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Galli mein aaj chand nikla
"Ab kya naya drama hai." He thought to himself as he entered his chaotic home. Dining room was full of various sweet boxes with some coconuts and red dupattas. Toshi was straining her vocals while guiding Nellu on placing few things around, Ishita was sitting with Pammi aunty giving all her ears to whatever she spoke while Romi and Ruhi were messing around with things just to make Toshi shout at them.
"Ma yeh kya ho raha hai?" Raman asked, or rather raised his voice to gain all attention to himself.
"Tu aagaya puttar. Ishita chal Raman nu chai de de." Ishita nodded at her command and went to kitchen with Pammi aunty following her, continuing her general knowledge session.
"Yeh kya ho raha hai ma?" Raman asked again, looking around
"Ohho Papa. " Ruhi chipped in for his help "kal sab fasting fasting karenge." She said elated
"Kya?" Raman asked bewildered
"Tu bhi kiski baat sun raha hai. Kal karvachauth hai. Bas ussi ki taiyaari ho rahi hai." Toshi said. He looked at Ishita , understood that Pammi aunty must be explaining her the whole theory behind this fast.
"Ishita bhi rakhegi?" He asked not in a very pleased tone. Ishita turned her attention towards him while his eyes were spittinng fire at her.
"Haan. Puchan waali gal hai?" Toshi laughed.
"Pag-" Raman was about to say to Ishita but then decided against watching everyone around.
"Tumhara dimag jo tha woh bhi khatam ho gaya hai." He said and walked off angrily to his room.
"Ishita puttar dekh isse ,gussa nak pe rehta hai iska." Toshi asked Ishita and she walked to there room with his tea.
"Raman aap kitna gussa karte ho woh bhi bina baat ke." Ishita walking upto him who was sitting on the couch with laptop.
"Lecture shuru kardo jab mauka milta hai. Coaching li thi kya lecture dene ki ?" Ishita made a face and handed him tea.
"Yahan baitho." Raman said patting at the couch and Ishita sat,looking at him inquisitivly. He was upto something surely.
"Yeh lo." And handed her the laptop
"Kya karun mein iska?"
"Ismein india ke culture dekho and fir dekho ki har culture mein kaunsa fast hota hai jo pati ki umar ke liye rakhtein hain aur fir woh fast rakho." Ishita listened to him carefully and it hit her after sometime what he meant to say.
"Aapko kya problem hai karvachauth se?" Ishita asked and he got up from the couch
"Problem is that you kept your madrasi vrat-"
"Varalakshmi."
"Whatever, a month back and now again you are keeping this fast. You forgot that you fell ill after that fast since you are suffering from amnesia but I am not." Slowly his voice raised and now it was almost thundering in there room
"Raman, everyone is very excited for this fast. And I will be fine."
"Sab zoo mein jaake bhi excited hote hain, uske according toh ghar zoo mein banna chaheye."
"Zoo kahan se aagaya ?" Ishita asked annoyed
"Tumse shaadi karne ke baad zoo chodho bahut kuch aa gaya. Pagal aurat." He slammed the cupboard door and moved out of the room irritated
"Kuch bhi bolte hain." Ishita said and looked at the cup of tea " aur chai bhi nai pe. Ravan kumar." She stood there with her arms crossed.
"Papaa." Ruhi called out for Raman as she saw him entering the room.
"Ruhi beta hillo mat, kharab ho jayegi." Ishita said whose hand was working on her daughters.
"Kya hua Ruhi ?"
"Dekho Ishima mere mehndi laga rahi hain." Ruhi said excitedly. He went to the duo who were sitting on the bed and looked at her daughters little hand, one of which was covered with henna.
"Aachi hai na?" Ruhi asked while Ishita glanced at him, knowing something very lame coming at her
"Aachi toh hai par dhyaan rakhna kahein tumhari Ishima denture na bana de tumhare dusre haath pe."
"Aapko bolna zaruri hota hai?" Ishita asked making a face
"Woh kya hai na din bhar tumhara lecture sunta hoon toh kabhi kabhi lagta hai ki mere awaz chali gayi. Isliye bol leta hoon."
" kuch bhi."
"Ishita." Toshi called as she entered there bedroom .
"Ji mummyji."
"Dekho dadi meri mehndi. Ishima ne lagayi." Ruhi ran upto Toshi with one hand up in the air.
