Flaming Sun Collection 2: Marriages Made in India (Box Set with 5 novellas)

by Sundari Venkatraman

  Ram walked towards the portico, reaching it at the exact moment when the car arrived. Opening the front door, he greeted Sapna’s father, “Hello uncle! Welcome to our home.”

  Chittaranjan returned Ram’s wide smile with one of his own. The boy was extremely handsome and well-behaved. And their home was palatial. Would his daughter be so lucky?!

  Ram also opened the back door and greeted Sapna’s mother. The boys stepped out next, while the woman herself got out from the other side.

  “Hello Suraj, Shyam.” Ram shook the boys’ hands in turn before turning to the lovely Sapna. “Hi Sapna,” he said, his voice soft, for her ears alone. “Welcome home!”

  She looked up at him, her grey eyes wide. Her breath stopped for a second as she took in his striking features. His deep-set eyes were as black as sin, set under a broad forehead and dark eyebrows. The eyelashes were thick and curly, underlining the masculinity of his chiselled jaw line. His upper lip was thin while the lower one broader, a permanent smile on them. His sharp chin had a tiny cleft in it, making him all the more attractive. He was tall, towering above her, and broad too. The light blue linen shirt he wore, sat well on his lean frame. She took in all of this in a flash, confident that no one could notice her checking him out in the darkness of the night.

  “Hello!” she said, her voice hesitant, putting her hand in his outstretched one. His hand was large, hers feeling lost in it. But his touch was gentle and non-threatening. She looked up again to meet his gaze, before lowering her own in a rush.

  She was wearing a salwar kameez in a bright aquamarine that brought out the pearly sheen in her skin. Ram refused to let go of her hand as he guided her into his home. By now, his parents and Chanda had also stepped outside the door to greet the Purohits.

  There was a lot of chatter as introductions were made between the family and the three younger Maheshwari brothers.

  The twins took Sapna’s brothers away to the first floor, to allow the adults to talk in peace. Even as they all sat down on the sofas in the living room, Ram got up to say, “I’ll show Sapna around.” Without waiting for anyone’s reply, he pulled her along with him to a door on the side.

  He stopped suddenly outside the door, bringing her up short. “I’m sorry. Would you like to refresh yourself? And maybe you are hungry.” He looked sheepish.

  She laughed, unable to stop herself, surprising him. “Thanks. I did wonder how to tell you. Please lead me to a bathroom.”

  With ruddy colour on his lean cheeks, Ram went back inside to take her down a corridor to the guest bathroom on the ground floor. “You take your time. I’ll wait outside the same door for you.” He surreptitiously crossed his fingers, hoping she wouldn’t ditch him.

  Nodding, she stepped into the bathroom even as he walked back the way they had come. She came out the door within five minutes, looking good enough to eat. He had noticed her checking him out immediately after getting out of the car, though he had no clue to what she had been thinking.

  Now, she refused to meet his eyes, feeling suddenly shy. With a hand at her elbow, Ram walked along with her, away from the main building. Soft lights showed them the way on the paved path as they walked for five minutes before they came upon a second building. “We all live at the main house as of now. But Pappa’s planned to build a separate bungalow for each one of us. There are two buildings to begin with. Yeah, there’s another one, further down. Each structure has levels, the ground and first floors. Since I am the eldest, I get to choose first.” He grinned, his white teeth shining brightly, his words guileless. Sapna nodded as he continued, “I’m okay living in either of the bungalows. You get to choose,” he said, his voice softening with the last sentence.

  Sapna felt her heart thumping hard. Was he trying to impress her with his wealth? She mentally shook her head. She didn’t think so. He had been clear about that earlier when they met at the hotel. In that case, he must be serious about her getting to choose a home for the two of them. He was turning her head for sure. She had seen clearly how good-looking he was. She knew that he wasn’t proud of his wealth. Now, it looked like he was giving her first preference too. Her mind began to waver. Did it make sense rejecting him and waiting for a Prince? What were the chances of her getting to meet her ideal man? Wasn’t Ram as close to perfection as possible? Only she hated the idea of having to compromise and settle for second-best.

