Seven Vows Part 1- Published

Auspicious, The gift

It was tea time as Vaishnav came to Varma house. " Poorni, your friend has come " called Renu.

" Poorni bring Suman Aunty also " called out Vaishnav " Renu aunty where is Dadiji. Actually I have come to invite you all for our housewarming in the new haweli "

" Arrey wah, when is the housewarming beta. Is all the cleaning work done in Haweli " came in Maheswari. Soon Poorni too came down along with Suman.

" Vaishu take some flower pots from here and also plant some good plants. I know that haweli has lot of shrubs as it has been lying neglected for long" came in Vindhya

" I will take for sure Vindhya aunty. I was actually about to ask you on that what all flowers to take. Dadiji no the cleaning is not over. But Dadu went over to Dinakarji today and asked for an auspicious time and he told April 30th which will give me sufficient time to do everything. Thanks to Sudhir uncle who managed to get some good workers to clean up the haweli. Dadu just came and told me the date and I came straight here to tell you the news and invite you all. I will come Sunday to invite Dadaji too"

" No need beta. You told me that is enough. I will tell to Rajasekhar and we all will come" told Maheswari. " Come have tea"

But Vaishnav moved to Suman " Suman Aunty will you come"

Suman looked confused. She never went for any auspicious events as her status didn't allow her. For many people still her presence in auspicious event can be a put off too as she knew still there were many people who were not comfortable seeing widows in colored attire.

" Vaishu you know right I cannot come for such things. It will create issues unnecessarily" told Suman

" But aunty without you housewarming wont happen because I want you to do the ritual of boiling the milk"

Suman was stunned and so were other family members " Vaishu what are you telling. You very well know I cant do such things. It is considered inauspicious "

" That is what I want to break aunty. You know my mother died exactly because of such things. Solitude being called inauspicious to the extend she only thought of being a wife, never thought she is a mother too. Society didn't allow her to think she is a mother. They killed her along with my father. If my mom was alive I would have done the house warming ceremony with her. Because that is her right doesn't matter she is a Suhagan or a widow. To do the house warming of her child belongs to mother when she is alive and society has no right to deny her that right just because her husband is not there. Whatever a mother does will not bring any harm to the child because she does it with love, in the best interest of the child. If you do the housewarming I will be able to give many such mother's their right on participating in their child's auspicious events wholeheartedly. That will make a mother want to live even when her husband is not there and a child is not left an orphan at the age of three. Please come aunty. Dadiji ask aunty to come. I am sure aunty nothing inauspicious will happen to me if you do the housewarming " told Vaishnav

" She will come Vaishu and she will do the ritual of boiling milk" told Maheswari

" Maa " Suman tried to tell

" Suman I have taken the decision and don't think too much into it. His request is valid and it is his fight to bring down the system that deprived him of his mother's love at an age when the child needs security, love and tenderness from mother "

" Aunty don't think what others will feel or say. You leave that to me. I know how to handle gossipmongers" told Vaishnav. Suman nodded as Renu bought tea and snacks for Vaishnav

That day in the dinner table the talk was Vaishnav's invitation. Though Rajasekhar was apprehensive a bit he too relented once Maheswari told her reasons for allowing Suman. Just then Sreedhar entered. He was late most days due to audit works

" Sumanji these are some brochures which I have got from some leading interior designers in Jaipur. Please go through them, discuss with Maa , Renu Bhabi and Vindhya Bhabi and once you all have decided on which designer to use tell me tomorrow itself. I will arrange a meeting with the designer in office day after tomorrow" he handed her a thick large brown envelope

"Sreedhar come fast for dinner beta. You are very much late and Suman please keep that in your room and see it after dinner" told Maheswari

Suman went upstairs to keep the envelope. But she was just curious to see what was inside and she opened the envelope. Yes there were brochures, but in between them she found a lavender color cotton saree and a note

" Sumi day after tomorrow is Apr 7th. Wear this. I don't need to tell you what Apr 7th means to both of us. Don't worry. You have some 15-20 cotton sarees taken new some of which you have not worn. So no one will notice this one is separate and will think it is among the sarees you have taken in Dec "

Suman smiled looking at the saree. Apr 7th. How can she forget. She closed her eyes.

" Now we have completed Seven rounds and we are bound to each other with promises " told Sreedhar and she nodded happily as both of them stood and prayed in front of the Goddess

She opened her eyes. Kept the saree in her cupboard and envelope on bed and with a smile still playing on her lips went down