Mom comes into the room almost 2 hours later telling me it was time to go into the darbar. I let out a quick deep breath smiling with the crimson covering my cheeks. Dad and Baaz stood right outside, lightly placing their hands on my back as I walked in front of all of them, heading into the main hall. Sidharth looked back as I took a step inside. He looked just as handsome as ever, the gold and maroon making him look more royalty than everyone else in the room. I look up reaching the seat, watching Sidharth eyes follow me the entire time, Khushal nudging him from where he sat beside, passing me a profound smile. I sat down beside him after kneeling before the holy book. He nudged my side mouthing a compliment as I tried to keep my blush and smile minimal. I closed my eyes letting all the nervousness from before fade. There was no room for it when it was him beside me. We sat silently listening to the hymns as directed staying as silent as we could looking for the indication to get up. The words brought me a peace I'd never felt before. They made so much sense with the relationship we shared no matter how much distance or anger we had in between. The mere understanding by the look on the others face or even not letting the egos in between us. I looked up at him for just a sly second, there really was no one else that I'd ever want to sit here with. Dad came forward giving his palla in my hand, quietly blessing the both of us. The anand karaj, 4 Laavan or Phere known more commonly were promises the couple did with the man above. The beauty of A Sikh marriage was the fact that it was not just a physical or legal contract but a fusion of the souls. A union between two souls, where physically they appear as two individual bodies but in fact are united as one. We got up hearing the first of the four phere begin. They explained how ego, selfishness and especially society could interfere in the bond, reminding the couple to listen to none. As we sat down another hymn was sang to indicate the completion of the marriage. The Paathi Sahab walked around the paalki, giving each of us a kesari safaa, as well as getting our signs on the little certificate of marriage we'd get from the gurudwara itself. The Prasad was brought next starting off with the both of us and building its way down the hall. Sidharth clutched my hand in his clutching it under the layers of cloth that lay over it. "Officially mine" he whispered giving me a quick smile. I blushed facing front to keep calm. Our families stepped forward getting another picture before the other relatives came forward doing the same. We got up last moving outside in order to leave for the photoshoot we were having. Sidharth got in beside me gesturing the driver to start the drive. "Hi wifey" he mumbled softy nuzzling against my shoulder. I blush again looking at him properly for the first time this morning. "Itna blush kyun kr rahi hai tu?" He chuckled cupping my face.
"Subah se boht nervous feel ho raha hai.." I mumble letting out a nervous giggle myself. He chuckled again lightly pecking my forehead. "You look beautiful.... bery very beautiful" he rasped staring still at my Face making the red of my cheeks grow deeper. The car halted reaching the location for the pictures, Baaz and all three of our friends having already reached. I felt a small tingle run down my back as I stepped off the car hand possessively clutched in his. I couldn't grasp the exact feeling I was feeling, my heart having seemingly lost all its intentions of telling me as well. Sidharth stood before me holding my face towards his own. "I love you, look here.. normal hai sab okay? Abhi itna blush kregi toh control completely impossible hojayega, fir mujhe mat blame krna" he muttered making me laugh and drive a ineffective punch into his chest. We move forward getting the pictures we'd selected before hand, taking the next hour to spend a few minutes with each other in between the shots. We head back to the venue, me being sneaked back into my room before he was let back inside. I stood watching the little entry, Maahi's tease session very clearly annoying him to no end. They finished the few games letting him inside, walking him down the hall whilst I was let rest in my room. I scrolled through the few pictures we'd gotten Khushal to take in between the professional shots, loving the entire collection. I smile looking at one Maahi had sent, it was from the darbar, right after the phere.
Today had definitely been the best morning of my life, the tiredness long forgotten as the happiness of being married took over. Specifically the fact that the one dream I'd thought had crashed to the floor or simply become impossible had just become my reality. I was officially Shehnaaz Sidharth Shukla. Officially wedded to who I'd always dreamed to live life beside. I thought about the same as I descended the stairs moving to the large table our family was eating at. We'd decided to keep greeting the guests until after we'd had some food. I sat beside Sidharth who mirrored the smile on my face filling only one plate of food, leaving the other one overturned. Deciding to let it be I move closer giving him the first morsel like he'd clearly wanted. I ignore the constant comments Khushal and Maahi threw our way letting the fun of the moment live like it was supposed to. Finishing up the food we move around the hall greeting everyone who'd attended personally before moving upstairs as directed. We still had a whole official wedding left, the 7 pheras and all the following rituals before we were let off the hook of staying separately.
"Abhi bhi final hai ki saath nhi ayegi?" Sidharth asked hopefully as he started to move from my room. I nod, stepping over to him. "Abhi nhi aaungi, kuch ghante baad. Abhi toh bohut kuch baaki hai na bebu? Phere aur iske baad ka sab games and rituals?" I murmur lightly pecking his cheek.
