SERENDIPITY: A DEVDUTT PADIKKAL FANFICTION.

37. Haldi Ka Rang Gehra Hai

23rd September, 2025.
Pune.

One could hear distant noises from the kitchen or the bathroom as people got up and hurried to get ready.
It was still only 6:30 in the morning.

Meera and Anamika were sleeping when they heard her phone ring.
Agitated, Meera picked the call.
"Who's this?" Meera's voice was terribly sleepy.
"Are are, itni neend? Aaj haldi hai na?" A guy spoke from the other side and Meera identified the voice in a fraction of a second.
Straightening up, she passed the phone to Anamika and sat on her knees.
"Hello?" The person spoke.
"Haye!, I mean Hi!" Anamika was flustered but Meera glared at her for repeating the scene once again.
"Hello Bhai, itni subah phone?" Meera questioned.
"Haa, aaj haldi hai na to socha shubh din par pehla phone mera." Virat explained.

"I'm so sorry for our absence, ye ODI series nahi hoti to pakka mein abhi udhar hota." Virat apologized as he couldn't come due to him being the batting coach for team India.
Anushka also had her commitments.
"I know Bhai, but you've to compensate for this."
"For sure! Once you guys are back in Bangalore, lunch and dinner at the Kohli's!" Virat invited her whole heartedly.
"All the best Meera, shaadi is an enriching experience. Enjoy it." Virat wished her
"Thankyou Bhai, we miss you." Meera's voice had a longing tone to it.
The girls were in the backyard by now to avoid disturbing other people's sleep.
"Also thankyou to you for calling varna hume late ho jata." Anamika jumped in the conversation before Meera could cut the call, earning a giggle from Virat.

Meera was sitting on a sofa in the terrace mandap where currently breakfast was being prepared.
She was scrolling through Instagram when someone snatched her phone out of her hand.
Meera found it to be Dev.

"Dev! What are you? A 3 year old kid?" Meera shouted as she rand behind Dev in an attempt to get back her phone.
"Agar mera phone gir gaya, to dekhna! 1 lakh ka phone hai so give it to me right now!" Meera threatened as she emphasised on 'right now'.
"Are jaaneman mein tumhe 100 iPhone dila dunga." Dev ran with the speed of a leopard and Meera failed to catchup.

The terrace was widespread and Meera took slow steps as she panted.
One moment she was trying to take deep breaths and the next moment she was pulled into a corner.
Dev trapped her between the wall and his body.
"Dev! Agar aaj kisi adult ne dekh liya to you're dead. You can't bribe them with chocolate." Meera warned as she could feel Dev staring intensely.
"Haven't you taken a shower?" Meera's face scrunched on realizing that he's still in his loungewear.
"Akele nahane me maza nahi hai." Dev tried to sound seductive as he walked his fingers on Meera's arm.

Before Dev could say anything more and Meera could react, they were trespassed by Anamika.
"Ae ye romance bhul jao for the moment. Meera you come with me now! Kaku and Maushi are searching the whole house for you." Anamika pulled her bestfriend by her arm.
Dev let her go but not before he murmured "Sab mere pyaar ke dushman" leaving Meera in splits.

In Marathi culture, Haldi is first applied to the  groom and then to the bride.
Popularly known as 'Ushti Halad' or Jhoothi Halad if we were to translate it literally.
Meera and Dev sat adjacent to each other with wide smiles on their faces.
Dev looked regal in a lime yellow kurta and Meera looked mesmerizing in a yellow saree with flowers in her hair.

Dev's mother first applied haldi on his face with mango leaves and then on his kurta.
She did get emotional seeing her 'little Dev' about to get married.
Wiping her tears with her pallu she kissed Dev's forehead and did the najar utarna thing.
She then moved to Meera and applied Haldi to her.
"We're so glad to have you in your family! Dev couldn't have gotten anyone better." Ambili praised Meera and then kissed her cheek.