DEVMITRA - the thread of fate

CHAPTER -15

The Mandap( place where wedding rituals are held) for wedding was decorated with flowers and lamps and it was filled with all the things necessary for the wedding rituals. Purohit ji ( priest) was chanting Mantras ( holy spells) before the wedding rituals began.

Both Abhiranjan and Rudransh were called to take their respective place. Poruhit ji started chanting the Mantras again. And finally the time came when the brides were called for the Mandap.

Sanghamitra's heart began to beat fast when she was taken to the Mandap. All her life she had seen someone else as her husband but now she was going to get married to a completely different person. Will she ever be able to let that fact sink into her mind? With marriage comes so many responsibilities. How will she be able to handle them? What scared her more was her duty as a wife. She had always believed that the relationship between husband and wife should be always based on love. But in her case, love was impossible. And without love how will she perform her duties as a wife? How will she give herself to someone else  for whom she didn't have any romantic feelings for?
Many questions were making her apprehensive.

While Devkirti had her own fears. She was happy that she was free from any kind of responsibilities towards her husband. And she didn't have to do anything at all,he himself had solved her problem. But the fear of unknown was gnawing at her. The way a fraction of her nightmare came true. What if the whole nightmare becomes a reality someday. How will she handle it? Moreover, nobody knew where her husband lives. When her parents asked Guru Brahmaditya he told them to not to worry. He assured them that she will be well protected and well provided wherever she will be. But that didn't stop her from worrying. She clearly remembered her husband's forewarning.
It scared her and filled her mind with doubts like clouds veiled the blue sky.
Everything seemed so dubious, so confusing and scary.

They both soon reached the Mandap. They were asked to take their respective place as well by the purohit. Soon the rituals began one after the another. First Jaymala ( where the bride and groom exchange garlands), then Kanyadan ( where the bride's father put her hand in the groom's hand signifying the shift of responsibilities), after that the Saptapadi( where the bride and groom give each other seven vows of marriage) and finally the Sindurdan( where the vermilion is put in the forehead of the bride by the groom as a sign of marriage).

The priest then declared that the wedding was successfully completed. He declared them as husband and wife.

That created different kind of thoughts in all four of them.

Sanghamitra was letting everything settle in her mind and was concern about her role in this unplanned , unexpected marriage. While Ranj was more concerned about compensating the damage that had happened to Mitra, his parents and all the other people who were close to his heart.

Again, Devkirti was having trepidation about the future and the unknown. She was mulling over all the scary possible outcomes of this marriage. On the other hand, Rudra was determined to find the purpose behind his Guru's order.

As soon as the wedding was done the Bidayee( where the bride part from her family) approach. Both the newly wedded couples took the blessings of Mother Goddess and their elders.  Sanghamitra and Devkirti cried hugging Maharani Sulekha, Urvashi, their fathers.  They all blessed them for a happy and prosperous married life.

Sanghamitra was supposed to stay at Antespura, so, her Griha pravesh( rituals done when the bride entered her new home) was going to be held later in the same place. But Devkirti had to leave.

Both Maharaj Bibhuti and Maharani Sulekha embraced their daughter for the last time. Devkirti was crying hysterically. King Bibhuti made his way to Rudra and joined his hand before him,