Good People: Most Popular Romance

Medhavi was doing very well with her MS studies in University of California. She was happy convincing herself that she did better with her academic progress when compared to Shaan who stopped his studies just after graduation.

Once she mentioned to her roommate Anjali, “Anji, don’t you think that I am in a better position than Shaan? He is just a graduate from India and I will be a post-graduate that too from a reputed university of America. I am sure to get a great job in USA and he is struggling with his start-up in India.”

Anjali did not comment. Just said, “OK.”

Medhavi remained cross with Anjali for many days after this.

Medhavi started spending less time with Anjali and more with Samskara. Samskara was her classmate.

Samskara also came from India to US to do his MS. He lived in an apartment that was quite close to Medhavi’s. Since Samskara and Medhavi were teamed together to carry out a project they needed to consult each other often. In the process they started frequenting each other’s apartment.

One day when they were at Samskara’s apartment they got talking generally.

Samskara informed, “Our family originally comes from South India, more particularly from Tamil Nadu. I am a chaste Hindu Brahmin.”

“What a coincidence. Our family also hails from Tamil Nadu. And we too are chaste Hindu Brahmins.”

“Do you know why my parents named me ‘Samskara’?

“Tell me.”

“They are very proud of Hindu samskaras (rites of passage, cultural heritage and upbringing). As per them Hindu samskaras have no match in other religions. They wanted to imbibe all those samskaras in me.”

Medhavi added, “And so they named you Samskara. Right?”

Samskara could feel a sense of approval of his credentials.

“Yes. I am proud to say that I lead my life by those samskaras.”

And they exchanged many things describing their personal and academic resumes. They described to each other what their parents did back home. Fathers of both of them held high positions in government jobs. People in India always held high opinion and were in the awe of the persons who grabbed top positions in government departments. To top it all both sets of parents were equally religious.

They were happy to know that their religious, personal and family backgrounds were quite identical. Soon their professional and academic association turned into a personal friendship. And gradually they decided to personally like each other and to ultimately fall in love with each other.

They were convinced that they were a great match.

Before all these developments between the two took place, they were in constant consultations with their respective parents.

Medhavi’s parents sought a lot of information about Samskara’s family background and she scooped it from Samskara at times directly and other times indirectly.

Samskara’s parents also sought a lot of information about Medhavi’s family background and he scooped it from Medhavi at times directly and other times indirectly.

In doing this research work many days and months passed.

And finally when everyone was satisfied that everything was in order, Medhavi fell in love with Samskara and also Samskara fell in love with Medhavi.

As their final examination leading to completion of their MS approached and one day when they were at Samskara’s apartment studying together and took a break to cook the dinner together, Samskara found it a perfect time to broach the subject of his falling in love with Medhavi, “Medhavi, now that we will complete our studies, I think that it’s time for me to declare my love to you. I feel that we should marry soon after I get a job. Of course your consent is necessary.”

“I was about to say the same thing to you,” Medhavi said. “I have also fallen in love with you. I don’t mind if we marry soon after you get a job. By then I will also be having a job. So, that suits me. Then should we inform our parents?”

The deal was done.

“Yes, we should inform our parents. They will need to carry out lots of preparations since our marriage will have to take place following strict religious rituals. They will also have to find out an appropriate shubh muhurtham (auspicious date) in consultation with our guruji (the priest). All this takes time.”

“I too believe in all the necessary religious rituals of the marriage and a shubh muhurtham. Without them, the marriage does not feel like a marriage.”

“You said it. My opinion is ditto.”

Their meeting ended with a perfunctory embrace with some tinge of emotions.

Then both of them got busy with their studies.

They also got busy communicating with their respective parents with reference to their impending marriage.

After consulting the respective priests Samskara and Medhavi and their parents took decision that the marriage would take place in Chennai, India within next six months since that period presented the most auspicious time for solemnizing their marriage. Auspicious time was decided by the positions of the planets with reference to earth.

Medhavi and Samskara started looking forward to the D-day. They started making the necessary preparations to travel to India.

(Get your copy of the novel "Good People" as an eBook from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009BHH37G only for $ 0.99. You may also like to get its Printed Book from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Good-People-Dream-Boundary-World/dp/1479333085/ref=sr_1_8_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380916602&sr=1-8&keywords=shyam+bhatawdekar%27s+books)

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Novel "Good People" http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/
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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Good People: Chapter 13: Modern Romance

All the Chapters

Chapter 1: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-path-breaking-novel-and.html

Chapter 2: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-classic-novel-and-classic.html

Chapter 3: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-romance-with-difference.html

Chapter 4: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-unique-story.html

Chapter 5: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-contemporary-romance.html

Chapter 6: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-story-of-subtleties-of-life.html

Chapter 7: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-interestig-reading.html

Chapter 8: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-global-perspective.html

