From the Chronicles of a Dutiful Bahu!!!!

*Bahu - Daughter In Law

Yes I am back & how! Have a severe cold and cannot take chutti because there is so much to do here. The trip was good great, we all had loads of fun, managed to meet Scribby, won few prizes, danced like a dream and ate loads but that is all for another post.

 

On the first day of the trip we had gone to Ujjain, the purpose was to have a quick darshan of the Mahakaleshwar temple and then a move to Indore. Hubby’s cousin brother came to pick us up at the Station and he also informed us that Bhabhi (his wife) had gone to school but would come back by 9-9:30. After resting for some time we started getting ready. I had bathed Arnav when I heard the kitchen door open and then a voice announced, ‘I have come’.

 

I immediately thought that Bhabhi must have come, so I rushed into the kitchen & as per Indian traditions touched her feet. It was after I had touched her feet that I gave her onceover & the two things that came to my mind immediately were

• She looked older than the cousin bro
• She looked a little different (read taller) from how I had seen her last time.

But then I ignored both the points because a- didn’t matter & b- I was not very sure about my memory. So I engaged her in small talks like how she is & where I should hang the clothes etc. She answered me nicely and I went on the terrace to hang the clothes.

When I came back I saw here doing the atta, so out of courtesy I said

Me: What is this you have come just now & started working? (aate hi kaam pe lag gayi aap)
She: *She smiled* am doing my job. (Main apna kaam kar rahi hoon)

I smiled with a doubt.

She: Will you call bhaiya from the room? I need to ask how much atta I need to take.

I nodded & managed a hasty rtreat from the kitchen. My doubts increased manifold, I went to the main room, informed bhaiya & whispered in my hubby’s ear “I think I confused the maid with Bhabhi and touched her feet”.

It turned out that the lady was their cook and has been with them from a long time and is like a family member to them so there was no harm done by respecting her.

Not that I am regretting the incident because I very well remember that in the initial years of our marriage either I used to miss forgetting touching feet of elders or I would need prompting to do so. So after the initial misses I have adopted a policy of see-an-elder-touch-the-feet resulting in no-harm-to-anyone result ;-) and once in a while I give enough laugh worthy incidents for family.

So how have you been guys?