Note:- i have tried my best to explain all the Indian Rituals as much as possible.
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Standing in the balcony, while looking up at the full moon and caressing a huge diamond studded ring in her ring finger, Meera’s heart was still in an unknown dilemma.
All the functions from engagement to haldi rasam were done in these two days with simplicity yet beautifully. And tomorrow, finally she will be getting marry.
Tomorrow, she will be his’.
Her trance was broken as she heard a knock and then turned around to see her mother coming inside with a beautiful lehenga in her hand.
“Mom, this is not the same dress we had selected for my wedding with Rehan.”, Meera said frowning at the lehenga in her mother’s hand, as it was different from the one they had selected when she was going to get married to Rehan.
“This lehenga is selected by your mother-in-law. And you will be wearing this lehenga during your morning marriage rituals.”, Radhika said keeping the dress carefully on the couch in her walk-in-closet and Meera nodded understanding.
“Meera, I know that right now you are in a conflict with everything happening in our lives. Specially your life. Your marriage with Rehan getting called off suddenly. Then your father’s company going almost bankrupt and then this sudden marriage proposal. And now tomorrow, you will be marrying a complete unknown guy whom you did not even knew a week back.”, Radhika said taking Meera’s hands in hers while sitting on bed and Meera sat there silently listening to her mother.
While Radhika continued saying, “But I am sure that by now you might have known one thing that Vivaansh is not like Rehan. Rehan had agreed to this marriage just for the business. And even Vivaansh had agreed for the same reason, but somewhere I know that he won’t let this thing affect your marriage. He won’t treat you like a compromise in his life. And even you have to do the same. After tomorrow, you have to left your past behind and accept your future with your husband.”
Meera kept looking at her mother but did not say anything for few minutes. She did not know what to say. Even though she agreed to the most of the things that her mother said, yet she did not know why she was not completely ready for this marriage. Something was stopping her from moving forward and accept sudden surprises that her life is throwing towards her these days.
Even Radhika, on not getting any reply, did not force Meera anymore. She knew that Meera needs time and she was not like other mothers to force her daughter to be a good daughter-in-law against her wish.
“Get some sleep, Meera. You have to wake up early tomorrow. And there are still few rituals left to be done before leaving for the marriage.”, Radhika said caressing Meera’s hairs lovingly before walking out of the room.
Meera saw her mother closing the door behind her and then sighed while looking down at the ring shining beautiful amidst the darker shade of heena in her hands, as she caressed the ring and whispered to herself, “I know that he is a nice person. But I wonder if he is the right choice for me!”
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Tejaswi entered Vivaansh’s study room after knocking twice and saw him busy doing something in his laptop while being busy on the call. Keeping the coffee on the table, Tejaswi waited for him to complete the call so that she can talk to him.
“You wanted something, mom?”, Vivaansh asked while sipping on the freshly brewed black coffee after disconnecting the call, and Tejaswi sighed before saying, “Tomorrow it is your wedding day. And you are having two weddings in a single day. It is already going to be a tiring day tomorrow and you, instead of sleeping, are here busy with your office work. Atleast, today you can take a break from your work and go to sleep early. I am sure you won’t look good with those huge dark bags under your eyes.”
“Mom, I think you are forgetting that I am doing this marriage for this business only. And don’t worry, I will manage tomorrow.”, Vivaansh replied without looking up from the screen and Tejaswi sighed not knowing what to say anymore.
Minutes passed and Tejaswi stood there still, not knowing how to initiate the conversation with Vivaansh, since there seems to be a huge bridge of difference between them.
“Did you had a talk with Sheetal didi?, Tejaswi asked trying to open the conversation and Vivaansh nodded looking up at her before saying, “I tried calling her but could not talk to her. There was some network issues from her side.”
Tejaswi nodded in understanding and keep standing there taking Vivaansh’s attention and he closed the laptop after saving the work before turning around to look up at his mother to ask, “I think you want to ask me about something?”
“I just wanted to know if you are happy with this alliance. I mean I like Meera. Infact, I love her. But it is you who is going to spend your whole life with her. And then the way this marriage is happening, I am worried that one day you will regret the decision taken just from the view of business.”, Tejaswi put forward her worry as she believed that love is important for any relationship and the way Vivaansh and Meera are getting married is nothing but a compromise.
