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This chap is affectionately dedicated to -
pari_nagarwal🖤✨
~~~
"The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence...............
When our mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers!!!"
On reaching their destination, the Mohan family and the Nanda family realized that the place was chillier than they had expected.
After a long train journey, they had to cover a total distance of 20 kilometres to reach the Poornagiri Devi temple, which was located on a uphill.
Jeep service was there to translocate them from the Tanakpur station to Thulligad.
And from there on, they started covering the rest of the distance on foot.
On their way they could see the Sharda River, which was also known as Kali Ganga, flowing through the hills and descending into the plains of Tanakpur, which were now deep down in the valley. On both sides of the walking trek were temporary huts and various shops.
Anyhow, they all managed to reach Tunyas on foot, from where the temple was just 2.5 kilometres away. They planned to take a halt there and commence their rest of the journey the next day, very early in the morning so that they could join the early morning aarti (Hindu religious ritual of worship) refreshed and revived.
There they searched for a suitable dharamshala (spiritual dwelling, kind of a public rest house with no rooms but a single huge hall). Depositing their luggage over there, all stepped out to shop and look around the serene place. It was definitely a pleasant windy evening, that was why there was a huge crowd all over the trek and the shops.
"I didn't know that my sole purpose of coming here is this..."
Dev complaint as he adjusted all the shopping bags in his one hand and taking a hold of Sameeksha's hand with the other.
"You're regretting now, right?
Wow, so good."
Sameeksha exclaimed only to gain a frustrated cry from Dev.
"At least pick up a few bags, Sam."
"Excuse me, I didn't hear you...
You don't get tired when you hold dumbbells, now you're dying by carrying these extremely light weighted few bags. Huh?"
Sameeksha sassily replied.
"You're so mean, Sam!"
"That I proudly am, Mr Butler."
Manjiri couldn't help but smile at those two arguing adorbs who were walking ahead of her. She could also hear the faint voices of her parents-in-law and Sameeksha's parents coming from behind her.
And then she could also see that three years old mini human, Vaidik, walking ahead of all of them whilst holding his parents, Shreya and Abhinav's finger, in his each hand. He seemed way too much excited to explore everything at once.
However, Manjiri was in no mood to spare a glance or even mention anything about the person strolling alongside her. She just had enough of him by then.
Soon the elders stopped at a Hindu mythological deities art store, thus automatically making the younger ones too to hang there outside.
"You both know if I could get any superpower now, what would I choose?"
Manjiri kind of hissed as she saw Shaurya moving a little away from her, Dev and Sameeksha. Still busy on his phone call.
"Ok ok, lemme guess. Reading minds?"
Dev tried to guess but failed.
"No, Bhaiya. That's so boring."
"Invisibility or time travel then."
Sameeksha too tried her hand but again Manjiri shook her head in negative.
"No."
Considering the fact that they covered a long distance on foot and still had to do that again the next day, Dev couldn't help but guess
"Is it flying or wallcrawling, as per the surrounding?"
"Definitely not."
"Then?"
Dev inquired. To which Manjiri responded
"Heat-ray vision."
"Woah! That's so cool.
I too want that, Miru."
Sameeksha sang out smiling. Dev was tempted to poke fun at that.
"Thank God, Sam!
It's heat-ray vision that you're rooting for and not x-ray vision."
"Eww, Dev. How shameless you've turned into?"
With offended and widened eyes, Sameeksha right away hit Dev's arm harshly.
Manjiri remained silent and stifled up her expressions on realising the true meaning of Dev's words.
"You want notes, Sam. Well, I can share some."
"R.I.P to the feelings I had for you, Dev."
Sameeksha declared as she folded her arms across her chest.
By that time, Shaurya returned joining them all
"What's going on here? And what went wrong with you, Sam?"
"Shaurya Bhai, first you tell me what's wrong with you?"
Sameeksha retorted back with a maddened tone, making Shaurya to look at her dumbfounded
"What?"
"Doesn't your friends or colleagues know that you're on a teensy weensy trip with your family?"
Sameeksha inquired in the same maddened tone. Shaurya casually shrugged at that.
"Of course they know it."
"Then how dare they call you consistently? Or is it you who make a call on purpose, time and again, to disengage yourself?"
Sameeksha being Sameeksha, continued to pour her inquiries. And Shaurya, not being accustomed to such inspections, couldn't able to bring out anything in his defense.
"Why would I do that?"
Dev and Manjiri joyously enjoyed that free-fund show in front of them. Dev interjected
"Bhai, may I give you free advice?"
"No thanks."
Shaurya snapped at him sternly. Dev raised his coat's collars and replied with a sass
"Alright!"
"Ok give."
A second later, Shaurya demanded as he very well knew that Dev was the only one at then who could save him from Sameeksha's mocking inquiries. His own mother and wife had never probed him like that, for a moment he felt like he was a criminal or something. And Sameeksha was some police inspector.
"Now I'm not giving."
Dev replied pulling his lip to form a thin line. Shaurya scoffed in disbelief at his statement
"What?... Then get lost."
All of a sudden, Shaurya's phone tootled due to some repeated, incoming notifications. He right away opened it and started going through them. He only looked up when Dev took away his phone from his hand
"Close this, Bhai. Otherwise these two walking fire hazards who are freshly rooting for heat-ray vision may end up damaging your beloved phone."
Dev's forewarning was enough to make Shaurya look at his wife and to be sis-in-law's displeased expressions.
