“Aajo ji sare kahan hai, Gurudwara mein sab kuch ready hai. Barat ka time bhi ho raha hai” shouted Shehnaz’s father from the hall and then he made his way towards the parking area to instruct the drivers.

It’s marriage day and the mansion was decorated like a bride. Some guests have already arrived and some will go directly to the Gurudwara as the wedding ceremony is going to take place there.

All the family members were busy in their own, some were getting ready and some of them were doing last minute preparations. Shehnaz's badi Maa, who was preparing the thaal, saw her daughter, who was busy taking selfies. She shook her head smiling and called her.

"Shehzan...selfie bad mein lena, pehle jayo, jake dekho Sana ready huyi ya nahi"

"Di toh ready ho gayi hain I think, abhi choti Maa unke room mein gyi hain. Shayad Baaz bhaiya bhi wahi hain"

"Tu bhi ja wahan aur dekh koi help toh nahi chahiye" and giving her large decorated thaal, she added, "Aur yeh bhi le jayo apne sath, lekin dhayan se"

With a cheeky grin she mumbled 'Ok' to her mother and left from there.

-

Meanwhile, on the other side, the bride was decked in a peach colored lehnga designed with floral zari, resham embroidery all over enhanced by stone embellishments.

Looking at the mirror one last time and setting her chooda bangles, she saw her mother from the mirror, standing at the door and was adoring her with the tears in her eyes and soft smile on her lips. She turned and raised her eyebrows to ask her what happened.

Her mother wiped her tears and came close to her. Setting her veil, she kissed her forehead. "Bahut pyari lag rahi hai, kisi ki nazar na lage" she said putting kala tika behind her ear.

Smiling brightly, she said, "Maa aap na bat-bat par emotional ho jate ho aur sath mein mujhe bhi kar dete ho" with that she hugged her mother tightly and mumbled "I will miss you" due to which more tears rolled down her mother's cheeks.

Wiping her cheeks, she tried to lighten her mood by saying, "Aaj se nayi zindagi shuru karne ja rahi hoon, ashirvad toh do".

Her mother was about to speak, but got interrupted by her brother, "Han Maa, do isko ashirvad, ke jitna tang isne hume kiya hai, utna sasural mein na kare" he said teasingly.

She opened her mouth wide and said in disbelief, "Main tang karti hoon?"

"Aur nahi toh kya? Thank god aaj ghar se ek member kam ho jayega, ghar mein shanti hi shanti hogi" he said dreamily. But before he could dream more, he got smack from her.

"Shanti chahiye tujhe? Mili shanti? Le ache se le phir" she said hitting him continually.

"Dekha Maa, kya bol raha hai yeh? Itna hi tha toh pehle hi bol deta" she turned to her mother and said.

Her mother shook her head and caressing her shoulder, she said, "Woh toh tujhe sirf tease kar rha hai, dekhna jab tu chali jayegi, sab se jyada miss tujhe yahi karne wala hai" she pouted her lips and looked at her brother, who turned to the other side to hide his tears.

She placed her hand on his shoulder and the moment he turned, she pulled his cheeks and said, "Aww kitna cute lag raha hai mere liye emotional hote huye"

"Jyada hawa mein aane ki jarurat nahi hai" she pouted on his reply and then hugged him while mumbling 'I will miss you' but rolled her eyes when he replied that he will not miss her and said, "Phir bhi I will miss you"

As soon as she said, she heard a complaining voice, "Won't you miss me?"

She peeped from his shoulder and saw her sister, who was holding a decorate thaal in her hand.

-

He was ready in cream colored sherwani crafted with all over woven and motifs and print, and was waiting for his sisters to tie Sehra on his pagdi. But they were not ready to tie it easily. He was constantly rolling his eyes as his sisters had been teasing him for a long time.

"Humara bhai aaj kitna handsome lag raha hai. Haina badi behna?"

"Han choti behna, handsome toh yeh hai hi, lekin tujhe pata hai aaj kya hone wala hai?"