Chapter 9: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-contemporary.html

Chapter 10: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-romantic-scenarios.html

Chapter 11: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-professionally-right.html

Chapter 12: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-expanding-thinking-horizons.html

Chapter 13: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-modern-romance.html

Chapter 14: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-serious-reflections.html

Chapter 15: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-story-of-human-paradigms.html

Chapter 16: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-dilemma-and-solutions.html

Chapter 17: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-romance-and-tough-decisions.html

Chapter 18: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-tale-of-disaster-and-anxiety.html

Chapter 19: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-people-prejudices-and-conflicts.html

Chapter 20: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-people-anxiety-and-love-story.html

Chapter 21: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-people-love-triangle-jealousy-and.html

Chapter 22: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-people-interesting-climax.html

Chapter23: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2014/01/good-people-love-story.html

Chapter 24: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2014/01/good-people-finally-love-knows-no-bounds.html

Chapter 13

Over next many months Shaan and Kelly kept meeting outside their offices. Sometimes the meeting was at the school’s conference room and other times in some restaurant over a dinner.

Shaan felt convinced about the boundarylessness of ‘Humanity Forum’. He saw that the philosophy of the members of this forum matched quite well with his own one-liner guiding principle of “feel, think and do good to self and others”.

He did not have to wait too long to decide on actively starting his association with the members of the group. He started attending every meeting and soon started taking part in its work. He gave his free dates to the group’s office when he could undertake group’s projects.

He easily won the trust and confidence of rest of the group members of ‘Humanity Forum’ in no time.

Soon Shaan wrote to his parents in India about his professional activities as well as his association with ‘Humanity Forum’.

He also wrote about Kelly, “Mom and dad, I met this girl Kelly. She is interesting in many ways. She is very intelligent, highly educated- a PhD, carries a thinking head on her shoulders and I find her very beautiful. Works as an executive in the world-best software company ‘Super Soft’. A black single mother named Christie brought her up; later adopted by a couple. A white guy, Kelly’s father had ditched Christie in marriage. Now Kelly’s legal mom is a Chinese and the legal father a Hindu. Christie died of cancer after handing over Kelly- then a teenager- to her office colleagues and friends Yin and Arun. Don’t you think hers is a beautiful profile?”

Yusuf and Alice read Shaan’s email with lots of interest and replied promptly, “Hey Shaan, a perfect wifely material, we suppose?”

Yusuf and Alice keenly looked forward to Shaan’s reply.

Shaan wrote back promptly, “Come on mom and dad, no kidding please. I am just not ready.”

Yusuf and Alice did not pursue it further.

Around this time Kelly was telling her parents about Shaan much more than what little they knew about him so far. She described, “I did not know Shaan’s personal and family background till recently. My company policy does not allow us to probe into such details of any individual we hire. Over a period of time we have become good friends and yesterday while we were having dinner together, on my asking him he told me a lot about himself.” Then she paused for a minute or so to assess her parents’ interest in listening about Shaan.

Kelly’s parents looked at each other with meaningful glances and encouraged her to pour out more info about Shaan, “Please go ahead, we are listening.”

“Mom and dad. He was born a Hindu orphan. Then a couple, man Muslim and female Christian adopted him. Theirs was a love marriage. They could not assign any religion to Shaan because of their perennial indecision on this issue. Shaan grew up an adult while the parents were still indecisive. Finally they suggested him to adopt Hindu religion as the orphanage had certified him to be a Hindu. But Shaan saw the futility of affiliating himself with any organized religion and lives like a free but utterly responsible bird. Highly educated. Highly intelligent. A great thinker and doer. A doer because he runs his own IT company from USA and India. How’s that?”

Kelly seemed keen to learn Yin’s and Arun’s response.

Yin and Arun exclaimed almost simultaneously, “An impressive guy, Kelly. Not a bad husband material I suppose. We must see you getting married to a right boy- that was one of Christie’s last wishes too.”

Kelly blushed but spoke decisively, “No ways, I am not marrying anyone. Mom had suffered a lot attaching herself to a man.”

Arun and Yin did not pursue the matter.

Next time soon when Kelly and Shaan met each other their respective parents’ recent comments loomed large on their minds. It showed in their behavior pattern to some minor extent though not very alarmingly.

Just for the sake of maintaining some conversation, Shaan said, “You had told me that the Porche belonged to your mom, you mean Yin?”

“No, not Yin, my real mom, Christie. She was very fond of stylish things. So she settled on this cute little car and its color. She was quite choosy in selecting her dresses too.”

“I can see that her daughter has picked up those qualities.”

Kelly felt flattered at Shaan’s comment. She thought she was willing to fish many more such comments from Shaan.

“You are right. I like wearing all kinds of beautiful and sophisticated dresses provided they are decent. And Shaan you too dress up pretty impressively.”

“I think we are turning into a mutual appreciation society.”

