Relationship Status - It's complicated

Chapter 19 - Shiv Weds Anjali

Disclaimer:

This book has been tagged as mature. I will give a mature/abuse warning when they are explicit scenes but please expect mature one liners/comments from the characters randomly. 

Notes: 

Shiv belongs to Sindhi/Punjabi tradition and hence the wedding is being performed as per his side of the things per Dadi's request. She was comfortable welcoming her new bahu in her own traditions. 

The reason why this note is important is that there are minor/subtle differences in the way different culture marriages are solemnized. In a Sindhi wedding ceremony, there are 4 pheras around the 'agni', where the groom leads the first three rounds while the bride leads the fourth. The couple together make seven vows. In some other cultures, there are 7 pheras around the 'agni' with the groom leading the first four and the bride leading the last three. 

Anjali

"Before the pheras, the bride is seated to the right of the groom, but after the pheras she is seated to his left, to signify that she is now closer to his heart."

Our priest said that aloud and gestured me to move to Shiv's left and I did exactly that. We sat down in the two chairs that we were sitting on before we got up for the pheras. We had just exchanged our seats now. Our  hands were still very tightly clasped together by a sacred thread that had been dipped in turmeric. The wedding had been marked as complete. Shiv gestured for Shivani di to arrange for paper towels. We had been sweating from the heat of the fire and humidity in the air itself with wedding nervousness only adding to it. The edge of my saree and the edge of his sherwani dupatta were still knotted. My gaze then moved over to Shiv, who was not only my fiancé but my husband now. My husband! It warmed my heart. I was now Shiv's wife! He looked at me and gave me the warmest smile possible. I smiled at him and then at our clasped hands. In the last few hours, we had been formally engaged as we exchanged rings and then we were bonded in the holy matrimony. Before the pheras, my parents had given my hand off as part of kanya-daan to Shiv with our priest chanting the incantations. Shiv had then put the nuptial chain around my neck and smeared vermilion on my forehead. I tightly clutched the nuptial chain using my free hand to offer a silent prayer for it to forever remain with me. 

The priest instructed my mother to offer sweet to Shiv to end our fast. Shiv ate half of it the piece and held out the remaining for me. I ate the half from his hands as he said in the soft tone, 'Congratulations, Mrs. Anjali Shiv Raheja!'. I felt buried in emotions as he took my new full name. My eyes filling up fast, I nodded a 'thank you' and said, 'Congratulations!' 

Slowly, my parents, Shiv's father, Dadi and almost everyone present came up to us to feed us sweets and congratulate us. Our fathers hugged each other and I saw Shivani Di and Pooja hugging each other. My mother on the other hand was with Dadi and both of them seemed pretty emotional.

Pooja and Shivani Di walked over with a bunch of more paper towels and Pooja whispered looking at me, "Do you want to use the restroom? I'll take you and then we can take the veil off from your head and set in on your shoulder to give you a reception look." I immediately glanced at Shiv. Pooja burst into laughter and said, "Abhi se restroom bhi Shiv Jiju ke saath hi jaogi?" I saw Shivani Di trying to stifle a laugh while Shiv gave me a knowing smile. I looked back at Pooja gesturing our clasped hands, "This is yet to be taken off."

"Oh, let me check if we can unclasp your hands just for a bit!" she smiled.

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Shiv