Dusk dawned on a beautiful hue across the sky.
Kunti gazed at her sons gloomily who were still sitting in the same position, when sudden thought crossed her mind.
She got up from her seat and went towards them. Taking a seat on the bench, beside theirs, she was ready to enlighten her sons about her daughter-in-law.
"She is different, Putro. And you all know that better than me."
They looked up to their mother, hearing her words. Indeed they knew that she was a lot more different, along with her different points of view.
"Putri Panchali has the worst point of view regarding men. And I don't blame her because her words shuddered my soul also. I couldn't imagine what women in Kaliyug have to face. That's one of the sole reasons why she has such thoughts." Kunti paused as she cautiously scanned the expressions of her sons.
"Men in Kali Yug are worse than animals. They are sadistic because they love torturing women. Her words clearly expressed that men feel immense pleasure in torturing women. " Kunti spoke and then looked at her sons, who had their eyes cast down.
"Men in Dvāpar Yug are no different." She paused because her five sons raised their eyes at her, being startled.
"But not every man is the same, Putro. I know better that my sons are not like any of those men out there." Her next words visibly made them calm down.
The Pandavas were clear in their own position and they knew about that.
"Putri Panchali is not wrong in her position, neither are you five. What's wrong is the timing. Her thoughts about men are not wrong but if she thinks that every man out there is the same, then that is her wrong thought." She calmly tried to explain them.
"She's your wife, Putro. And I, as your mother, know that your relationship with her is not cordial. She still doesn't accept you all, I know that. I often wondered about the cause but now I guess I somewhat know the reason."
They listened to their mother keenly because they also wanted to know the reason. And obviously as a mother she had to know.
Moreover they tried to keep their complicated relationship away from their mother but it seemed like she knew about it.
And they did no effort to deny the fact.
At that point of time, when they heard Panchali's thoughts about men they were surprised and hurt them.
But not more than what she uttered at last about them, before walking out of the garden. Those words shook their entire world.
"The five people who didn't think even once before destroying my image in the society, are men whom I would never give the control remote of my life. I am an independent woman who can bear all my own responsibilities and not depend on any filth creature called men." She spat the words over their hearts.
"After all, ho toh mard hi na aur mardo ki fitrat hoti hai ki ek stree ko apne pairo ke dhul banene rakne wale."
The words still echoed in their mind like a broken record, shattering their hearts like any other time because of her deeds and words.
They came out of their stupor when Kunti spoke next.
"My suggestion would be, try to change her perspective, Putro. I think she can't trust you all, so gain her trust first."
Kunti smiled at her sons softly. She rose up from her seat, as respect, Pandavas also stood.
She walked two steps ahead while speaking, "There are times when a mother has to become a friend to her children. And just like a friend, I am suggesting you all. Win her trust, then slowly build your relationship with her."
"There will be times when you will feel vulnerable, like you felt just a few moments ago and blame yourselves. Think positively. She needs more care, your marital relationship needs more care and nurture from all of you."
"I am not saying that suddenly some miracle will happen and then you all will have a peaceful life. Because life is not any fairy tale where a Prince and Princess get married and then happily ever after. Real struggles begin just after a wedding." Kunti said with an experienced look on her face.
The woman too faced the real difficulties in her life after her marriage with her late husband.
Her mind drifted towards her wedding night when late King Pandu, her husband, had to go for an urgent war to help the neighbouring kingdom, Madra.
A broken and painful smile formed on her face as she remembered the worst memory, that a few days later when she was all decked up like a bride to welcome her victorious husband back, she got the shock of her life.
Her husband came with his newly wedded bride.
And the irony?
She had to welcome her husband and his new wife who happened to be her co-wife, all by herself.
That's when the real struggle of her life began.
Yudhishthir slowly started getting to understand what his mother was trying to say.
Yes, she had worst thoughts about men and maybe that's the reason why she couldn't tolerate her relationship with them which clearly bound her with not one but five men.
He should have calmly noticed her insecurities but he failed in doing so.
His mother was absolutely right. They should start gaining her trust.
He and his brothers should make her understand that they were different.
Bheem, as the strongest man, also started getting to the point where his mother tried to pin out.
Her words clearly stated that she has trust issues and that's why she couldn't trust them and had some out of the world thoughts about them that they would try to control her.
No, never. Vrikodar somewhere knew he would place the whole world on her feet rather than try to confine her within some non sense boundaries.
He needed to clear her wrong thoughts about him and his brothers.
He needed to win her trust, so that she doesn't feel anymore insecurities about them.
Arjun, one of the best archers of the world, who had sharp eyes to watch, failed to see her point of view.
It's a shame for him that he couldn't look at her insight. He won her in her swayamvar but failed to know her completely.
She had trust issues with men. He should have known that because she came from Kali Yug, the dark era where only unrighteousness reigned.
