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Udaipur

March 2022

Shergill’s

The vibe during festivals is full of unmatched jubilance, togetherness, aromatic fragrance and faces etched with wide grins. The same vibe was filled in the air of Udaipur and why not? This was the most colourful festival of the year, the festival which kind of gives the license to roam like a rang biranga bandar. This was Holi.

(Colourful monkey.)

Monami felt a bittersweet wave of nostalgia and overwhelm pass through her, because this time when she is back in her hometown, she for the very first time will not go the place she always have. Indeed the smallest of the changes that marriage brings with itself, leaves the huge impact on the life of the individual.

It was eventide by when Monami reached the Shergill residence, no matter number of times she was requested by the people of both her families to receive her, she strictly denied it. She did not wanted anyone to leave the chores they were engaged in just to pick her up, secondly she never really appreciated this fact and thirdly because she knew that with the Holika Dehen Pooja that was scheduled in merely two hours from the current time.

Monami rang the doorbell and when the gate opened, she was blessed with a sight of her husband who had a charming smile plastered on his lips.

Karan’s face beamed a little more when he saw that it was his wife who was at the door. He was seeing her after almost 7 days, somewhere he knew that it is just a trailer of the longer picture that awaits him, that awaits them; for this distance was way too less than what they’ll be bestowed with. Hence, this was the reason his eyes refused to avert from her dark orbs, the orbs that surrendered willingly to him.

Their eye lock was broken with a sweet push that Karan felt on the back of his legs, by his niece. Karan turned back and saw his niece standing there with her hands on her waist and an angry pout on her lips.

“Kya hua? Mujhe aise kyu dekh rahi ho?” Karan was confused.

(What happened? Why are you looking at me like that?)

“Offo chachu, chachi aayi hain kitne time baad aur aap unhe gate pe roke huey ho.” Baby palmed her head.

(Oh uncle, aunt is here and you’ve kept her standing on the gate only.)

Karan chuckled, shaking his head at the little drama queen his niece was and paved a way and bend down gesturing his hand towards Monami as if he was a royal servant, making Baby giggle sweetly and a beautiful smile tugged at Monami’s lips too which she slightly controlled after pulling her lip in between her teeth.

Baby walked towards Monami and the latter one went on her knees and the little cherubic doll went and engulfed her chachi in a hug. Her little hands went around her neck and Monami hugged her more affectionately and picked her up and when Baby pulled back, the former placed a sweet peck on her little fluffy cheek.

Karan’s continuous glance on the two ladies in front of him broke when he saw Monami stand up with their niece in her arms but he quickly took steps towards them and picked baby from her, seeing that she was already carrying her travel bag pack on her shoulders. Albeit he noticed that there were no lines of worry or frown on her face even when she was carrying both her bag and niece yet he wanted her relax at least till the time she is here. Monami smiled at him for his gesture and the trio went in the living room.
Seeing that it was Monami, Barkha wiped her hands with the napkin and walked out from kitchen to meet her. Monami kept her bag near the sofa and then with a smile hugged her sister in law and then greeted Atul and Param with a side hug too.

Monami and Barkha went in the kitchen wherein the former had some light snack while discussing about the things that needed to be done for the night pooja and the next day. “Bhabhi, aapne itna sab akele kar rahe ho, mere hote huey bhi.” Monami felt a bit guilty seeing her sister in law manage everything in kitchen alone.

(Bhabhi, even when I’m there you are still doing everything on your own.)

“Oho, aisa kuch nahi hai. Param thhe na, unhone aur papa ne bohot help ki hai, yahan koi bhi kuch akele nahi karta.” Barkha passed her a smile and then kept a gunjiya on her plate even after her denial she asked, “Tum itna socho mat aur yeh taste karke batao kaisa hai.”

(Oho, it’s nothing like that. Param was there and in fact, Papa too helped a lot. Don’t worry; here no one does anything alone.) (Don’t think too much. Here; taste it and tell me how is it?)

Monami shook her head and tasted the sweet delicacy and couldn’t help but close her eyes and let out an appreciative moan when she felt the flavours setting in her mouth. And just before she moaned, Karan entered the kitchen to drink a glass of water and the voice he heard made his grip a bit tight on the glass. The water went down his windpipe with a heavy effort.

The moment Karan turned a bit to look at his wife was the few seconds before Monami opened her eyes and said Barkha, “Bhabhi, you’ve outshined yourself. This is too go...” But her sentence never got completed as she turned her head in between and looked at Karan whose gaze was fixed at her, quite intently, with an emotion that was way too unfamiliar.

