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“Dodhi Mongol” Khushi nudged Arnav winking at him.

“What the..!” he glared angrily.  

“Bangles…Look at her….!” She turned to Anjali dreamily… “She looks so cute… Happy…!” she blurted contentedly.  Arnav gazed at his sister with moist eyes and turned his face away from Khushi…! But Khushi was already on a different level… and had gone away.

“Anjali Di…” She whispered in her ear as seven women were busy adorning her hands with Shakha and Paula… with pairs of Red and White bangles, feeding her curd and rice.

“Eat to your hearts content Di… This is the only meal you are going to have for the day…” Khushi teased Anjali and Anjali blushed in waves of laughter… ! Khushi with efforts got to her feet and held her tummy.

“Hey Devi Mayya… Isko bolo… Aaj tang naa karain…! “ she looked up feeling the kick inside but her lips smiled without her permission … The life within was also happy for Anjali Buwa, kicking harder…! She looked at Arnav, felt something amiss… “He is not in his elements…Humm..” she thought but consoled herself immediately…

“Naturally… His Di is getting married… He is already missing her…” she tiptoed from behind and held his arm.  He looked back and gave her a faint smile.  

“What is going on?” she asked in a bare whisper looking into his eyes…!

“What?” he asked wincing a bit.

“Here… inside…!” she jabbed her finger on his heart and asked.

“What? Nothing…!” he dismissed her moving away.  She sighed.

“Don’t worry Arnav ji, I will know soon…!” she smiled and went in search of Payal…! The Bor Jatri   (Barat) would arrive at the doors anytime.

“Come on… hurry up…! Baarat would come in ten minutes…” Raj was hauling but no one paid any attention.  

“Jatri can wait….!” An elderly woman from Groom’s side declared…and Khushi looked at Raj victoriously.  Raj went away shrugging… the adorning of bangles continued at its own speed with women singing and giggling, teasing Anjali…! Khushi decided to pay a visit to kitchen…!

The first car arrived…. A messenger from the groom to be ready to welcome him with grandeur… ! Papaji was already ready with his welcoming banjo party and loud band with Punjabi tune.

“Oh! Come on Dad… Its not our type wedding… Look at them…” He waved at the women who were singing melodiously with gentle lyrics…! Papaji just looked at him blankly as if he couldn’t hear what Raj was shouting…! Raj went ahead to stop that loud music….

“Look at them Dad… listen to the heavenly music Dad… feel the serenity…!” Raj urged.  Papaji was silent just for a few seconds and then said…

Hawyy… This music is good in temples…. Wedding?… No way…. “ He signalled the band to blow on…!

“Dad…” Raj stopped them again.

“Please… try and maintain the decorum…” He pulled him inside.

“No need to be a part of welcome party… We will manage…Stay with Mom..” he pushed him inside where Anjali was made to sit in her bridle wear…! Mummiji was arranging the scattered things and Elsa was making Anjali Ready .. ”  Papaji went to her…

“Beta… welcome your future….with open hands… call your happiness… blow away all your sorrows…” he suddenly became emotional…! The women had stopped singing…! 

"Mom... Khushi buwa,,,, Baarat will arrive anytime... Hurry up...?" Meera and Tej darted in screaming their lungs out.  Meera stopped at the door looking at Anjali...!

"Wow... Look at her...!" she turned to Tej.  The otherwise simple sober Anjali was transformed completely with heavy clothes and ornaments...! 

"Aray... what are you to doing here? Arnav uncle is waiting for you two at the gates.." Papaji drove the kids away...!

 

“Don’t you have something happy, joyous, like a bang…like something upbeat?” he asked wiping his eyes.

“I mean… this is good… but you know… too divine… like devotional…!” he joined his hands as if praying god…! The women giggled….! 

“Oh Yes… But not now… Let the jatri come to the gates….” Anjali blushed furiously.

“Promise me that! Or Let me play my music…!... I just can’t bear this sweet… devotional music…Its too heavy…” he went on seriously and the ladies burst out in giggles…! 

They all heard The loud reverberating, blowing of the conch shell and ululation at the gate.  Anjali’s body blossomed with Goosebumps…She looked up with bated breath. Women from groom side got up.  Khushi came hurriedly and said…

“Come on Di… Let me take you inside.  The baarat has arrived…!” Anjali looked around with hazy vision…! She took her to the balcony… smiling broadly signalling Papaji.  Arnav and Raj accompanied by Aakash close behind them welcomed the baarat..opening the door of Shondeep’s car.  He walked on the flower bed and Khushi nudged Anjali.  Papaji coughed loudly and Raj looked up.  The music stopped waiting for the penny to drop.  Anjali looked back nervously and Khushi pushed her forward.  She leaned on the railing and he looked up in surprise…! Blowing of the conch shell and ululation filled the air and the crowd erupted in clapping.  