He now knew that he had to compensate his fault for not knowing her. He had to win her trust and build his relationship with her.
Nakul, being an expert in love, flirting and relationships, finally understood that he knew nothing about those things.
He never understood her, rather never tried to do so. Her thoughts about men were not wrong because he knew men like those do exist.
But he vowed to himself that he would definitely make her understand that he was not in that low category of men, neither his brothers were.
He would definitely win her trust. The look of determination dawned upon his face.
Sahdev too being the knowledgeable man of his times couldn't understand his own wife's way of thinking.
And he highly regretted that.
She was from Kali Yug, the dark era. Being a scholar, the youngest Pandava, knew what his wife spoke about men in Kali Yug, was true.
Cause, the Vedas and Puranas clearly depicted the dark era of mankind.
The Bhavishya Purana mentioned about the dark side of Kali Yug in such a way that said men would violate women in the worst way possible.
And being from that era, her having such thoughts about men was absolutely right.
But there was a difference in her thoughts and that was she misunderstood every man out there was in the same category.
She thought him and his brothers were also like that.
And now when he understood her somewhere, he promised himself that he would definitely clear her misunderstanding about them.
"Take the first step towards her, my sons. I know that you all will get success and win her back."
Kunti spoke after coming out of her thoughts and her words also made her sons break their reverie.
The look of determination was evident on their faces. They would surely do everything to win her trust.
A throat clearing noise made the sons and the mother look ahead, only to find Panchali standing with a stoic face and with her eye glass on her eyes. Her hands were shoved inside her pant pockets.
"Sorry to interrupt the sweet family time, but it was important. Actually the renovation is done, so I am thinking of shifting. I hope you all won't have any kind of problem." Her neutral and sarcasm filled voice reached them.
But the reaction was different as Kunti smiled wholeheartedly thinking finally the lady whom she thought was her daughter would stay with her in her mansion.
While the Pandavas felt their heart fluttering hearing her decision to stay with them.
They looked at each other. Overwhelmed emotions were clearly evident on their faces as they grinned happily.
She herself decided to stay with them, in their own mansion. That meant something, right!?
"That's really a good decision, dear. We all are too ecstatic with your settlement." Kunti chirped happily with lots of enthusiasm.
"These over sweet smiles would surely turn me into a diabetic patient someday. " Panchali said in English while sighing which felt like a gibberish language to the mother and sons, as they looked too confused.
"What did you say ?" Nakul asked with the most stupid, innocent and confusion filled face, according to his wife.
"Nothing that you should know." Panchali said with absolutely no emotion as Nakul immediately shut his mouth.
"I am thinking that I will shift tomorrow morning. Before that Malini along with her other co-workers will shift my stuff tonight." She informed them.
"Why tomorrow? Come with us today only. In fact now." Arjun said almost immediately making Panchali taken aback.
Kunti fought with the smile on her face watching the happiness on her sons' faces while the other four looked at her with expectations.
Why are they looking so excited? Panchali thought while frowning at them.
"No. Not today. As I said, I will shift tomorrow only." She said sternly.
"And it's the end of discussion." She added with her such authority when she saw Arjun was going to say something more.
Turning back, she walked out of the garden leaving behind a joyous environment.
"It's okay Arjun, control yourself. She will come tomorrow, right ?" Kunti said snickering with a teasing tone.
Arjun felt weirdly shy but in the best way, listening to his mother, as he looked at the area where she stood seconds ago.
He couldn't wait more to stay with her and the words just slipped out of his mouth automatically.
"I thought you all had to take the first step but I was wrong. And I am glad about that. Now that she has taken the first step, I hope you all won't face any problem to take the next step. So, hurry up, my sons, I am eager to watch you all are doing efforts to impress my daughter." Kunti said with a frank teasing smile and voice that made her sons go all red.
"Oh my God ! Mata, I am so excited." Nakul squealed and hugged Kunti, wrapping his hands around the latter's torso while the mother giggled at her sons' excitement.
"It's quite late. I think we should go inside." Yudhishthir spoke calmly looking around the surrounding that started to get dark.
Walking back to their mansion with his brothers and mother, the eldest Pandava felt peace settling in his heart.
His mind repeatedly played the vision of his wife when she informed them about her decision to stay with them. In their mansion.
The decision was her's and now he swore that she would never regret staying in their palace.
He would try every way possible to make her comfortable with them.
His reverie broke when he heard Bheem speaking being enthusiastic.
Roaming his eyes around, he realized that they were now in their mother's chamber.
A pleasant smile broke on his face thinking he was lost in her thoughts all through the time.
"I will make delicious food for her. What say, Mata ?" Bheem asked with excitement lacing his voice.
Kunti giggled at her son but before she could reply, Nakul pipped in.
