It was a radiant morning. 18th of March – my wedding day was here.
I opened the drawer of my desk and took out Mummyji and Bauji's photograph.
'Jab mann ho laut aana, ae kaha tha aapne, aur humesha ke liye alvida keh gaye? Aap toh mainu sabse jyaada pyaar karte the na, fir kyun kyun chale gaye?', I complained softly as tears welled up in my eyes. 'Kyun chale gaye mainu chhadke?'
I weeped for some time silently, clutching the photograph to my heart. Just then, a short gust of wind blew past me and I wiped my tears slowly and said, 'Nai aaj nai rona hai maine. Aapne bhi udaas ho jaana hai mainu iss tarah vekhke. Aaj kinna changa din hai! Aaj sabne khush khush hi rehna hai! Aap bas apna pyaar-dulaar mainu bhejte rehne wahin se!'
I kissed the photograph and caressed it for a while. With a sigh, I placed the photograph in my wooden chest.

Walking out into the balcony, I looked out in the open sky.
aaj din chadheya tere rang varga
aaj din chadheya tere rang varga
teri chuman pichli sang varga
hai kirna de vich nasha jeha
kisi chheene sapp de dank varga
aaj din chhadheya tere varga...

'Amrit?!', came Vashma's excited voice from behind me. I turned to find Radha jiji and Vashma coming in my room with my clothes and accessories for Maaiyaan. They came right into the balcony.

'Ohji tuhaadi mehndi dikhaao!', Radha jiji said excitedly, taking my arms in her hands. 'Hayeee! Kinni ghehri rachi hai!', she said, drooling over my mehndi.
'Ye toh hona hi tha!', Vashma remarked, nudging me.
'Acha acha ab jaldi jaldi taiyaar ho jao! Maaiyaan ke liye sab taiyaariyaan ho gayi hai!', Radha chachi said.
'Haan aur vo Mala bhi aayi nahi hai aaj!', Vashma said with a sigh.

'Vo Mala! Uff! Kiven kal poore din Damaadji ke agge pichhe mandrane ki koshish kar rahi thi!', Radha jiji said irritably.
I made a face, fidgeting with the end of my dupatta.
'Aur kaise zid kar rahi thi, ki dulhe raja ke haath mein mehndi vo lagaayegi !', Vashma exclaimed, in an annoyed tone.
'Vashma yaad mat dila uski!', I exclaimed, fuming.
'Oye tu kyun chidd rahi hai?', Vashma said, 'Acha khaasa sabak toh sikhaa diya tune use.'
'Bada mehndi mehndi kar rahi thi. Bichaari nu aisa dhakka maara, seedhe mehendi ke bhaande mein jaake giri! Haath pure mehndi mehendi ho gaye', Radha chachi exclaimed and both of them burst out laughing.
'Uske toh chehre tak pe bhi thodi bohot mehendi lag gayi thi!', Vashma added with a laugh. 'Kaise kheejkar gayi thi'
I looked on, extremely embarassed.
'Inna vi koi zor se dhakka nahi diya tha maine. Vo gir gayi isme mera kya kasoor?', I said, with furrowed eyes.
'Oye shaan se bol na ki haan maine maara dhakka, kyunki mere pati ko taad rahi thi! Aisi harkatein kar rahi thi', Vashma said adamantly, handing the clothes and accesories to Radha jiji and placing her elbow on my shoulder. 'Aur waise bhi, ye sab maze maze mein thik hai. Par tujhe aise fikr wikar karne ki zaroorat nahi hai! Randheer ko tere aage peechhe mandraane se fursat kahaan! Hmm hmm!', she said mischievously. 'Unhone to dhyaan bhi nahi diya hoga!'
I looked down, turning crimson.
'Haaye chamak toh dekho iske chehre ki!', Vashma remarked, holding my chin.
She rushed in front of me and taking my hands into hers, she spun around gleefully. In the process, slightly bumped into Radha jiji and all the clothes and accessories fell down from her hands.
We looked at each other and burst out laughing.

All of us kneeled down to pick them up. One choodi rolled down to near my room's door. I got up and went there instead to pick it up.