"Fine! I made a mistake.
Now I'll not answer any phone call.
Happy?"
"Kind of, but still not fully. Better not answer any call till Monday... Now let's move to that bangle store."
Sameeksha announced wrapping her arm around Dev's, to pull him with her ahead.
"No, Sam. Not that. That's not happening."
As Dev and Sameeksha walked away a little, Shaurya instantly interlaced his fingers with Manjiri's. He inquired squeezing her hand
"Still sulking?"
"Why do you care?"
She muttered looking away. He grinned softly as he opened his mouth to utter
"Yet I care. You don't even do that."
Astonished at his words, she looked him in the eye to see if he was joking or being serious. And there was of course humour marking it's presence.
Sighing softly, she asked looking ahead
"Who uses phone like this, that too at such a beautiful place?"
"I."
He answered, shrugging his shoulders impassively. To which she shook her head slightly
"This is so wrong."
"Will buying bangles for you make right that wrong?"
He passed a questionable look to her, to which she at first offered him a surprised odd look and then shook her head in no.
"No, it's not needed."
"Come on!"
He ignored her words and dragged her along at the entrance of the store. Manjiri was in no mood to buy anything, she was also not that type of a person who likes being money spent on. She preferred spending money only on the stuff which she or one really required, nothing unnecessary. Moreover, she could also notice that the whole store was full of crowd. So automatically her resolve got more strengthened
"Shaurya, it's really not required..."
"Appreciate when someone makes efforts and likes to invest some money on you, Silly Head."
It seemed that Shaurya's wallet's strings were eagerly waiting to open up at then. However, Manjiri didn't really want to obey. Though her bit by bit slipping exasperation made her mutter otherwise
"Efforts and all are ok but I would really appreciate when some genuine time is invested on me rather than just money."
"Alright, my bad. Will right away ask everyone to stop calling me or else you keep this phone with you only.
But do switch back to your original mode now?"
Shaurya enunciated as he slipped his handset inside the pocket of Manjiri's coat. Inadvertently, the corners of her mouth curved up a little at that. It wasn't a victorious grin. In fact she didn't exactly want him to do that, but when he did that she didn't even question it either. Perhaps she too had started desiring for his entire attention to herself, and only herself.
"Instead of going in here, can we purchase from that old lady's pushcart there?"
She suggested as she saw an old lady sitting unengaged beside her small pushcart, on the other side of the trek, just opposite to the huge store at whose entrance she and Shaurya were standing.
On following his wife's gaze, Shaurya took a look over there. The idea of shopping anything from there didn't really appear convincing to him.
"It's quite certain that she has got no variety. That is why no one is purchasing from there anything. So I guess we should join our family and get in this store only."
On hearing him, she turned to meet his eyes
"Shaurya, you know down the ladder of prosperity, that pushcart's lady can be the last person in here.
In my opinion, if we would pay for something in these types of huge fancy stores, our little amount would definitely go into somebody's pocket who might have already received a lot for a day. And if we would pay to people like that old woman there, I can kind of assure that the profit he/she would gain might ensure a proper dinner for his/her family today."
Abruptly she sneezed which made her pause for a moment. On sniffing a little, she continued to speak
"And after all, we can't just pay more on something only for the lordly treatment we receive in such big shops."
Shaurya couldn't help but take a shine to his wife even more. There were a few times when she appeared to be the most clueless person, the world could have ever witnessed. And then there were times like that present one, when she effortlessly outshone every person in front of her with her incorruptibility and compassion. Yet again he felt very ungenerous in front of her generous self.
Adjusting his specs on his nose, he pushed his hands inside his coat's pockets as he mentioned
"Dadi says right that you feel, care and give too much. Even more than one can really expect from you."
"This is the only manner of existing I've ever known."
She replied meekly, her eyes smiling at that. Abruptly, she saw Dev and Sameeksha coming out from the store. She could somewhat hear Dev's arguing words
"You're so unpredictable, Sam. How can you leave from there like that?"
"How can that lady push me?
I don't know in which hurry she was. She just ruined my whole mood to shop in there."
Sameeksha finished only to gain a query from Manjiri's side
"What happened, Sam?"
"Nothing, Miru. There is so much crowd in there.
So I've changed my mind now."
"Does the new one work, my Queen?"
Dev tried to disengage Sameeksha's sudden infuriation developed by that incident happened inside the store. Luckily, he somehow managed to distract her
"Oh just shut up, Queen's Butler.
My mind functions appropriately, just so you know. You check yours."
"Both of you stop it.
Let's just go to that old lady there."
Shaurya interrupted and gestured all of them to cross the trek and reach that small pushcart. Dev looked at him dumbfounded
"There?"
Shaurya nodded making Manjiri inwardly smile. Sameeksha agreed instantly to that
"Yes let's go. Something is surely better than nothing."
"Casual affection is teasing each other good-naturedly.................."
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"Have you got wooden bangles, Ammaji (call of respect for a older lady)?"
Sameeksha inquired the old lady whilst her eyes were busy scrutinizing the contents sprawled on that small pushcart.
"No, child. But you can try these. These will look good too."
The old lady suggested as she forwarded a few dark pink coloured bangles to Sameeksha for trying.
She felt pleased on finally getting some buyers. Buyers which looked interested in the stuff, her cart was having. She definitely wouldn't afford to let them go without selling anything to them. So she wanted to try her best to persuade them to purchase a few bangles.
