Chapter 5

Rishi and Aadhira’s home was decorated for the wedding and a day before the wedding as per their plans their garden was decorated for the haldi ceremony.

At Rishi’s home he sat dressed in a simple button down shirt, his face gloomy and jaws were clenched. His whole home was buzzing with relatives who had arrived for the wedding. He just wanted to escape from all the noise, the chatters, the laughters but sat without any reaction after gulping a pain killer to soothe the banging pain in his head.

His mother entered his room and called him for the ritual. He shook his head still followed her and saw all his relatives waiting to complete the ritual. He looked at his grandfather who looked very happy on seeing his state.

As soon as he got seated one by one started applying the haldi on his face, arm and few teased him smearing it on his chest. As soon as the last person in the queue completed the ritual he stormed to his room and entered the washroom directly. He looked at himself in the mirror and hated every bit of what was happening in his life.

Rishi: I should have been happy and enjoying all these if only my father and grand father had chosen some one mature, calm and with some fashion sense. How did they think she would match my personality ?

He stood under the shower and made sure to be locked in the room for the rest day, even he got his food served in his room.

Rishi’s grandpa, Raghavan and Vani arrived at Aadhira’s home and saw the same excitement in everyone’s face. Hari and Kavitha welcomed them to the garden where everything was ready for the ritual. Without delay Kavitha called Aadhira who came with her friends.

She was dressed in a beautiful yellow half saree and her hair was adorned with flowers. She got the blessings of her parents and Rishi’s family as well before she got seated. Kavitha and Vani started the ritual and smeared haldi on her cheeks, arms and legs. Rishi’s grandpa clicked her photo and sent it to Rishi without anyone noticing him.

Aadhira looked so happy and she felt goosebumps  with the feel of the haldi on her, the one used for Rishi. She missed him a lot and never got a chance to meet him or talk to him after the wedding shopping and lunch.

Vani gifted her some jewels as a ritual and later they did the ritual for Vimal who was so happy after he got to see his sister being happy about her wedding. Hari and Kavitha left with Raghavan, Vani and Rishi’s grandpa to complete the haldi ritual for Manjari.

Rishi woke up after a nap and saw a notification from his grandfather. He opened it and saw the beautiful image of Aadhira cladded in a yellow half saree, she was smiling to something one of her friend said in her ear. He was so lost in looking at her but soon he realized his actions and threw the mobile on the couch.

Rishi: brat, I m sure she is more than what I have seen so far. God, help me. Why did I even visit the hotel that day ? Only if Manjari hadn’t fallen in love with her brother. Why him of all the person on this earth ? Why bound her with me of all the girl on this earth ? I m doomed.

He heard a knock on the door and held his head on the expected call. He opened it and saw his grandfather standing with a smile.

Grandpa: Thank me later for the photo now come with me and greet your father in law and mother in law. They are here for Manjari’s haldi ritual.

Rishi rolled his eyes and walked out followed by his grandfather. He greeted Hari and Kavitha and stood next to his father looking at Manjari who looked so happy. He smiled on seeing the glow on her face and her excitement, she couldn’t control her blush when her friends and cousins were teasing her.

Rishi Mv: May be I should have fallen in love with someone of my choice and all this wouldn’t have happened.

He felt a nudge on his elbow and saw his cousin Shruthi smiling at him. She was dressed so elegantly and he always felt she had a good fashion sense.

Shruthi: Rishi, why are you so gloomy ? Tomorrow is your wedding and I don’t see the excitement in your face. Look at Manjari, she is waiting to get out of this place.

Rishi: She is marrying the one she is in love so she is glowing. I can’t say the same in my case.

Shruthi: You should have fallen in love with someone Rishi. You even rejected my proposal. Only if you had accepted me then we would have been happy just like Manjari.

Rishi: Shruthi, I never saw you as more than my cousin.

Shruthi: Yeah I know, but what I meant is a known devil is better than an unknown angel. You know me and I know you so we could have worked out but its ok, bad luck to us.

Rishi shook his head and watched Kavitha offering gifts to Manjari. He excused from everyone to return to his room and stood before the mirror.

Rishi:  A known devil is better than an unknown angel ? But how can a devil be better than an angel ?

” So you think she is a devil who could be better for you ? ” his mind asked him and Rishi shut his eyes ignoring all the thoughts of someone cladded in a beautiful yellow half saree.

At Aadhira’s home her friends bid bye and Vimal entered her room. He gave her a gift and waited for her to open it. Aadhira glared at her brother on seeing a new dairy in it.

Aadhira: Stingy fellow, I thought you will gift me something special. This is what you got for me ?

Vimal: Duckling, I have special gifts for you but this is even more special. I can see you are so excited to marry Rishi but I don’t trust him even a bit. There might be some days when you feel down and wanted to share your pain. I know you will not open your pain to anyone  so you will write down whatever happened that hurt you. I wish and pray the god that this dairy remains unwritten forever.

Adhira hugged him and tears escaped both their eyes.

Aadhira: I will miss you bro, please take care of everyone and especially sister in law. She is leaving her family and home for you. Give her all the time, love and attention. Give her every happiness she deserves. Stand by her in all the situations.

