Seven Vows Part 3 -Part 259 Page 147 - Page 6

Chapter 159- The Ajmer Stopover

As they entered Sandhya's house they could see, Sandhya's 2 sons aged 12 and 7 come running.

" Sreedhar Mamu, What have you bought for us "

" Exactly Sreedhar tell me what all have bua sent " came in Sandhya just behind her kids

Suman and Poorni were taking sweets bag from behind, while Aakash carried a large cover

" Didi this is all for you " told Suman as she gave the sweet bag to Sandhya, while Poorni gave the sweets bag to the kids

" Bua, Dadi has sent this also for you" said Aakash as he gave the large cover in Sandhya's hand

" Sandhya will you keep them outside only" came Sandhya's MILs voice

"No Maa bringing them " told Sandhya as they ushered them in. Sreedhar went and touched Sandhya's MILs feet. She blessed him and others followed suit. Sandhya's bhabi came with water for everyone.

" Sreedhar your jeeju and jethji will be coming at lunch time" told Sandhya. Her family was into jute business.

" Suman are you connected with Mandavi in anyway" asked Sandhya's MIL

" Mandavi, who Mandavi Maaji. I do not have any Mandavi in my family"

" Maa are you talking about the IAS officer Mandavi" asked Sandhya

" Yes Sandhya her only. She was Mandavi Rajput before marriage right, look at Suman, the same straight nose and similar facial features. Even I would say she has semblance of Meenakshi . But Meenakshi is far more fair and her face is rounder"

" But Maa Sulakshna Rajput was thrown from her family for having girls only right. Suman has gone to college. She has stayed in hostel. How can the family that send its daughter to the college can throw a woman in the name of just having girls. It might be some other Rajput" told Sandhya's Bhabi

" Didi can I meet Sulakshna Rajput. Maybe she is a distant relative. I have not heard anyone with that name in my family" asked Suman

" No Suman Sulakshna aunty is not here now. She has gone with her daughter Mandavi to Mussorie. She is used to stay in the next lane. Most of the people knows her very well. She stitches blouses and salwars very well. She worked in the dargah also. Now you have come here first time. Maa is asking so many questions. You come with me, let me show you the house" urged Sandhya

Poornima tried to follow Suman but was stopped by Sandhya's MIL. " Beta you and your friend Vaishnav sit with Maa for sometime. I want to talk to you "

" Ji dadiji " and Poorni and Vaishu sat beside Sandhya's MIL and she started talking to them affectionately"

Sreedhar was called by the kids to play cricket as they had kept everything ready. Aakash and Adwaith followed him. Nami also sat with Poorni and Vaishu.

Sandhya took Suman and showed her the house taking her to the balcony and showing her the Ajmer city from there

" Look Suman you can see the dargah from here. Ajmer dargah is very famous. Many people find solace in the dargah. The kitchen of dargah helps many woman who are no longer wanted by their families. Since every day the dargah has good rush of pilgrims large quantity of food needs to be prepared for them. Many earn their living working in the kitchen of dargah"

" I know didi. I have heard about it. Happy that I can visit the place today "

" By the way Suman I have heard you are doing fabric painting and embroidery" told Sandhya

" Yes didi in the package Aakash gave you can find sarees painted by me for you and your bhabi. I have also done light embroidery for a shawl for Maaji" told Suman

" Really, then come let us go and see" told Sandhya as they went down

Meanwhile Poorni, Vaishu and Nami started roaming the place, while Sandhya went down and opened the package, taking out the sarees.

" Arrey Bhabi look what Suman has done, Maa see this is for you" told Sandhya

Sandhya's Bhabi Latha and her MIL admired Suman's handiwork.

" Beta you have done this so beautifully" told Sandhya's MIL. " I am so happy that boy Vaishnav made you do the house warming. You know how sad I felt when after Sandhya's marriage she came I couldn't even stand in a distance to watch my younger son's bride's Grihapravesh. This society doesn't understand a mother wants to be part of every happy moment of her child as long as she is there."

