Arhi FF | Iss Darr Ko Kya Naam Doon

Chapter 1 | Sheesh Mahal

At the Gupta Sadan in Lucknow, the entire Haveli was filled with laughter, fun-teasing, group singing, dholki and shahnayi. All the Gupta relatives were flocked across the haveli whose walls surrounded a cut out open space decked up in a blanket of moghre ke phool, forming a floral tent over the courtyard and the mandap set up in its center.

The excitement of all the guests attending was palpable. The bride was loved by all her relatives and it was a long awaited wedding as Payal was the first of her generation to be getting married. It's been 15 years since the Guptas had hosted a marital occasion, hence the much awaitedness and joy-filled eagerness. If Khushi was the apple of her father's eye, Payal was that of the entire khandaan's.

As far as anyone in the family was considered, she was perfect and could do nothing wrong. None of the cousins or Chachis or Mamis or Tayis or even Buas held any envy against that because the reputation wasn't very far from the truth. Payal was that go to sister who all the cousins went to with their problems for advice or help. And was one of the most favored immediate few who all the aunties would turn to for any rant or frustration. She would always be there for them.

All the cousins; girls, boys, men and women alike were gathered under the floral ghoonghat in a corner, singing popular wedding songs where a certain Buaji was leading with her dholak skills. Madhumati looked at the time and panicked. She immediately passed over the dholak and rushed to check with mandap arrangements. The priest should have been already here.
She moved about every corner, fussing over every detail of the arrangements for her favorite niece, Payal bitiya's wedding. Ultimately, she ran out of breath from all the running around in her brother's Haveli.

"Garima!" hollered Khushi's Buaji to her brother's wife while pausing in between to puff her phus phus as she likes to call her inhaler, "Huff...huff...dekho toh sahi kahan reh gayi hai yeh Khushi....uff..huff".

Garima told her she was being too paranoid. But how can she not fuss about it, she had been waiting for this moment for far too long for her Payal bitiya. Her simple, beautiful titilya, an epitome of grace and pure gentleness! Haye mari bitiya, she thought fondly.

Madhumati believed Payal deserved all the love there is in this world and so she would stop at nothing today to make sure this is - in every aspect, the happiest day of her bititya's life!

Hey Nandkishore, sab kuchh badhiya rehne dena meri Payalya ke liye, she prays mentally.

So far all the arrangements are going in order but if only her niece would be here to help her with the decorations around the mandap.

Fashion designer hoon, kehti hai yeh maharani. Hmm! Kya faida in design degreeon ka agar apne Bua ji ki hi madad naahi kar sakat hai khudki sagi behen ki shaadi ke liye! she ranted mentally.

"Arey, behen ki shaadi hai, sau sau kaam mein haath batana rehta hai dulhan ki behen ko aur yahan dekho yeh sasuri, chipkali ke jaise pata nahin kahan gayab ho hogayi hai!" she continued the ranting outwardly, still huffing and puffing.

Nandkishore knows she loves that girl to death and nobody can be more proud of her than Madhumati but sometimes she drives her mad with rage like nobody else.

"Uff! Ugh!" she huffed again. She had to take another quick puff, leaning for support against the railing of the haveli's first floor's corridor. "Yahan BHI nahin hai yeh chatori!" she mutters while stretching and swiveling her neck, scanning the courtyard from the corridor for the aafat ki pudhiya as she refers to her younger niece often.

Yeah Bua ji had more than a few nicknames for her.

Meanwhile, in the other corner of the haveli, Payal is almost ready in her room. Standing in front of the mirror, wearing a regal-looking handwoven Lucknowi Chikankari sari in burnt orange color with an intricate heavy zari-work and chamki lace. A red organza ghoonghat with swirly designs embroidered all across with golden thread, sprinkled with chamki and bordered with shriveled golden color fringed lace, adorned her head. The sari snugly complimented her hour glass figure. And the white stone jewellery comprising of a wide breadth choker, a huge teeka, huge ear studs and thick kangans bookending a large set of plain golden bangles she was wearing contrasted her sari like the metaphor of how opposites attract.