Seetha Kalyanam Vaibohame

Pillayar oda telegram

Seetha touched the entry step to the temple and crossed over it. With her palms put together, she walked up the 3 steps to see the idol. The temple wasn't too crowded. There were a few people doing the rounds around the temple and a couple more standing there for the priest to come put of the sannidhi and pass the kumkumam, vibuthi, flowers etc. As soon as the priest saw Arun, he smiled and said, "Arun vaa paa. Eppidi irukke?" Then he bowed his head at Seetha and asked, "Yaaru aathukaari ya?" Arun smiled and nodded. The priest looked at Seetha and asked, "Enna maa peru?" and the couple responded together, "Seethalakshmi".

The priest noticed the yellow bag that Arun was holding and he immediately knew what it was. He handed over a little basket for Arun to empty the contents which were vethalapaaku, bananas, coconut and ofcourse the flowers. He then handed over the basket to the priest and said, "Mama, archana pannanum." The priest grabbed the basket and immediately started chanting. He paused to look at them and said, "Peru, nakshathram, gothram ellam chollungo." Seetha and Arun glanced at each other and, again, in unison, replied, "Swamy perukke panidungo." The priest continued the chanting and walked back into the sanctum to complete the ritual while Seetha started to mumble all the slokams she knew. She promptly crisscrossed her legs and hands, held her earlobes and bent a few times. As the priest lit the camphor, she quickly pulled out her thali and took up to both her eyes and then placed it back again inside her blouse.

The priest came back with the camphor plate. The couple extended their hands and then took the heat of the camphor to their eyes. Then they held their palm out for a pinch of the kungumam and vibuthi. He then handed the basket with the two half pieces of coconut, a couple of bananas and a bit of the flower to Arun. He handed a piece of the kanagambaram to Seetha which she promptly placed in her hair. Then the couple went around the sannidhi 3 times, prostrating everytime they came in front of pillaiyar. Then they walked towards a big auditorium like place that was on the back side. On the way, there was a lady handing some prasadam in a dhonnai. She smiled at the couple and said, "Indhaanga prasadam. Pillaiyar oda anugrahathula ennoda paiyan pathaavudhu pass panittan. Avanoda pallikoodathuliye modhal mark vaangeerkan." Seetha smiled and nodded.

The dhonnai had some Sundal and some chakkarapongal both still warm. The lady handed one to Arun as well. The couple thanked the lady and walked towards the auditorium. Seetha looked at the height of the platform where they were about to sit. She handed her dhonnai to Arun. She then used both her hand to put pressure and she jumped up to sit. Arun couldn't help but chuckle at his wife's cuteness. She then turned around to first take her dhonnai from him and then patted the spot next to her saying, "Mmm... ukkarungo." He nodded and sat beside her. She started shaking her dangling legs and started eating the sundal and said, "Ungalukku onnu theriyumo? Kovil ku vandha namma konja neram ukkandhuttu thaan poganumaam. Aparam kovil lerndhu thirumbi porche swamy ku namma mudhuga kaatapdadhu. Swamy ya paathunde thaan poganum theriyuma?"

Arun chuckled, "Unakku yaaru maa idhellam solli thara?" She smiled and said, "Ennoda paati. Indha chakkarapongalum sundalum pranadhama irukku. Neengalum saapdungo." He took just a couple of bites and said, "Naan eduthundaachu maa. Indha idhayum nee saapdu." Seetha took his dhonnai without hesitation. She then placed a finger on her chin as if deep I thought and said, "Enakku onnu thonardhu, sollatuma?" He smiled and nodded. She continued with a sparkle in her eyes, "Indha ooru pillaiyar enga ooru pillaiyar ku telegram anupinaar nu thonardhu." Arun was confused, "telegram aa?"

She chuckled, "Ama ivarukku ungala nenachu paavama irundhirukkum. Appo enga ooru pillaiyar ku telegram potiruppar." Now Arun was curious, "Enna nu?" She smiled and said, "Idha oorula oru 30 vayasu katta brahmachari irukaan... irukaar" she blushed, "Avar romba nallavar. Avarukku poruthamaana, chamatha, azhagaana oru ponnu anuppi vai nu kettiruppaar." Arun bit his lower lip trying to contain his smile but acted innocent and asked, "Adhukku unga ooru pillaiyar enna badhil sonaar?" She confidently replied, "Adhu thaan 10 poruthamum irukara madhiri avarukku romba pidicha, enna anuppeerkare." Arun nodded and said, "Oho appidiya?" She became very serious and came close to him gesturing him to move closer, "Illai na nenachupaarungo. Inneram enna ennoda mama pullai andha Vichu ku kalyanam panni kuduthiruppa. Naan pillaiyar kitta eppidi vendeenden theriyuma andha Vichu maathram vendaam nu. Nalla velai" she sighed.

