We've Only Just Begun - IshRa FF IMP Note Pg 50 - Page 26

Originally posted by: Alu-

I really enjoyed the update. anku your writing skills are just wow!! Please always keep up writing about Ishra, cause your work is relatable and amazing

Originally posted by: -Atii-

OMG Anku!! Hi 😛

SO SORRY for taking A LOOONG time to comment!!

The last update was SO CUTE. THE ishra part.. My favourite is Raman laying his head on her stomach! AWWW!!

You write so well!! 😭

Loved it!!

Promise not to delay my comments on the next update!!

😳

Originally posted by: -Nidoo-

Parts 4A & 4B

"What is happening Raman?"She asked tightening her arms around him.

"Maybe we're beginning to behave married after all," he declared with a wink making her snort.

This one question, and the answer to it, summarizes the crux of IshRa's journey in this tough situation, away from the family. They've always been the ideal Son-DIL / Daughter-SIL / Brother-SIL / Sister-BIL / Parents, but they haven't had the opportunity to be a husband-wife in the practical sense. They have shared their joys and sorrows, handled family troubles together, managed their kids, but never had they experienced the chronicles of living together, shared daily ground responsibilities, gave each other the "them" time they deserved. With your story, they're getting to experience a pragmatic marital relationship for the first time, and so are we 😃

When I wrote that, I had the same thought. That how their relation became so much about others that they ever really bonded on solving the adversities falling on them, while performing duties for their family. They became a team to shoulder their loved ones and ended up becoming companions. But they never really got to be a couple, or enjoy a real marital relation. This track had almost given them that chance and I'd imagined so much but it ended up being about the lady morcha planning and plotting 😆

Realizing she was genuinely upset he bit his tongue," Come on Madrasan, why are you sorry? Why is it so important for you to be at your perfect best always? Perfection mai PHD li hai kya? Kya farak padta hai ki breakfast maine banaya ya tumne. If I am allowed to wake up late, order around and goof up everything I do, you're allowed to as well."

Wiping his hands with a tissue, he then cleaned Ishita's lips that were smeared too," Ghar aur bachon ko sambhalna sirf tumhari duty nahi hai Ishita. It's something we both need to and should be doing together. When I can't you will and when you can't I will. That's what a marriage is I suppose. If you order me around with authority I would be assured you trust me," Raman emphasized with a tender smile that had warmth pooling within Ishita.

I know where this stems from. We've had endless discussions over how and why the women of the house are expected to do it all, even if they have professional responsibilities too. They're always supposed to worry for, and run, the home shared by a married couple. The husbands "can" choose to pitch in, but there's no "should" associated with their homely responsibilities, which is why you and I have a huge problem with the supremely patriarchal system in the place. I'm so immensely glad that you're bringing this issue out in the open, in the subtle way that only you can, and giving it the due respect it deserves.

I hate that there are jobs that are signified as woman's job or man's job. There isn't any rule that a man can't do daily chores. And a woman can't do what the man's job is supposed to be. A couple share a life, and the house is theirs together and so is the work that comes along with it. I see it in my family with my dad pitching in for house work and mom doing so many of his office errands too. It's how real, normal people go about life. On shows, when its stereotyped and implied wrongly it annoys.

"Bhai aur Ishita ke paas," she unabashedly declared, and when she got no response said," Kyunki mujhe unki parwah sirf tab tak nahi hai jab tak woh iss ghar ke liye sab karte rahe," she stated firmly before walking out.

Simmi has always felt for his brother and his wife. I strongly believe that Romi and Rinky have gotten away scott-free in all cases, while as Raman and Simmi have always had to share the burden of the family. Raman's support is a bit greater, but Simmi's is no lesser. In a way, she uniquely tries to balance out the emotional requirements of the family - supporting Raman, helping Ishita, taking care of Toshi & Bhalla ji. She may not be equipped to provide financial support, but emotionally she always gives. And she also understands the difference between right and wrong. So she hurts. I'm glad she chose to state the second half of the sentence, to pinch her father and younger brother about the elder one's role in the family.

Simmi took a while to come around but between all the siblings she's been the balancing force. She's someone whose close to the other siblings and then to her parents. Romi and Rinki strayed and Raman was around less because of his own occupations but Simmi is someone whose had a balanced mind, clarity of thought and she's always tried threading it all in her own way. Like you said she may not be so equipped yet to provide financially but as a family member emotionally she's always been a pillar. And in this track she was the only one who created no issue.

