KASHI'S POV

The moment my eyes opened I could feel the direct rays of sunlight falling on me. Yesterday was a dreamy day, Rao and I shared some fun time together. Ohhh..! How much I craved for all these small sweet moments. The only realisation I felt as soon as I woke up was that I was all wet in between my thighs. I had so much emotions overwhelmed every time I replayed what he told me about our wedding night and thinking about all what was going to happen. Was it sinful to think in this way? Probably not, we are married and it's not something to be ashamed of.

Sometimes I think how beautiful it is to fall in love with someone and then have them in your life this easily. That the amount of love you hold for them is what they reciprocate back. I know that Rao and I had those butterfly feelings since the start but as kids neither are these feelings emphasized nor we look in deep for them. We knew that we were married and are the one for each other to confide in, in the moments of joy and sorrow.

Arranging the bedsheet and the pillow covers I bend down to touch the floor and take its blessings before I start with my day in the wada. Taking out some fresh pairs of clothes I walked in towards the big aangan where the women of wada used to take baths. This portion of the bathing area was in a hidden corner of the wada away from eyes of everyone who came in and walked out. Sasu Aai was probably in the temple as I could hear the jingle of the mandir bells while I could hear some shlok uccharans too. Janaki Tai was in the kitchen standing there busy frying the panjiri on the stove, while adding on makhanas, mishri, Tulsi and mewas to it. Sasu Aai wanted the Prasad to be the most delish item for the bhog and after the bhog was placed the whole wada and people around got a little part of it.

I hurriedly went towards the water cable to handpump some water to take in my bath. Taking out my saree with my blouse and petticoat hanging on I sat on the small stool only to rub the fragrant smells on my skin. I rubbed my body with the rose water and turmeric powder. Washing it all I stood up and changed into my new pair of clothes.

While I was busy dressing up and wearing nice new bangles in my hand I heard someone's anklets behind me. And the moment I turned around it was none other than Rakhma. Rakhma is the wife of Chimmaji appa and she has become a part of our family a few months back. The way it was so new for me in the same way is for her too.

I was getting ready when she stopped me and asked.

"Tai saheb you look so happy and radiant"

"Ahahah Rakhma I am always cheerful and happy there's nothing new" I blushed hard. Everyone and me myself knew why people could feel the amount of happiness I was holding onto.

"Rao saheb is back and that is the only reason my Tai saheb is so happy and you don't have to hide it anymore" saying this she held my hands.

"I don't get when everyone amongst you all know that why I am so happy then what is the point of asking me again and again.!" I laughed shying away.

"Tai saheb you guys had a talk or not?" She looked at me with her big sparkling eyes.

"Haaye Deva! We had a talk but you don't have to know the details" I pinched her.

"Tai saheb" she whined.

"Chal Rakhma now have a bath and let me go and check in Rasoi" I told her. While she moved in towards the water cable.

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Coming back in the rasoi I arranged in for the bottle of khus sherbet to prepare large quantity of ice cold sherbets. It was already the month of June and the temperature made it worse. The servants got tired of using hand fans, and it drained all their energies. I had made a habit since past two years to look for the need of all the women in the wada. So I decided to prepare the fresh sherbet out of khus plant to keep everyone hydrated during the heat.

Sasu Aai was happy thinking that I am growing up in a manner she always wanted me to be like. I mean she knew that I have to look after all the responsibilities in the future and that is how she trained me.

Looking at Rakhma who was busy playing and sprinkling water on her I realised how innocent she was. I mean every girl of this age is, Rakhma was a few year younger to me. But she was literally quite attractive to look at. Unlike me she was sharp, outspoken and bubbly from the start. I was always shying away infront of Rao, but Rakhma and Chimmaji shared a very different bond. They were more like best friends before partners. They loved eachother and were too open about it in the name of friendship. While in our case Rao and I always had those tensions and attractions, butterflies and feelings..but the situation in which we were raised never made us have those friendly banters, we were the eldest and mostly burdened with duties. But in spite of all this Rao whenever got time he used to make me swing on the swing in the courtyard, he used to bring tamarinds for me, stole extra modaks from Prasad to feed me...he did things out of his respected feelings towards me and I reciprocated them with all the love.

"Vahini, Aai saheb has asked you to prepare in the besan laddoos for the Prasad too" Bhiu Tai came in. She has come to pay us a visit from her sasural. I never complained about her coming here every now and then but she used to come here very often. She also has a very bad temper which can't be handled gently.

"Ho...Tai saheb I will make sure. As I had already prepared the ingredients" I smiled at her.

"Vahini, don't you get bored from doing all this" She looked at me while sipping on the sherbet.

"No way, Tai whatever I am doing is because I love this place, this family, the people and this wada. I do it not as a responsibility but because I love doing all this" I looked at her, while making the balls out of the sweetened besan full of cashew sprinkles.

"Vahini, life as a wife, daughter in law is so hard already, and you try to do the best as you can even as the future peshwin Bai" Bhiu Tai said.

"Tai, the wada and the people are mine. I love doing all this, since the time I came here as a daughter in law and from the time I got to understand what Aai saheb taught me I followed it well. The women at wada are very helpful i would have never handled all this well if they would have not been there" I replied back to her.

Indeed what do we had at the end of the day, few male servants some guards who were always outside the wada. While all the women in the wada and the women in the family had only each other left for them. All the males were on campaign and all we had was us.

We, all the women in the wada supported eachother. Our day started with bathing, washing and cleaning. While Aai saheb was busy doing Aarti. Rakhma used to decorate the wada with bright flowers and I looked after in the kitchen. Around eleven o' clock we all sat down to have our lunch, while Aai saheb used to tell us about wars, and household management schemes. The evening went by singing traditional songs while working on the spices, preparing for aachars, some of us would cut vegetables for the dinner at the night so we prepared for that, while others dealt with clothings etc. At night all the ladies used to light up the fire, and decorate the wada with oil lamps (Laltens) and had some lavani dance while we all ate dinner and thanked God for the day. After the dinner I made a tradition to serve everyone with gulab jamun which I used to prepare daily in the evening it was a lot of hardwork but a sweet dish was necessary at the end of the day.

And without any help from the male section of the society we women at the wada helped eachother out and spend our day working and enjoying together. How do I explain to you Bhiu Tai, That with the people you love things become easy and fun. That when you are really involved and genuinely care about certain things or people you don't think of anything as burden. Whatever you do is out of love and pure love.

I am thankful to Bappa for each day I get to spend in this wada, for the life he made for me, for the groom he found for me, and for all his blessings.

While I was busy arranging the laddoos I heard someone say.

"Bajirao is awake" and there were lot of giggles coming from the aangan.

I came in from the side of the Rasoighar to look at the sight, when I saw Rao coming down the stairs and the very next moment he stopped and our gaze met eachother.

While a sweat drop trickled down my face, and heat rushed in my body. I can see Rao giving me a cocky smile seeing my devastated state. He already knew what effect he had on me but never left a chance to test it.

These days the wada women got the chance to pull legs of the Peshwa and his kids and that is how they are enjoying their time with all the teasings and funny banters.

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Herez the new chapter for you guys.

Hope you guys can imagine the scenes well, I am trying to give it a historical touch.

And trying to take you guys take into the historical imagines.

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