28. Wedding Rituals Begin

One Month Later

The wedding invites were sent out, the venue was decorated, the clothes and accessories were all ready and so were the bride and groom ready to be tied in one knot.

All the relatives had started filling both the houses which shined in happiness and was bustling in laughter and teasing.

"Mayu" Jiya called Maitri who was dressed in heavy bandhej orange and red saree taking pictures of herself to send them to Aryamaan.

"Yeah?" She held her saree up and rushed outside in the living room to see why her mother was calling her.

"Dekhle sab. Your dad and all the male family members are going to Ranawat palace for Aryaman's tilak" Jiya was rechecking everything placed on the table. Maitri looked at her cousins confused on why her mother was asking her to check these things.

"But how is this my concern?" She whispered in Jiya's ear.

"This is the first ritual and I don't want anything to go wrong. Teri shaadi ki yeh pehli rasam hai" Jiya cupped Maitri's cheeks and said with teary eyes.

"Don't cry mumma. Am not that easy to be warded off. You all will still be stuck with me" Maitri hugged Jiya while Divya and all the other ladies and her cousins joined the hug.

"Acha acha, they are leaving, let me go help them" Jiya wiped her tears and got busy with checking things. Divya continued hugging Maitri knowing that she was still emotional but Maitri won't cry because she's the elder daughter of the house who has learnt to hide her tears so the rest of the family isn't hurt. Maitri saw all the items being given to her dad, mama, chacha and fufas as they held that and sat in the car. There was a golden sword, vermillon, sweet food items, dry fruits and a few clothes. The tilak ceremony held a great importance as it marked the beginning of the wedding and made the relation official.

Akshit and everyone reached the Ranawat palace where Aryaman sat in the centre of the living room on a wooden stool while Maitri's mama, Jivan sat infront of him and applied tilak. Both the families hired a professional photographer who would record each ceremonies and take natural pictures of it. Ranawat palace was decorated as a new bride and was as busy as a bee with kids running randomly in the huge spaces while the ladies helped in clearing things and setting up stuff for the next ritual. Rishav and Kaira looked at each other proudly.

"He grew up too soon" Kaira placed her head on Rishav's chest as they saw Aryaman bonding with Jivan and Akshit nicely.

"He did. We did a good job bringing him up" Rishav too got emotional seeing Aryaman dressed in a heavy cream sherwani, blending in with everyone.

"Let's go. You want to see your son's wedding rituals from far?" Rishav said kissing her forehead and making her stand straight. Holding each other's hands, they walked to him and sat on the sofas, looking at how earnestly he followed everything the Panditji said. Once all the rituals were done, Kaira and the ladies set up the table for lunch for Maitri's side of family.

On the other hand, at Maitri's house, they were doing the Nandi and Ratari Jage rituals. Maitri was asked to cover her head with her saree end which she did gracefully and sat infront of the idols of the God as the panditji recited the mantras and asked her to recite a few. Ganesh sthapna (Nandi) was done to invite the gods to the wedding and pray for a happy and hassle-free wedding to take place. Nandi was done at both the houses. In Ratri Jagi Maitri and all the ladies close to the family were asked to stand up and they walked to the veranda of their house and the Panditji asked them to draw holy symbols on the wall.  This ritual is done to drive away evil forces.

Maitri and Aryaman collapsed onto their beds after having an eventful day. They didn't get even one second to call each other or reply to each other. Either their parents dragged them to complete some other small rituals or help them or even better meet people. They slept at 1 as all of them were having fun with their cousins and later they were scolded for staying up till late. After the scolding they immediately fell asleep with a smile of their faces.

NEXT DAY

Aryaman and Maitri were forced to wake up early and were dressed in yellow clothes for their pithi dastoor. This was done separately at their own homes.

Pithi Dastoor is a pre-wedding ceremony where Maitri would be applied turmeric paste to get the marriage glow. The paste is often a mixture of haldi, besan, sandalwood and honey. She wore a traditional yellow dress and the women in the family including Jiya applied turmeric paste on her face, feet and hand. Women of the house sang traditional wedding songs along with dhol. A traditional folk dance called 'Ghoomar' was also performed. This ceremony is considered very important in a Rajput wedding and after the Pithi Dastoor, both the bride and groom are not allowed to leave the house till the wedding.

