Hasta-prāpya-stabaka-namito bāla-Mandāra-vṛkṣaḥ (FF) Ch. 36 p. 15 - Page 4

Hmm so I was kinda right and kind of wrong about the reasons. Not too bad I must say. I liked that Amma chose to guide Raghav and that Raghav's going to get a dog! Farhad's Ammi and Abu are the reason he is amazing and I totally understand why they don't approve of Raghav . Farhad did a great job by letting Pallavi stay with them. Mandhaar's conflict which is probably going to be a huge part of this story was shown so well. His instinct wanted him to believe Farhad but the brainwashing is making him think otherwise. I must praise the amount of research you have done for the legal process. It is absolutely brilliant. Did you ask a lawyer friend for help or is it all research?

loved Farhad family and the lawyer explanation

❤️

Originally posted by: hapc

Hmm so I was kinda right and kind of wrong about the reasons. Not too bad I must say. I liked that Amma chose to guide Raghav and that Raghav's going to get a dog! Farhad's Ammi and Abu are the reason he is amazing and I totally understand why they don't approve of Raghav . Farhad did a great job by letting Pallavi stay with them. Mandhaar's conflict which is probably going to be a huge part of this story was shown so well. His instinct wanted him to believe Farhad but the brainwashing is making him think otherwise. I must praise the amount of research you have done for the legal process. It is absolutely brilliant. Did you ask a lawyer friend for help or is it all research?

Thank you to everyone who has been reacting and commenting, including those who are catching up on earlier chapters. I know they're long chapters, and yet they feel like baby steps to me for getting the characters to where I want them. So, your willingness to read so much text is truly appreciated.

hapc, you wrote almost the same reasons that I did for Farhad to bring Pallavi home. I think that's a combination of logical thinking and good intuition on your part!

I am trying to write Jaya as she was originally written (when Ragini Shah played her), so that she calls out Raghav's shortcomings, but now that she has forgiven him, she does it constructively. It takes effort to write lines that I can imagine Jaya saying in Ragini Shah's voice and with her expressions, not in Geeta Tyagi's voice or with her expressions.

I'm very happy to see so much support for Raghav having a dog. If anyone has seen a fan fiction about Raghav or Pallavi with a pet, please let me know. The dog can beg; I'll borrow and steal.

I'm not yet sure who Ammī and Abbū are as characters, or what I want to do with them. Ideas are welcome.

I find it challenging to write for Mandar, both as a closeted gay character and as someone who doesn't know any of what Raghav has done to Pallavi and the Deshmukh family, all of which should affect him deeply. I want Mandar to be in touch with his natural thoughts, but I have to make his denial convincing too, and bring him out slowly. I have to let Mandar gradually find out about how Raghav has hurt every member of his family, not all at once, so that there's time to show Mandar interacting with different supporting characters, reacting to disillusionment, and growing. While it's tempting to write Raghav/Pallavi scenes because I know how their emotions will spill out and I can draw on their history, I have to think of ways to get Farhad and Mandar into the same scene and develop how they affect each other.

I didn't ask a lawyer. I just did internet research for the legal details. I only wanted to find out whether it would be annulment/divorce for each husband, and on what grounds, and I thought the story would look polished if I could cite the correct statutes. To my shock, I discovered a technicality that would incriminate Pallavi. I couldn't resist! How did the show not pick up on this and run with it? It just makes me shiver: Raghav bent the law to force Pallavi into marriage, but he's not guilty of a crime; instead, the letter of the law holds Pallavi responsible for an inconsequential omission, and she is facing hard time. So, an ironic cliffhanger in Chapter Five, and good stuff to follow: blackmail and guilt and misunderstandings all around.

Chapter Six

"That's outrageous!" Raghav shouted at his lawyer, Dhananjay, who had just told him that Pallavi could be sentenced to ten years in prison for bigamy. "It was never a secret that Pallavi was a widow! I just didn't catch on. I heard Baḍā Bindī calling Pallavi an orphan since childhood, and Siddhesh Dādā saying that he looked after her because their Āī-Bābā weren't there, and Pavani Vahinī defending her upbringing, but somehow my mind filtered out the truth because I was convinced that Rambo was her father."

"Mr. Raghav," Dhananjay replied calmly, "The court will not consider what you learned from any other sources. The letter of the law is clear. The remarried person is solely accountable for communicating the prior marriage to the new spouse, and whoever is not forthcoming before contracting a new marriage is not exempt from the punishment for bigamy in the event that the prior marriage previously voided by a court is unexpectedly reinstated."

