I was hoping to write the whole wedding in one part, but realized I will have to divi it up. So the wedding will continue in the next part too. Hope to see more comments. Thank you all for your continued love. Please note I am not a Maharashtrian, so these rituals are the basic ones that I have written about, which are common in most Maharashtrian weddings, if it’s all wrong, then blame the internet .🤪I spent more time researching the significance behind each instead of the amount of rituals. There will always be more or less depending on the region and family.
PART 32 A
The muhurat (the auspicious time for the union, set by calculating the alignment of the stars under which the groom and bride are born) had been set for 10:32am and thankfully, it was a pleasant day. Pleasant day, weather wise. For the bride and groom who have had an altercation just the night before, the restlessness and discomfort in their hearts are real. And while the muhurat is for 10:32am, there are few pre muhurat rituals and while the muhurat signifies the union, it also signifies the beginning, to enforce that new beginning there are always post muhurat rituals.
It’s 3am, At the groom house, Ashwini is yelling and walking around waking everybody up, they have to be at Sai’s house between 7:30 and 8am for the semant puja (semant= groom, this ritual marks the entrance of the groom into the house). Everyone is slowly waking up.
Ashwini walks into the room which Shivam and Virat are sharing, they are sitting quietly in the veranda staring outside. She is surprised at the quiet, it’s still dark outside, she assumes it’s the time.
“Kya tum dono Aise yaha baithe ho? Shivam tujhe aur Samrat ko Virat ka dhoti vaghera bandhna hai, Shivani aur Devyani help karenge, lekin ladkiyan khud ko sajane mei bahut time lenge. Upar se parlor valli jo humne arrange kiya, sirf ek aa rahi hai, time lagega.”
Shivam stands and says
“Main jaake dekhta hun, Mai ready ho jaata hun”
Ashwini is surprised at his somber disposition, she looks at Virat, holds his chin
“Godu, chal Horlicks piyega”
Virat hugs his mother’s waist as she stands next to his chair.
“Aai” he whispers
“Kya hua re” she hugs him back, runs her hand over his head.
“Usne bhi Horlicks piya hoga?” He asks softly.
She smiles
“Haiya, Tu usse miss kar rah hai na? Buss abb chand ghanto ki hi toh baat hai”
He nods still hugging, she continues
“Purane zamane mei bride aur groom fast rakhte the, taaki uss din ka pehla nivaala saath mei khaa sake, lekin aaj kal this is disappearing. Dekh godu, old rituals meant something, lekin sirf unhe apnao jo iss zamane mei kaam aaye. Log samajhte hai, ki voh convenient, convenient nahi, progress hai. Jaise bride aur groom shaadi ke ek din pehle na mile, kyunki ladka ladki jitna zyaada milte ho, ya toh pyaar badegha ya phir ladayi hogi, shaadi ke din ke liye bhi toh pyaar bachaake rakhna chahiye”
“Aur ladayi hui toh?”
“Ladayi hui toh, shaadi ke din sula karna mushkil hoga, sabke saamne ek dusre ke liye time nikalna mushkil hota hai”
He nods and removes his hands from her. She spots his red eyes, her boy has not slept the whole night, she guesses, that they have had a fight. Her son is a prime idiot, he never listens to anyone. She removes her phone that she has tucked in her blouse.
“Sai ko phone karke puche ki voh vrat rakh rahi hai, ya Horlicks pee rahi hai”
“Aapke paas uska number hai?l” he asks softly.
“Haan! Sabka number hai mere paas, tere Aai ko sab pata hota hai, toh bol call karu?” Ashwini asks
“Itni subah subah” He wonders
“Kyu voh jaldi nahi uthti?” She asks hiding her smile
“Haan uthti hai, roz savere hum dono ek dusre ke liye Horlicks banate hai” he says staring into space. And then realizes what he has said, looks at his mother, who grins.
“Arrey Humei pata thaa, yaha aane se pehle vaali shaam Devyani aur Shivani tere apartment ko decorate karne gaye the, tab bhanda phut gaya thaa” she laughs
He smiles “Lekin Aai please Sai ko mut batana, voh nahi chahti thi”
“Haan haan, Ek ladki ko apni self respect bahut important chiz hoti hai, ab bol mai call karu?” She realizes the faster the two just see each other, the better they will enjoy the marriage, the couple must be relaxed and happy on their day.