Maitri placed the duppata on her head as one by one each lady applied the turmeric paste on her. Divya, her cousins and her friends all of them set up the mood for the day. Paan sherbet was passed around in the house on which all the youngsters pretended to be drunk on. Divya and Maitri's friends and cousins danced on Gallan goodiyan and Sweetheart.  They pulled Maitri to dance with them.

At Ranawat palace, the vibrance was totally something else. It was grand and extravagant. They had decided to do the haldi ceremony in the garden so the palace won't get dirty. Once all the elders were done applying haldi to Aryaman the youngsters bend down and applied haldi to him.

"Oye sun" Aryaman whispered to Aviraj when he was applying haldi.

"Isn't it a bit boring?" He asked smiling fakely.

"Your mother has strictly warned us not to do anything" Aviraj said with sympathy. Next Ranveer came to apply him haldi again seeing that Aryaman was getting bored.

"Just bare this boringness for a few more minutes, then we will do real fun" He said smiling to the camera. Aryaman's facce brightened up hearing him. One by one everyone finished applying haldi to him. He was to stand up to wash it off but Aarchi pushed him back to the seat and music started fading in. Everyone cleared the area in Aryaman's vision and soon Kaira, Ruhanika and Saumya started dancing joined by other cousins and Aarchi. Aryaman's friends too joined the dance shocking him to the core. All the songs were deliberately chosen to tease him.

After the dance everyone sat down except Ranveer.

"Where are you all going?" Ranveer asked holding Kaira's hand.

"Inside" She looked at him confused.

"Without finishing the rituals?"

"Which one is left?" She looked at Rishav for clarification who also looked confused. Ranveer left her hand and walked to the table with haldi and took alot of it in his fist very silently and walked back to her.

"This one" Without giving her a chance to say anything he covered her whole face in haldi and ran away. The youngsters brought the buckets with haldi water and pichkaris to play with and within a few minutes the place turned into a war zone. Aryaman was drenched in haldi, from his hair to his clothes everything was covered in yellow. After playing for a while, Kaira stopped them and asked them to remove the haldi applied on Aryaman as it had to be sent to Maitri's place.

At Maitri's place after dancing for a while, her mother and everyone helped her remove the haldi and placed all of it in a bowl and added some more haldi to it to send it to Aryaman's place.

"You know why we do this ritual ladoo?" Jiya asked as she carefully and gently removed haldi from Maitri. Maitri looked at her questioningly.

"Aryaman will send over the haldi that was applied to him and we will apply that to you again. Same will happen with the haldi am rubbing off you. It is said by doing this both the bride and groom get coloured in each other's colours. They accept their individuality and their partnership" Jiya said softly as Maitri looked at her without saying anything, taking in every moment she had with her family before she was wedded off.

After all haldi was peeled off, Maitri stood up to use the washroom. She was to enter her room but Divya stopped her.

"Where dear sister?"

"Washroom idiot" Maitri said pressed to pee.

"This is my room didi. Permission kon lega" Divya said denying her entry in the room.

"This is still my room and will always remain my room. I share it with you because I pity you since mum and dad got you from the garbage" Maitri refused to let go of her room at any cost.

"Poor didi. Your countdown from this room has begun. The raksha dhaga on your wrist is a loud and clear indication that you are going in a few days. This is my room now onwards" Divya said pointing at the room and then at herself. Maitri pushed her away and rushed to the washroom. After coming out of the washroom, she checked herself in the mirror and adjusted her ornaments. As soon as Divya saw Maitri walking out she loudly started talking to everything in the room and announcing it that they were now hers.

"Move move didi" She pushed Maitri away and stood infront of the mirror and admired herself.

"Done?" Maitri asked bored.

"Nahh, see that table, even that is going to be mine" Divya pointed towards the table proudly.

"What will you do after everything is yours?" Maitri asked sitting on the bed.

"Wohi toh nai pata. Sab kuch aapke saath share kiya hai toh aab nai pata ke akele akele kaise use karte hai (That's what I don't know. I've grown up sharing things with you that now I don't know what to do of these thiings when it is just me who is going to be using it)" Divya said looking away from Maitri. Maitri eyes got teary and was at loss of words.

"You are my sister, my best friend with whom I've shared everything. After you'll go this room won't be the same" Divya said as a tear slid down her cheek.