"Outrageous!" Raghav muttered. "I forced Sārī kā Dukāna to marry me against her will, but the law treats her as a criminal? It was only a few hours before I asked her about that white saree, but my stupidity could cost her ten years in prison!"

"Mr. Raghav, law enforcement does not normally prosecute anyone for bigamy when it is clearly unintentional, and even if Mrs. Pallavi were to be convicted, a fair judge would sentence her to a nominal fine and no prison time. However, you have enemies with influence in the courts, for whom your wife is an obvious target, so I advise you to be careful. Does anyone know that Mrs. Pallavi's widowhood was a surprise to you after marriage?"

"Only Farhad. At our wedding reception, Pallavi told the story that I proposed to her in front of her family, knowing that she was a widow, and the media reported the story."

"That's good. As long as Farhad doesn't tell anyone, and there's no record of your conversation with Mrs. Pallavi after marriage, in which you expressed surprise that she was a widow, she will not be charged with a crime when Mr. Mandar Deshmukh is legally recognized as living. However, if her petition to divorce him is not before the court by that time, the court will proceed to annul her remarriage to you."

Raghav called Farhad into his den as soon as Dhananjay departed. "Do we still have CCTV footage from the wedding reception at the other house?"

"Jī, Anna."

"We have to destroy any recording of me finding out that Pallavi was a widow, and asking you if you knew. Audio especially, but destroy the video evidence as well. Immediately."

"Jī, Anna. I will log in right away and delete it. Anna, have you spoken to Bhābhī since last night?"

"No; in which hotel did you lodge her? I'll pay them a visit to make sure their service is up to Raghav Rao's standard."

"Bhābhī is staying in Nawaz Mahal."

"Nawaz Mahal? I've never heard of it. Did you put Pallavi in some cheap lodgings?"

"Sorry, Anna, I made a joke. Bhābhī is in the care of Gulshan and Rehana Nawaz, Farhad Nawaz's Ammī-Abbū."

Raghav's laughter burst out, mixed with a sigh of relief. "Nawaz Mahal, really! That's good, she's not alone. Make sure she has everything she needs from here. Her scented hair care products, her yoga mat ..."

"Jī, Anna. Bhābhī told me this morning that you must have packed her suitcase yourself, because none of the sarees and blouses match, and her jewelry is all hooked into her underwear."

"Of course, Farhad! I closed my eyes and emptied her underwear drawer into the suitcase because I knew she wouldn't want me to look! Never mind that, did she sleep all right last night? Was she crying?"

"Ammī says Bhābhī slept all right. She wasn't crying. In the morning, she made thālīpīṭha, and then she went to the office of Subhadra jī, her lawyer."

"That's good. Now, Farhad, before I go to see Pallavi, there's one thing that I have to do. Come with me." Raghav opened the den door and strode out, then turned back and said, "Actually, I should only take Amma with me. Your priority today is to delete the CCTV footage from the wedding reception. Make sure you delete it from every backup drive. Every record of the moment I found out that Pallavi was a widow must be destroyed; varanā anartha ho jāyegā."

Meanwhile, at the Deshmukh house, Sharada approached Mandar and Vishnu to ask, "What are your plans for today?"

"We both have today and tomorrow off from work," Vishnu said. "So, if Mandar wants to revisit some old familiar places and reacquaint with friends, I can go with him."

"I have to submit my resignation to the Vikarabad ambulance service," Mandar said. "After that, I want to go to the shop and see if I remember anything. When I met Pallavi yesterday, memories began to come back, one by one, and when I was with the whole family and in my own room, I had so many memories, I just lost count."

"That's very good," Sharada smiled. "Do you like to work as an ambulance driver? You don't have to work at the shop if you don't want to. Nikhil is managing, and getting better at it every day."

Mandar laughed. "Now I remember that I have an MBA. I just hope that spending time at the shop brings back the ideas I had for the business."

Sharada's phone rang. It was Pallavi. "Bola, Pallu."

"Āī, mī vakilākaḍe āle āhe." Āī, I'm at the lawyer's. "Mandar-āṃçā mṛtyudākhalā radda karāyalā havā." Mandar's death certificate has to be expunged. "Tara vakīla-bāīṃnā gheūna gharī yeū kā?" So, shall I and the lady lawyer come over? "Mandar azūna gharīça āheta nā?" Mandar is still at home, right?

