Royally yours

76. Pre-wedding rituals

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Author

The next morning Chaitra was made to wake up early in the morning much to her dismay. But she was happy when she realized it was for her wedding rituals. She was made to sit on a small stool as soon as she was done brushing her teeth. A bowl filled with a mixture of turmeric, orange peel, and other grain powders, a bowl with a mixture of raw rice mixed with turmeric and flowers in the other along with a small bowl of vermilion, a bowl with sandalwood paste were placed in front of her. There was a bowl full of oil too.

Her mother first applied some oil in the middle of her hair. Then she applied the nalugu pindi/ herbal powder to her legs, hands, and face a little before blessing her with akshinthalu. Once her mother was done applying nalugu, her Maami, Ishika, and Bindu did the ritual. After that, all the women followed the same ritual. Finally, the men in the family applied Nalugu to her on her request and blessed her. Her brothers coated her face with layers of that paste.

Once everyone was done with the ritual, Chaitra was asked to take a bath and get ready in a fresh pair of new clothes and was adorned with jewels. She then gave thambulam to all the married women. Thambulam is basically any fruit placed on betel leaves along with turmeric, vermilion, and a betel nut/sounf mixture packet. A few people add glass bangles to it too. The items will be placed in the pallu of the giver and the receiver will take them in their own pallu after which they bless the bride with akshinthalu. Then married women performed her aarthi before she got up from her place.

On the other hand, Seetha too arranged the same ritual for Daksh, and once they were halfway through it she quickly excused herself to attend her niece's nalugu ceremony along with Hithen. Once both of their nalugu ceremonies were done, they both were free to do their work. Daksh attended a few of his company matters while Chaitra got herself busy talking to her cousins and playing with Viv. The families decided to do the other rituals the next day as it was a night wedding.

Chaitra

It was the evening time when Hithen walked in looking very much tired. My brothers are really overworking themselves for this marriage. I tried all the methods from requesting them to threatening them but they always shut me up saying they didn't want a single error in their sister's wedding and reminding me how I was adamant about taking care of things during their weddings.

I poured a glass of juice and passed it to him which he took gladly and gulped it in one go making me chuckle at him. He placed his head on my shoulder and I ran my fingers in his messy hair massaging his scalp.

"Aakalesthundhe! Andaru busy unnaru evarnina adugudam ante," He whispered and I was quick to get up and rush to the kitchen.

( I am feeling hungry! Everyone is too busy to ask to serve me something,)

I sliced a few apples and gave him the plate. 

"Do you want to eat something? I will cook it for you," I offered.

"Umm, will you make khandvi?" he asked giving me his best puppy eyes. I squeezed his cheeks before running into the kitchen before he could catch me and tug my hair painfully.

Khandvi is a Gujarati dish that all my brothers love. We tasted it for the first time when we went there in my 7th standard and it became their favorite snack. As none of our parents knew how to make it, I learned it for them. It wasn't easy in the beginning but I aced making it as time passed.