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Part III: Ek Rang Inkaar Ka
Chapter 12: Baghban
Tulsi Virani had liked Barkha Doshi immensely. The first day, after the formal introduction as the food manager for the party, Tulsi had seen her at work and found her hardworking, efficient and resourceful. Barkha had also tactfully avoided an altercation between Gayatri Virani and the head chef about the method of preparation by gently persuading the older woman that since Virani Group of Hotels was inherently run by Viranis', it was inconceivable that the approach to cooking differed a great deal from the ones practiced by Virani women. And then there was the fact that she was Ganga's ward. Nakul had behaved abominally with the girl and yet she had not sought to incinerate the fight. That had impressed Tulsi a great deal.
Nakul Virani was not very happy with himself either. Positively appalled by the way he'd treated Barkha, he was more discomfited by the thought of apologizing to her yet again. That is if she didn't hand in her papers the next day. And he didn't inflict as much damage on Manthan as he have liked to. When he came back, injured and bleeding, both his mother and his younger brother were up, waiting. Tripti had shook her head in disbelief that he'd managed to let Manthan get the first shot but brought out the first aid kit and tended to his wounds nevertheless. His father had entered the room a couple of minutes later and reprimanded him severely. Sahil Virani had then gone down to see if Manthan needed any assistance dressing his hand, even though Manthan was sure to shrug him off.
The scene at the breakfast table at Shantiniketan the next day was positively exuberant. It was the beginning of the new year and for most of the Virani family, it had begun on an auspicious note. Pari and Archita were animatedly discussing the party, Eklavya and others were in festive spirit after the morning ritual of worship which Tulsi had conducted. So when Manthan walked in with a bandaged hand, everyone was surprised. "Tumhare haath ko kya hua, Manthan?" "Got up on the wrong side of the bed.", Manthan answered tersely. He had just begun to sip his coffee when Nakul walked up to the table and pulled a chair. "Ab tumhein kya hua?" Eklavya asked. "Never mind .....you too must have got up from the wrong side of the bed." Eklavya continued dryly. It was an open secret that Nakul and Manthan did not see eye to eye...more so literally today. Manthan made to get up from the breakfast table when Tulsi's voice called out sternly, "Sit down and finish your breakfast Manthan. And you too Nakul. I will not tolerate temper tantrums from twenty year olds." Glaring at each other, but refusing to disobey their elder, they sat down and finished their breakfast in silence while Lakshya, KT, Pari, Eklavya and occasionally Mayank filled in their quota of words. "And Nakul...You will see me before you leave for work."
By contrast, the breakfast scenario at Ganga's house was subdued. Barkha walked in at fifteen past nine, sat down and poured herself a cup of tea with a customary "Good morning Massi....And Happy New Year."
" Same to you beta. " For sometime Barkha and Ganga concentrated on the food before them. "Are you aware of the reason behind the fight?" Ganga asked."Mrs. Tripti Virani." was Barkha's laconic reply. " Tripti Virani???" Barkha refused to expound further and Ganga did not press her to. " Tripti Virani.....she seems to have the propensity of causing discord in the most perfect,harmonious relationships." Ganga said with passive resignation, an emotion Barkha had never seen in Ganga. "I once had the home and family most women dream about. I had a loving husband - Sahil Virani and two angelic kids...Nakul and Lakshya..." Ganga's voice sounded as if she was far off in some dream. " Massi......What happened?" "Thodi bewafai maine ki....Thodi Sahil ne.....Aur sazaa mere bachko ko mili....." Ganga's tone changed from wistful to bitter.
" I suspected Sahil of having an affair with Mohini....Harsh's wife....I refused to believe in his protestions of innocence.....I .....I ...sought the help of one of my friends to prove the same.....Someone who I thought would be my support during those trying times......Do you know who she was?Tripti......" " Massi...Did you ever confront Mr. Virani ? Did you ever ask your friend why she backstabbed you? " "No....I was too hurt .... too shattered....too angry to admit Sahil was a human...and perhaps too stupid to realize that my children would suffer the consequences....I would not have separated from Sahil otherwise." Ganga finished sadly. Barkha went up to her aunt and hugged her..."Perhaps I'm being inordinately selfish massi..." she said honestly..."But for my sake ...I'm glad things happened that way." "And besides....", she said before leaving the room, "You did what was right for your self respect ....And no relationship is worth sacrificing that for..." Barkha said sagely.