Out of nowhere Randheer came, lifted me by my legs and whirled me around, 'Amrit!'
For a minute I was stunned. He had literally taken my breath away. I was just smiling like a fool.
'Aap jaanti hai kya hua??!', he exclaimed excitedly.
'Mainu neeche toh utaaro!', I said timidly, looking down at him with an embarrassed smile. 'Aap pehle meri baat suniye!', he said urgently.
'Acha thik hai. Bataiye!', I obliged, trying hard not to blush.
'Aapki kavitayein kitaab mein chhapne waali hai!! Maine Jijeevisha Prakashan se baat kar li hai! ', he exclaimed.
'Ji?', I asked, confused.
'Ji!!'
'Par kaise? Kab?'
'Aapne jab vo kavitayein mujhe dikhaayi thi tabhi se main chaahta tha ki unhe kitaab mein chhaapa jaana chahiye. Aur fir aap kuch din pehle mere cabin mein apni diary bhool aayi thi. Tabhi mauka mil gaya mujhe unhe utaar lene ka. Ab bas agar aapki haan ho toh unhe chhaap diya jayega!', he replied smiling broadly.

What an amazing wedding present he'd given me! I am just so fortunate!
'Mainu vi aapko ek baat bataani hai', I said, with a bright smile. 'Kitabghar prakashan ne bhi ek kitaab likhne ka prastaav rakha hai mere saamne. Pacchees mukhtasar kahaaniyan likhne ki baat hai'
'Sach ?!', he exclaimed, swiveling around even more enthusiastically as I tightened the grip on his shoulders with a pleased smile. 'Kab ? Kaise?'
'Ye toh aapke laut aane se pehle ki baat hai par... aap aa gaye wapas, inna sabkuch ho gaya, mainu dhyaan hi nahi raha hai is baare mein.', I said meekly.
'Mujhe waakayi naraaz hona chaiye aap-par, itni badi baat aapne batai hi nahi mujhe!', he complained.
I started to apologize but there came Vashma's voice, 'Toh jaiye na naraaz!' I looked at Randheer widening my eyes in embarrassment. Shoot! They were here all this while and -

We turned. Vashma and Radha jiji sat there kneeling against the other side of the bed, cheeks resting on their palms, with a naughty smile on their faces. Extremely embarrassed, Randheer put me down again hurriedly.
We started looking elsewhere, awkwardly.
'Pehle ye bataaiye aap aaye kaise yahaan? Aapko roka nahi kisine?', Vashma asked with surprised smile.
'Nahi, mujhe toh kisine nahi roka', he replied innocently.
'Dhyaan nahi gaya hoga kisika, warna darwaaze se hi aapko lauta dete. Aur ye toh dulhan ka kamra hai, har kisi ko aane ki ijaazat nahi hai yahaan!', she said whimsically.
With a smug smile, he gestured to the embroidered frame which hung on my door.
'Haan pata hai hume ki aapki dulhan ka kamra hai, phir bhi nahi!', she said adamantly. 'Aapko toh sakt manaayi hai aaj. Aap yaahan nahi aa sakte!'
Bending a bit towards me, he whispered softly, 'Aaj inhe kar lene dijiye inke mann ki. Waise bhi aapko toh main inse hadapke le jaa raha hoon.'
'Chaliya chaliye', she said ushering him out of the room, while I looked down and blushed.

*

The maaiyan ceremony had been organized on the terrace. The entire terrace on ornamented with marigold flowers. The handrails had been decorated with colourful duppattas.  Pretty rangolis had been made here and there. Some of the women sat there, performing giddha, singing wedding songs.

I was dressed in a yellow-green salwar kameez with some light accessories. I took a step onto the terrace when flower petals fell on me. I looked up behind to find Veerji and Kabir on the roof, raining rose petals on me. I twirled around a bit, with a dazzling smile. My family was just grabbing every oppurtunity to pamper me throughout the festivities.

They made me sit on a wooden stool infront of a rangoli. After a small pooja, Naaniji being the eldest female around, tied the moli to my right wrist and blessed me with good luck.
Zaida chachiji tied a kala dhaaga around my left ankle. 'Allah tujhe har buri nazar se bachaaye', she said affectionately and embraced me.
To my delight Vashma was the first one to apply maaiyaa to me as alongwith being the person dearest to me, she was my closest female family member too now! – My very own parjai!

Taking knots of durva grass, she rubbed maaiya on my cheeks, on my hands which rested on my knees and on my feet, while I gave her a pleased smile. Lastly she playfully applied a bit on my nose too and ran away. Next it was Radha jiji who applied maaiya to me lovingly. Later Zaida Chachi, Preetika, my friends, the neighbourhood women, everyone applied maaiya.

Later I was asked to sit here itself and one by one everyone started leaving. Soon there was no one on the terrace except me and a couple of the neighbourhood women to keep me company.
After about an hour or so, we heard the sound of cheer and dhol, down the road.