"What about oxidised, metallic ones? Do you have those?"
Manjiri asked as she could only see glass bangles of every shade and design, nothing other than them.
Hearing her, the old lady instantaneously concealed her slowly-appearing apologetic look with her wide a sweet smile, as she tried to show Manjiri a set of bangles in the shade of dark green
"Child, you try these. Green colour will definitely look good on your wrists."
Shaurya and Dev just played the roles of disinterested, mute spectators by being aimlessly standing beside their significant other respectively.
"Actually, we've come from far away, Ammaji. And these glass bangles aren't much reliable. They can get damaged in our way back home."
Manjiri attempted to explain her resistance for the selection of the glass ones. Sameeksha seconded that.
"Exactly, glass bangles are very untrustworthy."
The senior lady spared a careful glance at both the brothers and then asked the girls with a kind smile
"You both seem married, aren't you?"
"She is married. And I'll get married in three months."
Sameeksha smiled as she filled the older lady with information.
"That's so nice. May God bless you all."
The senior lady showered her blessings and then continued expressing her views.
"You know, now you girls should duly wear glass bangles."
Extending a plastic box towards Manjiri, she uttered with a soft gaze,"See, what I've for you."
"What's this?"
Manjiri took a hold of that box to open it. She pleasantly smiled on noticing shiny multi-coloured glass bangles kept inside the box. But before she could touch them, the older lady herself made Manjiri's hand to pass through a few bangles as she began mumbling to her with a kind smile
"You're a married girl and it doesn't look appropriate if you'll keep your wrists empty.
I don't know if anyone has told you or not but child, these bangles signify the blessings of a married life. You should wear them for your husband, to keep him safe from every misfortune.
The sound created by these would undeniably ward off all the negativity surrounding his aura."
No sooner did the lady finish speaking then Dev failed in containing his amazement inside himself
"Really, Ammaji?"
However, Sameeksha didn't seem pleased with those words. So she intervened
"One second, Dev. Hold on.
Ammaji, I fully respect your notion and every women who prefers wearing these by choice. But just because a woman is married doesn't mean that she should start treating herself like a jewellery rack."
The lady drew out a breath as she stared at Sameeksha with a little dismay. Nevertheless, she managed to pull a sly smile as she made Manjiri wear more bangles
"Children, I know you all are modern and wouldn't agree with this old lady's beliefs. You might even consider me as a superstitious hag, but I can't help as these thoughts are deeply settled in me as I grew old.
I realize more and more that there are things we cannot explain, and that's okay. Not having all the answers about my belief in such things is isn't all that important. Or is it?
I don't wrestle with it as much anymore. I have peace about it cause from the knowledge of my mythological stories and ancestral women, I can certainly assure that bangles are an eternal aspect of married woman to bring prosperity and fortune to the groom's family."
Staring at that lady's weak smile, Sameeksha felt sorry. She definitely didn't want to wound her sentiments. Although, she wasn't still much convinced with her belief system.
"I'm sorry if I've offended you in any way. But trust me Ammaji, I really didn't intend to do so."
"No, child. Don't be sorry, you only said what you thought was right. Just the way I said what I felt was right."
The lady spoke passing a waek smile whilst putting back the boxes she initially had brought out to show them. She somehow sensed that the younger ones might not prefer buying anything from her now.
"Why are you packing them back? Won't you allow me to select the shades from those?"
Manjiri asked the lady with a genuine smile. Of course she didn't want to the senior lady to feel bad or be disappointed about anything. Having grown up in between the people who came from a conservative background, she very well understood the traditionalist outlook and it's related values. It was not that she approved that or was old-fashioned, but it was just that she never questioned for reasonability or condemned such outlooks. She only showed her absolute obedience to such things, when she herself felt like.
"Sure, child. Choose whichever you feel like."
The lady gladsomely put back the boxes on display. Manjiri stimulated Sameeksha too.
"Come on, Sam."
"Yeah!"
"Boys, won't you help your ladies in choosing?"
The old lady smiled peering at Shaurya and Dev's clueless and bored expressions.
"Ammaji, my lady doesn't require my help as she has got the best choice in the world and I'm the living case in point in front of you."
Dev grinned and then added winking at Sameeksha, "While my choice is okayish only cause look at her..."
His words were interjected on getting a harsh smack on his arm by his lady love, which ultimately made all of them dissolve in fits of laughter.
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"If there's any magic in the world, it must be an attempt of understanding a person......................"
"Whatever she said, Miru. But to me all jewellery pieces concerned with marriage are just marks of the patriarch society, where only women have to wear all sort of things after marriage while the men doesn't have to.
The things said behind are only excuses to me, but the real reason behind all these symbols are to change a girl's life fully."
Sameeksha reasoned as she trailed together with Manjiri through a narrow alleyway. Dev and Shaurya were behind them, joking something among themselves and also hearing the chit-chat falling in their ears.
"Why are you still stuck on that, Sam? Leave it.
Ultimately, it's one's choice to wear or not wear."
Manjiri rationalised making Dev to interrupt their talk. He did that cause he was seriously not liking his lady to still sulk on such a trivial topic.
"Exactly. If after marrying me, you don't like to abide by any of those things, then simply don't.
Why are you fretting so much over that sweet Ammaji's words?"
"She was indeed sweet but very closed-minded. I literally didn't like her typical old lady's notions."
