SS: The Suhaag Raat of Broken Dreams (An apology and a new start p.43) - Page 7

Originally posted by: asmaanixx

Another lovely update.

It is great to see Gayatri stand up for herself and not be moping about all the time. Ranaji has hurt her and he deserves to be hurt as well.

I do have one question though. This line, "Bade logonke cochle," what does the last word mean? I know that is referring to big/high-classed people but what is it exactly?

Originally posted by: shailusri1983

Just read all the parts in one go. Very engaging. But I felt that Gayu was reacting like what a girl of the present day would do in the 1940's itself. Really very much ahead of times. Looks like she has stuffed a lot of books on feminism along with those books on dreams that she used to read before marriage

Part 4: Gayatri's feminism explained above in gray. Please see a couple of posts up.

Indravardhan was about to lay down on the pillow when he saw the stains on the silk. Tear stains. A copious amount of broken hearted tears. It made his heart skip a beat. Feeling worse than even before, he took off the cover and set it aside. Gayatri was not as unfeeling as she wanted to make it seem and that made this all the worse.

The next morning...

Ranaji carefully knocked on her door a few times. When no one answered, he took a peak in. Maybe she was already downstairs, doing her precious "shower first" arti.

He went inside to retrieve his clothes from the dressing room when he heard some rustling under the decadent navy silk of his bed. One creamy, naked thigh came out from under the inky silk and wrapped itself around a pillow. Then, that doll-face looked around, half-asleep, and caught him staring at her - dry mouthed.

Indravardhan wentbright red and quickly turned away: I am sorry, I thought you were already downstairs.

Gayatri pulled the covers around her, mortified.

His shy gaze went back to her, despite his best efforts. The woman even woke up looking like a life-sized doll. He knew she was no inanimate, pretty thing with a head of curls - she drew blood from her words alone - but god, she put a real distracting impression.

Gayatri: What now?

Ranaji: Nothing. Hum ja rahe hai. Abhi.

Gayatri looked away, offended for some reason. Taking advantage of her inattentiveness, he plopped the box on the side table and left.

During the Mu-dikhai...

Ranaji noticed that Gayatri came down wearing a resplendent red sari, only it was not the one he had left in her room. She was still a vision, but not the one he had in mind.

As she passed by him, Indravardhan said: Mine was nicer.

Gayatri: But it was yours.

The sting showed immediately in his eyes. Jaws tightening, he looked away.

She went and sat down in the middle of the drawing room. The guests were about to come soon and everyone in the raj family was busy setting the scene. Ranaji silently observed the chaos.

Quwar Chachi: Looking very nice, Gayatri.

Raj Mata: Address her as Rani Gayatri Devi.

Quwar Chachi made a constipated expression and went off to join her husband on the sidelines.

Badi Rani Ma: But she needs a dupatta to cover her face. Quwar Rani, find me a dupatta. Quickly!

Chotte Quwar's wife quickly came back with many of her own. Everyone started fussing and trying different ones on his bride. Taking advantage of the confusion, Ranaji sent a servant upstairs.

When the servant came back with the box, Ranaji took out the dupatta and handed it to Badi Rani Ma.

Badi Rani Ma: Thank you, Ranaji. Finally, ek dhanka dupatta. Quwar Rani, move out of the way with that hideous dupatta. Yours will not do.

Gayatri, seeing Ranaji's gift, protested: I don't mind the last one!

Raj Mata: Ranaji kitne pyaar se aapke liye yeh laye hai. Aap yeh pehele, Rani Gayatri.

Gayatri sarcastically for only Raj Mata to hear: Yes, we sure know how much regard he has...

Raj Mata was taken aback. She could not say anything without drawing attention, so she kept quiet.

With one last quelling glare at him, Gayatri pulled the sheer silver dupatta and its mirror work over her head.

Indravardhan smiled to himself as everyone coming in ooed and aahhed at his bride. He did not find it a chore to accept all the congratulations following his way knowing it was just worth it to see those steaming eyes from under the dupatta. She hated every moment of his gift on her head, but had to sit there for hours with it on. The idea of winning this first battle of wills against her filled him with a sense of triumph.

The next day...

Ranaji went for a trip to a local village and did not see Gayatri all day. When he came back, he found her, Badi Rani Ma, and Raj Mata in the East Gardens, having tea.

Badi Rani Ma was having a fit, he realized as he came closer.

Badi Rani Ma: What is it I am hearing from the household servants? How can you live in the Raj suites!? That is only for Ranaji. You are to live in the adjacent bedroom.

Gayatri: Badi Rani Ma, the next bedroom belongs to Rani Solakshna, your grandson was very happy to switch with me. He is fine living in that room with his wife's ghost. I feel more comfortable being of out of their way.

