The Beauty and the Beast.
Not that one can tell which one of them is which. The half-lion form surely surprises Chenchita but the unsaid attachment she has to him troubles her. The far she wishes to go, the closer she seems to getting.
"He is Srim...
The festives by the bridal side had begun with great pomp. The whole tribe excited began to celebrate their girl's wedding with their deity.
As the celebrations were going on, by the groom, Ambika had taken the charge. Her brother's wedding had to be the most loveliest event. Especially the first ever wedding among humans.
The groom's party had gathered together. All the devas had reached the groom's place. The newly constructed temple for the Narasimha.
Ambika had given out orders for everyone. Garuda, Shesha, Vishwaksena, Tumburu, Sudarshana, Shankha, Parsadasa, Nandana, Kaumodaki, and all the Vaikuntha servants. She had given out orders to them all. Decorated the whole temple.
"Garuda, move the garland decorations a little to the left." She told Garuda, "Nandana, recheck the list of things for Ganapathi Pooja. Don't miss anything." She made sure. The assistant of Narayana nodded and set off for the job.
The groom sat down by the havan kunda and performed Ganapathi Homa for the good fortune. Then performing Ganapathi shodasha pooja. Vinayaka happily accepted the pooja.
After Vinayaka Pooja, when the right muhurta had arrived, the party all gathered together. The Rishis all recited Vedic hymns. Gandharvas played music. Apsaras all danced while the rituals were being done.
The waters from all the seven holy rivers were brought. Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu, Godavari, and Kaveri. The waters were all mixed together. In the waters little bit of turmeric was mixed.
The bathing paste was made from sandalwood, turmeric, milk skin, chick pea flour, rosewater, and a little bit of neem.
While the Vedic hymns were chanted by the great sages, the nalugu was applied on Narasimha.
The first one to apply the nalugu was Devi Anasuya.
"Padhaaru kalala kanthi kalyana, Sri Mahalakshmi Priya Vara Sriman Narayana kalyana...." She sang as she put the nalugu on his feet first. "Samsara samudra raksha sharana charana, mangalam jaya mangalam." //The wedding of the beauty of sixteen kalas, The wedding of Sriman Narayana who is the beloved groom of Sri Mahalakshmi.// //The feet which are refuge for protection against samsara, may there be great fortune,"
Then as she applied it on the hands, she sang "Dharma karma brahmanda abhaya hasta, mangalam shubha mangalam" //The hands which offer protection for Dharma and Karma in Brahmanda, may there be pious fortune//
Applying the paste on his arms and shoulders, "Satya shaurya akhila shubha bahu, mangalam nitya mangalam" //The arms and shoulders which provide eternal piousness to truth and bravery, may there be eternal fortune//
Finally with the brightest smile on her face, applying the paste on his face, "Surya Chandra Agni lochana sarvaakhila mohanakaara mukha, mangalam abhaya mangalam." //The most beautiful face with eyes like the sun, moon, and fire, may there be protective fortune//
After her, Maharishi Atri applied the nalagu. Garuda, Shesha, and Vishwaksena proceeded next. After them, then Uma Maheswara applied nalugu. Vinayaka and Kartikeya followed. After them, all of Vaikuntha followed.
Then the devas took their turn.
After all the groom's party had applied the nalugu to Narasimha, the goddesses, Saraswati, Gayathri, Parvati, and Ksheera gathered ahead with Devi Anasuya, Devi Arundhati, Devi Ahilya, and Devi Aditi held the aarati.
"Akhila bhuvana nayaka ku neerajanam, narayanapriya kanti poorna chandra ku neerajanam, Ahobila veera Narasimha ku neerajanam, Hiranyakashyapa samhara taraka deergha nakhadhara ku neerajanam, Saubhagya daayini Mahalakshmi Sri kudi ekam avvatunna varadu ku neerajanam" they offered aarati to him. //Neerajanam to the Emperor of the whole universe, Neerajanam to full moon like love of narayanapriya, neerajanam to brave Narasimha of Ahobila, neerajanam to the one who killed Hiranyakashyap with powerful claws, neerajanam to the groom who is becoming one with the Mahalakshmi Sri who gives great fortune//
Then he was bathed with the water through a tray having several holes.
All the devis had gathered by the bride for all the rituals. Water from all the holy rivers were brought for her. Akasha Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Sindhu, Narmada, Sarayu, Krishna, Godavari, Kaveri, Brahmaputra and Gandaki.
As Vedic hymns were sang, the mangala snanam for her was done. The nalugu applied to her first by Sagara and Taranga. Then by Aja and her family. Finally, by her friends and the goddesses. The whole tribe followed.
Tumburu had reached the bride's place and had tears in his eyes when he saw her. His mother was being made a bride.
He sat down before her and played the Veena. Looking at her grandeur and drowning into her bhakti, he sang, "Matalaku emi occhani nee mahatyam chappaniki, matalaku emi occhani nee mahatyam chappaniki. Shukra dhana vaibhava adi devata ki emani shukrude varamu icche. Subha Saubhagya daayini ki emani sathula ivvagala varamu. Surya Chandra kanthi ki emani pasupu icchagala saundaryamu. Amrutha daayini ke emani icchagala ananda varamu. Tene palukala thalli ki emani icchagala theeyamu." //What do words know to explain the greatness of you, what do words know to explain the greatness of you, what blessings can Shukra give to the presiding deity of Shukra offering prosperity, what blessing can older married women give to the goddess who offers them such fortune, what beauty can turmeric offer to one who is the light within Surya and Chandra, what blessings can happiness give to the one who can give amrutha, what sweetness can honey give to the one who is sweet tongued//
He played the Veena for her. "Samasta doshahaarini samrajya dayini, thalli nee mahatyam chappede Ela. Suvarna kaya akhila soundarya ragini, Amma nee andaniki kavitala raasede Ela. Puvvula manohara sugadhita janani, Maata nee sogasanu pogadamu ela." //The one who absolves sins and gives kingship, mother how should I explain your greatness. The one with golden skin and the queen of beauty, mother how do I write poems about your beauty. The one who smells like the fragrance of beautiful flowers, mother how should I praise your presence?//
"Emani aalochana nee venta tirige ugra Swami ayyinadu Malola Narasimha" he sang. //Why is there a thought on how the angry lord became Malola Narasimha//
Chenchita smiled at him. She looked at him and felt the deep love he held for her. The way a child hero worships his mother as the greatest one in the world, he sang of her.
"Come here." She told him. He got up and walked over to her. Bending down he let his head touch the feet of Chenchita. She pulled him up. "You surely have the sweetest voice, Tumburu. What could I give you in return for offering me such a song with so much love?"
He chuckled and shook his head in amusement, "how innocent you play, Amma? The one whose single sight can offer the prosperity of all the worlds, you ask me what you can give."
Chenchita laughed at that. "Your love surely knows no bounds, Tumburu, that you praise me such. Yet, if you do wish for something that I can give, I will try."
"Amma, the only fortune I have is all this music that I have surrendered to Sriman Narayana. Give me the blessings that this blessings will always live with me and that this voice will only sing for Sri Sametha Maha Vishnu." He asked.
She smiled at him.
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Nalugu - It is the bathing paste that is used to bathe women in Telugu regions.
Neerajanam - It is aarati. This is done in a way to remove evil eye from the deity in South Indian culture. Aarati is like a process to remove evil eyes. So, every bride and groom in a Telugu wedding is equated to Sriman Narayana and Sri Mahalakshmi and are given neerajanam after the haldi mix is applied on them.