" Suman now Maa goes to temple every evening. We have stopped making her wear white also. Now she wears pastel shades" told Latha

As they talked Sandhya's husband and his brother came. Everyone who were playing outside also came inside. The chatter continued through the lunch with Sandhya's husband and brother in law thanking Sreedhar immensely for bringing joy to their mother who was very happy on being able to go to temple

Sreedhar's brother in law Piyush took all of them to Ajmer Dargah. They roamed the place for about an hour and then came back.

Soon it was time for them to go. Sandhya gifted Poorni and Nami both lehenga choli's, then she gave Suman a light pink semi silk saree with thin golden border and a light kundan necklace with matching earrings and Kankan. Suman looked at it, not sure whether she can wear it. She had only worn cotton's not silks

" Suman don't look like this. Here we make Maa wear such silks. Plus I heard you are going to some of your friend's wedding. Don't think about Maheswari bua or what people will think in Jodhpur. It is perfectly fine. I will tell bua I gave you this saree and set. She will be fine I know and Jodhpur you will understand that place when you reach there " told Sandhya

" Didi everything for the ladies. We are always neglected " told Sreedhar

" No my dear brother. You are not neglected" telling it Sandhya gave T-shirts to Sreedhar, Aakash, Adwaith and Vaishu

" Always on the losing end of bargain " told Sreedhar smiling which Piyush agreed to

Soon they got into the open van with Sandhya giving sweets and snacks to be taken to Jodhpur

Once they were on the road Sreedhar asked Suman " Sumanji are you sure there is no Sulakshana Rajput in your family"

" Sreedhar I seriously don't know, I haven't heard " told Suman. But as the journey continued towards Jodhpur with chatter and music the question hung in Suman's mind. Who is Sulakshna Rajput. She knew her family very well. They can throw out a woman if they wanted to. Only surprising thing was how did the second daughter survive.

Chapter 160- Jodhpur

Night was falling when they reached Jodhpur. The city had so many ancient buildings and with lights the streets had its own aura. Soon they reached the outskirts of the city and Sreedhar slowly drove the car through a narrow road that finally ended in front of an ancient haweli guarded with huge gates.

The gates were closed and Sreedhar honked the horn. They could hear dogs barking and Nami clung to Suman. Suman herself was not used much to dogs.

" Sreedhar no security here to open the doors" asked Suman

" No Sumanji. Don't think that seeing this haveli Maa's family is very rich. This is their ancestral property. A lot of money my nanu spend on freedom struggle, land was used for building girl's school, library and he gave some to government to make housing for poor people. Now the family has name but is not wealthy like today's neo rich. Jaideep Mamu is still a stickler to old values whichever nanu stood for. You will very much see the values Indian freedom fighters stood for in this house. The values they wanted to propagate, but then no one was there to listen to them as everyone went behind money.

As they talked they saw 2 men coming and opening the door. Sreedhar smiled at them. " Sujoy Bhaiyya, Sudeep Bhaiyya " they too smiled back as they followed the open van.

Even before Sreedhar could park the car came Rakhi running " Sreedhar Bhaiyya, Suman Bhabi come come, I have been waiting for you "

Sreedhar got down from the car. But Nami still clung to Suman. " Nami get down beta, Bunty and Bolu are locked " told Sujoy showing her the dogs in the cage.

Once she saw the dogs in the cage Nami got down and Suman took Adwaith in her arms as she got down.

Sujoy and Sudeep helped Sreedhar unload the vehicle while Rakhi lead the others to the door where Latika Mami was waiting with Aarti

She took aarti for both Poornima and Suman " Coming here for the first time telling she put a kumkum tikka for Poornima and gave a kajal dot on Suman's chin. Let bad eyes doesn't fall on you.

