Hi guys!!! So sorry for the delay… Had a writer’s block..
I am dedicating this episode to all my awesome readers!!!
Recap:
Sona nods; smiling nervously and starts making halwa… ~Sona’s pov~ Should I less sugar or more? If I add more, it’ll become unhealthy… But if I add less sugar, then it’ll taste bad… ~remembers Dev tasting her halwa last time~ Kya karoon?
Dev goes and sits in the dining room; waiting for Sona…
~GKB’s room~
GKB: ~calls someone~ Hello? It’s me… Remember I called yesterday? Yes… I need it by 12 noon today… Gadbad nahi honi chahiye… Okay bye…
GKB smiles to herself… ~GKB’s pov~ Ab aayega maza…
~Kitchen~
Sona remembers the steps and cooks halwa…
Ishwari: ~enters kitchen~ Don’t take your sweet time… You should finish it before the shubh muhurat ends by 9 am and rahu kaal starts… Okay? I will come back later and check…
Sona: Ji ma…
Ishwari leaves…
Sona starts cooking fast… Slowly, the aroma of her cooking comes to the dining room and hall…
~Dining room~
Mamaji comes down; slowly walks towards the dining room and slowly taking whiff….
Mamaji: Aha ha…. Such a beautiful aroma… Woh bhi subah subah? Kya pak raha hai bai?
Dev: ~sniffing the air~ Halwa Mamaji… Halwa… Sona making it…
Mamaji: Wow…. Our bahurani’s pehli rasoi rasam started? Amazing!!! Can’t wait to taste…
Soon, Neha, Ria and Nikki come down…. Everyone enjoying the aroma….
Nikki: Mamaji, my mouth’s watering already….
Ishwari: ~comes from their house mandir; takes a whiff~ Neha, Ria and Nikki… Looks like all have got ready… Neha, is Ranvir coming today?
Neha: Ji ma… He’s coming around 10 am…
Ishwari: Teek hai Neha… I will go and get the gifts for him… ~goes to her room~
Sona comes out; carrying a huge vessel full of halwa….
Kichu quickly puts bowls on the dining table….
Everyone sit….
GKB rushes out from her room; sits….
Sona slowly serves everyone….
Sona: ~slowly serves Dev~ Where is ma?
Dev gazes intense at Sona; eats slowly….
Dev: It tastes good…. Almost like ma’s…
Sona blushes…
Mamaji: Really? Ishwari will come soon… We can’t wait for her anymore…. ~slowly digs in the spoon and eats~
Sona watches everyone with nervousness…
Mamaji: Aha ha… So tasty…. Give me this halwa for rest of my life; I’ll eat happily…
Nikki: Yummy Bhabhi!!!
Neha and Ria: Awesome!!!
GKB (Radha Rani): Teek hai… You could have put more sugar…
Ishwari: ~comes out~ Here are the gifts…
Mamaji: Arey Ishwari gifts ko maar goli… Eat this halwa first… Our bahu rani made this…. It’s tastes so amazing…
Ishwari: ~looks shocked~ Sona!!! If you had prepared the halwa, why didn’t you call me? How did you serve it before asking? You should serve it as bhog to Bhagwanji before serving it to family….
GKB (Radha Rani): Hey Ram!!! What did you do? How can you do anything without asking jiji?
Dev: Ma… Relax… Look, me and Sona, we don’t believe in Godly stuff… Yesterday, we did pray… But for your sake… How does it matter?
Ishwari: ~looking upset~ Dev, it’s not about whether you and Sona believe or not…. It’s a ritual… Rasam ka maan rakhna chahiye…
Sona: ~looking composed~ May I say something? Ma… The bhog has been kept… After that only, I have served….
Ishwari: ~looks shocked~ What?
Sona: ~smiling softly~ Yes ma… You can check the mandir if you want…. It’s there…
Ishwari and GKB rush to the mandir… A bowl full of halwa is kept near the lord…
Sona comes there peacefully; takes the bowl and takes a spoonful…
Sona: Ma, put your hand forward and take the Prasad… I know I should’ve served the Prasad first… But, you told before shubh muhurat ends; I should finish everything… So… ~offers her the Prasad; smiling~
Ishwari takes the Prasad; feeling unhappy inside… ~Ishwari’s pov~ How did she know… About bhog… I didn’t mention it… I thought I’ll put her in her place; that she will have to adjust… How… The halwa tastes good enough… Did she learn cooking?
Sona: Lijiye mami… ~puts some Prasad in GKB’s hand and smiles~ ~Sona’ pov~ Thank God I was prepared for this….
~Past~
Dadi: Sona… Remember, you are getting married into a Brahmin household… Brahmins attach lot of importance to rituals…
Sona: What’s the need for so many rituals? I really don’t understand why to waste time on them…
Dadi: Nahi Shona, every ritual has a purpose behind it… Remember you had asked me about our Bengali marriage rituals? And once when I explained you, you yourself wanted to marry with rituals… Remember?
Sona: Ji Dadi…
Sona: Similarly, there are post marriage rituals… Like cooking for the first time at the sasural… It ensures that elders bless the new bride… For a successful marriage… So cook with loads of love… Okay?
