa is not for Lord Krishna, but Krishna of this house. Your devar Sreedhar. We celebrate his birthday also on Janmasthami as he was born on a Janmasthami day. We don't celebrate his date of birth, because for his dadi his birth was like Krishna has finally come to this house listening to her " told Maheswari

" Vindhya I will make puris and Gajar ka halwa. But if I make that we have to make some Prasad for Murali Manohar also. Do one thing. You take butter from curd and Renuka you get Tulsi from garden. We will put a tulsi mala for Krishna in the evening and do a simple aarti with Prasad. For dinner we will have puris and gajar ka halwa Sreedhar's favorite "

Once Renuka bought tulsi leaves Maheswari asked Suman to make Tulsi Mala. As she tied the tulsi leaves Suman was lost in thoughts. Yes he had told his family celebrated his birthday on Janmasthami day not on his date of birth

" Sumi so today you have called me here. Usually you always jump when I come here "

They were as usual on the terrace of her ladies hostel. " Sreedhar I wanted to celebrate your birthday. See I have ordered special cake for you"

" Why. Tomorrow in college canteen friends are celebrating. You prefer to celebrate with them right"

" Sreedhar, when I am doing something for spending time with you, mock at me. I wanted to celebrate at midnight with you "

" Celebrate I am loving it " he caressed her cheek

She arranged the cake, lit the candle and asked him to blow out. Then she cut the cake and they fed each other and sat against the wall of the terrace eating cake.

" You know Sumi, my family doesn't celebrate my date of birth. Only after coming to college I realize my DOB is special because friends celebrate it "

" Why" she asked

He kept his head on her lap and she caressed his hair " They celebrate it with Janmasthami as I was born on a Janmasthami day "

" Now I understand why you are like this. You know my mother is a very big devotee of Lord Krishna " told Suman

" What about you " he asked

" I don't know Sreedhar. She asks me to pray so I pray. But to be truthful I am not sure if he exists" she looked faraway tears trickling down her cheeks

He got up and wiped her cheeks . " Why Sumi what happened suddenly "

"Nothing Sreedhar. Just that my father always beats my mother. She is like a slave in that house because she doesn't have a son, only a daughter. So if he was there would he have allowed my mother to suffer like this "

" Sumi my mother tells sometimes we never knows his ways. He does everything for a purpose so we have to trust him. There might be some reason for your mother's suffering and her faith. Now cheer up. We need to finish the cake and I need to go back to hostel "

So they finished the cake and before he left he gave her a close hug.

Unknowingly a smile and a blush appeared on Suman's face thinking about it . " Suman why are you smiling. Did some memories of your childhood Janmasthami came. Share with me also naa"

Suman looked up to see her MIL looking at her and realized where she was. The Mala was still half done in her hand

" Suman don't worry beta. Some good memory would have made you smile. I just asked to share it "

Suman was thinking what to tell " Maa in childhood I had worn the dress of Radha couple of times during Janmasthami and had gone to temple. Was just thinking about that"

" I know all children would have once become Krishna's or Radha's during their childhood. Let me help you with the Mala. It seems you are not quite used to making it " saying Maheswari sat by Suman's side

" Maa check whether the complete list of items you have ordered is there." barged in Sreedhar

" You have gone Sreedhar. I know you wont forget or misplace things. Renuka get water for Sreedhar"

As Renuka came with water, Sreedhar has become like the child keeping his head on Maheswari's lap as Maheswari caressed his hair.

" Ok so ladla has started his tevar" came Vindhya. " He knows he will be pampered today "

" Vindhya keep quiet. Let me pamper my son. All the other 3 once grown up are so formal with me. He is the only one who still shows affection. You know Suman when he was born his dadi wanted to keep his name was Giridhar, his dada wanted to keep Vasudev and his father wanted to keep Nandakishore"

" It is you who kept his name as Sreedhar " completed Renuka. " Suman Maa tells this story every Janmasthami and she is never tired of it "

" Why Maa, why did you keep his name as Sreedhar. All the other 3 names are also of Murali Manohar "

" Finally someone is asking me why I kept his name Sreedhar. Suman neither your father in law, nor Tilak, Sudhir or Sree himself has asked me the question you have asked today . Nor even Renuka or Vindhya who hear me every year."

" Maa there is a reason you kept his name Sreedhar " asked Vindhya her eyes reflecting interest for such tit bit of news.

" Yes there is. Suman when he was born on Janmasthami the whole family was like he is going to do great things. He will become famous like Krishna. He will do this that. Now what does a mother wants for the child it doesn't matter when he is born or who he is like. She doesn't want him to go and lift a mountain making him Giridhar, nor does he wants him to run behind cattles like Nandakishore, neither go and save the world as Vasudev. She wants her child to be successful in everything he does with the goddess of prosperity Maa Lakshmi always with him. Hence I named him Sreedhar one who always has Sree or prosperity with him."

" Success is his middle name " was what everyone in college used to tell about Sreedhar, thought Suman. And today she knew his success was because of the immense love his mother had for him who had kept such a thoughtful name for her son and his love for his mother, his family." She looked at Sreedhar who had very much cozied up in his mother's lap. Was he the same guy who had made priest do what he wants or could make the girl's heart skip a beat, top the class, dance to top the spot for competition. Yes he was. She smiled once again as she made the Tulsi Mala