Aanandasathi Prarthana Kara
The ceremony was the most beautiful Suvi had ever watched, and though it seemed like a fantasy she was part of it too, as the center of attention
The moment when Neel filled her parting with a orange red powder, it was a muggy
rainy evening the powder caked in his nervous fingers, and fell in giant clumps
across her parting, he smoothened it knowledgably... she felt his thumb graze her scalp as it spread it methodically, sending shivers down her spine
Her eyes strained to watched Amma's reaction, she was crying, so was Ruchi, Aabha looked like she was in shock, she cuddled Nihar as he looked at Suvi in horror
He wasnt sure about the rituals but had watched enough Hindi movies to know what it implied
Aadhya was nowhere around, she had taken off chasing a lil 9 year old... wide awake at 2 AM
Mamaji dozed in a chair a shawl wrapped snugly around him
Mr &Mrs Misra looked dazed as if they were in a completely unfamiliar situation now.
Mrs Misra clutching her eye glasses in a deathly grip, Mr Misra fingers linked in a prayer like clasp
His right foot throbbing gently from anxiety, as he tried to keep his emotions in check
They were seated in the third row, but the second row was empty in front of them, and in the first row an old lady lay flat and snoozed occupying 4 chairs
Everybody congratulated the couple, the crowd had thinned out a lot, there were around 200 people in the evening, now less than 50 remained
Amma's shoulder relaxed at first and slumped soon after she handed her purse to Ruchi and wrapped her shawl comfortably yet again
She walked over to Nihar and hugged and kissed him
Aabha joked, and Nihar smiled shyly
Amma pulled his hand gently and asked him if he wanted to say hello his step mother and father
He pulled his hand away and hid in the soft familiar folds of Aabha's orange banarsi saree
"Aap theek hain?" Neel enquired caringly
Suvi wasnt expecting a question, her voice was long gone...
She cleared her throat many times and nodded nervously, crushing a rose between the fingers of her right hand
The garland weighed heavily on her shoulders, so did the enormity of the recently concluded event
"Congrats nahi kahengi?" Neel smiled quietly
Suvi chuckled throatily
A young woman walked over and touched her shoulder "Aapki beti ko hum sula lein?" she asked kindly
Suvi nodded with gratitude
the woman looked at her strangely
"isme kya badi baat hai, hamari do bitiya aur Seema jiji ki bitiya aur Rajni bhabhi ki bitya sab ghar laut rahin hain" she smiled
Suvi smiled wordlessly
"Waise aapko congrats... Bareilly aayin aap to ghar zaroor aayiyega, hamare yahan ke bazaar to bohot mashhoor hain" she winked
Suvi had no clue
The young woman obviously referring to the jhumka gira rey song
"Mere ko UP ka idea nai hey" Suvi said ashamed
"Aur hamey Maharashtr ka..." she said kindly
"Neel bhaisaab, ghar laayen inko" she ordered Neel as he talked with Saksham about something
"Oh zaroor, bhabhi... zaroor," he said cheerfully
"Hum aapke bhabhi kaise hue, aap to Mamaji ke bhanje thehre aur hum, Mamaji ki mausere bhai ke sabse chhoti beti hain" she explained
"Phir kya kahen?" Neel asked
"Naam se pukaaren" she urged
Neel looked on sheepishly
"Hum shikayat laga jaayenge Mamaji ko... hamara naam Unnati hai bhaiyya" she giggled
neel nodde and did a apology namaste
People chattered, and women sang softly at the urging of a pandit...
Amma urged the couple to seek Misras' blessing
Suvi bend down reverentially
The lady touched Suvi's pallu clad head
"Jug jug jeeyo" she said almost choking, generously wishing a long life to the young girl, a gift her own daughter Nupur hadnt gotten
"Khush rahen beta" Mr Misra mumbled emotionally, as he patted Neel's shoulder, staggering as he stood up to hug his "ex" son in law.
Neel wiped his tears on his pink dupatta, and embraced Mr Misra in a long warm hold.
Mrs Misra handed her a tiny red box she had guarded ferociously for three days in her much used softened grey leather handbag.
"Pasand na aaye to behenji ko kehna aur laa dengi" she said politely
Suvi acepted it with open palms
"Thank you" she said hoarsely.
"Arey inka to beta hai na" one aging pandit hollered
Ruchi nodded
"To bas theek hain, unko kahen, woh aage aage chal lenge, gaadi tak" the Pandit explained a ritual
Ruchi squirmed...
"Ruchi inko rehne dein aap... yeh neend mein hain" Aabha declined politely patting Nihar's back
Another young male cousin completed the ritual
Bidai happened with pomp and show, and they arrived at Neel's Bandra apartment at 6 AM
Pushkar and neel's brother had left after the pheras and were asleep on the couch
when Ruchi arrived a few minutes before the baraat woth a couple of female cousins to arrange the ceremonial walkthrough
The apartment was beautiful with large windows and tasteful wall color
It was mostly empty since Neel's things were in NOIDA
Ruchi had earlier in the day "Swept" the walls to remove any remaining Nupur pictures off the walls...
Pushkar watched unable to suppress feelings of pain... a rare display of emotion from an otherwise bitter, cynical man...
Ruchi had paused mid way... and mumbled through constricted throat "Khushi ki prarthana karen Pushkar" she pleaded noticing the spark of emotion in her husband's eyes
Pushkar wasnt brave enough to admit his vulenrability... he had simply walked over to the balcony and leaned, looking out at the street
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