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“Last Ritual....” The old pandit declared and both Ravi and Dhatri turned to run away from Sabha Mantap...! 

“No wait...” The pandit tried to call them back.

“No way...” Ravi yelled turning back his head to check whether anyone was following them.  Dhatri was far ahead of him in running out of the temple complex.  She didn’t bother to look back.

“What?” She stopped abruptly causing Ravi to bump on her.

“What?” He asked her looking back to recheck.  No one was following them, but everyone had gathered at the entrance of the Mandir.  

“Gates closed...” she said looking around to find out another way....! 

“I can jump over...” she looked up at eight feet compound wall.  “No..!” he shook his head.  The pandit was approaching...! 

“No... not a single ritual now... Its over.. we are married...” Ravi yelled threatening and Dhatri hit her back on the wall.  

“Food... You should eat Prashad...” pandit said grinning and Dhatri took a sigh.  “Finally...” she had not had anything in last 24 hours expect that Panchaamrit... That too it had not satisfied her hunger, instead, had worked as appetizer.  But she wouldn’t take the risk.  She shook her head.

“No.. we will eat something outside...” Ravi understood her fear.  “What if they start with asking them to cook food for everyone, as a part of ritual?" They were asked to make prashad in the afternoon and everyone else except this newly wed, had the privilege to have it smacking their lips” He wouldn’t let that happen.  He tried to open the huge cast iron gate of the Mandir.  Pandit had reached ...

“No use... Father has the key...” he said grinning and Dhatri tried climbing over the gate..! 

“No use...” Pandit again challenged looking at Dhatri’s lehenga and Chunari and Jaymala ...! But he didn’t know.  He gaped in disbelief.  Dhatri had climbed over the gate with agility using the force of her hands and not bothering about the girth of her lehenga.  

“No stop...!” Pandit yelled.  “Please... its only simple food.  Its already ready and served... Please.. come and have prashad..” he pleaded.  Ravi looked up at Dhatri and suddenly burst out in laughter ....

“What?” Dhatri jumped in front of him angrily.

“Rhesus macaque...” He teased her.  “Shut up...Langur...!” she retorted.  The pandit gaped with dropped jaw.  She had climbed the huge, precarious, gate and had jumped off from more than ten feet with the same agility...! Indroneel came hurriedly.

“Chalo Dhaa... Food is served...” he dragged reluctant Dhatri inside.  Dhatri’s hungry tummy was dragging her forward and her defiant mind was pulling her back resulting in rooting her to the ground.

“Chalo...” Ravi pushed her a bit from back and she moved into the Mandir again.  The engulfing nightfall and the aroma of the food gave goosebumps...! she sat down in front of the plate.

“No... no.. come here... you need to sit here... “ a decorated place with two chairs and a table was arranged...”

“What does it matter? Food is same everywhere...” she muttered angrily.

“Ayyooo...!” She heard Suresh exclaimed in panic....

“What?” she approached forgetting about the other waiting people.

He was talking over the phone with shocked face fidgeting nervously.

“What?” Poorva asked thrmping her hands on her hips...

“Poorva... We have our project exams tomorrow...” he said in a ghostly voice and Poorva lost her balance.

“Oh God..! I completely forgot..! OhGod.. what are we going to do?” she was panic too.

“We haven’t reported and set up the lab.  There was a call from the lab assistant.  We have it at 8:00 in the morning it seems...~ ! he said looking at others.

“What are we going to do? It takes almost twelve hours to travel... Even if we leave now we will reach in the nick of the time...Its already 8:30 here...!” Poorva calculated.  

“We should move...!” Suresh went to talk to Ravi...

“Shit.. I forgot...!” Ravi made a frantic call to his partner who was to evaluate the team and the project.  Suresh and team ran towards the palace to grab their things.  Rahman offered them vehicle.  They didn’t know what to do with Dhatri.  She sure was going to miss the exam.

“Dhatri... I think you should give the exam..!” Ravi said seriously.

“What? Why?” the thought of exam made Dhatri shiver to the core.  What if she missed the exam?

“Yes Dhatri... Its only a project Demo...!” Dr, Salil said and Dhatri turned her face.  

“Marriage rituals were better than that stupid project demo...!” she muttered turning her back and moving out of Mandir.

“Wait... have food and go.  I will arrange the vehicle...” Avadhesh said stopping her in the middle.  She turned again, losing her appetite.  Afroz came over.

“I go and collect your things.. you have food and be ready...” she said glancing at Dhatri’s wedding attire.  Dhatri nodded.  She hurriedly gulped down some morsels and got up. 

"Need to change..!" she whispered in Nilima's ears and Nilima nodded gesturing at a suitcase.  Dhatri dashed to pick up her dress.

“Let us go...” Ravi said.  The vehicles were waiting... Dhatri opened the backseat door and Ragini pushed her out.

“Take the other vehicle..” she said giggling.

“Why?” Dhatri asked shocked looking at all her gang crammed in the vehicle.

“There is no space here...” Poorva said rolling her eyes.

“I can manage.....” Dhatri tried squeezing in.  Ragini pushed her out again.

“Come with him... your husband...” Dhatri gaped at the closed door in shock.

“Husband? Ravi is my husband?” It had never occurred to her.  She turned aghast. 

“I should travel with him... I can’t be with my friends..!” The realization brought tears in her eyes....! 

Another vehicle was waiting.  She grew panic.  "Do I have to travel alone with Ravi?" She looked up to see Suleyman opening the door of the vehicle.  Ravi glanced at Dhatri's face.

"Wait... " he said authoritatively.  
"You may have to revise and discuss for the exam..." he said to Dhaa's relief.  She nodded furiously.  

"Ok...! You go with them..." he said little disappointed and turning to talk to Suleyman.   Dhatri hesitated.

"And you?" she asked.  He gave her a hard look.  "I will come in another car...!" he said calmly.  She lingered.
"Go Dhatri...!" he said.  She shook her head a bit and suddenly said brightly...
"You drive.." he looked at her mulling over the solution.  She grinned.  Driver could be eliminated and Ravi could be accommodated. 

"No way..." Suleyman said loudly.  "Dulhay ko Gadi Nahi Chalanay Dengay...!" he said firmly.  There was a deadlock again.  Dhatri's gang was impatient.  They were all waving at her...!