"Haan mai naukar hun and you know what, I damn care... If the respect, gratitude and affection I've earned in my Bhai's life make me a slave, I am... and I am proudly. Aur jahan tak business aur authority ki baat hai. Toh woh business, woh company unki mehnat se banni hai aur who uske saath jo chahe kare. Tu toh unhe Bhai bhi nahi maanti, so why do his possessions, decisions and life matter to you. Uncle aur Aunty sirf unki zimedari nahi hai, they are your parents as well. So why don't you put your education that Bhai funded to some use and work for an earning instead of eyeing his." he said ablaze with fury and with a finality that had Rinki taken by surprise.

@bold-blue: So damn true! As I mentioned above, Rinky & Romi always took, never gave. Never even thought of giving it back to Raman or their parents. But as they say, you need to be hit hard to realize you were almost always wrong. I hope these scathing words spoken by her husband will knock some sense into her otherwise useless brain.

YES. They took their brother for granted, and got away for a lot of crap they did because they got forgiven. I blame their parents and even Raman for that matter. But every relation is a two way street. Even the kindest of people have a breaking point.

Raman shushed him, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze," I trust you Mihir. You don't have to explain yourself to me; and just because Rinki is your wife, you don't need to be answerable for everything she does. Woh choti behen hai meri, I know how she is, bachi.."

"Bachi nahi hai Bhai, aur agar hai bhi toh... she has no right to hurt you like this. None whatsoever... And now please don't deny that she hasn't hurt you."

The relationship these both share is so pious. I'm so glad you're maintaining the bond that Raman and Mihir have always had. Theirs is one of the most beautiful relationships I've cherished from the bottom of my heart and this conversation fits right in there, in the typical Raman & Mihir way.

Raman and Mihir are as much a soul of this show for me as our anyone else we usually mention. Their relation is so pure and so unique 😳 A relation that goes beyond blood and family. And still is more than family.

So Adi silently followed her, holding the back of the bike whenever she lost balance.

I'm loving the growth of Adi's character, as the one silently stepping into his father's shoes. Giving Ishita the love and respect she deserves, and taking up responsibilities so that she could learn to be free for a moment.

When I started this show hadn't planned to leap and now when I see him. He's what I imagine he would be when he grew up. Now when I write him in his younger days it might not surprise that much anymore. But I always thought they never showed his growth as a character. They brushed it under the rug and left it to us to assume.

He moved apart and twisted her ear," Sirf height mai badi hai mujhse samjhi? Mai aaj bhi tera bada bhai hun. Ghar chod diya toh kya mai tera bhai nahi raha?"

Simmi winced when he released her ear and shook her head," Sorry Bhai... I am so sorry," she cried, hugging him again.

The nok-jhok between the Bhalla siblings is what makes it all adorable. This one moment speaks volumes.

Whereas back at the Bhalla's the house was desolate. At a time when the entire family would be at the dinner table, eating food, making a ruckus ...getting back to each other after a long day apart at work. Today the living room lay barren, everyone detached and by themselves...

The thread that bound them had slackened, breaking them apart...Their house just a structure, surrounded with silence, emptiness and bereft of its soul.

Heart-touching, yet true. I have no qualms in saying that for all purposes, Bhallas are a selfish lot. They cannot function without IshRa, and now is the time when they need to realize the place these two have had in their lives and the home - not because of the money Raman paid for, but for being the true pillars of togetherness, binding the family together.

I agree, they cannot function without them but my intention is to show that they learn to value and respect them for what they do. They dont have to go on their feet and be thankful but they can't forget that those two literally have no life because they endlessly do all it takes to shoulder the house and the ones threading them tirelessly. For that they may not be applauded but surely don't deserve to be insulted.

Originally posted by: -Nidoo-

Parts 5A & 5B

His eyes yearned to see his Ruhi and Adi who would light up the house with their mere presence. A tear trickled down his right eye which he firmly wiped, gritting his jaw as the happenings from the past few days coursed through his mind. Every word that Raman had uttered echoed through his mind, the memories of his son's fury, the spiteful egoistic words he had spoken, the authority he had taken while making decisions and passing judgments. And his heart thumped hard again, more painfully than ever.

Where Shagun had uprooted him from his family, Ishita had threaded them together. She had bought Raman out of the self induced isolation and awakened the father and son in him that lay suppressed.

He had slowly and gradually become the one person everyone relied on... It wasn't that he hadn't been the one to fall back on before, but with Ishita standing by his side and shouldering the weight of his duties equally, as her own...they had both become the soul of the house.

What he had never dreamt of had happened. He had heard Raman emphasize many a time that this house was his and his decisions would be the last word. But it had never bothered him before, like it did when he exclaimed it recently.

He had done what he hadn't even when Shagun had tried so hard for it to happen. He had left his home, taken his' family in tow and walked out, shunning them all, his every responsibility and association with his own people. And Ishita had done nothing to stop it. She had walked out with him, hand in hand... breaking him and his faith even further.