"Ho, ye, āṇi dupāraçe jevūnaça dukānāta zā." Yes, come, and only go to the shop after having lunch with us. Sharada ended the call, and told Mandar, "Pallavi is bringing a lawyer for you, so that we can get that death certificate expunged. Work on that and your resignation this morning. After lunch, you can go to the shop with her."

"Mandar, what are your thoughts about Pallavi?" Vijay joined them. He had taken the day off from selling sarees on the roadside, just to spend time with his son. "Do you want a married life with her? If she is your choice, we will accept that."

"Bābā, I remember why I liked Pallavi, but she is remarried now. How can I ask her to leave her marriage?" Mandar knew he was not being honest, but this excuse was easier than the truth.

"Pallavi is one of our children, and always will be," Sharada said. "If she says no to you, that's final, but your needs are also important for us and your marriage had Devā-Brāhmaṇāñcī sākṣa too, so don't hesitate to tell us what you expect from Pallavi."

"Whatever you are feeling, you can tell us," Milind agreed. "No pressure." He had taken the morning off, and was quietly sitting there, contentedly watching Mandar.

If only that were true, Mandar thought. Aloud, he said, "I lost my chance with Pallavi when that car hit me and left me unconscious. It was Raghav who took me to the hospital. I owe him. How can I say to Raghav, this is my wife, not yours? Wouldn't that be indecent?"

"Indecent? Have you met Raghav Rao?" Sulochana swept into the gathering and spoke up, instantly turning the conversation distasteful.

"Sulochana, we are still celebrating Mandar's return. Why spoil his first morning at home?" Milind remonstrated. "Let's not talk about that right now."

"I have met Raghav," Mandar said. "He wasn't polite, but that could be because he wasn't feeling well." Vishnu nodded in agreement.

"Raghav was in the hospital until yesterday," Sharada said. "Did Pallavi take you there to meet him, or to their house?"

"No, Raghav came all the way to Vikarabad after Pallavi. I tried to thank him for taking me to the hospital after my accident, but he just made an angry face and disagreed with Pallavi when she said that he got his blood transfusion on time because I drove Pallavi to Hyderabad in the ambulance. Right then and there, Raghav had a panic attack. Then he hardly spoke while we were in the car for two hours."

"Garvāçe ghara khālī," a house of vanity collapses, Vijay said. "Raghav thinks he's above all laws and norms of decency, so with these panic attacks Bāppā reminds him from time to time that he's mortal after all. Your work as an ambulance driver saved Raghav's life, but he won't thank you with one word. He is unworthy of your self-sacrifice, Mandar. If you want to fulfil your commitment to Pallavi, don't worry about that Raghav at all. He won't be alone for long. He once said to me that Pallavi is only one of many girls at his feet."

Mandar was shocked. He remembered that Raghav had left Pallavi and taken Kirti home, and what Dr. Ramya had said about Raghav's lifestyle. So, Raghav was a philandering husband!

"The first time I met Raghav," Vijay continued, "he had kept people lined up outside a mandira for over an hour because he wanted a VIP darśana. When Pallavi spoke up, Raghav lunged at her and shouted at both of us. In spite of that, when he had a panic attack, we tried to help him. He never thanked us either."

"Aho, what you said is said, but we should know when to stop," Sharada tried to change the subject. "Mandar, you have to send your resignation. Go, do that before Pallavi gets here with the lawyer." Sharada signaled to Vishnu to take Mandar upstairs.

"Why the hurry, Vahinī?" Sulochana wasn't going to wait a moment longer to turn Mandar against Raghav. "Mandar deserves to know the truth that Dādā and Pallavi hid from him yesterday. That landlord who told lies about Pallavi was none other than Raghav Rao!"

"Enough, Sulochana!" Milind raised his voice. "Not one more word!"

Mandar had listened to every word, but he couldn't believe it. Raghav wasn't just impolite; he was violent with Pallavi and he had maligned her character. He was even the reason for Bābā's suicide attempt and heart attack. It made no sense. Why would Pallavi marry a man like that?

"Raghav did all of that? Why? Was he after Pallavi to marry him?" Mandar finally asked.

"Raghav later said that he told those lies only to punish Pallavi for a misunderstanding." Milind sat down next to Mandar and put a sympathetic arm around his shoulders. "They did get married soon after that, and Raghav tried in his way to take back his lies and become part of our family."