"Bahut pyaari lagi hai mere baache ki mehndi. " Toshi smiled at Ishita who sat there holding heena cone
"Kuch kaam tha mummyji ?"
"Arre aisa koi kaam nai tha. Tujhe batana tha ki mein neeche ja rahi hoon aur tu bhi aa jana mehndi lagwane." Toshi said
"Tikh hai mummyji."
"Dhyaan se ma. Ishita ke haath dekh kar koi bhaag na jaye." Raman intervened only to earn a slap on his back
"Khotte da puttar na hove. Ishita tu iski baat mat suna kar, pagal hai yeh toh. Tu aaji puttar."
Ishita smiled widely at her "ji."
Toshi smiled and went not before taking the last glance at them. She thanked Almighty for bringing smiles on their faces and more importantly peace on her son's face which went missing for a long time .
Raman stood in the balcony witnessing the entire fun frolic in the colony arena. Few ladies sat singing punjabi folk while other participated in singing chorus but his eyes scanned for her and it didn't take a minute for his eyes to land on her. She was wearing her usual peach kurti, sitting besides his mother while Sharwan had his head ducked as if scrutinising the mehndi design. Ruhi on the other hand showed off her mehndi to her friends.
"Things change " he thought. He recalled her Varalakshmi vrat, yes he remembers the name but just to irritate her he pretends not to, when he forced Ishita to have parantha which he sneaked from the kitchen for her while she tried to make him understand the importance of the ritual. She was almost on the verge of tears when he angrily asked her to stop the pretence and immideatly regretted for telling her off just because he could not experience the same honesty in his first marriage. His chain of thoughts were broken by the loud noice from downstairs. He again looked at her as Ishita laughed on something which his mother said while tying her hair in a bun. He smiled looking at them, Ishita has surely given meaning to every relation which someone made meaningless for him to believe.
"Bhai, bhabhi ko dekh rahe ho?" Raman looked around and saw Romi looking down from his shoulder
"Ek thapad marunga na toh pata chalega kaun kise dekh raha hai." He looked at the vessel in Romi's hand "aur yeh bartan lekar kya kar raha hai?" Romi smiled a bit before speaking "woh kya hai na bhai yeh nimbo cheeni hai , isse lagane se na mehndi ka rang aur dark ho jaata hai." He spoke proudly only to earn a disgusting look on Raman's face
"Beta tu chinni laga neeche par agar kal tu office mein late pahuncha iss cheeni ki wajahse toh tera minnie zarur banega."
"Kya bhai !" Romi went from there "waise bhabhi ko bolun aap dekh rahe ho?" Romi shouted from the door
"Chappal dekhaun?"Raman suggested and he ran away.
Raman stood there watching his wife enjoy her first karvachauth.
"Aap soye nai?" Ishita asked as she entered the room to find Raman watching TV
"Neeche jo orchestra bach raha tha usmein kaun so sakta hai."
Ishita looked at him and shook her head. He has a god gift of taunts. Ishita looked at the couch and then at her hands.
"Raman couch pe bed laga do. Mere haath mein mehndi lagi hai." Ishita said raising her palms towards him.
"Ek kaam karo bed pe hi so jao. Mein couch pe so jaata hon." Raman said getting up and switching off the tv
"Par.."
"Kal pura din giri rahogi agar neend tikh se nai aayi toh." He said and kept his stuff on the couch.
"Raman?"
"Haan?" Raman looked at her who was looking at the glass kept on side table
"Water?" Raman inquired and she nodded innocently. he came to her and placed the glass next to her lips and looked at her hands which had intricate work of henna on them. He couldnt deny the fact that they looked beautiful and somewhere he was looking forward to the color of the mehndi on her hand. In meanwhile, Ishita had water ''Thank You'' and Raman smiled. she lied down and he gave her duvet, even set the alarm for her.
''Ishita'' he called her when he settled down on the couch and she opened her eyes to look at him
''Mera naam aacha lag raha hai tumhare right hand mein.'' he said and despite of darkness he could see her downcast her eyes
''Goodnight Raman'' she replied with happiness clearly visible in her voice
''Goodnight'' he smiled and slept, waiting for another day and his first karvachauth.
A/N - This ongoing track is such an inspiration. God bless CVs. Hope you enjoy reading it
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