“Mom, I am a businessman and business will always be a first priority for me. And I agree I am marrying her for the sake of business, but I am a responsible person, and I know to take all the responsibilities of every decision I take.”, Vivaansh said while taking the last sip of coffee.
“Tomorrow it is a Long and busy day so I guess we should go to sleep.”, Vivaansh suggested getting up from the chair and tejaswi nodded with a smile as she caressed his hairs and tip toed to kiss his forehead, while Vivaansh bend a little down to help his mother and smiled lightly when he felt all the motherly love in that forehead kiss.
“You are just like your father. Hard and tough from outside but tender and caring from inside.”, Tejaswi said while walking out with him and Vivaansh just smiled lightly at the compliment but did not say anything.
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The rasam of Chooda chadhana and Kaleerein (a ritual of making bride wear bangles) were done early morning by Meera’s mama and mami (maternal uncle and aunt), and now Meera was sitting in her room, surrounded by beauticians, getting ready for the most important day of her life.
“Ma’am, can we remove this handkerchief?”, Beautician asked pointing towards the white handkerchief tied on her both the wrist.
Radhika who had just entered the room with some jewelries, immediately said, “No, don’t remove the handkerchief right now. Meera, Tejaswi ji had asked me to tell you that you have to be very careful with these chooda (bangles) , and you cannot remove them until Tejaswi ask you to. And this handkerchief, you can remove after we reach Gurudwara.”
“Okay, mom.”, Meera said with a light smile and Radhika could see her still in some dilemma.
Radhika looked around at the beauticians and then at Meera before asking the beauticians to go away.
Closing the door behind those beauticians, Radhika came towards Meera and caressed her hair as she said, “Meera, what are you thinking?”
“Mom, I am scared.”, Meera finally let her heart out and Radhika sighed before continue to caress her hairs as she said, “This is normal. Every girl gets nervous before marriage but after few days, I am sure you would not even want to come back here. And then you always handle everything very well. I am sure you will handle this marriage too very well.”
Few tears escaped Meera’s eyes and she looked up at her mother in helplessness and Radhika immediately hugged her as they cried.
“Aunty, beauticians have done a great work in getting her ready. And you are letting their all efforts to go into drain by making her cry.”, Anshika humored coming into the room, breaking the moment of mother-daughter before she crouch down beside Meera and wiped the tears on Meera’s cheeks as she said, “And you—you only said that he is different from Rehan. You feel protected with him. Then why are you scared now?”
Radhika looked at the girls and thought to give some alone time to them as she said, “We will have to leave for the venue in few minutes.”,
As soon as Radhika went away after closing the door behind, Anshika immediately walked to the bed where luggage were kept and asked, “Everything packed?”
Meera nodded while adjusting the earrings and then Anshika asked, “Have you kept that silk night gown I had given you a month back for your special night?”
Meera frowned and then glared at Anshika who was giggling back at her before she said, “Oh come on, Meera. You have accepted him as your groom then you have to accept him in every way. And you know, all this time I have realised that he is one kind of a dominating man who wants everything perfect and in his own way. So I guess you will be having a tough life behind those close doors. You understand, what I mean!?”
Meera frowned but then her eyes widen as she understood the double meaning behind Anshika’s words, and unknowingly her cheeks heated up and covered in the hue of red as she fake glared at her friend and muttered annoyingly, “Anshu!”
Anshika laughed at her flushed face but forget to notice a new fear reflecting on Meera’s face.
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Knocking over the door of Vivaansh’s bedroom, Anhad Mehra, Vivaansh’s one and only friend entered and saw Vivaansh working something on his laptop.
Sighing at his workaholic friend, Anhad came towards him and said, “Not again, bro! Today it is your wedding day and here you are working. Take a break, bro!”
“Give me five minutes. I have to complete this presentation. This one is important.”, Vivaansh said without looking up while Anhad turned around to see Tejaswi entering with two mugs of coffee for them.
“Aunty, how can a person work on his own wedding day?”, Anhad asked in disbelief and Tejaswi only shrugged in response before she looked at Vivaansh while saying, “Anhad, please take your friend to get ready.”
