Part - 2

The Broken Heart - Heart That Is Hurt (Part-2)

Indore, Madhya Pradesh

Ashwath was still sleeping in his room, some drops of tears had dried on his face which clearly showed that he had cried the whole night. The sunlight filtering through the window was falling on Ashwath's face, his eyes started moving and he sat up. Ashwath looked at the time on the clock, it was eight in the morning. There was a lot of noise in the Mehra house early this morning, everyone was busy preparing for the wedding. The sounds coming from outside were echoing in the ears of Ashwath sitting in the room, he hid his face with his hands and started taking deep breaths. Ashwath's heart rate was several times higher than normal, so to control himself he lay down on the bed, covering his head with a sheet.

"I am extremely confused, Aman's words are absolutely true, we are putting a woman's life in trouble along with our own, despite knowing that I will not be able to keep her happy... ...!!" Ashwath said while getting entangled in his own thoughts.

Ashwath picked up a picture kept near his bed, that picture was of a girl who was very beautiful and attractive in appearance. Her beauty was quite different, as if she would come out of that picture this very moment and spread the glow of her beauty everywhere. Suddenly drops of tears started welling in Ashwath's eyes which he quickly wiped away.

"No sleep can come, no music will be felt,

I cannot live without you, I am a sad person without you,

You are the only one, my dear, no one else is my favourite.

Only you reside in my heart, no one else resides."

Ashwath started looking at that picture while lying on the bed, memories of the past came back in his mind. Then he realized that someone had opened the door of his room and entered inside. Ashwattha quickly hid the picture and closed his eyes. Ashwath's mother "Sumitra ji" came to him and said in a loving voice - "Get up son, the sun has risen and you are also getting married, come on get up...!! "

When Ashwath opened his eyes, Sumitra ji said - "Quickly take a bath and get ready, after completing the rituals we have to take the wedding procession as well!"

"Hmmm...!!" Ashwath gave a short answer.

"Are you alright son? Your health has not deteriorated, has it?" Sumitra ji asked worriedly.

"No, I'm fine!" Ashwath said blinking his eyelids.

"Okay, get ready and come down, we will wait for you!" Saying this Sumitra ji went out of the room.

Ashwath took a deep breath and took his clothes and went to take bath. After coming out, Ashwath wore sherwani, on the auspicious occasion of his marriage, a smile is seen on the lips of every man, but there was only sadness on Ashwath's face, as if the flower had withered. Ashwath got ready and came down, all the guest relatives were waiting for him.

"Hey, come here...!" Sumitra ji said while calling Ashwath.

Ashwath came to him in a silent state, his friends Gautam and Aman present there knew the reason for his sadness but Vicky was unaware of all this. Sumitra ji made Ashwath sit on the sofa and applied tilak on his forehead. Ashwattha's father "Kaushik ji" looked very happy on this auspicious occasion of his son's marriage but Ashwath's sad face was irritating him. After the completion of the ritual, Sumitra ji put a turban on Ashwath's head and blessed him by placing her hand on his head.

"Always be happy, I am sure your life ahead will be full of beauty…!" Sumitra ji said in a tone full of affection.

Ashwath only smiled faintly but deep inside he was hurt. Everyone came out of the house where drums were being played, a white horse was also present and all the wedding guests started dancing. Meanwhile, Vicky came to Ashwath and said to him - "Sir, smile a little on your wedding day, who will like it if you walk around with your face hanging like this?"

"It's right now, I'm feeling good now..." Ashwath spread a false smile on his face.

"It doesn't happen like this, smile with all your heart!"

"I smile like this...!"

"You are very strange, friend..."

"That's just how I am...!"

"You look like a heartbroken lover!"

"You would think so...!"

"It doesn't seem so...!"

" So now what do I do....!!" Ashwath said angrily and went ahead.

Vicky stood there in a state of confusion, he was not aware of Ashwath's condition. After a short wait, Ashvattha was made to sit on the mare and all the wedding procession started dancing towards the bride's house where all the preparations related to the marriage were made.

Everyone reached "Chaudhary House" i.e. the bride's house. To welcome the groom, the bride's mother "Diksha ji" and her husband and the bride's father "Kalyan ji" came to the main gate, both of them folded hands and saluted Ashwath and his family. In response, she also bowed to both of them, Deeksha ji came in front of Ashwattha with the aarti plate in her hand and performed the aarti by applying tilak on his forehead. When Ashwath touched the feet of Deeksha ji and Kalyan ji, they smiled and blessed him.

"Come brother, come!" Kalyan ji

Said while paying respect to Kaushik ji.