"Kya badi behna, sab ko pata hai aaj shadi hone wali hai"

"Arre nahi choti behna. Shadi ke alawa kuch aur bhi hone wala hai" she said giving a mischievous smile, to which their brother narrowed his eyes.

"Acha? Aisa kya hone wala hai badi behna?" She asked confused.

“Aaj humara bhai praya dhan hone wala hai choti behna”

“Oh han badi behna, humara bhai humara nahi rahega ab” both laughed and gave each other a high-five.

“Yeh kya badi behna-choti behna laga ke rakha hai kab se, aur main koi dhan praya nahi hone wala hoon” he said irritably.

Both sisters looked at each other and then him and then shouted in unison, "It's praya dhan” and started giggling.

“Yeah whatever. Ab jaldi se tie it aur rafa dafa ho jayo yahan se”

“Haww rafa dafa. Dekha choti behna, abhi toh bhabhi ayi bhi nahi aur yeh abhi se hume bhaga raha hai” she widened her eyes and said.

“Han badi behna, mujhe toh yeh dar hai, abhi toh hume room se nikal raha hai, bhabhi ke aane ke bad kahin hume ghar nikala na mil jaye” she gasped.

He rolled his eyes at their nonstop melodrama and sat on the bed and said, “Nek chahiye tum logon ko ya nahi?” when both of his sisters nodded, he said further while pointing to the Sehra, “Toh apna drama bad karo and tie it fast, late ho raha hai”

“Ahan kya bat hai. Bhabhi se milne ki itni jaldi” she said cheekly.

He mentally face palmed himself and mumbled “God kahan phasa diya”

"Suna hamne" he was about to say something, when he heard the sound of the door opening. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his mother entering the room.

Seeing no sehra on his head, she shook her head and twisted the ears of both her daughters, when he complained, "Thank god Maa aap gaye, yeh dono kab se mujhe irritate kar rahi hain"

“Tum dono ko kya karne bheja tha aur kya kar rahi ho” their mother said still holding their ears.

"Tease" both said in unison with mischievous smile.

"Chalo ab fata-fat Sehra bandho, Bhai-saab kab se sab ko bula rahe hain"

Finally after a bit more teasing, both sisters tied Sehra on their brother's pagdi and put their hands forward for the Nek.

*

The bride's family reached the Gurudwara before the groom's family to welcome them. When the barat (groom's family) arrived they did the Milni, it is a ritual where people who share the same relation from both sides, hug each other and exchange flower garlands with each other.

After this ritual, both the family and relatives entered the main hall (prayer hall), where the Guru Granth Sahib placed on a throne-like platform and the granthi (priests) were reciting hymns.

They bowed down to pay respects and took their seat. The groom was asked to sit in front of the Guru Granth Sahib and he did the same.

He looked back when he heard his sisters saying that the bride had arrived. But when he didn't see her there, he stared at them.

"Dekha choti behna, kitna desperate hai bhabhi se milne ke liye" hearing this, he rolled his eyes and turned back while shaking his head, making them laugh. But when they saw their mother was staring at them, both sisters put their hands over their mouth to control their laughter.

After reciting some more verses by the priest, the bride was brought to the prayer hall by her brother. As she walked in, everyone's gaze were focused on her.

On coming in front of Guru Granth Sahib, she offered a thaal and bowed down to take blessings and sat down next to the groom. 

They were stealing glances at each other but looked away immediately when they heard his sisters teasing.

'Do dil mil rahe hain, Magar chupke chupke' with that both sisters started giggling.

The Laavan(Phere) were about to start and the palla(shawl of his sherwani) was given in her hands which connects the bride and groom throughout the ceremony. And then her brother and cousins went and stood around the throne.

The Granthi read the first Laav stanza of the marriage hymn. He got up slowly and so did she but with a little help from him and then both of them walked in a clockwise direction around the altar (where the Guru Granth Sahib is) with the groom leading.

Walking around the Guru Granth Sahib is considered a symbol of the bride and groom's journey together with God at the center of their lives.