Suman looked the big hall. It reminded her of her house. Only thing was it was more spacious and she felt it had more light and air and you felt comfortable when you entered. She looked Rakhi in the light

" Rakhi we have met before " Suman asked

" No Bhabi we have not " Rakhi tried to avoid the topic

" No Rakhi we have met " insisted Suman

" Suman you might have seen someone like her" told Priti and Suman was just thinking that might be true when her eyes fell on Sudeep and Saran standing in the corner.

" No I have seen Sudeep Bhaiyya and who is that. I have seen that boy"

" Suman Chachi we met in hospital " blurted out the 10 year old and the hall went silent

Suman looked at Rakhi and the blurred memories came back to her

She was conscious after the blackout. Her first thought was why in the world she was alive.

" Bhabi, are you fine " she heard a faint unfamiliar voice, only to look into the face of a young girl looking at her with concern. She was in hospital gown. There was some bandage in her right arm and she could feel her head throbbing.

" Bhabi I will call doctor " went the girl

Her parents came. She could see her mother was trying to suppress the tears. Nobody told her anything. The girl asked her many things. " Bhabi shall I comb your hair and tie it"

" Bhabi sindoor ka dabba you want to wear it ". When she was silent, the girl herself combed her hair, put bindi on her forehead and filled her maang with sindoor.And an young man bought food for her and her family. He was accompanied by a child

Nobody told her anything for the 3 days she was in hospital where she wore color sarees.

Suman came back to present and looked at Rakhi. She could see the girl was trying to suppress her tears

Suman went near Rakhi and held her by shoulders " Why didn't you tell me we met in hospital. Why didn't you tell you were taking care of me for 3 days not even allowing my mother to look after me. Who asked you to be there Rakhi. Who asked you to take charge. I am really sorry I couldn't answer any of your questions. Why Sudeep Bhaiyya I remember you bringing food . Why you cant tell me that you were there with me in the hospital "

" Suman Maheswari asked Rakhi to be in the hospital. My sister wanted to ensure your family didn't feel she had discarded their daughter because of the tragedy. She told everyone clearly that you are her bahu. No one was going to tell you anything till you are back hale from hospital" told Jaideep

Suman hugged Rakhi " I don't know Rakhi will I ever be able to repay for what you have done to me for in those 3 days. How could you stand there without showing any grief for my sake "

" Enough of drama. Here is something for you Rakhi" Sreedhar took a watch and gave to her

" Sreedhar Bhaiyya is it from US" asked Rakhi

" Yes to my one and only younger sister I got it" told Sreedhar. Soon Poornima opened the bag and started giving gifts to everyone with Latika Mami and other ladies admiring Suman's handiwork. The chatter was interrupted by a knock.

Sujoy turned to see a couple standing " Arey Sumeet saab, come come. You told you will come after 2 days"

" Sujoy Bhai saab auspicious things should not be delayed. Mayank liked Rajashree. So I thought without delay let me give my bahu Shagun if you are fine with it " told Sumeet's wife

" Bhabiji why such a question. Raji come beta" Priti put the dupatta as pallu over her daughter's head and the lady put bangles in Rajashree's hand. It was then she observed the guests.

" Pritiji it seems you have guests. We will take leave" told Sumeet

" Bhai saab take some sweets " told Chaya bringing in sweets

They took one sweet hurriedly " Pritiji we will eat during engagement. Please take the dates for the same" saying they took leave.

" Suman and Poorni you entered this house for the first time and good news have come with you. I don't know who is Mahalakshmi among you. So you both take sweets " told Latika Mami as she stuffed sweets into both Suman's and Poorni's mouth.

Suman looked at Raji. She was more or less her age. As per Sreedhar have written degree final year exam. She did distance learning from IGNOU while helping her father in farm. Raji was blushing. Suman looked at Sreedhar. He had his arms crossed against his chest leaning against a wall smiling at her. She smiled back at him. She had made a favourable impression at his nanu's place.