I thought for a while –Mainu rasm mein shaamil hona mana hai, dekhna toh mana nahi hai! With an eager smile, I rushed to the handrail.
On the road below, Vashma and Radha jiji were walking with big decorated pots- gharas on their heads while our families and the entire wedding entourage was joyfully performing giddha and bhangra.
Our wedding was actually the talk of the town. Generally marriages took place across cities. Very rarely does it happen that bride and groom belong to the same city. For the first time, the bride and groom belonged to the same neighbourhood. Moreover our families were so close now! And now almost all the rituals were taking place together! The ghara ghadoli for both me and Randheer was taking place together! This was so amazing!

Amidst the dancing, Jijaji gently moved everyone aside and started slow, rhythmic Bhangra in the centre. Before long, Veerji, Gautam, Bauji, Mamaji, Yash and even Iqbal Chachaji joined him.
All of them looked so graceful.
Now the next thing I see is, Radha Jiji went with the ghara into Raizada Sadan. Oh so that ghara was for Randheer, not for me! This was so unexpected and so sweet as well!

All the women in the from my side, came up singing and dancing. I quietly hurried back and sat down where I was supposed to. They came and singing boliyaan and Vashma gently poured the sacred water on me.
I really hoped they would not have faced any problem letting Vashma fetch water from the temple. I'd have to ask somebody about this.
At the minute, after the ceremony was over, Vashma took me downstairs to get ready again.

*

I had donned a orange salwar kameez with a red-pink dupatta for the chooda ceremony. As I stepped down into the baithak, Vashma was taking the chooda to every elderly person present, to bless it. I was made to sit on a stool. There Vashma immersed the chooda in milk for some time.
Spotting Veerji amongst them all, I gesturing him to come hither.
'Haan bol Amru!', he said with an affectionate smile.
'Veerji! Mandir te koi dikkat toh nahi hui na Vashma nu ghara bharne layi?', I asked worriedly
'Oh nai Amru! Aine vi kuch khaas nahi. Wahi mohalle ki auratein thodi bohot baatein kar rahi hai aivayi aur pujaari ne bhi ek baari aitraaz jataaya. Main te bhadakne waala tha par Mukund Sahab ne baat samhaal-li! Sabko chup bhi kara diya ohne, baat badhi bhi nahi aur assi change tariya rasam karke aa gaye!', he said reassuringly.
'Sach keh rahe ho na tussi?', I asked again.
'Haan haan Amru teri soh!', he said ye again. 'Ab tu is rasam pe dhyaan de! Zyaada sochi na!', he said warning me sweetly, patting my cheek and left to run some errands.
Meanwhile, Iqbal Chachiji and Zaida Chachiji came and sat on my either side with a thaali which had my joda placed on it along with the other bridal jewellery.
Zaida chachiji placed thaali on my lap and said, 'Bade armaanon se Parjaiji ne tere liye banwaaya tha Amrit! Rab ki Meherbaani ki tainu isse pehne hue dekh to paayi voh. ' She turned to Chachaji and said, 'Ji yaad hai aapko, kaise har chhoti se chhoti baat ki manzoori ke liye Amrit parjaiji ki taraf dekhti thi'
'Hmm.' Iqbaal chachaji stroked my head lovingly. 'Ek beti ki shaadi mein toh shareek nahi ho paaye hum, dusri ka vyaah toh dekh paa rahe hain! Aur kinni badal gayi hai in dono ki zindagi yahan. Dono apni khwahishein poori kar rahi hai! Apni zindagi ek alag dhang se jee rahi hai- shaan se! Laale hota yahaan toh usse bhi meri tarah bada naaz hota apni dono betiyon pe!'
Looking down I started weeping softly.
'Arey mera baccha!', Chachaji gently embraced me gently.
'Meri beti ka byaah hai aaj. Aur laale ki laado ka! Aaj jo tumne aansu bahaaye hai to Laale ne waheen upar se mujhe daant lagaani hai!' , he said patting my head with a chuckle, making me smile amidst those tears.
'Abbu!! Rulaa diya na isse!', Vashma complained cutely, sitting behind me.
'Waah! Ab isme bhi razamandi lelo is shehzaadi ki!', Zaida Chachi remarked with a chuckle. 

We proceeded for the rasm. Vashma pulled my duppata over my face. Chachaji and Chachiji slid the chooda around my wrists and eventually tied a cloth over it so that I couldn't see it.

