Choti Si Duniya - ArShi FF

103. Lucknow Diaries - part 6

Q/N - Long and complex chapter alert!

--*--

It was midnight but neither Arnav nor Khushi nor anyone in Gomti Sadan was sleeping. It was because Pari was wailing holding her tummy!

The reason was their outing to Khushi and Payal's favorite food stalls and kids enjoying way too much of those food items. The twins were already known to have digestive issues but thankfully Aru's taste buds being like her father's, she didn't eat much there but Pari was like her Maa and ate everything from golgappe to bhelpuri to katori chaat to kulfi!

Buaji had even commented looking at her mouth covered in kulfi, "Hai re nandkishor, hamari choti nandkishor toh kulfi ko maakhan samajh kar kha rahi hai (My little Nandkishor is eating Kulfi like butter)!"

Khushi too had lovingly added, "Itna chotu sa muh hai, pet bharne mein time toh lagega na (She has such a small mouth, it will time to fill her tummy)."

And now, 3 hours later, Pari's tummy was upset, and her parents were panicking while others were also worried. And like every other parents, Arnav and Khushi started arguing amidst worrying for their sick kid!

"This is unbelievable! Why didn't you pack her medicines, Khushi?" Arnav asked. Khushi did remember the name of Pari's particular medicine but unfortunately had not carried it. The thing was, she had an expired bottle which she had thrown away but before she could replenish it, they had made sudden plans to visit Lucknow and now Pari had needed EXACTLY that medicine!

Arnav and Aakash had tried a few pharmacies around Lucknow for it, but many shops were already closed and a few open didn't have it.

"Don't blame me. Aap ke bacche aap ke jaise hi nazuk hai ye hamari galti nahi hai (Your kids are weak in health like you isn't my mistake)." She snapped while rummaging through her bag in the hope of finding the medicine miraculously.

Now there was only one option, Arnav thought, to get his chopper and urgently fly to Delhi to get her medicine when buaji and garima came in with a bowl with some water.

"Ye kya hai amma (what is this, Amma)?" Khushi asked.

"Hing ka Pani (Hing/asafetida in water). Pari bitiya ko gas hui hai bitiya (Pari has gas), isko pet pe lagao (let's apply this on her tummy), it will help." Garima said and not waiting for Pari's parents buaji made Pari lie down, lifted her frock a bit up to see her bare tummy and gently applied hing ka pani on her tummy.

And sure enough, soon they all heard (and sensed) Pari's tummy release gases and her cries stopped...

Arnav gave a thankful glance to Garima while Khushi too sighed in relief and went to rest her head on buaji's chest to finally be tension free...

--*--

It was late next morning when a different scene was seen (and heard) in the Gupta house. Buaji and Garima were using some different kinds of utensils to make chutney and grind some peanuts and that was making a different, unique noise that kids had never seen or heard.

"Bua nani, ye kya hai (what is this)?" Kavish asked, sitting by their side. Along with him, even Arnav was curiously hearing. He had seen those things before for sure but hadn't remembered their names.

"Isko sil batta (grinding stone) kahat hai bitwa (this is called sil batta) and that is hamam dasta (mortar and pestle)." buaji informed kavish.

"Yes Chiku, you know when mixer grinders were not in this world, people used to use these. And the chutneys made on these taste the best!" Khushi told him and he watched the entire process in wonder.