¢нσятℓє | On Hold

➼ Sorry, Mata is a bit choosy.

"What is this!?" A stern voice spoke harshly at a group of dasis (maids), "I asked what is this!?"

"Sanjana Jiji, rehne dijiye na,(Let it be, Sanjana Jiji)"  said another soft-spoken voice, giving a sympathetic glance at the cowering maids.

"How can I let it be, Chhaya!?" said Sanjana, giving a stern look to her sister/co-wife, "Do you know what they were doing?"

"No, I don't," said Chhaya, with an innocent look, "What did they do?"

"Bina haldi aur kesar ke doodh bhej rhe the!," said Sanjana, turning to glare at the bowed maids again.  (They were sending milk without any turmeric or saffron in it!)

Chhaya almost laughed out loud at that, before muffling it with her hand. At that moment, Sanjana turned with narrowed eyes, "Who laughed?"

"Not me," said Chhaya, putting her hand up defensively as bright eyes gave an 'I-am-an-innocent-person' look. 

Surya dev watched the entire scene with amusement and adoration shining in his eyes. Indra dev, who was also present in Martanda Desh, looked way too bewildered.

"Bhrata Surya," said Indra, with a whispered voice, "What is going on here?"

Surya leaned in, careful to make sure to stay away from Sanjana's sight, "Mata ka prem. Dikh nehi rha tumhe?" (Love of a mother. Can't you see?)

Indra glanced at him blinking with a 'what!?' look on his face. Surya simply rolled his eyes towards the ongoing scene.

Sanjana glanced at them suspiciously  before turning back to the maids. She said authoritatively, "Haldi aur Kesar daal ke hi tum log mere putron aur putrio ke kaksh mei leke jaoge, samjhe?"

(You all will deliver this milk to my sons and daughters rooms only after adding turmeric and saffron, understood?) 

The head maid, Madhu, nodded her head meekly, "Ji Devi."

"Now tell me, which ones are for my youngest, Karna?"

Madhu pointed at a golden plate decorated with soft pink petals, on which stood a golden goblet filled with warm milk, a bowl filled with sweet Gajar Halwa. Sanjana lifted the goblet from the plate and took a sip.

Madhu winced when Sanjana turned furious eyes at her, "This milk is cold! You are bringing cold milk to my child's chamber? And it doesn't have enough sweetness, either! Can't you do one thing properly?!"

"Hey Narayana! What will I do with you all?" murmured Sanjana, not paying heed to anyone as she tasted a bowl of tasty kheer, "This kheer has almonds in them. Don't you known Yam doesn't like Almonds!?" Her eyes fell on another one of the plates, on which delicious Motichur laddo's were kept. 

She looked at Madhu again, as she continued her tirade, um....inspection, "To whom is this meant for?"

"Umm...For Rajkumari Tapti, Devi," said Madhu, already feeling the scolding coming from a mile away.

"For putri Tapti!?" Sanjana glared at Madhu, "Tapti doesn't like laddo's at all! Haven't I told you to make kheer and kaju katli for Shani, Yama and Tapti!?"

"Poor maid," mussed Indra as he watched, while Surya gave his younger brother a sardonic smile, "If you're feeling so sympathetic, why don't you try to stop Sanjana?"

"She is your wife! Why should I try to stop her!?" said Indra with an incredulous look.

"Because you're the one who is feeling very sympathetic," responded Surya before giving him an annoyed look, "And I am not an idiot to enter into a hungry lion's den, only to get eaten!"