DESTINY'S PLAY

SIVA PARVATI KALYANAM

        "And here I was expecting a thank you" Abhi said sarcastically making Megha narrow her eyes.

         "Meghana.." Yani called and Megha pushed him away coming out of his arms and turned towards Yani and smiled.

         "Hi aunty how are you?" Megha asked and saw a old man who must be in his late fifties and Varun.

         "I'm fine! How are you and what are you doing here?" Yani asked hugging her surprising her and the three men looking at each other.

         "I'm good...Umm I came here with my friend Pallavi it's her native place" Megha said pulling back.

         "Wow! It must be fate" Yani said and introduced her to Mohan her husband.

          "Hello! Uncle. Hi! Sir" Megha greeted the elder by taking his blessings and Varun a bit Professionaly.

           "Seegrameva kalyana praptirastu" Mohan blessed her.

           "Call me Varun we're not at work" Varun said making Megha nod.

            "If introductions are over let's go it's time for kalyanam" Abhi said impatiently.

            "Right we've to go and start pooja" Mohan said.

            "Oh! Your family is sitting in pooja this year" Megha stated.

             "Yes, they say it's good to do Siva Parvati Kalyanam because all the young lads marriage will be over and here I've two men who are in love with their work and married to their meetings" Yani shook her head pointing at Varun and Abhi making Megha laugh but covered it with a cough when her boss glared at her.

           "Maa.... Let's go it's getting late" Varun said sensing Abhi's growing anger.

           "Meghana you too join us come on" Mohan said.

           "I'll join you when I find my father" Megha said politely.

           "Your father is here too? Where is he?" Yani asked excited.

            "He's covering the temple he's a reporter he must be around I'll go get him" Megha said leaving them.

            When Abhi turned to his mum and saw her stupid smile she had when she had something planned and warned "Whatever you are planning in that brain of yours, quit it".

             "But.." Abhi cut off her mum ordering sternly "Just no" leaving her pouting.

             "I'm not planning anything I just put a request to god and he planned everything in some way or the other" Yani sighed leaning on to her husband as they walked towards pooja

       
         Mohan and Devayani sat for pooja on the dias and the poojari garu opposite to them chanting mantras along with his disciples. The remaining devotees sat down one of the family being Pallavi's. Varun and Abhi sat beside each other and Pallavi was looking at them with wide eyes and searched around for Megha with her eyes.

          Megha came to the mandapam along with her father and his assistant and made them sit in the front row with Pallavi's family. She was about to sit when poojari garu called making her turn around.

          "Please spread the akshintalu (turmeric grains) to all" Poojari garu handed her the plate and continued "Mahadev will bless you with a nice husband".

          Megha took the plate from poojari garu smiling then rolled her eyes "Ayyo! poojari garu why is everyone so interested in sending me away from my father?" making everyone smile as she started spreading akshintalu.

          "You would eventually go to your husband's house one day or the other leaving your father child" poojari garu said to Megha and turned towards the couple in pooja asking "Amma who's going to offer mangalasutram?".

          "Our elder son Ram" Mohan said making Abhi and Megha look at Mohan.

          "Abhi come" Devayani called smiling making Varun pat Abhi's back and nod towards the pooja.

          Abhi got up and walked towards dias and took mangalasutram from poojari garu and knotted three times as poojari instructed then stepped his right leg onto dias and stopped suddenly with wide eyes feeling goosebumps on his skin but slipped his other foot falling back but caught onto Megha's shoulders making her loose her balance and Abhi caught her in his arms before they could fall down.

         The akshintalu plate in Megha's hand went into air due to the impact making the grains fall on them as they looked into each other's eyes and everyone stood up with wide and shocked faces.