Why6,
Very lovely post and all of us are together on this that something seems to be odd with undue importance given to Barkha. Radhika is back home, she can take care of dadaji's medication and Barkha can leave gracefully. I have serious problem with her calling Padma as chotima, now she always called BB as maheswariji, so why call Padma as chotima, easier if she calls her aunty. I know I have become way to silly but that is how irritated I am with her.
About Padma we all have discussed at great length about her pain, anguish, sense of betrayal and her insecurity. Even when the ME revelation happened my first thought was this was an eye-opener for Dev especially about Radhika's position in his life. The very fact that he felt more sorry for Padma and was not allowed to feel for his mother suggests that he is a person who thinks more for others pain than his, but when will it dawn on him that Radhika is very much like Chaaya here. If it has not sunk in yet, is there a chance for him to fight for Radhika? I dont doubt his love for radhika at all, but in order to avoid the same kind of situation to repeat itself he should have already felt this. He still thinks he can marry her in front of society which is never going to happen because then there was no reason for Kanha to put them in wedlock when they were children. My worries are if Dev is going to realise this a little too late.
Kashi Maharaj's second prophecy has been conspicuosly hidden by dadaji, this is to facilitate Barkha to be chosen as Dev's bride. For dadaji family honour revolves more around his well-being, otherwise he would not have given credit to Barkha alone for his becoming alright. Otherwise the planning involved to bring Barkha in to cure him would never have been side-lined, it is ok if he does not mention Dev but Radhika deserved it.
Dev is declared as the next RP. For all practical purposes he is still a purohit son who has to get married and Radhika's hand is sought for marriage. Now why should society come into the picture now, it is a family matter and the elders in the family can take a decision on the basis of what they feel is right---so why should mahant or anybody else have an objection to Dev-Radhika marriage? After Dev becomes RP then people can probably question the two of them and both of them can solve issues together. If the question is raised before their marriage and if Dev relents and succumbs to pressure then he will be deemed a weak person just like his own father and he cannot answer his own conscience. Now if he gets to know Kashi Maharaj's second prophecy he will only feel more miserable because he got a lot but turned out to be selfish as he could not stand up for Radhika.
If Dev is going to feel miserable how will audience appreciate it when the lead is shown to be spineless especially because we root for him and ask him to be different and decisive RP. So Barkha as fake/real wife will not be a great track.
Regarding Radhika I will have serious issues if she asks Dev to marry Barkha. Radhika knows she has married Dev and it is adharm if she married Rohan. Now from her POV isn't it adharm for Dev also to marry someone else---she cannot have double standards. So I wll not want to see Radhika convincing Dev to marry Barkha on the pretext of the greater good.
Radhika did not know Dev was a purohit but was in love with him for what she saw in him. Today as the situation has changed because Dev is not only a purohit but also the next RP in line should their love or dharm towards each other change?
For me Barkha coming in as the third wheel in the life of Dev and Radhika does not make sense at all. I am pretty sure the audience will not accept it either.