One by one all the women around us came and each tied a kalira to my bangles. Soon my arms were jingling with beautiful golden kalirein.
Soon all my friends, sat down in a huddle in front of me. I stood up to rustle the kaleerien on their heads. Frankly, I couldn't think of anyone on whom I would to try deliberately drop a kalira. My chief bridesmaids- Vashma and Radha jiji, both were already married. While I rustled the kaleerien, I saw Keerti and Radha jiji pulling an embarrassed and unyielding Gautam into the baithak. They forcibly made him sit in line with all the other bridesmaids.
'Aye ki kar rahi ho kudiyon?!', Mogar Bhua remarked with an amused smile. 'Munde nu itthe kyun bithaaya? Ae toh kudiyon waali rasm hai!'
'Ohji Mogar behenji, hume na badi shikaayat hai inse! Jab dekho Damaadji nu chidhaate rehte hain! Ohji bohot ho gaya! '
Embarrassed, Gautam turned to Radha jiji and started to say, 'Par bhabhi main toh-'
'Nai bhaiya!', Keerti cut him off in an annoyed tone. 'Bohot sataaya aapne Randheer Bhaiya ko! Ab humaari baari!'
'Amrit tumna kaleerien inhi pe giraana haan!', Radha jiji added playfully.
'Haan haan Amrit! Saza do isse!', Jijaji added whimsically, crossing his arms.
'Oh mundeya! Tune kaunsa kam sataya hona hai Randheer nu!', Mogar Bhua added with a smirk. 'Zyada itaraayi na!'
'Kya bhuaji!', Jijaji replied. 'Kisiki kya majaal ki mainu saza de paave!'
'Behnji inhaanu rehne do na, kuch vi toh nai kiya inhone!', Radha jiji requested cutely.
'Khabardar jo mere agge apne gharwaale di tarafdaari kari hai toh!', Mogar Bhua warned her.
'Ye galat baat hai Radha Bhabhi!', Gautam complained. 'Bhaiya ke liye alag niyam, mere liye alag?! Aise nahi chalega!'
'Par...', Radha chachi trailed off, confused. Poor her! Everyone had put her in a spot!
Jijaji walked over to Gautam and said, 'Dekho bhai, ye kaleerien waali rasm se waise bhi mera koi lena dena toh hai nahi- mera toh vyaah ho chuka. Baaki bachi Randheer ko chidhaane ki baat toh mera zyaada hakk banta hai – mera sabse jigri dost hai voh! Tum toh chhote bhai ho! Tumhe aise nahi chidhaana chaiye!'
'Par-', Gautam tried to intervene.
'Aur uske baad bhi agar koi saza waza deni hai toh –', he turned to me. 'Juliet?'
'Ji?', I asked plainly.
'Koi dikkat hai tumhe agar main Randheer ko chidhaau?'
'Nai jijaji! Bilkul nahi!', I said meekly.
Gautam looked at me open-mouthed.
'Lo ho gayi baat saaf!', Jijaji exclaimed triumphantly. 'Ab tum rasm araam se shuru kar sakti ho!', he said casually, addressing me and stepped back.
I suppressed a giggle. Wow! What a way to avenge Randheer. And I too to got a fall guy.
But okay I would not cheat. Let's see what luck has in store for them. I rustled the kaleerien evenly over every one of the girls along with an awkward Gautam, and lo! The kaleera actually fell on him.

Every one of the guests burst out laughing, and Gautam smiled sheepishly and hurried away from there. Me, all the elders, bridesmaids, everyone laughed heartily.

*

I was in my room. I had worn that laal joda yet again. I ran my hands over the dupatta. Everything just came flashing back to me. Pain and nostalgia, bliss and anticipation – all at once. I took a deep breath and sat down in front of the mirror.

Just then Vashma hastened into my room. 'Maaf karde Amrit! Zara der ho gayi mujhe!'
'Kal se tainu do minute mere kol baithne di fursat bhi nahi hai na!', I grumbled softly.
'Nahi na Amrit! Sacchi bohot kaam thi neeche!', she said, trying to appease me. 'Vo halwaayi! – usse toh maalpue tak nahi banaane aate ache se!! Ammi ke dupatte ka taaka bhi nikal gaya tha, wahi lagaa rahi thi! Aur vo photo kheechne waala bhi waala nahi abhi tak! Aen waqt pe sab pareshaan karte hain sab! Aadhe parde saare kaam chhodke bhaagke aayi hoon tere paas, sachhi!', she babbled on, taking a comb from the table and brushing my hair with it.
'Sab kaam zaroori hai tere liye, bas main hi zaroori nahi hoon!', I said whimsically.
'Tujhse zyaada zaroori kuch hai mere liye? Hein?', she asked with furrowed eyebrows.
'Mainu toh laga, taiyaar bhi mainu aaphi hona padega!', I said with a humph.
'Amrit!', she pleaded sweetly. I looked away pretentiously.
'Maan-ja na!'
She turned my face towards herself. 'Kyun naraaz ho rahi hai mujhse aaj?', she said lovingly. 'Tu na aise muh phula ke achi nahi lagti! Thoda muskura de! Hein!', she requested.

