Adhyant knocked on his boss’ cabin door and entered in after taking permission. His boss, a man in his early 40s sat there working on his computer.
Aryan, one of his fellow colleagues stood in front of him. Adhyant gave him a polite nod of acknowledgement and receives a nod and smile in return.
He then turned to face his boss and waited for the man to look up and acknowledge him. It took him 2 minutes and he finally looked up.
“Yes?”
“Sir I sent a mail regarding grant of leave a few days ago. Uska koi reply nhi aaya hai abhi tak so I thought of checking with you once, if you could please.”
“You've also mailed? I'm so sorry guys, I've been keeping super busy since the past few days ki mai kuch bhi check hi nhi kr paa rha hu. Give me your mail id.”
Adhyant recited his id and waited as the man read the contents of it. His eyebrows perked up in amusement and he looked at the two of them.
“Strange coincidence. Both of yours weddings are on the same day. Congratulations guys!”
Aryan and Adhyant thanked the man pleasantly surprised upon hearing about the other. Their boss wrote something on two pieces of papers and signed both of them.
“Here you go! Your leaves are sanctioned. Congratulations once again and I want you both to meet me once you return from your wedding.”
They nodded and left with a thank you.
“Congratulations brother!”
Adhyant gave a brotherly pat on Aryan’s shoulder and he smiled.
“Aapko bhi.”
“So shaadi yaha Delhi mai hi hai?”
Adhyant asked as they walked towards their desks. Both of them were adjacent to each other and quite friendly.
“Nhi. Gaao jaaunga apne. Wahi ki ladki dekhi hai amma bauji ne.”
Aryan replied taking Adhyant by surprise yet again.
“Aaj kuch jyada hi coincidences nhi ho rhe hamare saath? Mai bhi apni shaadi ke liye gaao jaaunga. Ladki wahi ki hai.”
Aryan looked surprised and both of them chuckled, very much unaware how their lives were going to be entangled with each others. In not a very pleasant way.
Aryan was laid on his bed staring at his ceiling. He was busy dreaming about his future wife. He didn't know how she looked or what her name was. Their village was very orthodox in these matters. Brides and grooms weren't allowed to even see each other's faces before marriage.
His phone rang disturbing his thoughts about his future. A smile formed on his face seeing his mother's number.
“Pranam amma! Kaisi ho? Mai bilkul thik hu.”
His mother had called to ask if his leave was confirmed and when was he leaving from Delhi.
“Achha amma suno. Tasveer toh bhejdo meri hone wali biwi ki. Milkar nhi toh waise hi dekh toh lu ek baar.”
“Dekhi toh maine bhi nhi hai apni bahu. Tere bauji hi rishta pakka krke aaye hai. Tu jaanta hai na yaha kaise chalta hai.”
Aryan sighed and pleaded.
“Please amma. Ek baar. Bas ek photo bhej do na.”
“Achha koshish krti hu. Tere bauji se kehna padega. Lakh sawal krenge wo. Dekhti hu mai.”
Aryan thanked her and disconnected the call with a wide smile. He had forgotten about it till the next day.
He was in office when his phone pinged and he peeked in to see a message from his mother. Instantly remembering their conversation from yesternight, he opened her chat and downloaded the picture.
The girl was beautiful. Not extremely beautiful but she had good features. Only her color was a little on the wheatish side. Like most Indian complexions. Aryan too wasn't very fair. He too was wheatish so they'd look good together.
Having seen his future wife's picture, his heart was at peace.
Adhyant on the other hand couldn't manage even a picture of his future wife. His parents were too strict in that sense. He knew it was the 21st Century but some places still worked like that.
It was finally the day of his marriage. He was in his room all ready as the groom. His face was covered with the sehra such that no one could see his face clearly but he was able to see things. Remembering that it was Aryan's wedding too, he left a congratulations message again wishing for his happy married life.
He was called for the wedding and reached the pandal after taking deep breaths. He didn't know what to expect from his wife at all. He didn't even know how she looked or what her name was. Taking a leap of faith he sat in front of the havan kund waiting for his bride to arrive.
He didn't have to wait much longer. His gaze lingering on her as she walked down the aisle with her sisters and other ladies helping her.
He couldn't see her face courtesy of the long veil she was wearing. She was made to sit beside him and the rituals started.
When they exchanged places after the pheras and Adhyant was asked to tie the mangalsutra and put sindoor in her hairline, he got a glimpse of her beautiful fair face for a split second before it was covered with a cloth being placed in front of her face to cover it.
A smile formed on Adhyant’s face. His wife was beautiful. Her fair complexion complemented his own.
Aryan too was married and both of the couples were returning back to Delhi.
Today was the pag phera ritual and Aryan had dropped his wife to her parents for the same. He couldn't spend the night with her because in their village, the wedding night happened after the pag phera ritual. So it would be tonight.
She was going to reach the railway station directly.
Adhika was waiting for her husband at the railway station with her family. She had a veil on her head. She wasn't allowed to remove it until tonight.
“Damad ji kaha hai?”
Her mother asked from her father who fetched his phone out.
“Abhi pata krte hai.”
He muttered dialling her husband's number.
“Namaskar Aryan ji. Kaha pahuche aap? Hum istason (station) pr aapka intezar kr rhe hai.”
Adhika smiled under the veil. So her husband's name was Aryan.
“Ji hum phir bitiya ko gaadi mai bitha rhe hai. Ji! ji.”
Her father told her that he was reaching in 10 mins. He told her the seat number and her parents left after a teary farewell. Adhika walked to her seat to see a woman already sitting there.
She also looked newly married and had a viel over her head. Did Adhika hear the seat number wrong? Did her father not say 52B? Or was it 52D?
Thinking that she walked further ahead and entered the D coach. She saw a man sitting on the seat beside hers. He seemed to be waiting for someone.
His eyes fell on her figure and a smile formed on his face. She realised that it was her husband.
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