  They went around the house. There was a large, square hall, with floor-length windows on three sides. The fourth side led to an airy kitchen that also contained a dining nook. It was a darling house and Sapna fell in love with it on sight. Smaller than the main structure, it was homely. A wooden staircase in a corner led them to the first floor. They reached a smaller square that was surrounded by three bedrooms. Each one was spacious and had an attached bathroom. A wraparound balcony connected all the rooms from the outer edge. The fourth door led to a terrace that was also accessible from the same balcony. She drew her breath in a rush when they stepped into a mini jungle. The greenery was so soothing to the eye, while a number of flowering bushes interspersed the grass verge and small trees. Imagine having a garden on the first floor! Sapna was excited with what she saw. After living in a small dingy room with a minuscule window along with four other people, this house seemed like heaven.

  But…but, was it right to tie the knot with a stranger just so that she could live in a beautiful home? Then again, it’s a stranger that she would get married to, whether it was Ram or someone else. So, why not him? The war continued unabated as she took in her surroundings in silence.

  Even Ram wasn’t saying much as he opened and shut doors, taking her from one room to another. “Do you want to go home to eat something? We can see the other house tomorrow.” He looked at her, his right eyebrow up in query.

  Sapna’s head shot back towards him as if she had just realised that she wasn’t alone. “Huh? Hmm…okay,” she said, feeling disoriented.

  It was obvious that she had forgotten that he was around. Ram’s smile vanished as he felt a deep sense of disappointment. He walked out of the bungalow with her, locking the doors behind them. He didn’t utter a word on their way back. Not that she seemed to mind.

  He didn’t know that Sapna had reached a crossroad and was totally perplexed about which direction to take.

  11

  July 9 dawned bright as Sapna got ready for the Muhurat. The relatives and few friends of the Purohits who had come for the wedding from Pushkar, were put up in the third bungalow that had been constructed for Lakshman. There were about thirty of them and the arrangements were simply splendid. They weren’t allowed to talk of money or jewellery or clothes. Mohan, Meera and Ram had provided for everything without making Sapna’s family feel awkward at any point.

  Sapna stood in front of the full length mirror, unable to recognise herself. Ritu grinned from behind. “I’m sure Ram is going to fall in love with you all over again when he sees you in your bridal finery,” she teased.

  Sapna’s answering smile didn’t reflect in her eyes. Did he love her? For that matter, she didn’t love him either. Theirs was purely an arranged marriage, unlike Ritu’s fairytale wedding to Yash. She turned back to look at her reflection.

  The striking red wedding sari was of Benarasi silk and was tastefully embroidered in gold zari. Her long hair had been tied up in a low knot that was held together in a net made of fine 14 karat gold. She never even knew that such a thing existed. A Kundan maang tikka covered the top half of her forehead, hanging on a beautifully designed chain that ran over the middle parting of her hair. It was set with rubies and diamonds that glimmered in the soft lighting. Large Kundan earrings with matching stones hung from her earlobes. A diamond Kundan necklace graced her throat. She also wore two more gold necklaces, followed by another long necklace of rubies that hung down to her abdomen. She had been impressed to know that all the jewellery had been designed by her husband-to-be. A row of golden bangles tinkled on her wrists ending with a broad kada that was beautifu
lly crafted, again in rubies and diamonds. It had filigree work with the faces of two elephants turned towards each other, their trunks entangled. Even the anklets she wore were made of gold.

  Her make-up was expertly done by Ritu who had ensured it was light. The mehendi on her hands and legs had never been such a deep red.

  Purnima walked in just then. Her eyes filled with tears of joy, looking at her only daughter. She hugged her and kissed her on her forehead.

  Ram rode on an elephant during the baaraat, all the way from the ornate gates of Nakshatra to the garden at the rear where the wedding was to take place. Chanda, Ranveer, Bharat, Shatrughan, Suraj and Shyam danced the most while many of the guests joined in the revelry. The quiet Lakshman watched on with a smile, holding a camera in his hands, his excuse for not dancing.