Sameeksha snapped looking at both Dev and Manjiri. Manjiri sighed and then commenced reasoning out in a sheer calm tone
"People have opinions and prejudices along with beliefs of multiple backgrounds. It is life experience that cements one's beliefs and opinions.
She appeared closed minded to us because we had education while she might not had that. She must had been raised to have notions like those.
And in my opinion, it's really incorrect to comment on her raising and belief system."
"My God, Miru. Why are you failing to notice that it was very incorrect of her to comment on your empty wrists just because you're married.
That was clearly an example of discrimination.
Just because we're women, that doesn't simply mean that we are supposed to be stamped by some jewellery or powder to let the world know that we are taken.
Call me proudy but I know that I'm not wrong here."
Sameeksha finished and folded her arms across her chest as she stopped to settle on a stone stair. That stairway led to a small temple, which was on a certain height from the sloping trek.
Manjiri and Dev exchanged a helpless glance while Shaurya, who was regretting his former decision to submit his phone inside Manjiri's coat's pocket, had nothing to do. So he simply went and took a seat on the above stair behind Sameeksha.
Manjiri too walked over and was about to settle beside Sameeksha, that's when she noticed Shaurya motioning with his hand for her to sit next him. She followed and climbed up a stair more to get seated. She commenced speaking when Sameeksha turned around to look at her
"No one said that you're wrong. You're absolutely correct at your place, Sam.
But also realize that she didn't comment to offend me, instead she just said what her mind was nurtured to believe."
Taking a slight pause, she added, "And honestly, I didn't feel bad at all because I can perfectly understand that due to her ignorance and lack of education, she is constantly struggling with the modern ideologies and practices.
My Dadi too was like that, she too often used to find it hard to connect with the improved thoughts and new values of our generation. She too used to reject any idea that contradicted with what she believed to be true."
Manjiri all of a sudden got transported to the time when for the first and the last time, she raised her voice against her grandmother's decision and stubbornness. But unfortunately couldn't really do nothing except watching everything fall apart.
The day when her cousin, Jai, married a girl out of caste and their grandmother downrightly unacknowledged his marriage with that girl. Which in the final analysis kind of desolated everything.
Manjiri's mind was only brought back to reality when Dev snapped his fingers in front of her eyes and got settled before her legs, besides Sameeksha on the stair.
"Alright, Miru. Your words are kind of making sense to me." Sameeksha turned around and added scrunching her nose, "But still that Ammaji wasn't rational enough in thinking and telling that bangles are an eternal aspect of married woman to save her husband from misfortunes and invite prosperity in his life.
If that was really the possible solution, then today every husband would have been a billionaire, I tell you.
I don't know why few old people doesn't think analytically before putting forward their any belief."
Sameeksha's choice of words managed to bring out a low chuckle from Dev and Shaurya, but not Manjiri.
"As people grow up, their ability to keep an open mind is limited to their set of beliefs.
I agree that their ideas are flawed but for instance, think of all the knowledge that you gained that made it less likely for Santa Clause to be real.
Now, if in case you'd never gained that knowledge or can say, closed your mind to the view that Santa Clause is unreal, won't it be hard for you to think otherwise?
It takes a degree of naivety to be open to many views. And perhaps, eventually age, experience and ignorance often close one's mind to other worldviews."
"Woah! From where do you bring such things and heavy words, Bhabhi? I mean I'm totally floored. I've never thought in that way."
Dev turned and remarked. Sameeksha, who too was a little astonished, expressed
"I'm literally short of words rn. What to say now? Miru, you know, you're not only soft at heart but also very conscientious.
I never knew you can make your point across so insightfully."
"No one can win on these type of intangible, metaphysical topics from Dadi and her."
Shaurya vocalised grinningly angling his neck to peer at Manjiri.
Dev agreed to that vocalising,
"I second that, both have their unique ways of touching upon few obscure aspects."
His lips formed an amusing smile as he added "I wish, Bhai, if you could learn something from her. But poor your tiny brain!"
"Sam, you know, one can really push someone down the cliff from that point, to ensure no chance of his survival.
So would you like to assist me in performing that experiment?"
Shaurya asked tapping Sameeksha's shoulder from behind. To which she readily agreed to that, smiling evilly
"Sure, Bhai! Let me fetch the main apparatus and then we are good to go."
Before Sameeksha could hold Dev's arm, he scooted away and got up instantly.
Dragging Manjiri's hand along, he announced
"Miru Bhabhi, look, how serene does that sunset looks. Come, let's get going to view it from a safe place."
Shaurya and Sameeksha too got up and followed the other two whilst chuckling a little.
"I love people with a friendly, down to earth, chill vibe.
People without pretence or pride, who don't make you feel like you have act a certain way to impress them, or that they're silently judging you.
You're comfortable around them and you can just be yourself.
Their whole aura is so welcoming and warm......................................"
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If truth be told, Manjiri wasn't finding woollen shopping any interesting. She was just aimlessly nodding her head in approval whenever her mother-in-law or Sameeksha's mother showed her anything for her opinion and double assurance.
There were many ladies all around the place which were literally shopping a lot, not only for themselves but also for their husbands, children, other relatives and even pets.
Suddenly, her mother-in-law came forward and wrapped a bright purple coloured shawl, which had huge pink and yellow flowers embroidered on it, around her shoulders.
Mrs. Suniti Mohan looked at her daughter-in-law for her opinion
"Do you like it for yourself?"
