( The readers are requested to read the earlier chapters 1 to 13, to understand the continuity of this story so far …)
( Just copying the last part of the last Chapter to maintain continuity…)
We had almost reached the top of the hill. We saw that Geeta was standing there on the top of the stairs, waiting for us. She started waving as soon as we came into her view. I waved back at her.
Now read on …..
Chapter 14
As soon as we reached the top, Geeta started animatedly, "Arrey what happened? Why did you take so long ? Did Sita didi get tired ? Did she have to put you down? I was getting worried."
I laughed, "What can I do ? Sita suddenly changed her mind. She said that she is not doing the right thing by carrying me up so many stairs in front of so many people. She said that if somebody from the office recognizes me, it will be bad for me. And also they'll recognise her when she joins the office from tomorrow. So she climbed right down to the beginning of the stairs. Then I had to convince her that there's hardly any chance of anybody from the office also coming here today. Then she agreed but she covered my face under her sari and again carried me up. A little earler I said that I'm suffocating under her sari, so she has just removed her sari from my face.
You are talking about Sita getting tired and putting me down ? She never put me down for once. I didn't expect this, because she is always so shy and meek. But I find that she is as strong as you are. She is handling me on her body as if I weigh nothing. When she was carrying me up covering my face under her sari pallu, I was feeling like I'm a 3 year old boy in the lap of my big, tall mother."
Geeta said, "Yes that is correct. If somebody sees you on her lap and especially the way she is carrying you like her baby, it will not be good for you or for her even. Come fast, let us finish the rituals quickly. Then she can put you down."
We went inside the Mandir hurriedly. There was quite a long queue even for offering the puja. Geeta said that first the payment of ₹100 has to be made at a counter and then they will give the token number. The puja has to be given in that serial number.
Till such time of course, Sita can take rest. There were quite a few benches scattered around the Mandir compound and even some concrete high slabs put at different places for the devotees to sit. It is allowed that while they are waiting for their Puja offering serial numbers to be called, the devotees can sit and take rest. This is because they had climbed up the hill lifting another person, so they would be tired. But even then the condition is that they must have the person they were carrying, sitting on their lap at least.
So while Geeta went to line up to buy the token number for the puja, Sita went for a seating space where she could sit holding me on her lap. She found a bench and sat down. She changed my sitting position. I was facing her all this time. Now she made me sit on her right thigh, sideways. So, my legs went over her other thigh. I had to have my left hand over her shoulder around her neck. Her right hand was holding me from my back wrapped around my back. Her left hand was resting on my thighs. She made me sit this way, so that she could see my face and talk to me.
I could see the eagerness in her since the time I had given the cooked up story to Geeta, as the reasons for our delay. As soon as Geeta was out of our hearing range, Sita started, "What Sir ? Why did you give all that story to Geeta ?"
I said, "What else could I say ? I couldn't tell her that you day dream about me that you have kidnapped me and carried me off in your arms to an unknown town far away from your mother and Geeta. See, you only said that Geeta has feelings for me. I do not want to create a competition between you two sisters regarding me. Then the love and understanding between you two sisters will diminish."
Sita was doubtful about this. She looked straight into my face, as I sat on her lap on the bench, "But Sir, Geeta wants me to develop a relationship with you. She was telling me this in the auto ride here, when you were sitting on my lap. I know she loves you, but can't express it because she is married and with a son. But she doesn't get her fantasies fulfilled by her husband. She gets that from you. She doesn't want to lose that. So she wants me to marry you, so that you remain in our family."
I said, "How do you know she gets her fantasies fulfilled by me ? What fantasies are you talking about ? Did she tell you all this ?"
Sita was holding me on her lap and chatting with me. I was looking like a school boy sitting on his mother's or elder sister's lap and talking to her. She smiled sweetly at me. With her left hand which was lying on my lap, she patted my arm unmindfully and said, "Come on Sir ! Don't act as if you don't know about her fantasies. She only told us that she had told you about my father being short, only 5 feet 3 inches and small as you are. Also our mother being 5 feet 9 inches tall and big and strong as we are. She had told you of the story where my sister Geeta and I found out when we were small, that mother had the habit of carrying father in different ways in her arms and lap, in the privacy of their room. From our childhood that fantasy grew in both of us sisters. Geeta, although younger to me by 5 years, got married and tried this fantasy in reality with her husband. But her husband didn't like the idea of being lifted by his wife and so Geeta did not persist on this, to maintain their martial peace. Then she met you a year back… That incident happened about the electric bulb changing, where she had to lift you up in her arms. That changed the equation between the two of you and from then on she had been fulfilling her fantasy of lifting and carrying a smaller guy through you."
