Vrishali kept her gaze down pulling her lower lip inside her mouth. She tried not to look at Harika or Vijay. The silence is awkward and she wishes she was somewhere else than here.
"So... Vrishali what you are studying right now?" Vijay broke the silence. Vrishali finally looked up, making eye contact with Vijay.
"Fashion designing, in my final year," Vrishali answered politely. Vijay nodded his head, her thick New York accent can't be ignored.
"Like online classes or you enrolled in any college here?" He asked not wanting to feel the awkward silence as they waited for Padmanabh. Nor he wants to make Vrishali uncomfortable and he wants to know about the little girl sitting before him. He still can't believe that his best friend is married before him.
"I haven't discontinued my studies in my previous college. But also joined the local private college."
Vrishali kept her gaze fixed on Vijay who has been polite enough to start a conversation with her. Harika quietly observed Vrishali under her calculative eyes.
"Oh, so what about the previous college? Like if you didn't discontinue then they would've asked you to attend online classes right?"
Vrishali smiled, "they hardly care about the attendance, to be honest. You need to finish the assignments and your semester work. If you submit all your assignments then they would be giving you a grade."
"Ohoh... This is good, we were made to attend every class. Fuck, those early morning classes were a nightmare," Vijay said sipping his water.
Vrishali laughed taking Vijay by surprise, she got a beautiful chubby smile.
"I can understand, high school was hell." Vrishali agreed with Vijay.
Padmanabh strolled back to the table, he had excused himself to answer a business call. He watched Vrishali laugh, that laugh made her cheeks pop up. He pulled his chair and sat down beside Vrishali opposite Vijay and Harika.
"When they are going to serve the lunch? I'm hungry," Vijay whined as soon as he saw Padmanabh.
"They will be here in ten or more minutes, it will take time." Vijay groaned.
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you say yes to this man? He is boring and doesn't involve much," Vijay asked Vrishali taking Padmanabh and Vrishali by surprise.
Vrishali doesn't know how to answer Vijay's question. Padmanabh is slightly interested in knowing the answer. He never asked her nor he is one of those people who would ask the question.
"Hmm, honestly I don't know," Vrishali answered awkwardly.
Harika raised her brow, "you don't know? How is that possible? Come on, there must be a reason for saying yes to him," Harika said.
Vrishali looked at Harika before turning her head to see Padmanabh. Their eyes met, she didn't gulp down the lump even though she wants to.
He is smoking hot sitting beside her looking at her with his trimmed beard and thick hair.
She took her time observing his facial features, she is surely lucky to have a model figure King as her husband.
Vijay held his laugh looking at Vrishali and Padmanabh who zoned out gazing at each other. He pulled his phone out and secretly took the photos loving the intense gaze.
"Hello? Are you going to answer?" Harika snapped the both of them from their thoughts.
"Harika! Come on yarr... I was enjoying that," Vijay hissed at Harika. Vrishali hissed at her inside her brain.
"Hmm... My grandparents wanted me to marry Padmanabh. It's an arranged marriage so, yeah," Vrishali answered.
"I mean you are from New York and you just agreed to a arranged marriage? You are only twenty years old. Most of the girls of your age enjoy their youth," Harika poked her nose deep.
Vijay knew where Harika is going, even Padmanabh felt uncomfortable with the question. Even he agreed to the marriage after knowing that Vrishali is only twenty years old. He could've declined but he didn't and respected his grandparent's decision.
"Hey, forget about it. It's their choice and decision," Vijay said looking at Harika.
"What? I'm just curious to know. Are you going to answer the question Vrishali?" Harika asked.
Vrishali's ears flared in anger, she doesn't like it when they point their fingers in her matters deeply. Vrishali has been controlling her anger from the morning, Harika is testing Vrishali's patience.
Her bitch mood is on, Vrishali isn't any kid like they are making her feel. She knew where to click the buttons.
She smiled too sweetly at Harika, "yes I'm from New York but that doesn't mean that I'm not Indian or I don't respect my grandparent's wishes. I didn't just agree with their decision, I took my time before saying yes. I know them and I trust their choice. And wouldn't you agree to marry him if you were in my position?" Vrishali spoke done with Harika's ways.
"I'm sure you would say yes to him, your bad I married him." She added not giving her a chance for Harika to speak.
Vijay's eyes widen and he choked on his drink. Padmanabh looked at Vrishali in shock while Harika couldn't think of what to say, she is too shocked to reply.
"Woah, haha... Padmanabh is my best friend and marrying him? I never thought so you don't have to worry. I wouldn't go for your husband," Harika spoke with a fake smile.
