Pranaam yatri,
Let’s sum up the story so far:
Rohini and Manav fall in love and marry, providing a loving home for Rohini’s younger brother, Vivek, after their parents’ tragic accident.
Trouble arises when Vivek claims a family heirloom necklace as his own.
Despite Rohini’s initial dismissal, Vivek persists in demanding the necklace, causing tension in the household and gossip among neighbors.
Manav ultimately asks Rohini to take Vivek back to their old home in the chawl, fearing damage to their reputation.
Rohini reluctantly complies.
Now let’s move forward.
The gossips died down soon, with the exception of Lalita aunty.
“How is that liar doing? Still spreading lies about you?” She asked Rohini over afternoon tea.
“He’s fine. A little sick, but Kantikaka, our neighbour in the next kholi, is caring for him.”
Lalita aunty relayed different versions of the message in the society, “See – this is what happens to liars! Doesn’t matter what your age is. That ungrateful rascal was speaking ill of his sister. Now let him rot in that hellhole – alone.”
Vivek did not rot for much longer.
Within a few months, the sickness took his life. While Kantikaka tried to do his best, he understood that the child ails not from an external infection, but troubles of the mind.
With teary eyes, he called Rohini and informed her of her baby brother’s death.
He didn’t mention that until his last day, Vivek kept muttering, “Didi, why are you not returning my necklace?”
Rohini was sad that taking a small necklace had cost her brother’s life.
Manav was indifferent. He despised Vivek for tarnishing their reputation.
“Rohini, we’ve waited too long. Now that Vivek is gone, can we start our family?”
Soon, they conceived, and Rohini gave birth to a cute boy. They named him Harsh.
Manav spared no expense in Harsh’s upbringing.
He ensured that his son had the best education, amenities and environment to thrive in.
Harsh was naturally gifted, and very humble.
He aced in all areas of life.
Time passed quickly. He was soon of marriagable age.
Manav and Rohini arranged a suitable match for him with Lata.
The wedding was celebrated with great pomp, too.
Right after Lata’s gruhpravesh, Rohini sat the couple down.
She brought out the family heirloom and presented it to Lata.
Seeing the necklace, Harsh excitedly said, “Mummy, is this my necklace?”
“Yes beta, this is your necklace,” she responded with a smile.
Harsh’s looked visibly happy. Excited. Elevated.
His heart started racing. But faster than normal. His breathing became heavy.
Within the minute, he fainted. He was dead.
Manav and Rohini were shocked. Lata couldn’t stop crying.
She was shaking Harsh’s lifesless body, prodding him to wake up.
Rohini cried, too, “Oh god, what is this? Why is this happening?”
That’s when the aakashvāni happened.
“Rohini, listen closely. This is why this is happening.
You’ve known Harsh in his past life. He was your brother Vivek.
You denied him what’s rightfully his. He came back to this world through your womb and rested once you gave him what he’d always asked for: the necklace that belonged to him.
Manav and you robbed him of his childhood and youth in his past life.
It is your punishment that you will have no child or young shoulder to support you when you’re old.
And Lata is no other than the old Lalita aunty – reincarnated.
She spread lies and rumours about an innocent boy without making any attempt to find the truth.
This is her punishment: to lose the love of her life on the day of their wedding.”
Rohini looked at the necklace lying on the floor.
This tiny jewellery tore down her family twice.
She would not have it in her house anymore.
She grabbed it and ran on the street, with a sobbing Manav running behind her.
She didn’t know what was happening. She didn’t know what to do.
She only knew one thing – she had lost her son because of her blind attraction to this necklace.
It had to be out of her life.
Pebbles, thorns and shards of glass hurt her feet.
But she didn’t stop. She was running on the street like a mad woman. A hurt woman.
Her eyes caught a glimpse of a cute little boy on his way back from school.
He was silently walking on the footpath, playing with the waterbottle around his neck.
That boy reminded her so much of Harsh. And Vivek.
She ran to him.
“Beta, please take this,” she thrust the necklace into his hands.
“Aunty, who are you? Why are you giving me this?” He was scared.
“Beta, just take it with you. I want you to take it home. When you grow up, give it your wife,” sobbed Rohini with tears rolling down her face.
“No aunty, I can’t take this. Mummy has asked me not to take what is not mine,” he said with innocent earnestness.
Hearing this made her cry harder.
“It is yours beta. Tell your mummy that an aunty has given it to you as a gift, okay?
If you take it, it will make me very happy.”
“Okay aunty, I will take it for your happiness.” He politely took the necklace and kept it in his bag. “Thank you aunty!” He walked away.
The aakashvāni happened again.
“Rohini, do you know what you just did? Do you know who this little boy was?
That was Kantikaka!
He spent his last life caring for a child that was not his responsibility. He gave shelter and protection to someone rejected by their own family.
He tried his best to bring you and Vivek together.
You never thanked him.
But today, you gave him an expensive reward as gratitude to clear your debt.”
What happened to Rohini, Manav, Lata and the boy later is a separate story.
But let’s focus on what already happened to them.
Each of them faced consequences of their actions.
Let us remember that we are Rohini: good but greedy.
We are Manav: supportive but proud.
We are Lalita: wealthy but gossip-mongers.
We are also Vivek and Kanti.
Let us bring out parts of us that spread happiness to the world and shut down others that will eventually bring us more pain than we can bear.