I asked, "Did she tell you all this ?"
Sita said, "Not me personally, but Ma extracted this information out of her by cross questioning her. I was also present in the room, so I heard. Actually when Ma was staying with you, one day Ma had come to Geeta's place when you were in office. In fact Geeta had asked our mother whether she is taking proper care of you and not bothering you. Ma asked her what she meant by 'bothering' you ?
Geeta then asked Ma directly that, 'I hope you are not lifting up Sir as you used to lift and carry our father ?'
Then Ma also retorted, 'God wanted me to find him, that is why we are together now. And that is the reason Sir doesn't mind my picking him up in my arms and lap; and carrying him whichever way I want.'
Geeta got very angry at this and said, 'It is because of me, you have met Sir. Now what will he think of me ? You know what an important person he is in his Company? You are very much aware that he is short and light and you are so much taller and stronger than him. He will not be able to resist your strength. So you are forcefully lifting and carrying him.'
Mother said, 'Not forcefully, I asked his permission. He didn't say no. Besides, I felt that he is used to being lifted and carried. As soon as I lifted him up in my arms, he put his arms around my neck and wrapped his legs around my waist.' Mother looked meaningfully at Geeta.
Geeta questioned, 'What do you want to imply ? That I lift and carry Sir around ?'
Mother did a funny thing. She went and hugged Geeta. Geeta didn't expect this. She looked puzzled. So Ma said, 'Thank you Beta. If you had not prepared him to like being lifted and carried by a bigger woman, he might have refused me. In fact I wanted to discuss this with you today. I know you are thinking that I've come and taken your dream-man away from you. I know it is because of your relationship with Sir, we are all benefiting in our own ways. Your husband and Sita have got jobs; my shop is getting taken care of; you have realised your fantasy to become a reality and I have got back the love of my life. So I want to propose something to you. Let us both share our man whom we fantasize about, between us. We'll work out the time distribution. We will not be in Sir's flat both at the same time. We will also not question or interfere the way we want to have our relationship with him. What do you think of this idea ?'
So that is what it is, Sir. I think I answered your question. I am afraid I've told you all the background happenings because of which two tall, big women have been playing tug-of-war with you. And that is why I can only daydream that I will kidnap you and take you away from both of them."
I didn't know what to say. I just sat there on Sita's big, soft lap wondering what an honest, simple woman Sita was. She had told me all their personal discussions regarding me and the internal pact between mother and daughter to share their possession over me. Now sitting on Sita's lap it seemed that it's not two, but three big, tall women who have their common interest in me.
Sita was looking intently at my face, holding me on her lap, observing my silence as I was trying to digest what she had just told me. "What happened Sir ? You didn't say anything ?" She asked.
I smiled at her. I really appreciated her simplicity. She need not have shared all this inside information to me. I liked the fact that she was so open and honest with me. Then I don't know why but I just patted her cheek and said, "Good girl". Sita didn't expect such a reaction from me. She looked surprised at first, then gave me a shy smile. In acknowledgement she tightened her arm around my body a little, giving it a slight squeeze. She was looking at me with an enchanted look. I felt as if an unspoken trust was developing between us. I was feeling very relaxed and safe sitting on her thighs wrapped all around by her thick but soft arms holding me securely on her lap.
She was about to say something but stopped abruptly, when we saw that Geeta was coming our way in a hurry. When she reached near us, I said, "What took you so long to just get a token ?"
Geeta said, "There was such a rush there at the counter. Lot of people have gone there carrying their partners even in the queue. So there's double the number of people lining up. They were also taking more time to take out their money while carrying a person on their hip or back. It was total chaos there. Anyways, come let's go. There will be another line for the puja."
Sita stood up, lifting me up again in her arms. This time she took me on her hip, so that her one hand was free to carry the puja materials. I had my arms around her neck and shoulder and my legs wrapped tightly around her waist.
While walking inside, Geeta asked,"So Didi, hope you had your rest properly. And what were you two chatting all this time ? Both of you were sitting so romantically, anybody would think that you were madly in love."
I said, "What can we do ? The ritual here is such that all our positions look romantic. Even if I was sitting on Sita's lap bitching about you, anybody would think that I was flirting with her."
Both Sita and Geeta laughed out loud. Geeta said, showing mock anger, "So which one were you doing ? Bitching or flirting".
I gave a naughty smile, "Both !"