It’s around 3:30am, Sai has woken up, finished brushing her teeth and is standing in the kitchen. Shilpa has just texted she will be there in one hour to help out. Sai wonders how would she have ever managed all of this without Shilpa. Mavshi has told her to have some toast and Horlicks. She is looking at the Horlicks packet and misses Virat, he is the one who usually makes it for her. She presses her lips when the phone rings, it’s Virat’s mother and she wonders if everything is ok,
“Hello?”
“Hello Sai..”
“Haan Aunty, boliye na?”
“Voh actually Mai tere Maavshi ko call karna chahti thi, lekin Mujhe laga bahut busy hongi, Mujhe puchna thaa Tum vrat rakh rahi ho kya?”
“Actually..maine Abhi tak ..”
“Nahi nahi tujhe nahi rakhna hai toh koyi baat nahi, kyunki Virat keh raha thaa ki Sai ne kuch khaya nahi hoga, toh mai Horlicks nahi pine vaala”
She puts it on speaker and waits for Sai’s reply. But more than her, it’s he who is waiting. Sai stands biting her lip and rubbing her finger on the kitchen platform. His mother continues,
“Actually Maine Virat se Kaha thaa ki purane zamane mei ladka ladki din ka pehla nivala saath mei khaate hai, actually Pata nahi kyu, jab se utha hai, bahut hi chup chap baitha hai, kissi see thik se baat hi nahi kar raha, toh maine socha thoda khaa lega” Virat rolls his eyes, his mother’s manipulations never stop.
Sai on the other hand, presses her lips, she looks at the Horlicks bottle, opens the kitchen cabinet and puts the bottle back. And she says
“Jee Virat se kahiye mai sirf toast kha rahi hun, aap logon ke liye pohe ka intezam kiya hai.”
“Thik hai bala. Main rakhti hun” she smiles
Virat is confused,
“Kya matlab?”
“Arre pagal, voh tere saath hi Horlicks piyegi”
He has a small smile, his mother boxes his chin,
“Chal abhi tayaar hoja”
At around 5am, She has just finished chatting with her father, helped Maavshi out and the parlor girl will be here to get her ready. Shilpa is upstairs running last minute arrangements with the decorator. The priest will also be here in an hour. For she will have to do Gowri puja (an elaborate prayer for goddess parvati, who is the wife of Shiva and the representation of love, devotion, harmony and fertility.) But she can start the puja only after the groom arrives. The Gowri puja will happen in their own home, inside the kitchen with only the priest and Sai present. She needs to be ready in all her finery by then. According to the girl from the parlor, the bride needs 2 hours to get ready.
It’s past 6:30am, the groom household is in a mad rush, Samrat is adjusting the groom’s dhoti, who is in a better mood which has automatically affected Shivam’s mood too who is putting on the gold chain given to him by Ashwini, who marches in and changes the gold chain saying it looks terrible. So she marches out and brings a box with broaches, she picks three identical ones and asks all three to put them on. The two guys groan, then Ashwini comes with the mundavyla- a headband made of pearls that is to be tied around Virat’s head. And she puts it on, Shivam’s phone rings, Shilpa is on video call. He picks it up and moves towards the veranda, the sun is up, and says loudly,
“Hi Shilpa”
Virat turns, Ashwini turns his head back, Samrat holds back a smile and is trying to tie the headband, but it doesn’t seem to be fitting, Ashwini is frustrated, Samrat calms her and says
“Aai, koi baat nahi, time hai, agar extra thread hai Toh hum attach kar sakte hai, chaliye kitchen mei extra thread hoga”
The mother and her second son leave. Virat walks into the veranda, it’s the most beautiful and pleasant day outside, the dew has just settled and dawn insists on staying just a little while longer, he can hear Shilpa say
“Tu kya Itni baar sorry sorry bhej raha hai Sai ko?”
“Aur kya karu, I feel terrible” Shivam replies
“Thik hai, anyways, she seems ok. Maine video isiliye on kiya, because Mai Virat ko apna paithani dikhana chahti thi” Shilpa shows off
“Toh Mujhe kyu kiya?” Shivam rolls his eyes
Virat grabs the phone and looks at Shilpa and smiles
“Maine sorry nahi bheja Sai ko.” He says softly
“Uska phone mere paas hai, Mai hi padh rahi hun uske saare messages” Shilpa replies. Virat nods.
