The Land of Beloved!!!

Chapter 13

Thapki was looking at the dress she had to wear in Evening for her Haldi's ceremony. It was a beautiful light yellow chiffon shirt with matching dupatta and trouser. The work on it was very delicate. It was perfect choice for the occasion. The only problem was that it was sleeveless.

Thapki: "Are you sure Preeti Bhabhi???"
Preeti: "How many times I need to tell you that it is a complete dress. The sleeves did not get cut by mistake. Today is your haldi rasam and we needed a dress like this. And yes Bihaan and Dadi did approve that. There is no harm in wearing sleeveless. This is 21st century dear. Have you not seen me or any one else wearing sleeveless dresses???"
Thapki: "Yes, but I have never worn such dress before"
Preeti: "There is always a first time. And for you there will be a lot of firsts. How will you carry on with ur marriage if u r feeling so nervous in wearing this dress. There will soon be a time when u will wear no..."
Before Preeti could complete her sentence, a beet root red Thapki interrupted her.
Thapki: "Okay Bhabi I will wear it. What else I need to do?"
Preeti: "Firstly u need not to think too much abt anything. U have just recovered from ur illness but u still need not to tire urself by overthinking. Simply wear this dress and wear this flower jewellery with it. The girl from parlour is here. She will get u ready for the function. I will go and change myself as there is very lil time left. Soon the guests will start to come"
Preeti left in a hurry leaving "still staring at the dress" Thapki behind.

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Shradha had reached PN and was getting ready in one of the guest rooms. Her very close friends were also helping her out. Vasu had asked her to come to PN for the function as they were doing a joint Haldi ceremony for the grooms and the brides. She was wearing a sleeveless and back less expensive dress designed by the famous designer. She had selected very expensive gold set to go with the dress.
She wanted to look better than Thapki by any means. The beautician was skillfully getting her makeup done.
Shradha: "Wat is wrong with u. This much light makeup??? Where is the red lipstick??"
Beautician: "Today is the haldi ceremony. I think u shd look very natural"
Shradha: "Don't tell me wat u think. Do as I say. If I look any less than Thapki I will kill u. Now make my makeup more bright. I must not look less than that ugly, stupid and illiterate girl.
The girl started doing as Shradha told her to.
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When Preeti again entered the room, Thapki was sitting on her bed. She was wearing the dress and the jewellery. She had draped her dupatta tightly around her body. She was looking so innocent and pretty even like that.
Preeti: "I hope u stay away from the evil eyes. U r looking so pretty Thapki. This color is looking so gud on u. And this golden khusa is looking wow. This khusa was added by Bihaan devar ji. He simply loved it. U r looking like a radiant flower"
The praising words of Preeti turned Thapki pink.
Preeti: "Uff look at this pink color of ur cheeks. But wat with this dupatta Thapki? It seems as if some one has wrapped u in this dupatta to turn u into a mummy. Let me fix it for u"
Preeti took the dupatta from her.
Thapki: "Okay Bhabi but please cover my arms with it"
Preeti: "Okay okay let me fix it in such a way that some of ur arms r covered and the rest r not. We have to apply haldi on ur body so we need to keep these uncovered"
Preeti fixed it in such a way that it covered Thapki's arms over the elbows. Thapki felt better

Preeti: "Arre where is the beautician girl?? I asked her to get u ready some half hour ago. The guests have started to come. Let me find and send her again"
Preeti left in a hurry.