"That's okay, Bhrata, but are you sure, she'll have the food made by you? Because from what I saw, she eats some unknown foreign dishes. So, I think your efforts are going in vain." Nakul teased Bheem, struggling to not burst out his laughter.
The mischievous Madri-nandan glanced at his mother and his other three brothers who were trying to keep a straight face.
While Bheem looked to be in a dilemma. Indeed her food habits are a lot different from them.
"I think I should try making delicious food. Who knows, she may eat. What if she is tired of eating those tasteless and weird looking things. So, yes I will cook tomorrow." Bheem said after thinking about all the pros and cons.
"Point to be noted." Sahdev commented and then added, "Don't forget to make your famous Laddoo-s, Bhrata."
"Okay, so the food department is managed by Bhrata Bheem which is sorted. And now coming to the decoration part, I think-" Arjun was interrupted.
"Let it be, Bhrata Arjun. I'll handle that." Nakul said being over confident, running his hand through his silky hair.
Phalgun passed a boring look to Nakul and looked at others.
"Oh really!? So, you can handle all the arrangements and do everything all by yourselves. And by that everything, I meant decorating our whole mansion. So,you are capable of doing 'everything' alone, right?" Arjun taunted Nakul, who suddenly realized what he said earlier.
Sahdev snickered, saying, "That's why it says confidence is good but not over confidence."
Nakul clicked his tongue and said, "Whatever it is. Let's go now and do the arrangements. We don't have too much time for gossiping."
But he received a deadpanned look from others.
"Let's go." Nakul spoke, dragging Bheem, Arjun and Sahdev with him.
Kunti and Yudhishthir chuckled at the way they went.
Walking to where her eldest son stood, the mother caressed her son's face lovingly.
"The efforts you put in today will surely be successful tomorrow, my son. And I am sure of that." Kunti said while Yudhishthir nodded smiling lightly, getting the point.
Dharmraj touched his mother's feet and took blessings and walked out with a bright smile.
«««~~~~~~~~~~»»»
★★★
«««~~~~~~~~~~»»»
"Hey, what are you doing ? Don't keep the flowers here. Hang it from the ceiling." Nakul said to a servant as the irritation with a mixture of excitement and anxiousness laced his voice.
It was post dinner and the Pandavas were busy decorating their mansion to welcome their wife.
Everything should be perfect. Just as she liked.
"No, no, not like that...Let me show you...Do like this." Sahdev put flower beads around a pillar on the other side of mansion, showing the servant how exactly it should be done.
Bheem wiped the tears from his eyes with his upper part of his left wrist.
No matter what, tears always managed to come out of his eyes every time he cut onions. Obviously that's quite natural, right?
Vrikodar was in the kitchen, cutting onions to make a delicious dish for his fierce wife.
With eyes turned red, tears falling down and runny nose, he still went on cutting onions.
He was making arrangements for breakfast. Five types of curries would be done along with flatbreads.
The servants and maids offered to help him but he straight away denied taking any kind of help from anyone.
Entire food department would be managed by him, and only him.
"Ah... At last... We made it out...Climbing all through the mountain for fetching these flowers, now seemed worth it." Arjun spoke, huffing, trying to catch his breath.
"Soldiers, let's start collecting the flowers." Yudhishthir said while the soldiers bowed and went ahead to collect the flowers.
"Just look around, Jyest. This is ethereal. Nakul would have been jumping around if he would been here." Arjun said looking around the flower field while Yudhishthir nodded, chuckling.
The two Kaunteyas trekked all through the mountain with some soldiers, on the outskirts of Hastinapur, only to fetch flowers for Panchali.
The night time with the stars across the sky and the floor field looked enchanting.
"Jyest, let's pluck the purple tulips by ourselves. Nakul mentioned to bring the purple tulips especially." Arjun said while walking sideways with Yudhishthir, towards the part of the tulip field.
"Yes, I think he has some plans to do with the tulips. God knows what." Yudhishthir replied, chuckling and Arjun joined him.
It took a lot of time for them to collect the flowers. It's already midnight and they needed to hurry up.
"Thank God you both came, Bhrata. Or else for a moment, I thought we can't complete everything." Nakul breathed in relief.
"Is everything done ?" Yudhishthir asked, looking around the decorated corridor.
"Umm yes... and no also." Nakul replied making Arjun and Yudhishthir confused.
Watching their confusion, he spoke clearly, "The corridor decorations are done, and the only thing needed was tulips."
"Oh yes, I saw the servants are making the pathway with flower petals but what are you going to do with the tulips ?" Sahdev asked, coming in their direction.
"I will tell you all cause I need your help. So come with me." Nakul said and started walking towards the entrance of their mansion.
The other three brothers looked at each other, not getting what Nakul planned. Nevertheless they shrugged off and followed Nakul.