Geeta smiled, "Wait, let us finish the puja, then I'm going to show you." We all laughed.
We had reached inside. The crowd here was small, as only people with the tokens were here, not all devotees.
We waited for our turn. Sita stood at one side, holding me on her hips. My arms were around her neck. I was literally hanging on to her body, with my legs wrapped tightly around her waist too. Geeta was standing beside Sita, casually talking to her. I was feeling like being carried on my mummy's hips while she was chatting with my aunt.
Suddenly we saw that old lady coming towards us. Remember that old lady who guided Sita how to carry me up the stairs of the hill. Whom Geeta had carried up in her arms. She came and stood in front of us smiling. She put a hand on Sita's arm and said, "I'm very proud of you beta, seeing your love for him. Being a girl, you are carrying him for such a long time."
Our number was called. So Sita went forward carrying me on her hip. Geeta came with us also holding the puja materials, flowers and sweets. The old lady seemed to know the priest from earlier. She approached him and said, "I know this young couple. You bless them properly. This girl is very good, see how much she loves her boyfriend. Being a girl, she had carried him all the way up and held him in her arms for so long."
The Pujari ji (priest) asked our names and father's names and our Gotras. Then he offered the puja. He touched flowers on both Sita's head and mine and blessed us. She put red sindoor tika on both our foreheads. He blessed us by saying, "Have a very happy and peaceful married life". Geeta interfered, "No, no, they are not marrying today."
Pujari ji smiled and said, "I know. I'm just blessing them for the future."
Once the puja was done, Sita carried me away from there and we came out of the Mandir. Sita walked with me still on her hip to one side of the hill. The view from here of the valley down below was breathtaking. She stood there with me in her arms. Geeta came and stood in front of her. She said, "Didi, you can put Sir down now. What happened to you? You suddenly look so serious and thoughtful."
Sita still kept on holding me on her hip, as if unmindful that she is still carrying me. She wasn't even looking at me, as if I was non-existent. She looked at Geeta and said, "Do you think we did the right thing today ? Offering this Puja with Sir in my arms? When Pujari ji was saying our names and gotras together and then put the tika on our foreheads to bless us, I felt that Sir and I were actually a married couple. This is not right. His parents don't even know about this."
Geeta put a hand on Sita's arm, "What are you talking Didi ? Pujari ji didn't get you two married. There is a separate area for marriage rituals. You have to book that from earlier. They charge you more for that. Actually that old lady spoiled the whole thing. She started blabbering in the middle. Now you let him down, you need not carry him any longer." Geeta shook Sita, who reacted as if she woke up from a trance. She put me down hurriedly and moved away to one side. Something was definitely bothering her.
I took the opportunity and said I want to go to the washroom and left the sisters to talk over the matter amongst themselves.
When I returned some 15 minutes later, I saw that the two sisters were sitting on a bench chatting. Sita looked normal now. The sisters made space for me so that I could sit in the middle. Sitting between the two 5'9" tall and solidly built women, as usual I looked like a school boy beside them with my 5'3" height and slender body.
Both the sisters smiled sweetly down at me. I looked at Sita and said, "Are you ok now ? What happened ?"
She just smiled in return. Geeta said, "Actually, carrying you for such a long time; holding you so closely on her breasts and then the puja rituals with both your names and gotras, Didi became emotional about the whole incident. So she was feeling guilty that you had to go through all this process."
I asked a specific question looking at Sita, "Which process you didn't like? Carrying me on your breasts up the stairs or the Puja you performed carrying me on your hip ?"
Sita answered very seriously, "Only the puja part, not the 'carrying you' part."
I smiled, "Then it's ok. Puja was the main reason why you were here. And the priest has to follow his process. So you don't have any control on that. Come, let's go now, or do you want to spend more time here?"
Geeta said, "No, let's go. If we get back early, you can get some rest on your Sunday."
I laughed, "Rest ? I didn't do anything today. I hardly walked either. I was mostly carried by Sita only. Be it on her lap on the auto ride here; or crossing the stream on her back; and then this herculean climb up the hill in her arms and on her breasts; and then the puja being carried on her hips. She is the one who needs rest. On top of that she will start her office from tomorrow morning".
This time while climbing down the hill, I was allowed to walk. I was quite enjoying it though, walking beside two big women towering over me. I like such feelings, you know, standing beside much taller women.
But the stream had still to be crossed. This time Geeta said, "Didi, would you mind if I carried Sir across the stream. You have done a lot of carrying today, so take some rest."
Sita readily said, "Yes sure, go ahead. But for carrying Sir, I don't need any rest. He's so small and light."
