Chapter 19

unicornwriter

@unicornwriter

CHAPTER 18 : THE PROTECTOR

1 P.M. , GANPATI PANDAAL

Raghav and Farhad looked around in case anyone needed help, currently their project work aka Pallavi was busy helping Aaji and Kaku to prepare modak for the evening festivities. Hence , they took out time to give her some space yet dig a little deeper onto the matter here. The first step was to understand what relationship did Shiva and Pallavi have. Even though for Raghav, it was clear that Pallavi was lying to him about the enitre falling in love thing but the true concern was what Shiva felt for her. What he in love with her? Was he not in love but had some sort of liking for her because the wya he had glared at Raghav during the puja, standing like a shield depicted anger and protectiveness and even though Raghav Rao had evolved into a much calmer and thoughful person, he was still Raghav Rao. Never ready to share what was his with anyone.

Farhad spotted Maya, one of Pallavi's student in a corner working on some flower garlands and giving a look to his Anna he made his way to her. 

"Hi." he greeted her.

"hello." she replied back, "Aap Farhad ho na, Aaji aur Pallavi di ke new tenant?" she added.

"Han aur tum Pallavi ji ki student. Right?" Farhad asked helping her in placing the flowers.

"Han. Pallavi di yahan ki nahin nahin poore world ki best teacher hai." she replied with a sweet smile.

"Achcha. Yahan toh sab unhe bahut pyaar karte honge na?" he asked moving a bit closer so that even his Anna could hear the talk via the bluetooth he had on him.

"Ofcourse. Yahan par sab didi ko bahut pyaar karte hai. Aaji ke liye toh taai unki poti jaisi hi hai aur kaku ke liye woh unki beti. Actually yahan kaka aur kaku ke koi baby nahin hai na toh jabse Pallavi taai aai hai idhar, unhone to jaise taai ko adopt hi karliya hai." she giggled remembering the times kaku literally ran after Pallavi to feed her kadha when the latter had caught a sever cold.

"Aur Shiva?" Farhad asked in a low tone , not to sound very interrogative.

"Are dada, woh toh kya hai na idhar hum sab log bachpan se hi anath hai ya woh log hai jinke bachcho ne unhe budhaape ki umar main hi chhodh diya. Aaji aur Azoba ne hi toh hum sab jaison ke liye yeh colony banai. Toh Shiva dada bhi hum main se ek hi hai. Aaji ko apna poora pariwar maante hain. Kaafi possessive hai woh apni position ke liye lekin jabse taai aai hai unhone maano apna sab kuch unhe de diya ho." Maya replied while staying busy in her work not understanding the depth of her words on some people.

"Shiva , Pallavi ji se pyaar karta hai kya?" Farhad glided another question as soon as he established the fact that Maya was busy in her own world.

"Taai se toh sab hi pyaar karte hai." she laughed but before she could add more to the statement another girl arrived and took her away.

Farhad walked back to his Anna who looked rather distressed by the previous conversation. Actaully not really distressed, well what he was feelign were mixed emotions; happy because his Pallavi had finally found a ahome that she had been craving since birth, hurt because this abode was away from him and angry because there was this particular bee in this honeycomb that now he had a strong urge to kill.

"Anna aap-" Farhad once again began to work as his therapist only to be interrupted by Kaka.

"Raghav tum free ho na?" Kaka asked.

"Han kuch kaam tha tumko?" he replied back with a question.

"Are woh pata nahin kaise lekin Bappa ki murti ke peeche wala parda teda ho gaya hai. Kahin gir na jaaye. Main kisi aur se keh deta lekin baaki saare ladke jagah jagah Bappa ke aagman ke liye gaye hai. Aur main seedhi par chhadh nahin paunga." Kaka explained with a small smile.

"Han kardega main koi baat nahi. Farhad tu idhar help karwa main aata hai." Raghav instructed his friend and walked behinf the pandal to chekc the issue.

As he secured the curtain on the wire, he sighed, why were these celebrations so grand. well it was their main function so it was bound to be important. He was lost in his thoughts when suddenly he lost his balance stmbling down on the ground from a 7 feet height. His body colliding with the floor with a jerk making him wince his pain but then he saw a pair of feet right infront of him. Looking up his eyes met Shiva's who stood with a rod in his hand. Raghav's gaze went from his hand holding the rod to the wooden staircase that now lay on the ground and then back to his face that had a smirk and it all fell into place raging the beast inside of him.

"How dare you?" he growled standing up marching towards him.

"Relax Raghav relax. Hyper kyun ho raha hai. Asmaan se zameen par girne par aise hi chot lagti hai." Shiva scoffed, the two men standing strong infront of each other.

"Tera himmat kaise hua mujhe giraane ka." Raghav shouted.

"Jaise teri himmat hui Pallavi ki life main wapas aane ka. Aur jaise tere woh dost ki himmat hui Maya se sawaal jawaab karne ki. " Shiva replied with the same intensity in his voice.

"Pallavi mera-" Raghav snapped back only to be cut off by Shiva's roar.

"biwi thi. Ab woh mere pariwar ka hissa hai aur koi mere pariwar ko pareshaan ya takleef pahuchaye yeh Shiva bardaasht nahin karega. Yeh baat apne iss bheje main ghusa le" he patted his head to which Raghav pushed his hand, "Tujhe jo uske saath karna tha, jitna dard dena tha sab khatam ab uske aas paas bhi dikha na toh Banglore se Hyderabad teri maut ki khabar hi jayegi." he added.

