Chapter 157
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[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]
(Thanx a million, Naughtymallu!)
FINDING KHUSHI
Part 43
Section 2
A pale blue transparent screen was placed between the two couples. Arnav scowled at it, balefully. Ganesh stared at Anamika through it.
The guests giggled behind their hands. It was such fun to watch new lovers.
The priest recited mantras. Anamika & Khushi paid close attention to him, and Ganesh & Arnav paid close attention to their ladies.
The priest indicated that the haldi rasam may be conducted.
Buaji took the small brushes of grass, dipped them in the yellow mixture, and touched Khushi's feet, knees, arms, hands, & face with them. Then she did the same to Anamika. Anjali moved to Ganesh & Arnav, and started turning them yellow.
One by one, Mami, Nani, Payal, Gaurav, Akash, NK, Mamaji, & Amma began slathering haldi on them.
Ganesh took one look at Arnav, and started laughing.
Arnav smiled and said, "You don't look so hot either!"
Khushi & Anamika smiled at each other.
NK & Gaurav circled the couples, capturing the moments of laughter and family togetherness on camera.
Anjali watched Arnav blink his eyes at the condition of his limbs.
"Don't worry, Chotey! It is all for a good cause." She looked meaningfully at Khushi who was chuckling at some quip of Payal's. Arnav's eyes followed hers and stilled on Khushi's laughing visage.
"She is truly Khushi, isn't she?" Arnav murmured only for his Di's ears.
Anjali smiled. "Yes. And a single piece on earth. Meant just for you, my papad ka tukda, jab dekho ukhda Chotey!"
Arnav smiled.
"I dare you to be unhappy after you are married to Khushiji, Chotey!" Anjali laughed. "You can't scare her with your anger and she won't let you mope around. Now what will you do?" she raised her brows enquiringly.
Arnav smiled. "Live?" he asked.
Anjali smiled & nodded. "Live. Let yourself be happy." She cupped his cheek lovingly.
NK rubbed haldi on Gaurav & Akash's cheeks. Akash caught hold of an NK who was trying to escape after doing the deed, & Gaurav plastered NK's face with haldi.
Soon it was a free for all. Only Scooby looked clean.
Buaji looked at the puppy sitting quietly in one corner of the room.
"Hai Re Nandkisore! They forgot you!" she exclaimed. She took a smidge of haldi with one finger and gently applied a tikka on Scooby. "Now you too belong to the wedding party, Nandkisore!" she declared.
NK proclaimed, "This jaldi ka rasam is so much fun!"
"Acha, Nandkisore!" Buaji asked, her hands on her hips. "If you like haldi so much, why don't you get married too? Jaldi Jaldi? I will bury you in haldi."
NK looked at her with wide eyes.
"Bitwaa, there are some good girls here.. Kaho to..." Buaji teased him.
NK ran for his life.
Ganesh & Arnav were taken to the courtyard of the house and made to sit on two stools. Ladies poured pots of water over them to cleanse them. They scrubbed themselves thoroughly. Yellow rivulets of haldi flowed into the sand, leaving the two men clean but very wet.
Khushi & Anamika took their turns in the tiny bathroom of Buaji's house, scrubbing the paste from their body vigorously and emerging looking beautiful and glowing.
Soon the families and the guests sat down to a feast.
Anamika & Ganesh sat together, laughing over the haldi bath of the morning. Arnav sat down and pulled Khushi to sit by him.
"Arnavji, chodiye hamein!" Khushi said. "Preetho, Nikhil, & Barun are having their lunch in my bedroom. They asked me to sit with them."
Arnav glared at her.
Khushi went on, unfazed by his glare. "I will be marrying you tomorrow evening, Arnavji, and coming with you to RM. They will miss me."
"What about me?" Arnav asked.
"What about you? Kya hua aapko?" she asked, her eyes innocent.
"Won't I miss you? Now?" he asked.
Khushi frowned. "It is only for a few minutes, Arnavji."
"I will still miss you." said Aashik Singh Raizada.
Khushi stared into his eyes.
"Acha he, Nandkisore! Both of you look into each others eyes as much as you want now. After Arnav Bitwaa goes home, you are not permitted to see each other till the shaadi tomorrow evening." Buaji laughed.
Arnav gasped in shock.
Khushi's mouth fell open. "That is total naainsaafi, Buaji! How can I stay without...?"
Buaji raised her eyebrows. All giggled.
"I mean, why can't we see each other, Buaji?" Khushi whined.
Buaji hit her head with her hand. "This Sanka Devi!"
"Buaji'" Arnav protested.
The Raizada ladies looked at each other & smiled.
"Bitwaa, it is a rasam that the bride and the groom don't see each other after their haldi. Both of you are supposed to stay in your houses, safe from evil eyes till the shaadi."
Arnav looked at her like a lost child.
Buaji pulled his cheek. "It is only for a few hours, Bitwaa. Tomorrow evening, you can take Sanka Devi off our hands. We will personally hand over our bundle of trouble to you, Nandkisore! Then you can suffer her for the rest of your life." she teased.
"Buaji!" Khushi protested.
All laughed. Arnav nodded, smiling weakly.
Buaji moved away to tease Ganesh & Anamika.
Khushi moved her chair as close to Arnav's as possible, and sat down, her right thigh aligned with his left, her right arm pressed against his left.
"Kya hua?" Arnav asked softly, knowing that she had already started to miss him.
"Nothing." she muttered.
He smiled slightly, and looking at her full plate, said softly, "Eat something, Khushi. Or you will feel hungry later."
"Haan." Khushi looked at her plate with a total lack of interest.
"Buaji has made jalebi for you. Have it." Arnav invited her. "It is your favourite sweet, isn't it? Your staple meal?" he teased her.
Khushi looked at the jalebi on her plate with dull eyes. She squeezed herself closer to Arnav, if that was humanly possible.
"Preetho, Nikhil, & Barun must be waiting for you." Arnav said. "Don't you want to have lunch with them?" he teased.
Khushi's eyes filled.
"Khushi..Khushi..don't cry." Arnav pleaded. "I was just."
"I am coming home with you now. I don't want to wait till tomorrow." Khushi whispered, sniffing.
Arnav didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
"My bags are already packed." Khushi said. "We can leave together and.." Her fingers bit into his arm.
Arnav leaned sideways, and dropped a warm kiss on her cheek, uncaring of the gasps and laughter from the audience.
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