Karan’s gaze never once faltered. It rather took in the details of her look and mentally groaned while letting out an inaudible sigh. His wife does not even need to do anything extra to grab attention and when it comes to him, she just needs to be there. Karan’s eyes noticed the contours of her face up and down before getting fixated at her lips which was having a drop of the sugar syrup from the sweet she had, at its corners.

Monami gripped the plate a little more tightly, her eyelids fluttering time and again seeing her husband’s inadvertent gaze on her. Her cheeks covered themselves scarlet and finally their attention got back to where they were, in kitchen when Barkha who was quite indulged in deep frying the gunjiyas asked Karan, “Arrey Karan, tum bhi taste karo na.”

(Karan, you also taste some of it.)

“Bhabhi, itna abhi nahi kha paunga.” Karan walked and flung his arm around Barkha making her look at him, whose visage was supporting scrunched nose and frowning heart eyes that were stuck at the sweets that were kept in front of him.

(Bhabhi, I won’t be able to eat this much.)

Barkha narrowed her eyes at him before she caught Monami still busy finishing her snacks and half eaten gunjiya lying there on her plate and mischief twinkled in her eyes. “Karan, tum Monami se he share karlo na toh.”

(Karan, why don’t you share it with Monami only?)

Karan straightened up hearing this and Monami looked a little startled, Barkha after seeing their reactions controlled her smile and asked Monami, “Monami, tum karogi na?”

(Monami, you’ll do it na?)

Now seeing Monami’s countenance, Karan was getting his dose of entertainment seeing his wife so flustered and looking like a cute balloon of confusedness.

“Haan Bhabhi, yeh kar sakte hain.” Karan agreed and then turned towards his wife, feigning innocence and said, “Haina Monami? You’ll share it with me na?”

(Yes, this can be done. Can we, Monami?)

“Huh? Ha-haan.” Monami replied, fidgeting with the plate.

(Ye-yes.)

“Jaao Karan, khaao bhi ab.” Barkha pushed the man a little.

(Go Karan, eat it.)

Karan slowly paced towards his wife, keeping his orbs fixed at her and then stood in front of her.  He just thought of something and took his chance, when he said, “Umm, tum khaa he rahi ho...aur mujhe vaise bhi ek he bite khaana hai, tum he khila dogi?”

(You are already eating and as it is I just want to have a bite of it, so can you only feed me that?)

Monami never imagined him saying that and she was floored in all senses. She felt warm fidgety sensations in her that made her tremble a bit and her eyelids fluttered before she opened her mouth, although that didn’t supported any voice and not finding any words, she turned her face towards Barkha, who was already looking at them with a teasing smile on her face.

“Haan Monami, Karan sahi keh raha hai tum he khila do phir bas hum teeno chalte hain, ready bhi hona hai. As it is, everything’s done.” Barkha said, supporting Karan and making Monami avert her eyes from her sister in law to her husband.

(Yes Monami, Karan is right, you only feed him and then we three will go to get ready.)

Karan bit back his smile seeing the swiftly changing movements of her eyes and how her fingers kept their subtle movements on the plate that was held between them and when he saw her not making any move, he cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows when he caught her attention.

With unnoticeably shaking hands, she picked her half eaten sweet and upped her arm further to place the gunjiya in front of his mouth. Along with her hand, her eyes moved too, in its direction to the person in front of her and they got locked with his.

When Karan leaned down and opened his mouth to take in the sugared piece, his tongue unknowingly swept across her finger making both of them freeze. It was after a good two seconds he realised what happened and then broke the eye lock, turning his gaze a little down and then straightened up a bit, to see her.

Monami was stiffened at her place on this new warm sensation that just hit her. She was definitely not expecting this even when she forwarded the delicacy to him. With wavering breaths and eyes that refused to look into his direction she quickly turned in the direction of the sink and washed the plate before keeping it aside and inhaled a deep breath.

Thankfully Barkha’s eyes didn’t captured the little scene that happened before her as she turned just as quickly when Monami raised her hand to turn the knob of the gas off. “Chalein?” She asked.

(Shall we go?)

The trio moved out of the kitchen and Barkha ordered the two men in the living room to get dressed up quickly and held baby’s palm taking her child along with her to their room.

