DHARA
✨

'But why Puttarji?' and he was again asking me the same question. A question for which I really didn't have an answer but something inside me was still firm about the decision I had told him 3 years ago, but then guess fathers don't understand a 'No' especially when it comes to the topic of getting their child married. Probably that's why he keeps coming to Kolkata once in every few months to convince me of the same, and every time he gets to hear the same answer.

'No Daarji!!! Haven't I told you the same? I don't want to get married!' I firmly stood my ground yet another time only for his face to sulk again. That makes me feel more and more guilty. He wasn't the man who brought me to life but he was the reason why I have a decent life today. When my birth mother gave up on me due to whatever reasons were, this man gave me shelter, a name and a surname which is like a stamping in our society.

I don't understand why it is so important to have a surname? A stamping of being a legal child. And the society, why do they look upon us like dirt? Like we are an outcast? Yes we were abandoned by our birth parents, but how is that our fault? I have never understood the logic of this society that always looks at us either with pity in their eyes or with the feeling of disgust? But when their own children cannot have a child, they decide to adopt. And that's when everything becomes logical. Everything is justified.

'We are giving life to a child!'.

Well!!! that's the statement given and the society also respects these people and thinks of it as a favour, but what they fail to understand is love isn't about doing or getting favours.

Love is like a need for humans to live. Love is as pure as the devotion MeeraBai had for Lord Krishna, whereas love is also the undying emotion that RadhaRani had for her Kanha. Love is also about faith Draupadi had in her best friend Govind that he will protect her from every evil. Love is also about staying away from your own child to protect your own like Maa Devaki did and love is also about craving and waiting for eternity like how Maa Yashoda did once her son left their town.

Love is also like that of Lord Krishna's for this universe where he accepted everything that came his way, may it be the immense love he got from all his devotees or for that matter the curse he got from Gandhari. When a child enters someone's life, more than a child's life, a family's life gets transformed. Two individuals get to be parents. A blessing which they received after ages. How does it matter if it's via your own blood or someone else's. Every relationship need not be of blood and flesh. Some relationships are also born from heart.

Sadly our society thinks of adoption as a taboo. All my childhood I waited to have been adopted by someone. But I just kept waiting and eventually I accepted the fact that this is my family, which I'm honestly thankful for. Daarji and my 93 other siblings are the best thing ever that happened in my life however when 5 years ago Sharath entered my life, I thought that maybe someday we can have our own family. 3 years back when I got engaged to him, I was introduced to his family.

Honestly I was too excited to finally have a normal family. A mother, a father, a husband. It's like my Lord Krishna finally gave me what I craved for. But amongst all this superficial dreamland I lived in, I didn't notice the red flags. His greedy mother, his dominating father wanted dowry. When I realised about it, it was already too late but still I had hoped that the man I fell in love with would stand up for me however I was proven wrong when he also showed his true colours.

And although it was late, it wasn't so late after all. I backed out of the marriage. Yes I did. I ran away on the day of our wedding but Arindam Uncle who also happens to be a retired judge and a reputed businessman who seem to have been there to wave off someone found me and brought me back home. Daarji was left heartbroken seeing a cowardly daughter of his who ran away instead of facing it all. I also was ashamed because I hadn't done anything wrong.

The person I trusted, fell in love with, had a long term relationship with was a lie. He was fake. He was a coward. However Arindam Uncle stood by my side and so did my sister Anamika and Shankar Jiju. My entire family was left heartbroken and I couldn't live there anymore. I wanted to leave everything. I quit my job in Chandigarh. I rejected the job offer I had taken up in Kolkata as it would be impossible staying in the same city that shattered my heart and tarnished my dreams.

After going back to Dhaulpur, collecting and conjoining broken pieces of my heart I started mending myself again. Love, Therapies and medications helped me overcome my fears and my heartbreak. I had decided to take up a small job in Dhaulpur but then Arindam Uncle gave me confidence and told me I shouldn't quit so easily. He told me that I must not let my talent go wasted giving up is never a solution. Just because Sharath lived in the same city, I couldn't abandon a career I had made for myself.

Although I couldn't work under the same roof as him and I had quit my job I still had the streak inside me. That's when my ex colleague Pooja reached me out and offered me to join her start up. That's how we finally started something of our own. Something fresh. I had started a home decor studio in partnership with my friend Pooja. Pooja's father although being the financier for our studio still interfered into our project decisions trying to show his 'I am the boss' status sometimes which kind of annoys me but atleast I was earning good money and gaining great experience. Yes I was nothing more than a "creative employee" here but I was still growing slowly, steadily. Maybe with that some day I could open my own interior designer studio. It had been 2+ years doing this job now and I was happy.

Everything was kind of turning out fine until I got a call from Daarji a few months ago that Arindam Uncle had brought home a proposal for me. Yet another time. Phewww!!! I outright denied it but Daarji and Arindam Uncle kept convincing me again and again. Arindam Uncle was hellbent on getting this done and when I got to know the proposal was of his own grandson, I was left speechless. Hasn't he heard enough "NO" from me in the last three years that he again brought up this proposal? Again? This was a silly joke Uncle kept cracking to me and Anika during our childhood days everytime he visited Daarji, but not even in my wildest dreams had I expected this to be true.

