Chapter 24- The Dance Performance " Madhuvan mein Radhika naachereGiridhar ki muraliyaan baajere" Dance performance of Namrata was going on very well to the packed audience. The girl was doing really good with the dance. Vindhya and Sudhir both were feeling proud of their little one. Sudhir was a little upset when Namrata was born and the complications in her birth ruled out another pregnancy for Vindhya. There was some inadequacy felt in him which most men felt when they didn't had a male heir, but over time watching Namrata grow up, being in Delhi office handling their whole sale business where many woman were working and from the support of both his parents who asked him to cherish what he got Sudhir has come out of the insecurity. And today seeing his daughter on stage Vindhya felt she was seeing the pride of a father. Sometimes Vindhya felt sending Sudhir to Delhi was her MILs deliberate ploy to keep him away from regressive moholla men. Because after 3 years once he warmed up to Nami, Delhi was given to her devar Murali . Even after being there for 10 years Vindhya had never really understood Maheswari. She felt neither Renuka Bhabi nor anyone has. Her MIL worked in mysterious ways, but everyone in the house was accounted for. Every tradition was practiced, every social norm observed. Yet she was different. " Gudiya see I have bought this specifically for you. You performed well" Maheswari was giving Namrata a beautiful pair of earrings when the girl came down after the performance. Vindhya went and hugged the little one and Sudhir took her in his arms giving her a pack of chocolates. The girl was beaming. Soon many people came congratulating Vindhya on Namrata's performance. One lady looked at Vindhya's saree " Vindhya this is so beautiful. From where did you buy it " " I didn't buy it Sushma. This is the handiwork of my devrani" and once the words were out she regretted. She knew what was coming" Maheswariji you allowed colors near your widow bahu. Maheswariji your son died the day he married her. You should not have kept her in the house in first place. Now she is painting " " It seems Maheswariji has decided to burn the house, we saw that chudayil in market " came 2 other ladies from behindNow there was a crowd each lady accusing Maheswari on what she is doing with Suman is wrong and to top it Namrata's dance teacher came. " Ladies what is with colors, Maheswariji has allowed her DIL to wear ghungroos to teach the kid dance" " Arrey that widow teached the kid dance. If I had known I would have told the temple committee not to allow the kid to dance" she was the wife of the main priest of the templeVindhya kept her hand on the head. and looked at Renuka Bhabi who was giving her a " what did you do " look. She should have known . But her tongue. Maheswari was silent " Maheswariji why are you silent. Don't you know how you are insulting traditions " the priest's wife persisted. Maheswari looked at her DILs. " Vindhya take Nami , Renuka come let us go home. It is getting late"
" Look she cannot give any answers to us and the fact that if she had told the truth the kid wouldn't have performed has scared her. Now she wont do anything " told the priest's wife successfully looking at other ladies. The ladies nodded
Then one lady came forward from the crowd. She looked at Nami " Beta you danced beautifully. Who teaches you dance "
" My chachi " said Nami enthutiastically." In 2 weeks she made me dance well which that other teacher couldn't do. That teacher told me I wont be able to dance. But Chachi made me dance " the girl gave a frowning look at the dance teacher and Vindhya, Renuka had to struggle to suppress their smile looking at the dance teacher.
" Who is your mother" the lady asked and Nami pointed to Vindhya
The lady folded her hands in a Namaste " Namasteji. I am Samprada Pradhan wife of Manish Pradhan. My husband works in Customs and we have come to Jaipur 3 months back from Mumbai. I was searching for a dance teacher for my daughter Megha. Does your sis-in-law teaches other students or if you don't mind can she teach my Megha. Your daughter has danced beautifully " Vindhya looked at Maheswari not sure what to say
Before Maheswari could tell something one of the ladies jumped " Sampradaji do you know what this girl's chachi is. She is a chudayil "
Samprada looked at the lady amusingly " Chudayil why "
" Arrey she ate her husband on the first day of her marriage " told another.
Before anyone could tell anything more Maheswari told " Sampradaji my DIL is a widow. Unfortunately after biddai when we were returning a tragic accident happened and my son, along with my sis-in-law and the driver of the car died in it. Suman is the sole survivor of the accident. She is a trained Kathak dancer and it is me who asked her to teach my grand daughter "
Samprada smiled " She is a widow. That's it. In Mumbai and all we have women who are widows but who are working to take care of their children, their families. Maheswariji I do not have any problem in her being a widow. If you could allow my Megha can learn dance under her"
" Sampradaji if you very much want to send your daughter to train under Suman, I do not have any problem. Megha can come from next week. Here is our phone number. Call me I will give directions"
Thank you Maheswariji. I am so happy you accepted my request. Maheswari walked her proud walk with her DILs leaving the other ladies perplexed, confused and unsure how to respond to this new development
Edited by shruthiravi - 8 years ago
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