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Chapter 57(A)
ALL THE NAMES & PLACES ARE FICTITIOUS (if any resemblance to persons & places is purely coincidental). Any royal titles, MEDICAL PROCEDURES, MEDICAL TERMS, MILITARY PROCEDURES, MILITARY TERMS, Punjabi terms, architectural terms, IT terms & programs, office hierachy, wedding rituals, etc. are from my imagination hence THEY ARE NOT TRUE. PLEASE DON'T BASH ME !!!!!
ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHS DOWNLOADED DO NOT BELONG TO ME BUT BELONG TO THE ORIGINAL UPLOADER. I HAVE JUST USED THEM AS THEY GO WITH MY STORY! PLEASE DON'T BASH ME !!!
Khuranas had moved into a large Haveli or a small Palace (arranged by Royal Singh family!) for the wedding rituals as it was becoming difficult to shuttle for them to and fro i.e. Delhi to Vallabhgarh and back. Besides Maan refused to stay away from Geet after the day she announced her ultimatum.
The day of "karva-chauth" passed for Geet in non-stop looking after the needs of quadruplets. Although Rajmata and Dadimaa made sure that Geet kept eating something in between despite of Geet's refusal to eat as she wanted to fast, but she was still getting extremely tired and feeling very weak. Geet had been stubborn and said she will definitely fast whether the two elderly ladies agree or not. Hence both Rajmata and Dadimaa decided that Geet will not have any pulses, cereal and normal salt, but Geet has to have pooris made from atta by grinding a fruit i.e. kottu; saboodane (sago) ki khitchri; makhane (lotus seeds) ki kheer, fresh fruits etc. with sendah namak (rock salt) which is known as "phalahaar" (meal of fruits eaten especially during fasting!).
For which Geet reluctantly agree. Unknown to the ladies a pair of eyes were watching all of this arguement.
Finally evening came and Geet had dressed up under dadimaa's guidance. Then she went to the palace courtyard where all other women were gathered. Geet along with other suhagaans (married ladies) was doing pooja before opening her fast. Rajmata and Dadimaa did not enter the place where "karva-chauth" pooja was taking place as they were looking after the four babies with help of Rajkumari Chitralekha and Lata. Suddenly Maanvi started crying hysterically and Chitralekha took her outside in the balcony from where Avi could see her mother and father doing pooja and so she will become quite.
Rajmata suddenly said, "Savi, hummei Lekha ke baare mei chinta hai." (Savi, I'm worried about. Lekha!)
"Kyun Lekha ko kya pareshaani hai?" (Why is Lekha suffering from any problem?)
"Aaj sabke paas saathi hai. Humare bacchon hi umar ke log toh dada, dadi bann rahe hain; humare pouton aur dhaivti ke bhi abb saathi hain yaa honewale hain, kewal humari Lekha ke paas koi nahi hoga humare jaane ke baad." (Today everyone has a companion. People of my children's age have become grandparents, even my grand children are either married with children or engaged; only my Lekha will be lonely when I'm no more!)
"Aap sahi keh rahi hain, Chitralekha ne Geet ko ek Maa ka pyaar dete-dete apne armaanon aur bhavishye ki aahooti de di. Humari baat maaniye toh Chitralekha aur Kulbhushan ka jald se jald byaah kar dijiye!" (You are right. All her life, Chitralekha has looked after to Geet's needs like a mother ignoring her own desires and future. If you take my advice get Chitralekha and Kulbhushan married as soon as possible.)
"Magar Kulbhushan Rajeshwari ko apni behan maanta hai?" (But Kulbhushan considers Rajeshwari as his sister?)
"Rajeshwari ko, Chitralekha ko nahi." (He considers Rajeshwari as his sister not Chitralekha!)
"Kintu..." (But...)
"Ek baar Kulbhushan se baat karke toh dekhiye. Dono abhi tak kunwaare hain!" (At least talk to Kulbhusan once. Both are still unmarried!)
This whole conversation was heard by Geet who had come to feed Maanvi who was being restless and crying hysterically with Chitralekha. "Dadimaa, bilkul sahi keh rahi hain Nani-sa." (Dadimaa is perfectly right Nani-sa!)
Just then KB came with his shirt half open and said to Geet, "Geetu tu meri shirt ka button taank de nikal aaya hai!" (Geetu, can you please stitch my shirt button as it has come out?)
