13. Goenka's karma & Naamkaran

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"I'm sorry Abhira. Naamkaran mein goenka's are also coming. I know that you don't want to have any kind of relationship with them but as they are related to both Ruhi & Rohit, we can't do anything right!"

Armaan,clad in a baby pink kurta said while he walked towards Abhira,wearing a navy blue Anarkali,who was engrossed in draping their little princess into a traditional wear Dadisa had herself got for her from their native place in Bhilwara,before her birth.
"Mamma's baby is looking like the princess of udaipur right now. Kala teeka laga doon tere baby" Abhira sweetly whispered as she gently picked Maahi up and applied a little kohl behind her left ear and kissed her, as the baby smiled in response and snuggled more into her chest.
"Dekho Armaan,I really don't care about them. Let them come,but I won't let them touch my daughter. Un logon ne joh bhi meri Mamma ke saath aur mere sath kiya hain,uske baad I don't trust them. Waiseh, tum please mere saath hi rehna please. I'm not going to let her be alone in her cradle and put up a show for the visitors. Maahi doesn't like it when too many people are around her except family,you remember nah last month isne dadisa ke maharani friends ko dekh kar aisa royi thi jaise Annabelle aur Conjuring saath mein dekh li ho!"
"I'll always be by yours and our chotu tortoise's side baby. You know Chachasa has made a royal set up for you jahan pe people can come & see Maahi one by one. Tum wahan upar baithogi gaddi par and your two sipahees Aryan & Krish will guard you,after the Pooja. Agar tumhe problem nah ho toh I'll also sit with you"
"Tum kyon nahi baithoge attention seeker Poddar? Tumhare upar kaante lage hain jo seat fat jayegi?"
"You look so cute when you fight. Let's go now"

The ones for whom all were waiting so desperately,descended down the stairs with the baby in her mamma's arms & her papa carefully walking a little ahead of her,dropping a handful of rose petals with each step. As Armaan & Abhira looked around,they saw Marigold garlands like golden threads woven with sunshine gracing every nook and corner of the hall,for welcoming their little sunshine. The guests who had almost arrived, were greeted by a grand entrance adorned with intricately designed floral arches with Kiara's 'Welcome Princess' banner atop and the pathway leading up to the Poddar house was lined with flickering diyas, casting a soft light. In the vibrant living room, drapes of shimmering silk cascaded from the ceiling and the walls were adorned with the posters of Maahi's first smile,her feet,toes,her picture with the family members in the hospital. Abhira's eyes moistened as she saw a big picture of her mamma and papa pasted in which Akshara & Abhinav having angel wings blessed the baby kept in a bassinet. Abhira hugged Rohit who had very skillfully made it and blinked her eyes in a thankyou gesture.

Armaan spotted Charu,Krish& Aryan further beautifying the place where the naamkaran ceremony would happen with colourful rangolis. Soon,they seated themselves near around the priest and he began chanting mantras for the baby's bright future,well being and prosperity. 

"M ya K akshar ka naam baalika ke liye shubh hoga. Beti ki bua unke kaan mein naam keh dein" the Panditji announced,after checking the baby's Nakshatra and the time and place of birth. Armaan & Abhira were overjoyed would be an understatement,they almost cried with happiness when they heard that their chosen name would now officially be given to her without any hesitation. Charu & Kiara excitedly hopped towards Abhira and she whispered the baby's name in their ears,and they grinning ear to ear,without leaking the information to a desperate Aryan,Krish & Rohit hushed the name into the little baby's ears and then into Dadisa's. The air was filled with anticipation and excitement as Dadisa got up from her place,lifted the baby high up in her arms with sparkling eyes and announced-
"Maahira Sharma Poddar. Poddar khandaan ki legacy ko aage le jaane vali, hamari pehli aur sabse azeez par-poti. Apne naam ki tarah,Maahira badi hokar apne maata-pita ki tarah qabil hogi,ek achi aur sachi insan hogi,ham sabka naam roshan karegi. Our Maahi will be the radiant glow that illuminates even the darkest of nights"
As Dadisa gave a little speech on Maahi's name, and the baby passed a little smile to her in return, Dadisa whispered into Abhira's ears while handing her back to her-"Tum par gayi hai Maahira. Itni si taareef mein smile kar rahi thi. Jab ham use bade hokar toffees denge tab tumhari tarah hamein leke jhoom uthegi". Abhira muttered a thankyou to dadisa as she chose to use her maiden surname with Maahi's as well to which dadisa lovingly patted her shoulder.
.
Almost an hour had passed,Abhira and her hyper-active Maahi both were irritated sitting on the sofa in the same position where everyone came to see the child but still, Armaan managed to crack jokes and entertain his wife while Rohit & Aryan made funny faces for Maahi and Krish sang to her,each time she squirmed in Abhira's lap.

