Serendipity

77

The Panditji called for the gatbandhan, the holy knot that binds the man and woman in a sacred bond for the rest of their lives. Two knots, the first tied by Samar and the second by Kinjal.

As Anu and Anuj got up to take their saat pheras, seven circumambulations around the holy fire, Anu's thoughts went back to a few moments before when the Panditji had asked who would be giving the bride away.

Anupama had looked nervous. There was really no one to give her away. She'd never really had anyone's support in her life. She remembered her first marriage with Vanraj, her own mother, who was unable to fulfill the rituals because she was a widow. Some distant relative had given her away then. But today?

GK's voice had interrupted her reverie. "Panditji, I will be giving her away..." Anu looked at GK with apprehension. "...only if she will allow it."

Her own mother had never asked for her opinion before allowing a relative she'd never met before her marriage, nor would ever meet after, from performing such an important ritual at her wedding. Whereas, GK, who she'd come to believe with all her heart was related to her from a previous birth, had sought her permission before doing something for her. Tears glistened in her eyes as she nodded, and GK stretched his hands before the priest to receive the holy water before beginning the rituals of kanyadaan.

"Now the bride comes to the fore," the Panditji instructed. Anu gently crashed into Anuj, who'd stopped his circumambulations, to allow for her to move forward.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she made her way in front of him.

"Don't be."

She smiled, as they completed the last phera, and the two sat down once again to complete the wedding rituals. Some more incantations, more prayers, a little while later, the priest pronounced them man and wife. Anupama Joshi was finally Anupama Kapadia if that's what she wanted to call herself. She'd nodded proudly. She would gladly take her husband's name. She was proud of the man she'd married. She wanted the world to see that pride.

*****

Anuj Kapadia's wedding was the talk of the town. Exclusive first rights had been sold to Vogue India. For the last two weeks, the internet was flooded with pictures from their dress rehearsals to all of the functions, and to the guests who were in attendance. The wedding and the reception later this evening were being live-streamed on their website. Rumour had it that both Anu and Anuj would be gracing Vogue India's next month's cover, which included a rather large and colorful feature on their fairytale love story and wedding.

Vanraj sat glued to the internet, watching the wedding proceedings with a tinge of sadness and jealousy. The Anupama he'd discarded as a plain jane looked marvelous in her wedding attire; every bit the queen Anuj would be making her the next day. The ticker below informed viewers that her wedding dress was designed by Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla. Her reception ensemble was a Sabyasachi creation. Vanraj was curious to see what her reception attire looked like or how she would carry them.

In the time since Anupama and Anuj had started dating and Kavya had left him for greener pastures, Vanraj had realized one thing, that it was Anupama who'd been his lucky charm. He'd never valued her when she was with him and now... He sighed and turned his attention to his laptop to look at GK performing the kanyadaan rituals. Anu had tears in her eyes, tears of joy. He knew for they looked nothing like the tears she'd shed while living in the Shah house.

*****

Pakhi was furiously punching the pillow in her room. She suddenly had a lot of girls wanting to befriend her in school, only because her mother was marrying Anuj Kapadia. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to get acquainted with her to get introduced to her mother and new step-father. Except, neither her mother nor stepfather wanted anything to do with her.

What would she tell these girls, many of whom were from such influential families? Once they knew that Kinjal was the daughter of Anupama and Anuj Kapadia, they would abandon her and befriend Kinjal. They didn't like Pakhi for who she was, only for what she could possibly do for them.

Wasn't she one of them? Ignoring her mother all these years because she was an embarrassment, only to have demanded her rights as a daughter in Anuj's office the other day? But was it all her fault? Shouldn't her father or Toshu bhai have told her that she was not to behave with her mother like that?

A small voice in her head spoke. Samar did. But when did she pay attention to those she didn't want to? 

Anupama had made it clear. Kinjal was her daughter. She wanted to have nothing to do with Pakhi. And if Pakhi hurt Kinjal...

She screamed and threw the pillow she was punching away, pulling her clothes out of her cupboard and throwing them all over the room. She'd be embarrassed in front of her friends. She'd be humiliated in front of them. But Anu didn't care.

Why should she, when Pakhi hadn't cared for her all these years? Pakhi remembered the times she abandoned her mother, called Kavya her mother, and chose Kavya over Anupama. Now when Anu was doing the same, it hurt. But there was nothing she could do. She was only being served what she'd cooked.

*****

Baa walked into Vanraj's room, only to see him stare into his laptop. She got closer to see that Anupama and Anuj were taking their pheres. Her heart experienced a twinge. The Anupama on the laptop screen reminded her of the shy girl who had first entered the Shah household.

As the Panditji asked Anu to come forward for the last phera, she whispered something into Anuj's ears and smiled. The smile reached her eyes. When was the last time Leela had seen Anupama smile? Leela wondered. Come to think of it, that girl had hardly smiled in all the years she lived in the Shah house.

Why had Leela been so difficult with her? Was it because she didn't bring enough dowry, or she wasn't so pretty. Leela scoffed at her thoughts. No one would believe either of these statements today. Anupama looked royal, beautiful, fit in every way to become the queen she would be the next day.

The Raj Yog. It was Anupama's good fortune that had allowed Vanraj to succeed at work, that had led to his promotions and the wealth that came along with it. She had been the Goddess Lakshmi of their house. And they'd insulted her, traumatized her, and left her to die. A part of her mind accepted that they deserved nothing better. 

But another part, the more haughty and egotistic part was angry with Anupama for having put her family through this, for having broken up her family, for having subjected Vanraj to so much grief.

"You will never be happy, Anupama," she murmured under her breath, looking at the smiling faces of Anu and Anuj on Vanraj's laptop. "You ruined my family. You will never be happy with yours."

But even in her heart, she knew her wish wouldn't bear fruition. After all, she, Vanraj, and the rest of her family members were suffering the results of their own actions or inactions. Anu too would have to pay for her actions and those alone. The good fortune that had turned in her favor since she left the Shah house was proof that Anupama was a pure soul.