A Chance to Love

Chapter 38

Prem

Our wedding was a quite event, minus the unexpected client showing up smack dab in the middle of our Ring Ceremony to book the Banquet Hall for his beloved brother's wedding. I mean we were trying to avoid any visits to prevent any leaks of the news of a wedding being held at the Banquet Hall. Ever since that business event, the popularity of Anand's name has risen up great notch. Therefore, to avoid getting any surprise visits from clients, he agreed for an interview right after our wedding was fixed. He announced that after the success of his event, he is planning to make some developments for better service to his clients; therefore, he announced a short break taking any events. Anand made sure to keep the whole month free in case we needed time to wrap things up, since we are supposed to visit the temple right after we wrapped up post wedding rituals.

The client was someone from abroad and has just come back to the country, and therefore was not aware of the announcement. He also didn't know that Anand doesn't take Wedding Events. We have degrees in business management, not in event management. Organising business events is what he does. Our marriage was the first wedding they were planning and that's why he needed all the help he can get from the family and his team. However, the client was persistent. Anand didn't want any more ruckus than that person has already created claiming that he was in fact conducting our wedding. Therefore, Anand told him to come back in a couple of weeks since he was not really in a hurry from the way he was ready to create ruckus.

After that short interruption, we finished all other rituals peacefully. The clothes selected by Bitto and Aman were not only lavish; they were really heavy as well. For me they got this fancy Sherwani, it was bright with all the stones and work on it. It was in golden colour, kind of on the cream shade. They even got me the traditional turban with beautiful patches on it that is meant for the groom. For Preeti they even went more overboard and got her a beautiful but such a heavy Lehenga that she was not even able to walk without help. However, it was really beautiful with all the gold work and embroidery on it. It was in wine red and dark green combination and complemented Preeti really well. They even called in the professional photographer to take our pictures for a wedding album they are creating. No matter the fun they had, it was really tiring and we were more than ready to get rid of the clothes as soon as we got the signal. However, we only got rid of them and their antics when the elders called us for the 'Saptapadi' ceremony (It is the technical term for the Hindu wedding ceremony of taking rounds around the auspicious fire while taking vows). For this and further we were able to wear the simple traditional clothes that Anand and Ms. Chaudhary have arranged. It was a simple but beautiful and comfortable. For me they got an off-white kurta and bottoms, the kurta had beautiful embroidery which made it look lavish but without any heaviness; and for Preeti they selected a beautiful cotton silk Saree in peach and gold colours, which they accompanied with lightweight jewelleries which gave her beautiful ethnic look. Frankly, I liked Preeti in Saree more than the lehenga as she was relaxed and glowing in that, rather than being uncomfortable in that beautiful but troublesome lehenga.

We finished all the rituals peacefully and then after the 'Vidaai' (the bride see-off ceremony), we went home where Anand and Bitto did the Bride-welcoming ceremony. Since we have decided to do the post-wedding rituals in the presence all family members, we decided to hold them at the Banquet Hall only. Therefore, we quickly changed after the welcoming ceremony, in our own rooms, since I have forbidden them to prepare any room for our 'wedding night'. They are not happy about it but they don't know about the surprise waiting for them. Anyways, after changing Bitto and Anand went back to prepare for further rituals and we went to visit Preeti's house for the 'Pag Phera' ceremony (the ceremony of first visit of the daughter right after marriage).

Maa-Papa (Preeti's parents) did all the necessary rituals done during the visit as Aman was at the Banquet Hall with everyone else. There wasn't much to do, as the purpose is generally to give time to the bride and family to share and get accustomed to the feelings of the changes that happen after marriage. However, since there wasn't much to talk between them since it has only been a couple of hours to our wedding, we finished the rituals fast and spent some time in her room so I can also learn about her more from her childhood room.