FF - Pati, Patni Aur Woh!- chapter 17 on page 150 - Page 101

Originally posted by: jyotinayana

Goodbye no way not acceptable Sujata a forum will have different types of members each one is addicted to the serial for different reasons each one has different opinions I have never followed any serial like ktlk never been part of any forum except this your observations thoughts ffs always entertained me whether I agreed with them or not your message to sk on his birthday was a masterpiece I am a busy doc but I make time for this serial this forum and writers like you so please reconsider and please continue till the end of this serial

Originally posted by: pansy123

i have remained a silent reader on the forum.i love all your ff's. kindly don't butcher this story mid way. you write master pieces and i want this master to be completed. kindly re consider your decision. this is my first ever post on this forum and your quitting the FF this way has made me to write these few lines. please continue the story for the sake of those who want to read the story.

"A teardrop on the cheek of time!"

Ashutosh looked at her questioningly.

"That is what Tagore called it, right?"

The words that he had read a long time ago came back to him, and brought with them a smile.

There they were, standing in front of possibly the world's most awe-inspiring monument to love, and Nidhi recalled the anguish that lay behind its creation. For, it must certainly have been anguish for a man to survive his beloved for two decades or more and painstakingly build her tomb, even though the world later called it a testimony to their love. While, the world oohed and aahed over its architectural splendour, Nidhi's heart melted for a man's broken heart. He could not help smiling again, thinking of the contrast this presented to the last time he was here.

"Why are you smiling?"

He shook his head, as if to indicate that it was nothing.

Nidhi looked at him curiously.

"Have you been here before?"

He looked into her eyes and gave a brief nod.

"This is my first time, you know. Since Baba was in the army, my schooling was mostly outside of UP, So not even the mandatory school excursions!"

She hooked her arm with his and laid her head on his shoulder.

"I am so glad that I got to see it with you. It is a kind of bittersweet feeling. To be here with you in the midst of this almost living, breathing testament to romance and yet, to feel the pain of a broken heart"!

He dropped a kiss on her head and drew her even more tightly to his side.

"I have been here quite a few times before. In fact, the last time was with Mallika!"

There was an almost imperceptible stiffening before she relaxed again.

"Well, you've been married for over ten years. There are bound to be some good memories in there along with the bad!"

She smiled up at him.

He responded with a wry smile.

She bit her lip before asking,

"Was it during your honeymoon or something? Must have been romantic?"

He could not help the guffaw that escaped his throat.

She looked at him, a trifle irritated.

"I know I sound the typical jealous nag. Believe me, I did not want to ask!"

"That was not why I laughed!"

She looked at him curiously.

"It was not our honeymoon. It was a trip with college friends. So, we were in a group. And Mallika spent much of the time talking of Shah Jahan's alleged liason with his daughter Jahanara, post Mumtaz Begum's death!"

Nidhi looked horrified.

"But surely that must have been vile speculation!"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Who knows? Maybe or maybe not! Jahanara was supposedly a replica of her mother. And the human mind can get really twisted when clouded with age and grief. But yes, it remains in the realm of speculation!"

Ashutosh looked at Nidhi.

"What made me smile was the diametrically opposed reactions. While the monument made you recall a man's grief, it made her recollect speculation on

his perversion. She effectively ruined the moment for me!"

Nidhi hugged him tight.

"Why should we think of perverse speculations when the man's love and grief are a palpable presence before us? Let us afford their love the dignity it deserves, at least here and now!"

Ashutosh cupped her face in his hands.

"You are so beautiful, you know!"

She blushed in response before saying,

"That is almost sacrilegious ...to talk of my beauty while faced with the splendour of the Taj!"

"I was not talking of physical beauty. I was talking of the beauty of your heart and soul!"

He brushed his lips to the top of her head again.

They stood for a moment, arms locked around each other's waists, gazing at the architectural splendour that was yet such a poignant reminder of the anguish of lost love. In the fading light of the evening, it looked sadder still.

Ashutosh felt the shiver that coursed through her slim frame.

"Shall we leave?"

They turned away from the almost melancholy sight before them and walked away into the night that held the promise of the shared joy of mutual passion.