Manjiri could never understand why her mother-in-law had an obsession with loud, vibrant colours. Nevertheless, she slyly smiled
"It's beautiful, Maa.
But I'm sure it will look more good on you."
"You're really crazy. I'm gifting you something and you're pasting me the same thing as a return gift, huh?... You said it's beautiful. So I'm buying it for you. Now I require ifs and buts cause it's material is very good. I'm sure it'll keep you warm."
Uttering that Mrs Suniti Mohan passed that shawl to an attendant to pack. Manjiri inwardly sighed and then danced her eyes all around the store.
She found herself smiling at the scene of Vaidik making an almost crying face, whenever his parents forcibly tried to pass his head through tight high necked sweaters.
On walking to a little distance, she found her father-in-law and Sameeksha's father chatting with a few random men, more or less of their age.
Of course they were discussing about politics.
Her eyes suddenly stopped on Sameeksha and Dev. They were standing before a huge mirror, which was placed at the extreme corner of the store. They were clicking selfies. Basically only Sameeksha was clicking the pictures whereas Dev was just ruining them.
And then eventually, her gaze finally got stuck at where she wasn't really wishing to see. At that very moment, she cursed herself for handing Shaurya back his phone. She should have kept it with herself only.
"Ma'am, how can I help you?
What are you looking for... Jackets? Shawls? Scarves?"
Manjiri instantly turned around on hearing an attendant's voice. She was about to shake her head in no, but that's when she thought to ask
"May I trouble you to introduce me to a few men's scarves?
"Sure, Ma'am. This way."
That attendant took her to a saleswoman who already had put up various woollen scarves on display as samples. Manjiri inquisitively scrutinized all the options and finally stopped on a hand knitted light bluish-grey and aqua green coloured wool scarf. She personally loved the fabric and the shades of that scarf.
She instantly made a phone call to Shaurya in order to make him come over to the counter where she was.
"How's this?"
Manjiri turned to Shaurya with scarf in her hand. He answered shrugging his shoulders.
"Nice."
"How about a try?"
She asked again only to receive an impassive reply.
"Try it then!"
"Shaurya?"
She kind of whisper shrieked at his nonchalance. And that's when it clicked him
"Are you getting it for me?"
Before Manjiri could reply, the saleswoman took the charge
"Try it, Sir. Ma'am chose it especially for you.
Very few girlfriends are so fond of shopping for their boyfriends."
Shaurya was pleasantly surprised hearing that. He didn't wish to correct that saleswoman at that, so he simply smiled at her.
Manjiri stepped forward to hand him the scarf but there, he lowered his head slightly in front of her, wanting her to help him.
By that time, the saleswoman went to attend another customer, thus leaving them alone.
Manjiri smiled and looked at him with anticipation, as she properly enveloped his neck with the scarf.
He turned towards the mirror to view his reflection. She stood behind him and softly smiled peering at him through the mirror.
He raised his eyebrows to ask her about her opinion. She immediately replied
"I like it."
"Me or this?"
He asked making her to look at him surprised.
She right away turned her face on feeling a little diffident. Nonetheless, she managed to reply whilst reading nothing in particular, only faking to read something printed on the cardboard which was pasted above the counter.
"Of course the scarf. Pastel colours are my favourite."
Shaurya turned to her and leaned a little towards her shoulder from behind, after throwing careful glances all around. He whispered in her ear
"And here I thought that I was special."
"I can't break this scarf's heart."
Manjiri answered meekly, turning and matching her gaze with his. Whereas he didn't back away, stood still, in fact spoke up in a tone which fell down to a few decibels.
"It doesn't have a heart, Silly. But I do have one."
"Really?... And guess what, I've four."
Uttering that, Manjiri got away. Turning around to look at him from a distance, she added waving the scarf, "Let's take this one then, come."
"As you're a couple, we've got a matching ladies scarf for this particular scarf.
Do you wish to try that too?"
The same saleswoman informed Manjiri. To which she shook her head in negative
"No, I don't need it. Thanks a lot."
"Please show that to us. She'll try."
Shaurya demanded from behind. Manjiri spared a glance at him
"Shaurya, it's not required. Maa already bought me a shawl."
Turning around, she requested to the saleswoman "Just wrap this men's scarf, please."
"You told me that I matter to you. And I told you that is all that matters to me.........................."
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The women were all done with their dinner. They were waiting for the men to finish, but it appeared like men were more interested in chatting and cracking jokes than having food.
And people always blame women for that they chat a lot. Weird!
All were at a dhaba (roadside small restaurant) presently, the senior ladies were away to use the restroom and wash hands.
So there were just Manjiri, Sameeksha and Shreya, and of course Vaidik, killing their time as they waited for others to finish up fast.
Vaidik was having a great time whilst sitting right at the centre of the eating table. And as said, behind every happy toddler at a eating place, is always his or her mother rearranging the cutlery time and again. So Shreya was on her duty.
"Enough, Vaidik. Leave this fork, it'll hurt you."
"Shreya Bhabhi, presently he is hurting the fork."
Sameeksha chuckled making Shreya view the damaged plastic fork in Vaidik's hand. The fork was no longer a fork, it was just a thin pointless plastic handle now.
"Come on children, let's get back to the dharamshala."
Mrs Suniti Mohan called out from a distance as the men finally got done with their dinner.
"Alright, Aunty."
Sameeksha replied and then whispered to Manjiri and Shreya, "Are we going back already?"