“More crudely put- you scratch my back and I scratch yours. What?”

And they laughed uproariously at the same time. The conversation was lighter with overtones of softness, delicacy and innocent humor. That day they enjoyed each other’s company much more than they did earlier.

Their life continued this way. Yet, they remained focused and busy mainly with their professional work.

Some three years went by.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Good People: Chapter 4: A Unique Story

All the Chapters

Chapter 1: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-path-breaking-novel-and.html

Chapter 2: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-classic-novel-and-classic.html

Chapter 3: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-romance-with-difference.html

Chapter 4: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-unique-story.html

Chapter 5: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-contemporary-romance.html

Chapter 6: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-story-of-subtleties-of-life.html

Chapter 7: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-interestig-reading.html

Chapter 8: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-global-perspective.html

Chapter 9: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-contemporary.html

Chapter 10: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-romantic-scenarios.html

Chapter 11: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-professionally-right.html

Chapter 12: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-expanding-thinking-horizons.html

Chapter 13: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-modern-romance.html

Chapter 14: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-serious-reflections.html

Chapter 15: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-story-of-human-paradigms.html

Chapter 16: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-dilemma-and-solutions.html

Chapter 17: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-romance-and-tough-decisions.html

Chapter 18: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-tale-of-disaster-and-anxiety.html

Chapter 19: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-people-prejudices-and-conflicts.html

Chapter 20: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-people-anxiety-and-love-story.html

Chapter 21: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-people-love-triangle-jealousy-and.html

Chapter 22: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-people-interesting-climax.html

Chapter23: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2014/01/good-people-love-story.html

Chapter 24: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2014/01/good-people-finally-love-knows-no-bounds.html

Chapter 4

Shaan was guiding Medhavi in her studies and was falling in love with her.

Medhavi was learning fast how to study better and score better grades. But she was not falling in love with Shaan. She pretended to be falling in love with Shaan though.

She knew that falling in love with Shaan was futile. They could never marry each other. She was a devout Hindu. Her parents were far more devout Hindus. And she had researched Shaan inside out. She knew that a Christian-Muslim couple had adopted Shaan. She did not know his religion though. This situation would never be acceptable to her and more so to her parents. So why fall into the love-trap?

She had a theory about falling in love. She was far intelligent to know that one does not fall in love but one decides to fall in love with the right candidate. And under the circumstances, she decided not to fall in love with Shaan howsoever attractive he was. But in some corner of her heart, she wasn’t too happy with her decision. Yet!

The association of Shaan with Medhavi started showing its impact on her grades. She mischievously started contemplating her ultimate success as the topper in the university. She had spent all these years dreaming about that position but Shaan always proved to be the obstacle she couldn’t ever cross. Now Shaan himself was her mentor and the sacrificial goat.

She needed to motivate him more to spend more time with her and seek the continued guidance she ever needed. One day while they were studying together she suddenly held him by her arms and planted a kiss on Shaan’s lips.

It was unexpected but Shaan always wanted it to happen. He was falling in love. Though a bit taken aback by her sudden attack, he managed to give a grand response. Whatever he did, he always did brilliantly.

“How very silly of me? I shouldn’t have done it. Now I feel shy of what I did and a bit ashamed too. But Shaan, you were brilliant. How many girls did you kiss earlier? How do you achieve such perfection in everything you do?”

“I am glad you liked. Don’t worry. It was my first kiss. But I have mastered the theory and I was just looking out for its implementation. Thanks for giving me a chance.”

“By the way, how do you master your theory?”

“No jokes. I read a lot and observe a lot.”

“Whatever. But one thing is sure, you are a man enough.”

Shaan managed to blush.

And their study sessions continued a little longer every day after this day.

Medhavi was winning and Shaan was losing a bit every day. He was getting much less time to do his own studies. It was just his strong will power that made him to cut down on his sleeping hours so that he could put in more time towards his studies in his hostel room.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Good People: Chapter 3: Romance with a Difference

All the Chapters

Chapter 1: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-path-breaking-novel-and.html

Chapter 2: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-classic-novel-and-classic.html

Chapter 3: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-romance-with-difference.html

Chapter 4: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-unique-story.html

Chapter 5: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-contemporary-romance.html

Chapter 6: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-story-of-subtleties-of-life.html

Chapter 7: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-interestig-reading.html

Chapter 8: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-global-perspective.html

Chapter 9: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-contemporary.html

Chapter 10: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-romantic-scenarios.html

Chapter 11: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-professionally-right.html

Chapter 12: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-expanding-thinking-horizons.html

Chapter 13: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-people-modern-romance.html

Chapter 14: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-serious-reflections.html

Chapter 15: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-story-of-human-paradigms.html

Chapter 16: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-dilemma-and-solutions.html

Chapter 17: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-romance-and-tough-decisions.html

