POLITICALLY ROYAL LOVE COLLECTION VERSION

MANYATA

Love withstands everything. Love holds the power to destroy everything. Love is a gamble; the momentary thrill can lead towards a beautiful gain for life, or a destructive loss.

In my case, I lost as much as I gained. I have a family of my own, one that will thrive as long as I exist, as my soul, for the next 30 years I am to live. And there is the family, who are the losers of my gamble.

Beera did not leave my hand, but the thread between us weakened from all the strain it went through.

But everything feels less; the sorrow of loss multiplies and equals zero when I look at him.

He had just returned from work and was just at the porch where Yashasvi and I were sitting. He almost ran to us, Yashasvi standing and running towards him. He picked up our daughter and stuck her to his chest, and her hands and legs started to twirl around into a merry-go-round. Her deafening laughter filled the beautiful evening, and his smile made my life.

He kept her down, “Now citrakara’s turn!” I started to shake my head and as if that would stop him. “No!”

He jogged towards me, “Panchi!” I stood to run away, but he caught me, and he picked me up like I weighed nothing and started to circle. I ended up laughing too until he finally stopped and started to keep me down, but he did not take his hands away from me, attached to his chest, our eyes in perfect sync.

“Yashasvi, where is your brother? Call him, let's go buy ice cream!” She jumped in happiness and was already halfway in the house.

This man, “She will understand all of this when she grows up, you know?

 He twisted me in his arms and kissed me, “I will be sorry for trying to love my wife!” He said before kissing me again.

The kids were now audible. I pushed him away and sat back down on the porch chair.

“Yes, papa!” Our son walked in, an identical copy of his father but more body-wise; he was huge compared to him. He was just thirteen, but he was almost the same height and body as his father.

“Let's go for ice cream!” He said, and Vishwa could not muster the courage to say no to him directly, so he looked at me in the hopes that I would speak for him. But I don’t mind a round for ice cream. “Okay,” When I put no defence, he accepted it.

Yashasvi jumped in excitement and started to run towards the car. I stood too and followed her behind. Panchi and Vishwa walked behind together. “What were you doing?”

“I was doing my project!” They made small talk. Vishwaviraj is not scared of his father; Prithvi has done nothing ever to frighten him. I believe it comes from the place of respect, and that Prithviraj haven’t exactly been as cute around him the way he has been around me and Yashasvi. However, he doesn’t do it intentionally.

They came after us, and Yashasvi chose to sit in the backseat.

Vishwa looked at his father, “Can I drive?” He asked, and I instantly jumped between the two seats and shook my head. “No, Prithvi!”

He shrugged it to me, “It's fine! I will be next to him!”

“He is just a kid!” I denied, but Prithviraj gave him the key and came around towards the passenger seat. “Let him learn, he has big wars to fight in future. We can’t treat him like a porcelain doll if we need to make him tough,”

Past. One, whose story has just paused and not ended. Awaits a future.

And as much as I don’t fathom it, I know it will happen. I sat back, looked at my phone screen.

“Your upbringing reflects in the way you are trying to raise our son! And I don’t want the same thing for him as you.” I mumbled my word.

“You can’t deny that it will happen, Citra,”

I looked at our children, I saw Vishwa roar the car engine and carefully try to reverse the car.

My overwhelming emotions took over my chest, and I tried to control the welling tears in my eyes. “Maa,” Vishwa called me from the rear-view mirror.

Panchi immediately turned around to match my eyes, and his hand turned into a fist, the rage he feels every time I cry before him.

“I got an invitation from Rajput Mahal for the Diwali party.”

“No!” He directly denied. “In the last thirteen years, they have not tried to reach out to us after pulling that dinner incident. When we see each other because of work, they act as if I don’t exist. Never tried to reach you to know if you are fine, alive or not. They did not even come for Vishwa’s birth, nor on his birthday when we invited them for four years. What reasons do they have now?”

