Destiny Was Fated With You!

PART 9

Manik's Pov

Manik, please. Mere liye. Nandini's puppy face really worked, when Avni's didn't. For a change, I wasn't ready to agree for my daughter's wish but my wife's wish though there was a catch for my 'yes'. Making my wife proud of her own self, making my daughter scowl at me. I muttered sorry. She gave hard glare in return, meaning she was mad at me. Yet, I sat on the weighing machine in the temple for tulabhara.

((Tulabhara, also known as Tula-Purusha is an ancient Hindu practice in which a person is weighed against a commodity, and the equivalent weight of that commodity is offered as a donation. The Tulabhara ceremony is observed in several parts of India.))

This was the very first time, I'm doing such things. Nandini was very adamant to perform tulabhara for all of us. She says it's a good thing. I really don't how. Sounds exactly like me. No one had done that for me. In fact, my parents aren't that ritual like Nandini's family. Even if my family was, they would never do such things for me.

Are we done yet? I asked with annoyance, while Abhay and Avya were cheering the people, who were keeping rice bags to my equivalent weight. I was amused by seeing the number of bags they were placed to balance the weight. I weigh so much. I never knew that.

Not yet. Nandini shushed me. I sat, grumpily.

Nandini and the temple staff talked something in their native language, trust me nothing I could guess. She was well versed with her native languages even today, I sighed. Even she is from Mangalore and Kashmir, she had a very nice grip on both Kannada and Malayalam. If I count in the round, she speaks six languages fluently. I'm nowhere near to it. It even includes French and Spanish. I proudly say that about my wife.

Is this done? when I saw staff taking the rice from another side when I and rice bag balanced on the weigh, she nodded her head. Still giving instructions to the staff, who obliged whatever she said.

Can I get up? I asked like an innocent baby when I finally landed on the floor without any weigh equivalent from another side. She gave nodded her head. I slowly walked to her asking to mini monsters to shut up, they gave pointed look, until I picked Nandini in my arms from behind, made her settle on the place, I was sitting before. Making her amused.

If it is a good thing. Then you are also having one. I eyed the people, they looked still surprised. I rubbed my nape not knowing how to convey them.

Can you do this for her? I doubted if they knew English yet referred tulabhara through my eyes. They look like local, who don't understand anything but there native. Yet, It was my turn to be amused when they started keeping rice bags. Taking a sue.

They are very well educated to understand your English. I looked Nandini dumbfounded. I nodded my head.

##

We offered our donation to them, walked inside the temple. I carried Avni in my arms, who was sulking at my behavior. Still cocooned in my arms safely without any protest, though you can't miss the angry pout.

I was looking around with Abhay when they both were praying or when they are going around the temple. It was a simple and warmly temple, no hustle bustle. Quite and peaceful. It was their Aiyyappa's temple. Finally, I met him. Who is the talk of the town? Sorry, our home.

Are we done yet? Abhay saved me from glares that they were giving him.

Shut up. And Pray. Nandini joined his little hands in front of her God, closed his eyes by her palms, it was quite funny how he was scowling about the whole thing. Until I saw Pumpkin doing the same with me.