However, as was the rule with Sarla's life, happiness came for a hefty price - when she was in her ninth month of pregnancy, news had come that Mr. Soni was terribly ill in Mumbai and was breathing his last - he wanted to meet his Sarla. Prakash hesitated to bring the news to Sarla, he was still nursing the wound of losing his first child, he wasn't sure he wanted to lose another one. But beeji insisted that Sarla be given the news, she was his much adored daughter, and if Mr. Soni's last wish was to meet Sarla, Prakash shouldn't stop them. When Sarla was informed of the impending disaster, she had once again reached a cross road in life. She knew she couldn't take that stress of travelling in her final month without impacting the child adversely and at the same time how could she not go and visit her father probably for the last time? But she knew how the loss of their first child had impacted Prakash and her relationship, was she ready to bait her relationship with her husband for her relationship with her father?
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Sarla Arora
She wasn't born as the matriarch life turned her into. In fact, if anyone enquired about her to the elders in her maiden neighbourhood at Pathankot even today, one would hear people referring to her as Officer Soni's darling daughter Sarla. Her father had raised her all by himself ever since her mother passed away while giving birth to her younger brother Rakesh. Mr. Soni, being a police officer of well repute, he had given his Sarla and Rakesh, the best life could offer - he felt he was compensating them for not having a mother in their growing years.
Sarla was a beautiful and delicate woman who always lived in a bubble of protection provided by her father and her younger brother Rakesh. Life was a bed of roses for her in her developing years. She was pretty, kind, lovable and lived a comfortable life. When she was in her early twenties, her father wanted to get her settled in life by getting her married to a wealthy and reputed family, so that Sarla could continue to live a sheltered and comfortable life for the rest of her life.
They had gone for a cousin sister's wedding in Patiala where her father had met one of his deceased friend's wife Mrs. Daljeet Kaur Arora in one of the functions. Daljeet had come to attend her childhood friends daughter's wedding with her only son Prakash. Mr. Soni had interacted with Prakash quite a bit during that time.
Prakash - Prakash Arora, was a dynamic young man who was then single handedly managing his deceased father's business, and doing a good job at that. He was smart, intelligent, hardworking and had developed a liking towards Sarla during those few days of the wedding. Sarla liked this dashing young man who could make her laugh with his witty comments and also behave so maturely that Sarla could see that her father was taking a liking towards this boy - this could mean only one thing - wedding bells for Sarla. But if her dad chose Prakash for her, she didn't mind at all!
Thus within six months of her cousin sister's wedding at Patiala, Ms. Sarla Soni had become Mrs. Sarla Prakash Arora. After the wedding, Sarla had left her father and Rakesh back in Pathankot and had moved to her in-laws home at Chandigarh with her husband and her mother-in-law (beeji).
Life in Chandigarh as Mrs. Sarla Arora was very different from her life with her father and brother. Sarla was previously the only woman in her household, hence she had never had a woman's company in her daily life. She was unaware of how it felt like, living under the same roof with an older woman, hence adjusting to the new life with beeji felt very difficult. Even though she was very much in love with Prakash, and he loved her too, there was a certain coldness she felt from beeji - beeji was a straight forward woman with a slight habit of alcohol. Sarla was shocked beyond her wits in the first few weeks of her marriage. Beeji expected her to take care of her husband's needs and food and clothing, and she was also expected to take care of her (beeji). Beeji was considerably patient with her, she knew Sarla was an unnecessarily pampered motherless child, hence she had taken it upon her to teach her a few household tricks. She was often stern with her and would deliberately not laugh and make the mood light when Sarla would try doing a household chore and then invariably make a mess out of it.
Over the years, beeji had turned Sarla into the perfect bahu for the family, who had finally learnt to take care of her husband and her mother-in-law. Now she was extending her hand of cordial friendship towards her. However, destiny had rolled of its gigantic wheel by now, and all were not well, particularly in Pathankot.
