Siyanshi: My beloved

25

It was early morning, the birds could be heard chirping as the sun rose from between the mountains covering the beautiful land with it's warm golden rays.

Muffled whispers could be heard in the background as the pooja was going on in the mandir. The tasty looking ladoo on the pooja thali was sitting peaceful ready to be served to the idol of Lord Ganesh until a hand sneaked towards it. Just when it was about to grab the ladoo another hand adorned in golden bangles and rings, painted beautifully with the red alta caught it.

"Oh look! Ganesh ji's mushakh himself has come to take the ladoo and deliver it to Ganesh ji." the hand of the woman slapped away the ladoo chor's hand away.

"Aah! Ah! Maa!" the thief winced in pain when his mother held him by his ear. "Mushak ji? What are you doing here huh?" she raised an eyebrow as she stood up from her seat pulling her son up as well who winced in pain as his mother brought him infront of the doorway of the mandir allowing the sun rays to fall upon them.

"Aah! Ahh! Maa! My ear will fall off if you continue pulling my ear any longer. If my ear falls off then who will marry me? How will I bring a wife who will do all your chores for you?" her son continued wincing as she pulled harder on his ear.

Looking at the handsome dark skinned young man with copper eyes and dark curly unkempt hair, her eyes softened as she let go of his ear and caressed his face. "Parvan." she said softly as she looked at her son whose beauty rivaled that of soma. "Ruchiparvan. How many times should I tell you not to take the prasad before it's offered to the God?" his mother smiled at the fourteen year old boy who looked exactly like his father.

Breathing the air of her motherland; Mithila, standing back on the ground of her maternal home, the beloved wife of Gandhivdhari; Vaidehi Siyanshi looked as beautiful and graceful as ever even after 12 long years. 

With her bright red sindur prominent and filling her hairline and forehead, the choodamani which her husband had placed on her head on the day of their marriage as a symbol of his undying love and her usual golden garments which contrasted but complimented Arjuna's silver clothing, she stood there infront of her son who was just a little over a year when they returned back to Mithila.

"You are soon to be fifteen and yet you act like a child of three years." Siyanshi shook her head. "I once heard no matter how old one becomes they shall always remain a small child in their parents' eyes." Ruchiparvan requoted what Siyanshi had once told him during his yudh kala practice where he had hurt himself.

Siyanshi just shook her head as she went back to the mandir to offer the prasad to lord Ganesh. After the pooja was complete she came back and gave him the prasad which he happily took.

"Subh prabhat, maa." he bent down and touched her feet taking her blessing. "Aayushman bhava, sadha sukhi raho." she blessed her son. "Arey! Parvan!" her eyes widened as she titled her head at her son with an amused expression when he took the sindoor applied on her forehead on his finger to apply it on his own forehead.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to do that." she faked an exasperated tone as she watched her son quickly run away laughing. She watched as her son who looked like the exact replica of her husband run away, his golden robes which he always matched with his mother shining as he ran back to the house. 

The handsome son of Vaidehi ran through the corridors of his dear matamah and matamahi's home where he spent his childhood, growing up playing in the very same corridors as his mother whom he regarded above god.

He opened the door of one of the many rooms of the bhavan and entered. "Wake up! Wake up!" he said loudly as he entered the room and groans of protest could be heard.