I denied...and denied and kept denying.

But they don't understand.

One month back Daarji and I had agreed upon the fact that my marriage is a closed topic but Daarji being Daarji was again here in Kolkata personally to convince me. Why don't they understand?

'Puttarji please!!! Just once meet him na? Okay... atleast talk to him once. It's really embarassing to keep saying no to Arindam every time. Especially when Aniruddh is such a wonderful guy and one amongst our country's most eligible bachelors.

And the minute I heard his name my hand froze. Honestly I couldn't lift the weight of a spoonful of Jeera Rice now. I gulped and looked at Daarji asking

'Aniruddh...Aniruddh Chakroborty? Isn't he like a pol-... pol-...politician?' I was practically fumbling now when Daarji smiled saying 'So you have heard of him?'

Heard ??? Our media is crazy about him. He's the youngest political leader from the ruling party from the Central ministry and also a hardcore businessman. He's all over media since he made his political debut few months ago and almost every other bollywood actress takes his name when asked during the rapid fire round in 'Tea with Tarun' show. He is filthy rich, looks greek godly handsome and sounds mighty intelligent in his speeches. Why on earth would he ever want to marry an ordinary girl like me. That made no sense.

No sense at all.

✨

'But Daarji...we don't match. I am a nobody and he's a celebrity. Above all... I hate politics. And politicians are...sorry to say scary!!! I don't want to be associated with anyone of that realm!!!' saying I finally washed the plate and kept it into the drying plastic basket when Daarji held me by forearms and turned me around saying

'Puttarji!!! Just once... please...just once meet the guy. He's a fantastic person. Above all...you always wanted to know the Bengali culture. Your roots... remember?' he said cupping my face and my past flaundered infront of me. That was what made me consider Sharath's proposal a little too early. He was a Bengali too and I was in my imaginary world dreaming about a perfect family when in reality it was all a nightmare and I wasn't ready for another one.

'Daarji...they are too rich for us. You know na Arindam Uncle is already a big shot and one of the major reasons I kept on denying the proposal. I don't want any complications in future because of our status differences. To add on this one seems another level richer. I have heard in the news that the Chakraborty grandchildren are the reason why their business multiplied 10x. I am sorry Daarji...I'm not ready for another rejection!' saying I was about to walk away when Daarji said 'One phone call!'

I turned around looking at his hopeful face when he said 'Just one phone call!!! Just have a telephonic conversation with him. If you think he's good, only then meet the Chakraborties...if not...just let it go and I promise you I'll never force you. Ever!!!' Daarji said and I was tempted to say yes. Maybe just one conversation, one rejection and then I'm sorted forever. He's promised me after all.

I thought about it overnight and finally said yes to have a telephone conversation with this celebrity minister guy. Although something internally kept warning me about it but I still thought this was a no loss no profit kinda deal. Daarji spoke to Arindam Uncle and Arindam Uncle said that he has already shared his grandson's phone number with me and that I could expect a phone call around 9 pm tonight.

I had no hopes because men are almost never time efficient but to my ultimate surprise the phone ran five minutes early. At 8:55 pm he called me and I picked up. From the other side I heard a heavy, masculine voice. There was depth in his voice and his words too. It didn't feel like I was talking to a politician who sounded so diplomatic on TV or during media interactions. He was simple and straightforward. He began the conversation with an honest apology for calling me this late. He explained how tied up he was due to the upcoming elections and he could only make time for it during his dinner which was also the first meal of his day.

I was both surprised and shocked. He was so comfortable sharing things with me about himself and also didn't mind eating his meal as he chewed and smacked his lips a couple of times and kept apologizing every time for his bad manners. He was very respectful. I didn't know if we could share a life but I knew we could definitely be friends for this lifetime.

A man who's punctual.
A man who's respectful.
A man who could also apologise.

Aniruddh Chakraborty seemed to be indeed a gentleman that everyone described on the news channels.

✨

'Yes!!!' and with that both Daarji and Arindam Uncle screamed and celebrated like kids forgetting one was in his Orphanage office and the other old man was invited as a chief guest at some government office inaugration. I had to literally pause their celebrations and announce them both that they need to behave like adults and that I have only agreed to meet Aniruddh and not agreed for the proposal yet.

'Dhara...you don't know my grandson! He is a gem. He is our pride. You will be extremely happy meeting him. We all are waiting for him to get married so we have our first and our eldest granddaughter in law. Shayantani is going to be extremely happy. Can you imagine Balraj...I will get promoted from Uncle to Daadu if she agrees to marry my Aniruddh? Oh my God!!! And then maybe in a year or so...I'll be a great grand-' and I immediately interrupted Arindam Uncle saying

'Arindam Uncle... STOP!!! You are going too far! Also I haven't said a yes yet! I just want to meet him in person. Also... please understand I might take time' I wanted to be very clear in the very first place, especially after the experience I had with an experience of a broken engagement and something even more painful...A broken heart.

I wasn't ready for another one. I wouldn't be able to take it this time. The reason I wanted to go slow and steady this time.