Seven Vows Part 1- Published

Maa-Beta

" But it didn't happen Maa" asked Sreedhar.

" No it didn't happen. Only after I entered this household I understood how it worked. Your Dadu was happy to have me as DIL as he could tell the world he had married from a freedom fighter's family. But the connection with freedom fighter's family ended there. Though your bua's had home tutors I came to know they were teaching them not Maths or science but basic language and grooming sessions. Especially the English lady like behavior on how a woman should be. First thing your dadi told me was that to survive in the household atleast my second child has to be a son, else your dadu might think about another marriage for your Papa. She said she herself survived because your great dadi asked dadu to give her another chance after 2 daughters were born and luckily for her, her 3rd born was your Papa. Once she had Papa the other 2 girls came didn't bother anyone"

" Maa our family favoured sons to that extend"

" Yes Beta. From inside Varma family reeked patriarchy and gender disparity and if not for your Chitra bua's death opposing her marriage even your father would have gone that way. But Chitra bua's presumed death before her marriage which your dadu had arranged as part of getting a good business partner mellowed your Papa somewhat. That is what your dadi told as it happened before our marriage"

" Why did Chitra bua die. We all thought it was accident"

" It was not accident. It was suicide. Which girl will want to marry a 40 year old man marrying 3rd time while she herself was a paltry 16 year old. It is said she jumped from a cliff as her dupatta and some ornaments were found in that area. Her body was never recovered. But it didn't change dadaji a bit and as per dadi he would have gone ahead and did the marriage with the then 13 year old Neelima bua. But dadi told he will touch Neelima only over her dead body. Hence the marriage was cancelled finally. But we suffered huge business losses and dadaji ended up controlling both Neelima and Chandini bua like anything"

" So Maa how did you manage then. It would have been difficult for you"

" Actually beta in a way Mata Gowri has been merciful on me. First thing your dadi Rajalakshmi Varma was a remarkable lady and she groomed me. Second thing with the arrival of Tilak and Sudhir I got some freedom as I had given boys to the family. And when Murali and you also came along your Dadaji was very happy. 4 grandsons and he allowed me quite a bit of freedom which I used to groom my sons on my way of life as much as I could. But it was your grandmother who warned me that if I don't manage my sons and DILs properly I will have disaster in waiting and my family will be broken. So I had ensured that every DIL I chose I asked her willingness for the marriage and to be part of the family as an unwilling woman can never be happy herself and then her unhappiness will slowly but surely will spread like poison in the whole family leading to it breaking. But I made mistake with Suman"

" Maa you think Sumanji is a family breaker " asked Sreedhar now looking at her

" No Beta she is not a family breaker. That girl will not hurt anyone intentionally. But the problem with her is that she will hurt herself just like Chitra bua. She has that kind of fierceness in her. And I can vouch from what I know of her till date she would have attempted suicide if Murali was alive. Problem is if that had happened what answer I would have given Murali who had liked her and wanted to live with her. How would I have been able to handle the brutal rejection she would have given my son with her death. Murali would have been broken for sure. But I had liked her. A kind of deep attachment when I saw her photo as if she is a girl I know. Close to me. Irrespective of all the apprehensions I felt I agreed for the marriage. It is like this tragedy had to happen. Else there were so many warning's beta. My own instinct which wanted to meet her and ask her the question, her father's need to rush the marriage, your absence which Murali cribbed etc..

" Maa please don't worry. Just like Poornima's problem solved, Sumanji's problem will also be solved " told Sreedhar.

" I hope so beta. By the way you have not seen the photo of Suman we got. You will then understand why we all liked her so much. Wait. I will show you" Sreedhar wanted to tell his mother no need. He has seen Suman up, front, close but he knew he cannot. It was not the right time. Maheswari gave a photo in Sreedhar's hand. Sreedhar looked at it. Suman was wearing a green lehenga choli. She had maang tikka, bindi, fashionable earrings , beautiful coral necklace and hands had matching glass bangles. He suppressed his pain as he saw it. She looked beautiful. He gave back the photo to Maheswari.

" Maa now you sleep. Don't think too much. I am also tired"

As he walked out Maheswari looked at him and said in mind " How can I tell you my son the solution to Suman's problem is you. How can I tell you the mistake we committed? How can I tell you, I had understood Maa Durga's indication that she considers you both as a couple and expects me to bring that union in front of the society". Maheswari closed her eyes

It was after Jagratha fiasco. Rajasekhar had somehow fallen asleep. But Maheswari was restless. First kumkum, now haldi and kumkum had fallen on Suman. What is Maa Durga indicating. She got up. She had to take Suman's kundali, Murali's kundali and the kundali milan book to Dinakarji. She had to tell him the omens she has seen, maybe he will be able to help her in deciphering the divine message. She got up. Took the file where she had kept the kundali's in order. She took Suman's kundali, Murali's kundali and the suman-murali kundali milan book. The book fell from her hands and it landed on the ground open. Maheswari took the book and stared at the page. As she read the contents of the open page she felt her head spinning. " 18-Aug, Shravana month, Rohini star, Asthami 12:00 am" she couldn't read further. How did it happen. She had asked Rajasekhar to take the 3rd kundali from the green file, how did her husband took the bottom kundali. How did he take Sreedhar's kundali. Agreed Murali and Sreedhar had same star and their date was same but different month. Didn't her husband read the kundali. In his hurry to get the alliance from Rajput family he just rushed.

How could Rajasekhar make such a mistake. Wasn't it known to them the issues related to Sreedhar's marriage. The precautions that needs to be taken even before starting to look for a bride for him. Dinakarji had told the solutions to thwart the problems related to Sreedhar's marriage. And see what happened, haldi –kumkum was put on this kundali-milan , with him as the groom the kundali milan book was kept in front of Maa Gauri and shagun was sent to Suman's family. It was with this book with Swastika put on it, the engagement ceremony happened. And what happened had it got something to do with Sreedhar's kundali prediction related to marriage. Maybe. Then she remembered in Jagratha haldi –kumkum was not just fallen on Suman, but it has fallen on both of them when they were together.

Maheswari came back to present " Beta I cannot tell you the truth of your kundali. As a mother I do not have the strength in me for that. But as a woman I have to do justice to Suman. But I neither want this document or the indication from Maa Durga to be the basis of your relation. I don't want to tell you marry your widow bhabi or tell her start a new life with her devar. But I will try in my own way to ensure you see Suman as your life partner and Suman is able to see a new dawn with you. I committed a grave mistake in not opening and reading the kundali milan book in all the hurry and the only way now to correct that mistake is to bring Suman as your bride in this family.

She pulled the bedsheet covers as a sudden thought came to her mind " If Suman didn't wanted to marry Murali why did she cry seeing Sreedhar. By any chance Sreedhar know Suman as he also was in Delhi and know something about her which she was afraid he might tell. But Sreedhar had not told anything. She was confused, but then decided to think on it later.