Bride of Sheesh Mahal - Season 3 - Part 2

(BANNER COMING SOON) 

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Chapter 2


Khushi’s POV


I scurry to the temple where people have crowded, a few to offer their prayers in this Maha Puja arranged by the Raizada family, a few to actually see and meet this rich family who almost owns half of this town and the rest of them are here to eat the Maha prasad. Almost 60 varieties of dishes will be cooked today and no one will go without savoring them. I have told the Raizadas have arranged a box of sweets for everyone and also some shawls and quilts for the needy people. Wow!! I am impressed how this family is doing everything they are capable of to share with the people of this town.


“Khushi?” Payal, my neighbor friend blocks my way. “Where were you? Your father was looking for you.”

“Looking for me? Why?”

“I don’t know, he said he is not finding the Puja thali which will be used in the Mahapuja today.”

“Oh” I bite my lip. “I have locked it up in the cupboard. I will get it. Thanks for informing. See you later..”


I don’t wait for Payal to even respond to that. The Puja Thali is made of pure gold and it was gifted by the Raizadas to this temple last decade when they attended this Puja. Ensuring all the ornaments of the deity, along with these accessories is my father’s responsibility which I share with him being the accountant of Raizadas Charitable trust.


Unlocking the door of the Locker room where all these items are locked up, I enter the room. I reach the cupboard and find its key in my sling bag. Wait!! Where is it? Where is the key? I fish my entire sling bag. I always carry this key home as that’s the safest place to keep it. I recall carrying it today when I left for the temple but now its missing. How can it go missing? Or did anyone steal it? Oh my god!! Where did it go?


“Hey Devi Maiyaa. Raksha karna..”


I close my eyes praying quickly to Devi Maiyaa to help me find this key. It wasn’t that I came here to the temple straight from home. I made a halt to save a stranger from a dangerous woman then I gave him lift and half way asked him to get another ride. I stopped to inform an autorickshaw to go back and give a ride to that stranger. And then I reached the temple. Did the key slip down my sling bag in between all this? Where will I find it? And losing the key means losing my job, and even risking the chances of getting these expensive ornaments and other items stolen. What will I do now? Tears spring in my eyes. I have never failed anyone in my job and whatever has happened today can spoil the trust the Raizadas have on me and my father.


“Khushi?” My father is in the room.

“Babuji” I instantly rush into his arms and give him a hug. “I lost the key ..”

“What?”


He soothes me first before pulling away and staring in my teary eyes.

“You lost the key? How Khushi? You were never this careless.”

“I don’t know where I lost it. I carried it when I left home. Hey Devi Maiyaa, what should we do now?”


Babuji paced in the room, the look on his face worrisome, his shoulder drooping.


“I’ll tell them it is my fault. You need not worry. As it is, securing the key was my responsibility. You just were doing my work. I will take the blame on me. But for now, we have to arrange another Puja Thali. The rituals will begin in an hour. We cannot delay it because of this.”

“No Babuji, why will you take the blame when I am the one at fault? I will arrange another Puja Thali for now and speak to Raizada family. Then, however they wish to punish me, I am ready.”


I know my father will never let me take any blames even on my faults but I stick to being honest and hurry out of the room to make the necessary arrangements. I am told the Raizada family is already here and busy with the priest, Gopalji, Payal’s father. I arrange an alternative Puja thali and give it to him. That’s when I hear a woman voicing out.


“Where is the other Puja thali which we gifted last decade?”


I instantly turn around. She’s a woman in her late 60’s and looks sternly at me and Gopalji.

“Subhadraji, that thali is locked in the cupboard.” Gopalji mentions.

“Then bring it out. If we don’t use it for an occasion like this, when will we then?”


Now my heart skips a beat. But this is not the moment when I should reveal anything.


“The Muhurat is up. It’s not auspicious to miss the muhurat. The Puja today is more important than the thali. Expensive or not, Devi Maiyaa is bothered of that but the love her devotees have in their hearts for her. Sorry if you think I spoke much.”


She glares at me for debating. Gopalji comes to the rescue.

“She is Khushi bitiya, Shashi babu’s daughter. She is the biggest devotee of Devi Maiyaa in our town and she also handles your accounts of the trust.”


Her expressions soften as she hears my intro. Another young lady joins Subhadraji.


“Daadi, she is right. We should begin the Puja. It’s already time up plus everyone is hungry. Chotte, Akash, NK especially,” she giggles but when her grandmother stares at her, she pouts. “Sorry.”

“Fine. Lets begin with the Puja.”


Finally!! I am glad that she didn’t make an issue of it yet. I know she will though once I tell her why I couldn’t get the gold thali? I lost the key, I cannot even imagine I did. I had thought of going back that same route I took to come to the temple and see if the key is lying there but my father needs me here. I can’t skip the Maha Puja. So I mentally make a note to do this later after I confess my problem to the Raizadas. I really didn’t want them to skip the Muhurat as it would be inauspicious.


The Puja begins and soon everyone from the Raizada family sit in a circle around the holy fire before Devi Maiyaa’s idol. The Raizadas are a big joint family. Subhadra Raizada is the matriarch of this joint family. I see a middle-aged couple whom she calls as Manohar and Manorama Raizada. Payal whispers Manohar is her second son and Manorama his wife. They have two sons Akash Singh Raizada and Nandakishore Raizada. They both are handsome. I didn’t use that word. Payal did. So I glare back at her.


“What?” she blushes.

“It’s not nice to drool men in such a holy place. It’s a temple Payal.”

“So?” she continues blushing. “Even Gods were not single. And look at us!! You don’t let me drool any man.”

“I am protecting you.”

“Oh really? No thanks. I am 23 now and I can handle myself.”

I sigh in frustration.

“Sshh.. Focus..”


Slowly the women around 3 -4 years older to me joins the group and sits next to Manohar and Manorama Raizada. She’s the same woman who convinced Subhadraji to start the ritual as per my advice.


“She is Anjali Jha. She is daughter of the eldest son of Subhadra Raizada who passed away at a very young age. In fact, his wife too expired a few years ago. She married last year to Shyam Jha. You know who he is?”

“No” I nod in denial.


It’s strange that despite working for Raizadas I hardly know anything about him.


“Oh, he’s a famous jeweler. His ancestors have been doing jewelry business in India from quite few decades. Very rich people and influential too.”


I smile. Richness don’t allure me. I look around for my father and find him speaking to someone on phone. He looks worried still and I know its all because of me.

“I will be right back.”

“Where are you going? Won’t you see the most charming grandson of the Raizadas? He’s coming here .. Look ..”

“Later..”


Saying that I rush to my father again. Babuji tells me he’s arranged someone to make a duplicate key to the cupboard which means we will be able to access the contents of this cupboard again but that doesn’t solve the risk of the key loss. And I tell Babuji we shouldn’t be hiding it from the Raizadas. They have every right to know about my blunder.


Soon a part of the ritual is done, which is like after two hours and everyone disperses for lunch. Now only the “Daan” part is left where the Raizadas will offer money, sweets and blankets to the needy people. I take this opportunity to share this incident with Subhadra Raizada. My father tries to stop me but I don’t.


I am about to reach her when someone calls my name.. In fact, he calls me by the nickname he has given me and I instantly know who he is. I turn around only to find the same stranger whom I helped today, only if he knew to say thank you.

To be Continued 

NEXT PART 

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