Mr. Soni was going through a rough patch in life. He was framed in a bribe taking case which was brought to limelight and as a result of which, he was eliminated from the police force. Humiliated and faced by unjust judgement, he vowed to move out of Punjab and swore to never return back. He wanted Rakesh to accompany him, but Rakesh had newly started a restaurant in Pathankot, hence he and his newly wedded bride were reluctant to move. Mr. Soni, thus had moved out of Punjab and had gone to settle in Mumbai. He had ancestral land in Mumbai, and he wanted to start off a new business there. Around the same time, Sarla had conceived her first child, but the stress she had gone through from hearing about her father plight, coupled with the helplessness of not being able to visit her father in his dark days, because of her pregnancy - she had miscarried her first born. Prakash was furious at her carelessness, but beeji was supportive.
A few years down the line, things were slightly better. Sarla had a three year old daughter, who she lovingly named Pragya. Pragya Arora. Sarla, once fitted into motherhood, had finally started understanding her beeji better - in those early days of her wedding when beeji was a stern stoic figure trying to mould her, beeji was only doing the duty of a mother who Sarla never had. Now that Sarla had become the responsible woman she was, beeji had accepted her with widened arms and she was the daughter beeji always wanted. Prakash on the other hand, had never completely forgiven Sarla for her first miscarriage. True things were normal between Sarla and Prakash, they led a regular life, but Sarla knew somewhere deep down that ever since that miscarriage, something in her Prakash's heart had changed - she hoped time would fill up that void and make them the loving couple they were, before the mishap.
Sarla was now expecting her second child. Happiness was at her door once more, and she was awaiting for her child with blissful impatience - little Pragya would do her little bit to always make life easier for Sarla. When Sarla was in her advance months, Pragya already started behaving like the responsible older sister. She would do all her mother's small duties so that Sarla could rest and take care of Pragya's baby sister who was sleeping inside mamma's tummy. Pragya would sit and chat up with her father for breakfast and go to walks with him, sometimes, she would polish her father's shoe before he left for office and sometimes she would pour water in her father's glass while he ate food. She had become her father's little pet in these months when her mother was in maternity. Prakash adored Pragya and would spend all his free time with her.
However, as was the rule with Sarla's life, happiness came for a hefty price - when she was in her ninth month of pregnancy, news had come that Mr. Soni was terribly ill in Mumbai and was breathing his last - he wanted to meet his Sarla. Prakash hesitated to bring the news to Sarla, he was still nursing the wound of losing his first child, he wasn't sure he wanted to lose another one. But beeji insisted that Sarla be given the news, she was his much adored daughter, and if Mr. Soni's last wish was to meet Sarla, Prakash shouldn't stop them. When Sarla was informed of the impending disaster, she had once again reached a cross road in life. She knew she couldn't take that stress of travelling in her final month without impacting the child adversely and at the same time how could she not go and visit her father probably for the last time? But she knew how the loss of their first child had impacted Prakash and her relationship, was she ready to bait her relationship with her husband for her relationship with her father?
Sarla thought for an entire night with only tears for company, but in the morning, the mother in her had won over the daughter in her. She knew she would regret this decision for life, but she also knew if she lost her child, her relationship with Prakash would fall apart - she knew little Pragya was very close to her parents, she as a mother wanted to protect Pragya's interest - Pragya was a daughter too and Sarla herself knew what a father means to their daughters, how could she deny Pragya that father by choosing her own father over her husband?
Mr. Soni passed away in Mumbai without seeing Sarla for the last time. When his will came, Sarla saw she had inherited something from her father - it was to be shared between both siblings, Rakesh and Sarla. It was a property in Mumbai. In his last few years he had established a marriage hall in the Chembur area in Mumbai, which became the daily source of income for him. He organized weddings and rented his property. The property was called Kumkum Bhagya Marriage Hall' - the name was a blessing to his daughter, and even in his last breath he wished that Sarla had a happy married life.
Sarla was a stoic when she had accepted her father's last gift for her, there was guilt dripping from every ounce of her body. She knew not how to regain composure, and suddenly everything went black. When she regained her consciousness, again she was in a familiar room with light blue walls and a strong smell of medicines. She turned her head around and again saw the absence of a baby cot next to her. With fear overpowering her every pulse she felt her stomach - it felt vacant and light.
To this day when Sarla thinks of the past, she regrets athat in spite of not meeting her dying father, she couldn't change Pragya's destiny, she couldn't give her, her father. Her second miscarriage was again due to stress and anxiety. This time Prakash didn't tell her anything. In fact Prakash was as good as a furniture in their household. He was always there and yet he wasn't. He would work all day and come home late at night, and sometimes he didn't even return - Pragya was the one person he would interact with, but it was like Prakash had shunned his mother and wife out of his life.
