AllFreeNovel
Share Us
For a few minutes, no one spoke. Vikram then nudged me. I had almost forgotten. ‘Oh!’ I said out loud, and everyone looked at me. ‘I almost forgot.’
‘What? What did you forget?’ asked Vikram, looking innocently at me.
‘Time for puja,’ I said.
‘Who is Puja? Are we expecting someone else?’ asked Anju Aunty.
‘Oh no, Auntyji,’ I tittered. ‘It’s time for my puja. Prayers. Worship,’ I clarified. Purva shook his head, disbelieving.
Anju Aunty stared at me. ‘You do puja?’ she asked.
‘Every day at err…’ I paused and glanced at my wrist watch, ‘at 7.17 p.m.’
‘Oh.’
‘If you don’t mind, Auntyji, please can I be excused for a few minutes?’ I asked politely.
‘If you don’t mind, can I join you?’ Anju Aunty asked, not to be outdone.
‘Sure,’ I said and got up. Soon we had all trooped into the box room which had been hastily, over the last few days, converted into a puja room.
Having practised this all week, I knew exactly what to do and quickly set to work. I lit the diya and incense stick. Anu had arranged a huge metal tray with fresh flowers and fruit, which I placed in front of the idols.
‘Auntyji,’ I
began hesitantly.
‘Yes?’
‘Umm…’ I pointedly looked at her head.
‘Oh! Of course, of course,’ she said, and quickly covered her head with the pallu of her dupatta. Pitajee had a coughing fit that subsided as abruptly as it had started.
When everyone was ready, I folded my hands and began to sing Om Jai Jagdish, the only bhajan I had been able to learn by heart in the short time that I had been given.
‘Purva!’ hissed Anju Aunty, who stood next to me limply watching me sing. ‘Sing with her!’
‘Are you kidding me, Mom?’ asked Purva, staring at me and shaking his head.
‘Bhaiyya, you should!’ said Vikram and joined in, as did Anju Aunty. By the time the bhajan concluded, I was standing with folded hands, profusely apologizing to the gods for using them like this and hoping that they understood. In that moment of remorse, I promised weekly attendance at the local mandir for a month.
Anju Aunty’s eyes had turned glassy with wonder by now. We left the box room and trooped into the dining room where the table had been set. Flowers and candles added elegance to the whole setting and Anju Aunty stared at the table for a few seconds before taking her seat.
‘I am sorry, Aunty, the puja took longer than expected,’ I said, turning to face Anju Aunty. ‘I just get so lost in my prayers sometimes…’
I saw Anju Aunty gulp visibly. ‘That’s fine, not a problem,’ she said with obvious difficulty.
‘Let us sit down for dinner. It’s ready,’ I said to everyone and pointed towards the dining table.
‘Who cooked?’ Anju Aunty asked Anu as I busied myself in making sure that everyone was comfortable.
‘Kasturi did, Aunty. She’s a fantastic cook!’ Anu said loudly. ‘Though of course, I am sure you know that already.’
‘Oh, come on,’ I said piously, dismissing her carefully practised compliments with the wave of a hand.
‘Have you made the daal and paneer?’ said Anju Aunty, staring at the delicious-looking food that was already on the table.
I nodded my head. ‘And the kofte, the kebabs, chicken biryani, butter chicken and Konkani fish that I am about to get from the kitchen,’ I added.