"What do you mean by 'already', Sam?
Can't you see how dark it has got. Moreover, the blowing cold wind isn't safe anymore. It has turned more chillier."
Shreya finished as picked Vaidik in her arms.
Sameeksha reasoned
"But the night is still young, Shreya Bhabhi.
Also, we aren't here only to shop, pray and eat... What say, Miru?"
Manjiri looked at both of them. Shreya's direct gaze upon her somehow always used to make her nervous. She still used to think that maybe she can never be into her good books. All thanks to her elder sister, Adishri.
But eventually, she could notice a slight change in her sister-in-law's behaviour towards her and Adishri, from a few months. By all means, possibly she had turned a little soft towards them.
"I think we should get back. Everyone is tired and have to get up early in the morning for the aarti too."
Manjiri spoke as she got up and started buttoning up her coat. Shreya left from there and walked to join her husband.
"You laid down the weapons very quickly. How supportive you're!"
Sameeksha nagged throwing her arm around Manjiri as they started walking towards the rest of them. Manjiri responded smiling
"That's just how I'm. Very very supportive!"
"And I utterly hate you for this, my not so dear Jethani (Sister-in-law)."
Sameeksha's attempt to irk Manjiri was successful.
'And I hate you more when you address me with this title, to be wife of a Butler."
"A queen always remain a queen, my dear Jethani ji."
Sameeksha sassily clarified making Manjiri roll her eyes.
"Stay close to people who feel like sunlight........................"
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"Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy;
They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.............................."
Calling it a night, all were on their mattresses, which were placed on the floor in a single queue.
The dharamshala wasn't really big enough but still somehow it was suitable to spend a night, or can say a few hours more appropriately.
So basically, there were two small halls. A hall within hall with attached washrooms. Ladies were allotted the inner hall while gents had to bear the hustle and bustle of the busy trek way which led to the temple eventually, after 2.5 kilometres.
Sameeksha drifted off to sleep as soon as she hit the bed, and there a while back, she was telling Manjiri and Shreya that the night was still young. Manjiri stifled her giggles thinking about that.
Sameeksha's mother was busy on a phone call while Shreya was arranging her purse for tomorrow. On being a toddler's mother, her purse used to carry not only the things which she needed but also the things which his little one might need.
"Miru beta (child), go out and check for once if your father-in-law has taken his medicine or not. If he hasn't then report me right away... I'll see to him then."
Mrs Suniti Mohan instructed Manjiri whilst applying mosquito repellent cream on her arms. Taking a pause, she added "Also make sure that a water bottle of warm water is arranged for him by the boys."
"Alright, Maa."
Manjiri smiled inwardly. Her parents-in-law had a unique style of depicting affection to one another. They cared for each other but never really speak anything swoon-worthy at each other's faces. However, whenever she used to find them together, most of the times it was always like her mother-in-law laughing hard with her head back while her father-in-law smiling at his wife and making her laugh more.
What they had always eventually give her hope. For exactly what, she had no idea.
"Where are you taking this?"
Mrs Suniti Mohan asked when she noticed Manjiri collecting a hosiery-cotton stole from her bag.
"Umm... This?
To Shaurya. He might not be able to sleep properly on these well-worn, undusted pillow cases of here. So maybe after covering his pillow with this, he might be able to sleep."
Manjiri reasoned, trying her best to not look into Mrs Mohan's eyes, which instantly sparkled with content.
Despite having no similar interests, Mrs Mohan always wanted to feel close to Manjiri, as much as she was to his son, Shaurya.
Of course she was among the ones who chose her for him, but she wouldn't lie in telling that in the initial days of their marriage, she used to be immensely bothered about the future of his and her relation. However, now she was no longer bothered about that. She was pleased now. Her son and daughter-in-law's growing involvement invariably used to render ease to her eyes and relief to her heart.
"Go then."
Mrs Mohan directed her, hiding her smile to not make Manjiri more self-conscious.
_
"Papa, did you take your medicines?"
At Manjiri's question, Mr Anubhav Mohan paused the video he was viewing on his phone, which was but obviously playing in full volume. He kind of jerked up recollecting his memory.
Hearing Manjiri's voice, Shaurya looked towards her. But unfortunately she was far from his reach, as his mattress was in the extreme corner.
"Oh I forgot. They are in that small white bag, bring them from there, Manjiri."
Mr Mohan asked her. She nodded and started walking towards that corner where all the bags were stacked. On her way, she found that Sameeksha's father was fast asleep as similar to Sameeksha.
And unlike the other days, she was surprised to see Dev. Fully enveloped in a blanket, he was literally trying to sleep early.
And beside Dev was Shaurya, with a sheer displeased look. It was not hard for her to tell that the hustle bustle of the busy alley outside, snores of Mr Nanda and his own father's high volumed political news; were collectively enough to irk his senses. And how not to forget about his fussy cleanliness freak temperament.
"Here!"
She passed Mr Mohan his medicine and some warm water.
"Thanks, beta.
And don't tell her that I forgot about the medicines. Otherwise she'll inspect and pointlessly get more mad, alright?"
Mr Mohan asked in a soft whisper whilst handing back the empty glass in Manjiri's hand and also peering at the entrance of inner hall to ensure that his wife was not there hearing him.
Manjiri nodded her head whilst grinning.