Then she smiled mischievously and said, "Ungalukkum enna pidikka koodadhu nu thaan modhalla vendeenden aana ennoda petition poi serardhukku minnalaye indha pillaiyar oda telegram vandhirukkum." Arun pouted, "Appo unakku ishtam illama thaan kalyanam paneendiya. Unakku... enna pudikkaliya maa?" Seetha's heart immediately melted and she said, "Achacho appidi ellam illai. Enakku ennoda kudumbam, kovil, Jayanthi idhellam vittutu varaname nu thaan kashtama irundhudhu. Aparam ungala Appo enakku theriyadhu. Namakku konjam vayasu vidhyasam nu vera sonna. Adhu thaan konjam bayama irundhudhu."

She noticed that Arun still looked a little concerned so she continued, "Aana ippo pudichirukku"He looked up and asked,"Ennadhu pidichirukku? Indha kovil aa?" She blushed and tapped her leg, "Indha golusu, train la vandhadhu, namma veedu, scooter la pordhu, indha kovil...." He looked at her eagerly. Then she said, "Idhellathoda adhigama ungala romba pidichurukku." Now it was his turn to blush but instead he said, "Seri, iruttagardhu. Aathukku polaama?" She nodded and jumped down.

Their ride back home was quiet but there was a sense of peace in both their hearts. When they reached home, Parvathy was already there packing a small bag. She smiled when she saw them and said, "Saroja aambadayan edho car book paneerkaanam Tirupathi ku. Edam irukku nu ennayum koopta. Naaliki kaarthala 4 manikku kelambeetu rathri thirumbi vandhuduvom. Ennakku Bombay ku poita sandharpam kedakkadhu. Adhu thaan Naanum poitu varalaam nu irukken. Kozhandhe Seetha, kalyanam aagi naalu naal la Unna vittuttu porene nu thappa eduthukaadhe. Arun, innum oru vaaram aathula irupaane adhunaala thaan kelambaren." Seetha smiled, "Neenga poitu vaango maa. Idhula thappa eduthukka enna irukku."

After having the prasadam, none of them were hungry so Parvathy made paruppu kanji for all of them and they had it along with a vaazhapazham. Parvathy retired to bed early. Seetha cleared up the kitchen and retired to the bedroom. Arun had excused himself to the terrace room to grab a book that he had been reading, giving Seetha the privacy to change from the saree she had worn to the temple. She decided to have a quick wash before heading back to the bedroom. She removed the plaits and tied up her hair in kondai. Just then Arun returned. He smiled at her and said, "inniki vandhadhum varadhadhuma Unna ooru sutha vachutten. Romba tired aa iruppe. Nee poi paduthukko. Enakku thookam varale. Naan hall la ukkadhu book padikkaren."

Seetha looked up and said, "Ingeye ukkadhu padingolen" for which he replied, "Illai inge chair illai aparam naan un pakkathula bed la ukkandha unakku kashtama irukkum." She glared at him and said, "Pch... adhellam onnum irukkadhu. Neenga ingeye irungo." He nodded and sat up on the bed, adjusting the pillow to rest his back. Seetha crept on the other side of the bed and in a few minutes dozed off. Arun read for about an hour when his eyes were getting heavy too so he too put the book away and lay down.

The night was cool and breezy. Arun woke up early in the morning, to the sound of the curtains fluttering. That's when he noticed Seetha's arm on his chest. He noticed goosebumps on her hand indicating she was cold and, in her sleep, had reached out to him for warmth. He smiled and turned to look at her cherubic face. She was still fast asleep. Her hair bun had come loose and a strand was bothering her forehead. He smiled and gently moved the hair away. Her kumkum bindi had smeared a little. Her thaali cheradu had snuck out from inside her blouse. Her pallu had moved too giving him a glimpse of her cleavage and her chubby waist. He looked away and focused again on her hand that was on him. He noticed the goosebump again so he pulled up the blanket to cover her and wrapped his arm around her. He noticed an instant smile appear on her face. He closed his eyes  smiling.

Brinda Subramanian.