I made a face but then smiled slightly. 'Thoda aur, thoda aur! Haye! Ab bani na baat!', she said endearingly and brought her arms around me.
That's when Zaida Chachi came in. 'Ye lo! Amrit ne toh taiyaar shuru bhi kiya! Issi chaal pe chale to raat tak taiyaar nahi hona hai ise!'.
'Ammi aap dekhiye main bas yoon taiyaar karti hoon isse!', Vashma said haughtily.
'Jaldi karna! Baaton mein mat lag jaana dono!'
'Ji ji!', we said together, chuckling.

Vashma perfumed my hair and braided it neated,tying a golden paranda. She fastened the choker and layered necklace around myneck and made me wear golden haathphools.

din shagna da chaddheya
aao sakhiyon ni vedha sajeya
haan

mera sajna mileya
sajna milia sajna milia
ni saajan doli leke auna
ni vedha sajeya

She screwed the earrings, pinned the gold cords attached to them to theback of my braid and fastened my nath. She fixed the maang-tika on my forehead,and covered my head with the red chunri.

din shagna da chaddheya
aao sakhiyon ni vedha sajeya
mera sajna mileya
sajna milia sajna milia
ni saajan doli leke auna
ni vedha sajeya

I took a deep breath in and looked at myself. I was all set to get married.

dolna ve dolna ve
raanjhan maahi dolna
dolna ve dolna ve
heer jogni dolna
dolna ve dolna
tu mera naseeba dolna
dolna ve dolna
main jugni teri dolna

jaavan na main bin shehnaiyaan
satrangi rubaiyaan
suna ja tu harjaiyaan!
jaavan na main bin shehnaiyaan
satrangi rubaiyaan
suna ja tu harjaiyaan!

There was a knock on the door. Both of us turned. It was Veerji. Istood up as he slowly walked down to us. He had a small wooden box in hishands, which he kept on the bed. He looked at me for a while and then circledhis hands in a balaaiyan movement. Ilooked down and smiled.
'Meri behn dulhan ban gayi fir se!', he said affectionately. A soft blush crept on my cheeks.

I took mine and Vashma's hands in each of his. 'Hum teeno kinni door aa gayena! Lahore mein te hume pata hi nahi tha ki kal kya hona hai, aur aaj dekho!-Amru tu inni mashhoor lekhika ban gayi! Vashma kathak seekh rahi hai, aurjald sikha bhi paayegi! Main India waali hockey team ka hissa hoon. Bada lambasafar tay kiya hai oye humne! Aur Randheer sahab bhi laut aaye! Tera vyaah bhihona hai aaj'
Vashma and I looked at each other and then back at him. 'Bachpan se tum dono kehisse ki badi daant khaayi hai maine', he continued with a chuckle. 'Aur aage jindaribhar kha sakda hoon. Ae baat bhoolna nahi kade. Jitne saal humne bitaaye hai nais jahaan mein, hum teeno ek dusre saathi rahe hai, ek dusre ki taakat. Kuch vi ho jaaye, humteeno ka saath kade kamzor nahi padna chaiye! Kade vi nai!'
Caressing my face he said, 'Mainu pata hai mera sher puttar bohot bahadur hai.Sab uljhaanein suljhana aata hai usnu. Aur Rai Sahab bhi hai humesha. Par agar koimusibat aayi aur tune mainu bataya nahi to tere Veer ne naraaz ho jaana hai terese',he warned me. I nodded meekly.

He turned around to pick up the woodenbox he had brought. He opened it and took out a bronze murti ofRam-Lakshman-Sitaji. It was very small, even smaller than his fist. 'Ye Tayajine banwaayi thi tere vaaste. Akhri saansein lete waqt ohne Randheer Sahab ke haathmein saunpi thi. Aur unhone mainu de di thi batwaare ke waqt samhaalne waaste', he said, placingit in my hands. I took it with trembling hands, and looked up at himteary-eyed.
'Ye hamesha teri hifazat karenge.'
I nodded with a tear-streaked smile and touched it reverently to both my eyes.
'Ye main abhi isliye tainu de raha hoon, kyunki vidaayi ke waqt kisinu nahirona hai! Samjhi tum dono!', he said raising a finger. 'Jitne aansu bahaane hai abhi baha lo! Meribehn ki vidaayi khushi khushi honi hai!', he said whimsically.

He brought his arms around both me and Vashma affectionately. I and Vashmalooked at each other and held each other's hands smiling, while tears rolleddown our cheeks.