Summary
Highlights
The story begins by emphasizing that one should never fear ancestors (Pitras) because they always help. It clarifies the distinction between Pitras and spirits (Pret), stating that proper Shradh (ancestral rituals) and respect ensure their blessings and assistance in all endeavors.
The narrator introduces Deepak and Preeti, a modern couple who lack respect for their parents and ancestral traditions. Deepak, the younger son, barely spoke to his parents, and Preeti showed no regard for her in-laws, or even her own parents. The narrator criticizes their ungratefulness, reminding them of the sacrifices their parents made for them.
Deepak's elder brother asked him to take their ailing father to the hospital for an appointment, as he had an important client meeting. Deepak refused, prioritizing watching a cricket match, and Preeti also declined, citing lack of knowledge about the doctors and tests. His elder brother was forced to cancel his important meeting to take their father to the hospital himself.
During the hospital visit, the father's health worsened, requiring admission. Deepak's elder brother informed him, but Deepak remained indifferent, still choosing to watch cricket. Even when their father was hospitalized for two days, Deepak and Preeti did not visit, while Deepak's niece and nephew (his older brother's children) visited with their grandmother.
After their father returned home, another argument erupted. Preeti forgot to buy essential items for the Shradh ceremony, leading to a heated discussion. Deepak's elder brother criticized their negligence, noting the difficulty of arranging things last minute. The mother expressed her disappointment, leading Preeti and Deepak to announce their decision to move out.
Deepak and Preeti found a one-bedroom apartment and moved out, despite their father's attempts to keep them and the children, Shitez and Payal. The family conflict affected the father's health, and he passed away one night. Deepak's response to his father's death was a continued display of indifference, citing work and dismissing his wife and children's presence at the funeral.
Deepak returned over a month after his father's passing, not for mourning, but to collect remaining belongings. He and Preeti had already taken furniture that wasn't theirs. Preeti then demanded the mother's jewelry, claiming it as theirs. The elder brother and his wife intervened, revealing that the father had already drafted a will protecting his wife's assets.
Upon learning he would receive only a small portion of the property, Deepak furiously knocked over and stomped on his deceased father's picture. His elder brother, enraged, slapped him. Deepak and Preeti left, vowing revenge. As they departed, Deepak insulted his father's picture, blaming him for their misfortunes.
That night, the mother had a distressing dream of her deceased husband crying. The elder daughter-in-law comforted her, suggesting it was due to stress. The mother, despite her distress, again considered giving her jewelry to Deepak and Preeti. The elder daughter-in-law advised against it, offering her own jewelry instead, emphasizing the sentimental value of the mother's ornaments.
Deepak and Preeti, still seething, sought out a powerful tantric. They brought pictures of their family, intending to use black magic to gain property and humiliate Deepak's elder brother, his wife, and their mother. The tantric warned them about the risks, explaining that if their father's spirit was still present, the magic could backfire and harm their own children.
The tantric explained that ancestral spirits, especially those properly honored (Pitras), are powerful and protective, far outweighing any negative spirits (Prets). He advised them to wait two months to ensure their father's spirit had moved on, to prevent any unforeseen consequences on their children. Deepak and Preeti agreed to return after two months, planning to execute their plan on their elder sister-in-law's birthday.