As Karan and Monami wordlessly moved towards the staircase, the latter bent a little to pick her bag but before she could do so, Karan took it and hung it on his left shoulder and entangled the palm of his right hand with hers. Monami looked at his face from their intertwined hands and fidgeted with the hem of her t-shirt with her free hand before falling in step with him.

When they went in the room, Monami’s eyes raked around the room that she has come to call theirs and with a smile she turned towards Karan and saw him placing her bag near the foot of their bed and stood up, smiling back at his wife.

“Mai pehle ready ho jaata hoon, tum tab tak aaraam karlo.” Karan looked at Monami to which she smiled at his care.

(I’ll get ready first and till then you can take rest.)

Once Karan was all dressed up, Monami too went in hurriedly and changed and when she came out, Karan was all charmed. His wife was such a beauty that can make heads turn without much ado. She looked gorgeous in her pista coloured georgette Anarkali suit. The kurta was simple but with a heavily embroidered dupatta and the cherry on the top were her open tresses. She paired the dress with her nuptial symbols, along with a pair of jhumkas in her ears and a few bangles in her wrist.

It was then Monami too looked at her husband who was justifying every letter of swoon worthy. His dusky skin radiated in the cowl style maroon kurta he pulled off. His hair was neatly done and he divaricated every ounce of handsomeness.

Mentally appreciating each other, they went downstairs and there they met the rest of their clan, all dressed up for the occasion.

Karan picked his niece and they went in their colony where Holika Dehen Pooja was taking place and after doing the rituals and greeting their fellow neighbours they came back to their place.

Post coming back, they all sat and their and discussed their morning plan. It was decided that they will be taking their two wheelers to visit the places they were supposed to, for playing and then wrapping up quickly, they have to head back as well, since both kaptaan sahab and his officer sahiba will depart in the early hours of evening.

Heading to their rooms, like everyone Karan and Monami changed too and when the former came on their bed, after changing and flicked his nose as he was apprehensive about something, and then sitting in front of his wife, against the head rest he asked, “Umm, tumhe uncomfortable laga tha kya?”

(Did you feel uncomfortable?)

Monami shook her head with slightly red cheeks as she recalled their moment and then with giddy insides as she went on to continue, “Tumhe baar baar yeh puchne ki zaroorat nahi hai. I’m your wife and we do have rights on each other and I’ll tell you whenever I feel uncomfortable.”

(You don't need to ask me this time and again.)

Monami lowered her gaze and grabbed Karan’s palm with a little trembling firmness in between hers and then upped her lashes back and his eyes caught hers when his lifted his eyes back to hers, from their hands. He tightened his hold as he held her gaze, as if asking her to continue, “I know Karan that I lack at expressing things but I appreciate each and everything that you and trust me when I say this, that you have made these new beginnings, so smooth, already. I have never felt uneasy in your presence; you rather make me experience new feelings. One thing that I can wholeheartedly promise you and try that I stay on words is that, jo waqt humara hai na, woh humara he hoga aur uss waqt mein sirf hum honge, na tum na mai, bas hum. Humesha.”

(The time which is ours will remain ours and in that time there’ll be no I or you, but us. Always)

Karan’s heart was so full at the confession his wife made. Of course he had no issues in giving more but he felt appreciated when his efforts were acknowledged. His officer sahiba never failed to make him feel that he is alone.

He tugged at their engaged palms, making her lean forward and said with a little evident tease in his tone, “Toh matlab ab aapko apne kareeb rakhne ke liye mujhe kisi bahane ki zaroorat nahi hai, hai na, officer sahiba?”

(So this means that henceforth I do not need any excuses to keep you this close to me, right officer sahiba?)

Monami felt those familiar tingles and butterflies in her tummy and her cheeks turned effulgent at his gesture and she meekly uttered, “Karan!”

Karan loved what his eyes captured, he loved that he was the reason she bloomed so beautifully in crimson shade, looking like a crimson moon. He pulled her in his embrace and muttered ever so quietly, with the affirmed firmness, “We’ll always be a team. Kabhi zyada kabhi kam, lekin humesha ek dusre ko balance karenge. Jitna haq hai na, utna he ikhtiyaar bhi hoga lekin bandhan nahi, kabhi bhi nahi.”

(We’ll always balance each other, sometimes a bit less and sometimes more, but always. The amount of rights we have will be equal to the authority as well but there will never be a restraint, never.)

A smile, so beautifully embarked its presence on her pink petals and she for the first time, readily snuggled in his frame, with calm breaths.

The couple then dozed off, simultaneously while watching each other with their hand joined in between them, A night of togetherness, before they walked on their ways differently.

