Bade Acche Lagte Hain | MaNan

Gifts & Rings.

30th June, 1995.

Delhi.

A jeep stopped at the entrance of a house, beautifully decorated with flowers and fairy lights. Ten people climbed out of it and the driver reversed the wheels as Manik paid the fare from Delhi railway station to his in-law's house.

Engagement was decided to be done in Delhi, where the girl's family resides with only few relatives from both the sides. Although Manik's family and friends made a large gathering together, they decided to limit the people only to their near ones for this occasion to manage the expenses.

"The house is quite big." Madhu stared at the house in awe, carrying her youngest son Veer while her husband, Harish had the responsibility of their other two sons.

While managing the arrangements, Ram's gaze fell on Manik's family and he immediately approached them.

Touching Parvati's and Prakash's feet he greeted them warmly. Manik also bent down to touch Ram's feet as a gesture of respect and Ram happily blessed him. He hugged him too, patting his back softly being an elder to make him feel welcomed. Afterall, Manik was the youngest son-in-law of the family. Ram also hugged Anil and Harish and requested them to follow him.

Unlocking the gates of the house next to his', Ram requested them to settle and relax freely for a while for they have been travelling from the morning. Since this house was empty from past few months, Swastik took it on rent for the day of engagement, keeping in mind the groom's and his family's comfort. Arranging proper refreshments for them, Ram left the place informing about the ceremony to start in an hour or two.

Pinning a purple colored heavily embroidered dupatta over her shoulders, Nandini looked enthralling in her purple silk salwar-kameez. Her long hair left open with a side-partition hiding her heavy golden jhumkas.

The kohl outlined her doe-shaped eyes and a natural blush adorned her cheeks as everyone was already teasing her on the prospect of meeting her would-be-husband. Applying a red shade lipstick for the first time in her twenty three years of life, she wore the golden wedge heels completing her look and ready to kill her fiancé in their engagement ceremony.

"You look beautiful, Nandini." Pooja, her second elder sister praised her look making her smile. "Thankyou didi." She replied formally, tucking her hair strand behind her ear, her bangles chiming with the movement of her wrist.

Nandini's relation with her siblings wasn't very open and friendly except with her second brother Ram, since he was naughty and stayed at home most of the time. Although she was eight years younger to him, he was understanding and supportive but still she loved her eldest brother Shyam the most.

Even though Shyam, elder to her by fifteen years, is a bit strict with everyone but all his austerity fades when Nandini is concerned. He never shied away from expressing his love and affection for Nandini as a brother and has never denied her of anything but in a limit which she surely respected.

"Bua! Uncle's family has arrived." Monica announced, huffing with the run she'd made to win the race with the youngest clan as to who would be the first one to break this news to their aunt Nandini.

"Ooohhh!" The room echoed with a teasing remark, not allowing Nandini to lift her eyes up from the floor anymore, because of extreme shyness she felt at this moment.

She was feeling giddy with this new found excitement of meeting him in person. No doubt she was nervous, more than she'd felt in any of her exams before but still a smile lingered on her lips constantly, providing the much needed glow for her engagement.

Will he be feeling the same? She wondered in her mind.

_______

Jyoti did the 'tilak' and officially welcomed Manik as her daughter's fiancé. Respectfully, Manik touched the feet of every elder he met before he was made to sit on the allotted chair for the groom and offered refreshments.