"Dada, hummei kshama kariye, Avi ro rahi hai, Maa taank dengi." (I apologise Dada but as Avi is becoming cranky, I have to feed her. Maa will stitch it for you.) Geet said carrying Maanvi in her arms and giving the button to Chitralekha.
(please ignore the sindoor!)
Blushing and averting her eyes from KB, Chitralekha said to KB, "Laayiye shirt nikaal ke de dijiye hum button taank dete hain!" (Please give your shirt, I will stitch the button for you!)
While going out of the room with Avi, Geet winked at both her grandmothers.
After feeding Avi, everyone was gathered at dining table and about to begin dinner when Vicky said, "Bhabhi, bhaiya has opened your fast by making you have water and sweets what about Bhai? When will you open his fast as he has also been fasting for you!" Surprising everyone on the dining table.
"Vicky, tumse kisne kaha ki Geet ne apna vraat khola hai?" (Vicky, who told you that Geet has opened her fast? )
"Matlab?" (What do you mean?)
"Isse pehale Geet yaa mai apna vraat khol sakte Avi rone lagi! Geet ko maloom tha ki maine vraat rakha hai iss liye jo usne subah se khaaya hai maine bhi woh hi khaaya hai!" (Before Geet or I could open our fast , Avi started crying hysterically. Geet knew that I have kept a fast so she fed me also what she has been eating since morning!)
The whole family was gathered there except Chitralekha and KB. So, after Maan and Geet opened their fast, Geet said,"Mama-sa aur Mami-sa, hum aap se ek vinamr vintee karna chahte hain!" (Uncle and Aunt, can I please request yuou something?)
"Kya baat hai Gudiya? Aap bina jhijhak ke keh sakti hain." (Yes Gudiya, please tell us your cause of stress without any hesitation!)
"Hum chahte hain ki humara kanyadaan Choti Maa karen! Unhone mere kaaran bahut dukh aur upmaan saha hai! Chahe unhone hummei apni kok she janam naa diya ho kintu sahi arth mei woh hi humari Maa hain." (I want Choti Maa to do my Kanyadaan! Due to me she has suffered lot of pain and humiliation. She may not have given me birth but in true sense she is my mother.)
"Kintu woh..." (But she is...)
"AVIVAHIT HAIN!" (SHE IS UNMARRIED) Geet finished Maharaj's sentence. "Iss liye hum chahte hain ki unka vivah humare vivaah se pehale Dada yaani Kulbhushan Mama-sa se ho jaaye!" (That is why I want her to get married to Uncle Kulbhushan!)
Maharaj was still hesistating when Rajmata said,"Hum jaante hai ki aap kya kehna chahte hain Prithviraj. Yahi ki Kulbhushan Rajeshwari ko apni behan maanta hai kintu Chitralekha ke mann mei kuch aur bhaavanaye hain Kulbhushan ke liye!"(I know what is causing you worry Prithviraj. You feel that Kulbhushan considers Rajeshwari as his sister. But Chitralekha has romantic feelings for him.)
"Hummei iss vivah se koi aitraaz nahi agar Lekha aur Bhushan ek dusare ko apna jeevan-saathi banna naa chahte hain!" (I have no objection if Lekha and Bhushan want to be life partners!)
"Samasya yahi hai ki Kulbhushan ke mann ki baath kaise patta chale?" (The only problem is how do we know about Kulbhushan's feelings?)
"Yeh karye aap hum par chodhiye! Kintu hum jo bhi karen aap sabko humara saath dena hoga. Kya aap sab iss ke liye tyaar hain?" (Leave this work to me. But whatever I do, you will have to support me. Are you all agreeable to this?) Geet said with confidence. The whole family present nodded in agreement.
Just then KB walked in (he was staying in Vallabhgarh for Geet's wedding festivities!) and Geet started the drama. She took out a blank piece of paper postcard size , back facing KB and started saying, "Nani-sa, yeh toh dekhne mei bahut acche hain. Humari Choti Maa ke pati ke roop mein ek dam sahi hain." (Nani-sa, he is very handsome. He will be a perfect husband for my 'Choti Maa'!)
