Seven Vows Part 1- Published

Economics of Marriage

" You have been here Poorni"

" No Chachu. I am coing here for the first time though I have heard about it"

" Poorni the guide will tell you very interesting stories of this palace. Listen to all the stories. After that we will sit under that banyan tree and talk whatever you want to talk"

" Chachu why do I feel in the stories of this palace answers to my questions are hidden. That's why you bought me here"

" Poorni sometimes history offers us interesting perspective. If you see economics of those times and economics of these times fundamentals have not changed, only the currency used for transaction changed. When you learn history you understand fundamentals so that it is easy for you to use the currency for the right choices .I just want to take you through fundamentals. So shall we start"

They walked the palace listening to the various stories of the king, his multiple wives. The way queen dressed for Teej, the king who took Gangajaal to England in big vessels everything. After roaming for around 1-2 hrs across the length and breadh of the palace discussing the architecture, weapons etc they came and sat under the banyan tree. Sreedhar bought ice candy for both of them.

" Now shoot your questions" told Sreedhar.

" Chachu did you know about who I am when you first saw me "

" No Poorni. I didn't even knew you existed at that time. I didn't even knew my elder bhaiyya had loved someone until a couple of months back. Your Papa as far as I could remember is a somber person. But Sudhir Chachu had known Tilak Bhaiyya loved Anu Bhabi. But even he didn't know about the marriage until few days back"

" Chachu you knew who I was when you came to collect the family photo"

" Yes Poorni I knew who you were when I came to collect the family photo"

" Then Chachu why didn't you tell then. You could have told me naa that I am your niece. You didn't trust I was your niece"

" Poorni it was not I trusted. For all the family including myself, Sudhir Chachu, Vindhya Chachi, Suman Chachi and Maa the fact that Tilak Bhaiyya have told Renu Bhabi that he married Anu Bhabi and they shared a husband-wife relation was enough to accept you as ours. But Poorni since Anu Bhabi was character assassinated in the community meeting, also the fact that a hospital form was given to your Papa telling Anu Bhabi have aborted the child we need to have every evidence to ensure that when we say who your father is no one else comes claiming the same. You know Mahantji and what all he can manipulate. What if he sends a con man with some docuemnts he is your father. Your mother's credibility and your credibility and even your Papa' and our family's credibility in jeopardy. We wanted to ensure when your paternity is claimed no one anymore will question Anu Bhabi or her character or the legitimacy of your birth"

" Chachu when you first heard everything what did you feel"

" I was sad, angry and heartbroken Poorni. This is a fact. I wanted to shout at bhaiyya and my Papa. But then I understood from Renu Bhabi Bhaiyya had already punished himself enough with the guilt that he has been responsible for the death of his child. He forced his wife to destroy the symbol of their love. Then I decided to look at it from a different perspective"

" Sreedhar Chachu if my father truly loved Maa, why did he married second time. Couldn't he have refused the second marriage and why my dadu and great dadu didn't accept Maa into the family"

" Poorni when we roamed the palace did you hear how many wives the king had"

" 12" said Poorni " and in addition there were other woman in his life who were not given the status of wife"

" First thing why the king had 12 wives "

" I don't know and it has intrigued me why men marry so many times. All kings had more than a wife "

" Because Poorni in theory we tell marriage happens because of the love between 2 people. But when you live in the society love is the last thing in people's agenda as far as marriage goes. Marriage is a diplomatic deal to expand kingdoms, it is a peace treaty, expand businesses, get lineage, get dowry etc etc.. and unfortunately all these rules are biased against woman then and even now . So king would have married each of his wife for a reason which exactly wont be love. And sad thing is that sometimes even a man is forced to do such things even if he doesn't want.

In your father's case he was blackmailed taking Maa's your late Murali Chachu's and my name. Me and Murali Chachu were kids then. It was told we all will be send from the house if your Papa didn't listen to Dadu. At that time your Papa didn't know your Maa got pregnant and as per him she was with your nanu and naani. So to protect his kid brother's he agreed for the marriage with Renu Bhabi. He thought if your mother goes away from Jaipur she can also start a new life "

"Now coming to why your Maa was not accepted. Do you know why king didn't marry certain woman but kept relations with them"

" No "told Poorni

" One of the key reasons is caste. Marriage is a social currency and marriage between partners gives the child share to the property, also the heir to the throne also come from the married woman. So to keep the pedigree of the lineage certain castes are not allowed to marry each other. But relations can be kept. As children born out of such relations are not legitimate and does not have right on property. It is a very bad tradition like mistreating of widows.

Your Papa wanted to break that tradition. By marrying a woman from a caste that is generally called low caste he wanted to give legitimacy to such relations. In short he wanted to bring about a change that marriage is not a deal, but happens due to the love between 2 people. Unfortunately he failed then. Because the system was too strong and he didn't had any support. System separated your Papa and Maa.

But Poorni where the system failed was, with your Maa. Her love for your Papa, her trust in your Papa that if he knows you are there he will accept you made her break all the barriers of traditions and using the garb of a widow she gave birth to you. She protected the symbol of their love with her sacrifice. And your Papa do you know that your dadi wanted Aakash's name to be Adithya. But your Papa disagreed because somewhere in his heart he believed his wife wouldn't have destroyed the symbol of their love. He truly wanted you Poorni. And look in a society who wants boys and boys only he had selected names not only for the son, but also for a daughter. Doesn't it show you he never discriminated based on the gender. He was willing to welcome the child whether it is a boy or a girl as it is his child.

Poorni you are the victory of their love story. Your values, your upbringing shows the society irrespective of your parents belonging to 2 separate castes you stand out as an individual with pedigree and a mind of your own. You have cut at a tradition that is destroying lives of many women. Do you realize how many lives you are bringing light to. You are the symbol of love Poorni. Your Papa's trust on your Maa and your Maa's trust on your Papa irrespective of the restrictions the traditions threw at them. I know wherever Anu Bhabi is, she will be happy. Allow your Papa to feel the victory of his rebellion after 15 years. The system he couldn't cut, you cut. Give him a chance to be a father to you. "

Poornima looked at Sreedhar. She smiled. " I think I am understanding Papa, his compulsions, his guilt and I think maybe when I meet him, I will be able to forgive him. Thank you Chachu. I knew you will speak openly to me and will not hide things. Also me and Vaishnav won because of you, then many other people. Maybe Papa didn't get the support I got or he didn't know how to get the right support for his cause"

Sreedhar patted her shoulders. Ice candy was finished. " Shall we go back". Poornima nodded and they walked towards the moped.

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