Si - "Court marriage isiliye itna popular hai, I swear agar-"
S - "Aap kuch nhi kro ge. Chup chap room mein jao aur wait kro"
He leans in softly moving the nose ring I'd already unhooked, taking my lips in his eagerly. I smiled slightly, the slight nervousness brushing off my thoughts as I let him lean closer wrapping my hands around his neck. He pulled away a few minutes later bidding me a quick breathless goodbye before making way to his own room upstairs.
4 hours later I was back to getting touched up before making my way downstairs, the ruckus from the musical instruments outside had stopped almost an hour back. The hour spent at edge as time ticked away. Maahi helped me down the stair as Preeti and Neetu di held up a small veil in order to not let Sidharth see as I entered the mandap. Pandit ji recited the Manglashtak as I was informed he would before the Jai-Mala. I stood up at indication just as they let the veil drop revealing him standing just as happy as he'd been this morning. I inched forward easily sliding it over his head as he ducked despite calls for him to not to. He did the same, reaching over even as Baaz and Khushal tried to lift me up. I chuckled at the smirk he gave the both as they stepped off of the mandap. We sat down as Pandit ji began reciting the hymns again calling for the gathbandan a few moments later. Both his sisters stepped forward tying the end of my chunni to his palla. My parents followed through placing my hand over his symbolically handing me over to him to care for. We offered ghee, rice, and flowers into the havan as instructed following through each and every word. He stood up, keeping my hand in his to help me up as we stood for the Pheras. The both of us had looked up the 7 vows over and over again the past few days at my insistence to know them by heart as we circled the fire. He took the lead for the first four rounds while I lead the last three, each having its own significance. The first vow a prayer for provision and nourishment, he clutched my hand tighter gesturing he was thinking of the same as myself, both of us promising to equally shoulder all the responsibilities for the welfare and happiness of each other's and our own family along with leading an respectful and noble life. The second vow is for strength through thick and thin. I thought back to almost each time he'd took care of me without even a single mention. He smiled back at me clearly thinking of the times I did the same. The commitment we were to promise was already a part of our relationship. The third vow a wish for prosperity, both of us praying to be able to lead a comfortable and wealth enough life to satisfy both our and our families needs and also assuring each other loyalty no matter what the situation may be. The fourth vow is for families. He passed me a soft smile perhaps also thinking of the accuracy behind the words. The groom was supposed to thank the bride for bringing happiness and sacredness in his life, while the bride swore to continue to do so. We stop before our seats changing the positions before taking the next three vows, still hand in hand. The fifth vow was a prayer for progeny. A prayer for noble children in the future and for the welfare of the people around us. The sixth vow is a prayer for a healthy life for the both of us along with the promise that I made to stand by him through noble decisions. The seventh vow stood for love and friendship. I could tell he shares the profound smile spread across my face. We'd both promised each other our forever already. We sat down after completing the seven rounds. Our hands still clutched together. He took the sindoor forwarded by Maa filling her partition with it as Maahi held up my mang tikka. I chuckled as he wiped off the bit that fell against my nose before taking the simple Mangalsutra that he'd chose for me and clipped it around my neck, it was a simple chain with a small diamond instilled in the end of it, absolutely beautiful by all means. He leaned towards me wiping away the tears lining my eyes. I let his clutch around my hand remain as we got up taking blessings from everyone around. We walk down the carpet laid out for the bidai, everything moving quicker than I'd initially wanted it too. I let my tears fall matching both my parents as we descend down the main stairs of the venue. The usual happiness my entire family shared was long forgotten, the tears replacing the smiles as I hugged each of them continuing to move down the steps. I see Baaz standing at the end of them, trying his best to hide away the remnants of the tears he'd let out. I rush into his arms seemingly breaking the barrier we were both trying to hold. I make my way back to Sidharth wiping away the slow tears, I was feeling weird, both happy and sad at the same time. He helped me into the car pulling me into a side hug just as we started to drive away. "Itna burah lgg raha hai mere se shaadi kr ke?" He questioned very obviously trying to make me laugh. I look up eyeing the fake sad look on his face, letting out a slight laugh as he made puppy eyes. He pulled me closer pecking me forehead after wiping away the remnants of the tears. "I love you.... thank you for coming back. Tujhe pta bhi nhi hai kitni khushi di hai tune mujhe. In fact sab ko, maa ko kabhi itna khush nhi dekha maine pichle 6 saal mein." He rasped still keeping me close. I look up at him lightly cupping his face. "I love you too... always"
* the last chapter to a book I'd never thought I'd bring so far. I know a few of you may be disappointed by the sudden end but I was simply not happy writing. The reason is fairly clear, a lot of you may have fallen out of love with this book while other continued to love and I simply got too busy to continue to write without proper appreciation. I put out these books by my own will, my own expense of time and sometimes it feels wrong to update everyday and still not get the response half of the late updates get. I tried getting all of your feedback multiple times but no one seemed too in interest. Still however I'd like to thank the few that continued to vote and comment everyday. You guys seriously made writing easier for me. Thank you and thank you to those too who left or came back later on. I love all of you and I hope the silent readers connect more to some other book of mine and hopefully give appreciation. Thank you for living this journey with me.
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