Avinav's pov :

I didn't even realise when time flew so fast. It feels as if I was engaged to her just yesterday. And see, now I'm sitting on the mandap waiting for my bride to come.

"Buddy, please concentrate on the puja; the priest is looking at you weirdly," he whispered in my ears.

"Yeah! Whatever" I said, shrugging my shoulders.

Oh God! How much time does she need to come here? As if listening to my prayers, she came and sat opposite to me. But I can not see her because of the partition between us. Until the Jeelakara Bellam ritual is completed, the bride and groom are not supposed to look at each other. So I've got to wait until then.

Amidst the chanting of sacred mantras and “sannai melam” (the music of clarinet), Attayya and Mamayya placed Maya's hand in mine and gave away their daughter to me. As per Hinduism, ‘Kanyadanam’ is considered a highly noble act a father can perform.

Soon we placed Jeelakarra-bellam on each other's heads. This is the point at which the couple are now officially man and wife, and the curtain separating us is then removed.

The world stopped for me as I looked into those chocolate brown eyes of hers. She is looking like an angel who came from heaven. She raised her head lightly and looked at me, giving me a small smile. The smile that makes my day and makes me smile too.

The paste of cumin and jaggery (Jellakara and Bellam) indicates that the couple will stick together through the bitter and sweet phases of life. As the paste is placed on each other's heads, it is also believed that the couple interchange each other's thoughts and destinies, interlinking their lives.

Soon we went to our respective rooms to change into 'madhuparakam'.

(Maya's attire)

Oh God! She looked so pretty. That pastel coloured saree is complementing her so well. Those reddish-brown hairs of hers are beautifully plated and decorated with jasmine. Those golden jewels adorning her make her look even more beautiful. Her hands are adorned with white glass bangles and gold bangles along with the deep red mehendi. She is looking like an angel, my angel.

It's time to make her completely mine.

As soon as I took the mangalsutra in my hands, they shivered.

I tied it around her neck with my shivering hands in 3 knots amidst the fast beats of Shenai.

The three knots refer to the groom's promise to accept the bride as his wife by 3 means: manasa (thoughts), vacha (speech), and karmana (actions). The ritual signifies the complete union of the couple: physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Finally, she is mine.

She is Mrs. Maya Avinav Krishna from now onwards.

A smile automatically formed on my lips.

******************

A lone tear escaped from my eyes as he tied the mangalsutra around my neck.

I'm no longer

Miss Maya Rishi Kumar.

I'm

Mrs. Maya Avinav Krishna

now.

The name which I have dreamed from her childhood.

But now I don't know.

He took a pinch of sindoor and applied it to my hairline. A little bit fell on my nose. Everyone laughed and said that Avi loved me so much.

This moment must be the happiest moment of my life, but I just don't know. I'm not able to name these emotions. Oh God! Why am I so complicated?

*********************

"Forward your legs, ammu," my atta said, giving a break to my thoughts.

"Huh!" I looked at her confused.

"I've got to keep these toe rings," she said.

I forwarded my legs to her. Actually, the bride's maternal uncle's wife adorns the second toe of the bride with a silver toe ring.

Later, Avi tied "Nalla Pusalu" (a necklace of gold and black beads) around my neck. Nalla pusalu is meant to free the bride from the effects of the evil eye.

Then we stood for saptapadi.

In our tradition, the seven steps involve the bride touching seven betelnuts while holding the groom's hands. Then the bride and the groom press each other's toes 3 times, representing equality in the marriage.

The seven steps represent the seven vows of marriage.

1) to nourish each other.

2) to grow together with strength.

3) to preserve our wealth.

4) to share our joys and sorrows.

5) to care for our joys and sorrows.

6) to care for our children and parents.

7) to remain friends for lifelong.

Following Talambralu and Dandalu, Brahma mudi is conducted in which a set of betel nuts, dried dates, turmeric twig, betel leaf, and some currency coins are tied to the loose ends of the bride's saree and to the groom's Kanduva (shawl). Then these 2 knots (bride's and groom's) are tied together, which is called Brahma Mudi, which indicates that both the bride and groom should maintain good relations with either of the families.

We are tied to each other for our whole life.

Will I be able to keep these vows?

I always had dreams about my wedding. I always wanted a simple, colorful, and very traditional wedding that connected to our roots.

As a kid, I was fascinated with the wedding bangles and the yellow thread (mangalsutra) and sindoor adorning the hair line. Well, I even told my Anju Maa that I wanted to wear those just like her at her wedding. She just laughed at me that time and told me that when you become big like me, you can wear all these things. At that time, I didn't know anything and wanted to grow as early as possible. Now, after becoming an adult, I want to be that innocent child. Now I've got wedding bangles on my hands, the sacred thread around my neck, the sindoor adorning my hairline, but that smile on my face is not reaching my eyes.

Yes, it may be the right age for marriage, but I'm not ready. I'm scared. What if something goes wrong? Marriage itself is a big responsibility. Though Anju Maa's words calmed me a bit, I expected that my mother and father would come and tell me those. Are they really eager to send me away from their house? Did I really become a burden to them? Though a part of me knows they love me and what I'm thinking is wrong. But their actions tell us the opposite.

I came out of my thoughts when Sravya placed her hand on my shoulder and asked me, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just a bit tired," I said, giving her a small smile.

"Okay then. Just a few minutes, then both of you can go to have dinner," she said.

I just nodded my head. From the morning, me and Avi didn't have anything except milk and some fruits, as it's a part of the rituals.

All the wedding rituals are completed except for the appagintalu. The final ceremony in a Telugu wedding is called Appaginthalu, where the bride's family officially hands over the bride to the groom's family. After this ritual, the bride leaves the Mandapam with the groom to his home.

Now we are sitting on the stage on that special chair placed in the middle as guests are coming to give their blessings. God! It's so tiring and this braid of mine is so heavy.

I have to carry this for a few more hours. I leaned a bit and placed my head on Avi's shoulder. Although a small smile is playing on his lips and his face is beaming, he is also looking tired.

"Tired", he asked, looking at me.

I just hummed in response. I don't even have the energy to move my little finger.

He just chuckled and placed a kiss on my forehead. I closed my eyes in pure bliss.

Maybe I should go with the flow. I can't let him suffer because of my fears. All the rituals we have done till now are not a game; they have their significance. Mostly the vows I've made together with him, I've promised him that I'll walk with him throughout our life. I can't back out, leaving him all alone. I can't keep geeting stuck at one point, life keeps on going, even we have to move on. It may take time to adjust, but with him by my side, we can pass through the difficulties. I trust him.

Hey guys! I know this chapter might be boring for you. So, I have skipped some pre-wedding and post-wedding rituals and have written only some.

Keep smiling and take care ❤