Ch13 The Burden of a Throne #2
After the aahuti, Pandit ji instructed me to unveil Maa Gauri’s face.
I stood, touched Maa’s feet, and slowly lifted the red chunri from her idol’s face.
The room filled with a soft golden glow, and everyone gasped in admiration.
The idol was breathtaking so beautifully crafted that it seemed as though Maa Gauri herself had descended into that form.
For a moment, I turned to look at Rudraksh, silently admiring the perfection he had brought home. “He must have searched a lot for this,” I thought.
Pandit ji then asked me to sit beside him again. I obeyed, and as I settled down, the pandit handed a small box of sindoor to Rudraksh and said gently, “Now, beta, fill your wife’s maang with this sindoor before Maa Gauri.”
Rudraksh took the box wordlessly. His face gave away no emotion, yet his eyes held something deep something I couldn’t quite name. He leaned slightly toward me and filled my maang with sindoor in one slow, deliberate stroke. My breath caught; my eyes instinctively closed.
When I opened them, I felt a soft touch on my nose. Rudraksh’s fingers brushed lightly against it some sindoor had fallen there while he was applying it, and he was quietly wiping it away. That small gesture, so gentle and unexpected, made my heartbeat stumble.
After the puja ended, everyone took the prasad, except the women of the house, since it was Sharad Purnima and we were observing a fast. I offered the prasad to Rudraksh too, but he refused politely, saying he’d eat later, and walked out of the room.
His sudden departure felt unusual something about his silence lingered in my mind. But brushing the thought aside, I immersed myself in the household rituals once again, not realizing that destiny was already stirring something deeper between us.
By the time evening descended, the sky had turned a soft shade of blue, and the first hints of darkness began to spread.
I got dressed in the saree Dadi Maa had gifted me, adorning myself with full shringar.
When I looked into the mirror, even I couldn’t recognize the girl staring back a reflection glowing with grace and belonging.
In just a few days, I had somehow become everyone’s favorite in this house. Everyone except Rudraksh.
Holding our puja thalis, all of us gathered in the garden, waiting for the moon to rise.
The night breeze carried the soft fragrance of jasmine and sandalwood.
Everyone seemed cheerful, except for the emptiness that lingered quietly inside me.
Because deep down, I knew Rudraksh wasn’t coming.
The way he had stormed out of the house earlier made it clear.
And honestly, I wasn’t expecting him either.
He had said just yesterday, in that cold tone of his, that he wouldn’t be there to break my fast. To him, my keeping a vrat for his long life was meaningless. I had learned not to expect tenderness from him anymore.
The family had already started preparing to leave for Vardhanpur in the morning. Maybe they too had realized Rudraksh wouldn’t show up tonight. One by one, everyone began saying their goodbyes.
Papa came toward me with a warm smile. Out of respect, I quickly covered my head with the pallu of my saree, but he chuckled softly and said, “Rivanya beta, you don’t have to do all this with me. I’ve told you before you’re not just my bahu, you’re my daughter.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Papa placed his hand gently on my head and said with quiet affection, “I know Rudraksh’s behavior toward you has been harsh. He’s stubborn always has been. He doesn’t care what others feel. But, beta, I can promise you one thing he will always protect you.
He may not show it, but he loves his family deeply. And now, you are his family. You’re the Lakshmi of this house. It might take time, but one day, he’ll give you all the love and respect you deserve. Just promise me one thing never leave my son. He won’t say it, but he needs you. He’s alone,
more than he lets on.”
Tears welled in my eyes. Papa gently wiped them away and added teasingly, “And if my son troubles you too much, there’s a gun in office room. Don’t hesitate just shoot him. I’ll handle the rest.”
I laughed through my tears, unable to hold back. Papa smiled and pulled me into a warm hug. “Always keep smiling like this, beta,” he said, “you look even more beautiful when you do.”
It had been so long since I felt a father’s love a real, protective warmth. The kind I had longed for since childhood. And somehow, life had given it back to me through Rudraksh’s father. For that moment, my heart was full.
Soon, both chote and bade kakasa came to bless me, telling me to visit Vardhanpur soon with Rudraksh.
I bent down to touch their feet, and they showered me with love.
Choti kakisa gifted me a dazzling diamond set, while badi kakisa handed me a beautiful saree and a shagun envelope.
Both smiled and said warmly, “Come soon, our Vardhanpur’s Rani sa.”
Then I walked toward Devaditya and Viswraaj. To my surprise, both of them immediately bent down on their knees in front of me. Shocked, I quickly said, “Devar sa, what are you doing? Please get up! You both are elder than me; it doesn’t feel right for you to bow to me.”