Chapter 18: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/11/good-people-tale-of-disaster-and-anxiety.html

Chapter 19: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-people-prejudices-and-conflicts.html

Chapter 20: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-people-anxiety-and-love-story.html

Chapter 21: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-people-love-triangle-jealousy-and.html

Chapter 22: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2013/12/good-people-interesting-climax.html

Chapter23: http://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2014/01/good-people-love-story.html

Chapter 24: https://good-people-novel.blogspot.com/2014/01/good-people-finally-love-knows-no-bounds.html

Chapter 3

Medhavi was a distant number two topper in the class. Though she competed ferociously to bridge the yawning gap of marks between her and Shaan, she failed every time. So her only aim now was not just to match Shaan but also to beat him.

She was hell of an ambitious woman. Only being beautiful was not enough for her. She wanted to prove to every student and every professor in the university that she was the brainiest woman too. Most of all she wanted to prove it to Shaan who she thought was her fieriest competitor in studies as well as in looks.

She could do any thing to do it. She even wept endlessly the day the examination results were declared, year after year. Shaan- her archrival always overtook her. She did not relish being overtaken all the time. She was angry with Shaan and she washed her anger towards Shaan by the tears gushing out of her eyes.

On the other hand Shaan used to admire her secretly. He all the time thought of befriending her but felt shy.

Then when she was in the final year of the college she finally decided to befriend Shaan. When you cannot beat the enemy, join him and she did.

One day she saw Shaan walking in the corridor of the college alone little lost into his own thoughts. She posed as if she did not notice him and collided with him. She pretended that to be an accident.

She acted startled and sheepishly said, “Hey Shaan. I am so stupid. Couldn’t see you coming. I am sorry. Hope I did not hurt you. Did I?”

Shaan said, “I should be asking that question to you. I was a bit engrossed in something and did not notice you. How silly of me?”

“No. I am perfectly alright.”

“Same with me. Let me collect your belongings lying all over the floor.”

And Medhavi deliberately touched her fingers with those of Shaan. Shaan felt a pleasant shock; Medhavi could always do that to any of the male species. She was so beautiful! She was brainy too!! A heady mixture of beauty and brain no male could ever resist.

Shaan was handsome too in his own ways and Medhavi could not escape the sweet sensations though she wished to only pretend to begin with. But it was really happening now and she could not resist. No female could resist Shaan. Shaan was all brains! He was handsomely smart too!! A heady mixture of brain and smartness no female could ever resist.

“I always wanted to meet you privately,” Medhavi said. “But we will meet this way, I could not have imagined. I am mighty thankful to this collision.”

Shaan agreed. He said, “I am glad too to meet you this way, just me and you. In our various classroom sessions meeting you occasionally was not the same.”

Shaan took initiative, “Can we go have coffee?”

Medhavi nodded in affirmation. “Yep, why not?”

Then they went to the college café together.

College café was the only place in the college that was visited most by the students. Students preferred to spend their time here more than in their classes or in the library. Here they had the advantage of studying the opposite sex in a more congenial environment. These studies were far more interesting than the drab lectures on the drab subjects by the drab professors in the drab classrooms. Many gossipy love stories developed and bloomed here. Many ended in tragedies. In short the café was a hot joint. It used to be crowded throughout the day. Getting a solitary table in this kind of crowded venue was a very difficult job.

But for Medhavi it was easier than it was for the other students. She was the most beautiful girl around and her charms worked with everyone. The café manager would always oblige Medhavi by somehow arranging a corner table. Today also she could easily manage one.

Shaan and Medhavi settled on a corner table. Shaan called the waiter and ordered for coffee for two and some snacks to go with coffee. He would need to pay more for using the waiter service. Normally all the students used the self-help. It was the special occasion for Shaan and he was wiling to spend.

While sipping the hot coffee Medhavi put up her proposal to Shaan, “Can you help me in bridging the yawning gap between your grades and mine? Though I am number two in the class after you, it feels as if I am at number ten because of the huge gap between your marks and mine. Don’t worry. I am not eyeing for number one position, that’s always yours. All I want is to achieve a decent number two. I need your guidance. Is that OK with you?”

Coming from Medhavi, he had no hesitation to accept this proposal. He thought to himself, “Wasn’t I looking forward to become your friend already? You are so beautiful and intelligent.”

Expressly he said, “Medhavi, it’s done thing. OK with me.”

Medhavi asked, “When do we start? But not in your hostel room. I will not like to go to boys’ hostel and I hear that the meeting hours are restricted. Good thing that I am still a day scholar. Can you come to my place? My parents live nearby. Just one or two hours every day? Hope I am not asking the moon. I am sure you can do at least this much for me.”

Shaan had no objection to this kind of arrangement. He nodded, “Yes. Sure.”

“Shall we start tomorrow?”

“Yep”.