“Humm… at least one ritual… our style..” Papaji said pulling Khushi closer.  

Mamiji, laden with ornaments with other members, came out to welcome Shondeep and his family by showing the holy earthen lamp, sprinkling trefoil, and husked rice placed on a bamboo kula (winnow) and fed him sweets.

“Hello hi..b..y..e…” her voice trailed looking at stunning Shondeep in his western three piece suit…!

“Belcome….” Mamiji had changed the track suddenly… 

”Bor Boron “ Khushi whispered in Mamiji’s ears …

“Hain?” Mamiji asked turning back.  Khushi turned her around… Ululation filled the air again….! Mami’s vision blurred with tears of happiness….! Nani waited inside for the grand son in law…!

“Welcome…” Khudhi shouted over the loud music to bring them all back… Raj and Arnav brought him in, guided him to the altar…! Aakash was waiting to take him on the Altar…! 

Someone gave Aakash a heap of packets and he handed it over to Shondeep.  Papaji had changed the side once the baarat was inside the mansion.  He was standing in attention position behind Shondeep and took the packets from him.  Helping him to get up, he whispered which boomed into the entire hall….

“Go change into wedding attire….” Shondeep flushed flashing his dimples…!
“Hello.. hiiii…. Najhar na lage….” Mami blurted joining her hands…! 

Potto Bastra Khushi whispered “ for Sampradan…” Anjali looked up confused.
“Wedding dress for Kanyadaan…” she said smiling…! Anjali looked nervous…!
“No… no… you don’t have to do anything, Di… your Bhais will carry you to the altar… Khushi giggled and stopped suddenly feeling the kick.

“See? The baby is also giggling Di…” Khushi hugged Anjali…! Arnav and Aakash were at the door ready with pidi for Saat Paak saat phere…! Anjali looked frightened…

“Di.. don’t worry… we both will carry you…!” Aakash went on his knees helping his Di to sit on the pidi…! They carried her to the altar and took seven circles around the Shondeep boy…!
“You are wound up securely, permanently forever…” Papaji blessed the couple with Shondeep’s father standing on either side of the couple..! Nani and Shondeep’s mother had no time to look at the wedding, busy welcoming the close circle of guests…! 

The bride and groom exchanged the garlands sitting on the pidi and the crowd clapped sprinkling puffed rice and trefoil…! 

“Oh! Come on.. Come on… look at each other… come on…!” Papaji roared and they both looked down shying away…!

“Shondeep… look at her… check if she is the same Anjali…!” Shondeep’s father nudged him teasingly.  He looked away flushing…

“Anjali puttar… is he the same one, you loved?” asked papaji.  Everyone had gathered around altar and canopy…! Anjali was finding her feet in the layer of flexed rice and triparni…! 

“Oh! Come on…!” Pandit said sternly and they looked up at each other for a fleeting second.

“No.. Not done… Stare at each other… and don’t let us down… Let us see who wins…” Papaji threw the challenge and within no time there were two parties cheering up one and booing the other. 
“Oh Come on Hurry up!” the priest said sternly and they looked at each other locking their eyes….!
“Take your seat on the Chandantolla…for Sampradan.” Ordered the priest and Anjali moved to take her seat.  Sacred fire ignited…! The atmosphere  suddenly turned pious…! Mamaji came forward to bind their hands with the sacred thread..chanting Shubho mantra and the air filled with shubho chanting.  Mamaji placed their bound hands on the Shubho Mangal Ghata… 

“Sit in front of the fire…. This sacred fire is the witness of your wedding…” Priest continued with his chanting…! 

Saat Pak… Saptapadi…! They took seven circles around the sacred fire…! 

Give your offerings to the witness…! Arnav came up the altar with puffed rice pouring it in her palms… Shondeep had reinforced her cupped palms holding her hands from behind taking her in his embrace…! He applied Sindoor in her hair parting lifting her bindi.  Khushi’s eyes did not see anything with her teary vision.  Arnav came from behind and she turned hiding her face on his chest.
“Khushi…” he lifted her face and gently blew on her hair parting… 

“Huhh… her trapped breath left her with hiccup… He gazed at her.  His fingers caressed her wound mark on her forehead…! 

“Come on let us go…” he said bending down to lift her and she came back to reality.

“No…!” she broke away from him and wiping her tears smiled at him…!
“We are not in your Foundation Day Function…” she jabbed at his chest. He gave her his reserved lopsided smile…!

“Pagal… laad governer…” she thought turning away from him.
“Suna maine…” he again caught her from behind.

“Isanay bhi suna…” she placed his hand on her tummy and he placed his chin on her shoulder…! 

“Arnav….!” Raj was calling him frantically and Arnav dashed down merging into the crowd for Raj’s help…

“Aray… your phone…” Khushi picked up his dropped phone.  But he was nowhere to be seen.  She sighed keeping it into her batua… pouch..!