Sona: ~hugs Dadi~ Definitely!!
Asha: ~listening to their talk~ Aur Shona, once you cook for important events like pehli rasoi, festivals etc., place a little as offering before God… And then distribute it as Prasad for everyone… You can even keep the entire cooked food…. As bhog…
Sona: Ma… You do know that I don’t believe in God and the Poojas?
Asha: Shona, still… There’s no harm in adjusting…
Sona: Teek hai ma…
Sona smiles ~Sona’s pov~ Thank you Dadi… Thank you ma… Today you both saved me… And this google… Which gave me the mantra to be recited before offering… ~takes a deep breath~
Neha, Mamaji and Dev come over there…
Dev: Ma… Sab teek hai na…
Ishwari: ~nods~ Bas halwa… It needed some more mitaas… ~smirks~
Neha: Bhabhi, for me? ~stretches her hand~
Sona: ~smiles; giving prasad~ Here…
Soon everyone queues up and take Prasad…
Mamaji: Sona bahu… You have made us very happy…. ~blesses Sona~ Here, take nek… ~gives Sona 5k~
Sona: Mamaji… Yeh toh…
Mamaji: Keep it beti… Keep winning our hearts like this… Okay?
Ishwari looks away
Sona: ~smiles; bends to take aashirwaad~ Ji Mamaji…
Mamaji: Arey nahi… Nahi… Girls don’t touch feet… Gale milte hain… ~hugs Sona~
GKB (Radha Rani): ~sees 5k in Sona’s hand~ Hai hai Paanch hazaar????
Mamaji: Radha… Garib ki beti tum ho… Hum todi na hai?
GKB gazes angrily…
Dev looks at Sona proudly… Sona smiles at him…
Mamaji: Ishwari, chalo… Aashirwaad do… Aur nek bhi…
Ishwari: ~puts fake smile on~ Ji bhaiyya…
Sona bends to take Ishwari’s aashirwaad… Dev quickly joins… Devakshi gaze at each other…
Ishwari looks slightly pissed…
Ishwari: ~placing hand on Dev’s head; places arm on Sona’s arm~ Jeete raho… Khush raho…
Sona observes this silently… ~Sona’s pov~ Now, it’s confirmed…
Devakshi get up…
Ishwari: ~gives Sona 1k~ Take this nek… Anyway, Bhaiyya gave you good nek…
Sona: Thank you ma… It’s not the amount of nek that counts… When the nek is given out of love and appreciation; it’s so much more valuable… Hai na ma? ~gazing at Ishwari intense~
Ishwari: ~feels slightly uncomfortable~ Yes… But one should prove themselves worthy for the love and appreciation too… It will not be obtained easily…
Sona: ~smiles~ Agreed… But I believe that if one works hard honestly, winning love wouldn’t be so hard…
Ishwari: Even then… It’s not going to be easy…
Dev: Ma… Yeh kya baatein leke bait gayi… Ma, you should eat more halwa… It’s almost as good as yours…
Ishwari looks shocked…
Dev: ~ignoring Ishwari’s shocked look~ And let’s eat breakfast…. I am very hungry… See, Sona has prepared toast and fresh juice for me… And see there… Breakfast is ready for everyone… Kichu comes there with a huge tray… With fresh parathas and side dish; a bowl of fresh fruits with dry fruits for Ishwari…
Dev and rest of the family sits for breakfast
Sona smiles and starts serving…
Ishwari feels annoyed and walks away… ~Ishwari’s pov~ Why is she smiling so much? I am trying to show her place… She’s not at all budging… And Dev… Comparing her halwa with mine?
Mamaji: Arey Ishwari… Have your breakfast…
Ishwari: I have to go to mandir… Will come back and have…
Ishwari leaves
Mamaji shakes his head ~Mamaji’s pov~ Why is Ishwari so grumpy? Is my suspicion right?
Soon everybody leaves…
Mamaji: Sona bahu, I have some work…
Dev smiles widely at Sona; signs that he’ll call later…
Sona smiles and waves…
~After sometime~
Bell rings…
GKB opens the door and collects the parcel… She opens the parcel; covers her nose and keeps on the table… ~GKB’s pov~ Jiji will come soon and Sona will get fired… First let me wash my hands… ~smiles to herself~
Sona comes out; chatting with Nikki… Both sniff and make face…
Sona: Fish? How come hall is reeking of fish?
Nikki: ~sees the table~ Bhabhi… It’s on the table… Did your relatives send it? You know by mistake?
Sona: No Nikki… Everyone knows that I married into a Brahmin family… What shall we do now? Ma will be coming here any moment… ~looks tensed~
Nikki: Bhabhi… Calm down… I know you didn’t do it purposefully… Why don’t we call Rabi? He will come up with some idea…
Sona: ~looks surprised~ Rabi?
Nikki: ~looks little nervous~ Haan… Rabiji helped us during marriage… So… He told any problem; call me… ~Nikki’s pov~ Why did I refer to that Chipku Bose?
