Malignant Ardor

1. The Calm of Maheshwaris

The soft melodious aarti sung by Ragini Maheshwari was considered the most auspicious start of the day in the magnificent Maheshwari mansion. She was the princess of this empire and the only person who had the privilege to make any demand before her 'frosty' brother.

Sanskaar Maheshwari, one of the leading business tycoons of Kolkata, had taken the reins of Maheshwari Textiles at a young age of 25. Five years later, the company stood among the best of the best in India. As he heard the voice of his darling sister, he closed and tossed the company's annual report. He walked down the stairs towards the mandir where only his sister was allowed to pray.

Ragini felt her brother's presence before he spoke a word. She turned and offered him the aarti. Her brother ran his palm over the flame and covered over his hair. He watched the flame intently.

It's been five years before exactly this date that his sister has been granted her wish to pursue Sitar as her college major. Exactly five years since the day he was getting engaged to Kavita, his parents' choice of bride. Exactly five years that his father Durga Prasad Maheshwari and his mother Annapurna Maheshwari travelled with his fiancée to the temple only to have met with an accident that reduced the Land Rover to ashes. Five years since he had taken the responsibility to fill his father's shoes.

"Bhai, can I go with Chachiji for shopping?"

"Have I ever said No to you, Ragini?" He placed his palm on her head in a way of blessing. His sister had the habit of asking permission for every trivial issue due to his Ma's stringent rules of their upbringing. For her, he was both father and mother now and he took that responsibility very seriously.

Sanskaar had his priorities set - Ragini and Maheshwari Textiles. Nothing else mattered.

"Ragini, Sanskaar! I have good news for you." That was their Chachi, Sujata Maheshwari, ever too vocal in both joy and sorrow, in sickness and in health.

"What is it, Chachi?" Sanskaar asked moving towards the centre of the hall.

"Got a proposal for our Laado Rani."

Sanskaar halted in his tracks. While he wanted his sister to be more independent, his Chachi was bent on getting her married as she is already 25 years old. Honestly, Sanskaar would have dismissed her logic if she wasn't the only motherly figure for both him and his sister.

"Who is it?" asked Chacha, Ramprasad Maheshwari, the silent shadow who followed his elder brother and was a business guide for Sanskaar in telling how his Bhaisa dealt the particular situations.

"You know the famous music company owners, the Gadodias? Their younger child and only son, Lakshya Gadodia." She passed the picture to Sanskaar who took his seat on the centre sofa to evaluate the proposed groom.

One look and his analysis came out to be pampered and spoilt brat. The picture was too edgy and his sister was a polar opposite of the kid. "Why?" Sanskaar asked as he wanted to know what his Chachi saw in this alliance.

"Why! Sanskaar, what's wrong with you? You know how much our Ragini loves music and the Gadodias own a music company. There's no one in Kolkata who hasn't heard of Gadodias's Tunes Music company."

"I haven't heard that name before," Sanskaar replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Sanskaar, don't you understand? They match our social status moreover they are Marwaris as well. You know how difficult it is to find Marwari alliance in Kolkata. When we were looking for you, Jiji had brought Earth and Sky together to find Kavita. And..."

Sanskaar shot her a steely glare which shut her up. "Okay. I will look into this." He took the picture with him.

Once in his study, he WhatsApp-ed the picture to his assistant, Kabir and asked him to dig out the details. If he was going to give his sister to this guy, he better be good enough for her and shall be worthy of her.