Chapter 17
Resolutions
(December, 1980...)
(Handa Haveli...)
"I don't see what the problem with this match
is, Bauji. After all he is the same profession as you. In fact, he is doing
even better than you in this business," Arjun crossed his legs as he leaned
back on the couch.
"Dekho puttar..."
"Bauji..."
Mohinder's words
were interrupted as Geet entered the room.
"Paahji, tea," Geet
offered a cup to Arjun.
"Kakku, where are
the snacks? Will you serve your jijaji only a cup of tea?"
Geet stood mortified
at the implication that Arjun would be treated so shabbily in their home. "Of
course not paahji..."
"Don't worry puttar
ji," Mohinder intervened, "tuhadi khattir vich koi kami nahi rahegi. Kakku,
tray rakh ke jao parro. Ask Rano to get the snacks."
Geet immediately
backed away hearing the strained voice of her father. For the unknown it may
just sound that Mohinder Lal Handa was stressed. But his daughters knew that
tone very well.
He was angry.
Extremely angry. And trying his level best to keep it restrained.
"Its not about his
occupation or status. Bread earned by hard work and honesty is worth all the
riches in the world. But what about his education? The man has only studied
till Class XIIth..."
"So what Bauji! How
does that matter anyway? Acha khaandaan hai, gora chitta gabru hai. Education
da achaar paana hai? For her, it is a big thing that she is getting such a
brilliant proposal. What else do you want?"
"Atleast a man whom
my daughter can look upto Arjun," Mohinder replied tersely.
"Then be prepared to
keep her at home. Because soon she will only have you to look upto," Arjun spat
back.
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"So Kakku, how is
Maan like?"
Anwesha asked Geet,
lying down on the bed with Meera massaging her head.
"Theek hai."
"Theek hai? Bas?"
"Horr ki dasaan?"
[What else should I say?]
"Don't be silly
Kakku! Tell something atleast?"
"He has long teeth."
"What?"
Meera and Sameera
burst out laughing. They have been hearing about Maan and his long teeth ever
since his last visit few weeks back. As soon as he had left at seven, after
having tea and chatting sometime with their Papaji, Geet and both her sisters
sat huddled in their room where Geet dissected each and every thing Maan had
said and done.
And since that day,
they knew that their little baby sister was confused over her feelings over the
man she would be marrying in near future.
The month of October
had come and gone. All three sisters worked hard for their respective exams. For
Geet everything else had faded away. The loyalty inherently towards her father
easily over-powered the new feelings of a still nascent bond with Maan. The
only time she spared any thoughts to Maan was when her sisters ribbed her about
him. And such merciless teasing only made her resent him. With her feelings
still unexplored and being nave in the matters of romantic love; all that
registered with Geet was that her leg was pulled because of Maan. It made her
uncomfortable and restless. And she had no comprehension why it was so.
Thus, the inane
observations about him stuck in her memory and nudged out the glimpses of him
that had made her smile. And these observations became her retorts whenever
Maan was used a means of teasing Geet by Sameera and Meera.
"Long teeth? How
come you noticed that?" an incredulous Anwesha asked.
"Ji," Geet replied
back nonchantly, "when he was laughing on something Papaji said. He has long
teeth."
"Didn't you notice
his looks? His physique?"
"How much does those
things matter Di?" Sameera asked mocking at her elder sister's ideologies.
"Shut up Sammy!
Every girl wants to marry a good-looking guy. When I saw your jijaji for the
first time I was floored by his tall stature, kohl-rimmed eyes, his..."
"Bas Di," Sameera
interrupted, "spare us! We have heard enough of his good looks. But is that
what makes a good husband? Shouldn't his character matter? Shouldn't his nature
matter?"
Anwesha stilled
Meera's hand in her hair as the truth of her marriage dawned on her. And in
that one moment she hated Sameera for distorting the illusions she kept herself
cocooned in. A loving husband, loving in-laws. Nothing! She was just a trophy wife.
But atleast she was admired by the society. People unaware of the truth looked
at her with awe. That was enough for her to live her life.
"Ek minute!" Geet
spoke up, bringing Anwesha out of her thoughts, "Anwesha Di, I don't know about
looks, physique and all. Papaji and Ma adore him, so I can safely say that his
character is execellent. I don't need to know anything more."
"Whatever makes you
happy Kakku," Anwesha got up, "I should go see if you jiju is ready to leave."
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Mohinder eyes turned
into hard stone as he kept a tight rein on his tongue. Waheguru...waheguru...waheguru. He turned his thoughts to Babaji to
keep his peace of mind.
A telephone by Anwesha
last night had made Mohinder hope. With great gusto she went on and on about a
family from Ludhiana who were interested in seeing Sameera. The family, she
went on to inform, had a factory of manufacturing spare industrial parts, same
as Mohinder. With high praise of their status she had went on to add even Arjun
favors the match and both would be coming to meet them the next morning.
