The Dream

4.

Raavi looked a different kind of beautiful in this saree. She was looking simple yet an ethereal beauty. She was actually impressed at this bhootnath's choice. They reached the temple quite early as Dhara asked asked them to. The Pandya family was waiting for them in the mandir.

Shiva couldn't keep his eyes off Raavi for some reason. She had never looked so beautiful before. Yet, there was something odd about her. He noticed the dark circle under her eyes. Maybe it was the wedding stress, but this girl usually never took any stress. They all proceeded to the mandir together.

"Raavi, Dev tum dono ek saath shivalinga pe doodh charhana." Dhara instructed.

Dhara handed them the brass lota with the milk. Raavi took it and just as she was about to approach the Shivalinga with Dev, she suddenly felt faint. Her foot slipped on the step to the Shivalinga but Shiva came and held her before she could fall. Raavi was trying not to let go of the lota, and as a result, the milk straight poured onto the Shivalinga. The only problem was that it was Shiva holding her as she did it, instead of Dev.

"Ek kaam thik se nahi hota hai tujhse." Shiva scolded her.

"Thik se hi kar rahi thi, par lagta hai teri nazar lag gayi."

"Ab kya hoga?" Krish suddenly asked. "Raavi ne toh rasam Shiva ke saath karli!"

"Koi baat nahi. Shiv ji ko toh dhoondh charha diya. Ab maine kiya ya Shiva ne kiya kya fark padta hai." Dev said.

"Tum Dev ke saath dobara daal do Raavi." Dhara said.

She repeated the rasam with Dev once again. Then Dhara prayed to Bholenath to keep the couple together all the time, and to bless them with happiness and love. Both the families took blessings and came out of the mandir. The priest handed them the prasad. Then Raavi and Dhara distributed food among the poor.

                                          ***

Both the families went back to Pandya house. Suman had wanted to plan it all perfectly. It was her son's wedding after all, she didn't want Prafulla's kanjoosi to mess up with the wedding. They had decided to discuss finance and all the functions. Raavi wasn't interested in finance, but she wanted to give her own opinions on all the functions.

"Sangeet ki rasam hum sab ek saath karenge." She said. "Main aap sab ke saath dance karungi."

But after a while they started strictly discussing finance and Raavi lost all interest. She looked over at Dev who was completely focused on his phone. Suddenly her eyes landed on a wall where there was a lizard. Raavi shouted, shocking everyone. 

"Chipkali!!!!" She shouted. "Shivaaaaaa chipkali!!! Hata isko yaha se." She got from her seat and went and hugged Shiva. "Shiva."

"Chipkali hoke chipkali se darti hai. Uska size dekh aur apna size dekh." Shiva replied.

"Hata na Shiva!"

"Kaha hai chipkali?" Gaumbi asked.

Raavi without breaking the hug, pointed to the wall behind her.

"Raavi waha koi chipkali nahi hai. Thi bhi toh chali gayi." Gaumbi assured her.

Raavi took a peek and finally when she was convinced that there was no chipkali, she let go of Shiva, but sat down right beside him because she was scared.

Only two people noticed how Raavi had called out to Shiva when she was scared instead of Dev, how she had clung on to him. These two people were Dhara and Anita who were suddenly very concerned by Raavi's behaviour.

***

Later that night, Anita came to Raavi's room. She was preparing to go to sleep. Anita needed to speak to her about what happened today. Why did Raavi go to Shiva instead of Dev? Perhaps Raavi was getting her dream because of this.

"Ek baat bata Raavi, tujhe jab aaj chipkali ke darr lag raha tha toh tune Shiva ko kyu gale lagaya?" She asked.

"Kyuki mujhe darr lag raha tha. Aapko pata hai na mujhe chipkali bilkul pasand nahi." Raavi replied.

"Mera matlab tha ki Dev toh thik tumhare paas baitha tha. Toh tum uske upar se kood ke Shiva ke se kyu chipak gayi?"

Raavi was stunned for a minute. She hadn't even thought before she went to Shiva. It was probably reflex. She was scared. "Main darr gayi thi. Uss waqt kya main Shiva ya Dev dekhne baithu?"

"Par tere dimaag mein sabse pehle Shiva ka naam kaise aaya?" Anita asked.

"Mujhe kya pata?" Raavi asked. "Anita di, aaj sach mein bohot neend aa rahi hai. So jau?"

"Chal thik hai. So jaa."