Samay Yatri: A Tale Of 3 Time Travellers

Pre-swayamvar Rituals

As guests entered the royal palace of Panchal they were greeted by A breathtaking display of opulence,
the Courtyard is adorned with vibrant flowers and intricate rangoli designs,
Adding a burst of colours to the surroundings. The air is filled with the sweet fragrance of jasmine and rose petals with a touch of Blue Lotus here and there.

Inside the palace, every corner is meticulously decorated. Elaborate tapestries and shimmering drapes hang low from the walls, depicting the tale of valour, love and wisdom.
The halls are lined with exquisite sculptures and Ornate chandeliers that cast a warm and inviting glow.

The open auditorium where the Swayamvar would be conducted is aside to behold as the pillars are covered with the motifs of the Panchal and Vijayanagar Royal families,
multitudes of flowers have been used in creating intricate floral arrangements,
The gentle music of Veena fills the void and the singers create a truly enchanting atmosphere.

The seating area for the royal families has been designed with the utmost care,
Luxurious velvet cushions and silk fabrics in Vibrant hues provide a Regal and comfortable setting.
The Thrones of the Princesses have special Motifs which symbolise different aspects of their personalities carved into them.

In preparation for the swayamvar,
The palace is bustling with activity.
Servants and attendants are busy ensuring that every detail is flawless.
Chefs are preparing delectable delicacies, meanwhile, the artisans are busy adding final touches to the magnificent floral arrangements.

Just as all these preparations are being made, the princesses are getting through some of the major rituals that are to be performed by brides before their marriage.

They would be performing three rituals
First mangalsnan, second selecting clothes for their swayamvar and finally Gauri Puja, in which they would the blessings and guidance of Mata Gauri.

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Atmaja Mahal

In the serenity of their inner courtyard,
Both Meera and Draupadi sat side by side filled with anticipation as they gazed into the morning Sky and closed their eyes seeking blessing from Surya Dev as he emerged from behind the clouds taking away the darkness of night.

The ritual of Mangal snan is conducted by the mother of the bride but sadly both the brides did not have their mother with them. So, the responsibility of conducting the ritual had been taken over by Shikhandi and Sitara.

Soon, the Courtyard was filled with Giggles and gasps from the princesses
As different Ayurvedic pastes were being applied to their body and they were drenched in Luke-warm water.
It took only a few moments for the seriousness of the ritual to fade away as it turned into the game of who could apply more lep(Ayurvedic paste) to the other by throwing it at each other.

The five sisters laughed and giggled as they Ran around the courtyard,
Trying to throw the paste at each other, the servants and maids were dragged into the game as well.
it soon turns into a full-blown war between the sisters.
In war, there is always Collateral Damage and in this case,
The collateral Damage was the poor Balram Dau, who had come to inform the ladies about the auspicious time for the swayamvar.

He had been covered from head to in the Ayurvedic face and the five of them laughed at his face to make matters worse Krishna came out of no wear and dumped two buckets of water onto his head, which in turn started a chase between the two brothers as Balram
Chased Krishna with a stick.

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The next ritual was again a private ceremony for only the ladies of the family, in this ceremony, the brides would select the outfits for their Swayamvar.