“Mom, just five—“, Vivaansh said and looked up only to see Tejaswi and Anhad both glaring at him and Tejaswi nodded her head in disbelief and said, “We have to leave for venue in few minutes. And we can not afford to be late.”
Looking at the no way out, Vivaansh raised his hands in surrender and closed his laptop before getting up and picking up the sherwani kept on the couch, and went into the washroom.
“Aunty, what is with him getting married all of the sudden?”, Anhad asked and Tejaswi sighed as she said, “Its not a marriage. It is a complete business alliance.”
“It is not.”, Vivaansh announced coming out, ready in his attire for today, before he turned to his mother and said, “It is like any other arranged marriage.”
“Marriage without love is a compromise, Vivaansh.”, Anhad argued and Vivaansh stared at his friend and mother for a minute before turning around to set his hair, while Tejaswi came to him and started tying turban around his head, and Vivaansh look ahead of him for a minute before turning towards Anhad as he replied, “Marriage without respect and trust is a real compromise.”
Tejaswi’s hands come to a halt with his words as her eyes brimmed with few tears but she immediately hide it expertly. She knew that those words were indirectly meant for her only. However, Vivaansh already saw those pooling water in his mother’s eyes but somewhere he did not regretted it.
“Anhad, help him in getting ready while I gave a final look to all the arrangements and gifts.”, Tejaswi said to Anhad and left downstairs after giving a faint smile to the boys.
“You should not have said that, Vivaansh. She looked genuinely hurt. And I thought you had already forgiven her for whatever happened years back.”, Anhad said coming towards Vivaansh after Tejaswi was gone.
“I had just forgiven her. But I haven’t forgotten anything, I can never. I have forgiven her because at the end she is my mother who is the reason behind my existence.”, Vivaansh replied curtly and Anhad sighed but did not argued owing to Vivaansh’s wedding function and he did not wanted to spoil anyone’s mood.
“Here is your Kirpan (sword). Keep it safely with you.”, Anhad said giving him Kirpan, a sword with a curved blade which Punjabi groom usually carries with him during their marriages, with the belief to always protect their wives from all the harms.
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Wearing his pistal grean coloured juttis (footwear), and checking himself for one last time, Vivaansh climbed down the stairs and saw Anhad and Tejaswi instructing the drivers to shift lots and lots of gift wrapped boxes to the cars.
“What is all these?”, Vivaansh asked frowning as he looked around and saw two huge sofas in his living room as well as the dining chairs were filled with piles of gift boxes kept there.
“I asked Radhika and she told me that there are around two hundred guests coming from their side. So, we have to give some gifts to them also.”, Tejaswi replied while handing some more bags to the butlers and Vivaansh looked at Anhad who just shrugged his shoulders lazily.
“Is that mean that even they will be gifting us things in return?”, Vivaansh asked and Tejaswi nodded saying, “May be. I don’t know about their side of rituals.”
“We are not taking anything from them, Mom. If they insist, you clearly deny.”, Vivaansh said and Tejaswi argued, “But if it is their rituals then we cannot…”
Vivaansh intervened saying with finalism in his tone, “Mom, I know about their financial conditions right now. And if I am saying that we are not taking anything from them, then we are not.”
Tejaswi sighed at Vivaansh’s stubbornness but nodded in understanding as she knew her son better. If he is adamant about something, then the decision is final and no one can change it except for him.
“Aunty, may whatever the reason behind this sudden marriage, but before this, I haven’t seen Vivaansh being so much considerate for anyone except you, me and Badi maa.”, Anhad said looking at Vivaansh who had went aside to attend some business call.
“Be it a business alliance, I just wish that this turns out more than that for both of them.”, Tejaswi said smiling lightly at Anhad’s words.
“Aunty, whatever Vivaansh said upstairs, it was not meant for you.”, Anhad said looking at Tejaswi apologetically and she nodded smiling faintly.
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Wearing a pistal green coloured chudidar Sherwani alongwith a bright pink shawl drapped over his right shoulder which was going down and wrapped around his right hand wrist, paired with pink coloured bandhani turban tied over his head and Kirpan sword in his hand, Vivaansh was sitting alongwith Anhad in the prayer hall of the Gurudwara, taking the blessings of Guru Granth Sahebji (God of Punjabi’s).