I shook my head, “Maybe the cooling period is finally completed, and they want to mend things.”

“Maa, in the cooling period, emotions don’t change! It's only a timeline for calculations,” Vishwa tried to speak in between. Panchi supported his opinion.

“Vishwa! When you don’t know everything, refrain from sharing opinions.” I scolded him, and Panchi once again looked behind towards me, “Citrakara?”

“All I am saying is, we have the slightest chance to mend things, 0.001%, we should take it because it's for the future of our children, Prithvi.”

He finds it comfortable to call me citrakara in front of children, but I don’t.

Prithviraj stared blankly at me for a few minutes and then returned to the front.

“Think of it like this, if things do turn normal? We will get to take Yashasvi and Vishwa to Gujarat?”

He sighed, “I want their future to be better too, Citrakara, and if you think in 0.001% odds, we have to make it happen. I will take it.”

He accepted. I thanked him with my eyes through the rear-view mirror. And we arrived in this new ice cream parlour, and he got off along with Yashasvi. But Vishwa stayed back, and I stopped mid-step from getting off.

“You call try your all to make it not happen, Maa. But it will happen. I am going to take revenge on every single disrespect they showed my father.

~~~~~

ZEHRA

Faith conspires. It conspires against you to assemble everything out of your reach on the floor before you.

The conspiracy of my hopes gifted me a life beyond the dreams I could have seen. As fearsome as it is, the beauty of tomorrow is unknown.

And it is easy to redefine something unknown. Illustrate your future with that faith.

Azariah was thirteen, sitting next to his best friend, while Dev was scrutinising them from a distance. “You look like an orthodox grandfather when you do things like this,” I said, sitting beside Dev on the dining table where he was solving math problems, which he now does as a job.

“I feel protective, I know it's paranoia, but it's an internal urge. And the fact that we failed to protect Divya from it adds to the top of my terror.”

He argued back, and I shook my head, “It's okay to feel protective, but it's not okay to treat them like it's their actions leading to what may happen to them. Like, Vidhantya will never hurt her.

He sighed and smiled. Azariah almost jumped on Vidhantya when he lost whatever they were playing on his iPad. And Vidhantya stooped in distance before handing her the iPad. “Stay back!” He shouted at her. But Azariah was lost in her game. He turned towards Devakshya and apologised to him. “Sorry!”

“Why are you saying sorry to him?” Aza, still completely influenced by her game. “It's okay, Vidhan. Just visit less!” Dev stood and started to walk away with his books.

“No Vidhan! Visit daily! In fact, spend your winter vacation in our house!” Azariah shouted to annoy his Kaka, and Dev only glared at her while leaving.

I shook my head and went towards the kitchen after chopping the vegetables. I kept the plate down and then opened the fridge, and when I returned to where I kept the plate, it was gone. And there was Gajra in a wrapped paper.

I ended up in a soft giggle, 23 years and nothing had changed. When I turned around, only his back was visible to me.

The plate was kept on a different platform. I picked it and returned it towards the gas. I did not wear the Gajra.

~~~~~

Vidhantya’s driver came to take him back home, and I tried to stop both of them for dinner, but neither of them agreed, and he eventually left. Everyone is now sitting in the television room, the main living room and laughing at the reality show they all watched together.

Aza, Raagi, Dev and Eraya. After the death of Ammi, his mother started to be less involved in television and worldly things, and her direction shifted to spirituality.

Devakshya made a vague comment about these apps taking over the channel's time, and the kids defended their new features from the old channel days. And soon enough, they were all in a slow argument.

I tried to look for Daiwik. I assumed he was in his mother’s room, but when I climbed the stairs, I looked towards her door, but he was not there. I walked by Devakshya’s room and reached Raagyata’s, and there he was.

But Raagyata was downstairs. What was he doing here?

I looked at the Gajra in my hand as I entered the room. He was standing by the window.

