The Wedding Planner

"I said small mirrors. Don't you understand simple instructions? Do you want to get fired?" The intern looked scared as Ajabdeh Punwar grilled him. "It's on your list. Take it back. Now."

"But, Ma'am. We didn't find…" He stopped at her stare. "Then you haven't looked everywhere. Find it." She said. "I don't work with excuses. I want everything to be perfect and exactly like the bride wants. Got it?" She sighed as he left in a hurry.

"Hello, boss." Shakti's words made her turn as she checked the watch.

"You are five minutes late." She reminded him.

"But the traffic." He frowned.

"When Dad told me to treat you like the others, he meant it, Shakti. Now off you go. There is a truck loaded with gifts for the kids at the NGO. Take them there." She pointed at the driveway of the Punwar mansion.

"But I was supposed to work in the accounts department of your…" he stopped at her stare.

"First, learn to be on time," she reminded him. He walked away towards the driveway, checking off the items as they were loaded on the truck.

"I hate weddings." He murmured to himself.

"Don't say that. She will kill you." He turned at the familiar voice as Heer smiled at him.

"Let me help you." She offered.

"Thank you. You are my saviour." Shakti smiled.

"Just don't tell Jija. She will fire you." Heer laughed.

"So you are moving back here?" He asked.

"Dadabhai offered me the job to do the interiors of the farmhouse. I think I will take up the project." She agreed.

"You will have a better boss than me." He made her laugh.

"How do I look?" Rukaiya checked herself in the mirror.

"Like a bride?" Pratap said, unsure, making Jaivanta stare at him with a warning glance as Rukaiya's mother laughed.

"Humour Ajabdeh that way and she will kill you." Rukaiya frowned at him.

Khan Uncle blessed the bride and turned to Pratap.

"She is in a bad mood over some mirrors. Some poor soul may get fired today." Pratap and Rukaiya looked alarmed at his words. "You want Jalal to talk to her?"

"I will." Pratap nodded reassuringly. "Let Jalal have his moment."

"Poor Heer must be tired babysitting all of you." Jaivanta's words made Pratap stare as Khan Uncle laughed.

"You are not new here. Why are the mocktails not ready yet?" Pratap walked up behind her as she snapped at Jacob. He gestured at Jacob to leave, and that made her turn to face him.

"What? You are not ready yet? Is Rukaiya ready? Where is Heer? Why is nobody bothered?" She looked irked "This way, nobody will be ready on time."

"Calm down." He took her hands in his. " Or I will book an appointment with Doctor Sekhawat again." He warned her.

"I am not anxious." She snapped. "I want the wedding to be perfect for them. You know how much Jalal and Rukaiya mean to me. I don't want to screw up their best day."

"You are Ajabdeh Punwar. You are the best in the business. You can't screw anything up. Just relax. It's your friends' wedding. Enjoy it a little. Laugh with them. They will remember that, not whether the mirrors were small. Give me some attention. I will look super handsome in that sherwani." He made her smile.

"Coming from someone who thinks it's a scam industry, that mirror comment is offensive. Because some people do cherish attention to detail." She retorted.

He pulled her by her hands towards him and held her waist. She looked a little surprised and wide-eyed.

"What are you doing?"

"I just realised in between hating weddings and stopping some, I happened to fall in love with the queen of that scamming industry."

"Oh, how very flattering." She taunted. "People are watching. Let me go."

"Only if you promise to be calmer and not fire anyone." She rolled her eyes at him. "Fine. Next time you are agitated before the annual general meeting, I will pop into your office for some romance and see if it calms you down."

"Try that." He smirked. "I always fantasised about it on the office couch…"

"Stop that." She slapped his arm, making him laugh. "Go and get dressed. I will be there soon."

"Coffee, Ma'am?" He asked, letting her go.

"Can always use a cup." She nodded.

"So, where are you going for a vacation?" It was Shakti who popped the question to Jalal at the dinner party. "I was thinking of Switzerland," Jalal said. "What do you say?" He turned to Pratap. "You two take so many vacations nowadays."

"Trust me, you wouldn't want to know if you don't want to spend your honeymoon trekking or your entire life in adventure sports." He made Jalal laugh.

"He's just saying so because he's scared of what Ajabdeh might try next." Shakti stopped at his cold stare.

"Come, let's dance." Rukaiya dragged Jalal away. As Shakti went to ask his mother for a dance and Jaivanta redirected him to Heer, Udai, and Pratap shared a glance across the room.

"You are doing that again," Udai said, almost in a murmur to his wife.

"Doing what?" She asked.

"Setting up Heer with Shakti," Udai said in a warning tone.

"So? It will be perfect. The sisters won't fight like most sisters-in-law do." Udai shook his head at her words.

"Leave them alone. Let's dance." He took her to the dance floor.

"I am just trying to be a good mother", Jaivanta reasoned.

"Sure you are." Udai agreed, "But definitions have changed. Leave him alone."

Pratap smiled, knowing what his parents were talking about. He looked around. His wife was missing. Again.

