Arohan - The Ascent

The Worship of Love

Urvashi and Vikram, looked at each other, frozen for a second. The knock happened for a second time. Urvashi looked towards the door, and Vikram kept looking at her, his mind swinging between dream and reality.

 Urvashi walked towards the door and unlatched it. Satnami ji and a few others stood outside. 

Satnami ji, held a cotton shirt and pants in his hands. Urvashi looked at him and the people behind him and wondered what they wanted."Can we come in?" asked satnami ji, embarrassed at interrupting the couple.

"Sure, please come, come in," Urvashi moved aside, looking towards Vikram, who also pushed further back into the hut and stood, with his hands crossed at his chest, and watched as the small hut was filled with the village men. After a point, it was even difficult for him to see Urvashi, who stood beyond the men.

The men, 5 in number, entered the hut and stood in a semi-circle, all looking at Vikram, with admiration in their eyes. "Come, come teacher ji, pls come, stand with him," invited Satnami ji as she stood with her back to the wall. 

"Please come," the men gave way as Urvashi came and stood next to Vikram on his right side.

The men looked at each other amused. "You youngsters from town don't know even basic things," he commented as the others smiled an all-knowing smile. "A wife always stands to the left of her husband, teacher didi," said one of the men, and the others all giggled as if it was some joke.

Urvashi and Vikram looked at each other, both awkward and embarrassed at the situation. Quietly, Urvashi moved from behind Vikram and came to stand at his left. As she moved around him, Vikram was acutely aware of her, every nerve in his body, tingling in awareness.

Satnami ji came forward with a checked cotton shirt and brown pants, which he held in his hands. "You are like our son-in-law, and this is the first time you are visiting us. So we want to gift you this, " he said, placing the clothing into Vikram's hands and touching his head in a blessing."You both are an ideal couple. When youngsters are spending their time, moving away from their parents to other cities and other countries, you both are spending your youth, serving your country. really, you guys are a great example for future generations. So as a small token of appreciation, we have arranged a small lunch for you, damad ji. Please change into this comfortable clothing and come to my house. We will be serving a community meal today," then he looked towards Urvashi."You please bring him to my place once he has changed," he completed.

"Oh, why don't we ask Sant Ram ji to bring Vik.." she was about to say his name but knew the villagers would consider that inappropriate conduct. "I mean, Sant Ram ji, you please bring him with you, when he has changed. Let me go and check if the ladies need any help," she said turning to look at Vikram, who seemed lost with everything happening around him.

The men all smiled again, their all-knowing smile. "the teacher did, was feeling embarrassed, to stay back with her husband, now that they all knew he was going to change," they all thought, suppressing adamant giggles.

Vikram looked towards Urvashi, as she started to move out. He wanted nothing more than to grab her hand and hold her back, he wanted nothing more than to throw all these men out and start off, where they left off. He wanted to see, what Urvashi was about to do with him if they were left alone by themselves. He wanted to assure himself, that what had happened, or what had begun earlier, was actually going to happen. He looked at her, his eyes, requesting her to stay on. But his lips would not say the words they needed to say, to stop her. What right did he have to ask anything of her? Did he even deserve what he had been bestowed upon?So he watched quietly, as she walked out of the hut and so did the rest of the men, except Sant Ram ji, who stayed back to escort him, once he had changed.