Swaragini ff- Dilon mein hai pyar bhara

Chap 48- Rishta tera mera

"Ragini, you mean the world to me," a young boy was proposing to Ragini with a red rose in his hand.

"Not again Madhav," said Ragini in an irtitated voice," See here, you have to act as if you are in love with me! Bring in some emotions."

"The only emotion that I am feeling at the moment is fear," said Madhav in an anxious voice," If your dadi maa sees this......."

"Dadi maa is not at home," said Ragini,"Papa has gone to work and dada ji is fast asleep in his room. My plan is very clear. The only person who will see this is Swara!"

"But why do we have to do this?" asked Madhav in a pleading voice.

"You dont get to ask any questions," said Ragini in an authoritative voice," you will do as I say."

It was late in the afternoon when Swara was out in her angan doing her tulsi puja. Suddenly, she heard some voices and turned around to see what was happening. She saw Madhav sitting on his knees  with a bunch of roses in his hands.

"Please Ragini," he said," accept my proposal and be my soulmate."

Ragini smiled at him knowing that Swara was watching them.

"Gosh this guy," she thought," who says please while proposing a girl? And why is he smiling so much? This is supposed to look romantic!"

"Madhav," said Ragini in a loving voice which concealed all her anger," I have waited so long to hear this from you. I have always dreamt of being with you and.........."

"What nonsense!" Swara yelled in anger walking towards them," Ragini, you cannot be serious. Kaka babu and kaki maa named him Madhav so that he would walk in the footsteps of kanha ji. But the only thing he has followed is running behind gopis, I mean girls. This same dialogue he said to Bondita last week and to Shorvori last to last week. I will not spare him!"

Swara snatched the bunch of roses from Madhav's hands and began hitting him with it.

"How dare you!" she said as she hit him with the roses," you better stay away from Ragini or else......"

Sawara looked around her and saw Nimki kaki making cowdung cakes for pooja. She walked towards her and picked up some cowdung in her hands.

"Or else I will smear your face with cowdung!" she said looking angrily at Madhav.

"I am sorry, I am sorry!" said Madhav running away.

"Why are you still so concerned about me Swara?" said Ragini, " we arent friends anymore, right?"

Swara looked away from her unable to utter a single word.

"Come," said Ragini holding Swara's arm," lets get your hands washed."

They both sat down in the angan and Ragini brought a bucket of water, some soap and a copper mug.

"Do you remember Swara," she said washing her cowdung covered hands,"as kids, we often used to throw cowdung at each other. And at holi, we were the first ones to smear everyone's faces with gulal. And then, on diwali the rangoli we used to make- everyone praised it so much!"

"I do remember," said Swara in a low voice.

"At about that time," said Ragini applying soap on Swara's hands,"everyone here began addressing us as swaragini. They would never call us separately by our names, but together we were called as swaragini."

"Yes," said Swara as tears flowed down her face," and then deeda decided that we wont go to the same school because she didnt like this friendship of ours!"

"Deeda's dislike made no difference to you Swara," said Ragini filling the copper mug with water," then why is Veena aunty's decision affecting you so much?"

"I dont know Ragini," said Swara taking the mug and washing her hands," I just dont want to let maa down. If my marriage with Anurag breaks, her upbringing and values will be questioned and I dont want that to happen."

"If you marry him Swara, neither you nor kaki maa shall ever be at peace. Veena aunty will go on insulting both of you forever. Why dont you understand this!"