  Ram got off the elephant to look at his bride who was waiting for him under the shamiana that had been constructed. He blinked his eyes a couple of times to be sure that she was for real and not a figment of his imagination. The long nights he had spent, designing the jewellery especially for her, had been truly worth it. He had created each piece with love, visualising how they would appear on her. But all his imagination had not prepared him for the reality of the vision in front of him. And today she would be his. He swore to himself that he would love her forever. Their eyes met for a twinkling second before Sapna lowered hers, her long lashes curling over her blushing cheeks.

  Was he maybe her Prince? He did look like one in the rich cream brocade sherwani. The pagadi that was an exact shade of red to match her sari, sat well on his head, making him look taller than ever. Diamonds winked on his fingers and ears while a thick gold chain hung down to the centre of his chest. Sapna’s heart fluttered in excitement and nervousness. She prayed hard that she had made the right decision in agreeing to this wedding. At the end of it all, it hadn’t been in her heart to say ‘no’—not to her parents; not to Ram. All their expectations had been riding on her.

  The wedding itself passed in a blur for Sapna as she took the saat phere with Ram. They took the blessings of all elders while the twins and Sapna’s brothers ganged up with other youngsters to tease them mercilessly. Chittaranjan’s heart flowed with love and joy at the unexpectedness of the grand wedding. He had never dreamt that a tenth of this would have been possible. Chanda enjoyed herself thoroughly along with her attentive husband. All members of Ranveer’s family had also come down from Jaswantpura for the wedding. The wedding feast was truly appreciated by all the guests as they had a sit-down lunch for everyone.

  Ram was thrilled to have tied the knot with his lovely wife. He couldn’t wait to get her alone. He didn’t know that Sapna’s nerves were shot for the exact, same reason.

  12

  After a light dinner with the two families, Ram and Sapna walked to their new home, to all appearances, to celebrate their wedding night. Sapna was a bundle of nerves as she let Ram hold her hand on the walk to their new home.

  Shutting the main door behind them, Ram turned to look at her. Her hands were toying with the edge of her dupatta while she was looking at the floor. He could sense that she was extremely tense. Actually, they needed time to get to know each other. And he thought it best to postpone consummating their marriage. He planned to talk to her about it, though he wasn’t clear how to broach the subject.

  “Sapna,” he called out softly, walking closer. “Why don’t you sit down?”

  She edged sideways, avoiding his proximity as she walked to the sofa. His face darkening in hurt, Ram went to sit next to her, ensuring there was some distance between them. Clearing his throat, he said, “I was thinking…”

  She raised a hand to stop him from saying anything further. “Wait, before you say anything, I can’t sleep with you. You’re a stranger. I married you because I had no choice, not because I wanted to. I can be your wife in name only.” Her whole body was shaking by the time she finished talking. She hadn’t meant to be so rude but didn’t know how else to tell him that. And she had to convince him to wait, while she had no idea for how long.

  She had accepted all the clothes and jewellery he had bought her. He and his family had paid for the wedding expenses. Sapna felt torn by guilt even as a tear ran down her left cheek, before she could stop it. She brushed it away in a hurry only to have another one follow immediately after. She was howling her heart out the next minute, her face buried in her hands. All the tension of the past month had finally caught up with her. It was truly a sin to be born a woman, especially in a poor family. Worse than that, she had dared to dream. What right had she? Self pity shook her up terribly.

  Ram watched on helplessly. His instinct was to gather her in his arms and soothe her. But he knew that she wouldn’t thank him for it. His wife of a few hours was a proud and stubborn woman.

  And moreover, she had said that she would be his wife in name only. Did that mean forever? Was she planning to punish him for choosing to marry her? Ram felt angry and upset, a frown on his forehead. He waited patiently, willing her to stop crying, not knowing what else to do. As he could see her calming down, he went to the kitchen to get some cold drinking water and a wet towel. By then, she had stopped crying completely and was resting her head against the sofa back, totally exhausted.

  “Here,” he gave her the towel and poured some water into a glass. After she had wiped her tears away, he offered her the glass to drink from. “Will you be alright sleeping on your own? Or should I ask your mother to come over?”

