Niranjan agreed to take the role of "Nivedita" as a bridesmaid for his sister's wedding, experiences a month-long transformation guided by his mother and sister.
The wedding preparations for Aradhana were in full swing, and the house was bustling with activity. With just one month left until the big day, Niranjan found himself drawn to the quiet corner of the living room, where old photo albums were stacked neatly on the shelf. His fingers gently flipped through the yellowed pages, each picture holding memories of his mother's life before he was born, as well as moments from Aradhana's childhood. As he sifted through the photos, he stopped when he came across a particular picture-one from his mother's own wedding day.
In the photo, Meera was standing beside a woman he didn't recognize. The two women were dressed in wedding attire, but it was the unfamiliar woman's face that intrigued him. She was standing close to his mother, both smiling brightly at the camera, and Niranjan couldn't help but feel a strange sense of familiarity as he looked at the woman. There was something about her smile, something in her eyes, that made him feel like he had seen her before.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Curiosity piqued, Niranjan called his mother over to ask about the woman. Meera, who had been busy preparing for Aradhana's wedding, walked over to where Niranjan was sitting. She smiled warmly as he showed her the photo.
"Mom, who is this woman in the picture with you?" Niranjan asked, pointing to the unfamiliar face.
Meera looked at the photograph for a moment, her face lighting up with a fond memory. "Ah, this one!" she said, laughing softly as she leaned in closer. "That's my brother, Ashwin."
Niranjan looked at his mother, confused. "But... that's not a man. That's a woman," he said, a little puzzled.
Meera chuckled, shaking her head. "No, no! That's Ashwin, my younger brother. He was always full of surprises. On the day of my wedding, he decided to have a bit of fun and dressed up as my bridesmaid." She grinned, remembering the event. "It was his idea-he thought it would be hilarious. Everyone at the wedding had a good laugh, including me. He looked so convincing that some of the guests were fooled for a moment!"
Niranjan couldn't help but laugh at the thought of his mother's brother dressing up in a bridesmaid's outfit. "I can't believe that was your brother!" he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I never knew this about him."
Meera's eyes twinkled as she continued, "He was always the joker of the family, full of energy and mischief. That day was one of the happiest of my life, and Ashwin made it even more memorable. He was the one who kept the guests entertained the entire time."
Niranjan smiled, feeling a sense of connection to his mother's past. "It sounds like you had a lot of fun. I wish I could have met him," he said softly.
Meera's expression softened, and for a moment, there was a slight sadness in her eyes. "Ashwin was always a big part of my life... but after my wedding, he moved away to another city, and we lost touch. I've always missed him," she said quietly.
Niranjan placed a hand on his mother's shoulder, offering comfort. "I'm sure he was an amazing person."
Meera smiled gently at her son. "He was. And I'm glad you like these old memories. It reminds me that, even though life changes, the happiness and the love we share with others never really goes away."