“What happened?” I asked, and he turned around and found me at a distance. His worried face fell into calm, and the lost eyes found their purpose again.

Daiwik bears a load of guilt yet, and when he is not around us, he is with his darknesses that he hasn’t overcome yet. The presence of Daman, what happened with Divya and then his guilt for me and my family. He visits Murshad on random days to see if he is doing fine, if he is provided with everything. And the way his whirl-wired emotions are cast on his face? And bore distance from me since he returned.

He is back in Vandigana. And I can’t watch him like this.

“Nothing, I just felt someone was in the room when I was coming downstairs, so I came to check,” He tried to act normal.

But the way his rudraksh from his wrist was half down, and he was holding on to the beads, he was transparent to me. “You visited Murshad today?” I asked him, and he gulped, his throat bopping and his eyes staring everywhere except towards me.

“He is not doing very well, they are afraid his health is deteriorating and he might--,” He paused, “He might turn more unwell if the condition gets out of their hands.”

I don’t visit Murshad because in my heart, I haven’t forgiven him. I used to before, but after Ammi’s death. It became impossible.

“It's okay, Daiwik, his going would also give him peace from this sick life he is living in that rehab.” And he calmed a little.

“You were worried about my reaction?” I asked him, he simply walked towards me, grabbed my waist, pulling me more into his chest, and he kissed me.

He groaned when he had to pull apart because of the buzzing phone in his pocket, “Your second wife?” I joked and he laughed, picking up Babasaheb’s phone.

“Yes!” He said, but he did not leave my waist. He talked about some work, and then he dropped the call. And thankfully returned to me, starting with the slow kiss on my neck. “What was it about?”

“Nothing, the meetings we will have in the Rajput Diwali Party,” I remembered,

“Samaira, that third one, she sent me an invite and also called me to make sure she invites me on the call.”

He dropped his hand. “Why will they invite us?”

“I don’t know, she even insisted we go as a complete family,”

He returned to the face and hand placement, “We will go then,” And another infuriatingly aggressive kiss, he minus every thought in my head.

Oh! To have faith.

AAMIRA

First time for Diwali, everyone was in London. And this villa felt like a home above all. Taara, Abhiraj, and all the kids. I am surprised that Tamanna, Aragya decided to join this year because they never visit London. Even though they were more involved with each other, they were still present to stir chaos.

Harshvardhan was here for Diwali for the first time in years. He was sitting with Idhanth, and both of them were doing their own things on their laptop. Mannat was in her room, and Devrat was sitting on the balcony with his book.  Taara joined me in the kitchen, and even though she cooks moderately and a few things, she tried to help me with everything.

“We don’t get house help here, it's so frustrating!” I said to Taara, and she frowned, “What happened to your last one?”

“Oh, Aadheesh did not approve of her, so she is gone.”

“He stopped approving of her, two years later?” She interrogated,

“Well, he had a suspicion about her, and Mannat's situation, everything really paranoid him. He does not want to put that pressure on Mannat about it, so he internally just struggles with it.” And finishing my statement, the moment he returned to the house after being out with Abhiraj.

The first place he ran towards was the war in the corner of the living room, and he poured himself a generous amount of whiskey. “He is always drinking. Rajshri, you should try to stop that.” Taara insisted,

I have tried. I have tried everything.

Mannat came downstairs finally, and ran towards her father and hugged him like she was imprisoned until now, and she could finally breathe. Abhiraj had brought something in a paper bag, and he handed it to her.

She was the youngest among all these hormonal teenagers. And Abhiraj tries to be as inclusive as possible to make her feel well, while everyone neglects her.

She jumped in happiness. “Aragya, Devrat! Take the lights and decorate them around the house, stand up now!” Taara walked out of the kitchen and demanded from her sons. They sighed and took the box of light bulbs, and went upstairs.

“Where is the socket?” Devrat shouted from the first floor, and Idhant stood, saying he would help them.

