Asthi visarjan

Author’s P. O. V.

 “Shayra, close the window yaar, let me sleep, this is too early…” He said in his sleepy voice and turned to the other side. Sherlin who was outside his room heard his voice. She took a deep breath as she opened the door.

“Shayra!” He groaned as the sun's rays did not stop; His head was aching so badly. Sherlin looked at his sleeping figure on the carpet. He still had not realized his wife was dead.

Sherlin sat on her knees looking at his face; the sun rays falling on his face made him look angelic; his hair was a mess; Sherlin wanted to run her hand through his hair.

She bites her lip as she lifted her hand but stopped in the middle.

He is your brother-in-law Sherlin.

But he is my husband now… argued her consciousness.

Husband? Think again before saying that word, he married you because Shayra wanted him to, he married you because Shayra’s daughter needed a mother. 

You have no right to him. 

That shut her up; both her mind and her feeling; taking a deep breath she withdrew her hand back; “Yash” She called his name as he smiled in his sleep.

He has a beautiful smile. 

Shut up Sherlin… shouted her consciousness.

Clearing her throat, she called his name again, “Yash” this time he opened his sleepy eyes when he did not feel his wife kissing his forehead and massaging his head like she did every morning and even her voice did not sound like hers.

‘Did I forget about something again?’ He thought as he frowned; he still was not hit by the reality.

“Shayra… Why are you not waking me up every day?” He asked as a sad smile made its way to Sherlin’s lips.

See he loves her

“Yash,” She called his name in a firm voice as he looked at her; he blinked a few times only to find himself still hugging Shayra’s dress. He sighed, and Yash fell asleep on the floor in the company of his tears and Shayra’s memories. The morning sun peaked from his window and he was woken up with the presence of a headache.

Every memory came back to him as his eyes fell on the portrait of his wife he made when he knew nothing about her, Shayra had demanded to keep it in front of their bed, so he’ll always remember her.

“Everyone is waiting for you, we need to leave for asthi visarjan (bone immersion after death)” Sherlin said as He nodded.

“The jet is waiting,” She said as he nodded once again; he was not in the mood to speak.

They were leaving for Ambala then they will take the cars to Haridwar to do the last ritual of Shayra. Yash got up and neatly folded the dress he was hugging; it still had her smell in it.

Sighing, he went to take a shower.

Yash walked downstairs in a white kurta and pants; his family was waiting for him; Ahana started crying as soon as she saw her father.

She started wiggling in Sherlin’s grip as she struggled to hold 2-year-old Aahana.

“Ahana, baby, come here, “Yash took her in his arms as little Aahana kept her head on his shoulder; he patted her back as she smiled in her father’s hands.

“We should get going,” Sherlin said after Aahana calmed down a little.

Yash gave her to Sherlin before he proceed to do what the priest told him last he took the last bones of her that did not become ash; his hands were trembling but he had no choice but to be strong for her.

Everyone needed to say goodbye to Shayra; lastly, he reached to hold the hand of his daughter.

“Come on aahana, say goodbye to mamma,” He said with great difficulty as aahana looked at him with her doe-like eyes; her eyes resembled Shayra's.

The same blue eyes; he fell in love with.

“Say bye to mamma,” He said again but Aahana was confused; she could not see her mother anywhere then how should she say bye to?

“Here say bye to this,” He kept her hand on the piece of white cloth in which Shayra’s bones were.

“Bye maauuu” She yawned at the end as she kept her head on Sherlin’s shoulder.

Yash smiled at his daughter before he walked out of the house; the rest of the people followed him.