Gangaa 12 April 2020: Sagar crawls on the floor to reach out for the key when Maharaj holds his feet. The kids are taken aback but then are relieved to see that Maharaj is fast asleep. Sagar keeps his hand back ever so carefully and gets hold of the key. Maharaj ji sits up in his sleep. The kids run out just then.
<< Gangaa 11 April 2020 update
Amma ji wakes up and finds Ganga’s bed empty. She falls asleep yet again.
Sagar opens the storeroom. He finds the jar full of mathri’s but it is out of his reach. Ganga still suggests him against it. I don’t want to eat anything. He tells her to be quiet. I have already got half of the sin by stealing the key. What’s the point of it all if you don’t eat mathri? Torch’s battery goes dead. Sagar pulls out a big container, picks up the jar full of mathri’s gives some to Ganga. He keeps the jar back in its place. AMma ji wakes up with a start hearing the noise. She calls out for Maharaj ji who too wakes up. He is upset as his sleep got disturbed. Ganga is worried. Maharaj ji switches on the light of kitchen and finds no one else there. Amma ji suggests him to check the storeroom. He replies that it is locked.
The noise must have come from upstairs. He again lies down to sleep but Amma ji wants him to check the terrace. She is worried thinking what if a thief entered their house! He gets up muttering to himself that his sleep is ruined. Ganga thinks of an idea. She imitates cat’s voice. Sagar too follows suit. Maharaj smiles thinking that it was just a cat. He tells the same to Amma ji; and also lies that he went upstairs. Amma ji is worried thinking about the utensils kept upstairs. I will have to clean them with ashes tomorrow morning.
Sagar is impressed with Ganga’s smartness. You fooled Maharaj ji no nicely. She did so to avoid committing a sin and Amma ji’s scolding. They both go out of the storeroom then (they forget locking it back). She initially refuses to eat as they got it after stealing but then takes it when he says that he will feel bad otherwise. She goes back to Amma ji’s room. She hides the mathri’s when Amma ji wakes up. She smartly tackles Amma ji’s questions (even about the cat). Amma ji turns her back to Ganga as she again tries to sleep. Ganga looks at the mathri’s in her hands. Sagar too returns to his room with a few mathri’s. Pulkit tells him to sleep as it is too late. Sagar agrees and munches on the mathri’s.
Ganga thinks of Sagar’s words (about Kanha ji) and then of Bappa telling her against stealing. She is in a dilemma. She keeps them under her bedding; rubs her hands together and then looks at her palms. She assures her Bappa that his Bandariya can stay hungry but will never eat stolen food. She finally lies down to sleep.
Amma ji notices Ganga’s posture (funny) as she sleeps. She wakes her up. It is still dark outside but AMma ji tells Ganga that widows have to get up before sunrise. It is written in the scriptures. Ganga wants to know why widows cant live till late like other people. Amma ji replies that they have to make up for their sins. Ganga calls her a sinner. You have sinned? Amma ji mildly scolds her. Stop all this rubbish, we have to go take a bath now. Amma ji is all set to leave when she notices Maharaj ji still sleeping. She throws a cloth at him to wake him up. Prepare my Tulsi pujan thaal by the time I go for my Snan. Maharaj ji nods. Amma ji leaves with Ganga. Maharaj ji notices the empty key rack. Where is the key of storeroom? He goes to check.
Amma ji talks about the Banaras of her time and of today. A foreigner tries to click their photo but Amma ji literally shoos him away. Amma ji teaches her the ritual and Ganga is told to follow suit.
Maharaj ji finds the key (of storeroom) in the lock. The entire room is completely messed up. He runs out to inform Madhvi about it.
Amma ji and Ganga are returning home when Amma ji stops in her tracks upon noticing a dog. She is scared of dogs. She tries to walk away quietly but the dog barks and she shouts for Maharaj ji for help. The kids encourage the dog (Moti) to catch Amma ji. Moti continues to bark at Amma ji. Amma ji scolds the kids for troubling an old lady. Amma ji tries to take another route when the dog catches hold of her carry bag. Amma ji shouts for help but no one comes to her rescue. Ganga looks at the kids enjoying the show.
Ganga tells Moti not to trouble Amma ji like that. He stops and sits back. She asks him if he will like it if Amma ji takes bath again. Don’t trouble her again. She pats his head and tells him to go. He leaves quietly. The kids run away as well. Amma ji is relieved but they both have to take bath again as the dog has touched both of them.
Maharaj ji, maid and Madhvi are busy cleaning the storeroom. Maharaj ji tells them that it was a cat that did all this. Everything is ruined. he curses the cat. Madhvi stops him. Niranjan asks them about what happened.
Amma ji is irked seeing the foreigners wearing short clothes while she is doing her puja / bath.
The kids are told to eat outside today. She gives money to Pulkit to buy breakfast from outside. They are leaving just when Amma ji and Ganga are returning home. They wonder why the kids left so early. Maharaj ji tells Amma ji about the cat, it spoiled all the food. Amma ji scolds him for he dint listen to her yester night. Niranjan is against wasting so much food. So many people yearn for food every day. You will throw away this much food just because a cat ate bits of it?
