I dedicate this story to my dearest friend Piyali and TeluguChokri who wanted me to write a story on Harshad Chopra-Tejasswi.I dedicate this to my friend Piyali again for giving me the plot of the Punjabi movie Bambukat for writing this story.I have made lots of changes.Hope you don't mind.
Thank you Piyali for the beautiful edits.
Thank you Piyali for the cute banners too.

Two girls are seen playing...

One girl was very fair.Her skin was shining like a marble.She was Nivedita.The other girl was dusky.She was Dhara.
Suddenly their mother Sharmishta called Dhara.
"Dhara...come inside".
Dhara went inside the house.
Sharmishta:How many times I told you not to play outside?If sun rays fall on you,you will become darker.You won't get any boy to get married.
Dhara's face became dull.
Dhara:Then what about Nivi di?

Sharmishta:Nivi is very fair.Just because she stands outside for some time her complexion won't change.But you will lose your complexion completely.So you don't play outside.

Dhara became upset.
Sharmishta:You come with me to the kitchen and learn cooking.At least seeing your cooking skill some one will marry you.
Dhara became dull.
She thought:When all the girls of my age are playing,I am learning cooking in the kitchen.Is everything because of my complexion?

Years passed ....
We can see Nivedita getting married to a rich man named Anupam.

Their parents Shekhar and Sharmishta are very happy.
Somebody told Sharmishta:You all are very lucky Sharmishta.Your eldest daughter got a handsome rich husband.
Sharmishta smiled:Our daughter Nivedita is so fair and beautiful that Anupam fell for her at first sight itself.

Anupam's mother Mohini was bathed with jewelry.
Mohini caressed Nivedita.
Mohini:We are the richest family in our area.Our son Anupam got the most beautiful ...the fairest girl in this village.We are proud of that.Nivedita may not be used to wearing jewelry like me.But I will make my daughter in law look like a Princess by making her wear the most expensive jewelry.

Nivedita smiled.Everyone got jealous of Nivedita while Shekhar,Sharmishta,their son Ronit and Dhara smiled.
Dhara:Nivi di is lucky to get Anupam Jiju.

(Thank you Piyali for giving me this picture).

Many boys came and saw Dhara.But they rejected her because of her skin colour.
Sharmishta got Dhara dressed up.
Sharmishta:You look nice.
Sharmishta hugged Dhara emotionally.
Sharmishta:I hope this boy likes you and does'nt reject you like other boys.

He is not a rich boy like Anupam.But he belongs to a nice middle class family like us.The boy runs a small grocery shop.But it is fine.
Dhara seemed to be disinterested as she had no hope as she was used to getting rejected by boys.
Finally the boy's family reached.
Sharmishta praised Dhara for her cooking skill in front of them.
The boy Gaurav looked at Dhara with a smile.Dhara was expressionless as she knew that she was going to be rejected by him also.
Sharmishta showed her actions to smile.Dhara smiled artificially.

She thought:This man is good looking and fair.So it's obvious that he wants a fair skinned girl.He will not like me for sure.
Suddenly Gaurav said:I liked the girl.

Dhara was shocked to the core.Sharmishta and Shekhar's happiness had no bounds.
The marriage got fixed.

Dhara was thinking of Gaurav.
Dhara:I can't believe that a handsome man like Gauravji is marrying me.But how?How did he like me?

Sharmishta:You are lucky that you are getting a handsome fair man as your husband.So always be well dressed.He should be impressed by your looks.

Dhara became dull:Is a girl identified only by her looks?

Sharmishta:Unfortunately in our orthodox narrow minded society fair skinned girls are on demand for marriage.
Dhara became upset.
Gaurav-Dhara sat on the mandap.

Gaurav could not take his eyes off her while she lowered her eye lashes to ignore him.

Seeing her not even looking at him he felt bad.
He thought:Why Dhara is not even looking at me?Does'nt she like me?

They started following all the wedding rituals.While taking saath phere Gaurav was losing his peace of mind thinking whether Dhara was married to him without her wish.

Suddenly he thought:No.I don't think.I am having unnecessary thoughts.I don't think Dhara's parents are strict enough to make her marry me forcefully.He got some relief.He tied the nuptial chain around her neck.

Then he applied vermilion on the parting of her hair.

Dhara was sitting in the bedroom.Gaurav entered the room.She got up from the bed.
Gaurav:Sit..sit.You don't need to get up when I come near you.
Dhara was silent.
Gaurav:You sit Dhara.
She sat on the bed.
Gaurav:I think you are tired.You rest.
Dhara:Ji..Can I ask you something?
Gaurav:Yes sure.
Dhara:Why did you marry me?
Gaurav:What does it mean?I did'nt understand.
Dhara:You are fair and handsome.You could have married a fair girl.Why did you marry me?
Gaurav:First of all skin colour is not important to me.I don't find anything wrong with your complexion.When I saw you itself I felt that you are very beautiful.
Dhara was stunned.

Dhara:You called me beautiful?You are making fun of me.

Gaurav:No,I am not making fun of you.
Dhara:No.You are making fun of me by your sarcastic comment on my looks.I know.
Dhara who was really hurt turned off her face.
Gaurav became dull.
He thought:Oh no.How will I make her understand that it was not a sarcastic comment,but I really meant that she is pretty?
Dhara impressed her parents in law with her cooking skill.
Gaurav was also impressed.
Gaurav:Your hands are magical.You cook so well.

Dhara:Since childhood I have been learning cooking.Because my mother said that since I am not fair,cooking is the only way to stay in my husband's heart.

(Thank you Piyali for giving me this picture).

Gaurav became dull.
He thought:Dhara is having inferiority complex as she has been tagged as a dusky girl by our stupid society.Poor girl.

They got their wedding album.
Dhara was going through the wedding photographs.Gaurav sat near her.
Gaurav:May I also?
Dhara gave him the album.
Gaurav:We will see this together.
He kept the album on both their laps.So they both could see the photographs comfortably.
Gaurav:In the wedding attire you looked like a Princess.

Dhara looked at him in disbelief.He was smiling.But she ignored it.
She thought:He keeps lying that I look pretty?Why?