“Mannat and Harshvardhan, go put the flowers!” I ordered from the kitchen. Harshvardhan narrowed his eyes at me, and when Mannat giggled, approaching with her gift bag and the box of artificial décor sets, he sighed in annoyance before standing.

“Tammana, make the rangoli,” Taara asked Tamanna about the duty, just like other kids.

And we both got out of the kitchen and crossed our hands on the chatting men; they stopped and looked at us. “Go assist the kids!”  They shrugged, “What do they need assistance for?”

“Dad, hand us the tape,” Idhant yelled at Aadheesh, who tried to stare him down from the ground floor, but sighed and started climbing the stairs. “Dad, can you bring us the urli bowls from the garage?” Aadheesh came down, making a pout, and Abhiraj laughed at him.

Tammana called from the corner, “Dad, give me a plate from the kitchen.” Abhiraj, surprised, looked at her, “Hurry!” And she reverted with this; he nodded and went to the kitchen. He handed her and sat down, she again asked for a smaller plate, he again got it for her. This time, she asked for a spoon, and Aadheesh laughed at Abhiraj.

They all stay apart from each other, but they gather when it comes to another.

They all kept perturbing the two men of the house, up and down, making them run here and then until they got frustrated and screamed, all kids falling into chaotic laughter.

My eyes travelled on Aadheesh from the kitchen, and his were watching mine. A moment of gratitude and silent conversation between us.

I entered the garage, which was also our storeroom, and five minutes later, Aadheesh was here with the drink in his hand. He groped my waist and drank his liquor before starting to walk me down until I was blocked by the car. “You were laughing a lot.”

And I took the drink from his hand, “Well, it's good to see karma.”

He nodded, “Karma, should I give you karma for refusing me yesterday?” He asked and then thrust me to his glowing bulge.

I smirked, “We have the entire family just a wall away from us.”

“It's good to have an audience when you know you are a great performer.”             

 He started to slide down, stealing the liquor back, but before he could start, Mannat’s loud cry rang.

And I immediately ran towards the house. Mannat was crying, and Abhiraj was shunning Harshvardhan for whatever he did to her. “What did he do?” Mannat hugged her dad.

“He took my gift and threw it in the attic!” She cried vigorously,

Aadheesh scolded Harshvardhan, Taara asked him to apologise to Mannat, and Abhiraj stood there glaring at Aadheesh. Devrat retracted the gift from the attic again and returned it to Mannat.

When I and Taara were in Chandravani Haveli, we had not seen Diwali for 29 years of our lives. Diwali was just a festival that occurred outside. Rehman Ali never supported its celebration inside. But ever since we have turned normal, we have tried to learn everything, and slowly-slowly we have come this far.

The life we have lived as Agnivanshis makes us believe that life as Aamira and Muqda was a dream.

And I hope, one day, that dream also becomes forgotten.

~~~~~~~

I hugged Taara. They are leaving one day before Diwali because she also has to celebrate it at Rajkot Haveli. And there are so many important parties they need to visit in order not to offend relations.

Abhiraj and Aadheesh were discussing something, and the kids were already seated.

“Take care, Rajshri!” I nodded, “You two,”

Devrat decided to stay back with us, as everyone sat down in the car and drove away.

“You don’t want to attend the parties?” Aadheesh asked him as they went inside.

“No,”

“Why?”

“It's at Rajput’s.”

~~~~~~

SARISHA

Vidyut coughed vigorously. I kept my sindoor down and went to him, handing him the water. His cough hasn’t gone away for the last two weeks. And even after all the tests, there is not much the doctor told for the reason.  

He took the water as he sat down. We were getting ready for the Diwali Party at Rajput, and he has not stopped coughing since the evening. “Do you think we should go with your health like this?”

“I am fine,” He stopped coughing and stood, starting to wear his traditional suit’s jacket. He started to wear it. “Old man!” I taunted him, standing, and he grabbed my wrist. And held me in his arms, swiping my legs off the ground. “Old man, huh?” He took me towards the new sofa set and sat me down.

