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Gomati Sadan in Lucknow - Early Morning
The early morning light bathed the traditional bungalow in Lucknow and spread a golden glow over its elaborate façade, bringing out the beauty of its detailed features. Marigold garlands and fresh mango leaves adorned the entrance to form a vibrant toran that heralded the beginning of the wedding festivities. The house buzzed with the soft hum of preparation as the aroma of traditional dishes and the fragrant scent of fragrance drifted through the corridors.
Khushi stood in her room adjusting the delicate yellow organza saree that draped elegantly around her frame. The lehariya pattern in white with silver stones shimmered softly in the warm glow of the morning sun. Her hands, trembling slightly, smoothed the pleats as she tried to focus on the task at hand. The saree, symbolizing her transition from daughter to bride, felt like a fragile cocoon she was expected to wear gracefully.
But her mind was far from still.
The wedding was just days away and although every bride might be expected to feel a giddy excitement, Khushi found herself battling a storm of emotions she couldn’t quite quell. The weight of the day’s events and the sacredness of the havan pooja combined with the irreversible step towards her new life felt overwhelming. The noise of her family preparing for the rituals and their excitement evident in every gesture stood in sharp contrast to the quiet turmoil in her heart.
As she stepped into the bustling corridors of her ancestral home, her eyes scanned the familiar surroundings. The house adorned in festive colors was both comforting and suffocating at the same time. The corridors echoed with laughter as her mother and aunts busy overseeing the last-minute arrangements. For a moment, Khushi wished she could absorb that joy and feel the lightness of spirit that seemed to come so effortlessly to everyone around her.
But she couldn’t.
The reality of the transition was sinking in. The walls of her childhood home that had always seemed so protective and warm now felt like they were closing in on her and intensifying her sense of restriction. As she moved towards the courtyard where the havan would take place, her thoughts swirled. She tried to suppress the doubts - what would her new life look like ? Would she be able to adjust to the Raizada household, to the constant scrutiny of a new family ? And then there was Arnav - what would their marriage be like ? How would she be as his wife ?
The anticipation and excitement she had imagined feeling at this moment were eclipsed by an anxiety she didn’t quite understand. The reality of leaving behind the familiar life she had always known and stepping into a new role seemed to overshadow the joy everyone else was experiencing. Each step toward the courtyard grew heavier under the weight of unspoken fears and unanswered questions.
Entering the courtyard, she spotted the Pandit ji sitting by the havan kund, preparing the sacred space for the pooja with arranging the havan samagri. The sight of her brothers rushing in chaos to bring the havan samagri in the gentle morning breeze, only deepened the knot of tension in her chest. This wasn’t just another ritual - this was the beginning of her wedding, the first step toward leaving her familiar life behind. Her breath hitched as she glanced at her family members gathered across the havan kund, settled on the mattress with their faces brimming with anticipation and joy.
