We reached Udaipur next morning. Papa had come to take us to the new place where the kids would be residing. After bidding them adios we proceed to GV. I recall the faces of everyone, they weren’t very happy. We had taken a spontaneous decision and didn’t really get time to take their permission.
I was a bit afraid of the reaction they would have to this visit. The past that which I had with them wasn’t very reassuring either. Kartik probably had the same fears. We entwined our fingers together, assuring of our presence to other. We bared ourselves to face our family. We could feel trouble impending on us as soon as we entered GV.
Dadi looked angry, Manish uncle had their lips thinned, Suvarna Ma looked sympathetic so did Keerti di. Chacha chachi looked sceptical. Mansi looked plain afraid. Luv Kush were the only ones who looked happy to see us. They came running in our arms. Kartik picked up Kush, while I cuddled Luv. “We missed you bhaiya bhabhi. We didn’t have anyone to play with us.” They said. We had missed them too.
“We missed you too Luv. And you too Kush. And we brought many friends for you from Hrishikesh. We can go and meet them. You can play with them.” I replied. Cuddling a very gleeful baby. Looking at the faces of everyone we decided, this probably may not be the right time for them to be here.
“Go in your room and play ok. We can talk about this later.” I told them. They ran away.
We went in. When dadi said, “So you are back? Remembered that there is a family? Or the people in Hrishikesh are the only ones you care about.”
I tried to explain to her, “Dadi, Negi Uncle, the person who raised me had a heart problem, we had to go there and see him. How could I not?”
“Why did you have to? Are you a doctor? You anyway send money to them every month. Why would you have to go there without even a days intimation at home. This is Goenka House, daughter in laws here do not go and do social service. If you love him so, we could have sent more money. But not even telling the whole thing at home and just running off is not the right thing for a daughter in law of a respectable family.” she said.
I had somewhere expected this. She didn’t know my past as much. She didn’t realise what Negi Uncle was for me. She thought he was just some sort of warden. That is why she reacted like this. I had to explain this to her. I said, “Dadi, Negi Uncle kept me there like his own daughter. If it weren’t for him I really don’t know what would have had happened.”
She huffed, “I don’t care what he was to you. You shouldn’t have gone there like this. And then you have to go and stay in the Ashram. What if someone who knew us was there. Where would our reputation be if our son and daughter in law was seen in a small ashram just after a week of their wedding”
How could I explain to her, that ashram wasn’t an ashram for me. It was my home. While Kartik said, “Dadi, we stayed in her father’s home. That Ashram is Negi Uncle’s home. That’s here she spent 7 years of her life. It really is like her home. And we really don’t care if someone who knew us saw there. They don’t matter to me.”
“Does anything matter to you except this girl? Is anything important to you? Your family? Your family name, maybe?” Manish uncle said. While Kartik can handle his dadi’s orthodox behaviour, because he respects her so. He absolutely cannot bear anything from uncle. This question irked Kartik to no extent. He had no respect for his father, he even denied calling him father. The past whatever it was, if it was Kartik’s version, I see no change in this behaviour ever.
Kartik who was just a second ago trying to explain it peacefully to dadi, got truly angry. “Does anything which is not family reputation or name matter to you? She went there to help her father, but a person who doesn’t understand what this word entitles cannot understand this.”
“And the question of if only Naira matters to me is concerned. It should be as that. She is my wife, my life partner, my better half. Her wishes are and always would be my priority. Why am I even trying to explain this to you, if words like this had any meaning in your life, I would probably still have my mother.” Kartik said, more like shouted. I had grabbed his hand, to get him calm down, he did say things which weren’t probably deserved by his father.
Everybody had tears in their eyes, so did I, I noticed. I didn’t want them to fight over me. But what was I to do now? I didn’t know. There was no hands on script to become the best daughter in law. How do I keep my promise of keeping that family tightly knit, when I was the reason for which they were fighting? Questions were the only thing I had.
“You do not know anything if you think I killed her. She was my wife god damn it.” Manish uncle replied. I could see the pain and anger in his eyes. Some buried pain could be seen in his eyes, I had to talk to ma. “I am trying for years now…
“I know everything that I want to know. I’m not interested in the lies you want to feed me. I have had enough of it.” He turned towards me, “Naira don’t worry. We don’t have to take this anymore. We’ll leave this place right now. I cannot handle more of this hypocrisy.”
I was stunned. I knew this was approaching, but it would doom on me this fast wasn’t expected. What was he a kid, if the things didn’t go our way just run off. The was what Manish uncle was thinking too I guess
“You aren’t a kid anymore, who would put threats of leaving as soon as things didn’t go their way. And where do you think you would go? Her place? To shove whatever respect was left down the hill” Manish uncle said
It probably wasn’t the most sensible thing to do, “You needn’t worry about that. We have our place ready. Just waiting for us to habitat.” To say everyone was surprised would be a understatement. They were shocked. They knew there was a talk of our flat, but they had thought it was abandoned.
I looked at Suvarna maa. She looked disappointed. I was disappointed, the only thing she had expected of me. I had failed.
Kartik after saying this me pulled me into our room. Literally pulled me out. I tried reasoning with him, “This isn’t the time to go away from here. Having a fight and leaving isn’t the way we are supposed to do this.”
“Naira there isn’t any right way to do this. This is happening. You have a choice, and choose right now, me or this family.” I wanted to tell him that this wasn’t a choice really. I mean he after all was my husband. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here. But did I want to accompany him out. I realised, I would. Being with him was the only thing I was sure about.
I knew the right choice would probably be letting him leave, I wasn’t brave enough to do that. I needed Kartik every minute. If he stepped out now, I would too. But I didn’t want to. He hurriedly packed both our bags, not even waiting for me to answer. I tried again, “Kartik we are going, and you know the choice didn’t even exist you know that. But this is not the way or time to do this. I would do anything you wish, this too if you wish so, but I really do not want to this to happen love.”
“You would never wish this to happen. And don’t give me that look. You do not have to say anything for me to understand it. I know you do not want this to happen. But this is required. For my happiness, for yours too. So even if I have to make you disappointed for a while I would. This is happening Naira, and now. So start moving. I already took everything we would need.”
He lastly removed his hand drawn picture, one with his mother, and a lone tear escaped his eyes. Caressing that picture he kissed it. And put it in his bag. It meant her blessings would always be with us. We started moving.
We went to take blessings of everyone, but the rejected us. Suvarna ma gave me hug, and asked me to be back soon. I was relieved at least she understood that I didn’t want this to happen. In a week I was attached to unknown people, I promised that I would reunite them soon. Stream of tears was running down my eyes, with them in my eyes, my hand in his, we stepped out.
Authors notes-
So there is your long update, do tell me if you are satisfied.
Kaira are out of GV. Don’t hate me people, I’m all for joint families, but Goenka family has to learn a few things.
I tried making KDadi as orthodox as I probably could, I couldn’t think of more than that, thus we have a MG and KG fight. Ah well swag of MG and KG that I cannot add, so use your imagination and make that scene a rockstar.
Keep watching yrkkh, watch it on television at 9.30, let’s increase the trp to maximum as Kaira Vivaah is starting this week, and shivin are working hard for it. We should too!!
Keep commenting. Keep loving Kaira, Shivin and yrkkh
Happy reading.