As they were walking around the altar, her brother and cousins who were standing around, guided her until the couple returned to their seat and bowed down and sat down again.

After a couple of hymns, the second Laav started. They again stood up and began to walk around the altar and on returning they bowed and sat down again.

They then repeat this process until the fourth Laav. With the each hymns started, they stood up and walked around the altar with her brother and cousins guided her and on coming back they bowed and sat down.

After the fourth Laav, the granthi pronounced them as husband and wife and then a hymn was sung to mark the marital union.

A final Ardaas(prayer) was performed to conclude the ceremony and Guruprashad was distributed to all those present in the hall.

After that, parents and other relatives started to come by and money or shagun in their lap as blessings.

They then left for the home, where all the arrangements for the reception party had already done.

*

The party was in full swing, the DJ was playing non stop and the dance floor was crowded. Guests were enjoying the food and dancing.

The centerpiece of the hall, stage, where the couple was sitting, was beautifully decorated with white and red floral backdrop. Everyone were showering love on the newly married couple.

Their mothers were congratulating each other and thanking their stars that everything went well.

"Shadi ki bahut bhaut badhayi ho aap dono ko" said Sidharth's mother and hugged Shehnaz's both mothers.

"Apko bhi, shukar hai Waheguru ki mehar se sab ache se ho gya"

"Ji" and then they started talking about post-wedding rituals.

While the couple's siblings and cousins were sitting on the floor in front of them and singing songs and teasing them.

'Wah-wah ram ji, jodi kya bnayi,
Bhaiya aur bhabhi ko, badhayi ho badhayi'

"Kya bat hai bhabhi ji, apki skin toh bada hi glow kar rahi hai, iske peeche ka seceret toh share kijiye"

"Han aur bhabhi ki cheeks bhi kitni red lag rahi hain, jarur bhai ne hi kuch kiya hoga"

"Han dekh toh, kaise dekh rahe hain"

"Aur jeeja ji aap kyu itne shant hain, kuch toh tippani kijiye humari behan ki beauty par"

"Han sahi bat hai yar, idhar bhabhi sharma rahi hai aur bhai bhi humara chup baitha hai"

"Suna tha ke shadi ke bad aadmiyon ki bolti band ho jati hai, lekin shadi ke din hi bolti band ho jati hai, yeh aaj dekha" with that all started laughing.

"Arry nahi, mujhe lagta hai inn dono ko sirf aapas mein hi baate karni hai, that is why humari baaton mein interest hi nahi le rahe hain yeh dono"

"Nahi aisa kuch nahi hai" both said together and started looking each other.

"Toh kaisa hai bhabhi ji/jeeja ji" they all said together to tease them more.

"Dekha kitne pyar se dekh rahe hain ek dusre ko, hayee nazar na lag jaye kahin" they looked away immediately in embarassement.

"Arrey dekh lo, dekh lo hum aankhe band kar lete hain utna time"

"Waise jeeja ji ek secret btayu? Yeh jo humari behan hai na, yeh sirf massoom dikhti hai...lekin hai nahi, toh aap na bach ke rehna" she opened her mouth wide and said,

"Tere ko toh main bad mein batayungi?"

"Dekha? Hence proved" hearing this, she shut her mouth.

"Toh kya huya, humara bhai bhi kam nahi hai" he stared at them and was about to speak, but before he could, they again passed a comment,

"Aur bhabhi aap bhi humare bhai ko underestimate mat karna, yeh bhi bahut chant hai"

He sighed and shook his head on their non stop teasing.

"Ab bas karne ka kya loge tum log?"

"Jyada kuch nahi, bas humare sath dance" saying this, they pulled them along and took them to the dance floor and asked DJ to play their song.

*

*

*

*

*

So here goes the next part. I hope I did justice with this part.

Did you enjoy? Yes? Then hit the star to vote(Which i'm not getting *Sad emoji*) and give your feedback in comment box because it will encourage me to post next part soon.

So what next? Any guesses?

#HappyReading