"Bitiya to bhot sundar h rang b bilkul doodh sa h" Said the matchmaker holding Aasha's photo in one hand and tea cup in another.

"Ji Ghanshyam ji bas koi acha sa rishta btwa dijiye hamari bitiya k lia"

Came from the father of aasha sitting opposite to the cot of matchmaker with aasha's mother.

"Are chinta ki koi baat hi nhi h apko to pta hi h iss gaon k zyadatar rishte mene hi krvaye h kisi m koi kami nikli kabhi aasha beti k lia b acha hi ghar dhudunga"

Matchmaker sipped his tea.

"Ji bhaisahab koi aisa ghar dekhiyega jo hamari beti ko apni beti ki trah rakhe vo choti h bhot or bholi b h" Aasha's mother expressed her concern.

"Are behenji 17 saal ki ho gai h aasha bitia yhi to umar hoti h byah ki fir umar nikal jane k baad rishte b nhi milte badi pareshani hoti h or fir ladki ka byah samay se ho jye yhi shi h" Matchmaker said.

"Ji shi baat h bas aap dekhe koi acha ghar" Aasha's father agreed.

"Ji ab m chalta hu namaste" The matchmaker went from their house.

"Tum b na asha ki maa bekar m hi chinta krti ho aasha sabhi bhai behno m bdi hone ke nate samajhdaar h vo sab kuch sambhal legi" Rupesh ji said to his wife Jaya.

"Ji meri bachi sabse badi h isi liya to choti si umar m hi apne bhai behno ki maa ban gyi, chulha choka, bartan, rasoi, iss sab k alawa kabi khud ko dekha hi nhi usne, ghar k bhar kabhi kadam bhi nhi rakha. Meri bachi itni bholi h mujhe to bhot chinta hoti h uski dusre ghar jaa k kaise rahegi." Jaya was worried about her daughters future.

"M samajhta hu Jaya par ye to har ladki k sath hona hi h Or fir agar umar badh gyi to rishte milna bhot mushkil ho jayga. Tum chinta mat karo hum apni bachi k lia apni taraf se sab kuch acha hi kar rhe h" He replied.

Jaya being a mother was still worried about her daughter. She knows her daughter too well. She knows how naive and innocent aasha is. She knows nothing out of their house.

And the condition of woman in their society is not hidden from anyone. Everyone knows they have no value without a father or a husband. And she is worried of what kind of in-laws aasha will get. Although she herself was lucky in this aspect. A few taunts from her mother in law here and there but nothing much and her husband has loved and respected her from the very beginning of their marriage. He had always valued her opinions.

But this is a rare occurrence. Generally daughter in laws are treated nothing more than a servant and a heir producing machine with ignorant husbands.

Although she is happy that her daughter has all the qualities needed to be a perfect daughter in law - fair skin, slim, long thick hair, submissive nature, knows household chores and she is positive that her daughter will get good matches with higher income groups of the society.

They are planning to marry their daughter into a house well off then them. They don't want her to dwell in poverty even after her marriage. Because this is the condition of their house. Apart from one house and a small farm they have nothing on their name and they rely on this same farm for their income. They keep the produce needed for the family and sell the rest. Though this is enough for their subsistence but still they want more for their daughter. They want her to be fulfilled and happy.

Getting up from the cot Jaya went into the kitchen to see aasha preparing dinner.

"Acha hua maa tum aa gyi m sabko bulane hi wali thi Khana ban gya h baba Or baki sab ko bhi bula lo" Aasha said arranging plates for everyone.

Jaya remained silent observing aasha. Her first born who has given her the joy of motherhood for the first time. The little girl whose giggles has filled the whole house. The teenager who has taken responsibility of the whole house. The girl who has grown up as if she is not her daughter but her sister sharing her emotions, the quiet caretaker who never raised her voice, always ready to help.

