IPKKND FF: Trial by fire Part 33 updated on Pg 84 - Page 39

The priest then asked Arnav and Khushi to rise in preparation of the seven rounds around the sacred fire. Arnav helped Khushi up, holding her hands, as though she were precious porcelain. After their trials by a figurative fire, after all the pain and troubles that each of them had gone through in their own way, speaking their marriage vows by the actual fire, in front of family and Khushi's Devi Maiyya made the ritual all the more solemn and memorable for Arnav and Khushi. The previous night, after Khushi had fallen asleep, Arnav who had seldom believed in any of these customs and did not possess Khushi's blind faith, had searched the Internet to learn why these rituals were performed. He had a better understanding of the significance of the "saat phere" and whatever he spoke and repeated after the priest came from his heart.

Arnav: You will offer me food and be helpful in every way. I will cherish you and provide welfare and happiness for you and our children.

Arnav remembered how often Khushi had taken care of his special dietary needs, the incident at Diwali when he had announced his engagement with Lavanya and she had cheerfully fed him homemade sugar-free sweets, hiding all her angst. Considering that Khushi was an awesome cook, this request to her was going to be an easy one for her to fulfill, he thought. Thinking about his future children with Khushi made him go weak in the knees, concentrate, concentrate, he told himself as he heard Khushi responding with her vows.

Khushi: I am responsible for the home and all household responsibilities.
Khushi thought of how well she had fitted into the Raizada parivar 'She had always been a homebody and even though she had gone out to earn for her family's livelihood, looking after her family, caring for them, their health and their stomachs was what she did best and this was an easy promise for her to make.

Arnav: Together we will protect our house and children.

Hadn't they done that already ' Between Khushi and Arnav, they had proven that each of them put their family's needs ahead of their own'Whether it was Arnav tying himself to a female he thought he detested for the sake of his beloved Anjali di, or Khushi allowing herself to be tied to a heartless rakshas for the sake of her jiji and his Di's happiness.

Khushi: I will be by your side as your courage and strength. I will rejoice in your happiness. In return, you will love me solely.
Khushi recalled how when Shyam had dragged her away into the car, Arnav ji had overthrown numerous goons in-order to try and save her. She also remembered that she had not been his strength, but rather his weakness, when that goon named Lallan had held a gun to her head. She prayed that Devi Maiyya allow her to be the source of Arnav ji's strength, someone who this strong man could lean on. Arnav ji had always been self-sufficient, independent and the anchor for his troubled family ' She prayed that Devi maiyya could give him the courage to continue to be that bulwark of support.

Arnav: May we grow wealthy and prosperous and strive for the education of our children. May our children live long.

Arnav thought of the moments when he had discovered Khushi bleeding on the stairs, when the doctor had announced that a D&C was needed, the moment when they had found that the babies may not be developing well because of Khushi's bleeding 'He prayed that they never ever had to be in that situation again ' His innocent children were their future and he prayed that they lived long and led happy , healthy lives.

Khushi: I will love you solely for the rest of my life, as you are my husband. Every other man in my life will be secondary. I vow to remain chaste.
This was a heartfelt vow from Khushi ' One she hoped that her husband would hear, cherish and trust. She had gone through enough trials to prove that she loved Arnavji and only Arnav ji and she prayed that she never had to gone through the past stresses again.

Arnav: You have brought sacredness into my life, and have completed me. May we be blessed with noble and obedient children.

These words really struck and stayed in Arnav's heart. It was Khushi who had brought his faith back, it was Khushi who completed him and made him feel that he had found something that had been missing for so long. He

Khushi: I will shower you with joy, from head to toe. I will strive to please you in every way I can.
Khushi turned and looked into Arnav's eyes as she said this ' He had done everything possible to turn this day into a cherished memory and he had been trying for several weeks now. She knew that her husband had difficulties communicating what was in his heart'He did not talk as much as she did'But she knew now that he really loved her, cared for her and held her happiness as his topmost priority.

Arnav: You are my best friend, and staunchest well-wisher. You have come into my life, enriching it. God bless you.

Arnav recalled lots of moments from his shared times with Khushi ' The holi incident and the candid confessions, the relief he had felt at seeing Khushi outside the window at the place where he had been kidnapped, the relief after he had felt life surge into her after her near-fatal fall ' Khushi had truly enriched his life, brought color into it and made it fun and worth living. He prayed that Devi Maiyya always protected her from all harm and kept her safe and happy always.

Khushi: I promise to love and cherish you for as long as I live. Your happiness is my happiness, and your sorrow is my sorrow. I will trust and honor you, and will strive to fulfill all your wishes.
Khushi stared into Arnav's eyes as she said this, her voice was a mere whisper that only Arnav could hear and words were really not needed between them at this stage. This reminded her of her dialogues when they had played Heer-Ranjha '

"Jisko jee jaan se chaahthe hai, jab who mile, tho aankhen baat karthi hai, zubaan nahi" (When you love someone wholeheartedly, and when you meet that person, then eyes speak, not the lips)

"Jiske bansuri ke dhun sunke, mujhe jawaan hone ka ehsaas hua

Jiske sirf ek nazaar se, mujhe khud ke hone ka ehsaas hua

Jisne mere liye har sitam sahe

Aur jiske liye, maine har sitam bhula diye

Jisse main bahut waqt thak milti rahi

Aur jisse bahut waqt thak juda rahi

Aaj ussi Ranjhe se meri shaadi hone jaa rahi hai"

Arnav: May you be filled with joy and peace.
Khushi: I will always be by your side.
Arnav thought of all the stresses he had given Khushi from the time he had met her. He vowed sincerely that he was going to fill her life now with joy and peace forever.

Arnav: We are now husband and wife, and are one. You are mine and I am yours for eternity.
Khushi: As God is witness, I am now your wife. We will love, honor and cherish each other forever.

Arnav and Khushi completed their promises with the sacred fire and their family as witness and held hands and looked into each other's eyes. Each of them wished mentally that they found each other as partner in every next birth, if ever there was one.

"Arre, yeh shaadi hai? Jab hum Tina ke chaacha ke shaadi pe gaaye the tho wahaan pe ek ghoda tha aur hum sab naach rahe the", (Is this a wedding? When we went to Tina's uncle's marriage, there was a horse there and we were all dancing) came Suraj's child-like comments out of nowhere and caused the newly married couple to break the deadlock of eyes and burst into laughter along with the rest of the family.

Arnav gave Khushi a quick hug, turned around and looked at his family 'This was the best, sweetest day of his life and he was glad that they had this memory for many more years to come. He looked at Anjali Di with gratitude on his face and she smiled at him through happy tears. Buaji, Maamiji, Garima ji, Shashi ji and everyone rushed forward to hug and congratulate the couple. After congratulations, hugs and lot of male back thumping had finished, sweets were exchanged and fed to the small, intimate gathering.

Anjali came over and gave both Arnav and Khushi a joint hug. "I have one more request of you both ' Akash and Payal have also agreed. I hope you will not mind sitting by my side to perform the havan for Aarushi. You both have done so much for me, Aarushi is as much your daughter and Payal and Akash's as mine. Aarushi is blessed to have 5 parents. Panditji is also okay with this. "

And so it was that Aarushi had a unique first religious ceremony ' Passed around between her 5 parents. A potential 6^th watching the ceremony and envying the relationships and camaraderie in the close-knit family.

Part 29

Hope you all like this edition which is full of Arhi ..

This was a slow update...but hopefully after this episode, things should move quicker.