Barkha refused to resign from her position on the principle that she had done no wrong. She was not sure if she could complain against Nakul Virani on an official basis, but someway and someday, she would get back at him alright. Even if he were the darling son of her aunt. She left for work at her usual time, willing herself to have a little more self control.
Ganga had not been expecting visitors and hence when the door bell rang, she was surprised. She was doubly surprised when she saw Nakul Virani at the door. "May I please speak to Barkha?" he asked politely.
Ganga raised her eyebrows and answered, "She's already left for work." "Oh...In that case...I shall talk to her at the Hotel...Thank you ma'am...." "And ma'am...." Nakul said hesitantly...."Yes????" "Happy New Year..." Ganga's response was a slight smile.
The second visitor less than an hour later surprised her even more. "Arey Maa....Aap..." Ganga addressed Tulsi Virani.."Please come in...." Tulsi came in and after the customary exchanges of greetings of New Year and each other's health, Tulsi asked her " Barkha kahan hai?" " Its funny....Everyone keeps asking for Barkha today...Nakul came in an hour ago ..." "I know.....By his own admission, he needed to apologize to her and I just asked him to precipitate the apology." "Did I miss something here?." "Yes " and succintly she narrated the whole Nakul - Barkha incident. "Barkha did not mention a word about this." , Ganga said frowning.."I would have taken Nakul to task for it...". " I already did....Let it be.....Ganga.....Can I ask something of you?" "Of course maa....." " I would like Barkha's hand .............For Nakul."
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I'm not sure of the exact reason for the rift in the Ganga Sahil relation so this may not be accurate...And as far as I recollect, Tripti was supposed to be Ganga's friend....If this was not, I beg pardon.
Chapter 12: Baghban
Tulsi Virani had liked Barkha Doshi immensely. The first day, after the formal introduction as the food manager for the party, Tulsi had seen her at work and found her hardworking, efficient and resourceful. Barkha had also tactfully avoided an altercation between Gayatri Virani and the head chef about the method of preparation by gently persuading the older woman that since Virani Group of Hotels was inherently run by Viranis', it was inconceivable that the approach to cooking differed a great deal from the ones practiced by Virani women. And then there was the fact that she was Ganga's ward. Nakul had behaved abominally with the girl and yet she had not sought to incinerate the fight. That had impressed Tulsi a great deal.
Nakul Virani was not very happy with himself either. Positively appalled by the way he'd treated Barkha, he was more discomfited by the thought of apologizing to her yet again. That is if she didn't hand in her papers the next day. And he didn't inflict as much damage on Manthan as he have liked to. When he came back, injured and bleeding, both his mother and his younger brother were up, waiting. Tripti had shook her head in disbelief that he'd managed to let Manthan get the first shot but brought out the first aid kit and tended to his wounds nevertheless. His father had entered the room a couple of minutes later and reprimanded him severely. Sahil Virani had then gone down to see if Manthan needed any assistance dressing his hand, even though Manthan was sure to shrug him off.
The scene at the breakfast table at Shantiniketan the next day was positively exuberant. It was the beginning of the new year and for most of the Virani family, it had begun on an auspicious note. Pari and Archita were animatedly discussing the party, Eklavya and others were in festive spirit after the morning ritual of worship which Tulsi had conducted. So when Manthan walked in with a bandaged hand, everyone was surprised. "Tumhare haath ko kya hua, Manthan?" "Got up on the wrong side of the bed.", Manthan answered tersely. He had just begun to sip his coffee when Nakul walked up to the table and pulled a chair. "Ab tumhein kya hua?" Eklavya asked. "Never mind .....you too must have got up from the wrong side of the bed." Eklavya continued dryly. It was an open secret that Nakul and Manthan did not see eye to eye...more so literally today. Manthan made to get up from the breakfast table when Tulsi's voice called out sternly, "Sit down and finish your breakfast Manthan. And you too Nakul. I will not tolerate temper tantrums from twenty year olds." Glaring at each other, but refusing to disobey their elder, they sat down and finished their breakfast in silence while Lakshya, KT, Pari, Eklavya and occasionally Mayank filled in their quota of words. "And Nakul...You will see me before you leave for work."
