Part: 1
Maternity ward in a busy private hospital in a cosmopolitan city: A group of family was eagerly waiting in front of the labor room for the outcome at any moment.
"Surya! Sab theek hojaayega. Yeh pehla bacha hai na issi liye itna waqt laga rahi hai." An old lady around 50's wearing a yellow kanchi silk sari with thin zari self border in old traditional "kaccha nivi" style, (in which part of the folded pleats of the sari pass through the legs and is neatly tucked into the back side of the waist) consoling a 28 year old tensed up young man in his white kurta and pajamas.
He faintly smiled, "maa Ji! Hope, everything goes well. Gayatri bahut dinon ke baad maa ban rahi hai. Hope both mom and child will be safe." Maa ji laughed and patted his shoulder affectionately and shook his head.
She walked to the rest of the family, who were waiting in the couches in the lobby in front of the labor room. There were two young ladies in printed silk saris around 25 years age and one tall 30year old man in khadi kurta and dhoti.
The Two young ladies approached Maa ji and caressed her hand, "Maa! Ye kya, itni time laga rahi hai? Lagta hai ki aaj bhi delivery nahin hogi." They were worried as they were already visiting the hospital for two days for the same reason.
Maa ji shook her head disappointedly "Damini! Avantika! Naina ghar mein bachon ke saat akeli hai. Aap donon ghar hokar aajaao. Yahan mein aur Surya toh rahengey na!" Agar Gayatri jid na karti abb tak delivery hojaati. Ussey ladka hoga ya ladki hogi yeh bhi hum nahin jaantey. Wo uski sentiments ki wajah se scanning bhi nahin karvayi thi. Itni jiddi ladki ko main kahi nahin dekhi. Ussey Kitni samjhayi thi! Bhagwan na karey iski bachon ko uski jidd na aayi." she sighed and turned to the tall man "Dilip! Tum behenon ko lekar chaley jaao. Yahan ruk kar bhi aap kya karengey?"
Both ladies laughed at her "Maa! Aap keh rahi hai yeh? Agar Gayatri ko ladki huyi toh aap apna Angad sey Jodi bananey ki khwaab dekh rahi hai na! phir ek baar theek sey soch lijiye."
Old lady smiled and shook her head with half closed eyes, "haan, agar ladki huyi toh apna Angad ko theek Jodi banegi. Donon ki donon jid per adey rehengey." Four of them laughed. She affectionately immersed in her imaginary world. The two ladies exchanged looks and sighed at her statement.
A lady doctor approached them after few minutes "Devyani ji! Aur kuch waqt jaroor lagegi. Aap ghar jaa kar aaram se wapas aa saktey hai."
Surya approached them "kya huva doctor? Abhi hi kuch development nahin hai? Aur kitna waqt lagega?"
The lady doctor laughed at him "Surya ji! You brought her with false pains. And it was already two days as she was admitted here. She won't allow us to do operation. We have to wait till she picks up pains. Don't worry its normal she will definitely deliver tonight. May be she is waiting for good auspicious moment?"
Devyani smiled and patted doctor's shoulder "theek kahan. Wo aisi hi hai. Abb toh mujhey yakein hogaya ki wo ek sundarsi ladki ko hi janam degi."
Doctor smiled "haan, Devyani ji! Aakhir aapka angad ko ek aur biwi chahiye na." she also heard how much Devyani was dreaming about her grandson.
Surya, Damini, Avantika and Dilip looked at one another. Surya depressively looked at Devyani "Maa Ji! Do din sey Gayatri suffer ho rahi hai. Why don't we ask doctor to go for cesarean?"
Three ladies yelled at the same time "no, Surya, Gayatri will be mad at us. And it's very difficult to handle her anger. You must know better than us. We have to wait till she tells us something."
Surya sighed and seated in the couch nearby. Dilip patted him "Surya! Don't worry, everything goes smooth. We three are going home. Actually I wish you also come with us." Surya refused to move from the place.
Dilip promised to bring him something and left with his two sisters promising to bring something for him to eat. Devyani took oath to fast till Gayatri's delivery; so there was no point in asking her to move from there. Anyway she won't move from there. Probably Gayatri got her traits.
Devyani Sastry was a Brahmin widow, a rich, influential, superstitious, orthodox woman in a village in the heart of Southern states of India. She always wore 7yards Kanchi silk saris only in 'Marwari' style. (This is also called kaccha nivi).
She was ruling the area as her in-laws' ancestral property with 500 acres of rich soil land, ten rice and saw mills, one sugar factory, and big bungalow at the end of the land was the only support for three to four villages around it.