Whereas, Tejaswi was outside the Gurudwara to perform the ceremony of Milani. In the ceremony of Milani, The bride and groom’s family greet each other happily before entering the Gurudwara for further rituals.
“Where is uncle aunty?”, Vivaansh looked at Anhad and asked in hushed ton while Anhad sighed saying, “As usual business trips.”
Few minutes later, Anhad nudged at Vivaansh who frowned looking at him before following his site and he saw his mother coming with his in-laws.
However the moment, his eyes landed on his bride, who was slowly coming towards him, surrounded with Anshika and few other girls, may be her cousin, unknowingly his heart skipped a beat and his stare grew intense looking at her beauty.
Meera was made to sit beside him and Vivaansh tilt his face to look at her, who being aware of his constant gaze on herself, tried to hide her reddening cheeks, while her gaze fixed at her fidgeting fingers in her lap. And Vivaansh took his own time to admire his soon-to-be wife’s beauty.
She was wearing a pale peach colored lehenga alongwith a diamond necklace, earring and maang tikka, the ones that Tejaswi had personally chosen and gifted her during her and Vivaansh’s engagement. Her face, though was covered with the veil of her netted dupatta, he still did not fail to notice that even today she was not wearing any heavy make-up, and he actually liked the fact. He already hate the girls who tries to hide their flaws with make-up, and knowing that Meera is not one of them, made him admire her more.
However, the thing that took Vivaansh’s heart was the chooda (bangles) in the combination of red and white, alongwith kaleerein around her wrist, and as she would nervously fidget with her fingers, her chooda (bangles)would make more pleasant sound, making Vivaansh more attracted towards them.
Slightly craning her head and peeking at him from under her eyelashes, Meera’s breath hitched as she looked straight into his brown orbs, which were already gazing back at her intensely. Heavily grown stubble was making him more handsome and his firm stout physique can make any girl go crazy over him, and she realised the fact clearly.
“You don’t have to be nervous.”, Vivaansh said intently looking down at her still fidgeting fingers and then looking back at her, and Meera immediately looked away. However, she immediately stopped fidgeting with her fingers, making Vivaansh lightly smile at her innocence.
Shortly, the Anand Karaj ceremony started with an Ardas (prayer) and Tejaswi alongwith Maheshwari couple came forward to bless the child and grant their acceptance for the marriage, while all the other relatives sat behind the couple.
Once the Ardas (prayer) was completed, Vivaansh bowed down and Meera observed him for a moment before following his suit, and they both bowed down to touch the floor with their forehead and seek the blessing of Guru Granth Sahebji. And then they were made to stand up for “Lavaan Phere”.
Tejaswi came ahead and gave the end of the shawl draped on Vivaansh’s shoulder to Virat, who then gave it into Meera’s hand as instructed, thus concluding that he is now giving his daughter Meera to Vivaansh.
Lavaan Phere are the four hymes of the Anand Karaj, where Groom and bride take pheras around the Guru Granth with each lavaan and understand the meaning of sacred marriage.
{Phera:- Pheras are the seven sacred rounds that the bride and groom take around the holy fire}
Radhika was about to come forward to help Meera to stand up as she was decked up into a heavy lehenga, however before she can come, Vivaansh immediately held out his hand for Meera to hold in order to help her to get up. This little care of his did something into Meera’s heart and she stared up at him before keeping her palm softly into his and Vivaansh hold her hand tightly while helping her in standing up.
Recitals of verses of first Phera started and Vivaansh, followed by Meera behind him, took the first phera around the Guru Granth before sitting down again to bow in front of Guru Granth.
The first laav emphasises on the duty towards the family and the community.
Again they stood up to take second Phera around the Guru Granth and then sit down to bow down in respect to Guru Granth.
The second laav signifies the stage of yearning and love for each other.
They took the third Phera and then sat down again to bow and take the blessings.
The third Lavaan is the representation of true love for god. The bride accepts that she has met the divine saint who made her love the absolute being. The third laav proclaims stresses on the stage of detachment from the world.
They took the fourth and the last Phera and sat down after taking the blessings from Guru Granth.
The fourth Lavaan states that the couple has found the peace and equilibrium of their mind because they have reached the god with great ease and now the heart of the bride blossoms with the name of the groom.
With the end of the fourth Lavaan Phera, Meera was announced as Vivaansh’s wife officially and everyone greeted each other with their happiness.
