Even though the mehfil (song and dance programs) was being held separately for men and women, there was quite a crush in the verandah then last time, with ladies piling up in the side galleries. All the relatives, acquaintances and the village womenfolk which our parents could think of or knew had been invited. It was the first wedding of this generation for both the families. It was an overwhelming experience for me as even though I wasn't a blood relative, I was made to feel the part.

There were a few busybodies who tried to interrogate me as I came in, but I had my defenders always beside me to ward them off. I could feel the status 'my family' held in the society as nobody wanted to offend my parents, but then 'innocent' queries always had a way to pop up.

Just one more day to go I kept repeating in my head keeping my patience. Seeing the crowd my guilty conscience started to raise its ugly head. It was getting difficult to suppress it. Now I was more worried about the family reputation than my own heart. Not seeing Rudra seemed to have helped too. Accept for few moments when a feeling of nostalgia struck me, I was fine otherwise.

Last time it had been mostly close friends and relatives so the dances had been more of an intimate nature, but as the gathering apart from getting bigger now consisted of people from different sections of the society, professional singers and dancers had been called to entertain all.

Gossip was at its peak as the newcomers who were not immediate family were also there. I could even feel loads of eyes on me full of questions.

There was a sudden break in conversation all around and without even looking back I knew that Roopmati had entered.

"Do you know her?" Asked a curious bystander. Not answering was not an option and would have been considered rude as she was an elderly lady.

"Yes, she had arrived a few days ago" I said keeping it vague.

The sympathetic look I got from the woman made me want to shout 'Mind your own business. I know everything '.

The next moment she was whispering to her neighbour and then both turned to give me similar sympathetic looks.

Turning away from her I saw Roopmati approaching towards us and then she sat down near me giving me a smile. Thankfully Vaishali acted as a divider.

I had to hold Gayatri down discretely as she tried to make a move towards her in anger.



Lekha

"Maasa gave you all this jewellery?" Roopmati asked out of the blue as if it was a routine question.

"Who else?... She is her..."

Vasundhara was interrupted in between as Roopmati exclaimed in an apologetical voice "O sorry ... I meant Rudrasa's mother. I still call her that by mistake"

Roopmati's soft coyly given giggle after her statement pierced like a thorn through my heart, she had created the confusion on purpose.

I gave her a tight smile and turned towards Gayatri forbidding her to rise to the bait.

Roopmati was mistaken if she thought that she was baiting only me. What she didn't know that the four girls beside me were ready to shred her to pieces ...if it was not for me who she actually wanted to provoke. I turned my back at her closing my group's circle again from her vicious plots. We had planned to ignore her and I was making sure that we peacefully followed that.

I didn't want any tension to spoil Rudra's relationship with his family especially over someone like Roopmati. She was just being spiteful because of her jealousy and would not have behaved like this if she knew the actual truth, I tried to validate.

She was stubborn to the core, so despite our group giving her a royal ignore she didn't shift from my side.

The probable reason came to let light when an elderly lady introduced herself to me and said with a laugh " It's quite confusing for an outsider to know who the real bride is", gesturing towards Roopmati.

Then she praised both of us for being pretty.

Gayatri and the girls fumed from the side but we kept our peace. Few girls joined Roopmati on her other side, surprising me that with her attitude she actually had friends. Poor Lajjo was caught in between as she didn't know which side to sit on.

She had been happy when she first came towards us, but she must have soon realized the tension between the two groups. The poor thing was torn apart between loyalty and hero worship.

"Why everyone is not talking to Roop jeeji?" She asked innocently.

"It's not for you to understand ... You are still too young" frowned Vasundhara, getting a confused look from her.

"But jeeji..."

"Shh... Go sit with your friends".

Lajjo did the most intelligent thing she could think of as she and her friends sat in between both the parties. I smiled at her resourcefulness. Indirectly it helped keep things calm with the wall dividing us and removing the need for the interaction for the sake of the public around us. Roopmati seemed to be a bit reluctant to move at first but then later relented. I believe it was more due to image consciousness then the kindness of the heart.

