The Force Behind the Forces by Swapnil Pandey

Author:Swapnil Pandey
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789354922374
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 2021-11-10T00:00:00+00:00

The Last Gift

Sujata and Major Satish Dahiya, Shaurya Chakra (P)

10 February 2011

Pawera

Haryana

Sujata looked like an angel in her pink sari. The glowing bride-to-be wore traditional Haryanvi bridal jewellery: a cartilage ear clip in the shape of a karanphool, a ranihaar, and a chhaj that sat daintily on her forehead, covering half of her face. When she walked down the aisle, people gasped. She could not stop glowing on her engagement day.

She giggled with her friends and cousins, who teased her for getting engaged to an Army officer unexpectedly, when all her life she had maintained she would not marry early. Her parents and family were thrilled. The venue for the function at her village in Pawera was jam-packed. People from several villages had come for a glimpse of the groom. Captain Satish Dahiya from Banihari Village was the only Army officer in the surrounding area. He was basking in the glory of being a Haryanvi groom.

Sujata and her family had not seen the groom yet. It was only during the engagement ceremony that she could steal a glance at him. She was not impressed. Satish looked rough and tough. His round face was tanned and carried several bruises. Though he looked confident, he was undoubtedly not physically attractive. She had always hoped her life partner to be clean-shaven and sleek.

When Ritu, her friend, nudged her, and said, ‘Aur bata? Do you like him? Blushing already?’

Sujata replied, ‘I don’t know . . . He—kind of—looks arrogant. He has not made any attempt to interact with me yet. And who gets engaged so early in the morning? What is wrong with the boy’s side?’

‘The boy’s father, Sri Achal Singh Dahiya ji is an ardent devotee of a Pandit ji,’ said Ritu.‘He said 7.00 a.m. was the most auspicious time.’

They both giggled together. Sujata stole a glance at Satish and her eyes met his. He stared too. Immediately, she looked away. That was the only interaction Sujata had with Satish that day.

Theirs was an arranged marriage. Common relatives had seen them on behalf of each other, and proposed a match. Satish’s parents were in a great rush, and asked the girl’s side to have the engagement in March 2011—when he was expected to come home on leave. Satish arrived in February, earlier than expected, and the girl’s side had to rush for arrangements at short notice.

It had been two years since he was commissioned as an Army Service Corps (ASC) officer. He could only spend about a month and a half with his parents during that time. He was attached to the 1 Naga Regiment based at Nowgam, Jammu and Kashmir. It was his first posting. His parents had tried to hook him up with several girls, but it was only Sujata’s picture that caught his eye. His parents were afraid he would change his mind, and insisted on a quick marriage.

Sujata, the small-town shy girl whose world was limited to her home and college, was unaware of the world to which Satish belonged.

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