An AKSHAN Story- Journey From Him, To Him.

Chapter 35

~20.07.2020

All the preparations for the puja were done. The timing was just 10 minutes later, so everyone were in a rush.

Durga: AJ, mai aur Kishore ji chahte hai ki Arya ke liye aap is Pooja me baithe.

AJ: Lekin Durga bahu, aap donon ka haq banta hai.

Durga: Arya ko achha lagega agar aap uske saath baithenge to. Please!!

AJ: Thik hai.

Just then Revati comes with a tray which consist the materials used for the puja.

Revati: Dadi, ye raha baaki ka saaman.

Dadi: Ab ja kar use bula le, puja shuru hone wali hai.

Revati: Thik hai.

She leaves to AK'S room.

Dadi: Lakshmi, jaa kar bachon ko lekar aa ja.

Lakshmi: Ji Dadi!

AJ, Ahaan and Arya were seated for the puja along with the Pandit. AK comes along with Revati and her heart clenched with pain seeing AJ seated there. She was going to perform the puja with her husband for her step daughter.

She also sat there with Ahaan hiding her emotions.

Panditji: Ab is baalak ke maata pita ka naam bataye.

He asked after writing the names of Arya's parents.

AK gets thinking about it.

Panditji: Pehle Maa ka naam bataiye.

She was sitting numb.

Panditji: Maa ka naam bataiye.

Seeing AK not speaking anything, Revati spoke.

Revati: Aliya Kapoor.

AK looks at Revati and she blinks at her nodding with assurance.

Panditji: Pita ka naam??

AK was still sitting silently.

Panditji: Kya hua, aap kuchh bol kyun nahi rahi hai?

AK: Ye naam ke bina puja nahi ho sakti kya? Jab koi insaan hamari zindagi me hai hi nahi to kisi pooja me unke naam ke hone ya na hone se kya farak padta hai. Aap puja shuru kariye.

Panditji: Thik hai, to pehle aap donon is diya ko jalaiye. Agar Maa, Baap ise jalaye to shubh maana jata hai lekin ghar ka koi bhi sadasya ise jala sakta hai.

AJ gestured Durga to come but she asked him to continue. AJ lit the diya but AK was sitting without any movement.

AJ: Dekh kya rahi ho? Jaldi diya jalao.

She took the matchbox in her hand but wasn't ready to lit it. She lit a matchstick but remembered Pandit's words and the fire burnt her finger but didn't lit the diya.

AJ: Kya kar rahi ho? Dhyaan kahaan hai tumhara?

He asked with concerned voice examining her finger which was slightly burnt. She immediately got up and took steps towards her father.

AK: Agar aaj Ahaan ke Papa, ya Nana Nani hote to ye diya wahi jalate. Aaj aapne mujhe apni beti maana hai, to kya ye diya aap jala sakte hai?

Bhushan: Lekin mai kaise...

Guddan: Please! Mere liye, Ahaan ke liye...

He nodded with a heavy heart. He never denied any of Guddan's wishes but she is no more that he could fulfill them. But seeing her, only he knew how his mind was reminding his heart every now and then that she is not his daughter. So he decided to atleast keep on to the words of her look alike. She was happy that he agreed. He lit the lamp and the puja was started. The puja was completed without any hindrance.