Understanding the meaning of Love with MaAn

Haldi, Mehendi and Sangeet

Writer's Note: Hello fellas!! Extremely sorry for the late update. I had some interviews to attend and finally... like finally got my offer for the job in a prestigious company that I wanted for so long. So, on this happy moment! Take this update as a treat. Hope you enjoy!! Pretty long update for you guys...

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It was five o'clock in the morning when Anupamaa slowly opened her eyes to the gentle rustle of palm leaves and the distant sound of waves brushing against the shore. The soft glow of dawn filtered through the sheer curtains of the resort room, painting everything in a serene golden hue. She lay still for a moment, her heart fluttering with excitement.

"Anudi... uth jaa..." she murmured to herself with a sleepy smile. "Welcome to your new world..." A joyful giggle escaped her lips. "I still can't believe I'm engaged to Anuj... yaayyy!!" she whispered, pulling the sheets around her as if trying to wrap herself in the dream that had become reality. "Aur aaj toh Haldi, Mehendi bhi hai... aur Sangeet bhi... OMG!!"

The resort was still quiet, wrapped in the peacefulness of early morning. Anupamaa stepped out of bed, her bare feet sinking into the plush carpet. She padded toward the glass door that opened onto the balcony, gently pulling it aside. Folding her hands, she gazed at the rising sun over the sea and whispered a heartfelt prayer to her Kanhaji. "Sab kuch theek se ho, Kanhaji... sab kuch tumhare haathon mein hai."

She slipped on a light shawl and made her way through the flower-scented corridor to Anurag's room. The door was ajar, and inside, she saw him sitting cross-legged on the cool tiled floor, completely immersed in checking the ceremonial items. His room looked like a mini prep station — coconuts lined one side, a rolled-up banana stem rested near the window, and a small steel plate filled with rice sat beside him. Anurag, ever the perfectionist, was inspecting each item with utmost focus.

Anupamaa leaned quietly against the doorway, watching him with a fond smile. Amidst the luxurious setting of the resort, with poolside lanterns still flickering faintly and decorators beginning their morning prep outside, her heart felt full. The day had just begun — and it was already perfect.

As Anupamaa stepped into the softly lit resort room, she stopped short, blinking in surprise. The faint scent of sandalwood mixed with fresh banana leaves lingered in the air, and there, amidst an odd assortment of ritual items — coconuts, rice grains, and banana stems — sat Anurag, cross-legged and deep in preparation.

"Kya kar raha hai... betu?" she asked, her voice a mix of amusement and confusion.

Anurag looked up, startled for a moment, then broke into a wide grin. "Mummy!! Aap uth gayi? Itni jaldi?"

Anupamaa walked in, folding her arms with a mock frown and a soft smile playing on her lips. "Hmm! Excitement thi na..." Her eyes still held that dreamy sparkle from earlier.

"Awee!!" Anurag chuckled, holding up a carefully selected coconut like a trophy. "Main toh yeh kalash tayaar kar raha hoon!"

She tilted her head. "Kalash kyun? Aaj toh Haldi Mehendi aur Sangeet hai, hai na?"

"Haan Mummy!" he nodded, the seriousness returning to his young, earnest face. "Aap log yahan resort mein celebrations enjoy karo... Main ghar jaa raha hoon pooja karne ke liye."

Her smile faded slightly. "Kaise pooja?"

Anurag gently placed the coconut back into the brass vessel. "Hamare pratha mein, ghar mein vadhu ke aagaman se pehle Lakshmi pooja ki jaati hai... avahan hota hai. Jab Lakshmi ka avahan hota hai, toh vadhu ke roop mein Lakshmi Mata ka swagat hota hai..." He looked at her meaningfully. "Aur Ganpati havan bhi hota hai. Isiliye banana stem, kalash, sab kuch chahiye hota hai... aur kanya daan ke liye bhi yeh sab pehle se tayaar karna padta hai."