Connections don't care about the laws of the land. Your soul will be pulled to the place it belongs. It transforms. God bless that broken road that leads straight to the soul... they say, "The soulmate," a poem that is read over and over again, memorizing each word, lingering over the favorite parts... Knowing it would never be fully grasped. A calm chaos mind filled with reflection of the soul where you wanted to find yourself and you did when you found that soul.
***
Pammi and Santhosh couldn't take their eyes off their princess.
She wore a vibrant multi-colored lehenga with a blend of refined embroidery and orange dupatta with a red border which only shouted perfection.
Pammi had got some of her marriage jewelry, Choora and Kaleere in hurry before they took the flight. This was an essential part of their marriage tradition, and she was adamant that she was not going to compromise on that. When Rita gave this sudden news, she was left in shock. It was her husband who calmed them both and was very happy to hear the news. He took care of logistics and finance while Pammi packed whatever was essential for making this hurried ceremony gracious.
She was decked up in a very simple makeup and jewelry. The big picturesque nath and maangtika was popping out Shehnaaz's perfect ensemble. She looked like a perfect Punjabi bride. She was enthusiastic, thrilled and no questions fogged her brain. She was happy and her face naturally blushed her cheeks. She was just eager to see her groom in wedding costume.
It was about time when they were called for the time slot given for the marriage.
"Chal puttar aaja" Pammi asked Shehnaaz to stand.
"Mumma... ek baar daadi naal gal kara do. Unko na video call karo aur dikhao" she requested.
"Hayee... tu na chinta na kari. Shehbaaz sab dekh raha hain. Warna maar dalna hain dadi ne teri. Tu aaja... aur thodi bahut sarma varma le... aise guppe lada rahi jaise kissi aur ki shaadi main aayi ho kudi. Bol Swapna tu.. aur tum dono tyaar ho gayi?" she asked Shradda and Suchi who were still just few minutes ago fighting for the same hair clip.
"Chalo sab..." She got up and adjusted her nose ring and continued, "main Mrs. Sharma banney wali huin, main kyun sarmaoo? Hehehe.. hain na Sharadha!" Hi-fiving her she giggled loudly bending down.
"Yaar Naaz tera makeup karab ho jayega, itna mat has!" Swapna scolded.
"Yeh dekho yahan meri surprise shaadi ho rahi hain aur yeh makeup ki headmistress mujhe dant rahi hain. Par sachi kya makeup kiya mera.. Mast bilkul sexy types... I love it."
Pammi looked at her daughter, she was herself after so many years! The flamboyant, chirpy, coaxing, tantalizing people around her and happy. Her thoughts were broken when she heard her son yelling. She hurried and placed the kohl from her eyes to Shehnaaz' s back side of the ear.
"Mumma" Shehnaaz gave a hug to her mom.
"Jaldi chal... warna tera hero aa jayega yahan tujhe lene!" Swapna pitched in giggling with other girls.
Shradha and Suchi were admiring her and walking with her outside. "It will be weird to call you mami, after calling you Di!" Shradha said.
"Call me whatever you want, meri cutie." Shehnaaz said pinching her cheeks.
Shehnaaz and group came out and everything blurred around her. There he was standing, so tall, handsome, with almost similar Sherwani, a multicolored one just like hers and an orange turban! Her mouth gaped at seeing him. She quickly walked towards him leaving the group accompanying her behind but slowed when the priest asked her to slow down.
Mom and Preeti had a good laugh seeing her this excited.
"Tumne pagdi pehni hain? Hayee... kitne sunder lag rahe ho!" she admired, giggling when the distance between them lessened.
Everyone assembled had a good laugh hearing her.
Karou leaned towards Shehbaaz and whispered in his ear, "Aunty Uncle ne kya kha ke paida kiya hain iss jalli ko? Bride should be shy on her marriage day and look at her all jumpy and eager."
