Seven Vows Part 1- Published

The Shradh

Suman observed the hall from her room where the shradh of Murali was happening. Dinakar asked Sreedhar to sit for the shradh since it was better that way. Rather than elders doing the shradh of a younger one, it was better if the youngest could do the shradh for the eldest.

Maheswari stood in the kitchen. The other two DILs were also in their respective rooms as woman were not supposed to be there when the shradh happened. They had finished all the cooking in the morning itself. Nami and Poornima stayed in their room while the boys remained in the hall silently.

Soon the Shradh was done and then Dinakarji invited all the family members to come and take the aarti and theertha. Others moved to the hall. Suman was not sure whether she could go. For the ceremonies that happened immediately post Murali's death she had not gone down. She remembered wails and many people who had come cursing her while consoling Maheswari. The curses were so loud that it could be heard in her room in the first floor. That time she had not cried, but today thinking about it she started crying. What did she do to be cursed like this. She had never wanted Murali to die. Not once in her mind she had thought ill for the man who was marrying her. Even when she decided to jump from the car her thought was even if she go the society will allow him to have a second marriage and he can live his life. Just that she couldn't be his wife, she was incapable of giving him, his conjugal rights.

She was cursed from birth. Unwanted to her father, root of trouble to her mother and she didn't know whether she was trouble to this family too. Her reverie was broken by Maheswari's call.

" Suman where are you. Come down". She hastily wiped her tears covered herself with her pallu and went down. She was asked to take aarti and theertha which she took.

Dinakar looked at the girl in front of him. He was seeing her so close for the first time. He saw a very deep pain in her eyes. As if this girl has seen the worst in her life.

" Maheswariji once Sreedhar comes back from putting the shradh pinda in the river ask Suman also to go with him to the ashram. Let her serve the Brahmin Bhoj. If anyone else need to go with them they can go, but make sure Suman serves today. I will have the food once they are back as Sreedhar has to sit with me today to have food "

Maheswari asked Vindhya to accompany Suman and Sreedhar. Once Sreedhar was back, they kept all the food items in the car and reached Somalatha Devi's ashram

Somalatha Devi warmly welcomed them and took them to the hall in ashram where Suman saw some men sitting for the first time having a spark in their eyes.

" Sreedhar beta they are very happy that after years someone has considered them to do Brahmin Bhoj. Yes annadan happens here regularly as many patrons come, but to be part of Brahmin Bhoj which they used to participate regularly they are feeling very happy " told Somalatha Devi

As suggested by Dinakarji Suman served them while Vindhya and Sreedhar helped. The Brahmins blessed her wholeheartedly and thanked Sreedhar for considering them worthy of giving Brahmin bhoj.

Suman was happy to see them relishing food happily. She felt it was not the taste of food but the fact that they were considered as humans was making them enjoy the food more. She knew she could understand them. How much she had wanted just to be considered an individual. Not a curse.

Soon they reached home and then food was served to the men. Dinakar made Suman serve there also. Somewhere he felt her wholeheartedly serving the food for the shradh can bring peace to the departed soul, the man who never could live a life with her. And that peace to the soul can bring harmony to her life also.