Vrushali threw herself on the bed, tired of the day's work. Bhanu, lakshi, supriya, vedangi, vrushali, durva, maitri and snigdha were sleeping in one chamber. Everyone except her were almost asleep, she sighed and laid on the bed. Her gaze moved towards her dear daughter, who was sleeping, she had pulled the blanket over her head and her legs were on supriya's waist.

Vrushali removed the blanket from her head, till her neck. " Kisi ki najar na lage meri ladli ko " Vrushali kissed her forehead and started massaging her scalp gently as tears made way down from her eyes. Vedangi's eyes twitched, " It's my wedding maa, your only daughter's wedding! You are supposed to enjoy, not to cry " She mumbled snuggling into her arms.

" My ladli " Vrushali tightened her hug ( am I the only one feeling jealous of vedu didi?? what say? ) Surpriya also joined the hug, from the other side vedangi slept embracing her both mothers.
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Vedangi yawned and stretched her arms, as sunrays spread over her face.
Her eyes immediately darted towards the mehndi stain on her palms and she grinned.

" Thank you sakha ganesha " She mumbled and ran towards maitreyi.
" Vahini! Show me your stain " She pulled maitreyi's blanket. " Yes I am waking up arya, just a minute more " Maitri mumbled making vedangi giggle. " Vahini, it's me your dhanu " She grabbed maitreyi's palms and her grin widened. " Vahini, my stain is darker than you, now let's check lakshu's " She ran towards lakshi's bed , " Look your prince Charming is here " She whispered in her ears and lakshmana raised on her bed as if she got a shock.

Vedangi burst laughing and grabbed lakshmana's hand. " This is not fair tai " Lakshmana whined rubbing her eyes. " So... So.... So... Here I announce that I've got the darkest stain " Snigdha, maitreyi and lakshmana nodded fondly at her childishness, they had never seen vedangi such naive. Vedangi was enjoying her last few days in her natal home to the fullest, smiling, giggling, teasing and doing all possible things to leave her good memories with her family.

Vedangi's grin diminished, when she realised today was her last day in her natal home. She hugged snigdha, trying to swallow , tears that threatened to fall. Snigdha rubbed her back to soothe her, " I would miss you all vahini . Why do something girl have leave her home always? " Vedangi sighed. " We all would miss you too dhanu tai, but this is the rule, a girl have to leave her natal home to spread happiness in her new " Snigdha smiled.

" Lakshmana.... Show me your stain" Uttara entered the chamber running,
" Huh! Your stain is darker than me! " She whined looking at lakshmana's stain. " My to be husband doesn't love me " She pouted making everyone else giggle. " My future husband doesn't even love me " Uttara whined, " But you are just 14 years old now " Maitreyi said, " But my future husband doesn't love me! I want my stain darker " Uttara ran out of the chamber, making everyone chuckle.
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All the women from matsya and anga family gathered together, wide grins resting on the faces. It was time to make the haldi powder, for the ceremony. A huge stone vessel with a stone rod was placed in between.

( its called 'Musal ' in hindi and marathi, no idea, what is this called in English)

Supriya applied haldi kumkum at its tip, bhanu, vrushali, sudeshna and durva touched their hands to her elbow. ( symbolising, that other four woman are also applying it) . Some dasis poured the turmeric stems in the vessel and all the five ladies made powder of the stems with help of the stone rod. Vrushali then welcomed the guest ladies to do it, elderly woman started singing some wedding songs to add to enthusiasm.

After the powder was ready, the ladies from groom's side took half of it to the palace, where the groom's family was living and the rest was kept with the bride's family.
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The princes of matsya sat on small wooden tables, draped in yellow angavastra and dhoti, sheepish smile formed on their happy faces. Elderly ladies were busy advising them, how to behave after this ceremony and not to go anywhere out of this palace alone. Maharani sudeshna captured the view with a happy sigh, her son was finally getting married, and today was his haldi!

She along with keechak's wife entered the Hall, with bowls of turmeric paste and mango leaves. " Mata, why is haldi applied, one day before wedding? " Uttar asked curiously.
" Let me explain " Keechak's wife interrupted, " As we all know, haldi is uses to clean impurities and is also antibacterial. So, by applying haldi one day before wedding, it helps to cleanse the impurities on our face and helps our skin to glow " She explained.

" Mamishree, I never knew, there are scientific reasons behind our every ritual " Shankh added. " Now let's start the haldi, then we would have to send some part of the applied haldi to bride's family too. Their haldi would not start before this " An elderly lady spoke. " First the groom's sister should apply them haldi, starting from their feet till their forehead " . Uttara did, as she was told and at the end rubbed extra haldi on their cheeks giggling, shankh held her hand and rubbed haldi on her cheeks and forehead too , a wave of laughter echoed through the Hall.

Keechak's wife then came forward and applied haldi, shankh and shvet touched her feet. " Aree shvet! Don't bend so much now onwards, from tomorrow you and dhanashree would have to bend everyday ,to take everyone's blessings " She teased, sheepish and shy smile formed of shvet's face, shankh nudged him with elbow, " Don't blush show much! Princesses are already staring you " Shvet rolled his eyes and nodded negative. Other women applied haldi on the groom and his brother, then on sudeshna's cheeks and then to each other.

After all the women were done with applying haldi, samb and uttar came forward rubbing haldi on their palms and smirking. Before shankh or shvet could say something, the bowls of haldi were emptied in their heads, almost giving them a turmeric bath.
After this began a session of chasing and applying haldi, between the four siblings and samb.

Matsya raj and matsya rani, looked all this wide grins and occasional chuckles, praying to their God to keep all their children together and happy.
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Hey, my lovely readers! The next part is here.
The scientific reasons, I wrote in this chapter, we're explained to me by my grandmother.
I really don't understand, so many of you were excited to read their wedding track, but the number if votes and comments are decreasing, am I not able to write according to your expectations? Please answer, because it's really demotivating.
Next chapter would be updated after this one crosses 25+ votes.
Do suggest me some good names for Keechak's wife, as her name isn't mentioned anywhere.
Hope you liked, reading this part, do let me know through your comments, they are much important for me💖.