The big bungalow has fifteen rooms around a big hall in the center of the house with a partial open roof in the center, a big pit underneath it on the floor to collect and drain the rain water; It has a madras style brick roof; with a 200 feet front and back yard floored with small stones design; and big gardening around it with all kinds trees of tropical flowers, fruits which includes coconut, banana, guava, mango and many others. Along with traditional furniture all bed rooms were air conditioned after Angad was born.
Devyani loved him as she firmly believed her husband reincarnated through him.
She had three daughters Damini, Gayatri, Avantika; and one son Dilip. All were born 2 years apart and respected one another as Devyani strictly maintained the hierarchy of relationships.
Dilip was the oldest and only son taking care of entire property under guidance of Devyani; with a beautiful, ambitious wife, Naina and only son, Angad,7 years old now. Naina loves city life but suppressed her dreams as Dilip never agreed to sell the ancestral property for city life. He was the most obedient son and believed whatever Devyani told so far.
Avantika was the eldest among the three daughters, was living in Bangalore along with her husband, Swami Narayan, who was a computer business man, and a daughter, Kanan, 5 years now.
Damini was the second amongst daughters, was living in Mumbai with her husband, Yashwant Rao, who was a general physician, with a beautiful daughter, Misthy, 3 years now.
Gayatri, the youngest of all and beloved daughter of Devyani, married four years ago to Surya Sarma, who was English professor in Nainital. Devyani pampered Gayatri as Gayatri showed interest in pujas, rituals, and superstitious like her mother.
All children were graduated and happily settled in their life.
Gayatri was not conceived despite of visiting many pilgrimages, doing plenty of pujas, havans for fulfilling their dreams. Atlast Gayatri was conceived but she was advised to have bed rest throughout the pregnancy coz of her weak uterus. Surya requested Devyani to have the delivery in Nainital as their village was not having enough medical facilities. Devyani was not less stubborn and didn't like to forego the tradition of having first delivery of the girls in maayka.
Devyani was dreaming since Angad was born, about Angad's marriage with one of her granddaughters, daughters of her three daughters.
Damini, Gayatri, Avantika were eager to offer their daughters to Angad for the property behind him. Damini and Avantika already fulfilled part of their dreams having daughters at first born.
Gayatri was worried about her conceiving and performed numerous pujas. Now she didn't want to know about the gender before delivery with a fear of having a son and losing the competition along with her elder sisters. Suryaban also supported her expecting fear of her rejection of having son. He didn't care any child as he was least bothered of giving his daughter to Angad.
Damini and Avantika climbed down the 'bullock cart'
"Oh my God! I don't know when will ma change? She could buy a car, how long you use these bullock carts?" Damini sighed and stretched her body as it was paining from an hour tired travel by the cart.
Dilip smiled at her "Damu! You come here once in a while and these cart pullers live on our wages. When we buy a car we have to employ a driver from city and you know ma doesn't like it."
Avantika and Damini walked inside as there was no point in arguing with Dilip. Naina in her kaccha nivi style sari came to them from inside and asked eagerly, "You came back? How is Gayatri? What happened?"
They sighed and washed their feet with the water that the servant gave to them. They settled in the chairs in the front porch "No, Bhabhi! I think Gayatri is waiting for muhurat!! After all she has to give a good bahu to you!!" Damini sarcastically conveyed the information.
Avantika warned her "come on, Damu! Why are you so envious to her? No one can write our destiny. If your daughter is destined into Angad's life how Gayatri would spoil it?" she turned to Naina, "Bhabhi! Gayatri doesn't allow the doctor to put scissors on her stomach and the baby is taking time to come out. They are expecting her to deliver by night. We came home for lunch. Now, we might go after the news only."
"Okey, Didi! I will ask Teddy to serve food for you and pack for Surya bhai too." Teddy was the short name for Tejeswaran Iyyer, the chef. His entire family was cooks in this house since ages. Angad couldn't spell his name properly and changed his name to 'teddy' for convenience. Except Devyani everyone called him with the modern name. Teddy felt proud to have the modern nick name and made special snacks for Angad whenever he ordered.
Both sisters followed Naina into dining room.
Naina and Damini were at the same age and Avantika was older. Devyani gave instructions to Naina at her first day in their house to call Avantika 'didi' though she was her husband's younger sister and she could call Damini by name. Devyani further instructed Damini and Avantika to respect Naina as "bhahi" as she was their older brother's wife though younger to them.
Financial markets and global economy
Ishaani
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