What keeps the world moving? Love? Certainly not. Hope? Not really. Money? Absolutely, and no one knows it better than the rich upper class elites of India. But money is not the only thing you can earn. In fact, these elites will tell you there is o...
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The journey from Delhi to Ramgarh took about 2 hours. First, we took a flight to Jaipur, where a helicopter escorted us to the haweli in Ramgarh where the wedding is supposed to take place. As we land on the helipad which is built on a separate building on the property, I take in the beauty of the palace sitting in front of me. People say that possessing something often causes it to lose its luster, but this place has been in our family for centuries and each generation has taken great care in maintaining its timeless and ethereal radiance. Its one of the most valuable properties we own- not in terms of money but sentiment. My ancestors built it with immense pride, which is why a twinge of guilt settles in my chest for tarnishing it with a farce of a wedding.
All rituals and functions are going to be held on these grounds and the wedding ceremony will take place on the terrace. Mine and Samiksha's families and close friends will be staying here while our guests have rooms booked in the nearest seven star hotel. Speaking of the she-devil, Samiksha and her family arrive in the helicopter a few minutes after us. She's changed into a simple yet elegant yellow kurti and her makeup is minimal as usual except the red lipstick. She usually prefers a bold pink shade and rarely wears red, but it looks good on her. I can't help but remember her face this morning, after she had freshened up. It was bare without any hint of cosmetics and she had looked absolutely beautiful. I had seen tones of women without makeup (after all I lived with three) but something about seeing Samiksha like that, who was always so prim and put together, it had thrown me off. It felt like I was seeing her for the first time, not the Samiksha that she showcases to the world but the one she hides from everyone.
"Vihaan, beta, change karlo jaldi se, mehendi ki rasam chaalu hone hi wali hain." My mother's voice interrupted my thoughts. I nod and head to my room. The staff has already placed the luggage in the room so I throw on a kurta and head back. As I leave my room, my eyes meet a pair of soft brown ones. Samiksha is staring at me from across the hall. The haweli is built with a courtyard in the middle and balconies surrounding it on all floors. She appears to be going in her room that is directly opposite from mine. I thought the Aroras were supposed to stay in the east wing and the Randhawas in the west. We stare at each other for what feels like hours but are only seconds, when her friends follow her to her room and interrupt our moment. I can not hear what they are saying but Samiksha turns away and goes inside.
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The function is in full swing as everyone dances to the loud music and the ladies are getting their mehendi done. The garden where the function is taking place is gorgeously decorated but I ignore it in favor of looking at a more interesting subject- Samiksha Arora. She's seated at the biggest sofa in the entire garden with two women designing on each of her hands with henna. She looks unsurprisingly exquisite with her pastel green lehenga and wavy hair. I watch as mine and her mother approach her. She looks up at them and smiles and replies to whatever they said to her. I don't see her smile a lot- she does it, but just not in front of me, or more accurately at me- not surprising, either. But she looks ten times more beautiful when she smiles.