"Chup kar. Acha hain... Dekh Papa kitne hass rahe hain aur Mumma kaise muskura rahi hain.. warna yahan abhi rona dhona suru ho jata isko aise shaadi ke jode main dekh kar. Flight main pura Mumma ro rahi thi aur Papa aise statue ki tarah baithe the, stiff, pareshan. Ab dekh kaise iss jalli ne sab ulta kar diya." Shehbaaz countered.
Sidharth on the other hand was blushing and was coy. He was feeling skittish about everything happening so fast. It was he who planned everything for today, he was happy but embarrassed to get so much attention from everyone. His mom, massi, sisters, their husbands, Kaushik, Nandu even Karou never left him for a second. Besides everyone it was Shehnaaz' s father who surprised him altogether. Rather accompanying his daughter, he was glued to him. Giving him fresh juice, food to eat, acting as his personal assistant. He requested if he would mind wearing a turban and Sidharth happily agreed, which elated him with no boundaries.
With a shy smile, blushing cheeks and head bent down he was waiting for his girl to show up to him. He had requested Kaushik for a special background for their wedding altar. Though the altar was the same for all the weddings that happened since morning, he requested to have just one addition, to add a background. The wall behind him had the standard big Om sign. Kaushik, as per his wish, had arranged for a quick banner. Though not very fancy or big, it was perfect.
Mount Kailash, with the majestic beauty and beside it the calm, tranquil Manasarovar Lake. Kailash means, where there is only celebration and divinity dwells in celebration and Sidharth wanted his wedding rituals to be witnessed by the place they met, like the way she expressed it in her song this morning.
He made sure he had the banner of the divine place when he got married. He knew Shehnaaz would be delighted to see that and that's what exactly happened when her eyes catch sight of it in the background when she admiringly touches his turban which co-incidentally matched with the dupatta she was wearing. He was speechless seeing her in the bridal dress. She was exactly how he had imagined, simply beautiful! Even more dazzling when her eyes widened seeing the banner behind him.
"Wow! You did this? This is amazing Sidharth. Sachi!!! Mom, massi dekha aapne?" she exclaimed.
"Haan haan dekha..." mom replied while massi agreed.
"I... tried to ensemble a full circle at this special day for us, just like you wished in the song today." Sidharth pitched.
She was speechless, eyes welled up and her face brightened with a big smile. She mouthed a thank you to him, "I love it! Our story started in Kailash and continuing here in Mumbai, the city of dreams!"
Priest hurried up the process and time flew by when he announced, "Vidhi sampan hui ab aap dono jaake bado se aashirwad le le"
Meera was recording everything and under strict instructions of Kaushik everything was under wraps just between them. But still he saw few journalists outside the temple gates curious to know why Sidharth's car was outside and why was the photo of him found in Gurudwara with a girl circulating in social media has to do with something happening here.
Kaushik thought of talking this to Sidharth before any rumor spreads around. They had to vacate the space as well due to the strict norms of the temple. It must be quick, and he hoped nothing would hamper the still unstable career of Sidharth. He saw him happy. He was just not his client but also a very close friend and seeing him back upbeat, in his own self was promising.
He called him to come aside to discuss the concern.
"I will talk to them; can you arrange everyone exit from other side. We will go from the front, in my car." Sidharth suggested after hearing Kaushik's information.
"What are you thinking to talk? I would suggest you to..."
"I know... I have learned my lessons well Kaushik. I will not repeat what I did earlier. I am going to be private in my personal life as much as I can." He had been an open book to the media previously who would know everything about his work and personal life like an open book.
"That is what I was going to suggest. Looking at you they will guess what might have happened here so just let them know you had an arrange marriage or something like that and rest I will take care." Kaushik suggested.
"Hmm... give me a minute." He excused himself and went towards his family who had gathered in groups to leave the place.
"Kya hua S any issue? we all are set to leave" Preeti inquired.
"I need to talk to you guys... mom, Papa... Shehnaaz!" he called them all towards him in the center. He discussed the concerns with them and asked if they thought what the right thing was to do.