Like I would trust those words...
Vrishali thought inside her mind.
"I apologize Harika for the rude manner of saying. I hope you don't take Vrishali's words to heart," Padmanabh apologized. Vrishali frowned her brows.
"Haha, that was Woah! Like reminding the boundaries..." Vijay joked giving a huge smile to Vrishali. Harika grunted her teeth before kicking Vijay's leg under the table.
"Ouch!"
"What happened?" Padmanabh asked.
"Nothing." The food came and it was served by the waiters.
Vrishali silently ate her food as she is hungry and didn't eat in the morning. While she filled her plate with all the food and curries Harika barely filled her plate.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Vijay asked Harika after seeing her plate.
"I'm on diet," Harika replied. Vijay nodded his head.
"I need to follow my diet too but I suck at it girl," Vijay said. Seeing Harika Vrishali suddenly felt self-conscious but she didn't show it on her face. Instead, she became busy tasting the food. The last thing she wants is Harika to see the jealousy on Vrishali's face.
Padmanabh glanced at Vrishali to see her eating silently. She put the vegetables to a side and he doesn't want to point that out in front of her friends.
He understood that she is uncomfortable and doesn't like Harika. Pointing to the vegetables would make her like a kid.
He looked away at his plate, he specially ordered four varieties of Indian dessert remembering Vrishali's sweet tooth.
"Why did you order four varieties of sweets man? You dislike sweets, Harika is on dieting, I don't eat sweets and Vrishali may eat but isn't it too many sweets, you could've ordered starters?" Vijay spoke.
Vrishali stopped eating, gazed at Vijay and the sweets. She was so excited to eat them but now she surely won't eat before them after hearing that.
Padmanabh bites his lip looking at Vijay. He for sure wanted to beat Vijay for being blunt about food.
"Shut up and eat. If you want to order starters order yourself."
"Okay."
Padmanabh just hopes Vrishali doesn't mind Vijay's words and eat the desserts. She always looks forward to eating dessert after having meals.
"You are too picky at eating," Harika said looking at Vrishali's plate. Vrishali wanted to hit the table.
"We used to get punished and spanked for being picky at boarding school. We two used to make Padmanabh eat the vegetables, he was an angel to us," Vijay spoke remembering those days.
"Yeah, Padmanabh used to do everything just to save us two. He was and is our saviour," Harika spoke looking into the eyes of Vrishali. Harika smirked when Vrishali frowned. Padmanabh and Vijay didn't see that as Vijay spoke with Padmanabh.
Padmanabh heard Vrishali mutter something under her breath. He turned his head to see Harika smiling and Vrishali with a blank face. Vrishali stayed quiet the rest of the lunch, the trio spoke about their college stories.
Vrishali is eager to leave and change her clothes, she is sad that she couldn't click pictures in her outfit. She only got four pictures with Padmanabh, she wants to have single pictures so that she can post them on social media.
"Aren't you going to eat the dessert?" Padmanabh asked leaning closer to Vrishali.
"No."
"Why? You like to have a dessert after meals."
"I don't want to eat now," Vrishali said blankly. Padmanabh frowned his brows but didn't say anything.
"We will leave now, we got some work to finish at the site," Vijay spoke after reading his messages. The four stood up to leave, Vrishali carefully stepped back with her bag and phone. She threw the phone in the bag and watched Padmanabh talk with Harika.
"It was nice knowing you Vrishali, see you tomorrow," Vijay said pushing his hand out for a handshake.
"It was nice meeting you, see you," Vrishali said with a smile shaking his hand.
"Take care Vrishali, can't wait to see you tomorrow," Harika spoke.
"Yup." Vrishali gave a tight smile to Harika. Vijay and Harika left, Vrishali signed heavily getting into the car.
*
Padmanabh closed his eyes for a moment before opening them. He closed the laptop lid and went to use the washroom. He decided to step out and stroll around as it is only seven.
He walked towards the living room, Vrishali is watching a comedy show on television. She seemed comfortable, they haven't spoken a word after returning to the hotel.
Vrishali glanced at Padmanabh who is leaving, she grunted her teeth in annoyance. She thought she will spend her time with him, but he clearly got plans that don't involve her.
Padmanabh wrapped his fingers around the doorknob but he didn't open the door. He turned around, unsure how to ask Vrishali to join him. He never asked a person to join him.
"Hmm, I'm going out for a walk. Would you like to join me?" Padmanabh asked taking Vrishali by surprise.
"Huh? Sure..." Vrishali said standing up.