However, when Arjun
and Anwesha did come to visit the Handas, every hope was crushed.
The boy...no...the man...a
31 year old man...was hardly educated till secondary school level. Not even a
graduate, since he had dropped out in the first year itself after failing two
years in it simultaneously. And this was
the brilliant match that Arjun is pushing for.
First disappointment
and then anger coursed through his veins.
His Sameera was
worth ten of such men. He always knew that Arjun did not value them much as
relatives but to lower his daughter like this came in as a rude jolt to
Mohinder. If Kakku was his pride, Meera was his joy, then Sameera was his ego.
He always saw Sameera as an extension of his own self. He was immensely proud
of her accomplishments and the way she handled every setback. And it was not
merely the pride in terms of happiness for one self. It was arrogance for
having a daughter such as her.
People maybe judge
her for her color. Marrying her to a worthy fellow maybe cause him constant
worry. But nothing would force him to marry his Sameera off to such unsuitable
man. If this is a test by Gods then he would strive to win at all cost. It was
a question of her whole life. He will not compromise in any matter. Either he
will find a prince for his princess. Or he has enough strength of will to keep
his daughter happy and safe for her life.
"I am prepared to
keep her at home, as you have just said. And why shouldn't I? It is her home. I
have made this abode for my daughters to live in for as long as they want. Who
else has any claim my belongings, my possessions?"
Mohinder grabbed his
crutch and stood up.
He joined his hands
and addressed Arjun, "Puttar I am grateful for your efforts. But I refuse to give
my daughter to a man less capable than her."
A piqued Arjun rose
from his seat and huffed in agitation, "Fine! Do whatever you like. Who am I to
say anything? Don't accuse me of not doing my duty later. But be careful Bauji.
Kudi vyaah nahi karegi, taan ghar baith ke vi kar legi? [If the girl won't get
married, what will she achieve staying at home thereafter?]"
"Tussi fikar na karo
Arjun paahji." Mohinder heard Sameera speak from behind. "I know what I will
achieve. And I will achieve it on my own."
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(Ahmedabad...)
"Everything I will achieve
will be on my own. One day, I shall rise so high in life that you would fail
trying but would never be able to reach upto me."
"Keep your voice
down Vardaan Oberoi! Don't forget you still live under my roof."
"I will never forget
how you have kept me under your roof. Never. But you seem to have forgotten
Bhai that this roof also belongs to me. That the Vardaan who lives like a
seravnt in your house is none other than your own blood. Your younger brother."
"You are nothing but
a liability. It is because of the blood that binds us that I tolerate you in my
home."
"You tolerate me
because your hands are tied by our mother's will. Next April I turn 25. Be
prepared to give me that what belongs to me."
A door slammed and Sartaaj
Oberoi knew his your brother had left his office.
"Didn't I say that
this leech will become trouble for us one day," his wife spoke up, "It would
have been better had we given him up to some asharam. This is all your fault. What was the need of being so
openly against him? Mark my words Harman and Meha will use this to their
advantage. And you can say goodbye to the inheritence."
"Shut up Usneek"
"Look Sartaaj we
still have time to salvage the situation. All we have to do is play our cards
right. Keep the boy pacified till attains the age of 25. And then marry him off
to some dumb female who remains in our control forever."
"Hmm, I must say my
wife is very smart."
"Of course jaan. I
am the better half of shrewd businessman," Usneek replied, "Once I decide on
something. I make sure I get it at all costs. Vardaan can make all the
resolutions he wants, he will never succeed against us."
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(Handa Haveli...)
"What has my
daughter decided then?"
Mohinder carresed
Sameera's hair as she lay with her head in his lap.
"I want you to
promise me one thing and grant me permission for another."
"Bol puttar. My Captaan
sa'ab only needs to order and I will fulfill her every wish."
Sameera raised her
head and looked at her father with expecatations filled eyes.
"Promise me Papaji,
that from this day onwards you will not look around for any alliances for me.
If some proposal comes home, we will consider it. But you will not plead
relatives and friends for seeking them."
"I promise. Now what
do you want permission for?"
"Papaji, this is my
final semester in B. Ed. I want to give the competitive examinations for the post
of a teacher. I want to work Papaji. Make my own life, my own identity."
"But Sammy, didn't
you want to pursue M. Sc.?"
"I can do it from a
private college too. I have all the details charted out. I just need your
permission Papaji."
After a minute of silence,
Mohinder finally spoke. "Alright Sammy. Go live your dreams. But I have only
condition."
"Dasso Papaji."
"You will not use
your pay for any household expenses. It will be used solely for you and your
desires."
"Papaji," Sameera
grinned, "this is contingent to my clearing the exam and securing a post. We
will discuss my pay later, that is if I get selected."
"Sameera Handa, I
know you will clear the examination and in the first attempt itself. Else I
never would have given you the permission."
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New entry alert! Lolz. Do tell how do you find Vardaan Oberoi. 
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