365 Written Days

Preface

The music was loud, it drowned out all the chatter and the bustle. This was it, the moment she had been waiting for, for as long as she could remember, she had only one dream. The dream that would come true in the next few hours. Aashika waited in the heavy rose gold lehenga, her veil hiding her nervous expression.

Someone knocked on the door, asking for permission to be in, "come in." she spoke, her voice almost breaking. In came her distant cousin brother Rashvik Singh. He was the closest relative she had in every sense but blood.

"You look enchanting," He said in awe, tearing up a bit. He cherished Aashika the most, having only brothers in the house, he by default dotted over his sister. "Thanks bhai." came the feeble voice. It was a delicate moment, during the whole 3 day rituals, they had enjoyed, celebrated, and lived the moment to the fullest but it was the last ritual. The actual wedding, after that they would part ways in a sense that didn't matter in the physical world.

It was the realization of forever departure, of her not being not just a sister, but a wife, a daughter-in-law, and most of all, she'd be the light of someone else's cosmos. "You are happy right?" he asked, for the final time. "Why wouldn't I be?" she playfully retorted, ignoring her own wailing eyes. "You know you'll always have me by your side, right?"

"What type of question is that bhai, main toh humesha aapki behan rahungi. Sirf shaadi ho rhi hai, aapka picha aise nhi chhutega"
(I will always be your sister. I'm only getting married, it won't stop me from pestering you.)

"You also know I'm just one phone call away, right?"

"Did something happen bhai? Why are you speaking as if I'm signing off my life to a devil."

"But you kind of are." Rashvik teased, it wasn't funny to Aashika. "What do you mean?"

"Okay, that of insensitive of me, sorry." the elder one sobered up, but the bride was clueless. What did that even mean, it didn't help that she was already nervous to sit in the mandap, scared to face the reality of the whole situation. "I want you to explain bhai, why did you say that?" her tone turned frantic, sensing the panic in her voice Rashvik sat her down.

"What do you know about this marriage Aashi?" the sentence was carefully said, almost as if he was scared of something, and obviously no, she didn't know anything that would bring out such a reaction to her relationship. It was an arranged marriage, yes, but she had spent the last 7 months talking to Atharv, falling for the idea of them, she believed in her marriage.

"Nothing bhai, I know nothing because there's nothing to know about. Our marriage was set almost 8 months ago, I've been talking to Atharv since then, meeting him. It's been fine, I'm comfortable with him." Aashika almost defended the bond she didn't even have yet.

"Aashika there's a contract being signed between our family!" he almost yelled, but the absurdity of the whole situation was yet to settle in, there was no way she was going to sign her marriage certificate without knowing the truth right? "What contract..."

The silence was loud, the groom's family were at the gate, the DJ loud enough to make it nearly impossible to hear anything, the laughters and excitement of the crowd was vibrating through the walls but the bride's room felt deafening. "Aashika you need to sit down." Rashvik recognized the grievous situation they were in. He was sad all together.

"The Singhania family has a legacy they maintain, the heir to the company gets married before stepping up as a new director of board. The marriage has to go flawlessly for a year and then the board members sign their loyalty to the new director. It is to put forth the importance of family and the integrity of the empire. It is their way of showing their willpower and efficiency to stay committed. Aashi, the marriage is an announcement for them, and as for us, our companies get the privilege of appointing one representative from our side to become a significant shareholder. Both the companies get equal profit and once the time is over, the professional relationship becomes independent of the marriage.
It looses importance, Atharv knows this Aashika, he agreed to it."

Aashika hated the thought, 7 months, they'd been talking for 215 days, not once did she catch the smallest hint about everything being.......fake. Is this what it is? She swore herself to a man who had not been honest to her at any moment they shared together? Yes, the conversations were not that deep, the friendship a bit fragile, but she loved him. She loves him.

She won't love him at the cost of herself, her own life though. She won't. She knows what an obligation feels like, what a burden feels like.

She won't be a burden, no.

________

In the first pheera, the groom promises to provide happiness, nourishment, and bring food to the table. In return, the bride promises to take care of the household and share the groom's responsibility.

It symbolises the willingness of the couple to be prosperous and fulfill their responsibilities. Nourishment

In the second pheera, the groom prays for health and strength to face the challenges of life, for being able to take care of all the ups and downs that would come in their life. In return, the bride promises to support him through all his endeavors. She preys to be the sole owner of the groom's heart.

This symbolises their yearning to a blissful life together. Strength

In the third pheera, groom promises to work to ensure that he brings prosperity to his family and provide good education to our children. He also promises to be faithful to his wife and lead a spiritual life. In return, the bride promises that she will wholeheartedly love him and will be devoted to their family and every other man in her life will be hereon secondary to her.

This is to ensure they have everything they need to ensure a good life in the future. Wealth and prosperity

In the fourth pheera, the groom promises that hereon their family will be his utmost priority. He thanks his bride for making his life full of happiness and good fortune. He further prays to God to bless them with obedient children. In return, the bride promises to love her husband and shower him with joy and happiness.

This symbolises their love, devotion, and respect to each other. Family

In the fifth pheera, the groom prays to the Almighty for healthy, obedient, righteous and brave children. He promises that he and his better half will be good parents and will raise the children well and provide them with all necessities. Further, the groom promises the bride that he will nourish their relationship with respect and love and expresses gratitude for her presence in his life. In return the bride responds that she will trust him, love him and respect him till her last breath. Promises that her happiness lies in his happiness and she will build a happy home for their children.

The offsprings represent the future, they symbolise all about praying for noble and loving children. The couple wishes and promises to each other to lead a love-filled life, support their dreams, and accept them for who they are. Progeny and Children

In the sixth pheera, the groom expresses that he is overwhelmed with joy that his bride is taking the sixth pheera with him. He asks the bride if she promises to fill his heart with the same happiness for a lifetime? In return the bride promises to be always by his side and stand together through all the joys and sorrows of life.

It's all about a happy and harmonious life together. It gives the groom the opportunity to tell his bride the depth of his love and the happiness he has felt after finding her. While the bride affirms her affection towards the groom and promises to stand by him forever. This vow beckons the importance of health, peace, and prosperity in one's life. Health and happiness

For the last pheera, The groom declares each other as man and wife by reciting the mantra. He promises his wife that he is hers and she is his for eternity. With the last phera, he promises that they both will be a single entity and he will be devoted to her. The bride accepts the vow and promises, with God and the holy fire being our witness, she is now his wife. She vows to live and love with honor and cherish each other forever. She proclaims that she will do all the possible things to keep up the promises that have been made during the holy rituals. Love and friendship.

Aashika swore to follow each and every promise with her life, except the marriage was not real. Those promises were not real.

Her life wasn't real.

If Atharv thought she was going to become yet another obligation in someone's life, he had another thing coming.