That was not new for her, his father-in-law's careless attitude towards himself and his own health, really did annoy his mother-in-law. And that certainly at times made the entire Mohan family to witness their cute and silly arguments. Arguments which were only out of care and concern. And of course fondness and affinity.
"Good night, Papa."
"Good night, beta.
And listen, in case if you need anything or have any problem, feel free to let me or any of us know immediately. But avoid going out unaccompanied, ok?
Do tell this thing to Shreya and Sameeksha as well."
"Hmm."
Manjiri responded helping the elder one with the blanket. Walking back to the corner to place the medicines back in the bag, she then stopped at Shaurya.
"Not liking the place?"
Manjiri inquired as she got rid off her footwear. Shaurya replied shifting and making some space for her to settle down in front of him.
"I really can't sleep in this bustling surrounding. I miss my room,... our room."
"Oh that's why you're still sitting upright, totally invested in your beloved phone."
She muttered giving a glance to his phone in his hands and reached for the pillow laying a little far from him.
He stupefyingly kept on observing movements of her hands as she enveloped the pillow with the help of her stole. Placing the enveloped pillow back to it's place, she said
"Now, lie down and have some rest."
"Thanks. You don't know but that undusted, ugly looking pillow cover was kind of making me nauseous.
You know, it had various food stains. I wonder why these dharamshala's people doesn't clean these stuffs frequently."
He expressed looking at her. To which she shook her head and took away his phone to place it on the window ledge behind him.
"Now keep this aside. Let it also take some rest."
As she was about to retract her hand, he took a hold of it asking
"What's this?"
"Oh this?... This is nothing. When I was taking off the bangles, one of them broke."
She explained rubbing her slightly wounded wrist.
He uttered stopping her other hand from rubbing that area
"You should have put something on it."
"No, it happens. It'll get fine soon."
She shrugged when she saw him reaching out to collect the same bag in which his father's medicines were kept.
"Perks of having a doctor father. He always carry these few essentials whilst traveling with family."
He mumbled whilst lightly massaging an antiseptic cream on her wrist. She just smiled in response, basking in the warmth of his care and concern.
Before Shaurya could close that box to keep that back, Manjiri extended her hands to pick some cotton from it. He upped his eyelashes to look at her, wondering what she was up to.
As he opened his mouth to ask her, she scooted closer to stuff his ears with small cotton balls. She mumbled dashing back
"Now try to sleep."
A small smile graced his lips inadvertently. In a trice, Dev removed his blanket from his face to peep out and whisper shriek irritably
"How much you both speak?
You know, your these whispers are more annoying than this buzzing orchestra of mosquitoes."
Manjiri gazed at Dev, whose mattress was placed next to Shaurya's.
It was very wrong of her to think that he was asleep. How could she forget that Dr Dev Singh Mohan doesn't sleep before 2 or 3 at night? 11 is quite early for him. Perhaps he was just pretending to possess good habits to gain some brownie points from his prospective in-laws.
"Will you shut up and sleep?"
Shaurya retorted spraying mosquito repellent spray over his totally blanket - enveloped form.
"Will you both let me sleep? You two are literally antique pieces. When you both are expected to be sleeping, you very casually chat. And when you're expected to chat, you kept mum and shy away."
Dev snapped throwing away his blanket to come out of it and make his points across. He kept on adding dramatically in a low voice
"For fresh instance, when we all were sleeping in the train, you both were busy romancing. And now also the same thing.
Don't you people sleep, when you're with each other?"
Shying away with Dev's indirect teasing words, Manjiri got up to go.
As she turned, she saw Abhinav, Shreya's husband, coming from outside and closing the door behind him. He was having a babbling Vaidik in his arms.
"Manjiri!"
Abhinav called out on seeing Manjiri.
"Yes, Jiju."
"Take Vaidik along with you inside. I tried but it seems that he has no mood to sleep. Shreya can only handle him now."
"Don't you feel sleepy, Vaidik?"
Manjiri inquired Vaidik whilst taking him from Abhinav's arms.
"Miru, there. Outside. Let's go."
Vaidik tried to persuade Manjiri pointing his finger towards the door. To which Abhinav reprimanded
"What outside, Vaidik? You already saw just now that nothing interesting is there outside at this hour, except some Sadhu Babas (Hindu ascetics) whom you already met a while ago.
Do you want to go to them?"
Surprisingly, Vaidik nodded his head to that, wriggling in Manjiri's arms. All the non sleeping ones chuckled at that. Dev remarked covering himself with the blanket
"It seems that Vaidik is way too much fascinated by the holy men dressed in saffron coloured clothes."
"Not with them but with their time and again chanting of 'Jai Mata Di' (Victory unto Mother Goddess). Their bells and damrus (pellet drums) are too intriguing him more."
Abhinav muttered walking towards his mattress which was in between his father and Dev's.
"Come, Vaidik. Let's go to Mumma."
Manjiri mumbled to Vaidik turning towards the inner hall. Dev called out to her. By his smile, his intentions didn't appear sincere. He was yet to complete his dose of poking fun at others, and especially at Manjiri and Shaurya. His forever favourite ones whom he couldn't resist teasing and annoying.
"Bhabhi, good night."
"Good night, Bhaiya."
Manjiri uttered turning to look at Dev.
Whereas in response he flashed his teasing grin informing her
"That was from Bhai's side."
At that Shaurya and Manjiri both exchanged an awkward glance.
She immediately understood Dev's hidden motive of teasing her, by intentionally bringing up Shaurya. So she wordlessly turned around but Dev called out to her again
"Bhabhi!... Good night."
