Note: This is a long chapter and I am a little anxious about how it will be received. This is the farthest I have veered from show wala Virat. Hope it feels right. Please leave comments (even the silent ones please)
Part 15 - 'Rait Jara si'
The day of the wedding
Early in the morning, it is time for the Haldi ceremony. Ushti Halad has come from Vishal’s family and it is being applied to Shivani bua. Later, as expected, it goes into a full blown holi fest with everyone putting it on each other. Virat too has haldi on his face, he sneaks behind Sai and quickly pulls her to the side. Before she could react to anything, he nuzzles his cheeks against hers, transferring some haldi to her face.
“Kya kar rahe hai aap? Koi dekh lega!!”
“Dekhne do… ushti halad laga raha hun” says Virat, crosses his arms and looks at her flustered face.
During the Mangalastaka, Virat is holding one end of Antarpat and Sai is standing behind Shivani bua holding kalash. Virat is so engrossed in looking at Sai that he doesn't realize that it's time to drop the Antarpat for Varmala. Samrat punches him slightly and he finally drops it but not before getting sniggers from the SaiRat gang standing there.
All through the ceremony, he shamelessly follows her and teases her without caring for the other guests and how it may look to them. Sai is shocked at his audacity and though happy also notices Omi and Bhavani are getting irritated.
After the vidai, everyone is back to Chavan Niwas, including Sai as she has come to pick up her stuff.
Bhavani and gang are sitting in the drawing room, talking with each other. Virat has just returned from the venue with the last bit of stuff and immediately asks Ashwini for Sai.
Upset at his behaviour, Bhavani loudly calls him… “Virat.. Ye kya chalu hai?”
Virat, immediately stops in his tracks and goes to the living area, “Kya hua Kaku? Sirf Sai ke liye pooch raha tha.. Isme kya hogaya?”
Omkar - “Virat.. Jyada bhole mat bano.. Sab samajh rahe ho Vahini kya pooch rahi hai”
“Thik hai Kaku, poochna hi hai to pooch hi lijiye… bas give me a few minutes… Karishma jara tab tak sabko bula lo” and Virat goes to his room.
He finds Sai packing her stuff. He goes to her, pulls her in a hug and whispers “I need your strength and support now. Please mere saath chalo”. He goes to the cupboard and takes out a file, takes Sai’s hand in his and walks into the drawing area.
Sai, who had noticed the worry in his voice, readily follows him.
Seeing Virat and Sai walk hand in hand makes Bhavani more angry. As soon as Virat reaches there, she loudly asks, “Ye kya chal raha hai tum dono ka? Aise koun karta hai? Aur Virat tum kya karva rahe the Vishal ke gharwalo se? Sai ki oti bharo? Kyun? Kya hi rishta hai iska?”
Virat listens to everything calmly and patiently, finally speaks, hurt, anger and regret lacing his voice.
“Main jo bhi kar raha tha soch samajh ke kar raha tha.. Sab aa hi gaye hai to bata du.. Main Sai se dobara shaadi karna chahta hun. I have asked her to be me wife…. AGAIN”
“Lekin kyun?” asks Sonali
Hearing this irritates Virat, “Aapko sach main samajh nahi aaya kyun Sonali kaku? Kya ab tak aap sab log nahi samajh paaye hai ki Sai mere liye kya maayne rakhti hai. Uski kya value hai meri zindagi main?”
Everybody who has assembled is too stunned to speak. SaiRat team is worried that it may escalate and may lead to some unsavoury words being spoken.
Finally, Bhavani intervenes,
“Dekho Virat, pichli baar jab ise ghar laaye the, tab meri marzi nahi thi, lekin is baar main chahti hun ki tum meri pasand ki 96 kuli maratha ladki se shaadi karo”
“Aur aisa kya khaas hai aapke 96 kuli maratha ladki main jo meri Sai main nahi hai Kaku?”
Kaku is left speechless, as she also knows in her heart that even though Sai is rude and insolent her heart is in the right place.
"Kya aapne apni aankhen band karli thi jo aapko meri halat nahi dikhi pichle kuch saal. Tab to aapko meri bahot parvah ho rahi thi. Aaj jab main phirse khush hun, zinda hun to ab aap log sirf isliye naraaz hai ki is khushi ki vajah Sai hai?"
"Pichli baar, hamari shaadi hamari marzi ke baigar hui thi.. nai correction, maine to phir bhi apni marzi se ki thi.. lekin Sai, use to kisine pucha bhi nai or na hi uski baat suni.. maine bhi nahi. Usne phir bhi puri imaandaari se vo rishta nibhaya. Aap sabke taane sune, lekin apna pyaar batati rahi. Kitna kuch kiya hai usne iss ghar ke liye.. Yahan ke logo ke liye. Vo to aapko kabhi dikhega hi nahi"
"Aur Kaku.. aap to apne pasand ki ladki laaye the na? I am sorry to say par kya vo galat faisla nahi tha? Aaj to sab thik hai par ye aapko bhi pata hai.. ki kuch samay ke liye hi sahi.. lekin vo sab galat tha"
Hearing this, Pakhi takes a step back and lowers her head in regret. And even though his words are hurting her, she knows she deserves this.
