Sudeshna Sut Pranayani

Unknow bonds

"Do you feel the baby?" Vedangi asked Aditya, placing his palms over her belly. Aditya just flashed a smile and gently leaned on her stomach, Vedangi smiled fondly. "Look Adi is so fond and caring towards his younger sibling from now itself" Vrushali pulled Aditya on her lap and brushed his hair with her fingers. "Maa, I can't tell you how amazing it feels, when I feel his/her movements!" Vedangi smiled, Vrushali caressed her face affectionately.

"Yuvrani, Maharani is calling you at the main gates of the palace, the family of dwarka has arrived" Ardhika informed. Vrushali handed Aditya to Ardhika and helped Vedangi to stand, taking slow steps they reached the palace gates.
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"Putravadhu,she is my sister Bhadra, Maharani of Dwarka and Shubhr's matrutulya (maasi), her husband Dwarkadhish krishna and Maharani kalindi" Sudeshna introduced her relatives to Vedangi. Shvet bent down to take blessings from Bhadra, while Vedangi  folded her palms respectfully, as she can't bent down because of the baby bump. "Stay blessed my son" Bhadra rocked Shvet's head lovingly. As he took blessings of Krishna, a tear droplet rolled down his cheeks, "May your name me carved in history son" Krishna blessed him. Shvet felt a different type of satisfaction, escatsy as krishna's palms brushed over his head. As his gaze met krishna's, he found immense love for every organism in those brown eyes along with a hint of mischievousness.

"Matsya Yuvraj? I know I look good, but please don't gaze at me like that, my wives are also present here" Krishna giggled making everyone present there too break into giggles. As they moved forward towards Kalindi, Shvet knotted his eyebrows in confusion. He gazed at Kalindi and then towards Vedangi, he noticed that Kalindi and Vedangi had the same eye colour and the shape of their eyebrows too looked similar. "Pranipat Maharani" Vedangi welcomed Kalindi with a smile, Kalindi gazed at Vedangi with some extra affection and reciprocated the greeting, "Stay blessed Putri" She blessed Vedangi. Matsya and Anga families turned their gazes towards them immediately as they realised Kalindi and Vedangi had striking similarity in their voice.

Vedangi had inherited her smile from her mother and face shape from her father, then why did her eye colour and voice shared similarities with Kalindi? As if both of them were related to each other and shared some unknown bond? Kalindi and krishna exchanged understanding glances. "Maharani Sudeshna, is it a custom in matsya to keep your guests waiting at the door?" Krishna asked smirking. "No no Jijashree, come in please" Sudeshna replied startled. The sisters exchanged greetings and Sudeshna introduced the family of Anga to the family of Dwarka.

"Angraj, father of my Putravadhu" Virat introduced Karna. To everyone's astonishment Karna bent down to touch the feet of Kalindi, as if some instinctive force was compelling him to do so. "Stay on the path of righteousness bhrata" Kalindi said gazing at him with eyes full of compassion. Then Kalindi herself bent down to touch his feet, "may your life be always filled with happiness" karna said. He himself was unable to comprehend, why he did so, but Kalindi's words felt like an advice from elder sister to her brother. Vrushali, Supriya, Shon, Vedangi exchanged confused glances, only Krishna was the one who knew the reason behind his act.

"Shankh, how are you mitra? All well?" Sambh who was standing in a corner asked Shankh. Shankh was about to hug him but paused, "Yes everything is fine, enjoy your stay here" he replied and hurried to his chamber with looking back. Shvet noticed this from the corner of his eyes and made a mental note to have a talk with Shankh about this.
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"I tell you bhrata, whenever I look at Uttara na, it reminds me of our abhimanyu" Devika said to krishna, who nodded in agreement. It was the night before godh bharai and the palace was filled with guests, Devika had also arrived from Shivi along with her son Yaudheya. She was seated along with Krishna and Kalindi in their guest chamber. "Attention everyone, important instructions for tomorrow" Sudeshna entered the chamber along with the entire close family. Shvet, Shankh, Virat, Uma, Kartiki, Uttara, Sambh, Bhadra,  everyone entered behind her.

"Shankh, you have to be Shubhr's shadow tomorrow, be with him constantly. Getting him ready, taking him to the hall, everything is on you. Jijashree krishna, would you please keep a watch on them?" She asked and Krishna nodded positively. "Uttar, you co ordinate with Meenakshi's brother Bansen and see that the entire palace and front courtyard is clean and decorated. Putra Yaudheya, you would be in-charge of security near the main gate of palace. Bhrata Shvetketu, just keep an eye whether the people you had appointed for the guests are doing their job properly or not. Uma and Devika jiji, would you both keep an eye on the food and catering?" Sudeshna further asked. "Bhabhi, is it even a question? It's the celebration for arrival of my Shubhr's child, I will do every possible thing" Devika assured.

"Everything would be done deshna, but first you catch some breath!" Bhadra held her shoulders and made her sit on a couch. "Jiji, so many things are yet to be done. Me and arya would be busy tomorrow, I have to talk with Angrani also, let me go please" Sudeshna protested. "No! I am your jiji and I am telling you, you would sit here with us and enjoy. We are all together after so many years deshna! Such moments are rare" Sudeshna gave up her protests and sat besides Bhadra, holding the later's palm into her's. Shvet, Shankh and Uttara were amazed to see this soft side of their otherwise strict mother.
"So children, do you want to know all the mischievous done by your strict mother?" Bhadra started the conversation.

"Yes matrutulya!" Uttar and Uttara sat on either sides of Bhadra. "Jiji please no! What would they think about me!" Sudeshna whined. Bhadra just glanced her at once and continued with her story, "She was very fond of medicinal plants. She would sneak out from the palace to explore more about them and I would always be the one to hear scoldings from Mata and Pitashree". Sudeshna looked elsewhere, hiding her smile. "Oh my poor wife!" Krishna sighed extra dramatically, making the entire chamber giggle. "Swami please! Let me continue" Bhadra pleaded.

The night was then passed with narration of jokes, tales and stories. Though Shvet tried to sneak out and meet his wife, who was busy with her side of relatives, but Krishna and Sambh catched him red handed and then he was subject of everyone's teasing. Sudeshna heaved a sigh of relief seeing her family together, happy and smiling.
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Kalindi:
Kalindi is the human personification of river Yamuna. Yamuna/ Yami is the daughter of suryadev and his first wife Devi Sandhya and fourth wife of Shree Krishna.
Hope you all now understand why karna felt a bond with her and she shared some similarities with karma's daughter, Vedangi.
Bhadra:
According to Virat parva of Mahabharat, Sudeshna is the princess of kaikeya kingdom. And according to Bhagvat purana, Bhadra is the eight wife of Krishna and princess of kaikeya kingdom. Though the names of their parents are different, which would make them cousins, thus Matrutulya to Sudeshna's children.
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Hey, my lovely readers, the next part is here.
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