  Sapna shook her head vigorously. She definitely didn’t want her mother to know that she and Ram were sleeping in separate bedrooms. “I’ll be alright,” she told him, her voice a croak.

  “If you’re sure,” said Ram, getting up. “I’m going for a walk. You know your way upstairs. I’ll be using the master bedroom. You don’t need to stay up. I’ll let myself in.” He left the house in a hurry, before he said something they both might regret.

  Yeah, the gentle and fun-loving Ram was generally slow to anger. But just now he was in a boiling temper, wanting to bash something. His hands were clenched into tight fists when he left through the front door.

  He stood outside for a few seconds, taking deep breaths, trying to calm down. But what the hell! He accepted that they didn’t know each other well. But what Sapna had said was ridiculous. She hadn’t wanted to marry him. Then why did she? She wanted to be his wife in name only. Was she even aware of what she had uttered? Marriage was for keeps. They were both young. How did she think they would continue with their separate lives over the next 30-40 years?

  Ram lifted a potted plant and threw it on the ground in exasperation. It broke to smithereens, the plant tumbling out along with the soil. It was too bad if someone heard him. Dusting his hands, he pushed them into the pockets of his knee-length shorts and paced the garden. It was difficult to believe that they had got married only that day.

  It was 4 am when Ram let himself into the house. Even after that, he tossed and turned in his bed till it was morning. Yawning widely, he got up from his bed at half past nine. Wondering where Sapna was, he had a quick shower and wore fresh clothes. He was hungry and decided to go to the main house. Stepping out of the bedroom, he called out, “Sapna, where are you?”

  She raised a hand from below, acknowledging him. She had been ready since a couple of hours and had been waiting for him to wake up. She had also had a sleepless night. With her bout of crying and lack of sleep, her eyes looked puffy, despite the thick outline of kohl.

  Ram’s first instinct was to ask if she was alright. But ‘no’. Why bother? She obviously disliked him intensely. They needed to show a united front for the sake of their families. “Before we go… what’s between us is totally private. I’d rather my family didn’t know that our relationship’s in doldrums,” he said firmly, his eyes hard.

  Sapna looked at him, feeling sad. The smiling and affectionate man she had married seemed to have disappeared. But could she really blame him? Why was life so complicated? She gave an i
mperceptible nod, without saying anything.

  When they stepped out of the main door, Sapna was startled to see the broken flowerpot and rushed over to lift the sorry looking plant. “Leave it alone,” snarled Ram. “I’ll deal with it later.” Her face paled when she heard his harsh words, though she moved away immediately, not wanting to irritate him more than he already was. They walked in silence, their steps dragging, neither of them keen to meet the family who were still obviously celebrating.

  13

  They entered the main house that continued to hold a festive air, their steps hesitant. Meera came out of the kitchen, smiling widely. She was so happy to have all her children home. She loved feeding people and the Maharaj was the perfect man for creating sumptuous meals as per the menu she set out regularly, providing a rich variety.

  “Aao mere bachchon,” she welcomed them, hugging them lovingly. “You must be hungry. Come, everyone’s at the dining table.” She dragged them further into the house. She sat them down on one side while the chatter grew louder.

  Ranveer got up from his seat and so did Lakshman. “Arre saale saab, how are you this morning?” grinned Ranveer, slapping Ram on his back.

  “Very hungry,” replied Ram, tucking into the parathas in front of him. He wasn’t ready to meet anyone’s eyes while he tried to smile, his lips wide. The quiet Lakshman, however, noticed that everything wasn’t as it should be. He sat beside his brother, his hand on his shoulder, not saying a word. Ram felt choked with emotion as he met his brother’s eyes for a second before turning to his plate again.

  Chanda came up from the other end. “Sapna bhabhi,” she said, bending down to hug her new sister-in-law. As the other woman made no response, Chanda didn’t say anything more, sitting down on the chair next to her. All spoke at the same time—both sets of parents, the twins and Sapna’s brothers. It was a relief for Ram and Sapna when their attention was diverted from the newlyweds.