Part-1
New York
Morning in a house, three people, two adults and a kid, were sleeping in their rooms when the alarm tone broke adults sleep. Both woke up. One of them started getting ready for the day while another one went to the other room and woke up the kid. Then he started getting him ready for school along with himself for hospital plus college. Both went downstairs and shouted for breakfast,
Both - Bhaiya, breakfast?
Man (coming with breakfast) - Coming. Here is your breakfast (he said keeping the tray on the dining table)
He is the eldest in the house, Rajeev Bhalla, a businessman, handling their parents' small business alone. Both looked at the tray and then at him making a irritated face.
Rajeev - Don't make faces. Have it….
Kid - I'm bored eating these bread butter and milk everyday.
He is the youngest, Tanish, school going boy, 8 years old.
Man - Yes Bhaiya, we are bored of all this. Subah alarm se utho, Isse (tanish) taiyar karo, breakfast mein vhi bread butter ya omelette with milk or juice, lunch aur dinner bahar se ya hum banaye to vhi same dishes. We want change.
Rajeev - What do you want?
Both - We want bhabhi.
Raman - It’s high time now, you should get married.
Rajeev tried to avoid the matter but with their insistence and sufferings, he agreed. Raman left for hospital dropping tanish to school while Rajeev went to his office. Later at night, Raman made his profile at a matrimonial site and they started looking for a perfect girl for their brother and their house who can make this house a true home. After searching a lot for a few weeks, they saw a girl’s profile and liked it a lot. They fixed a meeting with them in a village, Chennai, INDIA. Rajeev along with Tanish left to meet the family after a week. Raman couldn’t get the leave on such a short notice and thought to go later if everything went good.
On the other side, a young girl was leaving her college after her exam. She was almost running when her friend collided with her and asked why she was in a hurry. She told her that a boy, from NewYork, is coming to see her sister today. Saying so she left on her scooty. She was Ishita Iyer, second daughter in her family, doing her MA in agriculture. After 40 minutes, she reached her home where the boy. Rajeev Bhalla was already sitting with her father and aunt (father’s sister) and a few relatives. She greeted him and introduced herself. Her aunt brought her sister, Vandita Iyer, a professor in a college. Vandita and Rajeev were told to go and talk. Ishita and Tanish followed them till the room. As they went inside, Ishita closed the door. Tanish asked why she closed the door, will they do something inside. Ishita hit him and asked where he learned all these things at such a small age. After sometime, Rajeev told them that he liked Vandita but his brother would come and see. They were made to stay in a nearby relative’s house. After three days, Raman came and Ishita was sent to receive him on station. She saw and recognized him. Soon they left in her car, Ishita was a bit rude to him as she was angry with them.
Raman - Why are you behaving like this? Tum to mere sath aise behave kar rhi ho jaise maine koi crime kiya ho.
I - Crime se kum nhi hai. What do you guys think for yourself? Ladke wale ho to kuch bhi karoge. Pta hai kitna tension hota hai hum ladki walo ko. Pehle tumhara bhai aata hai, family se milta hai, meri behan se milta hai, bat hoti hai aur jab hum unke answer ka wait kar rhe the to keh diya ki mera bhai aayega aur dekhega. Really?
Raman - You know what tumhe yeh sochna chahiye ki agar mere bhaiya ne mujhe bulaya hai to unhe tumhari behan pasand aai hai.
I - He should give his decision na but no. He called his younger brother for giving final decision. Ek to punjabi family upar se….
R - You know what he called me because me and Tanish is his only family. That’s it aur agar punjabi family se problem thi to pehle hi mna kar dena chahiye tha.
She was driving on a road which was not in good condition.
R - India ke roads kabhi nhi sudhar sakte.
I - Itni hi nafrat hai to aana hi nhi tha na.