He made his way through the staff-only entrance to spot her waving her hands and instructing the waiters.

"That's enough now." She turned at his words. "Come with me."

"But … I have to be there when they serve…" He made her stop with a stare as they stood in the empty corridor.

"Let's dance." He gave her his hand.

"Here?" She asked.

"Yes. Knowing you will never dance in public at a wedding you organised." He said matter-of-factly. She smiled sheepishly.

"But I am wearing heels." She shrugged. He went down on his knees as she looked around the empty corridor, alarmed that someone might spot them. He took off her shoes and put them away, placing her feet over his shining boots.

"There you go." He held her by the waist as her hand travelled to his shoulders. "Anything else?"

"I don't know the song."

"Oh, shut up." He snapped, making her laugh as he adjusted her pasha right beside her vermilion-clad hairline and kissed her forehead. They matched each other's rhythm in perfect sync, staring into each other's eyes. The music played on.

Tu ne jo dekha hai, tu ne jo jana hai

Hu bhi nahi bhi hu main woh.

Chahoge tum jaisa ho jaunga waise,

Chaho toh vaada ye le lo…

The End

Towards You

The Afghans, after Sher Shah Suri's untimely demise, were at loggerheads for power. Their troops near Mewar were now led by Mehmood Shah. They secretly captured territories in the forests and waited to attack Mewari camps when the time was right. Rawat Chundawat and his spies had confirmed the news, and Udai Singh sent a warning to Mehmood Shah to withdraw his troops from Mewar in vain. Now that it was out in the open, it was time they declared war. Mehmood Shah had limited resources in Mewar. His internal rebellion against his commander did not help his cause. His spies clearly suggested that in no way could he win, especially with Kunwar Pratap leading his troops. He was having second thoughts about the war. It was then that one of his aides suggested a perfect plan. Maharani Jaivanta Bai had decided to go to the Mahakaleshwar Temple near the outskirts of Chittorgarh, in the forestlands of Bhilwara. They had travelled a long way and across the Gambhiri river that meandered during...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Five

I t took Trilochon half a day to figure out something was wrong at home. Since he was back, Somnath did not talk to him at all, and Aniruddha looked visibly upset. They avoided each other at the dining table and the living room. Trilochon was not comfortable with asking Ashalata anything. In the evening, as Kalindi poured tea from the pot, Trilochon groaned inwardly. “It’s not even six months since he got married, and she has started a war between brothers.” Kalindi stopped pouring the tea as she turned to him. “What?” She asked, a little cluelessly. “If I had chosen a bride…” Trilochon stopped at Kalindi’s disapproving stare. “What makes you say that?” She asked rather calmly. “Well, I never saw Som and Aniruddha fight until she came here.” Kalindi looked amused at his words. “You are the type for whom people hate in-laws.” “Pardon?” Trilochon narrowed his brows. “What do you mean?” “Bondita. Ask Bondita.” Kalindi shook her head. “I told her it was a bad idea to work with him.” “You h...

My Everything

Kunwar Pratap stormed into the Mahal at Gogunda amidst uncertainty and chaos. Happy faces of the chieftains and soldiers welcomed him as Rawat Chundawat, and some other chieftains stopped the ongoing Raj Tilak. A visibly scared Kunwar Jagmal looked clueless at a visibly angry Kunwar Pratap. Rani Dheerbai Bhatiyani hadn't expected Kunwar Pratap to show up, that too, despite her conveying to him his father's last wish of crowning Kunwar Jagmal. Twenty-one days after Udai Singh's death, she was finally close to a dream she had dared to dream since Jagmal was born. He was not informed about the Raj Tilak as per Dheerbai's instructions. She eyed Rawat Ji. He must have assembled the chiefs to this revolt against her son, against the dead king. No one except them knew where Kunwar Pratap was staying. It was for the safety of his family. " What are you doing, Chotima?" A disappointed voice was directed at her. She could stoop down so low? For the first time, an anger...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Seven

A week had passed since Binoy left, and Bondita found herself trying to get used to Aniruddha’s bouts of aloofness. On one hand, she was glad that Binoy and Aniruddha had talked things out and seemed to be on talking terms, but on the other, since Binoy left, she could not help but notice Aniruddha pushing her further away. He barely talked to her except for work, and she did not know what she had done wrong to deserve this coldness. She wished he would talk to her, and she could tell him that he was hurting her, but she kept a brave face and decided not to. At work, she was informed by her Senior Lawyer, Mitra, about the promotion Aniruddha had suggested for her. “A promotion?” She was surprised as he nodded. “Yes, from assisting him to having a cubicle downstairs.” Mitra thought it was good news for her, given how the Boss’s temper ran. Bondita smiled faintly. He also informed her that he would let her know for sure that week. Her desk would be moved soon. Aniruddha was away for a ca...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Four