"I used to go earlier also na baba. I lived in USA bacha, this room has been yours ever since then" Maitri reminded her that it was a long time since they both shared the room like in childhood.

"It was different. That time you were still my sister and I knew you'd return only here. Now when you'll come, you won't come here, you'll go to the Ranawat palace first. You have another home here. You'll come here as a guest and leave as a guest" Divya broke into a fit of cries. Maitri couldn't handle more and hugged Divya tightly as both the sisters broke down, knowing that they'll miss each other the most.

"Chup kar pagli. Am not going to Mars, am just going a few minutes away from here. You are my sister and no other relation can change that. Whenever you call me, I'll come, pakka promise" She hugged Divya tightly and wiped her tears. Suddenly her phone started ringing. She broke the hug and picked up the call from Aryaman.

"Hi" She greeted him but the hoarseness due to crying was evident.

"Were you crying?" Aryaman asked panicked.

"Yeah a little. All because of your dear saali saheba. She was saying that she'd miss me alot as if I'll not miss her" Maitri said hitting Divya's head playfully.

"Give her the phone" Aryaman asked Maitri to give Divya the phone which she did.

"Hello" Divya greeted Aryaman.

"Hello hello. Do you think am a beast?" Aryaman asked in mock anger.

"No why?" She looked at Maitri panicked.

"Then why do you feel that you'd need to cry when you miss her? Isn't it possible that whenever you miss your sister she comes to you or you come to us?" Aryaman explained to her making Divya's eyes brighten up in happiness.

"Make sure you make a list of things all of us have to do" Aryaman said smiling.

"Definetely. We will watch movies, play cards, we will do alot of fun stuff" Divya was back to her chirpy self, making both Aryaman and Maitri relax. After talking to him for a while she returned the phone to Maitri and left the room to give them privacy.

"Thank you so much for making her laugh" She thanked him.

"No worried and don't cry anymore" Aryaman said strictly.

"Why?"

"I won't marry a bride who's eyes are puffy and can't take pretty pictures because of that" He said lightening up the atmosphere.

"Ohh shit yes. I can't look bad in my own wedding" She forgot about everything and focused on her makeup.

"How was your haldi?" She asked admiring herself in the mirror.

"I've sent you the video, check it out for yourself" He said with a smirk.

"Okay okay. By the way now that haldi is done, both of us can't get out of our houses so incase if you were thinking of running away, now you can't" She said retouching her makeup.

"Shit I missed the chance. Couldn't you tell me that before haldi, I would have escaped" He played along with her.

"Aryaa" Before she could reply him, she heard Kaira's voice calling him.

"Go get yourself coloured in my colours" She said assuming that her haldi has reached Ranawat Palace.

"You too" Saying that both of them cut the call and walked back to their initial position for reapplication of haldi. This time it was more modest and even the male members of the family joined.

"Always know am there for you" Jivan said to Maitri who looked at him as if he had hung the moon on her window.

"You are the best mama you know?" She asked with a smile.

"Of course I am. Who can handle tantrums of you and your mum except me?" He said laughing and applied her the haldi.

Soon with the fun and laughter the event came to an end and the bride and groom went for a bath. One after the other everyone used the bathroom and changed into comfortable clothes preparing for the next ritual... Mahira Dastoor.

In this ritual the maternal side of both bride and groom played a major role. The maternal side presented the mothers of the bride and groom received gifts from everyone. At Maitri's place, Jivan poured out his heart on giving gifts to his sister Jiya who got emotional seeing so many gifts from his side. While at Aaryaman's place, Kaira was made to sit on the stool where Aryaman was sitting as she was showered with gifts from Ranveer and Ruhaansh. Later on even their in-laws gave them gifts. Both Jiya and Kaira were on 7th cloud seeing so many gifts. Aarchi and Divya had taken up the duty of keeping the bride and groom updated with each other and would take pictures and videos and whatsapp them. Aviraj was handling the social media accounts for them and posted the candid pictures of theirs.

Mahira dastoor emphasising the fact that the maternal uncle has to lend a hand of help for the expenditure of his sister's family. For Mahira dastoor, Maitri wore a heavy pink saree while Aryaman wore a pink kurta.

The day soon came to an end with the fun of the rituals and nonstop gossips. Before anyone understood that they were tired, all of them were fast asleep.