Kaku is feeling ashamed at being shown the mirror and this is the first time Virat has openly talked about this. Sonali and Omkar too don't have anything to say anymore. Virat continues,
"Anyway, Kaku.. aapko is Chavan naam pe bahot garv hai na. Hona bhi chahiye aur mujhe bhi hai. Lekin aaj maine ek faisla liya hai. I completed the paperwork today morning. Aaj se mera naam Virat Joshi Chavan hai. Chavan mere mata-pita ke liye jo mujhe is duniya main laaye aur Joshi us pita ke liye jisne mujhe dobara janm diya”
Virat throws the file he is carrying with him on the centre table. A loud gasp is heard across the room. Kaku looks as if somebody has pushed her down the cliff. Ninad and Ashwini are a mixture of pride, love and shock for their son and Sai.. Sai has an indescribable feeling of warmth over her. She had been standing until now suddenly slumps on the sofa and looks at Virat in shock.
He just nods at her and continues further “Aai baba.. Sorry maine aapse discuss nahi kiya.. Par mujhe aisa laga ki agar Sai ko phirse is ghar main laana hai aur use vahi izzat dilaani hai to mujhe kuch aisa karna padega jisse ye jo inki problem hai (pointing at Bhavani) vo khatam ho jaaye. Ab main aapka 100% 96 kuli maratha nahi raha.. Aur isliye agar aapko ye manzoor na ho, to main ye ghar bhi chodne ko tayar hun, lekin Sai ko nahi chod sakta”
Before Bhavani can say anything, Ninad comes near Virat, holds his arms and pulls him in a hug.. “I am proud of Virat.. You took a stand and a good one at that. I am with you”
Bhavani now realizes Virat’s determination in marrying Sai. She also realizes that it would be futile to fight it and since she has always tried to hold the family together, Virat leaving the house would be detrimental. She looks at Omi and Sonali who too seem to have come to the same realization.
Bhavani - “Virat.. Tum iss ghar ke bade bete ho.. Aur tum ye ghar chod ke jao aisa main kabhi nahi chahungi… thik hai agar tum Sai se dobara shaadi karna chahte ho to karlo par mujhse kuch umeed mat rakhna”
Virat, who was not expecting this, is overjoyed… “Thank Kaku, aap ghar ki badi hai.. Mera koi irada nahi hai aapko dukhi karne ka. Bas aapko bhi ek vaada karna padega… aap chahe Sai se pyar na kare.. Par aapko use vo izzat deni hogi jo is ghar ki bahu ko milni chahiye”
Bhavani just nods and leaves the room.
Virat too leaves the room and goes and sits in the garden. Sai follows him and sits next to him. His face has a range of emotions. Exhaustion from arguing so much, contentment at getting what he wanted and a slight regret at having to fight with his family for his own happiness. Sai takes his hands in hers and rests her head on his shoulder. Virat turns and kisses her forehead. They sit like that for a while, when she finally speaks,
“Virat Sir… thank you.. Aaj aapne jo kiya uske liye.. Aapne mere Aaba ke naam ko apne saath jodkar unko jo izzat de hi… uske liye main kuch bhi kahu kam hai”
Virat looks at her, he has tears in his eyes and yet she can see the love he has for her. They continue sitting like this, without any need to verbalize… relishing the silence.
Somewhere nearby, a song is playing,
Ye Hulchul Dil Ki Ye Hulchul
Bole Aaj Aas Paas Tu Mere
Bikhra Hu Main To
Kuch Pal Hawa Mein
Tere Bharose Ko Thamein
Chalna Bhi Hai Badalna Bhi Hai
Tujhmein Hi To Dhalna Bhi Hai
—--
Mangalastaka are a special song containing eight blessings/promises that the family members make for the bride and groom. Antarpat is a white cloth held between the bride and groom till the Mangalastaka ends. The muhurta is the exact time at which it is dropped and the bride and groom formally see each other for the first time and do the varmala.
I wanted Virat’s and Sai’s new relationship to begin on equal terms. Hence, the name change, as both retain their identity yet are individuals. It is also a throwback to the name change custom that happens after marriage. In this case though, it is Virat who is changing it. The idea for this came from one of Anu's (Shipissailing) TS - the blind eye. Thank you Anu 💕. Hope you don't mind
The song for this part is “Rait jara si'' from Atrangi re. The song to me feels like a love that is leaving a fragrance but is slipping through the fingers like sand..much like the love Virat has for his family. But the later paragraph is when you are trusting the other person to hold you together in spite of the fear of slipping away.
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shireen sukhan @shinseen
+ 6
1 years ago
This is long and beautiful update virat takes step for there life and remarriage sai,you write is full action like it