His Rooh

18 | Her brothers

Rudraksh

The morning sun cast a warm glow through my window, but it did little to lift my mood. Today was the haldi ceremony, and while I should have been excited, all I could think about was that I wouldn't see Aruhi until the evening. The thought made me grumpy.

I pulled on my yellow kurta, glancing at my reflection in the mirror. My face was set in a frown, a stark contrast to the joyous occasion we were about to celebrate. I couldn't help it. Aruhi was my rooh, my soul, and the thought of not seeing her until the wedding was torture.

Just then, my cousins Rishiraj, Kiaan, Vikram, and Kiara, along with my two best friends, Kabir and Aditya, barged into the room, their laughter filling the space.

"Arre, bhai, yeh kya muh bana rakha hai?" Vikram teased, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

Kiaan grinned, nudging me. "Haan, bhaiya, aaj toh aap dulhe ho. Thoda smile kar lo."

I tried to muster a smile, but it felt forced. "Kya karu yaar, Aruhi ko nahi dekh sakta shaam tak. It's driving me crazy."

Rishiraj smirked, "Bhai, shaadi se pehle hi itna impatient? Shaadi ke baad kya hoga?"

I glared at him, but before I could retort, Kiara chimed in, "Bhai, seriously? Aapke face pe itna bada frown? Aaj toh sirf haldi hai, aur shaam ko aap Aruhi bhabhi ko officially apni bana loge. Thoda patience rakho."

Kabir and Aditya exchanged a look before Kabir spoke up. "Rudra, tu hi soch. Aaj se zyada special kuch nahi ho sakta"

Aditya nodded, clapping me on the back. "Haan yaar, let's make the most of it. Aur waise bhi, shaam ko tumhe tumhari rooh mil jaayegi."

Their teasing lightened my mood a bit. I knew they were right. This day was special, and I needed to enjoy every moment of it.

We made our way to the courtyard, where the haldi ceremony was about to begin. The place was buzzing with excitement, the air filled with the scent of fresh flowers and turmeric. I took a deep breath, letting the festive atmosphere seep into me.

The elders gathered around first, each one holding a small bowl of haldi paste. My mother stepped forward, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She applied the first bit of haldi to my cheeks, her touch gentle and filled with love. "Mere beta, kitna pyaara lag raha hai," she whispered, her voice cracking slightly.

My father followed, his hand firm but tender as he smeared the turmeric on my forehead. "Beta, hum tum par bohot garv karte hain," he said, his voice steady but emotional. I could see the pride and joy in his eyes, mixed with the bittersweet emotion of seeing his son step into a new phase of life.

As the elders continued the ritual, I felt a wave of gratitude and love wash over me. This was my family, my support system, and today, they were all here to celebrate with me.

Once the formalities were over, the youngsters took over, their energy infectious. Kiara was the first to attack, smearing haldi all over my face with a mischievous grin.

Kiaan wasn't far behind, grabbing a handful of haldi and rubbing it on my neck. "Aaj toh poora rang denge aapko," he declared, his laughter echoing around the courtyard.

Kabir and Aditya, not wanting to be left out, started applying haldi on each other, turning it into a game of who could get the most covered.

The courtyard turned into a scene straight out of Holi, with everyone laughing, shouting, and smearing haldi on each other. The air was filled with joy and laughter, the mood infectious.

The music played in the background, adding to the festive atmosphere. The women danced in a circle, their colorful lehengas swirling around them, while the men joined in with their own clumsy but enthusiastic moves.