Aniruddha let the shower run as his skin erupted into goosebumps under the cold water. He breathed out and removed the locks of wet hair from his face. He turned off the shower, wrapped the towel lowly around his waist and walked back to the room, not caring about the wet floor from the water dripping down his torso. He lay on the bed as his body soaked the blanket. He stared at the ceiling, stretching his arms over his head. Bondita’s promise played on his mind in a loop. “I will not leave… I will never leave.” He wanted to believe her. He wanted one person he could fall back on, trusting them to catch him when he stumbled. But his experiences proved him otherwise. He remembered that day as vividly as if it were yesterday. He had bought a scarf for Bondita from Palika Bazaar as a truce because he felt bad leaving home after fighting with her. He had tried to be patient with her and sat her down numerous times to make her understand why boarding school would benefit her. Aniruddha...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Three

“So the question is, do the slum dwellers get their dues to relocate, or do they protest on the road, grabbing media attention? If one of them mentions the sewage project where all this started, we can’t guarantee not dragging certain names then. It will be beyond our control.” Bondita breathed in as she eyed everyone at the table. The conference hall of ARC & Associates had an oval table with a whiteboard, projector and podium and sitting around the table were a stenographer, Bondita’s secondary attorney, Debashish Ghosal, the contractor and his attorney Biswas, the representative of the NGO with the Union leader of the slum, Trilochon, Somnath and Aniruddha. The people of the NGO appreciated her strategy with a nod. Ghoshal looked perplexed as his lawyer whispered something in his ear. Somnath did not look up from the table as Aniruddha passed a note to Trilochon in writing. “Now the decision is yours.” Bondita continued. “We are keen on out-of-court settlement if our basic ...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Six

Bondita was surprised to find Binoy in the living room of the Roy Chowdhury house as she entered the premises early in the morning. Trilochon sat with his brother, looking serious as they discussed some paperwork, as Bihari walked out with tea. Noticing Bondita so early in the morning, Trilochon looked up questioningly. “I have some errands to run before the office.” Bondita smiled as Trilochon nodded. She had to pay some bills and deliver some of the orders Kalindi had finished because her ankle hurt in the morning. Trilochon enquired about her need for medicines as Bondita reassured him that she had made sure of it. Bondita briefly eyed Binoy, who showed no interest in her or the conversation, as he remained focused on the papers. Bondita cleared her throat, informing Trilochon that she should be on her way. “I think you should show her the papers, Binoy.” Trilochon stopped her as he suggested to Binoy, who eyed Bondita briefly. He looked unsure as Bondita opened her mouth, shaking h...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Eight

“I… made tomorrow’s schedule.” Bondita cleared her throat. She was about to leave the study room after she had made the next day’s schedule for Aniruddha to check when he entered the house. He seemed preoccupied, as he did not notice her presence and walked towards the study room, only to stop at the threshold and spot her pretending to arrange the files. Aniruddha moved away from the threshold towards his desk, making space for her to leave as he removed his glasses and placed them down. “You should take that job in Kolkata.” Bondita stopped but did not turn as he continued. “It's a good opportunity to make contacts in the High Court and get paid well.” Bondita’s throat dried as she did not respond. “Thamma can stay here, you can visit on weekends.” He wanted her to leave; what more could she say? She walked away without exchanging any words. Aniruddha sat in the high chair, watching her leave as he sighed. He clasped his hands together, realising they were sweaty. He sudde...

His Wife

" Where is the Kesar, Rama? And the Kalash?" Ajabdeh looked visibly displeased at the ladies who ran around. " They are at the fort gates, and nothing is ready yet!" She exclaimed. She was clad in a red lehenga and the jewellery she had inherited as the first Kunwarani of the crown prince. Little Amar ran down the hallway towards his mother. " Maasa Maasa... who is coming with Daajiraj?" His innocent question made her heart sink. " Bhanwar Ji." Sajja Bai called out to him. " Come here, I will tell you." Amar rushed to his Majhli Dadisa., " Ajabdeh." She turned at Jaivanta Bai's call. "They are here." " M... My Aarti thali..." Ajabde looked lost like never before. Jaivanta Bai held her stone-cold hands, making her stop. She patted her head and gave her a hug. The hug gave her the comfort she was looking for as her racing heart calmed down. Jaivanta Bai left her alone with her thaal. " Maa sa!" ...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Nine

“Boro Malik is waiting for you.” Bihari’s words made Aniruddha look confused. “He has something to talk about.” Aniruddha eyed the watch on his left hand; it was past dinner time. He stepped into the house to find voices in the living room. He walked in curiously and found Trilochon speaking to a guest. “There he is!” Before Aniruddha could answer Trilochon’s queries, his eyes fell on the guest. Saudamini stood up, turning to him with a formal smile. She looked different with the Sindoor and Shakha Pola, a Tant saree and a gold chain around her neck. Aniruddha was a little surprised to see her, and it showed on his face, perhaps as Trilochon briefed him that Mini was here to sell off the property belonging to her father and wanted some legal advice. Aniruddha nodded, smiling back at her as he directed her to the study. “Oh, Mini is here to sell off the house.” Bondita looked wide-eyed at Kalindi and shook her head. “Why did you not tell me that before? I will go see her now.” She was a...

RAABTA

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