The other Half of my Deen

part 9

Ammi had strictly warned me to not get out of house. Obviously, I wouldn't look very pretty with a tan. And every day I used to apply something new to my face. Anything that helped my skin glow more. I ate plenty of fruits. Junk and oily food was a big no. all relatives had come home. The house was full with people. I cannot remember the last time everyone was together and when everyone was so happy. Abba's side of the family and Ammi's side of the family. All were here.

That was the best week of my life.

7th June.

The rituals and the fun begins. These rituals are not even close to compulsory. It's just for fun.

Haldi or Manjha ceremony

In this ritual, there are only women and everyone has to wear yellow. I wore a kurta and a loose pyjama. There were no men, so I was free to wear anything yellow. I sat down on the small stool that Ammi gave me. I rolled up the sleeves of the kurta.

Ammi came first, kissed me on my check. She picked up the bowl with the paste (it was little turmeric mixed of lot of things that help skin glow.) in it and took some paste in her fingers and applied it on my cheek. I don't know what happened, I just remember that one tear from each of my eyes rolled down my cheek. I kept smiling. I wasn't even thinking of rukhsat yet. Thank god it was the last tear. I only smiled after that. Next came Nahida auntie! She wiped the tears off my cheek and applied the paste on the rest on my face.

One by one all women including all girls applied turmeric on my face, neck, hands and legs. The I saw Abba and Zain enter the room. Zain only had that teasing look on his face and Abba was on the verge of breaking out into teras. But when he saw me smiling he smiled too. He took some turmeric and applied it on my face. Yeah, there wasn't any place left and I just got so many layers of that paaste on my face. Zain bhai applied some too.

After I washed off all the turmeric and I still looked so yellow. Thank god it was two days before the wedding or I'd look yellow that day also.

8th June.

It was like a family get together which turned out to be a gifting ceremony. Everyone came. I got so many gifts, most of them were jewellery. But, Zain gifted me a holiday package for two to Vancouver, Canada. Abba and Ammi gifted me a car. I was very thankful to everyone. Especially to zain and Abba-Ammi.

9 June

Mehendi ceremony

It was held in my house. All women again. We had called a mehendi artist she adorned my hands and feet with beautiful henna designs. She applied henna on all the ladies' hands.

Meanwhile in the other room, there was another tradition was being followed.

Shukrana

Shukrana involved the groom breaking a giant puri which has a coin hidden inside it, with his bare hands. As Zaahir desperately tried to find the coin, the saali (bride's sister, in my case shagufta) took pleasure in hitting him with a floral stick. Once he found the coin, the shagufta fed him a paan.

I slept at 8pm, because I had to stay up tomorrow for a very long time. It was a long day.

10 June

I woke up for fajr at 5am. i couldn't sleep well really. I prayed for a lot longer than usually. I read Quran and then all my cousins came to talk to me. We sat down talked till it was time for breakfast. I spent the whole day talking to lot of people. So many people complimented me for the henna, it was dark.

I did my wudhu and got dressed at 3. The hairstylist came and made my hair. I actually looked very beautiful. I didn't know I was so beautiful. It was almost 4 when my makeup artist came and she did my makeup. It was very little, I liked it like that.