After Anirudh had filled Bondhita’s maang with sindoor, the villagershad nothing to say as compared to earlier when they were eager to make Bondhita, a mere eight years old a widow because her husband who was more then sixty years in age had a heart attack and died when Anirudh opposed to thewedding.
Maami was certainly unhappy with this turn of events but on the other hand, Bondhita’s mother was relieved as her daughter had not been married offto that old man.
While all of this was happening, the young and innocent eight year old was not in her senses.
As she woke up, she saw the mandap destroyed and was actually very happy about it.
“ Maa! Yahan koi toofan aaya tha? Toofan kaise aata hai aur mujhe neend kaise aagayi kheer khan eke baad?” Bondhita asked, rushing to her maa who haddried tears on her face.
“ Bondhita….” She whispered lightly and hugged her daughter tightly.
“ Maa…Sampu didi kahan hai? Unka vivah ho gaya kya?” Bondhita asked.
“ Haan…ho gaya tumhari Sampu did ka vivah.” Maamaji said.
“ Par humara vivah toh ek saath hone wala tha na? Sasurji haldi bhi tohlaaye the uss din.” She remarked very innocently.
“ Oh, toh yeh bataya tha isko ki woh aadmi iska sasur hai? Ek maasum si8 saal ki bacchi ke saath aisa karne ka aap log soch bhi kaise sakte the?”Anirudh asked, anger rising from him again.
“ Maa…yeh kaun hai?” Bondhita asked, looking at her mom.
“ Tera pati hai.” Maami replied.
“ Par mera vivah toh hua hi nahi.” Little Bondhita said, confused.
“ Toh yeh sindoor khel-khel mein bhara hai teri maang mein?” Maami asked, very angry.
“ Gussa kyu hoti ho maami? Tumne hi toh voh kheer kilayi thi jisse mujheitni neend aa gayi. Ab batao, neend mein kuch yaad rehta hai kya?” Bondhita asked to her greedy maami.
“ Iss ladki ki zabaan kainchi ki tarah chal rahi hai. Ruk, batati hoon tujhe.” She said, taking Bondhita’s hand and started dragging her to the tree to tie her up.
“ Bas ho gaya. Haath chodiye uska.” Anirudh said and took Bondhita’s left hand in his own, dragging her away from maami.
“ Maa…yeh kya ho raha hai? Ab tum batao, main maami ki baat sunu ya jinhone mera haath pakda hai unki?” Bondhita whined.
“ Beta…abse tujhe apne pati ki saari baatein maan leni hain aur zyada prashn nahi karne.” Her maa said.
“ Nahi….tumhe meri wahi baat maanni hai jiske peeche ka tark main tumhesamjhane mein safal rahun aur prashn karna toh kabhi nahi chodna kyu tum hiaage chal ke tarf se fark mitaogi.” Anirudh said, looking at her.
“ Yajmaan, vivah ka mahurat nikla jaa raha hai.” Panditji said.
“ Kya aap sach mein iska haath thamne ke liye tayar hain?” Bondhita’s mother asked.
“ Ji maa, haath toh tabhi thaam liya tha jab maang mein sindoor bharatha.” Anirudh replied, smiling a little.
That smile had both pain and happiness.
Happiness of saving the little girl who could bring about a change in the society by breaking stereotypes and the sadness of not being able to unite with his love, Saudamini.
He had loved Saudamini for a very long time, he still does but now he was married to this little curious girl.
Polygamy was never an option and nor will he ever think about it. He had to let Saudamini go and let her start a life with someone else because he may not think of this little girl as his wife, but it did not change the fact that she was his wife now.
The seven pheras were the seven promises that Anirudh made to that little girl, his wife to always be a mentor and help her become something in life.
As it was time for bidai, Bondhita looked at her maa.
“ Maa, tum bhi toh chal rahi ho na mere saath, toh ro kyu rahi ho?” She asked, wiping her mother’s tears.
“ Nahi beta, mujhe yahi rehena hai tumhare mama-maami ke saath.” Her mother replied.
“ Par maine toh uss patra mein likha tha ki main tabhi vivah karungi jabaap mere saath chalogi. Maine bheja bhi tha woh parta aapko.” She said, looking at Anirudh.
Anirudh then connected the dots. That letter which accidently fell down in front of his car was written by this girl where she was asking her to be husband to let her maa come with her and she also wanted lots of roshogullas. He had said that day, if the girl who had written the letter was to be hiswife, he would tightly hold her hand and fight along side her with the norms of society.
Anirudh Roy Chaudhary was not a believer of destiny but today, he had to accept that what is fated to happen will happen.
After somehow convincing Bondhita, her mother hugged her and gave her some advice which she wasn’t really listening to because of all her crying.
“ Beta, both of you should leave now because this way, she will never let go of me.” Maa addressed Anirudh.
He nodded and took her blessings and they both sat on the chariot.
Bondhita was still crying.
“ I may not have been able to fulfill your second wish, but I most certainly can fulfill the first one if you stop crying.” Anirudh said addressing her.
“ Kya?” She asked, wiping her tears.
“ Roshogullas.” He said, pointing at the shop on the street.
“ Sotchi?” She questioned, looking at him hopefully to which he just chuckled and nodded his head.
He then went on to buy two roshogullas for her and handed them over.
“ Dhanyawad.” She replied and started eating.
She offered him one without really wanting to give it to him, just for formality.
“ Nahi, tum kha lo.” He denied, looking at her expressions and she went on to eat the second one also.
“ Aapne us patra ke uttar kyu nahi bheja? Maine toh apna pata nhi likhatha.” She asked him curiously.
“ Bheja tha, shayad daakiya kaka se kho gaya.” He lied to her.
The little girl had no need to know that she was going to get married to a man who was more than her grandfather’s age.
The journey was a little long and by the way it was halfway covered,Bondhita had already fallen asleep on Anirudh’s shoulder.
Anirudh felt a grave need to protect her innocence and become her mentor so that she could help him bring about a change in the society.
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