Viswraaj spoke in his calm yet commanding tone, “Bhabhi sa, even if you are younger in age, you are elder by relation. You are our elder brother’s wife our Bhabhi sa.”
Devaditya added, smiling fondly, “Since childhood, we’ve looked up to Rudraksh bhai sa as our ideal. We’ve always taken his blessings before every new beginning. Now that you are his wife, our Bhabhi sa, it is our duty to give you the same respect. After tonight,
both of us will take on big responsibilities. Please bless us, Bhabhi sa.”
Tears gathered in my eyes at their sincerity and respect.
For a moment, I hesitated, unsure how to respond.
But then Dadi Maa came and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
“Rivanya,” she said softly, “you cannot run from these bonds. Bless your devars it is both your duty and your honor as Vardhanpur’s Rani.”
Taking a deep breath, I smiled faintly and placed my hands gently on their heads. “May you both win every battle life brings,” I said, “and may God bless you with endless happiness and pride.”
They touched my feet again, and I smiled through my tears. “May every sister-in-law in this world be blessed with devars like you both,” I said.
They grinned. Devaditya replied playfully, “That might be difficult, Bhabhi sa, because there’s no one like us. So this privilege is only yours.”
I laughed softly. Then, as Papa called out, Devaditya left. But Viswraaj stayed behind for a moment. His expression turned serious as he said, “Bhabhi sa, may I tell you something? Please don’t take it the wrong way.”
I nodded. “Of course, Devar sa. Say what’s on your mind.”
He looked down briefly, then met my gaze. “I know Bhaisa doesn’t talk to you properly. He acts as if nothing matters to him. But, Bhabhi sa, believe me he cares. He just doesn’t know how to show it.”
I smiled faintly, a trace of sadness in my voice. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better, aren’t you?”
He shook his head. “No, Bhabhi sa. I mean it.”
I sighed. “If your Bhaisa really cared, he would have come tonight. He knows I’m fasting for his long life, yet look it’s already past eight, and there’s still no sign of him.”
Viswraaj fell silent. He couldn’t argue there was no answer for what I said.
“I know he loves his family deeply,” I continued softly, “but I’m not a part of that family yet. He’s given me his name as his wife, but never my rights. And I’ve stopped expecting them too.”
Viswraaj lowered his eyes, listening quietly, unable to say a word perhaps because he, too, knew my words were true.
I laughed and said, “Alright, enough of all this serious talk. Tell me have you two already found a devrani for me?”
Viswraaj grinned. “Oh come on, Bhabhi sa you forget I’m Rudraksh bhaisa’s brother too. I’m part of the same clan, so think of me as half-in-charge.”
I teased back, “So should I go find one for you, Devar sa?”
Viswraaj smiled and replied, “Look, Bhabhi sa, if I’m going to be anything like Bhaisa, then for a match I’d want someone like you someone who can handle things the way you do. If there’s a woman who’s your shadow, then maybe otherwise, honestly, I’m not that interested.”
I laughed. “Fair enough. You two are the same so we’ll try to find a suitable devrani for you.”
They both chuckled. When Dadi Maa came over to speak with me, Viswraaj took the hint and stepped away politely, giving us privacy.
I draped my pallu over my head and bent to touch Dadi’s feet for her blessings. She placed her hands on my head and murmured, “May you always remain a devoted wife may fortune and good luck be with you.”
I stood up and said, my voice trembling, “Dadi Maa, I will miss you all so much. In these few days you’ve all become very close to my heart.”
Tears filled Dadi Maa’s eyes; she kissed my cheek and said, “We will miss you too. Promise me you’ll come soon to Vardhanpur with Rudraksh. Once you’re there, I will welcome you with all the pomp. I will never let you go away from me again.”
I hugged her, crying, “Of course, Dadi Maa. We will come soon. I want to see Vardhanpur myself.”
Dadi Maa smiled through her tears. “Vardhanpur is yours now, beta. When you both return, I will welcome you with great celebration. First the grand arrival, then your griha pravesh, and then Rudraksh’s raj tilak Vardhanpur will get its new King and Queen.”
Soon after, everyone climbed into their cars and left for Vardhanpur. Once they were gone, the great house felt suddenly vast and quiet and I was alone.
It wasn’t that the house was empty the servants were all busy with their work but still I felt unbearably alone. Married, and yet not truly a wife. I had kept a vrat for my husband, but did it matter to him at all? What a strange fate I had.