OSR SAMYUKTA Part 6 – The feast
Part 1 & 2 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/dharam-veer/853004/samyukta-1-and-2-dharam-and-veer-story-so-far
Part 3 - https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/dharam-veer/859041/samyukta-of-d-and-v-it-sinks-in-part-3
Part 4 - https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/dharam-veer/864874/samyukta-part-4-realizing-their-fears
Part 5 - https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/dharam-veer/871744/samyukta-part-5-to-find-out-the-truth
OSR SAMYUKTA Part 6 – The feast
Palace of Niphaud – Kitchen preparation area
The bright noon sun falls strongly on the hectic spectacle unfolding in the kitchen, as the girls wipe the sweat off her foreheads. Everyone tries steering clear of the annoyed maids, who are busy removing masses of vegetable peelings and spilt flour from the messy floor. One girl who is stirring a large cauldron of boiling stew argues with another, who is frantically searching for her stock of missing ingredients. The noisy cackling oil and stone grinder drown any chance of a sane conversation. A bevy of maids run about following various orders by Siya's friends, bumping into each other often. Siya springs around the busy room constantly worrying aloud and instructing her friends and maids alike. She suddenly feels a hard pat on her back and winces in pain. She turns around to see her plump tomboyish friend standing there enjoying a juicy bit of sugarcane.
Daksha speaks as she slurps on the stalk "Siya… wow...the preparations are in full force… you seem to have started off without me…"
Siya places her hand on her hips "Daksha! Started off without you? You are late…I don't have much time now… my mother will be awake soon"
Suddenly, Nanda barges into the kitchen bringing everything to an immediate standstill. As she desperately tries to catch up on her breath, a worried Siya fetches her some water to drink.
Daksha mocks Nanda "I didn't realize Siya's room was this far away from the kitchen…"
Nanda nods her head and blurts incoherently "Siya… Maharani ji …not asleep yet…I overheard…conversation…. Rajkumar … Dharmavardhan….from… Aryanagar… coming... royal proposal" Everyone stares at each other perplexed, unable to make anything out of the information provided by her.
The frustrated princess controls herself from losing her temper with her edgy friend "Stop! Nanda… wait…take your time…. speak slowly…what is it that you overheard…"
Nanda pauses and starts again slowly "Siya, I heard your m…mother discussing a message she received. Apparently, Maharani Vaidehi's son Rajkumar Dharamavardhan of Aryanagar has asked for your h…hand in m…marriage. Your mother also seemed very keen about it." As Siya's worst fears are gradually confirmed, the colour begins to drain from her face. Speechless, she slumps on the wooden stool while Nanda continues "S…Siya he is coming here to tour the gardens…"
No sooner than they hear the news, all the girls start screaming and celebrating in feverish excitement. They eventually notice Siya's face and hush down. Siya's eyes start welling up and she utters tearfully "I don't want to … I don't want to get married… I don't want to leave Niphaud... I don't want to… I have to speak to pitaji…I don't want this proposal… why hasn't ma told me about this…" Her friends begin feeling helpless not knowing how to console her.
Daksha keeps her sugarcane aside and sits on the floor next to Siya. Siya continues weeping "I don't want to leave Niphaud…pitaji…ma…my palace…my room…my friends…I don't want to move far away!" Moved by Siya's tears, Nanda also starts sobbing; adding to the existing chaos.
Daksha tries calming the situation "Nanda…Siya…both of you stop crying now…oh Siya…what do you mean by far away…Aryanagar is our neighbour…you can come and go, as and when you please… in future; imagine if you had to wed a Rajkumar from a kingdom far...far...far away..."
Siya starts wailing "I don't want to get married… I was not even asked or informed…I don't know Maharani Vaidehi... I don't like Rajkumar Dharmavardhan… I don't like him…"
The confused Daksha asks "You have not even met him yet Siya! What if he is kind and noble?"
Siya looks away stubbornly, refusing to answer.
Daksha adds romantically "I don't know about you girls; but I have heard of tales from other kingdoms. When princes ask for the hand of a maiden, they shower her with the most beautiful gifts..." Siya silently observes a dreamy glimmer in all her friends' eyes. Unwittingly, she wipes her tears and listens curiously, as Daksha carries on with her tempting lore "necklaces of sapphires…ruby anklets…diamonds… silks… perfumes…" Daksha pauses to give her an idea "Siya accept his gifts at first… you can refuse the proposal later if you don't like him!"
The princess forgets her resolve and starts giggling at the joke with everyone else.