Vimal: Ok granny. Aadhi, promise me you will call me if he trouble you.

Adhira pulled back from the hug and glared at him with her hands on her hip.

Aadhira: Shut up bro, Rishi will never trouble me, he is so chweet.

Vimal smiled and then gave her a shopping bag. She squealed on seeing a bunny plush in it. She hugged him and he gave her some cash and jewels.

Vimal: Save this money for your own use and I will transfer some money to your account every month. Any time you need something then you will call me immediately. One more semester is left for your college and I will pay the fees for it. Sure, our father will not pay and I don’t think that idiot will pay either.

Aadhira: Don’t portray him as a villain bro. Don’t you see that he love his sister so much. He is good and will take care of me.

Vimal wasn’t convinced with anything she was saying and placed money in her trolley and helped her pack her college books.

Vimal: I won’t be there to write your assignment Aadhi so be responsible and complete your assignments on time. They are worse then our family so wake and please bath for real before you enter the pooja room. You will need lot of patience to live with him in the same room.

Aadhira: Don’t worry he will fall in love with me very soon. Who knows he might be in love with me already. Bro, did I tell you I tried flames of our names and it says we will be lovers.

Vimal: Not marriage ? I m scared now.

Aadhira: You are discouraging me so much bro. Be optimisstic.

Vimal smiled and continued packing her things. His eyes turned moist when he saw her placing a photo of them taken together.

At Rishi’s home, he stood at the threshold of Manjari’s room and saw her twirling around. He knocked on the open door and she stood abruptly her smile fading immediately.

Manjari: Bro, you need something ?

Rishi gave her a jewel box and she smiled on seeing a diamond choker in it.

Manjari: Wow, this is so beautiful bro, thank you so much.

Rishi: If you face any problem over there then you will call me immediately. Anytime you need something I m just a call away.

Manjari bobed her head and Rishi pat her head before he walked out and met with his mother.

Vani: Rishi, you need to make space in your closet for Aadhi’s things. I will help you to roganize it.

Rishi: No mom, I will take care of it. You must be tired so rest for while. We need to leave to the wedding venue in the evening.

Vaani thanked him and walked away and Rishi returned to his room ignoring the task he was given by his mother.

At night both the family arrived at the venue and were directed to their respective rooms. Aadhira couldn’t sleep and she moved to the balcony and to her surprise Rishi was standing in his room balcony looking at the sky.

Aadhi whistled and hearing the high pitch whistle Rishi looked around searching for the source and saw Aadhi waving her hands towards him but he stood without any reaction.

Rishi: I better get back before she pull some stunt.

He returned to his room while Aadhi stood with a pout and turned her attention to the sky trying to find what Rishi was looking at.

Aadhi: He must have been bored to see the plain sky may be next time I will burst crackers for him to enjoy the view.

In the morning everyone was busy in the arrangements. Two dias was ready for the two couples, two priest were preparing for the wedding. Rishi stood before the mirror dressed in the pink shirt Aadhi had chosen for him.

Rishi: Which groom on the earth will wear a pink shirt for his wedding ? This happens only to me when my beloved family had chosen a child to be my life partner. Life partner my foot.

His grandfather entered the room holding a lotus garland and passed it to him with a smile.

Grandpa: Embrace the new begining with your whole heart. I strongly believe she is your destiny. Give a chance Rishi, you will never regret it.

Rishi stayed mum and wore the garland around his neck before he made his way out of the room. He saw Vimal who was seated and performing the rituals. He got seated in his place and did the rituals as said by the priest. He grit his teeth on hearing the priest call for the bride.

He decided to never raise his head and look at her but when he saw a movement from his peripheral view his head raised on its own and he saw Aadhi standing as a bride dressed in the same pink saree he chose for Manjari. She was wearing jewels and for the first he felt she looked beautiful and so elegant though a part of his mind was reminding him of her true self.

Aadhi walked in slow steps and was made to sit beside him. She turned to him and saw him sitting with a stoic face, throwing the flowers in the havan repeating the mantras chanted by the priest. She turned to the other side and saw her brother and Manjari smiling at each other. She felt happy for them and when the priest called her to place her hand over his she felt a chill run down her spine to the first touch.

Slowly she placed her hand above his and felt his palm being so warm. That lasted only a few seconds and Aadhira glared at the priest for finishing that particular ritual so quickly. Finally Rishi received the nuptial thread from the priest and saw Aadhira smiling at him.

He curled his toes and gulped looking at the nuptial thread in hand. Without looking at her he tied it around her neck while Aadhi was looking at him the whole time. He was looking at the guest until the priest called him to fill her partition with the vermillion.

Rishi felt his heart thudding to be in a close proximity with her. Holding his breathe he wound his arm around her and Aadhi leaned on his shoulder giving him the space he needed. Rishi quickly filled her partition and moved back as if her touch burnt him.

Aadhi looked at the nuptial thread on her chest with a smile and turned to her brother who was smiling completing the same ritual to his wife.

Both the couples took blessings from their parents and elders. Later Manjari bid bye to her parents and Rishi while Aadhi bid bye to her parents and Vimal. Both the couples got in their respective cars towards a new journey.