Agape & Eros

Sargi

The alarm rang early in the morning. Ram woke up and switched off the alarm. He sat on the bed with crossed legs and closed eyes. Priya had just come out f the shower. 

Priya- Mr. Kapoor, why are you awake so early? 

Ram replied in a half-slept voice. 

Ram- I have a meeting. 

Priya- Meeting? Now?

Ram- Yeah. Meeting with Meer maa. Why is your hair wet? 

Priya- I took a shower. 

Ram- You have to do that? 

Priya- You are still sleepy. Everybody does that. 

Ram- No, I mean, is it necessary to take a shower before Sargi? 

Priya- Oh. ha. 

Ram- Ok. I'll take one in Sood house. 

Priya- What? Why are you going to Sood house now? 

Ram- Aaj karva chauth hain na? I need to take sargi from Meera maa. 

Priya- What? I don't understand. 

Ram- I am keeping fast. 

Priya- Why? 

Ram- Because you are going to do that too. 

Priya- Because it is the women who keep the fast. 

Ram- Priya, I've always thought shaadi mein rishta hamesha barabari ki hogi. So that's why I am going to keep the fast for you. Now, you won't stop me. You can't snatch my right to sargi. I am getting late. Meera cooked delicious food for me and Shivi. And also, I am going to get new clothes from her. Meera maa told me that. So, Shivi and I will be enjoying our sargi. You enjoy yours. 

Saying this Ram jumped to get out of bed and went to the washroom. Priya was shocked. She never expected to see such a man let alone get married to one. She called Meera in a hurry. 

Meera- Priya, how are you? 

Priya- I am fine, but tell me did you prepare sargi for Mr. Kapoor? 

Meera- Umm... Haan. 

Priya- Why maa? You know how quickly he gets hungry. He won't be able to keep the fast. 

Meera- But he requested me to prepare sargi, Priya. And I couldn't say no to him. I bought new clothes from him too. Please, Priya, aaj dono maa bete ko chhod de. Koi rok tok maat kar. 

Priya- But maa...

Meera- Look, I've cooked so many things. And don't worry a bit. I'll feed him well. Just send him here. And you too eat well, ok? 

Priya- Ok. 

Meera cut the call. Ram got ready and left the room with a huge smile on his face. He screamed, "Eat well and eat a lot. Pura din khane ko nahi milne wala."

Priya smiled. She didn't stop him anymore as she didn't want to disturb their happiness. She went to the kitchen. Nandini was preparing a plate for Priya. Nandini looked at her. 

Nandini- Come, Priya, come. Where is Ram? 

Priya- Mom, he went to Meera maa. 

Nandini- So, he is doing it in a completely traditional way? You know Priya, when I used to fast for Virendra, Ram would always ask why only I was keeping this fast. Why the tradition doesn't apply to men as well? And he'd always say he would not eat while his wife kept the fast. He didn't even let Virendra eat anything in front of me. He'd feed Shivi, Shubhu, and himself telling me to take a rest. He had been a lovely child always. 

Nandini smiled remembering those days. Then she looked at Priya. She was smiling too. 

"Ram will always be my lovely child. My obedient son. I won't let anyone take him. Not even you." Nandini thought. 

Nandini- Priya, accept this sargi. I bought a lovely designer saree and some diamond bangles for you. I hope you like them. 

Mitu mami- How could she not? Could she ever think of getting a diamond nose pin? Now she's getting pairs of diamond bangles. 

Nandini- Vaabi, she is a part of the Kapoor family now. She deserves these all. 

This was Nandini's plan. She had found Priya's weak point. She planned to strike on that. So that she would feel inferior and want freedom from this relationship. She rejoiced when Priya accepted the sargi without any words and of course with a gloomy face. 

"Thank you", said Priya in a meek voice. 

Nandini- You're welcome. Now go to your room and eat. I'll get some sleep. Don't forget to finish the plate. 

Nandini and Mitu mami left. Priya stood there with the plate for a few moments. Then she went to her room. The plate felt heavier than its actual weight. She put the plate on the table and sat in front of it. She looked at the plate. So many sweets, fruit salad, puri, dried fruits, nuts, feni, a coconut, a saree, henna, and those bangles. Those dazzling diamond bangles. 

Priya's tears fell on the plate. 

"All I ever wanted was to be respected. To stay away from the taunts of people. And instead..." 

Priya tried to eat the food. But it became too hard to swallow. She didn't like the idea of wasting food. So, she took a puri and some fruit salad to eat with it and kept everything else untouched. She wished she could leave the saree and those bangles untouched too. But she had to accept those. After finishing eating, she took the plate to the kitchen. Tarun was there when Mitu mami taunted Priya. He felt bad for her. But he couldn't have said something. He felt bad again when he saw the food on the plate mostly untouched. He cooked with so much care for Priya. He liked her from the first day. Her sober and down-to-earth nature was the cause. He liked how Priya forbade them all to call her madam and how they started to call her "vaabi." Since when she stepped into the house, she had cared for them too. At Shivi's wedding, she too worked with them to help them. She always treated everyone nicely but she had to face this in her first karva chauth. Tarun found it hard to accept. 

Priya kept the plate on the counter. 

Priya- Tarun, I can't eat so much food. I've eaten a portion and haven't touched anything else on this plate. So, will you please share the sweets with others? I don't want to waste it all. 

Tarun- Of course, vaabi. Nothing will be wasted. But you've hardly eaten anything. 

Priya- I have eaten enough. 

Priya replied in a heavy voice with a melancholic smile and left the kitchen.