SHUDRACHI

Chapter-3

Sunday arrived much faster than Mavya had strived.

She was wearing a blue-green khadi saree with her black hair in a finished plait which came to her waist. She applied Kajal on her mother's request and put a small bindi on her forehead. She prepared snacks for the guest.

Krathika came to help her. And she was way more excited about the alliance than Mavya was. Mavya had met prospected grooms before but she was still nervous about this whole ordeal.

Her nerves increased further when her brother came inside the kitchen and said that Mr. Aadhinath Nambudiri was on the doorstep.

Sambandhanam, marriages were not uncommon in Nambudiri Brahmins and Nair families. But due to the poor financial status of  Mavya's family, no elite class member came to them with a marriage prospect. All her sisters were married in the same caste. Moreover, they were treated as untouchables by the same.

Mr.Aadhinath was the son of Mr.Vijaynath Nambudiri, they belong to the brahmin class. He had humiliated Mavya and her father on more than one occasion. How can they put forward a marriage alliance? She remembered one such unfortunate meeting with Mr.Vijaynath Nambudiri, when he had humiliated her and her father in market.

She was in her thoughts when Krathika shook her out of them. She put a plate of snacks in her hands and gestured her to go into the living room. Krathika had a big smile on her face, while Mavya thought it was not gonna go well for her.

Her hands were shaking as she went into the living room, eyes down. If Mr.Aadhinath is the prospected groom, she already knew how he looks. Her wife died a long time ago and he had not married since.

She didn't get to think about that for long, as her eyes stopped on sleek black pants which disappeared into black shoes. She raised her eyes slowly inspecting the white button-up shirt tucked under the black coat until they landed on the stranger with a handsome face, brown eyes, jet black hair, caramel-colored skin, and a defined jaw with a subtle beard. Mavya's mouth slightly opened at his beauty. But she would disapprove of western clothing if they were not made in India.

Her mother cleared her throat, and her brother giggled behind her, heat rose to her cheeks and she swiftly looked downward. Mr. Nambudiri and the stranger were seated on the chairs and her mother was seated on a mat in front of them. Mavya quickly offered them snacks and quickly retrieved inside the kitchen after.

Krathika gave her suggestive looks while she blushed, what's happening to her, she wasn't necessarily that shy or senseless in this type of meetings. Mavya calmed her beating heart, as she started listening to her mother who was talking to the guests.

"Mavya was naturally shy." Her mother manuvered, "She is eighteen and she is a great cook and she could do all household work. She is also very mature and responsible." Her mother's voice turned serious at the end.

"Adhira is my youngest son, he has three elder brothers and a younger sister. He studied in London and he is now a lawyer in Madras. And he is twenty-five." Mr. Nambudiri enlisted.

"Why didn't Panditji come?" Her mother inquired about the most powerful person in the whole village.

"My father, Mr. Vijaypathi Nambudiri didn't approve of the match. But Adhira liked your daughter a lot. So, we decided to support his decision. Because he is the one who is going to marry, not us." He replied.

"Won't that be a problem? Mr. Vijaypathi was a very influential person, and his words are considered to be set in stone. What if he didn't accept the alliance?" Her mother asked worriedly.

"It doesn't matter. I like your daughter and if she likes me back. We would marry. He can't change that." Adhira spoke for the time. His voice was firm like he had decided to marry Mavya already.