Ù, Mê and Húm

CHAPTER-1 💫

"Jassie nahi yaal (yaar), Its not like that (that)." I was reprimanding my supposed "husband" because he was completely messing up the makeshift stage I was making for our reception using the cardboard boxes.

"Ishu, it's the boys who are shupposhed to do this type of work. The girls only see the makeup and dresshes." He said wiping his hands on his trousers.

"Hein, which idiot said all this to you?" I questioned him with my hands on my hips trying to look intimidating though it proved to be a difficult task as he was very much taller than me.

"Arey yaar.....did you forget? Lemember (remember) I went to that wedding 2 months ago with my parents? I saw it there. You know they alsho gave me shhooo many shocolates (chocolates)." He said dreamily completely oblivious to my glare.

"They gave you shoo many shocolates?" I shouted loudly and realizing his slip of tongue he immediately tried to cover it up.

"No no no no, they gave me shooo many but Mumma said that she will keep them with her because my teeth will get shpoilt (spoilt) warna main tujhe bi deta.Promise yaal." He said pinching his throat and trying to act innocent though I could easily say the he was lying beacuse he was hiding his left hand in his pocket, crossing his fingers.

"Jootha.....Iam going now bye....You always do this now Iam not going to play with you. Ever." Saying this I started removing my fake crown made with flowers and twigs.

"No you can't do this. Iam your husband and you have to listen to me." He said trying to stop my hand movements.

"You are not my husband." I shouted, trying to bite his hand now so that he will leave me.

"Yes Iam and Iam also older than you so you have to listen to me." By now we both fell on the ground in a tangled mess.

"You are only 2 years older than me, my teacher said that I will also be in 4th class after two years. Huh." I said turning defensive.

"Haye Ram ye kya horaha hai idhar." Someone shouted and we both pulled apart, scared beacause we were in the mud and stood up hastily while dusting our clothes and trying to tame our hair.

"Dadi we were just playing." Ojas said, bowing his head and fidgeting with his fingers.

"Aur ye kya hai?" She shouted advancing towards me with her right hand outstretched while completely ignoring Jassie.

She kept her hand on my head where there were specks of Vermillion in my partition which Jassie kept while we were playing Ghar Ghar. He said that we first need to marry and then do a reception, which we were about to do, inorder to play ghar ghar.

"Haye ye kya kand kardiya tum dono ne. Zarur ye is nalayak ladki ka hi kaam hoga. Mere ameer pote ko apne mutti me lapet ne ke liye kiya hai na tune ye? Ab kyu chup hai? Bol na? Jaanmujhke kiya hai na tune aisa?" She said shaking me violently holding my arms. She sure is very strong for an old lady.

"Dadi, dadi usey choriye, uski koyi galti nahi hai. Hum log to bas khel rahete. Dadi aap usey choriye to." Ojas was trying hard to remove her hold on my arms which I guess were probably bruised by now. Ojas's family members came out running on hearing the commotion in their backyard and me, I was almost sobbing at this point because I was not able to understand what in the actual heck was going on.

"Maa kya hogaya? Aap aise kyu chillarahehe?" Vijay uncle, Ojas's Father asked dadi while I ran and hugged Meetu aunty, Ojas's Mother around her legs with Jassie in tow.

"Arey iss ladki ne mere pote se vivaah karvali." she said while rubbing her forehead.

"Maa bacche hain khel khel me hogaya hoga. Aap chinta mat kariye. Main samjhadunga ki aisa karna galat hain." Vijay uncle tried to simmer down her anger.

"Arey bhaisaab ab kya samjhadenge aap? Kand to hogaya, ab to hume panchayat ke paas ja kar hi iss mamle ka koyi hal nikal na hoga." Priyanka chachi said with an evil glint in her eyes.

"Haan yehi karna sahi hoga ab to. Chalo sab, abhi ke abhi chalo. Vijay tu iss ladki ke maa baap ko bolde ke volog hume vaha mile." Dadi said while going out of the house and no one even dared to oppose her beacuse everyone feared her.

And that's how we ended up married for real this time, me at the age of just 7 and Ojas being just 9 years old in the Panchayati of our small village, Gaampur where people still followed old customs and traditions, still believed in superstitions and still practiced old rituals. Though child marriage was not new in our village it was still very rare to get married at such a young age as ours. The youngest bride till now was 15 years old who got married just last year.

I was not able to comprehend why my parents were crying, why I was being made to sit beside Ojas who was performing all those rituals or why Dadi was glaring down at me.

I just hope all this ends fast so that I can go home and sleep in my Mother's lap at night after eating her tasty, handmade food so that I can forget all this and continue happily with my daily activities.

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[927 Words]