***Arya's POV.***
Today is the D-day. And I woke up at 6 in the morning for pre-wedding rituals. There are many things that need to be done before the wedding like Haldi, ghara ghardoli, kalire and many more ceremonies.
But first the Haldi ceremony starts. Haldi comes from Vedant house and is applied one by one by every married woman. After they are done, my brothers start their onslaught. Parth literally starts playing haldi holi. But I don't spare him either. Then my cousins go to a nearby temple where they take out water from a well and after some pooja bring it home and pour it over me, so I receive the blessings.
Then I come back home and take a hot bath. I wear a pink suit and go down for two other rituals with Mamu and Mami. Nani ties a mouli, a sacred thread around my right wrist as a lucky charm, which would also help in warding off evil eyes. Then after haven, they placed a blindfold around my eyes as Mamu and Mami dip my choora bangles in rose and milk water and then make me wear them. They also wrap a cloth around as I am not supposed to see it until I'm married. It is bad luck to see it before. Then they tie kalire around my wrist which has different nuts.
The time to get ready comes when my bridal lehenga comes into my room. Mami takes my cheeks in her hand and says, "Let me look at my daughter one last time as just my daughter. Because after wearing this you would just not be mine."
"Oh, Mami." I say and hug her.
"No crying before bidai, Kavya. And let's go. We have to get ready too before the groom's party arrives. We still have many things to do. Come." Nani says and hugs me before leaving me to the mercy of my hairstylists and make-up artists.
First I wore my red lehenga. The blouse is plain with embroidered sleeves and a heavy long skirt. Wearing the blouse was not difficult because it has a different type of stitch on the side to wear around sleeves.
After the hairdresser puts flowers around the hair updo and drapes dupatta over it, I look up to see myself for the first time. I am ready. I am a bride now. I take a deep breath to process that.
***Vedant's POV.***
I woke up late and Mom scolded me for it. I was up late working on a project at night as I was getting nervous for no reason. Maybe there was a reason. From today's afternoon onwards, I will have someone in my life forever.
As much as that makes me nervous and makes me question my decisions, the thought of Arya calms me down the very next second. I feel like if it was any other person, I might have not been this calm. I have not heard from her since yesterday.
As my haldi proceeds, Mom starts with scolding and tells me that my haldi has to be sent for Arya. I apologise to her a thousand times before she backs off.
"Purvi let it be. At least don't scold him for today. It is his wedding day." One of the Masi says.
"Yes, Purvi. Let it be. Would you scold him like this in front of his wife?" One of the chachi says.
"Yes. He will get scolded everytime he does anything wrong. It is my right." She says.
"I am here to hear every one of your scoldings, Mom. Because even when you scold me I feel your love." I say and kiss her hand.
"Aww!." Everyone says.
"Butter polisher." She says and applies more haldi on my face.
One by one every married woman applies the haldi then my cousin comes to apply it. Dadu also pushes Mayra to apply some haldi. I look around and don't find Ma but see Dadi who has a blank look on her face. Mayra hesitantly applies haldi and smiles at me. And I smile back.
"I am betting our haldi is more fun, right Mayra?" Dadu asks.
She thinks for a second then says, "No. Arya's would be having more fun."
And she is right about that as per my intuition.
I get washed up afterwards and wear a simple white kurta for havan. Then I changed again to my wedding sherwani of apricot colour with a small floral print of golden embroidery. I wear a red velvet shawl with it on my one shoulder.
Dadi makes me sit on a chair and does my aarti then applies tilak on my forehead. Dadu gives me the traditional sword which the groom has to carry with him. Then my Mom does Sehrabandi ceremony and makes me wear a turban and hides my face with sehra.
When we come out, our car is ready to go and so is the DJ. Because then the music makes a blast and my relatives too in front of the car.
I am a groom now. I am ready. I take a deep breath as I process that.
***Arya's POV.***
Everyone in my family has done everything to ward off any evil I might have caught. I shake my head when Nanu stands guard at the door so no one can disturb me for a few minutes when they hear the baaraat is near. Nanu comes and sits beside me on bed and takes my hand in his.
"You are happy, my Aru?" He asks.
"I am, Nanu." I say.
"Good. Good. But you know that if you feel unhappy for even a minute and can't handle it, you can always come back to your Nanu. Even though you can handle everything still. Even though you are going to a new house don't even think for a second that this is not your house. This is your house. It was your Mom's too. That is why she came back with the belief that we won't turn her away. You know what I am trying to say." Nanu says.
"I know, Nanu." I say and squeeze his hand.
He squeezes it back and kisses my head before leaving. Then I hear it and other sounds too. It takes just a second before my cousins barge into my room and then to my balcony. Some of the older ones give me compliments and take selfies with me. Then help me get up to go to the balcony.
And I see him not his face but him. Mami is welcoming them. She does aarti and tugs at Vedant's nose which makes us chuckle and draws their attention. My cousin covers their view of me so Vedant and his relatives won't see me before the wedding. I come inside and sit down again.
Then after the milni ceremony, Mamu and Mami come to take me down. A floral stranded roof held by my three brothers and Mamu is above me as I walk down the gardens towards mandap. With each step I feel new feelings come into my heart. All the nervousness I felt before is gone and in its place is just happiness by looking at my family.
The family that includes Vedant's too.
When I reach near mandap Vedant comes to me and gives me his hand with a smile. I take his hand shyly and stand in front of him under the beautiful madap. My brothers come to stand beside me. I get confused for only a second before I realise why.
Because as soon as Vedant picks up the flower garland my brothers pick me up and take me out of his reach. Everyone laughs and I realise why when my groom pouts. Then at Mami's warning my brother put me down but just when Vedant goes to put it around my neck, my brothers pick me up again.
Vedant calls his friend who picks him up and now he is at my level and puts the garland finally around my neck. I got the garland and put it around his neck too. We were put down and were told to sit down by the priests.
Then the wedding ceremony started. The priest chants mantras explaining us the meaning of it. Then Mamu and Mami came forward for kanyadaan. It was the most emotional moment for us. Mamu kisses my forehead before giving my hand to Vedant.
"Make sure you look after her, Vedant. She is the light of not only our house but our life. She makes sure that everyone is happy. So it is your responsibility to look after hers. To make sure she is happy. Because as long as she is smiling, your life will be peaceful. Otherwise we have more men in our house." Mamu says and everyone chuckles.
"I promise." Vedant says seriously and tightens his hand around mine.
"Good." Mamu says and gives him a pat on the back.
Then the saptapadi ritual comes where I lead the first three pheras (round) around the fire then Vedant leads four pheras. We make vows with each pheras to love, protect, cherish and respect each other and our families. Then he puts vermillion in the centre of my hair parting and puts a mangalsutra around my neck.
And we are married.
We take blessings from the priest first then from our elders and relatives. Then we had a late lunch together. And everyone comes to meet us and give us gifts that we don't even get the time to talk with each other. Our cousin went crazy to find Vedant's shoes but didn't find it as Mayra had come prepared for it. But Vedant gives them gifts anyway. Then the kalire ritual came and every single unmarried girl stood below as I shook it. Surprisingly Mayra received a large part of it.
We were all laughing and enjoying until the time for my vidaai came, and it came down very hard on me.
I hug every one of my family members and the tears won't stop. I hold onto Mamu the most. I know everyone loves me and I love everyone too. But Mamu has always been there asking me, guiding me, and loving me no matter what. He holds me as he walks me towards Vedant's car then makes me sit inside.
As the car starts, I wave at my family and turn to the person with whom I would spend the rest of my life with.