" Yes, definitely...!" Kaushik ji smiled and entered the house with his family.

Very good preparations were made for the wedding in Kalyan ji's house, there were garlands of flowers everywhere and the decorated mandap in the huge room looked very beautiful. Since not many guests from both the families were present, arrangements for food were also made inside the house. Ashvattha was made to sit in the pavilion and both the families stood aside.

"The preparations have been done very well brother, we are really impressed with you!" Kaushik ji praised and said to Kalyan ji.

"Thank you very much!" Kalyan ji said happily.

When both the families started talking to each other, then the Pandit ji in the pavilion said - "Sir, the auspicious marriage is being illustrated, according to us, the marriage ceremony should be started now, call the bride!"

"Sure, Pandit ji... Hey Diksha ji, please bring Shraddha!" Kalyan ji said.

"I will bring Shraddha right now!" Deeksha ji standing next to Sumitra ji said and moved towards Shraddha's room.

Shraddha's face sitting in front of the mirror in the room appeared to be withered, there was only tears in her dark eyes. Today Shraddha was full of beauty but there was no glow on her face, her face was completely emotionless, only tears were able to tell her condition. Suddenly Diksha ji entered the room, seeing Shraddha sitting in front of the mirror, she came to him and said in a loving manner - "Come on son, the auspicious time for marriage is approaching, everyone is waiting for you!"

Shraddha did not say anything and stood up but being a mother, Diksha ji was able to understand her condition.

"Look son, everyone has to accept the bitter truth of their life and move ahead, forget your past and move forward in life with faith, the future will definitely be very beautiful!" Diksha ji said while explaining to Shraddha.

"Mmm...I can't do it!" In the end Shraddha failed to control her tears and started crying bitterly.

"Don't say this son, we can understand your condition but accept the truth of what is happening today Shraddha, we know this is not easy for everyone, so take the name of Mahadev and move towards your new life, see you come. Tomorrow will heal all the wounds of your past!" Deeksha ji hugged Shraddha.

Shraddha controlled herself and got ready to go down with Diksha ji. Deeksha ji covered Shraddha's face with a veil and brought her down with her. Ashwattha sitting in the pavilion was looking at the fire burning in the fire pit, today he saw his past being dedicated to the fire in that fire, not only this, today he also started seeing himself being dedicated to that fire. At this time he was only physically in his present but he was still living the life of his past.

Then Payal's voice started resonating everywhere, everyone's eyes went towards the front except Ashwattha. From that direction, Shraddha was moving towards the pavilion with Diksha ji. Anklets on her feet, bangles and bracelets in her hands, a big dot between the red and white sandalwood dots on her forehead, Shraddha's wedding dress was a little heavy but still its look was very beautiful and grand. Seeing Shraddha's divine form, Sumitra ji came near her and took the blessings of both her hands and said lovingly - "Today you are looking very beautiful Shraddha, very beautiful, don't let the evil eye affect you!"

Shraddha only smiled faintly, Ashwath sitting in the pavilion had not even once looked at Shraddha as if he was sitting there like a statue. Gautam came to Ashwattha and shook his shoulders and said - "Sir, at least take a look at your future wife, just see...!"

"Stop shrugging your shoulders, don't let anyone see me!" Ashwattha said slowly but briefly.

"Just see it once...!"

"Don't look...!!"

"Hey, just look at it once, you are already being denied...!"

"Don't look at me, it's over!"

"As per your wish, see, one day you will also yearn to have a look at Bhabhiji!"

"Don't make predictions, if the one you love in front of your eyes is far away from me then what is the expectation of anyone else!"

"That will be seen!" Saying this Gautam stood at his place.

Shraddha was brought to the mandap and Pandit ji started reciting the marriage mantras. First the alphabet ritual was performed, even during this ritual Ashwath and Shraddha did not see each other. After Varnmala, the marriage ceremony took place, Kalyan ji came forward to perform the Kanyadaan ceremony and he gave the hand of his daughter Shraddha to Ashwath with the belief that he will protect Shraddha and give her full respect and love. After some time, both of them started having sex, both of them were speaking only through their mouth with seven rounds, but their mind was still not accepting each other. After the rounds, Ashwattha filled Shraddha's empty prayer with the vermilion of his name, suddenly Shraddha's eyes closed and a teardrop fell. Ashwath picked up the mangalsutra with his trembling hands and put it around Shraddha's neck. Now Shraddha had legally become Ashwath's wife and this is the truth which he could not deny, his mind was now cursing her only, today she broke the promise given to "him".

To Be Continued....!