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“Sashank bhaiya wants to talk to both of us regarding some rituals. He is waiting for us downstairs.”
Roshni turned around, got up and adjusted her sari and pallu, wiped her tears, and walked down, not waiting for Deepak. She did not care for him. Deepak followed her, and they sat next to Sashank at the table. Both were quiet and reserved.
“Deepak and Roshni, as per our family traditions, there are couple more rituals that need to be completed. And Deepak, when is your return flight?”
“December 26th, bhaiya.”
“Okay, you have a few more days.” Sashank continued, “Before you leave, you both have to visit Vaishno Devi and take her blessings; it is our family tradition.”
Deepak exclaimed, “Vaishno Devi!” He lowered his tone. “Bhaiya, you know it is winter and there is no conveyance to go there? Moreover, I don’t have time before my trip back to the US. Why not wait until I come back next time.” Deepak hoped to buy some time to deal with Roshni and the entire situation he’d created the previous night.
Kaki brought chai for them, and as they sipped chai, Sashank continued, “Deepak, this trip to Vaishno Devi does not take more than two or three days. Of course, you will have to fly. It is better you take Devi’s darshan before you go back to the US. Today is the 16th. Prashant has invited both of you for the post-wedding ritual at his house, and after that, you can go for Vaishno Devi’s darshan. You will have a few more days left before your flight to the US. Take this opportunity to spend time together.”
“Sashank bhaiya, I agree the trip to Vaishno Devi will take only two or three days. But with the wedding, it has been a little hectic, and with this trip, it will be very stressful, especially with winter time. The weather conditions in Jammu are unpredictable, so why not wait until next time.”
He had not heard of this new ritual that Sashank mentioned. “By the way, what is this post-wedding ritual?” He waited for Roshni or Sashank to explain it to him.
Roshni was quiet.
“Deepak, the post-wedding ritual is where the bride’s father invites his daughter and son-in-law to his house for dinner after the wedding, a formality that has to be completed. You both will have to go to Roshni’s father’s house,” Sashank answered.
Sashank looked at both of them. “I have taken a few days off to spend time with you. I will look into the travel details to Vaishno Devi, and if feasible, both of you should go.”
A visit to Vaishno Devi was a family tradition and had to be completed. Roshni was religious and believed in traditions and customs. Deepak was not an atheist; however, he had been out of India for a few years and had forgotten these rituals.
Roshni looked at Deepak and then towards Sashank. “Bhaiya, if it is a tradition, we will go.”
Deepak expressed his acknowledgement. For Roshni there was no next time because this relationship was not going to continue, and she agreed to keep Sashank happy. Sashank agreed to look into t
he tickets and hotel reservations while Prashant invited Deepak and Roshni to his house for the Pag Pheri ritual the next day.
~ ~ ~
Deepak and Roshni left for Prashant’s house. Deepak drove but neither of them talked; it was a somber moment. They were a newly married couple, but the spark wasn’t there. The excitement and glitter that Roshni had had in her eyes had faded. They had a quiet dinner at Prashant’s. As Roshni prepared to leave, she hugged Babuji and cried profusely. Prashant was unaware of the mental torture his daughter was going through; he pacified her and talked about her conduct and behavior at her husband’s house.
Deepak and Roshni touched Prashant’s feet. “Deepak bete, my daughter is your responsibility. My wishes to you both, may your married life be happy,” said Prashant.
He hugged both of them. For the first time Roshni and Deepak were close to each other, and both sensed the electric current gush through them. They looked at each other, and a fire blazed to life within. They quickly came to their senses and left soon after.
~ ~ ~
Sashank made all the arrangements for Deepak and Roshni to visit Vaishno Devi. It was decided that they would leave on the 19th of December in the morning and be back on December 22nd. After this trip, Deepak had four days before his departure to the US. Sashank intentionally booked the return tickets a day later with the intention that Roshni and Deepak would take this opportunity to spend time together. Deepak and Roshni reluctantly agreed to this schedule.
There was tension between them, and how would they manage this?
As planned, Roshni and Deepak arrived in Jammu on the 19th. The travel agent did a decent job with the reservations. The hotel was a well-equipped, two-room suite with a bedroom and kitchen. Deepak and Roshni checked into the hotel, most of the time gesturing to each other with minimal talk. The hotel had a restaurant attached, and Roshni expressed her interest in having dinner there. After dinner, they returned to the room, and Deepak suggested Roshni sleep on the bed, and she unwillingly agreed while Deepak slept on the sofa.
They felt uncomfortable around each other but managed without much conversation. It was decided that they would take the helicopter that left at 9 a.m. the next day. This meant they had to get ready early.
Roshni lay on the bed, thinking. She wanted to take this opportunity to talk to Deepak about their future; she had made some decisions and wanted to communicate this to Deepak. On the other hand, Deepak persuaded himself that going away to the US would give him ample time to think and make some decisions. He struggled with his thoughts. Roshni had made very clear to him that he was unreliable and not worthy of respect. What did this mean for their relationship? This was a greater challenge for Deepak. Both of them dozed off with several thoughts and questions in their minds.
~ ~ ~
The next day they got ready to go to the temple. The slow, biting cold of winter crept in, and they were cautioned to the fact that the temple area was colder. Deepak wore a kurta pyjama and a jacket; Roshni wore a red sari with zari embroidery and sequins. She left her hair loose, and it draped over her back. She was gorgeously attired, and Deepak could not resist; he stared at her, and Roshni became aware of Deepak watching her. She became uncomfortable, with color blooming on her cheeks. Trying to hide these emotions was not easy. Roshni could not help admiring Deepak: he was tall, well built and handsome. Their eyes locked in a gaze, and they stared at each other for a couple of minutes before Roshni came to her senses and diverted her attention, and Deepak did the same soon after.
The helicopter was waiting for them. Deepak boarded and held out his hand to help Roshni, and she fumbled. Her thoughts oscillated when Deepak gestured to her, and without fussing, Roshni held his hand and boarded the helicopter. They sat very close to each other and felt the warmth of each other’s breaths. They again got locked in their gaze until the pilot initiated a conversation and distracted them. Roshni remained silent. Deepak conversed with the pilot, but he glanced towards Roshni occasionally and made sure she was comfortable.
The helicopter flight was very short, and they landed a couple of kilometers from the shrine at a place called Sanjichhat. They found out the details regarding the darshan formalities and decided to walk the two kilometers to the shrine. Deepak walked with Roshni, and Roshni kept up her pace with him. They watched several devotees walk – some in front of them, some behind and some beside them; families, couples and children – all of them heading to the same destination to pay their obeisance to the Goddess.