By contrast, the breakfast scenario at Ganga's house was subdued. Barkha walked in at fifteen past nine, sat down and poured herself a cup of tea with a customary "Good morning Massi....And Happy New Year."
" Same to you beta. " For sometime Barkha and Ganga concentrated on the food before them. "Are you aware of the reason behind the fight?" Ganga asked."Mrs. Tripti Virani." was Barkha's laconic reply. " Tripti Virani???" Barkha refused to expound further and Ganga did not press her to. " Tripti Virani.....she seems to have the propensity of causing discord in the most perfect,harmonious relationships." Ganga said with passive resignation, an emotion Barkha had never seen in Ganga. "I once had the home and family most women dream about. I had a loving husband - Sahil Virani and two angelic kids...Nakul and Lakshya..." Ganga's voice sounded as if she was far off in some dream. " Massi......What happened?" "Thodi bewafai maine ki....Thodi Sahil ne.....Aur sazaa mere bachko ko mili....." Ganga's tone changed from wistful to bitter.
" I suspected Sahil of having an affair with Mohini....Harsh's wife....I refused to believe in his protestions of innocence.....I .....I ...sought the help of one of my friends to prove the same.....Someone who I thought would be my support during those trying times......Do you know who she was?Tripti......" " Massi...Did you ever confront Mr. Virani ? Did you ever ask your friend why she backstabbed you? " "No....I was too hurt .... too shattered....too angry to admit Sahil was a human...and perhaps too stupid to realize that my children would suffer the consequences....I would not have separated from Sahil otherwise." Ganga finished sadly. Barkha went up to her aunt and hugged her..."Perhaps I'm being inordinately selfish massi..." she said honestly..."But for my sake ...I'm glad things happened that way." "And besides....", she said before leaving the room, "You did what was right for your self respect ....And no relationship is worth sacrificing that for..." Barkha said sagely.
Barkha refused to resign from her position on the principle that she had done no wrong. She was not sure if she could complain against Nakul Virani on an official basis, but someway and someday, she would get back at him alright. Even if he were the darling son of her aunt. She left for work at her usual time, willing herself to have a little more self control.
Ganga had not been expecting visitors and hence when the door bell rang, she was surprised. She was doubly surprised when she saw Nakul Virani at the door. "May I please speak to Barkha?" he asked politely.
Ganga raised her eyebrows and answered, "She's already left for work." "Oh...In that case...I shall talk to her at the Hotel...Thank you ma'am...." "And ma'am...." Nakul said hesitantly...."Yes????" "Happy New Year..." Ganga's response was a slight smile.
The second visitor less than an hour later surprised her even more. "Arey Maa....Aap..." Ganga addressed Tulsi Virani.."Please come in...." Tulsi came in and after the customary exchanges of greetings of New Year and each other's health, Tulsi asked her " Barkha kahan hai?" " Its funny....Everyone keeps asking for Barkha today...Nakul came in an hour ago ..." "I know.....By his own admission, he needed to apologize to her and I just asked him to precipitate the apology." "Did I miss something here?." "Yes " and succintly she narrated the whole Nakul - Barkha incident. "Barkha did not mention a word about this." , Ganga said frowning.."I would have taken Nakul to task for it...". " I already did....Let it be.....Ganga.....Can I ask something of you?" "Of course maa....." " I would like Barkha's hand .............For Nakul."
------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------
I'm not sure of the exact reason for the rift in the Ganga Sahil relation so this may not be accurate...And as far as I recollect, Tripti was supposed to be Ganga's friend....If this was not, I beg pardon.
Indian Idol 15