"It was Raghav's mother who chose Pallavi for him." Sharada sensed Mandar's disgust, confusion, and helplessness, and tried to mitigate the truth that her son had guessed.

"Raghav's mother wouldn't even acknowledge him when we first met them." Sulochana pounced on her chance to badmouth Jaya Rao, the woman who had slapped her twice. "Jaya Rao knew that her son was vyasanī, so she pretended to be a stranger to him, a respectable and dignified lady! Weeks later, when Pallavi and Raghav were spotted out together at night, that Jaya Rao finally introduced herself as Raghav's mother, and promised that if he had harmed Pallavi, she would kill Raghav with her own hands. Isn't that right, Dādā?"

Sharada and Milind closed their eyes and shook their heads in despair at Sulochana's troublemaking. Mandar looked at Vijay, who nodded sadly. It was true; Pallavi was married to a man whose own mother recognized him as a sexual predator. Mandar hadn't been around to protect Pallavi, and so, when Raghav's harassment of Pallavi had left her destitute, his mother had tried to impart the legitimacy of marriage to that monstrous relationship. Mandar thought he was going to throw up, and excused himself.

A couple of hours later, Pallavi, Subhadra, and Vishnu were having lunch with Mandar and his family, except Nikhil, who was at work, and Amruta, who was attending her college classes. Mandar had sent in his resignation to the ambulance service in Vikarabad. Pallavi had introduced him to Subhadra, and he had prepared an affidavit that he, Mandar Deshmukh, was living and claimed all inherent rights of a citizen of India. So, the atmosphere at lunch was cheerful; almost everyone felt excited that Mandar had taken these steps to restart his life in Hyderabad.

Sulochana, of course, was the exception, but she was content for another reason, that Mandar hadn't said a word about her being the one who abandoned him at Dr. Ramya's clinic. He must not remember, Sulochana thought. After all, Mandar had been groggy from medication when Sulochana had gotten him into the taxi, and Mandar had been still quite disoriented when they had arrived in Vikarabad on the morning of 2nd December, 2018.

"Pallu," Manasi was saying, "it took three months, but we are finally having a meal with you again."

Pallavi beamed a smile at Vijay, silently telling Bābā that bygones were bygones. She had said to Subhadra that she would spend time with Mandar over the next few days while he got settled; she couldn't just ask him if he wanted her back. She would sort out her feelings for Mandar and for Raghav as soon as possible, and then live with her decision for a few days before starting any legal process to dissolve a marriage.

"Manasi, from now on I will eat lunch made by Āī's hands every day," Pallavi replied, certain that Sharada would assent. "I am staying at Farhad's flat until I sort out where I belong. My coming here for lunch will leave Farhad's Ammī-Abbū free to eat whatever they like, at least once a day."

Mandar, who was trying to eat despite his nausea after hearing about Raghav's abuses of Pallavi, looked up in surprise. Why hadn't Pallavi moved into Raghav's other house as planned? Yesterday, Mandar had thought that Raghav had only quarrelled with Pallavi and run to Kirti, but now Pallavi's words implied that she had been thrown out by Raghav and had nowhere to stay. What a kind and brave man Farhad was to take her in! The possibility of being fired for taking the boss's wife home was not a risk that most men would take. Not even a man who is as open about his homosexuality as Farhad, Mandar thought. Perhaps he should be worried that Farhad would tell Pallavi what he had overheard Mandar saying to Dr. Ramya, but somehow, Mandar trusted that Farhad would keep his promise.

"You have left Raghav?" Sulochana didn't even bother to conceal her delight. She hoped it had been a bitter quarrel that would leave Pallavi without any alimony, but even if Raghav was generous to the end, Sulochana would find ways to make sure that Vijay and Sharada didn't get the benefit of it.

"We are not together right now, Kākū," Pallavi admitted, trying not to look embarrassed. Subhadra was her lawyer, but Vishnu was definitely an outsider, and in his presence, Pallavi did not want to talk about who left whom.

I can't defer to Raghav now, Mandar thought. No more excuses or equivocation. Pallavi is free to be with me, she has a right to me, she belongs in my family, and I have to be a good husband and offer her my protection. Today.

