Chapter 3

Raghav

I woke up around 9 in morning. I usually wake up at 7 but I slept late after whole wedding talk and I needed sleep after that.

Today is sunday so no office. Also my wedding. Before twenty four hours I was busy with my work without the thought of marriage but right now I am facing so many emotions. Wedding. Will I be good husband? I hope I don't hurt my wife even unintentionally.

I took bath and went downstairs. Everyone already had their breakfast so I ate my breakfast alone and went to livingroom where my whole family was sitting.

I took seat on one of empty sofa beside dadi after greeting everyone. Dadi held my hand said '' this friend of your grandfather was very closed to us. Your grandfather was supposed to marry this man's sister but she ran away in her childishness and made me sit on her place. After wedding got complete and she got her sense and came back but you know our traditions nothing could happen after wedding. She blamed me but your grandfather knew how she was so he took my stand but that girl's brother didn't wanted to know truth and blamed both of us. After that your grandfather's friendship with that man broke but after so many years it will be on good terms. I am so happy.  I always felt a bit of guilt about his sister even though it wasn't my fault but now everything will be fine.''

I didn't know that there was so much story behind this. I just nodded my head. Dad spoke ''Uncle has already informed us that they will directly come here. We can put bit of turmeric and henna as symbol here only and we can also do chudda ceremony here itself.''

I just nodded and asked ''Did you talked about Veer and Saurya?'' As our pact says one's wife other two's sister so I want them to have part in my marriage as my wife's brothers as well.

Dad nodded and said ''That girl don't have parents only grandparents. Also her grandpa's old sickness again worked up today morning so her uncle will accompany her for marriage so he agreed that every rituals can be done by Veer and Saurya.''

I found it weird but I don't want to doubt my family's choice so I just nodded. Whole afternoon went in blink with wedding presentations.

I like simple wedding but I always knew that as first wedding of the house it will be grand. Also that girl must have some dreams about her wedding. Every girl have dreams for her wedding. I will try to know them. I know they couldn't be fulfilled for wedding now but I'll try to compensate them with grand reception.

In the evening Veer-Kahani and Saurya-Shikha come to my home. Kahani and Shikha helped mom and Choti ma with preparation while Veer and Saurya helped me getting ready. I wore cream colored shervani with paghdi. Simple yet elegant.

Kahani and Shikha has to do all the rituals which would have done by sister and sister in law. It was already decided that ritual of chudda will be done by Saurya and Shikha while kanyadan will be done by Veer and Kahani.

Also Shikha and Kahani did some rituals that has to be done by my sister as they are my sisters.

My father has already published that Raghav Kapoor is tying knot. We haven't published about bride but just published that today is my wedding. Also we showed media that we are keeping wedding at one of veer's hotel not at our own home so they won't disturb us.

My friends teased me alot. I don't know what should I feel. Hack I don't even know my future wife's name. It feels weird. Obviously my family members had arranged marriage but they knew atleast basic information about their significant other. Also my friends they both had love marriage so they also knew.  I would first groom who didn't knows about his bride.

Around 7 in the evening my bride and her family came in two car. They were total 5 people. My bride and two of her uncles and two of her aunts. Her uncle apologized for her grandparent's absence.

I don't know but I feld pull toward my bride. She has Vail on her face so I can't see her face. She wasn't even speaking anything. I can just hear sound of her jewellery moving. She was also walking like senseless person. May be wedding jitters.

Who wouldn't feel nervous if his/her wedding decides in one day. Being man I am also feeling so many emotions than she is just simple girl. I just hope she understand me.

Saurya, Shikha, Veer and Kahani applied bit of haldi on her hand than shikha write my name on her hand with help of henna.

Mom asked me to put ring on her finger and I did that. I felt spark when I touched her hand. She also put ring on my finger but I found her hand cold. 

After that Shikha and Saurya made her wear bangles as signs for good luck, fertility, fortune and prosperity.

Then we both sit in mandap and priest started marriage rituals. I don't know I found it wrong and right at same time. Wrong because of timing and missing people like my bride's grandfather and Right because of my bride.

Veer and Kahani did My bride's kanyadan and we both took seven rounds around holy fire. After that i made her were nuptial chain and sindur. All the while her face was covered in veil.

I don't know why but she was talking nothing just doing what asked her to do. May be fear of new place. Her wedding is taking place in lawns on her in laws. No bride will want her wedding like this. 

After all the rituals priest said ''Now you both are husband and wife.'' I don't know but I felt something different. Now I am married man. I have wife with I will spend rest of my life. More responsibility but more happiness as well.

When priest was making us doing some last rituals I saw Veer in stress.what happened to him? He wanted to tell us something important right. 

Veer came to me with worried expression. Kahani was also looking like she will cry anytime. Veer spoke ''I have very important work at home. It's emergency. I have to go.'' I just nodded and asked ''Yahh. You can go Veer but you wanted to share something with us.'' Veer nodded his head and said ''Yes that's very important but not now some other time.''

After that Veer and Kahani left from there. Mom did grih-pravesh ritual and we both entered house. She kicked rice glass and printed her foot print with Kumkum while entering house. Shikha asked both of us to take blessing from everyone.

We both took blessings from everyone from my family. When we went to take blessing from her family she fainted. I was just beside her so I held her in time and saved her from falling on her butt.

Everyone got panicked and at the same time Dad's phone rang. Dad spoke ''It's call from uncle.'' Then he talked a bit on phone and put phone on speaker saying that uncle asked him to do that.

Dadu's friend spoke ''How does it feel after exchanged bride?'' I didn't understand anything but Shikha removed my wife's vail and my Dadi, dad, mom, chote papa and choti ma got shocked. What happened? And what does he mean by exchanged bride?

Dadi snatched phone from dad and said angrily ''why did you do it Dhanram?'' That man just laughed and said ''Same what you did with my sister. Because of those traditions my sister did suicide. Now because of those same traditions you grandson will spend his life with 10th fail girl from orphanage. You even knew what you were doing but that girl siya is under effects of drugs and she even doesn't know what happened with her.'' After that he cut the call.