“I think the cause of this cough is my cigarettes.” He said and kept a peck on my shoulder, “The lack of cigarettes in these last two weeks is really taking a toll on my body.”

His hand started to slide on my thighs, higher, and he leaned forward to kiss me. His lips almost reached me, but he stopped and took his head away, and started coughing again. After two dry coughs, he returned, but pulling away, “You will get sick too!”  He spoke.

I stopped, but I grabbed his collar and pulled him towards my face and kissed him directly, “I am young! I will be fine.”

He started to advance his hand, sliding towards my blouse hooks, he took the pallu off my shoulder, lay me back on the couch and started to take the saree up to my waist.

And when we parted for a small breath, returning to the session, loud thuds started to ring at our door.

“Maa! Let's go, we are getting late!”

Vidyut groaned, and I laughed, “Yes, Vidhantya, we are coming!” I stood and walked towards the door after adjusting my clothes. I opened it.

“Is your brother ready?” I asked my thirteen-year-old, and he nodded.

“Iravan is downstairs, we are waiting, come fast!” He ran downstairs,

“He is always so excited to visit Chandravanipur.” I said, and Vidyut wore the jacket, “Yeah, his interest, I believe, is more in Agnihotri’s daughter.”

“Oh! Shut up! They are friends, and your son treats her like that.” I said, picking the clutch from the drawer.

“I hope! Because I don’t want it to become much more than that,”

I narrowed my eyes. Everything can change, but his orthodox mindset can never. “She follows another religion, that’s why!”

“No offence, Sarisha, but we are part of Royalty. And if any royalty ever goes against their tradition, it destroys them forever.”

“And this is your queue to shut up,” I said and left towards my kids.

I heard the coughing behind me while descending the stairs, and I stopped midway, turned to look behind, and the heavy clutch in my chest tightened.

Looked at Iravan, just six years old, and I looked at my Vidhan; he is barely gripping life as a child. The fear of tomorrow approaches closer every day.  

~~~~~~

DAHARTHYA

The Rajput name has been at stake for a long time since democracy took over Rajasthan. But now it is at stake because of the Rajput children.

We might lose our throne, our footing, our kingdom. We are in a race to lose power.  

And amongst all this concern, Samaira has to throw a party.

I turned the news down when I heard Samaira share her idea randomly. I watched her husband and Jasvanthya seem to be on board. Did they talk about it beforehand? Do they even talk?

“Right, and I will dress up as a clown and dance around the party for entertainment,” I said, and she, taken aback by my words, flabbergasted, wanted Jasvanthya to defend her.

I see, they are in their we love each other phase, give them a day or two, and they will be back. “I think, calculatedly, it is a good idea. We should throw an extravagant party and remind people that we are still strong and intact as ever.”

“I think Raajvanshya isn’t letting anyone forget that,”
I proudly snorted to them, and Jasvanthya shook his head, “He is spreading ghandh.” Jasvanthya shook his head. Ekvarthya entered the television room.  

“Samaira, I think it’s a bad idea, financially expensive too,” I turned serious now.

She sat to convince me, but Jasvanthya started to say, “But you are not understanding. Abhiraj Agnivanshi’s parties are always awaited, and that keeps people hooked to him; they remember him. They talk about it the entire year.”

“I demand never what is not the cup of my belonging. This might seem to you a charity event I am hosting for revelry, design me not so narrow.” She stood and started to walk out.

“Oh! You poet! Okay, host it! Host whatever you want.” I shouted on her back, and she stopped to confirm with my gaze once. And it concluded that we will be hosting a Diwali Party this year.

~~~~~~

Raajvanshya had Aayatee in his arms sideways while she was barely standing on her feet.

“What did you do to her?” Eklavya passed by uninvolved, and Raajvanshya scrutinised me. And did not say a word, he dragged her towards me and threw a soaked in alcohol Aayatee on me.