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Thapki was sitting on a low seat in the area turned into Brides side. Sitting next to her was Shradha. Shradha was laughing and was looking very happy. Thapki with her body covered in haldi was looking very nervous. Shradha had her friends n family members who were applying Haldi on her. Thapki was feeling sad as there was no one from her family and she had no friends too. Tears started to build in her eyes. Suman noticed this and came and sat next to her.
Suman: "Pagli y r u crying?"
Thapki: "No no I am not. Its just that I am missing my Mom a lot"
Suman: "I can understand. I miss my Mom too as she is no more. But u need not to cry when I am here. Take me as ur sis and never cry again"
Thapki smiled. Suman took some haldi and playfully applied it on Thapki's nose
Suman: "Gud girl. Now its Bihaan Devar's turn. We will bring him and apply him haldi. Soon he will look like a cartoon too. U c and laugh"
Suman left.
The hall was separated in two areas opposite to each other by a net drape. On one side were sitting Shradha and Thapki. Shradha and Thapki's haldi was done. Thapki's arms and legs were all covered with Haldi. Dadi had asked to apply very lil haldi on Thapki to keep her safe from catching cold again. Shradha was covered fully in haldi applied by her family and friends.
Thapki noticed Dhruv and Bihaan entering the hall. The girls around them were giggling. Dhruv seemed confident where as Bihaan seemed nervous. Both were dressed in white Kurta and Pajama. Thapki looked closely at Bihaan. He was looking very handsome. Thapki noticed that white color suits Bihaan a lot.
They both sat on the low seat just like Thapki and Shradha.
Suman: "Now take off ur Kurtas as we have to apply haldi"
Dhruv immediately obeyed the orders and took off his Kurta. Bihaan hesitated and argued but was forced to take off his kurta too. Both were wearing vests. Dhruv then took off his vest too and showed off his body.
Shradha's friend: "Come on Bihaan its ur turn to take off ur vest"
Bihaan: "There is no need for me to take off my Vest. U can apply haldi on my arms only"
He replied angrily and sat on his seat. Girls started laughing.
Dhruv: "Oh come on bro. Don't be a girl"
Bihaan gave a serious look to Dhruv but stayed quiet.
Shradha's friend: "Oh look Bihaan is being shy"
Girls started to laugh again. Dadi interrupted.
Dadi: "Do not tease Bihaan. The vest is okay. There is no need to take it off"
She called Vasu and asked her to start the Rasam. The rasam started.
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Thapki was feeling very tired. She had not eaten much and was now feeling weak. She looked at the scene where every one was applying Haldi to the grooms. She searched for Suman but she was no where to be seen. All of a sudden her head started to spin and then everything turned black.
Some guest noticed the fainted Thapki and informed people. Every one came running towards her. Preeti tried to wake her up but Thapki did not move. Her body was feeling cold. Dadi asked Bihaan to pick Thapki and take her into her room. Bihaan came forward and touched her face to wake her up but Thapki did not move. He picked her up and took her to her room.
He put her in the bed and started rubbing her palms. Some one brought water in a glass. Bihaan splashed water drops on her face which brought her back into consciousness.
Thapki opened her eyes and saw Bihaan's face.
Thapki: "Bihaan"
Bihaan: "Yes Thapki... Wat happened? U fainted... Wat happened?"
Suman: "Let Shusma Aunty check her"
Bihaan gave room to Sushman Aunty. Sushma Aunty was a family member and a doctor by profession. She checked her pulse and did some more checking.
Sushma Aunty: "There is nthg to worry. As she had high fever so she is still weak. She got tired and fainted. Please let her take rest and make her eat too"
After every one left, Dadi and Bihaan were the only people left in the room. Bihaan looked confused and worried. Dadi noticed it too.
Dadi: "Bihaan beta u just do not worry Thapki is fine. I am going to take care of her. She just needs rest. U also need rest. U also go and get cleaned. Tomorrow is the Mehndi day and it will also be tiring for both of u. Its better that u go and take rest"
Bihaan looked at Thapki with worried eyes but did not say anything and left the room.
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Bihaan came out of Thapki's room. He was passing by the Hall room where the guests were sitting. He heard one of Dadi's cousin talking to a lady.
Lady: "Some evil eye must have caught Thapki so she fell ill. She was looking so beautiful and innocent tonight"

Dadi's cousin: "She is such a beautiful and innocent girl. I fell in love with her the instant I saw her. Bihaan deserved a girl like her and I am happy that she came into his life. And did u not notice that gud omen?"
Lady: "Wat gud omen?"
Dadi's cousin: "When Thapki fainted and Bihaan picked her up, Thapki and Bihaan's haldi got interchanged"
Lady: "Oh yes... This jodi is for sure made in heaven"
Bihaan unintentionally looked at his arms and touched his face. His body was already covered with haldi so he could not c any difference. He shook his head and went towards his room to clean up.
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Bihaan took shower and came out of his wash room. His body was wet with water. He had tied a towel on his lower body. He came and stood in front of the dressing table. He looked at his upper body in the mirror. His fair and masculine body was marked with some scars on his body. He looked at the scars with painful eyes. He touched those scars and just one word came out his mouth "Kosi Maa". That one word gave him more pain then the scars had ever given him.