“Ab boliye Aapke diye hue Paithani mei kaise lag rahi hun?” Shilpa asks hoping to bring a smile to his sad heart.
“Sai ko kaisa laga?” He asks with a small smile.
“Usne kaha mai ekdum Phataka lag rahi hun, kahi Virat shave karke na aajaye?” Shilpa says grinning,
“Main iss janam mei kya, kissi janam mei shave karne vaala nahi hun, keh dena usse” Virat states with surety.
He gives the phone to Shivam as his mother and Samrat return with the mundavlya, and are putting it on Virat.
Shivam looks into the phone and asks Shilpa
“Sab thik hai na vaha?”
Shilpa shifts the phone a little and Shivam can see the parlor girl and Maavshi tying the Mundavlya around Sai’s head, Sai is smiling as Maavshi says something to her, Shivam shifts the phone and Shilpa can see Ashwini and Samrat tying it on Virat’s head, and Virat grinning as Samrat says something, Shivam and Shilpa smile at each other and take screen shots.
At 8am, as Sai is arranging the items for the puja, she is following the instructions from the priest, who has told her where she needs to set the flowers and do a small ganpati puja first since all events must begin with ganpati puja. As she is completing the ganpati puja, it’s announced that the groom has arrived, which means Sai can begin the gowri puja as soon as the Semant puja is done.
Virat flanked by Shivam and Samrat beside him, with Shivani and Devyani behind and his parents in front stand at the entrance of Sai’s home, it’s the spot where Maavshi and Kamal perform the Semant puja. Traditionally, the father of the bride washes the feet of the groom, but on Virat’s insistence, he takes the small pot of water from Kamal’s hands, washes them himself and touches Kamal’s feet. Kamal hugs Virat. Shilpa and Maavshi put garlands around everyone welcoming the family. Shilpa’s parents are also introduced and Shilpa’s mother and Maavshi take them upstairs to the wedding venue.
“Sai kaha hai?” Virat whispers to Shivam.
Shilpa’s mother hears that and giggles
“Muhurat tak tumhe apni Sai ko dekhne nahi milega”
“Kissi ne Mujhe yeh bataya nahi” Virat replies half shocked
Maavshi and Shilpa’s mother burst out laughing.
The terrace has been beautifully decorated, a small mandap, a raised platform has been built on one side, the position of the mandap has been established by the positioning of the sun, so that celestial blessings are showered throughout the ceremony. Earthen potted plants are placed next to each other against all walls of the terrace. Flowers hang on the walls and taller walls have light colored leheriya dupattas hanging from them, to match the pearls of the mundavlyas long strings of pearls hang on the back wall of the mandap. The mandap itself is decorated with hanging flowers and light colored cloth that flows and brings cool breeze into the mandap.
Virat and his parents are seated in the mandap, and a small ganapati puja along with a sankalp puja is arranged, this is a prayer to first remove all obstacles, and then to their own family god to gain blessings to be able to welcome the girl into their home.
Virat patiently sits through it, repeating the mantras and the sayings, but his heart waits for only one.
Downstairs, Sai is almost done with her Gowri puja having prayed for strength to be able to conduct herself with devotion, love and where needed her ability to use her shakti, - that dynamic force present in women, the female energy necessary for creation and sustenance. It is for this final part of the puja, other women are invited to join the puja and bless the bride, everyone walks into the kitchen to bless Sai.
All the women take rice from the priest and place it on Sai’s head as she bows to them
“Tera navra utavla ho raha hai upar” Shilpa’s mother giggles
“Dekh Sai, apna time le, araam se jaa” Maavshi says teasingly.
“Arre re, aisa kaisa, mera godu subah se Kuch khaya nahi Kuch piya nahi hai uski Sai ke liye, aab toh uski jaan Tumhare haath mei hai” Ashwini mock serious and giggling,
All the women giggle, teasing and saying Godu aur Godu ki baiko, Bodu!!
Shivani comes forward and hugs Sai.
“Virat ke liye nahi, toh hamare liye jaldi se aaja” Shivani says kissing her forehead.
“Haan, Vahini please” Devyani whines
Sai grins at her as Shilpa announces “VAHINI chala chala”
The priest looks on and smiles, it is this female energy that Hindu scriptures speak of, energy that can move universes depending on the need of time and space, positive and negative, for now it’s positive, as it should be.
——
Please drop a comment .
comment:
p_commentcount