I had to stop breathing when she was on my shoulder. Raajvanshya walked away before I could hold him accountable. We have a fucking party today in the house, and the daughter of the house is walking inside drunk.

“Ekvarthya!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. How can she be so foolish? How can she drink alcohol?

Where is the basic decorum of a woman? Her rebellious nature worked until it operated under dignity!

Ekvarthya walked casually with Abhyananta beside him, “We have no successor yet for you to take that tone with me!” He joked that he would kill me for my throne.  But all this boldness of his should work into controlling his out-of-hand daughter.

He looked at me and Aayatee, “What did you do?”

I smirked, shook my head, and when he approached me closer, I tossed her on his shoulder.

“I did? You can't even control your daughter? Is she walking home drunk? Something nobody in this family had ever done! Not even you, me or Jasvanthya. And this is what you are raising?” I was scolding him, but he was busy evaluating if she was all fine, and that drove me further insane.

“You will take her to the room and lock her there. I can't afford anyone finding this out. Did you hear me?” If he could, he would kill me right now, but the way Abhyananta is, Daira is? He should learn to live in lane because of how Aaytee is.

Abhyananta, being the girl who has the softest side, helped Ekka take his daughter. “I will look after her, Tau ji, if you will lock her, and if she wakes up, it will become more problematic!” She very understandingly assured me.

Daira came half a step on the staircase. “What happened to Aayatee?” She called out in concern.

“Let her be, Daira! Did you talk to your mother? Where did she reach?” Ahilya had to be in Gujarat for Diwali, and she was not happy about the party because she had to return now.

“She said she will be there by eight!”

This family have turned into a mess internally, a hollow circle of nothing; nobody is emotionally attached or concerned about each other.