After each and every phera, Vivaansh would help her to stand up without fail, and everyone, specially Tejaswi, Radhika and Virat smiled looking at how caring Vivaansh is for Meera.
Once the ceremony was concluded, a final hymn is sung and another Ardaas (prayer) was offered by all who were gathered there to officially mark the union of the couple.
Tejaswi came forward and took balaaein (remove evil eye) of the couple before kissing on Vivaansh and then Meera’s forehead expressing her happiness. Soon the couple took the blessings from the elders who blessed them with forever happiness.
After this Tejaswi and Maheshwari couple came ahead to put a garland around the couple and both parents blessed the couple with some cash as shagun.
The priest came ahead to bless the couple followed by offering them Karah Prasad (whole wheat flour halva) and then distributed the prasad in all the family and relatives.
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Post marriage rituals, all were taken to Gurudwara’s congregational hall where a delicious vegetarian meal called Langar will be served for everyone to enjoy. Thin mattresses were spread on the floor for bride groom as well the relatives to sit down and have their lunch in peace.
Here, The ceremony roti takes place. This is known as the bride’s first meal as a married woman and is extremely special as her in-laws welcome her into the family with a cloth-covered platter that contains food along with some cash.
Tejaswi came with a plate of Langar food and uncovered the red cloth covering the plate before keeping it in front of Meera and Vivaansh.
“Meera, have the first bite of this roti. After this ceremony you are official welcomed in our family.”, Tejaswi guided and Meera nodded meekly before breaking a small roti and had it with some sabji (veggies). Tejaswi then handed some cash as Neg.
The same plate was then offered to Vivaansh and he took the bite from the same roti and sabji (veggies) that Meera had taken for herself. Everyone smiled loudly looking at Vivaansh’s act but no one said or teased the couple. While, Meera stared at him with wide eyes and Vivaansh royally ignored her stares on himself.
“He doesn’t seems, but he is quite romantic. You are having a fabulous love life ahead.”, Anshika, who was sitting beside Meera teasingly whispered in her ears and Meera once again secretly glanced at Vivaansh before looking down as she struggled to cease the redness spreading on her cheeks.
“Bro, I know you are too eager to show your love to your newly wedded wife but please control. How can you openly flirt with her like this that too in front of her parents and relatives?”, Anhad, who was sitting beside Vivaansh immediately nudged him and Vivaansh looked at him with raised brows asking, “When did I flirt with her?”
Anhad rolled his eyes dramatically before replying, “Don’t act like you accidentally had the same food as her. I know that you did that intentionally. And this is called flirting.”
Vivaansh gave him a stare before looking on the other side where his wife was sitting and saw her blushing lightly at something that Anshika was whispering in her ears.
Looking back at Anhad, Vivaansh said blankly, “I didn’t flirt with her. Anyways she is my wife and I don’t need to flirt with my own wife.”
Everyone had the lunch happily and Radhika while talking with Tejaswi, she knew that Meera would always be happy under the love and care of her mother-in-law.
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“Radhika, By the way, the last ritual after this is Bidaai (bride’s farewell). However, right now marriage is pending from your side, so now you should take Meera back.”, Tejaswi said and Radhika looked at Virat before turning back to Tejaswi and said, “Tejaswi, in our culture, Bride do not step back into her maternal home instantly after her marriage. She has to step into her in-laws house after her marriage or it will not be auspicious for the couple.”
Everyone grew worried as the situation was a bit tensed. Neither Meera go back to her father’s house nor she can enter Vivaansh’s house before performing evening marriage.
“What’s wrong?”, Vivaansh came and asked looking at Tejaswi who briefed him about the situation.
“I will book a room for Meera and everyone in our family hotel. Infact, she can also get ready in the hotel itself for the evening marriage rituals. Anyways, it is quite nearer to the venue.”, Vivaansh announced taking out his cellphone and no one argued further.
“Vivaansh, atleast ask Meera and her parents.”, Tejaswi said and Vivaansh looked at Meera who instead looked at her own parents and Virat looked a bit reluctant but did not argue.
“God, he is really dominant in nature.”, Anshika sighed nodding her head in disbelief and Meera glared at her before looking at Vivaansh who at the same time looked at her, and she immediately look away.