Manasi, looking at Pallavi with sympathy, remembered her own difficult decision to call off her wedding to Rahul, after which Rahul, lonely and unable to resist his disapproving mother, had ended the relationship and married someone else. Pallavi had gone to Rahul's mother to plead for Manasi, and the whole family had uplifted Manasi when she had felt unlovable. Now, it was Pallavi whose marriage had broken up, and although Raghav was a dangerously spiteful man, not charming and considerate like Rahul, Manasi was trying to find words other than "Good riddance!" to comfort Pallavi.

"I am sure you made a wise decision, Pallu," Sharada spoke firmly.

"We will trust your judgement no matter what you decide," Milind agreed.

"You didn't take any loṇaçaṃ, Pallavi." Manasi changed the subject. "Kanchan Māmī made it."

Mandar was startled out of his thoughts by clear memories of relatives whose photos he hadn't even seen since Pallavi had found him yesterday. "How are Ājī, Māmā and Māmī?" he asked Sharada.

Sharada's face showed still fresh pain as she said, "Māmā āṇi Māmī bare āheta, paṇa cāra mahinyāṃpūrvī Ājīçā pravāsa sampalā; tī Devāgharī gelī." Māmā and Māmī are well, but four months ago, Ājī's journey ended; she went to God's house.

Mandar's eyes brimmed with tears. His loving Ājī had had to grieve for him, and she had died before anyone found out that he was alive. Mandar got up from the table and put his arms around Sharada, who patted his head. Then Mandar went over to Vijay and hugged him too. Milind got up, and Manasi was already standing to serve the food; both of them hugged Mandar, and Vishnu squeezed his hand in sympathy.

Pallavi watched all of this, and remembered how Mandar's maternal grandmother, whose home was in Kolhapur, had brought the formal marriage proposal to Siddhesh Dādā and Pavani Vahinī. After Mandar had chosen Pallavi on the matrimonial website, Ājī, Māmā, and Māmī had been the first to welcome her into the family. This was a real family, the sort of family that Pallavi wanted, with relatives to visit in Kolhapur and elsewhere, celebrations and delicacies to share, and simple gestures of affection. And Mandar today was the same loving and lovable man whom she had admired in video chats and in their wedding events. Still handsome too, Pallavi thought.

After lunch, as they walked to Deshmukh Saree Emporium together, Mandar turned to Pallavi and said, "Mājhyā pūrvīcyā āyuṣyāta je kāhī ghaḍalaṃ hotaṃ te ātā malā sagaḷaṃ kāhī punhā āṭhavataṃya." Whatever happened in my earlier life, I am remembering all of it again now. "Āpaṇa lagnāādhī bolalo hoto, taseça malā punhā tujhyāśī bolāyaçe āhe." Just as we had talked before marriage, I want to talk with you again. "Tuzhā mitra, tuzhā navarā vhāyaçe āhe malā." I want to become your friend, your husband. "He śakya āhe kā?" Is that possible?

"Ho, Mandar," Pallavi replied. "Malā tumhī tevhāṃ pasanta hotā, taseça ātāhī pasanta āhāta." I accepted your proposal then, and just the same, I accept you now.

Chapter One on page 1

Chapter Two on page 2

Chapter Three on page 2

Chapter Four on page 3

Chapter Five on page 4

Chapter Seven on page 5

Chapter Eight on page 5

Chapter Nine on page 7

Chapter Ten on page 7

Chapter Eleven on page 8

Chapter Twelve on page 8

Chapter Thirteen on page 8

Chapter Fourteen on page 9

Chapter Fifteen on page 10

Chapter Sixteen on page 10

Chapter Seventeen on page 11

Chapter Eighteen on page 11

Chapter Nineteen on page 11

Chapter Twenty on page 11

Chapter Twenty-One on page 11

Chapter Twenty-Two on page 12

Chapter Twenty-Three on page 12

Chapter Twenty-Four on page 12

Chapter Twenty-Five on page 12

Chapter Twenty-Six on page 13

Chapter Twenty-Seven on page 14

Chapter Twenty-Eight on page 14

Chapter Twenty-Nine on page 14

Chapter Thirty on page 14

Chapter Thirty-One on page 14

Chapter Thirty-Two on page 14

Chapter Thirty-Three on page 15

Chapter Thirty-Four on page 15

Chapter Thirty-Five on page 15

Chapter Thirty-Six on page 15

It’s good to know Raghav’s lawyer also warned him about the bigamy charge. Glad to know he is deleting all footage. I really liked Manasi understanding what Pallavi might be going through and trying to help her. Sulo was being Sulo. Mandhaar is being drawn towards Farhad❤️. I want to see how he behaves with him now. Finally the end was shocking. How did Pallu say yes? I thought she was confused. Guess I’ll have to wait till the next part🤔

Waiting for the next part. Loved it.