"Tujhe lagta hai ki tu The Raghav Rao ko dhamki de raha hai. Raghav Rao woh aandhi hai jo iss duniya se tera naamo nishaan mita dega. Ardhamainda. Aur raha baat Pallavi ka toh woh mera pyaar hai aur main apna pyaar ko khudse dur jaane nahin dega." Raghav warned him pushing him back.
"Abhi toh bass tujhe upar se neeche giraya hai. Agar tu nahin gaya na toh zameen ke neeche bhi ghusa sakta hai." Shiva scoffed.

The heated argument between these two men ready to take a huge toll when a soft voice stopped them.

"Shiva" Pallavi called out with a confused expression as she looked between the two of them. Shewalked towards them with farhad by her side and stopped right in the centre of them.

"  Sac theek hai na?" she asked eyeing her best friend.

"Ho Pallu sab theek hai. Main bass Raghav ki pandal set karne main help kar raha tha. Kyun hai na Raghav?" Shiva smirked and Pallavi turned to face Raghav with a questionign gaze.

"Han Pallavi sab theek hai. Kaka ko kuch kaam tha maine kardiya ." he replied assuring her with a smile as she finally let out the breath she was holding since she saw them.

"Achcha theek hai. Shiva chal Aaji bula rahi hai. Ghar ki aarti krke ready bhi hona hai shaam ke liye." she infromed him as he took her hand in his and walked away leving a glaring and jealous Raghav.

"Isko toh main chhodega nahin." Raghav growled as soon as they left.

"Anna shaant woh bass apko koi galti karne par majboor kar raha hai." Farhad tried to calm him down.

"Lekin uska himmat kaise hua mereko dhamkaane ka aur upar se mere hi saamne mera Pallavi ka haath pakadkar lekar gaya. I swear Farahd agar mujhe Pallavi ko samjhana aur usse maafi na mangna hota na toh main pakka isko yahich maar deta." he fanned in anger walking out of the backstage.

"Yeh sab kya ho raha tha?" Pallavi asked as soon as Shiva and her were out of the Don's sight.

"Kuch nahin, bass aise hi madat kar raha tha main uski." he shrugged his shoulders walking isnide the house.

"Mere sab sach batane ke baad. tum uski help kar rahe the. Really Shiva?" Pallavi spoke in a sarcastic voice.

"Kaka ne bola toh krdi help, tu itna kyun pareshaan ho rahi hai. Kahin pyaar toh nahin ho gaya phirse usse?" Shiva raised his brows.

"Chup kar faltu matt bol." Pallavi gave a nervous reply running inside the kitchen.

"Jhol hai bappa bahut bada jhol hai aur isko toh main samajh kar hi rahunga." he laughed walking behind her.

8 P.M. , Ganpathi Pandal.

Raghav smiled as he greeted everyone at the pandal wearing a maroon kurta with white dhoti. He remember wearing the same one to the Satya Narayan katha that Amma kept after his and Pallavi's wedding, if only it hadn't gotten ruined. His happy bubble went on hold whne his eyes met his enemy's, Shiva stood wearing a mustard colored kurta right opposite to him chatting with a few of his friends. Their eyes met and it very well radiated anger from his side while jealousy from Raghav's. The afternoon cold war still present in their mind but a soft breeze made Raghav move his gaze from him to the entrance and his heart stopped beating for a seconds. There she was in all her glory and aura as if an angel walking down the stairs of heaven. She wore a cream navari saree with golden border paired with a red blouse. The nose ring doing wonders to his unstable heart. Oh how much he wanted to tangle his hands through her hair opening the perfect bun adorning little but fragrant flowers. The minimal jwellery and natural make up like always making her stand out among the huge crowd of dressed up women. She walked towards him with Aai and he could sense Shiva too move and stand beside him. 

The two women stood infront of both the boys with a beaming smile. Aah a true smile from her after so long.

"Raghav beta sab achcha lag raha hai na?" Aaji asked looking around the decoration.

"Han bahut khoobsurat." he replied still lost in her. Shiva coughed to ease the situation as Farhad joined them too.

"Aaji, Pallavi chalein pandit ji ne aarti ke liye bulaya hai." Shiva informed them with a smile while simultaneously glaring at Raghav.

" Han chalo. Pallu aajki aarti tu karegi kyunki yeh teri pehli Ganesh Chaturthi hai na hamare saath." Aaji smiled taking Pallavi by her hand as everyone now stood infront of Bappa. The aarti commenced by pandit ji who later passed it on to Pallavi. As soon as she took the thali in her hand, she bumped into a running kid and was about to slip off only to be caught in time by the guy who sets her soul on fire. 

Raghav held her hand as they both looked deeply into each others eyes. He had waited the entire day in patience and now it was becoming hard for her. His gaze on her took her back to the time when he saw her so lovingly during the Vat Savitri puja, completely mesmerized by her. their trance got broken by Aaji's voice.

"Bach gayi. Bachcho aarti hone jaa rahi hai ek taraf aa jao bhaago mat." Aaji scolded the kids as Pallavi steadied herself.

"Pallu aarti shuru kar." Kaku urged her.

"Raghav tum bhi kro tumhari bhi toh pehli Ganesh Chaturthi hai na hamre saath." Aaji suggested with a smile and Raghav knew that it was a sign from above that he wasn't gonna let go now.

He walked closer to her as he held her hand on the egde of the thali as she too looked at him. Ooh how she had wanted all of this to happen under different circumstances. Tearing her gaze away she looked at Bappa closing her eyes to pray for some peace while Raghav silently apologized to him cause today he was not going to look at him but the goddness standing beside of her as they sang the aarti commencing the start to this new phase in their lives.

Sukh Karta Dukhharta

Varta Vighnachi

Noorvi Poorvi Prem Krupya Jayachi

Sarwangi Sundar Utishendu Rachi

Kanthi Jhalke Maad Mukhta Padhanchi

Jai Dev Jai Dev

Team Shiva or Team Raghav?

I am both though but a little biased towards Shiva.