The Dream

12.

Raavi was in her wedding attire. She began walking towards the mandap, but the mandap was running away from her. As she ran, the earth before her cracked and Raavi fell down. She kept screaming. Looking up, she found no one there. But suddenly, a shadow jumped after her. He extended his hand to her. She took it, and pulled herself up to him. He hugged her tightly. They were still falling, but after a minute, Raavi realised she was in the same mandap. She looked up to see her saviour's face.

It was Shiva!

They were taking seven circles around the fire. When it was over, Shiva filled her hairline with sindoor.

Raavi woke up. "Shiva!"

She gasped at the realisation. This is what Bholenath had been trying to tell her. She had been in love with Shiva all this time. He was meant for her. How could she be stupid?

Raavi shrieked with joy as the realisation came to her. It was already late and she didn't want cause anymore delay. Raavi got up from her bed, and jumped in joy. She had never been this happy in her entire life. Shiva was her soulmate.

She rushed out of her room and banged on Anita's and her maasi and mausapa's door loudly. She kept banging until they all got up and came outside.

"Kya hua Raavi? Koi toofan aaya hai kya?" Her mausapa asked.

"Ae, itni raat ko dara diya!" Maasi said.

"Raavi, subah ke 4 baj rahe hai!" Anita yawned.

Raavi went and hugged everyone one by one.

"Mujhe pyaar ho gaya hai!" Raavi shouted.

"Itni raat ko phir kisse pyaar hua?" Maasi asked.

"Shiva se!" Raavi said.

She gave another hug to Anita who was smiling at her.

"Ae yeh kya bol rahi hai tu?" Maasi asked. "Mujhe chuti kaato. Itna daraona sapna kaise aaya. Isliye raat ko horror film nahi dekhni chahiye Prafulla."

Raavi pinched Prafulla, making her scream hard. "Main sach keh rahi hu. Mujhe Shiva se pyaar ho gaya hai. Aur aap log taiyyari kar lo. Main aaj hi Shiva se shaadi karne wali hu."

"Ae dimaag kharab ho gaya hai ladki ka! Anita kuch samjha ise."

"Kuch samjhane ki baat nahi hai maasi. Accept kar lo ki Shiva hi aap ka damaad banne wala hai." Raavi said. "Aur woh aapki na toh sunne se raha. Shiva ko toh aap jaante ho. Aur main bhi aapki naa nahi sunne wali. Bhaag ke shaadi kar lungi bata rahi hu."

Prafulla looked like she was about to faint. Mausa took her and made her on the sofa. Anita decided to make some coffee for everyone. It seemed like no one was getting anymore sleep tonight.

"Jaldi banao coffee!" Raavi shouted. "Mujhe Shiva ko bhi batana hai."

"Ae Raavi, Shiva ko nahi pata tum dono aaj shaadi karne wale ho?" Maami asked.

"Shiva ko main bataungi toh pata chalega na Maasi."

"Beta tu yeh kya kahe jaa rahi hai? Thode thande dimaag se soch!" Mausa said.

"Nahi mausa. Abhi tak toh main thande dimag se hi soche jaa rahi thi! Par na main or na Shiva thande dimag ke insaan hai. Ab toh Bholenath ne bhi keh diya hai shaadi kar le."

Anita came with coffee for everyone. "Shiva ne mana kar diya toh?"

"Aap hi ne toh kaha tha ki mujhe Shiva ko manana aata hai. Toh na ka toh sawaal hi paida nahi hota."

"Abhi mat jaana. Sirf 4:30 baj rahe hai. Thodi der baad jaana." Anita said.

"Main ek pal bhi wait nahi kar sakti. Waise bhi Dhara di 5 baje uth jati hai."

"Ae Anita, ise rokne ke bajaye tu kya bole jaa rahi hai? Uss raakshash ko main damaad banane se pehle mar jaungi! Aur use bhi maar dalungi."

"Maasi, shaadi toh main usi se karungi. Aur aaj hi. Agar aap meri shaadi dekhna chahte ho toh haa kar do warna main bhaagke shaadi kar lungi. Bata rahi hu!"

Prafulla started crying in her usual way. Anita began to comfort her and as soon as the clock struck 5, Raavi left for Pandya house. Anita, Prafulla and Mausa tried to stop her, but she didn't listen to them.

"Aap sab ready hoke thodi der baad Pandya house chale aana! Aur mere shaadi ka joda aur gehne bhi lekar aana." Raavi shouted before she left.

She literally ran to the Pandya house and Dhara saw her completely breathless, and panting. She rushed out in panic. Dhara took her inside and brought her a glass of water.

"Kya hua Raavi? Itni subah subah, aur iss haal mein? Ghar mein sab thik hai na?" Dhara asked.

Raavi realised she was still in her night suit. Who proposes to a guy in a night suit?

"Bhabhi, kya main aapki saari borrow kar sakti hu?" Raavi asked.

"Tu iske liye itni subah subah aayi hai?" Dhara asked.

Raavi realised that she had to tell Dhara. After all, Dhara played an equal part helping her realise her feelings for Shiva. She hugged her Dhara di tightly. Dhara was confused as to what happened to this girl.

"Main Shiva ke pyaar karti hu Dhara di." Raavi said. "Bohot, bohot, bohot, bohot, bohot zyada!"

Dhara was pleasantly surprised. She knew Raavi's feelings all along but she didn't know Raavi would tell her so soon. But then again, she wasn't that surprised. Raavi had always been open about all her feelings.

"Tune Shiva ko bataya?"

"Wohi batane aayi hu." Raavi said. "Main toh change karna hi bhool gayi. Aap ek achhi si saree do na mujhe."

"Almari mein dekh le aur tujhe jo pasand hai woh le le."

"Thank you Dhara di." Raavi hugged her Dhara di again. "Bhabhi main aaj hi shaadi karungi Shiva se. Aap please taiyyari kar lo."

This time Dhara was truly shocked. She knew Raavi could be impatient but this was too much. She wanted to get married today itself!

"Raavi, kya bol rahi hai? Aaj? Aaj kaise ho sakta hai?"

"Kyu nahi ho sakta? Ek pandit ko hi toh bulana hai! Aur bhabhi kisi mehendi waali ko bula do. Main mehendi lagaye bina shaadi nahi karungi."

"Ae Raavi, Shiva se toh puch le!"

"Ohho, aap log bhi na! Agar Shiva ne haa keh diya toh problem nahi hai na?" Raavi asked.

Dhara honestly didn't know what to say. So she just nodded. If her kids wanted to get married today, then she had no problem. But it was so very strange! Dhara laughed at Raavi's excitement. Only she could do something like this. Raavi chose a red saree and quickly changed into it to propose to Shiva.