TANGLED TRADITIONS

The Sleeping Beauty Awakens

                    CHAPTER ONE

In the bustling streets of Mumbai, where the scent of masala chai lingered in the air each morning, there lived the Sharma family. Jyoti Sharma, a woman with boundless energy and a love for order, ruled the household with a gentle yet firm hand. Her husband, Vikram Sharma, was the epitome of calmness, always seen with a cup of steaming chai in hand.

But the real star of the Sharma household was their daughter, Aradhaya. Fondly called "Aaru" by her family, she possessed a talent that rivaled the most dedicated sloth: the ability to sleep through anything and everything.

On this particular morning, the sun had already begun its ascent into the sky when Jyoti Sharma marched into Aradhaya's room. With a sigh, she surveyed the scene before her. Clothes scattered on the floor, books piled haphazardly on the desk, and there, in the center of it all, lay Aradhaya, snoring softly beneath a mountain of blankets.

"Aradhaya!" Jyoti called out, her voice a mix of exasperation and amusement. "Wake up, beta, it's already afternoon!"

But Aradhaya remained undisturbed, her only response a slight snort as she burrowed deeper into her cocoon of warmth.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Vikram sat sipping his chai, a knowing smile playing on his lips as he observed the scene unfolding in his mind's eye. He knew all too well the battle of wills that ensued whenever his wife attempted to rouse their daughter from her slumber.

With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, Jyoti tiptoed over to Aradhaya's bedside. Leaning in close, she whispered, "Aaru, wake up, dear. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and your father is drinking all the chai!"

At the mention of chai, Aradhaya's eyes fluttered open, a drowsy smile spreading across her face. "Chai?" she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

"Yes, chai!" Jyoti exclaimed, her tone triumphant. "But only if you get up right this instant and help me in the kitchen."

Aradhaya groaned dramatically, her arms flailing as she attempted to extricate herself from her blanket fortress. In her sleepy haze, she managed to entangle herself even further, eliciting a giggle from her mother.

With a final burst of effort, Aradhaya emerged from her blankets, her hair wild and her pajamas askew. "I swear, Ma," she grumbled, rubbing her eyes, "I'm going to invest in a bed with seatbelts."

Vikram chuckled from the doorway, his chai now forgotten in favor of the entertaining spectacle unfolding before him. "Or maybe we should just install an alarm clock with a built-in chai dispenser," he suggested with a wink.

As Aradhaya begrudgingly shuffled towards the kitchen, her movements exaggeratedly slow and dramatic, she couldn't help but grumble under her breath about the injustice of being woken up so early.

"I'm sure Cinderella had it easier," she muttered, shooting her mother a playful glare.

Jyoti rolled her eyes, accustomed to her daughter's flair for the dramatic. "Stop being so melodramatic, Aaru. You're not the star of a Bollywood film."

"But Ma," Aradhaya protested with mock indignation, "I was in the middle of the most riveting dream about floating on a cloud made of food"

Vikram chuckled as he followed behind them, enjoying the morning entertainment provided by his two daughters. As they entered the kitchen, they were greeted by the sight of little Ananya, their two-year-old bundle of mischief, seated at the table with her favorite stuffed toy.

Aradhaya's eyes lit up at the sight of her baby sister, her complaints momentarily forgotten as she ruffled Ananya's hair affectionately. "Good morning, little munchkin," she greeted with a warm smile.

Ananya, who was still mastering the art of language, simply blinked up at her sister with wide, innocent eyes, her chubby cheeks flushed with morning excitement.

"She's barely two, Aaru," Jyoti laughed, shaking her head at her older daughter's antics. "I don't think she's concerned about waking up early just yet."

Aradhaya chuckled, ruffling Ananya's hair once more before turning her attention to helping her mother in the kitchen