Sona: Really? Alright then… You call him… And I’ll hide this… ~gets a cloth; takes the fish parcel and hides in it~
Nikki quickly calls Rabi….
Ishwari slowly enters… GKB comes out…
GKB (Radha Rani): Jiji… You are back from mandir… How was the darshan?
Ishwari: The darshan was good Bhabhi… Felt peaceful…
GKB (Radha Rani): Achcha… Waise Bhabhi… Don’t you smell something?
Ishwari: Smell???
Nikki: ~enters with pooja thaal~ Yeh mami… This dhoop stick…. The fragrance is so pure na? So thought of letting the fragrance spread entire home… Right na ma?
Ishwari: ~smiles~ Haan…
GKB (Radha Rani): Arey nahi… I smelled something else… Like fish or something…
Ishwari: ~looks shocked~ Fish? Is ghar mein… Nahi Bhabhi… Aisa nahi ho sakta…
Nikki: Arey… There’s no fish in this house… How can fish come inside?
GKB (Radha Rani): Arey jiji… I can get that smell…
Ishwari: ~sniffs~ Ya Bhabhi… Even me getting that smell now…
GKB (Radha Rani): ~getting excited~ Let’s check jiji…
Nikki: Ma… Aisa kuch nahi hai… Ma…
Suddenly, they hear noise outside…
Ishwari: Who’s arguing outside? Let’s see…
~Outside Dev’s home~
A lady fish seller (in Marathi mulgi style) stands arguing….
Sona: Dekhiye… This is Brahmin’s house…
Fish seller: Arey deva re, deva!!! Aich ghar bola sahib logon ne… Machhi dene ka aur paise leneka…
Ishwari: What’s going on Sona bahu? ~holds her nose~
Sona: This lady is claiming that somebody told to deliver fish here… I am explaining her and she’s not listening…
A man comes there…
Man: You are here??? What are you doing here? My house is over there…
Fish seller: Arre saab!!! Teek se bol nahi sakte te? Chaliye… Madam… Maaf kar dijiye… Ham chalte hain…
Man: Sorry…
The fish seller winks at Nikki, as the man removes his hat and bows to Sona… They leave…
Ishwari: Shukr hai… Machchi ghar ke andar toh nahi aayi…
GKB (Radha Rani): But how come this fish seller came here?
Nikki: Mami… Sometimes, people get confused with house numbers…
GKB (Radha Rani): Par…
Ishwari: Bhabhi… Forget it… Now come… There’s loads of work…
Ishwari takes a confused GKB inside…
Sona and Nikki smile to each other…
Sona: Thank god… We averted a major disaster…
Nikki: All thanks to Rabiji… And Sharanji…
~Past~
Nikki: ~on phone call~ Mr. Chipku Bose… ~sees Sona~ I mean Rabiji… A big problem…. Somebody has sent fish here in bhabhi’s name… ~whispering~ I suspect that it’s Mami’s doing… Do something…
Achcha… Achcha… Please kuch kijiye… Thank you so much Mr. Rabi Bose… You are the most intelligent human being on this earth…
Sona: Nikki… Nikki… Where are you lost?
Nikki: ~jerking out of thoughts~ Kuch nahi Bhabhi… ~Nikki’s pov~ Mami!!! Because of you I had to call Chipku Bose as the most intelligent human being… Ugh…
Sona: Come, let’s go inside… Before, they come back and ask questions…
Sona and Nikki go in…
~Near Sona’s home – In the car~
Sharan: ~gets rid of his beard~ Thank god… Bach gaye… Abe… At least now, change your getup… Before somebody sees you in this avatar…
Rabi: Haan haan… You can change easily… I have remove all these jewellery and wig… ~slowly gets rid of his Marathi mulgi clothes; wears his pants n tee~
Sharan smiles…
Rabi: Thank god… Now I can breathe freely… How do ladies wear so much?
Sharan: At least Sona is safe now…
Rabi: Haan… But this gave a chance…
Sharan: A chance? What chance?
Rabi smiles
~Past~
Phone rings…
Rabi: Hello Ms. Teekhi Mirchi… I feel so pleased that you remembered me today… What can I do for you?
Nikki: Mr. Chipku Bose I mean Rabiji… A big problem…. Somebody has sent fish here in bhabhi’s name…
Rabi: What???
Nikki: I suspect that it’s Mami’s doing… Do something…
Rabi: ~smiles to himself~ On two conditions… One, say the same with love and request me to help… Two, you should tell “You are the most intelligent human being on this earth”
Nikki: Achcha… Achcha… Please kuch kijiye… Thank you so much Mr. Rabi Bose… You are the most intelligent human being on this earth…
Rabi: Awesome… Ab dekhiye Rabi ka kamaal… be assured… Get that fish outside… I’ll be there…
Rabi comes out of his thoughts… ~Rabi’s pov~ Ms. Teekhi mirchi remembered me… This getup is worth it…
Rabi smiles brightly…
Phew!!! Sona averted a major disaster!
Soon it’s time for mooh dikhayi…
Will Sona be able to go out with Dev?
What will happen next?