Hearing the word "Choti Maa ke pati"(husband for my 'Choti Maa') KB choked on the water he was gulping. He was about to divulge truth to his sweetheart Chitralekha when her family dropped this bombshell. He was feeling so contented and full of love when he wore the shirt whose button his sweetheart had stitched. It was love at first sight for him since he saw Chitralekha. He only hesitated due to their being distant cousins and her Royal status. He did feel that she had some romantic inclination towards him in their young days but due to his referring to Rajeshwari as his sister, Chitralekha kept a distance from him. But now he will not leave his sweetheart for anyone. "Mamiji aap Chitralekha ki kissi se shaadi nahi kar sakteen kyunki CHITRALEKA "MERI PATNI" HAI!" (Aunt, you cannot get Chitralekha married to anyone as CHITRALEKA IS MY WIFE)
"KYA??? PATNI?" (WHAT? WIFE?) The whole family gasped.
"HAAN!" (YES!)
"Kintu usne hummei battaya kyun nahi hum toh khushi-khushi aap dono ka vivah karaa dete!" (Why didn't she tell us? We would have got both of you married with lot of pomp and show!)
"Kyunki Chitralekha ko khud nahin maloom. Yeh bees (20) saal pehle ki baat hai. Tabhi Rajeshwari Mahal chodkar chali gayi thee aur Chitralekha uski judaai sehan nahi kar paa rahi thee. Mai ek din Mamiji aapse milne kuch kanooni kaam se Rajmahal aaya thaa par aap sab kissi ki shaadi mei gaye hue the. Chitralekha ko December ke mahine mein bahaar baag mei baarish mei bheegte hue paaya. Mai use andar le gaya aur Dulari kaki ne uske kapade badle aur woh khudh ghar chali gayeen. Baarish mei bheegane ke kaaran Chitralekha ko tez bukhaar ho gaya aur woh thaand ke maare kaanp rahi thee. Kharab mausam ke kaaran koi Doctor bhi Mahal nahi paunhach paa raha thaa. Chitralekha thand ke maare neeli padhti jaa rahi thee, chai peelane se, kamare mei aag jalane se, teen kambal udhane se kuch faraq nahi pada. Aakhir kaar maine apne ek doctor dost se poocha toh usne battaya ki Chitralekha ko sharirik garami chahiye. Maine wohi kiya poori raat. Agle din subah jab aankh kholi to apne vyohvaar ka sahi arth samajh mei aaya. Iss se pahele ki Chitralekha ki badnami hoti maine "Marriage Registration" form par usse sign kara diya aur khud bhi sign kar diye aur court mein jamma kar diye. Chitralekha shaam tak theek ho gayi aur mai wapis apne ghar chala gaya. Ek hafte baad hum kanooni roop se Pati-Pati bann gaye. Mai aap sabka besabari se intezaar kar raha thaa ghar lautene kaa, ki aap aayen aur mai aapko humari shaadi ka sach battaon. Magar iss se pehle mai kuch keh patta Chitralekha Mahal chodkar chali gayi! Uske baad kya hua aap sab jaante hain!" (Because Chitralekha is not aware of this marriage herself also! This happened 20yrs. back. Rajeshwari had just left the Palace and Chitralekha was extremely upset! I had come that day to meet you Aunty regarding some legal matter but you had gone for a wedding. I found Chitralekha sitting outside in the garden drenched in rain in month of December. I quickly got her inside and Dulari changed her clothes and went back to her home. Due to getting drenched in rain, Chitralekha was burning with high fever and shivering. Due to bad whether, no doctor was able to come to the Palace. Chitralekha was turning blue with cold, feeding her hot tea, lighting fire in her room, covering her with three blankets nothing worked. Finally I called my doctor friend and he suggested to give her body heat. I did that the whole night. Next morning I realised the enormity of the whole situation. Before Chitralekha's dignity and name could be tarnished, I got her signatures on "Marriage Registration" form followed by my signatures and then submitted the form in Court. Later in the evening Chitralekha started feeling better and I left for my home. A week later we legally became husband and wife. I was waiting impatiently for all of you to return home, so I could tell you the truth of Chitralekha and my marriage. But before I could say anything, Chitralekha left the Palace. Rest is history!)
Chitralekha who had just entered dinning room heard the full story and ran to KB's arms saying, "Toh woh aap the, jisne poori raat humare hatton aur pairon ki maalish ki thee? Woh aap the jo hummei bahaar baarish se ander laaye? Hummei toh laga ki woh sab kuch sapna tha. Aapne yeh sab pehle kyun nahi battaya? Agar aap batta dete toh hum dono itne saal akelepan mei vytith naa karte! Hummei aapse prem ho gaya tha jabse humne aapko pehli baar dekha thaa!" (So it was you who massaged my hands and feet the whole night? It was you who brought me inside from the rain? I always felt that I had dreamt all this! I wish you would have told me all this earlier, then we both would not have spent so many years in loneliness. I fell in love with you at first site!)