"Good night."
She simply muttered angling her neck at back and then began to walk. But Dev still not stopped at that, he called to her yet again
"Bhabhi!"
"Now what?"
She asked turning around, trying her best to reply calmly.
"Jai Mata Di." Dev grinned and then added "From Bhai's side."
At that Manjiri didn't respond to him at all and straight away walked inside the inner hall.
"Bhabhi!"
Dev attempted to call her again but she completely ignored his calls and drew the curtains from inside. That made Dev chuckle hardly.
"Moron!"
Shaurya instantaneously threw a pillow at laughing Dev's face and laid down snuggling his face in his enveloped pillow, thus whiffing in her dintinct faint fragrance emanating from her stole.
"Why are you in my head so much?............
You manifesting me or I manifesting you?"
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_
_
"IT HAPPENS TO THE BEST OF US!!!...........
Well, I'm not the best so why is it happening to me?"
"Sam, you are still making your hair.
Make it fast. Elders must be all set to leave."
Manjiri enunciated chattering her teeth. She hated early baths. And early baths in winters were no less than punishments. An absolute nightmare for her. The weather was definitely cool and it was still very dark outside.
For a moment, when her eyes fell on sleeping Vaidik, she wished to be him. If she was him, nobody would give a damn even if she would visit the temple without taking a bath. Her sleep wouldn't be disturbed. She wouldn't also be required to climb all the stairs of the temple on foot, as at then, she could have casually chosen any pair of arms to hold her whilst climbing. And nobody would even judge her for that.
"Oh! Just stop fretting, Miru.
It's not everyday I dress up Indian. Let me take my time.
By the way, elders won't leave without having their morning tea, which hasn't been arranged as yet. So just chill, we got enough time."
Sameeksha informed parting her hair into two parts. She was dressed in a royal blue coloured silk anarkali (long frock-style top and slim fitted bottom) dress, which went with a pretty embroidered shawl in the same shade.
"Apply this. This shade will perfectly complement with your saree."
Throwing a lipstick on the bag, near which Manjiri was adjusting the pleats of her maroon zariwork saree, Sameeksha exclaimed.
Putting on a jacket instantly, Manjiri replied shivering
"I'm not applying anything, please...
God knows how will I be able to go on top, I'm already freezing."
"There will be no such cold. In fact when you'll climb up so many stairs in a go, you'll automatically feel like taking off your jacket. Trust me, I've been here quite a many times."
Sameeksha uttered walking closer to Manjiri to collect her lipstick which remained unused.
"You haven't applied anything.
Not even eyeliner and lip gloss, why? These two are basic, come on. Let me help you some."
After repeated insists of Sameeksha, Manjiri had to sit on a chair at long last so that Sameeksha could conveniently make her wear the eyeliner.
Wearing eyeliner on her own, wasn't really the art Manjiri could even think to master someday. She used to miserably fail in drawing proper lines over her eyelids. Courtesy to her overly fluttering eyelids.
"What's taking you people so long?"
Shaurya's sudden sharp call resulted in the eyeliner to move in the wrong way and smudge an undesired area on Manjiri's face.
"Damn!... You scared me, Shaurya Bhai.
See now what damage you've done?"
Sameeksha grumbled standing upright. Shaurya seemed oblivious of the damage he had indirectly done to Manjiri's eyelid.
"I did or you did?"
"Oh God!"
Manjiri gasped on closely examining her unevenly smudged and totally ruined eyelined eyelid. Sameeksha continued her grumbles walking towards Shaurya
"Of course you did.
Who even enters like that? That too in a utter scary, alarming tone?"
"Now, help her out. While I brush my hair and make an apt hairstyle using the washroom's mirror."
Picking up her comb, brush and a box of hair clips, Sameeksha made her way inside the washroom.
Shaurya carefully flipped his eyes outside to ensure that all were still very busy in a random discussion as they waited for their teas. He very carefully shut the door a little, keeping it left open ajar. Turning around, he dashed towards Manjiri who was trying to rub off the unneeded blackness over her eyelid.
As soon as Shaurya reached in front of her, she jerked her head to shoot a fierce glare at him, which was supposed to make her look dangerous, but it just had the opposite effect on him.
She continued rubbing off closing her eyelids, totally ignoring his presence. And that's when she felt his icy thumb tracing the region of her closed eyelid.
"It wasn't intentional in anyway."
She heard him mumble, which instantaneously made her open her other eye and thus coming face to face with him.
Hardly had she unfurled her eyelid, that's when her breath was immediately knocked out of her chest in that split second, on sensing their proximity. His closeness always effected her in a really very odd way.
She constricted her lungs, preventing them from inhaling enough oxygen. She could sense her pulse picking up pace and heart beating oddly very fast. She wondered was she sick?
What was the reason behind her sickness? Should she ask him...........?
"I wanna be soft with someone and not regret it after............................."
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Dear ones, do share your honest views on this chap and the story, as this is the only source of motivation which literally pushes me to pen down.
This can also help me in improving. So yes, eagerly waiting now.
I would really appreciate if each one of you will come and put forward your genuine reviews + expectations from me and
"JI HUZOORI".
~~~
This is it for now. Hope you liked it. I am sorry for the mistakes.
In case if you want to share your views or suggest something, you are more than welcome.
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Till then take care and stay connected.
Love ♥️✨