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Nidhi had not instantly acquiesced to his idea of living together. Her concern had been his reputation and social standing. The fool had not thought for a moment of her own reputation. Ashutosh could not help wondering if such love was for real. He'd also wondered if he was worthy of the love and the woman. Well, if she thought he was, then he must be! Or at least, he had to try to be! Once he had her consent, things had moved at jet speed. Armaan's client had a furnished flat that lay vacant in the heart of the city. Although, he was not convinced of Ashutosh's decision, since he feared it might vitiate the legal proceedings, he realized that his friend's mind was made and that was that! Nidhi's belongings were packed and shifted to the flat just before they left for Agra.

When Nidhi had volunteered to stay at the hotel while Ashutosh attended the conference, he would have none of it. He had told her that what they were having was no covert affair, the legalities be damned. She was a brilliant doctor and deserved to be present at the conference in a professional capacity. So, they had gone to the conference and he had told the organizers that she was a brilliant colleague and friend and that he was keen for her to attend the conference.

Nidhi could not help feeling the sense of pride and belonging that coursed through her as she watched him make his presentation. Her heart swelled even further when it was followed by thunderous applause. This man that the whole world feted was hers!

She was not oblivious to the way some of his colleagues looked at her. Some curiously and the others knowingly but, wrapped in the cocoon of his love, it made no difference. He made it a point to introduce her to just about every one, making no secret of their association.

Once he was through with the Q and A session, Ashutosh had suggested they leave. While she thought, they would return to their hotel, he had instead taken her to see the Taj, having already secured their passes.

"Nidhi, wake up!"

She raised her head, which had been resting on his shoulder.

"I was not sleeping...just lost in thoughts!"

"Thoughts of what?"

He gave her a rather lascivious look and she blushed.

"I do think of other things, you know!"

He laughed at that.

"That blush says something else!"

Nidhi realized that their car had stopped in front of a ancient looking temple.

"Nidhi, this is the Mankameshwar temple...it is the best known Shiva temple in the city...shall we go in?"

She nodded enthusiastically and got off.

He asked her to go into the temple, saying he would pick up the puja ki thali before joining her.

As Nidhi walked into the temple, she almost collided with a couple. Clearly newly- weds, given the chooda and the mehndi on the girl's hands, they almost seemed to radiate bliss. She smiled at the couple and they smiled back shyly, before walking away hand in hand. The girl seemed to wear the symbols of belonging with such pride. Nidhi had never been the one given to rituals or tangible proofs but she could not help feeling wistful. She wondered if the day would come when she would be able to proudly display all the tangible proofs of their relationship too. She had complete faith in Ashutosh and did not require the reassurance of these symbols, and yet it would be nice to have them too.

"Shall we go in?"

She turned around to see Ashutosh with a bag in hand.

She looked at him curiously but he just shrugged.

They walked towards the altar.

He went ahead and spoke to the priest and handed over the bag to him, before joining her again.

"What are you upto?"

"Renewing my marriage vows!"

"What?"

Nidhi could not believe she had heard that.

"Renewing my..!"

"What do you mean?"

"Nidhi, I know what we are about to do has no legal sanction.Yet, I wanted to make you a promise in the presence of God. The law may not recognize this for now but I wanted God to acknowledge our bond. My marriage to Mallika exists only as a piece of paper. Any emotion that bound us together no longer exists. In my heart and mind, I recognize you and only you as my partner in life. I wanted to reassure you of this in the presence of God!"

"I trust you completely, Ashutosh. I do not need any kind of reassurance!"

"Maybe I do...maybe I want to bind you to me ...to make sure that you will never leave me again...I am scared that I might lose you, Nidhi...believe me, I am...I want to bind you to me in every which way possible!"

Nidhi was stunned to see tears glistening in his eyes.

"Have I ever given you reason to think I will leave?"

"Never...but do you blame this forty year old for feeling insecure...for still not being able to believe that this beautiful young angel is all his...do you blame me for wanting to shackle you to my side?"