The morning was as similar as it was when they began working out and while sweating it out, Karan shared a mischievous plan with his wife for the colourful festival, making the latter’s eyes wide in astonishment. But she agreed to be in his team, albeit like silent support, which he ignored nonchalantly.

Then after freshening up and putting on the decent old clothes which they’ll be wearing while playing in and with the colours, the couple on mission descended the stairs and after collecting a few things they went in their niece’s room.

While walking in baby’s room, they made sure to be as quiet as possible, although it won’t matter much since the kid slept like without any care of the world. Karan kept some dry blue colour in the palm that was open and then put a few dots of pink on her face that gets smeared. He then turned back to his wife who was controlling her laugh and shook her head at him when she found him looking at her and then the man turned back and with his index finger, he traced the path of baby’s little nose in tickling manner. It made the little kid squirm and she reflexively smeared the blue hand on her face, turning it a little blue and pink. Chuckling at the scene, Karan quickly held Monami’s elbow and dashed outside.

After repeating the same with his father, he trudged towards his brother’s room and knocked and as if Barkha was already prepared, she opened the door and let Karan do whatever he wishes to, with her sleeping husband. She stood with Monami, who was looking at Karan with fond eyes and chuckled, grabbing her attention and making the latter a bit bashful.

Once done with all his shenanigans, he waited until it was time and he was not at all affected with the annoyed screams of his name his ears with bestowed with. Post some running around and grabbing some light breakfast, they went outside in the lawn and Karan coated his dearest bhabhi’s still uncoated cheeks in yellow. The Shergill’s ran around each other, with colourful faces and hands when Param walked towards Monami and said, “Ab tumhari baari, ussey rang lagao jo sabko sirf lagata he ghoom raha hai.”

(It’s your turn now, colour the one who is busy colouring anyone.)

Monami though a bit caught off guard, yet wanted to do this thing and so she discreetly went behind him and from the back she coated her husband’s cheek in pink, making everyone hoot and the man startled.

Karan turned and found his wife looking at him with eyes full of mischief and he knew what he had to do, shaking his head at her in a challenging manner he took a few steps back near the place where gulal was kept and seeing his action, his wife ran, in opposite direction. They circled around each other for sometime before Karan made a quick move and held her wrist and pulled her back to him, taking her in an unaware back hug.

Monami stilled and as she felt his cold palm meet her cheeks, in such close propinquity, she shivered and it made Karan realise of the nonexistent distance between them. Karan loosened his hold from her stomach and dragged his palm down her face, but not before muttering, “Happy Holi, Mrs. Shergill.”

Monami exhaled a deep breath when she felt him walk away, but what she didn’t knew was that he was having equally wavered breaths and a goofy smile on his lips.

After some more fun and avoiding glances, they sat on their bikes and went to meet Monami’s parents where the fun moment became a little emotional and then they went at Barkha’s home before visiting Sidharth’s.

Once they were back, there was hardly any time so they rushed with the chores and amidst the chaos, Monami and Karan left too.

This trip, back home brought a wave of freshness and newness in their bond, they came a bit more closer and they left with a little more sore hearts. But what filled them with unmatchable contentment was their growth with each other. They were growing together, in this bond. They were nurturing it with utmost care and affection. And to some extent, they were picking up a habit or a two of each other as well.

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Glossary~

Holi- Holi, Hindu spring festival celebrated throughout North India on the full-moon day of Phalguna (February–March). Participants throw coloured water and powders on one another. The Holi Festival is celebrated as a way to welcome in spring, and also is seen as a new beginning where people can release all their inhibitions and start fresh. It is said that during the Holi Festival, the gods turn a blind eye, and it's one of the few times extremely devout Hindus allow themselves to let loose.

Holika dehen- The night before Holi, pyres are burnt in North India, Nepal, and parts of South India in keeping with this tradition.In some parts of North India the day is called Holika Dahan. While in other parts like Purvanchal (eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar) as well as Terai regions of Nepal it is called Sammat Jaarna. Bonfires are burnt on the eve of Holi to symbolise the burning of Holika.

Gunjiya- Gunjiya, Gughara, Pedakiya, karanji, Kajjikayalu,Somas,Karjikayi is a sweet deep-fried dumpling, native to the Indian subcontinent, made with suji (semolina) or maida (all purpose flour) stuffed with a mixture of sweetened khoa (milk solids; also called mawa) and dried fruits, and fried in ghee.

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