A year had passed like this, and Sarla had given up hope of having a happily married life, now her life revolved around her daughter Pragya, her needs, her education, enrolling her to school and keeping up with her demands. Until that one unruly night. It was past eleven, and Pragya had gone off to bed with daadi. Sarla was following the usual routine, she would wait for Prakash till midnight, and if he returned, she would have dinner together, else at midnight, she would pack his food and put it in the freezer and then eat her share and go to bed. But that night he came home early.
Sarla got up to heat the food nonchalantly and expected him to freshen up and come to the dining table, but Prakash was standing at the door and staring at Sarla transfixed. Sarla noticed him and was a little perplexed. She went upto him and enquired what was wrong.
"Sarla, I am wrong this time"
"Prakash, you are incoherent, what has happened?"
"At least you didn't purposely abandon my children, she did, she left her in an orphanage because she didn't know how to deal with an illegitimate child"
Sarla froze. Her eyes turned glassy as she looked back into his eyes to find confirmation to her doubt. She knew Prakash was hurt and detached from family, but he was looking for happiness at someone else's door?
"Sarla, I am sorry. Sarla, you will have to allow my daughter in this house"
Sarla was quiet. She didn't protest, she didn't feel aggressive and in fact she didn't react at all. She just slowly walked to her bedroom and slowly shut the door behind her. She didn't know anyone named Prakash hereon.
Sarla shudders even today, when she thinks of the bold step she had taken thereon. She never told anyone about Prakash's truth, instead one fine day she came home with an infant in her arm. Pragya ran to her and enquired who the cute little baby was, was she a neighbours baby?
"No beta, she is our little baby. She is your sister Bulbul"
Prakash stood there gripped in shock to see the strength of the woman standing before him. Bulbul was his daughter - the daughter whose mother had abandoned her at birth and whose father had unwillingly abandoned her in societal pressure - it was Sarla who had held her hand and brought her to their life. Sarla was Bulbul's mother in all true sense. Beeji on the other hand was standing there and staring at the baby, she had Prakash's eyes, and this tore beeji's heart apart. But she never asked any question and Sarla never gave her any explanation. From that day, the Arora household had two daughters. Pragya and her baby sister Bulbul.
However, Prakash couldn't accept the strength he saw in Sarla, it belittled him. He felt diminutive in her presence and slowly in frustration, he gave in to alcoholism and unruly behaviour. He was losing his business, their finances were tight, Sarla still hadn't forgiven him and she had the upper hand in their relationship and his mother was Sarla's strongest pillar not his. One night in brazen alcoholism he had come home and started beating the three year old Bulbul - she was the reason for all his misery. If she wasn't born, he would still be the dominant person in the Arora household, but the little devil had changed everything. Sarla and beeji immediately came to rescue a shocked Bulbul and that was the last day the Arora family was together. The very next morning, Sarla had decided to walk out of her dead marriage and live a life of peace and integrity. She was going to move to Mumbai and restore her father's marriage hall and earn their living. She was going to raise her daughters to be strong and independent women who needed to no man to provide them with shelter - she had lived for long enough in her bubble of protection. If this was the price she needed to pay for the bubble, she wasn't sure she wanted that protection and security. When she was walking out with the two daughters in her grip, beeji had come out with her belongings packed too. She was done having a son, she wanted to live for the rest of her life with her daughter - Sarla.
Prakash had tried to stop only Pragya. But Pragya had refused.
"Papa when you don't love my Bulbul, Ma and daadi, don't love me too"
With that, the four of them walked out of their house leaving a remorseful Prakash behind. Sarla had never seen him after that. Many years later she had heard that he had married again and was living a decent life. Prakash never searched for his family and Sarla and her family didn't need him anymore. Sarla was finally out of her shell, she was finally the matriarch that destiny had meant her to be. She had raised and educated her children well, they were responsible and lovable women now. For once her happiness came without a price thought Sarla, as she stood before the Lohri fire and saw her children take rounds around it with their respective better halves. Pragya with her husband Abhi and Bulbul with her fianc Purab. Little did she know that even this happiness came with a price, only Pragya and Bulbul were paying for it now.
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