ManYa - Dheere Dheere se... (Continuing)

Chapter 35 - Amaya's Ghrahpravesh

Amaya wanted to know how he got to know all this but he wanted to reach home first and tell everything infront of everyone. Badi maa too knew nothing about this. Amaya agreed as Mantu and she rode off on the bike. Amaya was lost in her own thoughts when she heard a familiar bark. "Mantu!! STOP! STOP THE BIKE!", said Amaya in a hurry. Mantu quickly nodded in a hurry as he stopped the bike. She got off the bike and Mantu held her hand. "What happened Amu?", asked Mantu, worriedly. "I can hear Smokie's bark Mantu. I kept him strictly in my room with di. but I can hear him.", said Amaya while searching for him.

Mantu nodded as he said, "I know that." Amaya looked at him at this. "You knew." He nodded. But before they could start a conversation, Smokie came running from the lights far away and jumped on Amaya and licked her vigorously. Amaya ran her hand on his fur to calm him down. But Smokie was continuously barking. He was frightened and angry. Mantu too ran his hand on his fur and smiled. "He was really worried for Rachita di. He was barking continuously when Piya heard him. He was crying.", said Mantu. Amaya looked at him and said, "He is still crying Mantu. Can I take him with me to your house? Please." Amaya too was crying. Smokie was continuously barking loudly. "No we can't take him to MY house.", said Mantu.

Amaya turned her gaze to Smokie when Mantu continued, "We will take him to OUR home Amaya. That house is waiting for you as he knows that you will convert him into a loving, warm home. You will bring that life and soul which he lost when he too lost his owners." Amaya gave a warm smile before kissing Smokie and said, "We will go to our home." She looked at Mantu who too was smiling. He helped her in sitting on the bike with Smokie and they started riding towards their new life.

Mantu and Amaya reached home, their home as Amaya got down from the bike and looked at her new house. Happy tears rushed in her eyes as she looked at Mantu who was parking the bike. Mantu held her hand and said, "Don't speak anything till I ask you to. They will be angry as they don't know anything about this but I will handle them okay." Amaya nodded as she tightens the grip on his hand. "Mahadev, I want his family to love me. Please do some magic.", prayed Amaya as the door opened.

Badi maa opened the door. "Mantu!!", said badi maa and paused. He was dressed up in his light yellow color sherwani with a sehra and all the accessories. But what took her attention was the scared Amaya, dressed in solah shringar, firmly holding her husband's hand with both of her hands. "Amaya!!", gasped badi maa as she realised that Mantu married Amaya. "Badi maa I will explain everything, trust me. First let us enter inside.", said Mantu trying hard to make her believe in him.

Uma and Masi stopped working and came running. Uma saw Amaya wearing supposedly her sindoor and mangal sutra and lost it. She lost it. "How could you this, you married this chudail. I'll not leave you both. You cheated me. You cheated me.", screamed Uma as she tried grabbing Amaya neck. Mantu held Uma's hand as he comes infront of Amaya and shouted, "Don't you dare to do something stupid or else I'll forget that you are my friend." He twisted her arm tightly. "No one has any right to touch or harm my wife do you get that, dumb head.", shouted Mantu. Amaya widened her eyes as she came in front leaving Smokie on the ground and held his hand. "Mantu leave her. Have you gone mad? Mantu.... leave her...what are you doing. Its my swear leave her.", said Amaya and Mantu throws Uma ahead.

"Mantu have you gone mad!? She is your friend.", said Amaya as she ran towards Uma to check whether she is alright or not. Mantu's blood was boiling, he was tired of all this around him. He loses his calm as he shouted, "She is not my friend anymore Amaya. She is the rope of death for me. I am fed up of her and her antics. If I have not promised her I would have kick..." And Amaya silenced him by keeping her hand on his mouth. He looked at Amaya in disbelief as she spoke, "You have kept a promise you gotta fulfil that without demeaning it." "She tried to hold your neck Amaya and you are screaming at me.", said Mantu. "She tried, but she couldn't. You protected me like always...its okay. Please don't stretch it. You know how things have changed today.", said Amaya lovingly, then she continued it as if it was a whisper, "I only have you in my life now. And your family. Please stop. For me." She held Mantu's hand and pressed it tightly. Mantu looked at her with tears in his eyes and then at Uma. He threw his dupatta on the floor as he said, "I am not doing what I want to do just because of Amaya. Don't forget, you could have lost your foot if she didn't reach to rescue you and don't dare to forget that you are living here because of her."

"Beta please calm down. Just listen to me.", said badi maa as she tried touching his arm. Amaya again held his hand and moved back. "I don't have any problem in accepting your marriage with her. You loved her, I know that. It is absolutely fine. She is a good lady. I saw this just now. But we want to know that why this marriage happened in these circumstances. If you wanted to marry her, we would have taken the shagun to her house and make this happen within perfect rituals and customs. I just want to know that, Mantu.", said badi maa as she held his arms trying to relax him.

"I'll tell you everything badi maa but let's just enter inside the house. We are still on the doorstep.", said Mantu as he looked at his badi maa. They were about to enter when badi maa said, "STOP! Atleast let us do the ghrahpravesh ritual for Amaya. Wait, I'll come in a minute.", said badi maa as she went inside to bring the thaal. Mantu nodded and looked at Amaya who was crying. He placed his hand on her head and slipped it till the shoulder and lightly pressed her towards him. Amaya again pulled that hand back and held it firmly. "Where is Chiklu?", asked Mantu to which Uma replied, "He is sleeping..." Mantu nodded.

Badi maa brought the thali with diya and a kalash full of rice. "Beta, come and stand with Mantu.", said badi maa to Amaya. Amaya looked at her and came forward. Badi maa did the aarti as she said, "May this relationship between you both grow stronger and stronger." Mantu looked at Amaya and so did she. Amaya shied away. "Amaya, you shied away. You never did that. What is happening?", thought Amaya. "Every girls shies away a little after marriage Amaya, because she senses what's gonna happen next. Its natural.", said Mantu as he smiled naughtily at her. It was as if he read her mind. She stared at him but again shies away. "I always imagined how you will look while shying. I must say you impressed me.", said Mantu as he gave out a little laugh. Badi maa went inside to bring the thaal full of red, sacred water. Amaya reached out to this opportunity and pinched him in his stomach. "Ouch!!!", shouted Mantu as he jumped a little and Amaya laughed.

"What happened Mantu", asked badi maa from inside. Mantu looked at Amaya as he said, "Nothing badi maa, just an ant bit me, you know these ants are becoming quite mischievous now-a-days." Amaya laughed secretly and said, "Don't let this come in your mind that I have forgiven you for all your stupid drama. I am still hurt and angry." Mantu was about to say something but badi maa came and said, "Beta, now slowly kick the kalash, just enough to spread these rice on the floor and then dip your feet in this holy water and take slow steps on this white cloth. Amaya nodded as she held Mantu's arm and kicked the kalash and dipped her feet in the water. Mantu held her hand tightly. She walked a few steps on the white sheet and stepped forward.

Mantu and Amaya both bow down to touch badi maa's feet. Badi maa smiled and blessed them. "Now tell me Mantu why you did this? And like this?", said badi maa. Mantu took a deep breath and he said, "I got a call from Karan to reach Mathur haveli as soon as possible."