The Enchantress

Chapter thirty seven

Mahamaya's family had booked a rental bus to reach to the destination because Viraj's farmhouse was very isolated from a modern day city. They had left well early in the morning for Viraj's farmhouse. It took them about two hours of road journey to reach the destination. Mahamaya and her cousins had a blast sitting in the back, singing songs, telling stories, jokes and what not while the elders rested because they were tired. 

Mahamaya should have been resting too according to Indrayani but because she was the bride but she insisted to be allowed to enjoy and since she was going to marry and leave their house soon, Indrayani's stern face would soften as she would allow Mahamaya to have fun with her cousins too.

Finally, they reached the farmhouse and got things out. Indrayani also carefully took the box out which had the silver Bijasni Goddess' plates inside. She had kept it wrapped securely in a box for the journey. The servants of Viraj's family promptly helped lift and carry away all of their luggage and everyone of them who had come in the bus were staying with the bride because they lived far away. However, to their astonishment, they had rooms which were equivalent of five star hotels. After all, all that black money from the business had to be spent somewhere but they didn't know this. They praised Viraj and his family for the arrangements they had done for them.

After a couple of hours' rest, in the afternoon, it was time for the haldi ceremony. In this ritual, turmeric was applied all over the bride and the groom so that they would glow in their weddings. Firstly, Viraj was brought downstairs by his relatives. He was wearing all white and also a white traditional headgear since he was required to keep his head covered for the ritual.

The place where he was brought, four kalash were kept and a thread was passed through the rims of the kalash, thus forming a square. The thread was laced with turmeric and a small pedestal was kept inside the square. A swastika was drawn on the pedestal.

Kalash

Viraj was brought there as he sat on the pedestal meant for him while he was applied haldi (turmeric) from his female relatives and also from Mahamaya's relatives and some of his haldi was mixed in Mahamaya's as per the ritual. Haldi was applied to his cheeks, shoulders, knees and feet as he sat cross legged on a short pedestal set for him. Mango leaves were used to apply this haldi.

After his haldi had already started, Mahamaya was brought downstairs by her relatives, dressed in a yellow saree, matching the colour of haldi which was soon going to be applied on her. Her hair was tied in a bun, a gajra (mini flower's garland for hair) was tied to her bun, making her smell like Mogra (Arabian Jasmine, most gajras are made from the flowers of mogra). 

She was wearing a maangtika (jewellery worn on the hairline just above the forehead like a hair harness), earrings, a beautiful nose ring and green and golden bangles. Her henna had darkened beautifully. Her friends kept telling her that the dark henna on her hands was the proof that her to be husband loved her so much.

As she was brought downstairs for haldi, Viraj was left transfixed. She was looking so beautiful. He couldn't believe that she was going to be his bride. He believed himself to be very lucky to get a wife, or at least a fiancé as beautiful as her. Soon, she was covered with haldi but it seemed like she glowed more than haldi itself, like she was a Goddess. Everyone praised about how beautiful she was and how soft she was to touch and Viraj felt his hands twitching to touch her but he wasn't the only one.

Some male friends, distant relatives and cousins of Viraj who had come to attend his wedding were shocked to find that their friend was marrying such a beautiful woman. They wanted nothing else than to go near her and touch her flawless looking body with their hands. Not to hurt his friend by making a clue on his bride, they all bid him goodbye and took their leaves. Viraj found that very weird but didn't think much of it.

Finally, after turmeric was applied on both of them, the thread from around the kalash was folded from each of their seats and tied around their wrists. Then, the deities plates from both Viraj's and Mahamaya's sides were taken and again wrapped together, then placed inside a basket as people sung and dance, holding the basket on their head, singing devotional songs, tell lores or just dancing on bollywood songs or whatever they wanted to do to entertain the bride and the groom. 

The Bandwalas (bandsman) were there to play any song they wanted. Many of the young cousins of Mahamaya and Viraj danced on songs. If any person liked someone's dance, they would get up, take some of their money, like hundred bucks, move the note around the dancer's head and give it to the Bandwalas. It meant that the money was given to the Bandwala so that the dancer was blessed by the Bandwalas.

After hours of this event, when Mahamaya and Viraj were finally taken upstairs, it was made sure that the haldi was rubbed to all their bodies. Mahamaya's saree was bunched up so that the haldi could be applied to her entire hands and legs. Similar thing was done for Viraj too. Finally, both of them bathed and then retired for the night...