Well well well 👍🏼 Another exciting chapter. I can't seem to predict what will happen next, you surprise me every time. I like Raghav's reaction to what he has discovered from the lawyer. He is trying to protect Pallavi, very in character.

It is so interesting how the Deshmukhs perceive Raghav and how this is now influencing Mandaars opinion of him and his subsequent choice of action.

Pallavi has finally got the support and acceptance of the family that is so beloved to her.

I have no idea what to expect... but I am eagerly awaiting.

Thank you for sharing ❤️

Thank you all for the reactions and comments, particularly the specifics in hapc's and Zara2021's comments.

Why did Pallavi say yes to Mandar? I ended Chapter Six with a shock to keep you interested, of course, but I take this plot twist seriously, I promise.

After this point in the story, if Pallavi is just considering all options, and if Mandar and Raghav both can't come closer without her signal, then it could drag on indefinitely. Instead, I am trying to keep the characters moving together along their trajectories:

• Mandar's first phase of hesitation to pursue Pallavi for honest and not-so-honest reasons was good to write. Now, finding out how Raghav treated Pallavi has pushed Mandar into the second phase of feeling obligated to rescue Pallavi and denying his real desires.
• Raghav's panicked imagination, I-love-you, and wallowing were fun to write, but now he should fight for Pallavi, and he deserves to fight against real and imminent threats, such as the CCTV footage backups and Pallavi developing love for Mandar. (I promise, I won't write anyone waving guns at ambulances, chasing after bracelets, besieging a ladies' toilet, or plotting murder over a signature!)
  
• Pallavi has found her own space, and I plan to keep her there physically for now, but she can't explore her feelings for both men if she only reacts viscerally to Raghav and keeps Mandar at arm's length (which was frustrating to watch on screen). Making a choice allows her to question it, which is dramatic.
  
• Farhad has tried to help Mandar, but now he has the tension of a task - to protect Pallavi without hurting Mandar, which will overlap with romantic tension between Farhad and Mandar.
  

Aside from my structural reasons above, when the time came for Mandar to ask Pallavi if he had a chance, I just felt that Pallavi's answer had to be a decision that we (author and readers) know is a mistake, but which is logical for her. Here are Pallavi's reasons that match her thoughts in these six chapters so far (and what she will reveal in Antarāya-timir'opaśāntaye):

1. Pallavi liked Mandar and his family enough to marry him in 2018. Her values are the same in 2021, and Mandar is still lovable, intelligent, handsome, and enjoyable company. She is able to choose him again - why wouldn't she?
   
2. Pallavi never wanted to remarry; Raghav forced her and has mistreated her. Raghav is compassionate and generous when he wants to be; he loves her and accepts indignities for her and her family; and yet he obstructed justice for the hit-and-run, so she doesn't trust him. She is physically attracted to Raghav and she has tried to invite him closer, but his angry or drunk behaviour still frightens her, and she has nightmares about him restraining her.
   
3. When Raghav put Nikhil in jail, he bent Pallavi to his will, and the only way she can go on living with self-respect is to seek accountability for Raghav's crimes. She has tried to do this while accepting her identity as his wife, but it's stressful.
   
4. Pallavi's marriage to Mandar is legally valid and her remarriage to Raghav will be annulled, according to the statute that Mandar is presumed living as soon as he is recognized by his family. This reality is only delayed by paperwork, and can only be changed by divorce. If Pallavi herself obtains an annulment of her remarriage on the grounds that Mandar is living (referencing the statute), she may not have to worry about the very small probability of a bigamy conviction when the death certificate is invalidated and the court examines her remarriage.
   
5. Pallavi is more comfortable living with the Deshmukh family, sharing Marathi culture and a mostly vegetarian diet. She and Mandar both love this family. After three months of waiting, finally, Bābā is willing to accept her. Sulochana Kākū is unpleasant, but Raghav can be just as bad when he feels like it, and he feels like it around Bābā. (How many more chapters before this story can loop around Delivery Boy? When it does, I'll feel better.)
   

