"Maan! She was just
two years old!!"
He shrugged
nonchalantly as if that fact hardly mattered.
Nayantara shook her
head as giggles threatened to erupt from her. That would certainly not help the
situation here.
She remembered that
scene all too clearly. A four year old Maan had set out with little Sashi in
his toy trolley. He was determined to throw her out and it took two servants to
run after him to stop him from leaving the gates. What a scene it was! Maan
running around all over the garden, Sashi screeching her lungs out, all
servants running helter-skelter two after him and the rest trying to secure all
the outlets.
It was a fond
memory. Because Maan has gone to such extreme lengths only because Sashi often
became the reason for her sufferings. Nayantara had suffered a lot because of
Sashi right from the time she was an infant. All she had to do was cry and
every mistake or mischief of Sashi would be blamed on Nayantara's carelessness.
And how could Maan tolerate his Di getting punished for no fault of hers.
Hence, even though she should have tried to stop Maan, an eight year old
Nayantara couldn't help but be selfishly delighted seeing her Veer being so
protective of her.
"She is the spawn of
Satan," Maan spoke under his breath.
"She is your sister,
Maan."
"No, she simply is
my parents' daughter."
"Chaiyyi ji needs
your help."
"This whole mess is
of Chaiyyiji's making."
"Veer..."
"Tara Di, don't
waste your time. I know you call me Veer* only when you want me to do something against my will."
"And I know you call
me Tara Di only when you give in despite your wishes," Nayantara smiled back triumphantly.
Maan resigned to his
sister wishes and stood up from his seat. Flexing his neck he mentally prepared
himself for the horrendous task ahead.
"This is so
insulting Chaiyyiji! How could you slight me so?!! Nayantara Di gets all the
rights in this house and I get only insult!! Wasn't my Romeo good enough to
share space with your respected Dev ji?" she sneered at her mother.
"Be careful girl! He
is a son-in-law of this family. Dare not demean him. Your elder sister is
sitting right here and you are speaking so harsh about him."
"Hmphh! If the
elders are so inconsiderate then what can I do?"
Maan could stand
anything but never a slight against his Di and Jijaji. All thoughts of calming
Sashi down flew out of the window as he lost his own cool. He came and stood
directly infront of Sashi, with his arms crossed upon his chest and eyes
glinting with steel. "I am going to call Romesh jijaji and when he comes you
will leave with him."
"But..."
"Go back to your
house and take care of your kids."
"Veerji..."
"You need not
interfere with the matters of this house. Whom Darjee and Chaiyyiji decide to
take along with them is their decision and not your concern. Give your parents
that much of due that whatever they do, must have some thought process behind
it."
"Veerji, don't I
have any rights on this house?"
"Rights are only
given to them who fulfill their duties. First be a good daughter and then talk
about your rights as one."
"This is not FAIR!"
"Do not raise your
voice on me!" Maan hissed back. His temper was on peak now. "Because when I
will raise mine no one will be able to save you then!"
Sasshi took two
steps back involuntarily hearing his rage through the clipped controlled words.
"I just wanted to see Bhabhi..."
"She is normal human
being like everybody. A girl like you. Chand tare taan lage nahi koi. [Not like
she has been adorned with the Moon or the stars.] And still if you are that
curious why don't you just see her photograph that Chaiyyiji has with her. Why
are you torturing us with your NONSENSE!"
Sasha burst into
tears at being so harshly spoken to by Maan. She has thought that maybe
everyone will pay attention to her and cajole her. But everything went for a
toss the moment Maan took the matters in her hand.
Maan hated when his
sisters cried. Well he hated it when any girl cried. He found crying a
redundant reflex. When one could use their senses for resolving a matter,
crying only took away your power of thinking a solution. He couldn't control
what other females did. But he sure could stop this wasteful activity in his
house.
"Shut up! Not one
tear more out of you. Next week Chaiyyiji is going to Amritsar again. You can
go with her and meet Geet."
"I will not. I don't
want to see her anymore," she wailed.
Maan glared at
Sashi. She does not want to go anymore. Then why did she create al this drama?!
Then why did she belittle Di and Jijaji?!
"Chup!! I am not
asking you. I am telling you. You will go along and that too with both your
kids. Stop crying! I hate it when girls cry. Anda jaanda kuchh nahi, ronn baith
jao.[ Neither you know something nor try to understand; just sit and cry]"
Delivering his final
command he turned and walked away leaving behind a stunned room and a sulking
Sashi. Well at least she is no longer
screaming.
But...
**********************************************************************
(September 24, 1980...)
(Handa Haveli...)
"How could you do
this to me?!" Geet called out in an agitated manner, "How could you Di?"
Sameera and Meera
were toppling over each other with laughter, holding their stomachs tight.
"This is not fair!"
"Geet puttar, get
used to it now," Meera sniggered and went for the kill, "it's your turn to do
left right now."
Rano came in hearing
the ruckus in their room. It was three in the afternoon and the girls were
usually asleep at this time. "Kee ho raha hai?"
"Ma, look at them.
They are making fun of me!!"
"What happened?
Sammy what did you both do?"
"Ma, I was sleeping
so peacefully and they brought the record player in the room and..."
"And this happened
Ma," Meera jumped over to the record player and put the pin position.
Nanha munna rahi hun
Desh ka sipahi hun
Bolo mere sang Jai Hind...Jai Hind
Rano could not help
chuckling as the song rushed forth from the LP. It was such an unusual sight.
Generally it was Meera who would get flustered by her sisters' pranks. But for
the first time it was Geet.
"Bas, karo tussi
dono."
Geet stuck her
tongue at her sisters. She hated it when her afternoon sleep would get
disturbed. And today it got disturbed due
to that Sarru. Okay fine! It wasn't his fault. Still...still...whatever!!
"Okay we won't tease
you anymore," Meera came a wrapped her arm around Geet seeing her scowling
face, "go back to sleep."
"I can't go back to
sleep now," Geet pouted helplessly.
"Koi na," Meera
replied, "you can take my pink pillow. It will help you go back to sleep."
"Leave it Kakku.
Don't sleep on that pillow or you will turn into a lazy lizard like Meera,"
Sameera retorted.
"Good point Di!"
"What is this?! Today
was finally my chance to tease Kakku! You can't take that away from me," Meera
whined at the change of scenario. "This is not fair'"
Rano watched her
girls fondly as they teased and laughed with easch other.
"Babaji bless my
family with happiness always," she gestured to ward the evil eye off her girls,
"Kakku your engagement seems like a good omen for this family. All I wish to
see you girls laughing and smiling forever."
Geet smiled at her
mother ruefully. This match has come to mean so much for her parents. She
looked at her sisters pulling each other's legs, giggling. Everyone seems so happy for me.
But...
**********************************************************************
*Veer
or Veerji is used to address elder brother. However Nayantara being four years
elder to Maan addressed him as Veer only when she needed to cajole him or
during their affectionate moments.
Okay...not much. This is a filler update since I haven't been well. Btw...Sasha makes an appearance for Jiju and Meera makes an appearance for Shika. 
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