Kismat Connection

Part 3

Nyonika felt dizzy and was about to fall, but a girl supported her and held her to keep her from falling.

        The girl helped Nyonika sit down. She looked up towards the temple and then down towards the street. When she realized going either way would take time, she began to think. An idea came to her mind when she saw the coconut she had brought for the puja. She took the coconut and hit it on the step, just enough to crack the coconut shell. She then gave the coconut water to Nyonika to drink.

        Girl : "Are you feeling better now?"

        Nyonika : "Yes, thank you! If you wouldn't have been here, I don't know what would have happened to me today."

        Girl : "You are at the house of God. How can God let anything happen to a devotee at his/her door steps? If I wouldn't have been here, then God would have sent someone else to your rescue instead."

        Nyonika was impressed with her behavior. The girl not only saved her, but also didn't take the credit for it.

        Nyonika : "You are so sweet. May I know your name?"

        Girl : "Nandini"

        Nyonika : "Nice name."

        Nyonika : "I will leave now. My family might get worried, if I am late. Thank you once again!"

        Nandini : "You still look tired. I will come along with you and drop you home. Where do you stay?"

        Nyonika : "I will manage. I came by car. The driver has parked the car in the next street."

        Nandini : "Okay, let me accompany you to the car then."

        Nandini dropped Nyonika to the car.

        Nyonika : "God bless you dear!"

        Nandini : "Take care."

        Nyonika left home and Nandini went back to the temple.

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        Later during the day, at Nandini's house, Nandini 's aunt saw Nandini immersed in her books.

        Nandini's aunt : "How are those books going to help you? Come and help me with the household chores, it will be useful for you when you marry and go to your in-laws house."

        Nandini : "I don't want to get married. I want to pursue my studies and these books are going to help me with that."

        Nandini's aunt : "What will you do by studying so much, Achaar daalogi? (Meaning in this context : can't do anything with it or it's of no use) Mother-in-law let you study till 12th, in spite of all our protests, isn't that enough?"

        Nandini : "Aunty, I know there is no need to study for making pickles ( Achaar daalna literally means making pickles). You are a living example for it. You prepare such yummy pickles that our mouth starts watering just by looking at it. We can't stop relishing it. I am telling you Aunty, you should open a pickle store. The whole village will recognize your talent. What is the need for me to prepare them when we have such an expert at home?"

        Nandini : "I want to study and become an expert in science like dad and work for the welfare of the mankind."

        Nandini's aunt : "Buttering me up  isn't going to be of any use. People will think twice before considering your alliance since you have no parents. On top of that, if you study more, from where will we find you a groom who is more educated than you? Also, how are you going to study further, when we don't have a college here?"

        Nandini's aunt : "We don't have a fortune to send you else where and waste money on your studies. Your uncle has already given your photo to the match maker. Whether you like it or not, we will get you married as soon as we find a match. So forget about mankind, and start thinking about your own welfare."

        Nandini : "I will talk to grandmother. She will listen to me and support me."

        Nandini's aunt : "This time your beloved grandmother also won't come to your rescue. We got her approval before giving your photo to the match maker. She has been telling you that she is going to get you married after 12th, isn't it? So stop day dreaming and accept the reality."

        Nandini : "Yes, she did, but I didn't know that you have already contacted a match maker. We didn't get any photo clicked for it, then which photo did uncle give?"

        Nandini's aunt : "Have you forgotten? You went to the studio and got the photo clicked just after your results were out."

        Nandini's thoughts : "I got that photo clicked for the college application. I should have figured it out when they let me take the photo without asking any questions and also gave suggestions to look good. So that's the reason I was asked to go to the temple and pray for a good life partner. I was hoping that I will get a little more time, then I would have had a solution at hand and I could have avoided this situation altogether. What am I going to do now?"

        Nandini's thoughts : "May be grandma can't help me this time, but God will surely support me. Hope the match maker doesn't find any suitable alliance and things work out in my favor. God please don't let me down."

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        Next day morning, Nyonika and Nandini met at the foot steps of the temple again.

        Nyonika : "Do you come to the temple everyday?"

        Nandini : "No aunty. My family wants me to visit the temple for a few days and pray for a good life partner."

        Nyonika : "You look a lot younger, are you ready to get married so early?"

        Nandini : "My family wants me to get married soon, but I am not here to pray for that. I am praying to God and requesting him to help me pursue my dreams. I want to study further."

        Nyonika : "Don't worry dear. God will surely help you."

        Nandini realized that she had blurted out the truth in front of her.

        Nandini : "Aunty, whatever I told you now was supposed to be a secret. So just in case you happen to meet anyone from my family, please don't tell them that I am here to pray to get my wishes fulfilled, and not theirs."

        Nyonika : "Ok I won't, even you don't tell about yesterday's incident to anyone from my family, if you happen to meet them."

        Nandini : "Deal! Your secret is safe with me."

        Nandini : "You were here yesterday too, looks like you have a wish to make too, like me. You don't seem to be from this village. Are you a tourist?"

        Nyonika : "You are right, I am from Mumbai and am here to attend a family wedding. I heard that prayers don't go unanswered at this temple. So I thought of coming here whenever possible, as long as I am here and pray for my family's wellbeing, especially my child's."

        Nandini : "Who all are there in your family?"

        Nyonika : "Myself, my husband and my son."

        Nandini : "That's all. You have a very small family when compared to mine. You do love your family a lot. That's why you are taking efforts to come here to pray for them in spite of what happened yesterday."

        Nyonika : "That I do."

        Nandini's thoughts : "I have a huge family, but no one supports me except grandma. Now even she wants to marry me off for my own wellbeing. If my parents were alive, would they have let me pursue my studies?"

        Nandini turned sad for a minute, but immediately put on a happy face as usual. They continued their conversation for some more time.

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        Same day afternoon, the match maker was showing prospective bride's photos to one of the prospective groom's mom at the house where Nyonika was staying.