When it was almost time for Maahi's feed & Abhira got up to take her for it to the garden for some fresh air,she saw three people walking towards her to which she instinctively pulled her baby more towards herself. As the three of them stood in front of Abhira and gazed at the pretty child's face with a hope that she would let them hold her Armaan covered the child with her dupatta and turned to leave for the garden with her,just then,Abhira felt someone holding her shoulder.

"Abhira bete, please hamein ek baar bachchi ko godh mein lene do. Hamari akshu ka vansh hai woh. Hamara bhi toh haq hai us par"Manish bickered shamelessly with Swarna & Surekha joining him in,"Haan Abhira tumhe hamse problem hain,par kya tum nahin chahogi ki bachchi ko par nana nani ka pyaar mile,Abhinav ji aur akshu tohh ab is dunia mein rahe nahin,kam se kam jo hain unhe tohh bachchi pe pyaar lutaane do!"

"Manish goenka sir and company,aapka haq tab kahan gaya tha jab aap Papa ke jaane ke ek maheene mein Mamma se move on karna expect kar rahe the meri qurbani dekar,tab kahan gaya tha jab mamma pregnancy mein ghar chod ke ja rahi thi, tab kahan gaya tha jab mamma baees saal akeli mujhe paalti rahin pareshanion se joonjthi rahin,kahan gaya tha haq aapka tab?
Mujhse aur meri mamma se kabhi milne ki khwaish hui aapki? Zinda hain ya mar gaye kabhi poocha aapne? Meri bachchi ko yahaan is ghar mein bohoth log hain pyaar karne wale aur mere mamma papa ki yaadein hain,kaahanian hain use sunane ke liye. Don't expect me to forgive you like mamma always did,bachpan se. I'm not her. You have no right over my kid and you'll never have it in future as well. Agar main mar bhi gayi toh meri bachchi ko aapke saahare nahi chhod ke jaoongi,otherwise you'll make her childhood as miserable as Mamma,Maasi & Mamu's. And don't worry,Kairav Mamu & Bumi would provide her the love of Nana-Nani so please aap itna concern nah dikhayein meri beti ke liye. Thankyou"

Abhira walked to the garden in rage,with Armaan following her with a watter bottle in his hand, ready to pour it over Abhira and start an argument with her while the rest of the family who had watched the argument stayed mum & chose not to disturb her this moment.
"Tum pagal ho Abhira"
"Ab kya hua khadusmaan,don't irritate me Maahi is hungry. She'll punch my nose if I don't feed her now"
"Why did you say that?"
"What?"
"Ki Agar tum mar bhi gayi toh. Are you mad?Mujhse shaadi aur hamari beti marne ke liye paida ki hain tumne?"
"Sorry baba gusse mein ho jata hain nah."
"Bakwas band Karo. Ab ye slip of tongue aage se nah ho. Chalo baitho,tumhari beti gusse mein dekh rahi hai tumhe."

Abhira sat on the bench and unzipped the front nursing zip of her anarkali kurta and guided Maahi towards her breast. As Maahi began to suckle, Abhira closed her eyes and let out a content sigh as she felt a sense of peace and happiness wash over her. She  couldn't believe how this tiny little human's feel & touch,just like her Papa's could calm her down after that heavy outburst in front of goenka's. Armaan sat beside her, his eyes full of adoration as he watched his wife and daughter. He stroked Maahi's soft cheek, and wrapped his arms around Abhira who placed her head on his chest without her eyes fluttering open.





A long update because I'll be on a break till 15th for this book. The other one will be updated on 12th(Strayed will still take time,another OS would be updated).

Happy Reading 🏵🏵

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