Badi Rani Ma made a strange gurgling sound, beside herself in anger, but unable to retort. Raj Mata was looking anywhere but at Gayatri.

Gayatri innocently: Raj Mata, aap hi bataiye, my father paid good money, why should I not get the bigger suite?

Ranaji came up behind Gayatri: That is enough now, Raniji.

Gayatri apparently already sensed his arrival because she did not even look around.

Gayatri nodded, sarcasm dripping: I agree. It is hardly a topic to be discussing further. Far too private, even for this mock marriage. What is done is done.

Raj Mata: I know you feel wronged, Gayatri, but it was a state decision.

Gayatri: Your son and I have hashed this topic out too.

Indravardhan bit off an oath: I would have to raise the already high taxes as the other alternative, would you have liked that better?

Gayatri turned: Raj Mata and Badi Rani Ma here are always dripping in jewels. If you sold one or two, you would have more than enough to pay off the loans.

He was stumped. That had not occurred to any of them.

Gayatri smiled: Let me guess, that never occurred to any of you.

Badi Rani Ma angrily: These are royal jewels. We do not part with our heritage!

Gayatri, confidently: No, but at risk was your singhasan, if any time was appropriate, that was it. But no, the only alternative you could think of as bleeding the praja dryer. And then you went for the tried and true marriage of convenience route with no thought for me. It is fine really. In a way you did me a favor. My bhabis are at least off my back, so thank you. Now, if you will excuse me...

The new queen stood up and left, leaving her audience dumbfounded.

Badi Rani Ma: That girl is insolent!

Ranaji stoically: She's hurt, Badi Rani Ma. Look at what we have done. Nothing she said is actually wrong.

Badi Rani Ma: So much for the salt talk she gave me at her house. She is not sweet-and-namkeen. She is straight up bitter!

Raj Mata: We must be a little patient, willingly or not, she did us a great service. Besided, this was a political decision after all, who cares what she thinks?

Ranaji angrily: I do. I do, Raj Mata. That is an innocent young woman, whose life has just been altered for the worse because we used her knowing her value to her father. The least you all can do is CARE and be kind.

Later that night...

Gayatri was sitting by the lamp, alone. She was reading something with great enthusiasm.

Ranaji: Anything interesting?

Gayatri put her book away: Just a bit of light reading.

Ranaji saw the book lying aside. "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman," by Mary Wollstonecraft.

Ranaji: Well, that explains it.

Gayatri: Excuse me? Explains what?

Ranaji: What makes you so opinionated.

Gayatri: I read it because I am opinionated, it doesn't make me opinionated. In any case, thank you for the compliment.

Indravardhan quirked his eyebrows at her. He was charmed. She took that as a compliment. Not one in a thousand woman in his circle would take that as a compliment.

Gayatri: Yes, I know. Books are poisoning me, etc etc.

Ranaji smiled and sat down by her: Not at all, it is very pleasantly surprising to me that a woman in Amerkoot loves reading feminist political theory and on top of that thinks it is "a bit of light reading."

Gayatri: Why? You did not think I read English? My father saw to it that I had the best tutors. I am a BA. Maybe I don't live the fancy English life like you folks, but it doesn't mean I don't get rajtantra.

Ranaji: Now I had just complimented you, but you lost track of it in your rant. I have no issue with your reading. Far from it.

Gayatri was taken aback: Oh.

No one in her family had ever thought it a good thing. She could hardly believe he liked it. The whole of Amerkoot thought she was a nutcase who sneaked into the library with creative excuses every day. It was a place where a woman had no place to be.

Gayatri shyly: Did Solakshna like to read? That's why you approve?

Ranaji thoughtfully: Hmm...not really. She was more of a painter. That is why I took on painting after she (he choked on the word).

Gayatri: Watercolor, was it?

Ranaji: Why yes, how did you know?

Gayatri: That is what is considered right for English girls to do. Play the piano a little, arrange flowers, sew, and paint in watercolor. Very high society distractions for high society women. I know your family likes the English ways.

Indravardhan felt a little embarassed, it sounded like such a cliche that Solakshna did all those things.

Ranaji: I suppose she was brought up like a debutante.

Gayatri: It is not a criticism, I was merely observing. That is what Jane Austen's heroines do. They don't usually like it though, did you wife enjoy it?

Ranaji answered honestly: I don't know really. She never complained. I guess she did like it.

Gayatri smiled: Good for her then, she didn't ask for much. When you want more from life, our society sees to it that you are disappointed (she seemed to be talking of herself).

Ranaji: You want more, don't you?

I love to hear from readers :)

Part 5: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/126990179