Vedangi was sitting in front of her mirror getting ready, for her haldi. She was adorned with yellow lehanga and diamond jewellery , the glow on her face and excited grin adding to her beauty.
She felt a pair or arms wrap around her waist, lakshmana was hugging her, " Tai, why are your cheeks looking so pink today? " She asked teasing, " It's the effect of our to be jamai ji lakshu " Maitreyi giggled making vedangi blush more, and her cheeks coating deep shade on pink.
Lakshmana was dressed in a simple yellow lehanga too, with heavy earrings and simple necklace.
Snigdha came in to check whether three of them were ready, " Why is it that elder sister always looks younger than the actually younger one " She said, looking at her own younger sister and then towards lakshmana.
" We can discuss this afterwards tai, come let's go out, jamai ji's mamishree i already there with zuti haldi " Maitreyi said, earning a glare front snigdha.
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Supriya and vrushali entered the hall, where all the guests were waiting and dasis were preparing for the ceremony. Both of them exchanged glances and parted, revealing bhanu and dushala standing behind them. Bhanu and dushala giggled and parted revealing durva and snigdha behind them. Everyone on the all was now too excited to see the bride and were trying their best to get a clear view by carning their neck.
Durva and snigdha parted revealing maitreyi and lakshmana. Everyone rolled their eyes, when the prettiest made her entry, with a shy smile royally. Everyone cheered and grinned, karna looked away, rubbing his eyes to erase the tears that threatened to fall at such an happy moment, suyodhan kept his palm on his friend's shoulder and indicated towards vedangi.
Durva raised her eyes looking towards bhanu and the latter nodded.
Navrai mazi ladachi.. Ladachi g...
Avad hila chandrachi chandrachi g..
( my dear ladli, who is going to be a bride soon, her face looks as bright as the moon)
Durva began singing along with vrushali, supriya, bhanu, snigdha and maitreyi , all of them forming circle around vedangi. Vedangi looked at them in awe, overwhelmed with all the love they were showering on her.
Navrai mazi navsachi.. Navsachi g...
Apsara jashi indrachi..indrachi g..
( I had prayed to God several times to lend me a daughter like her . She looks just like a celestial nymph of indra dev)
Vrushali cupped vedangi's cheeks and kissed her own fingers, her eyes filled with admiration and love for the little wonder, who was going to be a bride. Radhamaa took her najar from a distance, as she being a widow was not allowed there.
Suniyo ji isko rakhlo jatan se badi najuk hai najuk.. Kali hai anmol...
( our daughter is as delicate as a bud, please keep her with care)
To everyone's surprise, suyodhan started singing, indicating towards kartiki( keechaks wife) . Bhanu slapped her own forehead and everyone else present there burst into laughter.
Aao ji aao... Thumka lagao..
Khushiyon ke bhaje dhol...
Vrishasen and shatrunjay came from behind singing and held a odhni over vedangi and lakshmana.
Navrai chali sharmati ghabrati ho..
Piya ke ghar ithlati balkhati ho...
( bride to be is overwhelmed with shyness and nervousness as she would go to her husband's home tomorrow)
Radhamaa began singing from a distance as all from karna's and suyodhan's family formed a circle around lakshmana and vedangi chuckling and giggling.
Surmai naina chalkhati chalkhati ho..
Navrai mazi....
Vrushali took najar of her happy family tears finally rolling down from her eyes. The tears were contagious as they escaped from supriya, durva and snigdha's eyes too. " Hey ladies, are you all planning to destroy your looks, means I was going to say that you all were looking pretty " Banasen joked, making everyone chuckle. " This was such a bad joke! " Lakshmana exclaimed throwing a pillow in his direction.
Vedangi and lakshmana were made to sit on small tables, bowls of haldi paste in front of them. Maitreyi first applied the zuti haldi namesake on vedangi's cheeks and then snigdha forwarded to bowl of haldi. Maitreyi smirked looking at both girls sitting in front of her. Chitrasen winked at her , she took handfuls of haldi in her both fists and rubbed it on vedangi and then lakshmana's face, forehead, hair and hands too. In return, lakshmana also painted her face with haldi.