Eventually, the rest of her friends add to the ongoing speculations one after another; amplified by sounds of teasing sighs and giggles "Imagine if he was handsome"…"Aryanagar is a powerful kingdom"… "He must be very brave and chivalrous"… "His queen will indeed be very lucky"
As the wonderful prospects mentioned by her friends begin to excite her, she forgets about her apprehensions and starts blushing unknowingly, while her friends continue to contemplate "I am sure touring the gardens is just eyewash. He is here to meet Siya"…"Maybe he wants to personally propose to her"…"Will it be love at first sight…"
Realizing that everyone had noticed her growing enthusiasm to meet the prince; Siya closes her face overcome by embarrassment. Nanda suddenly yells out to interrupt their ceaseless discussions "Stop it! Stop it all of you… he is probably arriving this evening with his friends… what about this dinner… Maharani ji might be here any minute… she might enquire about the cooks… what are we going to tell her…"
Snapping out of her momentary fantasies; Siya panics, while the rest of the girls immediately scamper to finish their chores as soon as possible. With the news of the unexpected arrival of the guests, Siya suddenly becomes frightened by the repercussions of her actions. Having sent all the cooks away, Siya is unable to think of what could be done to rectify the situation and paces worriedly. Much to her relief, she hears a comforting assurance from Daksha
"Oh! I have an idea Siya…I will take care of all this – don't worry!"
Kingdom of Niphaud
As they cross the borders of scenic Niphaud; Dharam trots along gently pressing his painful forehead, desperately trying to not to think of the constant groans in the background. Veer splashes some water on his sunken face and flexes his stiff back to perk up his spirits. An entourage of loyal bodyguards follows them silently on horseback. A visibly exhausted Bhalla continues to whine and moan endlessly about the journey, the weather and the transportation.
Finally Dharam surrenders "Bhalla… had we known, we would have brought you in a palki…"
Bhalla wipes his face "Thank God we are here! I am tired. We have been riding since morning."
Veer glares at him "Riding since morning? Well… that is only because we have stopped five times… if you are not thirsty, you are hungry…then again sleepy… again hungry… thirsty…"
Bhalla grumbles "That is a lot of gratitude for making this difficult journey to help you both…"
Veer teases him "Oh! I thought you were coming along because of Niphaud's famous cuisine!"
Bhalla retorts angrily "Veer…I will never travel along with you again… ever…only then would you realize the importance of my company…"
Veer grins at Bhalla cynically, while the rest of them laugh heartily at the entertaining duo.
They continue their prattle all the way, until they reach the gates of the palace.
On arriving at the palace, they are taken aback by the eclectic welcome overseen by the ministers and nobles. As their horses are led away, Dharam and Veer walk through the flower strewn pathways, showered by cooling waters of sandal and rose. They enjoy the attention of the servants and guards that escort them, with pompous music and fanfare playing at the backdrop. The brothers appreciate the sprawling greenery leading to the palace, not minding the worn-out Bhalla tagging along behind them.
The princes are eventually ushered to the privacy of extremely lavish guest rooms to rest and relax. No sooner, Bhalla dozes off on his lush bed; while Veer enjoys the picturesque evening outside the palace halls through the extensive windows of their room. Dharam however, remains silent; finding himself distracted by a strange inexplicable feeling of excitement and happiness.
Palace of Niphaud - Siya's bedroom
Disguised as a maid; Daksha sashays into the room pleased with herself, and announces "The princes have arrived! Did you hear all the fanfare? How exciting! Oh! How do I look in this attire?" Looking at Nanda's and Siya's perplexed faces, she whispers "Don't worry Siya… I have taken care of everything - the cooks, the food…everything" she shrugs "I don't know if the dishes are tasty but I have decorated them well…they look good enough…I am…"
Her explanations are interrupted by an abrupt announcement following which; the queen strides gallantly into the room. Siya stares at Nanda in horror, while Daksha quickly turns away to hide her face. The queen proceeds to sit next to the princess and talks to her, holding her young daughter's face affectionately "Siya…your father has sent word that he will not be back tonight, so you go ahead and have your dinner. We have some important guests from Aryanagar staying over and I will be tending to them" she then reflects slowly "I have something important that I want to talk to you about…we will speak tomorrow. I have to leave now…"
After giving her a small peck on her forehead, the queen stands up to leave.
Siya catches her mother's hand "I was hoping to have dinner together ma …"
The queen nods her head "Siya, today is Chathurthi! Have you forgotten that I fast for
Chathurthi?"
The queen smiles at Siya's innocence lovingly and then leaves the room to get back to her duties.
Daksha immediately lifts her dupatta in relief, while Siya's smile disappears "Pitaji was right… Every time I try, something always goes wrong. The first time I make a feast for my parents… pitaji is not here… ma is fasting…now I don't want to eat too... all my effort in vain…"
Daksha replies sweetly "Shhh! Don't say that Siya…how special that prince Dharamvardhan himself is going to be eating your delicious food…" Suddenly realizing it was time for the evening meals, Daksha pauses alarmed "oh my we need to rush to the dining hall…" she grabs Nanda by the wrist and they rush out, after bidding the worried princess a hasty farewell.
Palace of Niphaud - Dining Hall
The three young famished men wait in anticipation on comfortable ornate rosewood platforms as bevies of maids bring in numerous golden pots and bowls filled with varieties of food. Relieved at the thought of a sumptuous meal, they smile as shining golden plates are laid out in front of them. Under the supervision of the queen, the dishes are served in meticulous order. They say a brief prayer before commencing their meal. Dharam suddenly hears a faint voice and opens his eyes to see a chubby maid staring at him, as she places a sweet in his plate.