She recalled how her mother-in-law had taunted her in initial few days of aasha's birth of how she has bought a liability upon them in first time only. But this girl has proven more a asset than liability.

Now she will be gone. But its good for her. She will start her own grahasti (family). Will go to her permanent house and have her own children. She will become a woman.

"Maa jaldi karo na khana thanda ho jyga" Aasha said.

________________________________

It is night time and aasha is laying on her cot beside her sister poonam and gazing out of the window at the moon. Of course she had heard the conversation of her parents with the matchmaker, it's not like they live in haveli and cannot know what is happening around.

But this is not something out of the ordinary. She knew this day is about to come and the process has just begun.

And she is scared. Scared to leave her house and live somewhere else. How will she live without her maa, baba and siblings. Who will prepare food when her mother is out working on the fields.

And what if her in-laws doesn't like her. She had heard enough tales of how daughter- in -laws are treated. But she can do all the work a woman must do in the house but doesn't all the women do that and still treated bad.

And... and her husband, what will he be like.

Will he be good to her or... or bad.

It will be so good if she gets a husband like how her baba is to her maa. He love and respects her so much.

And her chacha ji is also good to her chachi ji. He is also a good husband though not that much good towards them but he literally worships his wife.

Aasha felt overwhelmed thinking all this. She turned around and hugged poonam. Poonam, who was in deep sleep swatted her arms away.

"Aasha chipak mat garmi ho rhi h" She said irritatingly.

"Jaa to Tu niche soo ja ja yaha se" Aasha said back to her irritated at her lack of comfort.

"Main kyu jau Tu jaa" Both started pushing each other out of the cot still laying.

This continued for sometime until both of them were out of breath and asha has already long forgotten about her marriage, her only aim right now was to push poonam out of the cot in which she was defeated thoroughly but on the brighter side she was still on the cot too. So it is a tie.

Days passed, and Aasha’s heart felt heavier with each one. The matchmaker kept bringing proposals, and her parents quietly discussed them at night. Aasha pretended not to hear, but her chest hurt every time they talked about her marriage.

One evening, after dinner, Aasha and Poonam lay on their cot, staring at the ceiling. The house was quiet except for the crickets chirping outside.

"Poonam," Aasha whispered.

"Hmm?" Poonam mumbled, half-asleep.

"Tu kabhi sochti hai shaadi ke baare mein?" Aasha asked, her voice small.

Poonam turned to face her. "Main? Nahi. Par teri baat toh chal rahi hai na?" she said with a teasing smile.

Aasha's face turned red. "Chup kar! Mujhe darr lagta hai," she admitted, her voice shaking.

"Darr kis baat ka?" Poonam asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Sab naya hoga... Naya ghar, naye log... Agar wo log mujhe pasand na karein toh?" Aasha's eyes filled with tears.

Poonam poked her forehead. "Tu itni tension kyun le rahi hai? Sabko tu pasand aayegi. Agar nahi aaye toh wapas aa jaana. Main tujhe charpai ke neeche chhupa lungi," she giggled.

Aasha sniffled but smiled. "Tu kya karegi mujhe chhupa ke?"

"Tujhse saara kaam karwaungi! Jhaadu, pocha, bartan — sab!" Poonam laughed.

Aasha gasped and hit her with a pillow. "Besharam! Main nahi karti kuch bhi!"

"Haan haan, bilkul nahi karti," Poonam said, blocking the pillow with her arm.

They both burst out laughing, hitting each other with pillows until they were tired and out of breath.

Finally, they flopped back on the cot, their faces pink from laughing so much.

"Aasha," Poonam whispered, her voice sleepy.

"Haan?"

"Tu jaayegi toh main akeli ho jaungi," she said softly.

Aasha’s chest tightened. She hugged her sister tightly. "Main tujhe kabhi chhod ke nahi jaaungi," she promised, even though she knew the truth.

But for that moment, her promise was enough. They fell asleep holding each other, their quiet giggles fading into the night.