After all the women were done it was time for the bride's brothers and father to apply her haldi, but Karna was no where to be found. Suyodhan went to search for him and found him sniffling tears in a corner, " Mitra, when we give birth to a daughter, that very moment we know that she would gi away from us one day " Suyodhan tried to console him. " But loving her more than your life caring for her, raising her and then letting her go it isn't easy na! " Karna turned wiping his tears.
" She is going to another house to spread there happiness, a new set of family is waiting to welcome her, she is going to be happy there to " Karna sighed, " Come let's go know, everyone is waiting for you outside " A small smile spread on karna's lips and both of them walked back towards the Hall. Karna took haldi from the bowl in his fists and rubbed it over vedangi's face and hair. Vedangi's vision blurred at the thought of leaving her father, she raised on her feet immediately and buried her head in karna's chest, crying.
That was it! Shon, suyodhan also had tears in their eyes and tears in women's eyes we're not stopping. " Why are you all crying? Kaka told me that its Tai's wedding, are we supposed to cry? " Vrishketu asked in his innocent voice, making everyone let out a watery chuckle. Chitrasen and shatrunjay then took the bowl of haldi and poured over maitreyi, snigdha, lakshmana and vedangi's head.
" Shat! Chitra.. Stop... My poor girls! " Supriya exclaimed, but next moment chitrasen painted her face with haldi too, they same happened with all the women. A tear slipped down kunti's cheeks,seeing the family enjoying together ' if only I had the potential to tell the truth, I would also be part of this celebration ' she thought. Karna and shon pulled radhamaa among then and they all started almost dancing around lakshmana and vedangi, haldi all over their faces and body, this was indeed the happiest evening of their life.
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Vrushali's pov :
I entered the chamber, where we all women were living, maitreyi, meenu and lakshmana were practising something. Maitreyi and lakshmana were holding a veil over meenu and she was walking shyly?oohh! They are planning how would meenu enter the wedding Hall tomorrow. I nod negative and slap my own forehead. There are no bounds what these girls would do!
' let them do vrushali, it's your daughter's last night in her home ' my mind told me. Means from tomorrow my ladli won't be there with me! I immediately wiped the rear that rolled down my eyes, my gaze now fixed on meenu, she was giggling and laughing I felt goosebumps, when did she grew up so much, just few days ago she would come me and insist to wear my jewellery and drape herself in my dupatta, but now, she herself is getting married!
Even after consoling everyone else that she is going to lead a happy life, my own mind questions me, why do daughters have to leave their home? All three of them lay on their respective beds now, meenu's eyes show confusion and nervousness, she lays on my lap and I ruffle her hair.
" Nervous? " I ask her and she tightens the hug around me. Involuntarily tears roll down my and her eyes, we both hugging each other tightly, not willing to let go each other.
Lakshu, sinu, maitri, bhanu, priya, durva all of them join the hug, making more tears roll down our eyes. We separate sniffling, " Sinu, tomorrow you would be with meenu tomorrow and maitri, you would be there with lakshmana. All four of you should be ready by 6.30 , you all are going to change two dresses, right? " I ask and all of them nod.
" Bhanu, priya and durva coming to you all, priya, you there with matsya family looking after their needs, bhanu you look after the guests and their needs, durva you stay there with the raj purohits looking after the rituals, food section would be looked after shon bhaiya and yuvraj would be with you bhanu. And also see to that our husbands are also ready before time " I end my short speech with a sigh.
Tired by the days works, we lay on our respective beds, my meenu sleeping between me and priya. Her eyes wide open, lost in her own thoughts " Everything would be good meenu, stay calm " I console her, trying to sleep, because I need to be the one, to get up earliest tomorrow.
It was indeed to going to be a big day tomorrow.
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Word count 2000+
Hey, my lovely readers, the next part is here.
Excited for tomorrow and ready to rock our sister's wedding?
Do tell me, whose haldi do you liked the most, shvet's or meenu's?
Hope you liked reading this part, let me know through your comments, they are much important for me💖.