Daksha whispers "Salutations Rajkumar! I have a personal message for you… I think you will be pleased to know that this meal has been personally prepared for you by princess Siya herself…" The confused Dharam nods his head in acknowledgement, watching Daksha observing him carefully. She admires his magnetic personality and becomes elated by the fact that he seemed like the perfect suitor for Siya. Flashing Dharam a naughty smile, she then moves over to serve the others and looks up by chance at Veer. Not expecting to come to face with such an attractive person, she becomes spellbound by Veer's charming looks, his fair tone and golden hair. Dazed by his beauty, she serves him one sweet after another; while Veer becomes conscious of her bold gazes. Veer stammers "I think this should be enough...please...please...that should do...I can't..."
She is finally shaken out of her trance when Dharam speaks up "I think that should be enough! Veer is putting on a lot of weight, as it is" Veer glares at Dharam, while Daksha becomes abashed and quickly departs from there without serving Bhalla. The three of them look at each other puzzled and then smile formally at the queen, who is blissfully unaware of Daksha's interactions.
No sooner than the boys taste their first morsel, their expressions change from one of confusion to desperation. Dharam waits for the queen to look away and indicates to Veer "What is this?"
Veer nods his head "Seems like kichdi… but tastes like something else all together…." Veer then turns to Bhalla "I thought you said the cuisine of Niphaud was spectacular…this food is very strange" Bhalla shrugs innocently in reply and resumes his dinner, unmindful of its taste.
Dharam whispers "Apparently a princess Siya has personally prepared it! Wonder what she wanted to make…" As the queen and the maids smile at them, they gulp a few mouthfuls in order to keep up the formalities. They try and test various combinations, only to find one worse than the other. After a point of time, Dharam and Veer give up and pause to exhale deeply.
Dharam then tries to make conversation with the queen "Ma conveys her regards to you…oh! By the way, have you had your dinner Maharani?" As the queen coyly informs them about her Chathurthi fast, Veer gets a flash of an idea to help rid them of the torture.
He acts perturbed and slaps his forehead "Did you say today was Chaturthi? Oh my… how did we forget?" he turns to Dharam… "Did you forget too? Ma had asked us to fast for Chaturthi" The queen becomes increasingly confused, as Veer continues babbling about the fast.
Dharam gradually takes the cue "Oh Lord! Yes…I can't neglect it...Chathurthi…what do we do"
When the princes are waiting for the queen to speak up, Daksha barges into the room along with the rest of the maids, carrying more potfuls of food. Veer feels his mouth becoming parched, as he looks at the flirty maid approaching him with a stew.
Finally, the queen commands the maids "Wait! The princes are fasting today... get them some fruits and warm milk instead...take away their plates please...." The queen smiles at the boys tenderly and then takes their leave, to supervise the remaining arrangements for the night.
In obedience to the queen's orders, the maids begin to take away their plates. Daksha picks up Veer's plate, staring at him all the while. When she leaves eventually, Veer breathes a sigh of relief. As Nanda brings them golden bowls to rinse their hands, Dharam whispers to Veer "May princess Siya never subject anyone else to the tortures of her culinary skills…"
Veer laughs aloud, till he notices Nanda's angry stares; pertaining to their comments on her friend. After she exits, Veer adds "Don't you think the girls in this palace are stranger than the food?"
Palace of Niphaud - Siya's bedroom
Siya stares at herself in the mirror as she gently takes off her sparkling earrings and loosens her long black tresses. She fiddles with the rings in her jewellery box feeling a surge of excitement when she remembers the discussions they had about her suitor. She wonders about the prince and how he had come to ask for her hand. Noticing Nanda and Daksha walking into the room, she stands up immediately. When no one speaks up, Siya blurts out "what happened? Tell me… was the dinner all right? Did ma find out?" she asks meekly "How was…was…the prince?"
Daksha dreamily sinks into the couch, leaving Nanda the task of explaining all the details about the evening. Nanda mechanically describes how everything went smoothly right from the princes' arrival up until the dinner itself. Bored by Nanda's sordid details, Siya becomes restless to gain more information about the guests themselves and turns to Daksha. Concerned about her silence, she sits next to her.
Finally Daksha speaks while staring into oblivion "How handsome was he...magnificent...fair..." Siya feels a rush of blood in her face as she hears her friend's words.
Daksha continues "those naughty looks..."
Siya becomes astonished "Prince Dharmavardhan...naughty looks...What do you mean?"
Daksha composes herself "Oh no...no...the Rajkumar was tall and lean...of tanned complexion... black hair...princely" Increasingly delighted by the descriptions; Siya listens ardently, as Daksha continues "He was chubby…fair… with golden hair"
Again baffled by Daksha's conflicting information, Siya turns to Nanda and demands an explanation "Fair… tanned…lean… chubby …black hair…golden hair…what is all this?"
Nanda takes a deep breath "Don't worry Siya… Prince Dharmavardhan is indeed very handsome…everything a girl could possibly dream of…but… he... he..."
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