Raman's words had battered his ego

@bold-blue: Says it all. I remember our conversation on Bhalla Ji's thoughts, about why he felt what he felt. It's not that he was entirely at fault either. The man's in an age where he's surrounded by insecurities galore about his and his wife's survival, his kids' (majority of which were still unsettled, either financially or emotionally), his grandkids and the demons they'd had to face, his pending responsibilities. In such an age, man begins to lose sight of the pragmatic approach, rather begins trusting his scene-in-sight vision more strongly, and tries to match it with all his fears for his old age. Bhalla has always been a principled man, proud of the values he imparted to his family, but did he really provide the said values? This entire incident shakes him up and makes him question his parenting. He's even ready to accept his flaws as a father when it comes to Romi and Rinky, but what he expects from Raman and Ishita is a bit more than they can give, and here, he has been a little short-sighted to truly figure out the cause behind their moving out. Mr. Bhalla is almost always right, this is the rare occasion when he's not, and since he's currently clouded by his judgement, it'll take him a while to understand the crux of the matter and resolve it. What hurts more is that despite witnessing Raman's love for his siblings, depsite knowing Ishita's person, he chooses to believe only what he sees and not what he sees deep down inside. You have penned his inner turmoil so well, that I can't help but feel a little sorry for him too, in addition to being angry on her.

Like you said Mr Bhalla accepted his faults, accepted that IshRa were the soul of the family and also acknowledges what they've done for them. And that is why he hopes for more, expects a lot out of them, which why the hurt caused by them is what ends up wounding him like nothing else can. His judgement is clouded and for him had Raman stayed and fought the situation he would have thought better...but the fact that he left... which is something he never did even when Shagun tried so hard for it has shaken him more than his behavior around Shagun did. He fears that Raman who according to him tends to get blind sided in love may forget the family...and misunderstandings didn't help the matter. And like you pointed out, a man of his age has his insecurities, about his and his wife's future and the future of the less capable kids he is unable to control.

@bold-red: Why IshRa are, and will always be the soul and sole of the house. Pun intended 😉

Mr Bhalla stated, irked at how happy Simmi looked on having spent time with her brother and his family, even more agitated that Raman had dropped her home but hadn't come inside the house.

He's irked because he wants to see Raman with his own eyes and make sure he's ok, but will never accept in this moment. Subtle indication of a father's love for his kid and his unmet expectations. Wonderfully weaved in Anku 👏 👏

Like father like Son. Raman got his ego and anger from this man 😆 No matter how angry the parent is but they will never forget their child, even if they pretend to have. The concern can never leave them.

My happiness matters the most to him and unfortunately I've let him down once again. I can see the same anger and defeat in his eyes for me like I did before. But even this time, I can't apologize. Not because I am too big enough for it, but because I can't feel sorry for standing up for my wife, for the woman who DOES deserve that I do so for her. Toh jab woh mujhe samajh payenge, aur mujhe maaf kar payenge...I'll come back. Till then, maybe staying away from him is the punishment I bear for hurting him

@bold-purple: 👏 👏 👏 That's the man, the Raman I fell in love with. Thank you for bringing him back ❤️

Right? The man who admits to his mistakes and tries to remedy them. But won't give up where he knows he's been right.

"Don't take me wrong Raman. But Mummy ji and Papa ji are everyone's responsibility. We're never going to wash our hands off them, never stop doing what we do. But do you realize that because we do everything, the others don't bother doing anything at all? Romi is so careless, even Rinki is growing to be so self- absorbed. They need to learn the true meaning of a family. Shayad kuch waqt humare kuch nahi karne se woh sab kuch karna seekh jaye. It's a bitter pill to swallow, and it may hurt to right now... but eventually it might turn out to be the best for everyone. Your little siblings need to finally grow up and this is the only chance... If that means we have to be in the wrong for them to learn to be in the right... so be it."

@bold-green: 👏 👏 👏 Like the old Raman, you also brought back the old Ishita, who loves and cares the utmost, but thinks practically about the future and what qualities do individuals in the family need to embibe to be a family. This Ishita reminds me of the Ishita of accident case, who wanted Adi to learn the implications of what he had done. Thank you for bringing her back too ❤️

Rightly so. Ishita got lost somewhere in being the best everything for the house. But the Ishita I've come to love would call a spade a spade albeit in a way no one's offended. I don't think Ishita on the show ever would do that now ... but she's done this before. So many times in the good old days when sometimes she went against the family too, so she could stand up for the right.

Kids and Raman ready and helping Ishita

It is such an endearing sight. The small, happy family, in all senses of the word. Everyone understands the chores and shoulders them to the best of their abilities, so that the little home has a soul. The kids could teach a thing or two to their useless chachu and bua.