Nidhi did not know what to say. Was this man some kind of a mind reader? Here she was secretly longing for rituals and symbols, and he was presenting them to her on a platter. Yes, the law would not permit a public exchange of vows. In the eyes of law, what they were about to commit was possibly a crime. But, in their hearts and minds, they already belonged. They were merely reaffirming their mutual faith in the presence of the Divine. If this was sin, then so be it. She was not ashamed to be a sinner so long as they remained honest and true in their minds and hearts!

They stood before the altar and prayed fervently as the rituals of worship were performed.

The priest came back to them with the thali that contained all of what Ashutosh had sought blessings for.

Ashutosh slipped the bridal chooda onto her hands covering Nidhi's head with the red dupatta. He then picked up the garlands and offered one to Nidhi. They exchanged garlands even as vedic chants resounded all around them.

Ashutosh then took her hand.

"There is no havan kund for the pheras here. But with the lamp in the altar and the divine presence beyond as witness, I take you to be my partner for life. I promise to love you heart and soul till there is breath in my body. I promise to be never parted from you this day onwards and to protect your honour for all time to come! I love you, Nidhi...you are my heart and soul!"

"I promise never to leave your side, in this life and for the lives to come. I am yours, body and soul, and never wish to be parted from you this day onwards. Your honour and happiness are mine. I love you, Ashutosh...with God as my witness, I promise to love you for this time and forever!"

After exchanging their self-fashioned vows, they took their pheras around the altar. He walked ahead for the first four, while she led for the last three.

It was an almost surreal experience for both them. It was a moment lacking in the pomp and splendour of a traditional wedding, and yet it was imbued with all the love and purity in their hearts. At the end of it all, it was love and love alone that mattered.

Once they had completed the pheras, Ashutosh took the sindoor offered by the priest and filled Nidhi's maang with it. Nidhi could not help the stray teardrop that trickled down her cheek. Ashutosh carefully caught the precious drop on his finger, before closing his eyes and touching it to his forehead.

He then reached into his pocket and drew out a jewellery box.

Nidhi could not help gasping as she saw the contents.

There was a chain with a beautiful locket inscribed with their initials on it. He opened the locket to reveal both their photographs framed within. There was also a pair of white gold wedding bands. His had her name inscribed within while hers had his.

"You had planned all this...and you did not even tell me?"

"Am I not allowed to surprise you, sweetheart?"

They slipped the rings onto each other's fingers before Ashutosh picked up the delicate chain and clasped it around her neck.

Through this all, they kept staring into each other's eyes, exchanging without words all those vows that lovers have from time immemorial.

After taking the blessings of the priest, they walked towards the temple's exit.

A group of foreign tourists, who were just entering the temple, smiled on seeing them.

"Newly weds?"

Nidhi nodded proudly as she clung to Ashutosh's arms.

Her heart felt full to the brim.

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Neither of them was particularly hungry and so they headed straight to their hotel room thereafter.

Nidhi insisted on having the shower first.

When she came out of the bathroom in a cloud of steam, freshly washed hair smelling of strawberries, Ashutosh moved to take her in his arms.

She shook her head gently and pushed in the direction of the bathroom.

"Denying your husband?"

"Do I look like a disobedient wife to you?"

"I want you, Nidhi... want you bad'!"

"You will get me too..but after a shower please !"

"Are you claiming I am sweaty and smelly?"

"I like you sweat, smell and all...in fact that is quite a turn on'!"

His eyes darkened with desire and he tried to pull her back in his arms but she resisted.

"Indulge me for today...I am your newly-wed wife after all!"

She pushed him into the bathroom, ignoring his protests, and quickly set to work.

Ashutosh thought he might as well have a quick shave too. His chin was already feeling raspy and, while beard rash on her skin was quite a turn on, he thought he would spare her for the day.

Fifteen minutes later, he walked out of the bathroom, only to come to a sudden halt.

The room was shrouded in darkness, except for a few candles placed here and there. The heady aroma of the candles and the fragrance of the rose petals scattered on the bed was quite intoxicating.

But nothing more than the sight of his Nidhi, his woman, seated on the bed, head covered demurely with her dupatta and wearing a blood red saree that enhanced the bridal appearance even further.

They had become one in flesh already but today was the day they had sought divine sanction to their union.

This night was their nuptial night, their suhaag raat after all!