So Geeta put her slippers and mine in a plastic bag. I thought she would take me on her back, the way Sita did when we came. But Geeta said she wanted to carry me from the front, like the way Sita carried me up the hill. I knew why. Geeta liked this position more. She says that this way, my face is just in front of hers and she could see me from very close.
Sita was crossing over the stream alone and was a little ahead of us. I was hanging on to Geeta's firm body. My face was over one of her shoulders so that she could look ahead. I was hugging her neck tightly. My legs were wrapped around her waist. Geeta whispered, "Flirted a lot na, with my sister ?"
I whispered back, "Arrey this is all happening as per your directions only. You asked her to develop a relationship with me."
Geeta replied, "Very smart eh ? Giving it back to me ! I told her to develop a relationship with you. Did I tell you to do the same ?"
I smiled, " Are you jealous ?? Ok I'll not encourage her anymore."
She replied promptly, "Noo.. Then that'll upset my plan. Let's see how it's going. You don't stop her now. I have a much bigger plan. I know I will have to sacrifice a part of my possession of you. But.. can't help."
The stream was not very wide, so we couldn't talk much. On reaching the other side, Geeta put me down from her lap. Sita joined us and we were on our way to get our auto.
Since it was past lunchtime, we decided to have our mid day meal in one of the restaurants there. The restaurant we went to was supposed to be quite famous for its food quality. The food was really very good. I generally do not take rice dishes for lunch, as it makes me feel sleepy in the afternoon. But the girls insisted that the restaurant's pulao is a speciality. It was really very good, especially the quality and flavour of the rice. Now I know why that belt is known as the 'Rice bowl of India'.
The seating arrangement in the return journey was the same as earlier. The two big tall women on the back seat and the short and small me on the lap of Geeta. Yes Geeta wanted to have me on her lap on the return journey. Sita did not object. The lunch was a little too heavy for me. With all that rice in my stomach, I started yawning and feeling sleepy. I asked Geeta, "Would you mind if I fell asleep on your lap ?"
Both of them laughed and Geeta said, "No issues Sir, you take your nap. In that case, I'll take you sideways on my lap."
Both the sisters then started working on making me comfortable for sleeping on their lap. Geeta lifted me and placed me on her left thigh and pulled my legs across on her lap, extended towards Sita. Sita removed my slippers and kept them between her own feet on the floor of the auto and took my legs on her lap. Geeta put one arm behind my back and wrapped her long arm around my upper body. With her other arm, she pulled my thighs onto her lap. So now I was practically held on Geeta's lap cradled in her arms. My legs got extended towards Sita and lay on her lap. I was now sitting, or rather, almost lying sideways on Geeta's lap, with my face actually on Geeta's big, firm breasts.
I said, "How have you two taken me on your laps? What will people from other autos or cars passing by think when they see me lying on your laps like this."
Geeta slightly loosened her sari pallu from her shoulder and covered my face and my shoulders with her sari pallu. Now I couldn't see anything. My face was now directly on Geeta's blouse hidden under her sari. I heard Geeta's voice, "Are you comfortable now Sir ? Now nobody will be able to recognise that a man is lying on our laps, you are all covered up. Even if they notice, they'll think it's a small boy lying on his mother's lap. Now you go to sleep."
My eyes were already closed. The way Geeta was holding me now, her thick arms wrapped all around my upper body, with me lying on her lap ; she had placed her left palm over my face to keep the sari pallu from not slipping off. With her right hand over my waist, she was gently rubbing my back. My legs were now lying on Sita's lap. I felt her massaging my thigh muscles, then my calf muscles gently, moving on to my feet; my ankles; my toes. The feeling was so relaxing. I slowly drifted off to sleep.
"Sir, wake up … we have almost reached," Geeta had bent her face near my ear and called me softly. I opened my eyes. It took some time for me to register that I had been sleeping all through the return auto journey on the lap of two big women. Come to think of it, these two girls were of my age group, one younger by just 3 years and the other by 8 years. And they had been handling me on this trip to the temple almost entirely on their arms and lap, like I was a little boy compared to them. In fact I was now sleeping in the lap of the woman 8 years younger to me, with my face hidden in her breasts under her sari pallu.
But strangely enough, or possibly not, I wasn't a bit embarrassed or ashamed by this. Both of them, although not related to me, seemed so closely connected to my heart.
Both ? Yes both …. That's the problem…..Is it wrong to like both of them ? ….Do I really have to choose one ?
( To be continued…..)