A house becomes a home because of its people and home is where family is. A family is that works together, stays together...a team and these side of the Bhalla's are always that.

Support from Amma and Vandu

Goes on to show once again that how the values that Iyers have instilled in their kids are equally distributed, and much needed to navigate through the maze of their lives. Despite knowing the troubles their daughter and SIL had to go through, despite wanting them to stay and take care of the family, they did not intervene, because not only they understand the real matter at hand, but also the fact that a thin line should be maintained between the two families. Each home has it's own problems, and despite worrying for their daughter, they chose to support her silently because they respect hers and her husbands decision of doing what seems best for everyone.

Iyers are an insane lot too, but a very mild one at that. They aren't selfish really and have always been subtle and calm. I believed they did their duty by letting them come to their place when they did. But that in a real world would cause more of a rift. Even though concerned, there's a line two such families cannot cross.

Mrs Bhalla slumped on the couch in Ishita and Raman's bedroom. Her heart clenched and head throbbed in pain as she absorbed the ghastly tale that Simmi was re-counting. She had been away for just a few weeks and had returned to a broken, warring home...A home without the two people she trusted the most.

I can understand the plight of her mind at this point in time. Being the mother of the house, returning to a broken nest, only to find that the two cuckoos sustaining the foundation flew away (for whatever reasons) is as haunting as it can get for a mother. Like Mr. Bhalla, I can understand her predicament, and looking forward to how you handle things 😃 😃

Mrs. Bhalla may be as dysfunctional as this family is but being the eldest, being the mother and for someone whose loved them equally, seeing her family break and for reasons like this would be unbearable. She is going to the woman of the house I believe. Hope the Toshi in my updates won't annoy you 😆

I've said it numerous times, and I'll say it again. You and Neets are doing such a fab job with this story 👏 👏 She perceives the family situations realistically, and you frame them in words that make them instantly come alive. Your words have that soothing effect on the mind, that even your most angst-ridden piece, will only give calm to the readers.

Thanks so so much Nids for being so generous and kind with your feedback, it's much more than I ever imagined and can ever ask for. Thanks for saying that, because I do know my parts are exhausting. I tend to detail and delve deep. So thanks for calming me by saying that they aren't heavy but soothing. And rightfully this is a total team effort, this story would be nothing if not for Neets 😳

And now that I'm at par with the updates in terms of comments, you can be assured I'll follow the story timely 😃

Originally posted by: SA1234

Anku !!! This track is getting way too interesting !!
The way you have penned down Bhalla ji's thoughts, his insecurities and his fears - took me by surprise. He may have interpreted Raman's actions wrongly but I sort of now understand why he reacted the way he did ( although I may not agree) . He witnessed a repeat of something that happened years ago , when his son stood up for his wife, not even bothering to listen to his parents' side of the story .What he failed to understand was that this time around Raman not only stood up for his wife but he stood up for what is Right. The hurt and pain from the past is probably clouding his judgement and not letting him see that Ishita is not Shagun..can never be . I just hope he realizes the same before its too late .

Thank you for understanding my judgement of his thoughts. I tried to bare his soul and was worried not many could relate. But feelings are feelings, right or wrong...the one who undergo them feel its justified because that's how their mind networks. Rightly as you put, his judgement is clouded by the past which is human and he's a man with a king size ego just like his son did and does have even now maybe.

Loved , loved , loved Simmi here again. She is handling the situation really well and in her own way is making it loud and clear that the treatment meted out to her Bhai and Bhabhi was extremely unfair.

Simmi was a force of balance and calm for most of the show, so If I ever think of her place in this situation it would undeniably lie with IshRa.

And what do i say about those precious private IshRa moments ? ❤️ Love the way you weave those moments into the story ..not one of them looks forced or added just for the mush factor. These two can burn you with their intense love for each other one moment and then make you go all warm inside with their tender loving care. And this Ishralicious factor comes out so well in this story.

I was saying this to Neets today itself that I don't want their moments in the story only because I need to add romance. IshRa in this track had that novel chance to have a life they never could when they started out, or when they began falling in love. Their relation without the shadows of their family could have been explored but was again pushed under the rug. So I enjoy writing them down so much I can't express.

Now .. am curious about Toshi Bhalla's reaction ..😃😃😃 ...If i know her like i do.. I know what it is going to be !!!

How did i forget to add this? Ishita sayiing "we need to learn to love and respect ourselves first " 👏 This is what makes this fic stand out.

Anxiously waiting for the next part !!

Originally posted by: agm1998

Anku diii when r u gonna update the next part

Waiting soo eagerly