Raman told her to stop the car as he was getting irritated with her behavior. He came out and took the local van and followed Ishita’a car. Soon they reached her home. He met everyone and talked to his brother. Finally they said yes to this alliance making Iyers happy. Soon the marriage preparations started. As Raman couldn’t stay for a long time so they want marriage to happen soon. Trio brothers were living in a house next to Iyers. After three days, Vandita and Rajeev got engaged. Iyer’s relatives were not so happy for this Tamil - Punjabi combination and were even gossiping between the rituals that the boy is NRI and punjabi, what if they got cheated. At night, Ishita’s aunt was talking to Mr Iyer about the same. Rajeev and Raman came and promised them that they will not cheat them and they will always keep Vandita happy. Marriage was fixed after ten days. Ishita left with two exams, one in between the preparations and other one just one day before marriage. One day, Raman asked Ishita to show her village. She thought of teasing him and told him that he would have to wake up at 4am and take an early morning bath in cold water, then they would go in traditional clothes. He immediately agreed and went to sleep excitedly after setting the alarm. At 4am, he woke up and took a bath. He got ready in lungi as she told him and went out. He was waiting for her. After waiting for sometime, he called her. She woke up. She saw his room’s light on and him standing downstairs through the window. She didn’t answer the call while he waited for her for half an hour but then left when he saw that everyone was waking up around. In day time, they met and he asked her why she didn't come to which she said that they will go some other day. Till now he understood that she was teasing him.
Few days passed, all preparations had completed and rituals started. Raman always tried to talk to Ishita as he had no one else while Ishita always tried to ignore him. Her friends used to say that he likes her and he is a nice choice for her also, good looking, smart, soft spoken and well educated, going to be a surgeon. But Ishita didn’t want to fall for him as she didn't want to go leaving her father alone. Few of the Bhallas relatives too came in the marriage. One day Ishita was going out for some work and Raman followed her to see the surroundings. Without any other option, she had to take him and showed the whole village. The night before Ishita’s exam, Ishita was studying in her balcony when Raman called her from downstairs. He wished her good luck and asked if she needed any help. She called him upstairs to which he confirmed as she never let him in her room till now. He went to her room and tried to help her as he was not familiar with the subject. He told her that he will come to her college the next day but she went alone on scooty to avoid him. She completed her exam and came out with her friends only to get surprised to see him waiting for her.
R - You didn’t wait for me in the morning.
I - I came with my friend as we always come together.
R - OK.
They were going to the canteen and passed a boys gang who was commenting at Ishita. Raman looked at them, then at Ishita who went to the canteen silently followed by Raman. He went to the washroom while Ishita told her friend,
I - Usse na kehne ka reason mil gaya. He can’t even fight for my dignity.
Friend - come on Ishita, itne din mein tujhe sirf ek reason mila na kehne ke liye but ha kehne ke liye anek reason hai.
They were talking when they saw everyone was going out. They followed them and saw Raman teaching a good lesson to the boys who commented on Ishita.
Friend - Ab to ek bhi reason nhi hai isse na karne ka. Apne dil ko mat rok Ishita. Go with him, achcha mauka hai.
Ishita smiled shyly looking at him. He came to them and asked to leave. Her friend said that she had some work in the market so will go by bus and signalled Ishita to go with him. Ishra left together. He was driving while she was sitting behind thinking if she should give him a chance. She was thinking of them from the time he came. Soon they joined their families in the rituals.
Next day, Vandita and Rajeev got married with Tamilian rituals. After that they left to go to a famous temple in cars. They reached there at night and stayed in a dharmshala. All woke up early in the morning and got ready. Raman saw Ishita and complimented,
R - You are looking good today.
I - Matlab main vaise achchi nhi lagti.
R - No no. I didn’t mean that. You always look good. Actually kal kaha nhi but you were looking very beautiful yesterday.
I - thank you.
They prayed at the temple and went to have some snacks before leaving. Raman was missing for sometime, ishita went to search him and found him talking to someone over mobile phone. She misunderstood his words and concluded that he loves someone else. She started distancing herself from him making him confused. Bhallas left for New York along with Vandita and Ishita bid bye to everyone but ignored him.
Here I'm ending this part. Will be back soon with next/last part.
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