PART-1

YOUNG BUDS ON THE VINE

KASHIBAI'S POV

Draped in the beautiful bright yellow nauvari saree I looked at myself in the mirror. My lustrous eyes shining bright in whatever direction I was looking at. A delicate piece of the traditional Marathi nose ring adorned my petite nose. A moon shaped bindi marking my forehead bright. My Sindoor filled hairline always reminds me of my husband and every thought about him made me feel weird tingles in the pit of my stomach, while my small hands full of bangles were making sweet sounds, my fingertips dipped in mahavar made them look extremely beautiful to adore. As I was busy fiddling to dip the soft cotton swab in the glossy honey gum paste made out of rose petal powder. The very moment I applied it on my lips, they gleamed bright and turned more pink than their usual state.

"Kashi Tai, are you excited for the Ritu kala samskara" chirps in another voice in the room who was busy admiring her own sister in law.

The moment I turn around my anklets made a jingle sound. The way my face brightened up at the spell of the term "Ritu kala samskara" but still I paused not to answer and my cheeks turned red all out of nowhere.

"Tyala trasa deu naka anubai, samajale?"

Don't annoy her Anubai, do you get it?

The third voice in the room was of Radha Bai, my mother in law.

"But Aai" Anu whined at her mother slight scolding.

"Anu Bai ......go get your bhatukali toys and play with them. Don't pester your sister in law" Sasu Aai gave her a stern look.

"Sasu Aai, Anu wasn't annoying me. She is just excited" I spoke in a slight low voice.

"Sunbai......shhh. I am asking her to do something" Radha Bai my mother in law looked at me, I knew what emotions she had in that very moment. She was thinking how blessed she was to have a beautiful daughter in law like me. Who was looking like a grown up woman to her today. She was proud of raising me up as the strongest pillar of her household. I can see a proud feeling that washed over her face.

I understood Aai saheb very well, since the time I came here after getting married. I knew that Radha Bai, my Sasu Aai was a strong and feisty woman and it was well proven by what I heard about her back in Chaskaman, and all along the ladies who gossiped while working in wada, by Bhiu Tai...by Anu and also by Chimmaji saheb. I knew that my mother in law had lived an eventful life filled with glory and tragedy.

I remember those initial days when I had to settle in the wada, they were the most struggling days of my life. Life in Saswad was very different than what I had at chaskaman. My parents were there, my siblings were there and I had got married. The term marriage for a eight year old child was another name for responsibility, a cage . I felt as if my freedom was snatched away, how will I go around now and play with my friends, I won't be getting the extra special love and extra delicious modak made by my Aai, noone will help me do horse ride like my baba. The eight year old Kashi didn't knew about the significance of marriage. She just knew that she was getting away from all her happiness.

Until when I realised that there was not much difference between Chaskaman and Saswad. It was the love and care which made relations deep, and the people who make homes. Chaskaman was my birthplace, the place where I grew up, but Saswad was my home..the place which I will have to raise and understand with upcoming time. I might have not understood the importance of marriage, war and the life style at wada if I would have not got the undeniable attention of my mother in law.

She was there with me from the time I got married. Sasu Aai was a well competent woman and she knew how to handle the Bhat household in the best ways possible. She has done the upbringing of her two sons Baji Rao and Chimaji as well.

In the starting years of my marriage I initially got fond of my husband's siblings. Chimaji was a little less in age than Rau, when I came in and became a part of the bhat household. He reminded me of my own brother Krishna Rao. Following him was Bhiu Bai and the youngest Anu Bai who was everyone's favourite. Even when they were married off to their respective homes when time came, they still came in to meet us and we girls had all those fun moments and girl gossips hiding in a silent corner of the wada. Apart from Rao's siblings...I have extremely worshipped Rao from the day we were married, he was my hero, I behaved like those proud wives even at the slightest achievement of their husband while listening to his warrior tales, while at that time he had just started working on his crafts.

Both the sons had always accompanied their father in battle. They were taught both state craft and war craft by their well disciplined father who had a massive experience on the same.

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I have always wished to spend more time with my husband. But his day to day affairs kept him away. I knew from the gossips in the wada about how married couple had their own room, they used to get time together, how the husbands used to love their wives. Day by day I felt deeply attracted towards my husband, his mere presence made me feel all alive at once. But inspite of everything we never had a close moment. There were a few times I used to see him, while all the males of the family sat in to have dinner. There was not for a single second my eyes got tired of admiring my Rao's face, the way his lips turned while chewing on the chapati, the way his Adam apple moved when he drank water. I was so in love.

Sometimes these creepy acts of mine were caught by him instantly when he began to look back into my eyes, digging out all the facts that I used to hide in the sight of admiration.

Every night when I slept in my chamber, all I fascinated about was how one day I and Rao will also get our own chamber..how I will become his comfort and loving consort in future...the day we will have children. My life was all about him, inspite of him being busy in his warcrafts. Like any other married girl....my head was filled with the thoughts of how devoted I will be to my husband.

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"Tu sundara disatesa"

"You look beautiful"

And the next moment Sasu Aai made a black dot to avoid evil eye behind my ears.

"Aai saheb I am nervous" I replied holding her hands. Inspite of the fact that she was my mother in law..I had always confided in her when I needed comfort.

She patted my hair, and smiled.

"Nothing's there to worry, it's the time to celebrate Kashi. Come on"

The whole wada was decorated with the yellow genda flowers. Sasu Aai had send a lot of invitations to all the far and close female relative the moment they came to knew that I have started bleeding. Sasu Aai told me that she will arrange my age ceremony with her own hands beautifully.

As I reached the aangan the ladies sat around started clapping with joy. I was placed on the small stool decorated with velvet cloth in between. While the ladies showered me with gifts, coconuts, banarasi shalu, rice. The woman in the household were feasted with rich green mango sherbats and patolya one of the finest traditional Marathi sweets.

My own Aai I had tears of joy in her eyes.

"May you be blessed with happy and healthy babies"

At her words all I could do was to look down and embrace all this happiness with open arms.

She was not getting tired of locking away all the evil eyes by saying "Thu,Thu, Thu" again and again. I was excited not only for the future but also at the sight of everyone reminiscing in joy.

"Tai, Rao would be as happy as everyone after knowing this" Bhiu whispered in my ears.

"Bhiu do you purposely try to make me blush" I looked at my sister in law who was busy smiling at me.

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Would he be as happy as me? Will he be as excited as me? Do Rao miss me the way I do? Rao respects me a lot, he would be happy knowing about the Ritu kala samskara.

Rao I am waiting patiently for our first meet , the proper meet, the private meet, the time where it's only you and me. You don't know Rao how many times a day your face comes in front of my eyes.. How many times I miss you in a day...How many times your existence make my heart beat erratic!

You don't know Rao that how your existence is Kashi's reason for being sane, alive and happy. Kashi has already submitted herself solely to you Rao. Since the time my father gave my hands in yours while we exchanged the garlands. All I knew was that "Kashi sirf Baji Ki". ( KashiBai belongs solely to her BajiRao )

🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

The first chapter is out:)

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The books gonna focus on Kashi's POV so it's fun.