3.

It's a Full Moon Night.. Moonlight is taking him to the day when he married Meenakshi.. The memories that are flashing in his mind.. it's better to say that they are reliving themselves.

:

It was day of Karthik Poornima..A Full Moon of Karthik (Karthik is the Hindu month in which we celebrate diwali.. and Karthik Poornima comes after Diwali)... A day which holds a most importance in Hindu Mythology.. Yes it's a day of their Marriage. The courtyard of his house is full of relatives and  friends. The ladies are busy in playing Dholak ( a musical instrument) and singing marriage songs. Some are drawing mehndi on others hands 🤚.

The priest is enchanting holy mantras and A 13 year old boy is sitting in the Mandap, following and doing what he is asked to do. He was just following and doing what he asked irrespective of the fact whether a 13 year child can understand the meaning behind those mantras and rituals. Everything is just a play and adventure for him.

After doing rituals, he was asked to dress in sherwani ie his wedding dress as it was almost the time of the departure of wedding procession(barat). Soon they reached at wedding venue where some songs are playing.

..

He was sitting on the Groom's place and waiting for her bride.**That we can say**.. As the priest asked bride to enter and a girl  whose age is 12 enters with her mother and other females

As the bride sat on her place, the priest moved ahead and asked them to perform further rituals that includes kanyadan, sindoor daan, and tying the mangalsutra.

(**I'm not going to give any detailing of marriage rituals, as they don't have any importance in both of their lives. Importance in not exactly in its bookish sense but in the practical sense, as I don't think a child actually knows the meaning behind those rituals.

And in my point of view, at this age I only know that marriage means dress up beautifully and enjoy the company of your cousins, dance, party, pranks and of course yummy food 😋😋 .**)

They both did what they asked to do by their elders. They both knew that they are feeling like clowns who are currently dancing on others tunes while the other childrens of their age are playing and enjoying. They both were scared, scared of getting scolded by their parents.

And with these thoughts, they finally completed their Marriage and they were asked to sit together for eating so they moved towards the place of eating. At the time when elders were busy among themselves, they both wanted to ask some questions to each other but they didn't know how as they just met today. Yes, they both saw each other only at the time of their Marriage not before. And that's the reason of their hesitation. But with a lot of courage they started their conversation.

"Are you the one who is going to live with from today onwards?" asked Vyom on which Meenakshi silently nods.

"So you're the one who is going to share everything I have from today. My books, my room, my toys and my friends?" again Vyom asked which is more like a accuse not a question but this time he gets a silent reply.

"Will you play with me if I go to your house with you?" this time Meenakshi asked.

"Tell na, will you be my friend? Will you play with, eat with me and give me company and take me to meet your friends if I go to your house with you?"again asked Meenakshi.

"Why will I play with you those girlish games? Don't you have your friends to play and why I take you to meet my  friends?" Vyom said.

"Why? Ma said that I'm going to a new house where I met a boy who will talk to me, play with me, eat me and give me company." Meenakshi replied.

But they both interrupted by their parents who were asking them to finish their food quickly as it's the almost time of Bidaai. They again silently followed them.

Meenakshi was crying as she didn't want to go anywhere without her parents. Her mother Mansa, was cooing her and telling her to obey whatever Vyom and his family  say and to do what they asked her to do. Without realising that at the age of 12, is she able to understand the meaning behind what they are saying.

No, a big No

But Vyom was looking at her pitiful. He was unable to understand why she has to leave her parents and go with them. But there was also something which he found that something in her heart wants to console her and he admitted she was looking cute. And like she bit goodbyes to her family and came with her new in-laws.

:

:

She entered her new home after performing all the rituals and her mother-in-law took her to her new room better say their room. Yes, she has to live with Vyom in his room and that's called theirs from now on.

And just like this, the day has came to end.

................................

Marriage is a delicate bond. It has to be treated with extra care and nourished with extra love and efforts. No matter which age's persons are tied in this, it always pulls them to each other. The essence of marriage is always between the persons who are tied together through this thread irrespective of the facts that they lived together or not or separated from each other.

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