Amma ji talks about the rule of Brahmins / Chaturvedi House. Maharaj ji tells everyone that Madhvi was the last person who had gone to the storeroom yesterday. Madhvi remembers it well that she had locked the door properly. Maharaj ji doubts that she might have forgotten about it as she was a little tensed yesterday. Amma ji scolds her for being careless. Niranjan too looks at her quietly. Ganga wonders if she should tell the truth that Madhvi ji is innocent. They will scold Sagar otherwise.
Sudha comes there with the other widows. The ladies go inside along with Amma ji and Ganga.
Niranjan is surprised that Madhvi can be so careless. It is not about money but I don’t like wasting food. He leaves for the court. Madhvi is in tears.
Madhvi gives money and the list of all the stuff that is to be bought to Maharaj ji. How could I make such a big mistake? Such a huge loss because of me, I wonder where my mind is these days! Prabha overhears her muttering to herself. What happened? Why do you look so sad? She seeks Madhvi’s help in filling up a form. Yash will have to study in a government school now. Your brother’s promotion stopped. How to arrange Yash’s fees now! Madhvi gives her money. You have my swear that you wont refuse it. Yash will study in the same school where he is studying right now. Prabha starts acting again. your brother’s self respect will be hurt. Madhvi continues to insist. I will talk to my brother in case he finds out about it. Prabha reasons that there are a lot many expenses too other than this. I have lost my sleep because of this. Madhvi too is worried about the same. She then tells Prabha about yester night’s incident. I am so helpless. I cannot see my brother in pain and neither can I do anything for him. Ganga notices her crying. She feels bad.
Ganga feels bad that it all happened because she was hungry. Everyone is angry with Madhvi ji, including Babu. I cannot tell anyone about it as Sagar will be scolded badly. He is so concerned about me. She recalls Amma ji scolding Madhvi. This will continue if I don’t speak the truth now. It is all my mistake. She remembers how Madhvi takes care of her. She is so good. This isn’t right that she gets scolded for no reason. I will tell everything to Amma ji right away.
Amma ji is reading a holy book. She speaks about the power of truth. Whoever is truthful, is the greatest person on earth. Ganga confesses her crime before Amma ji and all the ladies. Bahu ji had locked the storeroom yester night. There was no cat. She takes the blame on herself. Amma ji deduces that Ganga had gone there to eat mathri. How dare you go there? Sudha points out that Ganga feels ashamed of eating what people give to the widows (as in alms) but can steal and eat. Ganga declines stealing anything. She gets the mathri’s from under her bedding. The mathri’s are intact. I haven’t eaten any of them. Sudha angrily tells her to be quiet. Who would have counted it? You are a liar. Amma ji is irked that Ganga stole them as she was told not to eat it. The sooner you control your tongue, the better. Sudha suggests her not to waste her time on this arrogant girl. She is not going to change. Amma ji vows to make it happen at any cost. Sudha suggests her to make Ganga keep a (nirjala) fast as it is Ekadashi tomorrow. Epi ends on Ganga’s face.
Amma ji likes Sudha’s idea. Ganga too will keep a fast tomorrow with all of us. You wont eat anything starting from tomorrow (sunrise) till day after tomorrow (sunrise). You wont even drink water. This will be your punishment.
Sudha is happy with Ganga’s punishment and stares at her. Pishi Ma is against it though. You must not make a little girl do a fast like that. It is very tough. Amma ji (Kanta) wants to teach a lesson to Ganga. You don’t get heaven without dying. Similarly, you wont gain any sense without going through some pain. From that fast she will understand what we have learnt in our life. She is not a special girl. Satsang is over because of Ganga. She leaves. The other widows too hold different different opinions about Ganga. Sudha points out to Ganga that this is what happens when you steal and eat. Ganga retorts that she didn’t steal. Sudha cannot understand why Ganga is so stubborn.
You wont accept your mistake even! She recalls Ganga’s reaction last time at the widow’s orphanage when she had refused to accept her mistake and apologize to Sudha. Only your address has changed. Rest is all same. You are so hot headed even in this age. No problem, you will be on track tomorrow after staying hungry / thirsty for the entire day. Have you done something like that before? Can you dare to do so? Ganga says don’t talk about my capabilities Sudha Bua (which obviously shocks Sudha). If you can do it then I too can do it. It’s no big deal. Sudha stares at her wide eyed.
Maharaj ji has brought all the new stuff for storeroom. He tells the maid to count the number of sacks. They talk about the rising prices and how only rich people (like Chaturvedi’s) can afford to buy it all over again. Sagar returns home. He overhears their convo. Maid points out to Maharaj ji that it was just a cat. Bahu ji had to listen to so much because you shouted and called out to everyone. Sagar is shocked to know that his mother was scolded. By whom? Maid takes Amma ji and Niranjan’s name. It all happened because she (Madhvi) forgot to lock the storeroom. Sagar runs inside. Maharaj ji scolds Maid for gossiping around all the time.
Sagar questions his Dadi. Why did you scold my mother? Amma ji says I have every right to scold my DIL. Sagar tells her everything. It was not either mom’s or Ganga’s fault. I was the thief. Ganga told me against it yet I insisted. You can scold / beat / punish me but don’t say anything to my mother. Mom had locked the storeroom. It was me who stole the key from the kitchen and opened the lock. Amma ji signals him to be quiet and takes him to his room. Once inside, Sagar tells her everything in detail. Mom knows nothing. It was I who did everything. Why did you scold her then? Amma ji tells him not to share this with anyone else.
Next: Monday update on Gangaa