"Jo tujhe teek lage puttar woh kar. Shaadi kari hain, dil tokh ke bol aur kya?" Papa suggested. "Aap chup karo ji. Puttar ji aap ko jayda pata hoga. Jo aap ko teek lage." Mumma put her thoughts.
"Nahi nahi Sid, nazar lag jayegi. Kuch mat bol abhi... kuch aur bol de!" Massi suggested to which Neeti di also agreed.
"Arre Jiju chalo, kade hoke photo kichtey hain bahar. Hum bhi celebrity ban jayenge... kuch nazar wajar nahi lagti aise. Sab bakwaas andh-viswaas ki baatein hain." Shehbaaz, Karou pitched in agreed by Swapna and kids.
"Kaushik ne kya bola?" Mom asked with Shehnaaz.
"He said ki arrange marriage kiya hain maine, bol du bas." Sidharth answered.
"Haan toh bas best hain. Just tell this then Sidharth... Tumhara movie shoot start ho raha kal and I don't want any other thing to come between your projects. This will be best for both of us." Shehnaaz proposed.
"Mom?" he questioned.
"Haan teek hain. This is best for all. I don't want media's nuisance attention towards Shehnaaz. Tu hi sambhaal unko. You have suffered enough! I don't want her to go through any of those." Mom replied and everyone agreed to that.
"Teek hain... then decided. Meera is arranging your exit from that side door. I will handle them and come straight home with Kaushik. P & N you both come with me." He directed.
"Nahi, take your Jiju with you... Amit you go with him. I am staying with Shehnaaz. Need to arrange for your Grehpravesh as well. N do you wanna come with us or with him?"
"I will stay with Sidharth, need to catch up with him." Neeti di replied.
Mom caressing his arm said with a soft smiling, "Jaldi aana."
Sidharth ji aap yahan kya kar rahe hain?
Sidharth Sharma kya aapki shaadi huyi hain?
Have you signed up for a movie?
Who was girl with you spotted in Gurudwara today morning?
Have you gotten over Richa?
Have you moved on and started a new life already?
These were some of the lists of questions thrown his way by media persons. Sidharth had to keep his mind calm to answer back as diplomatically as possible.
"Guys thank you all for coming here and giving so much attention to me. To all your questions, yes, I just got married and if it is love or arranged I would say woh upar baithe Bholenath ji aur Mata Parvathi ne arrange kiya hain. Hum kon hain kuch karne wale, it's all His & Her doing and the girl with me in Gurudwara is my just wedded wife, Mrs. Sharma for you. Richa will always remain in my sweet memories and now I am going to create some other sweet memories with a different person. She was my well-wisher and will bless me from up there with the smile. Thank you all aur Mithai kha ke jaana sab."
Sir, sir... what about your career? Have you signed up any movie?
"Oh! about that you will know at appropriate time. For now, I can only say be patient for any updates from official sources."
Kya Sidharth ji sirf Mithai se kaam nahi chalega humme dawaat chahiye.
"Abey yahan mujhe bhi sirf mithai se hi kaam chalana pad raha hain... Milegi dawaat baad main." He chuckled and smiled getting in the car, asking Nandu to drive.
Sidharth Sharma ji hume kab milva rahe hain apni wife se?
"Abhi main mil lu? Ok guys, I need to go can't make the newly wed wife wait for so long. You know what I mean!"
Congratulations sir! Mubarak ho Sidharth ji...
He could hear them congratulating him. He waved them with a wide toothy grin.
He peeked out of the window watching slums and alarming extremes of wealth coined together. It is in this city that he was rewarded with so many experiences. He never thought he would be famous and be a Bollywood star one day and get so much publicity and attention. He was nothing but thankful. It's time for his dreams to come true and he is going to make it by living through. The possibility of which gives strength, faith, a vision, a prayer, a fulfillment.
The journey to Kailash was mystical and now the city of dreams, the Mayanagiri, curated the experiences of an epic trip of soulmates. As Rumi said, "Only the soul knows what love is". Their story continued...
💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you simply, without problems or pride.
I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or You,
So intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand,
So intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close.
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The End
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