Love and Redemption

Chapter 101 - Epilogue

The golden gleam of the sun along with its red and orange hues brought an important chapter in the history of Vijaygarh. On this auspicious day, the queen of Vijaygarh, Maharani Aparajita Singh Rathore was prepared to take the vows of marriage with the love of her life, Veerbhadra Singh Rajput. The birds were chirping and dancing in the sky celebrating the magnificent affair with joy.

The whole city of Vijaygarh was magnificently decorated with colorful roses, marigolds, carnations and orchids. Dressed in colorful dresses, the residents of Vijaygarh were enthusiastic about the two royal marriages that were to be held in the palace. All the citizens were cordially invited for an enormous feast on this auspicious occasion.

The lands of Vijaygarh were graced with the presence of royal families from the allied kingdoms and affluent people from all over the country. Myriads of people from all the walks of life were present outside the palace gates to bless the couples. There was indeed a glint of joy in the air as everyone was excited for the wedding ceremony.

With exquisite gemstones adorning the sparkling white pillars and exotic flowers embellishing the golden domes, the opulent royal palace of the prosperous kingdom of Vijaygarh was decked up like a gorgeous bride. The fascinating lights were adding a spellbinding aura to the flamboyant decorated palace.

The wedding was to be held in one of the large lawns of the royal palace. The beautiful red roses growing in the royal garden were glowing in joy as the cool breeze flew over them. Magnificent dancers were dancing in the royal gardens while the musicians sang melodious songs celebrating the essence of the event. The dignitaries sat on the upholstered chairs arranged circular pattern all around the royal garden while in the center stood two glorious golden pavilions decked with banana leaves and marigold flowers.

The old king Maharaja Vijay Singh Rathore was satisfied as both of his daughters were getting married. Upon the insistence of Avinash Singh Shekhawat, he was supposed to perform the rituals of father for Nandini who was no less than Aparajita for him. He was glad that his daughter Aparajita had broken the orthodox norms of the society to bring happiness in the life of his other daughter, Nandini.

Maharaja Jai Singh Rajput and Maharani Naina Devi were happy for their son who was sitting in the wedding pavilion waiting for his bride. Clad in the maroon colored wedding dress embellished with regal gemstones and heavy jewelry adorning their bodies, both the grooms were looking handsome with happy smiles on their faces.

The two priests were chanting holy sermons for the blissful future before the holy fire while the grooms, Veerbhadra and Uday sat on their pavilions waiting for their respective brides. Clad in a bright red skirts with floral designs embroidered with golden thread and adorned with regal stones along with matching blouses, both the brides, Aparajita and Nandini walked towards the pavilions. The heavy jewelry adorning their soft skin along with beautiful tiaras flaunting precious gemstones, the brides sat on their designated stools with shy smile on their faces while their grooms admired them.

Circumventing around the holy fire seven times amidst the chants of sacred sermons, the couples took vows of togetherness, affection and joy while the renowned dignitaries blessed the couples wholeheartedly. The wedding ceremony was followed by a grand feast wherein the revered guests along with the citizens of Vijaygarh relished upon a variety of scrumptious dishes.

After the grand celebrations, the couples headed towards their ancestral temple of Goddess Durga at Shatakshigiri to take the blessings of the Almighty for their bright future. As the sun descended down the horizon radiating the pinkish-orange hues, the couples reached back to the royal palace with immense enthusiasm towards their future.

During the evening, Nandini was given a relaxing bath with milk and essential oils. She was happy and satisfied to have Uday as her husband and she did not want anything more. As the maids dressed her up in a peach colored skirt woven in soft silk and a matching blouse, the memories of her wedding night with Vikrant crossed her mind.