On the other hand, Bheem was almost done cooking the last dish. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a cloth.
"Almost done... Only some spices are left to add on the curries... It would be better if I fry the flatbreads just before breakfast... Eating hot flatbreads with these delicious curries is just mouth watering..." Bheem went on speaking to himself while cooking.
Blowing air to the fire under the Kadhai with the help of a rod, he coughed a little as the smoke hit his mouth and nostrils.
Covering the Kadhai, he let it cook for some more time.
Vrikodar then took some flour on a platter and added water to it. It took quite a little time for the flour and water to get mixed and turn into a spongy dough.
He covered the dough with an utensil, so that it didn't get dry and hard.
Cleaning the extra flour from his hands, Bheem took the spatula and opened the utensil that covered the Kadhai.
Vapour rose immediately and the delicious smell of the food satisfied him.
"Ahh... This is heaven." He moaned smelling the mothe watering smell and then added some more flavours and mixed it with the spatula.
"I just hope she likes the foods." Bheem muttered to himself while pouring the curry on a bowl. And the little nervousness that laced his words was known to him also.
He glanced at the sky from the window in the Kitchen. It was not even a prahar left for morning.
"I hope by the time, I can complete with the Laddoos." He again spoke to himself.
Hurrying up he started to arrange the things needed to make Laddoos.
"Finally, it's done." Arjun, Nakul and Sahdev said in unison while Yudhishthir looked satisfied.
The four brothers had a pleasant and satisfied smile on their faces looking at the entrance of their mansion.
They were contended with their work on the entrance with tulips.
Nakul yawned first and then looked at the sky which turned a light hue indicating it was dawn.
"I can't believe Nakul sacrificed his beauty sleep and was up whole night to help us." Sahdev teased but Nakul ignored him, rolling his eyes.
Arjun raised his eyebrows at Nakul's ignorance to their teasing. A mischievous thought to tease the latter came in his mind.
"Poor Nakul, the boy couldn't get sleep whole night and now huge bags and dark circles covered under his eyes." Arjun said after winking at Sahdev while Nakul's eyes visibly widened hearing him.
"Just the thought of her looking at Nakul in this poor state of his, gives a sad feeling to me." Arjun spoke with his fake sad tone, trying not to burst out laughing looking at Nakul's horrified face.
"Jyest, is it true that dark circles are under my eyes ?" Nakul asked Yudhishthir instead who smiled and then nodded.
Notwithstanding the horrified face of Nakul, Arjun and Sahdev burst out laughing.
"What happened ?" Bheem asked in amusement, coming towards their direction watching Arjun and Sahdev laughing their heart out, Nakul sulking and his Jyest chuckling a bit.
"Bhrata Bheem, you tell me. Is there any dark circles under my eyes ?" Nakul asked sulking. He had an expectant face expecting to get a negative reply Bheem.
Vrikodar raised his eyebrows at him and then looked at his two laughing younger brothers ahead.
He nodded his head getting the point.
"I know you will think that I am teasing you but I ain't. There are indeed dark circles under your eyes." Bheem said in a fake sad tone making Nakul more horrified than he was.
"Okay it's enough. Now that it's already dawn, let's go and freshen up. We have to go to the Morning Veneration." Yudhishthir said as the other four nodded.
"And moreover, she is going to come. After the whole night, I am really satisfied with our hard work." Nakul said with contentment lacing his voice while the other four nodded, looking around the hard work they did.
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Dear Readers,
Hello, hii to my lovely readers... Hope y'all are doing well.
I know it's again too late for the update and again I apologize for my deed.
Actually my college admission was going on and I got into St. Xavier's College, Kolkata.
So, from one of my dream colleges, I am pursuing SOCIOLOGY honours with four years under- graduate degree curriculum.
The last chapter had too less votes and comments, so I am really, really, really disappointed in you guys.
I can understand the FLOOR DECOR part of not getting votes and comments more because it was just about some pictures.
But what about THE HARSH REALITIES part? Why it has so less votes and comments??
See, I am working too hard to upload the chapters with a long process with thinking a good plot, conversation and all.
I am trying to show as much as realistic the scene can be, so that it would be easy for you guys to imagine thoroughly.
And the least I expect is just your votes and comments, even if it's just one. Do it, guys.
The comments help me to understand your thoughts and then I could write accordingly.
And those who expressed their feelings have my heart ❤ Thank you guys !!
One of my readers asked me to mention the movie AJMER 92 which is about the the biggest rape scandel after reading the previous chapter.
So, my request is to you all: Watch the movie and I hope you won't regret it.
yevaahh Special thanks to you coz it's you who have my heart because of your more n more reviews about the previous chapter (in PM) and requested me to mention about the movie.
Okay, enough of my ranting...Bye till next time.
• VOTE • COMMENT •
Thanking You,
Hiya
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