"I will just go and change my clothes," Vrishali said turning off the television. Padmanabh nodded his head looking at her pyjama clothes. He waited for Vrishali, he don't want her to feel uncomfortable and miss out on the beauty of this city.
Vrishali walked out wearing a kurti and leggings. Padmanabh opened the door and they stepped out.
The roads are empty and calm, they hear the distant voices coming from speakers.
"This is the residential area for tourists and the roads are always calm," Padmanabh spoke. Vrishali observed that Padmanabh is relaxed and there is a peaceful expression on his face.
"You are relaxed and you seem different," Vrishali said. She watched in awe as Padmanabh smiled looking far ahead.
"I'm a commoner or a pilgrim whenever I'm here. I can walk without any title attached to me. It's peaceful."
Vrishali nodded her head understanding what he is saying. In Jaipur, they can't always step out in public without their guards. Even if they did they don't step out of the car.
Everyone knows Padmanabh and it's impossible for him to stroll around or take a walk around the city. Here, no one knows Padmanabh. Even if they did they are too busy basking in the wonderful place.
"This way," Padmanabh said as they walked towards the temple grounds. Vrishali looked around as people wearing traditional clothes are hurrying.
"Why they are in hurry? And why is that line?" Vrishali asks in confusion.
"They are going for darshan. We had our darshan in the afternoon, now these people are having evening darshan," Padmanabh explained.
"We will leave our footwear at the counter, we can't walk wearing footwear on the temple grounds," Padmanabh spoke. Vrishali nodded her head as they followed the board to the footwear counter.
The place is bustling with pilgrims, shopkeepers, local food centres. Vrishali smiled seeing the new environment. The streets of Tirumala are decorated with lights.
Vrishali can't explain the feeling as she walks barefoot with Padmanabh beside her. He is telling her the story of the seven hills and the Tirumala. She listened to him in interest.
Padmanabh looked at Vrishali who is listening to him and also looking at the streets with a huge smile on her face. He felt happy that he asked her to join him. Time quickly passed as they spoke while walking aimlessly.
Padmanabh looked at his wristwatch to see its eight-thirty. "We will have our dinner at vengamamba anna prasadam," Padmanabh said.
"Vengamamba anna prasadam?" Vrishali asks in confusion.
"It is a free meals building with four dining halls, Each dining hall accommodates 1000 persons at a time. The trust is providing meals to nearly 70000 people per day. The food is great and I love the meals," Padmanabh spoke shocking Vrishali.
She never thought Padmanabh is a simple person who likes to live his life like a commoner. She didn't expect him to have free meals. He is a royal and he can have his meals at any five-star hotel.
"Surprised?" Padmanabh asked Vrishali when she didn't answer him.
"Totally, does our family know about this?"
"No, let's keep it a secret between us and relax forgetting everything."
"Yes." Vrishali smiled at Padmanabh happily making him nervous. Vrishali looked at the people entering the hall, Padmanabh guided her. They took their seats, Vrishali is impressed by the hygiene and neatness.
The dining table is long and neat with a banana leaf spread out. Most south Indians eat their meals on banana leaves.
"How do they provide free meals to 70000 people per day?" Vrishali asks Padmanabh who is sitting closer to her because of the seat.
"The trust is run by the donations received by the devotees or donors from all over the world. The donations to this temple are in millions so the TTD trust provides the best meals to the devotees."
"And the dessert here is special and I know you will love it," Padmanabh said playfully.
"Hey." The people wearing orange clothes served the food. Vrishali looked at the leaf in awe. They served rice, two varieties of curry, one chutney, pongal dessert, rasam and curd.
They started eating their food, Vrishali can't help but stuff her mouth with food because it's delicious. Padmanabh rolled his lips inside his mouth stopping himself from smiling. He has been smiling a lot with Vrishali beside him.
He ate his food in bliss, he didn't expect Vrishali to join him for dinner. "Oh my god, this tastes heaven," Vrishali moaned eating the pongal.
"You can have mine," Padmanabh spoke giving his pongal to her.
"Thank you and I can't say no to sweets," Vrishali joked and Padmanabh smiled.
*
My family and I go to Tirupati every year. With all my aunts, uncles and cousins. It is one of the best places where you find peace. Fun story, I think it was in the year 2018, we were waiting for our uncles when I saw this cute monkey baby.
*I'm sharing pictures of Tirupati*
Mobiles and cameras are strictly not allowed inside the temple, you can't wear western clothes for darshan. Mandatory to wear Indian clothes with dupatta.