Rajput brothers, whose names are inseparable all their lives, now have learnt to live in fragments. Only extremities we haven’t reached till now are separating and watching Raajvanshya and Aayatee, I believe they will design it soon too.

~~~~~

This family drives me insane, and that is not the kind I enjoy. I enjoy this kind, “Torn pockets! Empty tijouri and yet you are hosting parties? At this point, sit on the throne and keep daanpeti in front of you! If not in love, in pity, people will surely offer you the do-kaudi you deserve.”

There is an embrace I want her to fall in, but I know she will never reach me.

I was waiting for her for the last two weeks. So, I deserve it. I walked towards her, and she had a glimpse of surprise in her eyes, but she did not let it appear in her orbs and waited for me to take my course.

I held her hand, brought it towards my lips and kept a peck.

The way her chin slightly rose, I knew she awaited more than just a peck.

But I dropped the hand and did not make the move. Ahilya, with her soreness, walked past me. “Everyone is waiting for Aarti,” I informed her.

The main lawn was now filled with people, everyone of great title. I am surprised by the beautiful arrangements and invitations Samaira has single-handedly managed to make.

The Chauhans, Sisodia, Kashyaps, Shekhawat, Chaudhary, Rao, Dharan, Bisnoi, Bhati, Gaur, Tanwar, and then their people and other lower-level families who work for them, Jajeda, Parmar, Dhedu, Solanki, Bhandari, even Agnihotri? And mandatory Agnivanshi. There were still more families, Ekvarthya’s side of friends, Jasvanthya’s side of friends, people who arrived from Gujarat and Rathore’s friends and families.

The evening was filled with people. I walked towards Samaira, who was telling something to the waiters, “You said it is a small gathering,” I asked her, standing beside.

“I culminated the list in half, and the reason stands you; I would prefer no complaints.” She walked past me. I am the king or not?

I had to start greeting because Ahilya just arrived, and she will get ready now.

I took the initiative and I walked towards Agnivanshi first, “Should I greet you in traditional ways! Shouting Samadhi ji?” I said, " Walk towards him I yelled, and Abhiraj looked at me, smiling.

“Then I will have to call you the same,” he said and hugged me when I approached.

“Well then, by traditional methods! Samadhi and Samdhans also flirt together?” I took Taara Agnivanshi’s hand and barely pecked it. Yet she snatched it away, “I will call you, Raja-sa!” I faked a laugh, loudly.

“You did not bring any of your kids?” I asked, Harshvardhan was standing beside him, his brother’s son, whom he had adopted to live here with him. The competitive bastard who is trying to take away Devrat’s position. And if Daira is marrying Devrat, that cannot happen.

“Harshvardhan is here with us,” He clarified, “Devrat is in London.”

“No, I meant your children,” I insisted and then laughed, “But yeah, exchanging kids in Agnivanshi hasn’t been that rare, so I am glad you consider him your son.” I started to chuckle and walk out, but Harshvardhan commented, “Raajvanshya is fine? After that mental test you made him do? I pray to God that the result came negative.”

I glared him down, “Your prayer worked, I assume.” And walked away.

I greeted everyone with a big title and then stood in the corner with the drink in my hand. My eyes were travelling to the floor full of people and how they were indulging in each other. But more than adults, my eyes were on the children.

Vidhan hasn’t separated from Agnihotri’s daughter. Aaryaman hasn’t moved from the gazebo, sitting there with Eraya, Samaira’s partner’s daughter. Eklavya was standing next to Neervi, which was not digesting in my belly, and then there was Abhyananta standing with Dharan’s son.

I called Jasvanthya, “Take your daughter away from that Dharan’s son.”  Vidyut too was staring at his son, “I think it’s a problem too.” Vidyut stopped drinking and turned to me. “She follows her mother’s religion.” I reminded him, and he nodded while coughing.

“Sarisha said it's nothing, I trust her.” I smirked, “You sure do!” When I said that, that muslim girl had grabbed Vidhan’s arm and was dragging him towards where Raajvanshya and his friends were gathering to light the sky.

Vidyut instantly departed to handle it, too.

I walked towards Neervi and stopped across from Eklavya and Neervi. She greeted me the moment I approached. “You have grown from the last time I saw you!” Dheer’s daughter thanked me and then walked out with an excuse because of the discomfort they felt from their parents' action.

Eklavya was walking away when I grabbed his arm, “You are Rajput! Your want to interest yourself in something? Make it more than your tai-ji’s worker’s daughter.

And last to break, I reached Aaryaman in the gazebo. He stood when he spotted me.

“Your sister is drunk and creating a ruckus in the rooms. Go handle her,” I told him. I wouldn't have said anything about Aayatee, but this girl is deaf and mute, so what she can even hear.

He nodded in worry and stood. He signed her something and started to live.

She stood, she greeted me, and she returned to her uncle.

Ahilya was finally here, Jinitya beside her. Instead of greeting and formalities, they both went to where the mandir was set today for pooja.

Eventually, everyone gathered. Samaira had set the stands with thalis of diyas, and the important families were asked to come forward and light up the diyas together, each family with each thal on the stand.

I stood beside Ahilya as she lit her first Diya and passed the next Diya towards them to start lighting. The further process of pooja started, the Aarti.

The crowd was reciting the Aarti loudly, families were lighting diyas, and my eyes first fell on the goddess beside me and then the one in front of me.

When finally, the last aarti came to an end, children of the families started to take the thal and decorate the lawn corner on the samai Samaira had kept.

I looked at Raajvanshya and his friends light the entire sky so that it almost appeared day.

“It's banned, the fireworks are banned,” Jasvanthya said, and I held his arm, “It's fine, we have Agnivanshi here.” I went with Raaj and started to light the Diya too.

Eklavya stood with Jinitya next to her, and in a room full of gorgeous women, he was only looking at her.

Jasvanthya and Samaira are talking? Talking? Talking? I had to look closely.

And, there she was, my goddess before another goddess.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I thought Adhvaryu was going to come. I wonder, why didn't they?