Mandar's question was, is it possible for them to talk as before, so that he can be her friend and then her husband? Pallavi accepts him as her fiancé, but they're not rushing to share a home and a bed. Pallavi's saying yes to Mandar means that Mandar will find himself in situations that should be romantic, and Raghav will have to recognize and appeal to Pallavi's values instead of showing off his own.

I had to make a quick correction to Chapter Six: Mandar "prepared" - not "signed" - an affidavit. I found out that an affidavit in India has to be printed on stamp paper and sworn in front of a notary, and only lawyers who have practised for ten years can even apply to become notaries ... So, Subhadra could only discuss the affidavit with Mandar before lunch, and she needs time to print it out and schedule its swearing and notarization.

If you, my kind readers, find any implausibilities in my story, please do tell me so that I can fix them. Living in Canada as I do, it is difficult for me to know what is an accurate portrayal of life in India. For example, could Farhad who lives in a Hyderabad flat plausibly buy yogurt on his way back from a morning jog?

Medical care on Indian TV dramas is especially confusing.

It is incomprehensible to me that Raghav had to find blood for Jaya and was told to return it, and that Pallavi and Milind had to call hospitals and take a taxi to find blood for Raghav - wouldn't someone with a clerical job at the hospital log into a centralized database to see what is available? Wouldn't there be concerns about the chain of custody of the blood - who labelled it, where is the blood typing record, was it kept at the right temperature, etc.? Does that actually happen in real life?

Also, do nurses really hand over a list of medications to the patient's distraught family members and tell them to pay for them at the pharmacy and bring them in? What if they make a mistake, or hold a temperature-sensitive medication in a sweaty hand, or a narcotic goes missing?

Raghav handing money to Dr. Kanika for whatever "boyfriend case" so that Pallavi thought he was bribing her for the abortion lie, and Pallavi forgetting to pay Raja (Mandar) the ambulance driver - is that how it works? Everyone with specialized skills handles money for services provided by the hospital as a whole?

Originally posted by: BrhannadaArmour

I had to make a quick correction to Chapter Six: Mandar "prepared" - not "signed" - an affidavit. I found out that an affidavit in India has to be printed on stamp paper and sworn in front of a notary, and only lawyers who have practised for ten years can even apply to become notaries ... So, Subhadra could only discuss the affidavit with Mandar before lunch, and she needs time to print it out and schedule its swearing and notarization.

If you, my kind readers, find any implausibilities in my story, please do tell me so that I can fix them. Living in Canada as I do, it is difficult for me to know what is an accurate portrayal of life in India. For example, could Farhad who lives in a Hyderabad flat plausibly buy yogurt on his way back from a morning jog?

Medical care on Indian TV dramas is especially confusing.

It is incomprehensible to me that Raghav had to find blood for Jaya and was told to return it, and that Pallavi and Milind had to call hospitals and take a taxi to find blood for Raghav - wouldn't someone with a clerical job at the hospital log into a centralized database to see what is available? Wouldn't there be concerns about the chain of custody of the blood - who labelled it, where is the blood typing record, was it kept at the right temperature, etc.? Does that actually happen in real life?

Also, do nurses really hand over a list of medications to the patient's distraught family members and tell them to pay for them at the pharmacy and bring them in? What if they make a mistake, or hold a temperature-sensitive medication in a sweaty hand, or a narcotic goes missing?

Raghav handing money to Dr. Kanika for whatever "boyfriend case" so that Pallavi thought he was bribing her for the abortion lie, and Pallavi forgetting to pay Raja (Mandar) the ambulance driver - is that how it works? Everyone with specialized skills handles money for services provided by the hospital as a whole?

I haven't had to handle these things at a hospital yet so I don't know. But you can buy yogurt from a morning jog because there would be a lot of small stores around an apartment. I've seen the scene where they ask family member's to bring the medication from pharmacy in a lot of shows/movies but I guess it will not be the case for narcotics and other such drugs. I'm not sure about paying ambulance drivers.. I always assumed the charge was a part of hospital bill. Doctors from the forum who practice in India will know better and people older than me who have handles someone in a hospital would also know.. I do genuinely admire your effort behind making this as real as possible. If only the makers did the same

Coming to the last post..I was confused that she was accepting Mandhaar's proposal because she turned down Raghav's. I assumed she would keep both at an equal length from herself, however close that may be but I do understand her reasons of finding Mandhaar a better match than Raghav.