The dances performed by the ladies kept us entertained for quite a long time although I hardly understood the word they were singing.

I saw taisa and maasa come in and frown as one of the ladies who had come to meet me say something to them. After what seemed like a deep conversation, instead of sitting with their own age group both of them came towards us.

Lajjo and her gang were asked to shift and make a place for them, which in turn had Roopmati and her friends having to shift again. Both of them then sat beside me taking me by surprise. Then a few other ladies who were close relatives too joined them surrounding us girls.

This actually created a great barrier between me and Roopmati. She was almost pushed to the other side, making her frown. I wondered if both the mothers were into what was really happening or was it just a happy coincidence.

"You look the prettiest in this whole place," said taisa putting her hand on my head, making me smile. I realized that they actually had a slight inkling to what actually was happening, although not the real thing.

The girls giggled from behind.

Everything went smoothly from thereon. It had been a clever move by both the mothers as to which team had the upper hand, no cause of confusion there. I felt relieved as I didn't want any more spoilers.



After a fun-filled evening I was the first one to leave as I was getting easily tired for the past few days. I wondered if it was stress as sleep seemed like a boon even though it didn't come easily.

Vasundhara escorted me to the stairs on maasa's behest. Maybe she worried that I would be accosted by any of those nosy ladies.

I was safely inside my room when there was a knock on the door. I wondered who it was as my friends would have entered without knocking.

I opened the door and saw the back of a man in front of me.

"Here is someone who wants to meet you," said Rudra, giving me a shock.

I found it weird the way he was addressing me with his back turned, but then he moved and I saw Rano's aunt from Amer fort standing there with a big smile on her face.

"O ...you are looking so pretty Lekha dear. "she exclaimed holding my face between both her hands. "Rudrasa here had sent someone to escort me till here with a very persistent letter. I couldn't say no"

"How are you kakisa? Have you been well? Do come in" I said recovering from the surprise.

"I am feeling so honoured that you remembered poor me when you have all these upper-class people attending your marriage. When I tell my Rano she will definitely be amazed. ... such humble people"

I bent down to touch her feet for her blessings but she moved back.

"O... you are not supposed to touch my feet ... You are upper caste people plus you are like my daughter so how can I allow you. My blessings are always with you. May God keep both of you blessed for a long long time."

Saying that she hugged me with tears of joy in her eyes. I too felt emotional as I looked towards Rudra's back. Questions of all kind arose in my mind but I couldn't ask in front of her and he was keeping his side of the promise so I couldn't even read his face.

I escorted her towards my bed to sit but she immediately tried to sit on the floor beside it and I had to stop her from sitting there but she refused my plea to sit on the bed. In the end, we compromised with her sitting on a low stool. After I had made sure of her comfort by offering her the few snacks I had in the room, she got on to tell me her side of the stories and even about her marriage. I got to know that Rudra had sent out the messenger with the wedding invitation to her the next day itself when we had left the fort, and it was because of that that she was able to arrive on time. I wondered how efficiently Rudra had laid out his plan to make it work without a hitch.

With his back still turned towards us Rudra asked, as he stood outside the door" Kakisa should we go down? You must be tired and should have some refreshments. You can talk to her later. I will take you to maasa so that arrangements can be made for your stay."

He had a smile in his voice like the happy bridegroom he was. I fumed inside at his happiness, as I could feel him jumping with joy in anticipation for his big day.

They both left leaving me in a jumbled state of mind. I wondered at his objective of getting kakisa here. Was it something related to escorting us back without his presence being needed? With her, in tow, we could easily avail the entry to the room without the need of him vouching for us again. It didn't seem that he had made her privy to his plan yet. I wondered how the woman would feel at being used in such a manner.



Here you go again :)