Ch 2: Before Haldi Ceremony

1 week almost passed and now it's time for Ganesha Sthapan.

[Ganesha Sthapan or Ganesha Maatli is said to be the beginning of the wedding ceremonies and rituals. In this ceremony, both the families conduct Ganesh Pooja at their home few days prior to the wedding. Couple and their families pray for their happy and successful married life.]

The whole family is busy in arrangements as I'm casually stuffing myself with chips, followed by television. I'm not interested in poojas and all those but who will explain that to my mother?

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop eating chips?!" Mom yelled at me, holding the bucket of fruits. "It contains onions!"

"Off-so what?"

"So what?" She mimicked me. "Don't you know that The Chauhan family is vegetarian?"

Ugh!!!! Now I can't even eat chips?

"Bechari hamari Peu (Our poor Peu)" My cousins said with a Aww tone.

I sighed and threw the packet of chips inside the dustbin, obviously after eating it. After that I got ready in a yellow saree and came downstairs for the Pooja.

...

...

I joined my parents and relatives as they already decorated our small temple and the Idol of Ganesh.

Our family priest started the Pooja and we also started praying.

"Ladoo"

I opened my eyes slowly and found Nilangana looking at the ladoos like they are pizzas . Yea, they are... at least for her.

"Hey Nilu!" I whisper shouted.

"Let's eat those!" She smiled brightly.

"Not now, let my Pooja end." I said as she pouted. I joined my hands and started praying.

God, I just want the Chauhan family to treat me nicely. According to all the Indian join families, I don't want them to mistreat me or mentally harass me...and *whispers* If possible, please turn them into non- vegetarian.

I opened my eyes as the Pooja finally ended and the priest gave tilak in our foreheads and them mom and aunt started disturbing the prasad.

·

Nilangana was stuffing herself with delicious sweets as I took a bite from my ladoo while watching a movie with my cousins when someone jumped on me.

"Oii! Bale-Bale!"

"Ugh! Manprit! Just get off me!" I shouted as he snatched the ladoo from my hand and started eating it.

"Thank god you remembered my name. I thought you forgot that you have a brother." He said, with fake hurting tone.

Yes! He is my little brother, biological one though. There is nothing about him, he just roams here and there and god knows where.

"Can you please let me watch the movie?" I said, averting my eyes.

"Can you please let me watch the movie?" Manprit mimicked me and joined us.

.

Some days later:

I came down wearing a baby pink saree and sat among my aunts as my cousins were dancing.

"You're looking very sweet, Priya dear." my eldest aunt smiled as I sat beside her.

Today is the Mehandi ceremony and one of my favorite rituals. The hall is full of people and my parents were busy in gossiping with the aged people.

[Mehandi Ceremony : Like in every Indian wedding, Gujaratis also host a Mehendi function for the bride. Mostly this ceremony take place two days before the wedding. The hands and feet of the bride are decorated with henna amidst the singing of folk songs and a bit of dance as well]

My aunts started decorating my hands with henna as my maternal aunt started decorating my feet.

"Aunty, haha s-stop haha" I started laughing as she giggled. I am very ticklish and now I can't stop laughing.

"Just few minutes more and then it will be done." she said as I tried my best to divert my mind but nothing was helping. After half an hour, my Mehandi was finally completed.

...

...

(HAND MEHANDI)

...

...

(FEET MEHANDI)

Sure my aunts are historic persons but I didn't expected this. Its feels like they explained about tribal people in my skin. Anyways, they are great artist and I'm glad that finally it is done.

"Wow!" I mouthed as they smiled.

"It's really great, Isha." My mother complimented her sister as she nodded as I know I'm great.

"Priya!" My whole group of cousins came and dragged me on the stage where the folk song started and they they started dancing, while surrounding me.

I laughed and then joined them as everyone clapped. It was an amazing view of watching the pretty girls dancing, in traditional dresses.

The stupid Manprit was doing nothing but behaving like he has given the toughest job ever and is helping on arrangements with lots of concentration.

I smiled at him while dancing. Surely, I got a great and helpful brother for doing household work. He surely can be a house husband, lol.

.

Then the next day came the Mandap Mahurat and Griha Shanti ceremony.

[Mandap Mahurat: This is an auspicious ceremony where the parents of the couple seek blessings of Mother Earth and also take permission from her to start the digging of a piece of the land to erect a mandap.]

I was home only with my cousins while Manprit, my parents and The Chauhan family went to do the ceremony according to the rituals.

[Griha Shanti ceremony : It is held immediately after the Mandap Mahurat. In this ceremony the blessing of all the nine planets of the solar system is seeked by both the bride’s and groom’s family. Griha Shanti is a mandatory ceremony in the Gujarati wedding.]

It was already evening and as usual my cousins and me were having pizza party as no one was at home. Surely, I'll miss all these fun and who knows if I will ever be able to see Pizza in my life again or not.

The parents finally came and informed us that the ceremony was successful and everything is perfect.

After then my mom told me to come to her room as she is going to discuss something with me. So I nodded and secretly handed the pizza packet to Manprit.

"You were eating pizza?! On the ceremony?!" He whisper shouted.

"Yeah, because I'll not be getting to eat all these again." I said.

"I can understand but today you shouldn't have ate it." He said with nervousness. He is kinda religious and yeah, today I had to eat vegetarian but who cares? I don't believe in all that.

"Yeah yeah, just go and throw the packet outside and make sure no one sees you." I ignored his scoldings and went to my mother's room.

* * *

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***