The whole family was listening to long lost lovers with their mouth open not knowing, how to react?
"Dada aur Maa, aapne pehle Court mei shaadi ki aur abb Vallabhgarh mei kijiye!" Geet was first one to recover. (Dada and Maa, you got married in Court, now get married in Vallabhgarh!)
Rest family was elated once they got over the shock. Rajmata came back after talking to the Raj purohit (Royal priest) and said,"Kal subah ka muharth nikala hai." (The auspicious time is tomorrow morning.)
"Kintu Maa, kal toh Gudiya ki 'Haldi' hai!!" (But Maa, tomorrow is Gudiya's 'Haldi'!) Sumitra said.
"Humari 'haldi' kuch ghanton baad bhi ho sakti hai, kintu pehle bees (20) saal ke bichade pati-patni ko milana hai. Humara "Kanyadaan" toh Maa aur Dada hi karenge!" (My 'Haldi' can wait for few hours, but long lost husband and wife of twenty (20) years have to unite first! My "Kanyadaan" will only be done by Maa and Dada.)
Hence, next morning in presence of close family Rajkumari Chitralekha and Advocate Kulbhushan Shekhawat were tied in holy matrimony! Rajkumari Chitralekha's 'Kanyadaan' was done by Maharaj Prithvraj and Maharani Sumitra. Chitralekha and Kulbhushan's 'gathbandhan' was done by Geet who was escstatic with joy that her two most loved people were coming together. After the wedding ceremony, Geet said, "Dada..."
"Dada nahi Mausa-sa bulaiye Gudiya!" (Gudiya, call him uncle not Dada!)
"Magar yeh humare liye ek 'Mausa' se kahiye bade hain. Inmei hummei ek pitah ka roop dekhta hai." (But for me he is greater than an uncle. I see in him a father.) Bringing emotional tears first time in KB's eyes.
"Toh "Baba" bula lijiye?" (Then call him Baba)
"Iss jeevan mein humare sirf ek ki Baba hain." (I will have only one Baba in this life!) Geet said looking in RK's eyes. RK went and hugged her.
"Toh Bauji bula lijiye!" (Then call him Bauji!)
"Waise toh Dada ki image pe Bauji naam suit nahi karta magar hum inhein 'Bauji' bulaiyenge kyunki hum Maa aur Bauji ko apne maa-baap ke roop mei godh lena yaani adopt karna chahte hai agar yeh dono iske liye sehmat ho toh!" (Although the name 'Bauji' doesn't suit his personality but I'll call him 'Bauji'. As I want to adopt 'Maa aur Bauji' as my parents if they are agreeable?)
Chitralekha and Kulbhushan's joy knew no bounds and gathered Geet in their arms hugging and kissing her forehead. "Geetu, aaj tumne mujhe do sabse badi khushiyaan de dein. Ek mujhe mere bichade pyaar se mila diya aur dusara ki mujhe tumne itna ooncha darzaa diya hai apni zindagi mei. Mai toh tumhei attarah (18) saal pehle hi godh lena (adopt) chahta tha jab Mohinder ne tumhei apni zindagi se nikalaa tha. Magar samaaj ke nazar mein mai ek kunwaar thaa aur kanooni roop se meri patni mere saath nahi rehti thee iss liye nahi le paaya!" (Geetu, today you have given me two greatest joys of my life. One getting me married to my long lost love and second given me such a high place in your life. I wanted to adopt you 18years back when Mohinder removed you from his life. But I could not adopt you as in society's eyes I was a bachelor whereas legally my wife was not living with me.) KB again and again kissed Geet forehead and put his hand on her head in a fatherly fashion. Everyone gathered there and for the first time understood the feeling of a lonely middle aged Man with no wife, children and family! So far Maan like others was a silent spectator but seeing KB kissing and caressing Geet's forehead and head again and again even though in a fatherly fashion his possessiveness, insecurity and jealousy arose making him say,"Dadimaa, abb Geet ki'Haldi'ka samay ho raha hai!" (Dadimaa, its nearing time for Geet's 'Haldi'!)
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