Chapter 18
Part 18: Puja ki shaadi
Time was flying away quickly. Naina was so drowned in thoughts of Sameer that she didn't realize Puja didi's wedding was just around the corner. The bride had her couture all set. Bela chachi insisted that Naina and Preeti should also finish their shopping now. So one fine Sunday afternoon, the ladies of the house went to the shopping complex nearby. They were greeted and shown the latest collection of sarees, dresses, churidaars and lehengas. The girls were smitten by the glittering collection. Naina was checking out the latest designs and imagining herself wearing each and every one of them, and singing songs atop hills with Sameer.
"Naina! whispered Preeti, "kya kar rahi hai? Marwayegi kya? Taiji ne humein yahan ye paardarshi saariyon ke beech dekh liya to maar dalengi! "Lekin yaar ye Chandni wali sari kitni achi hai na, Naina eyed it. "Haan, tu ek kaam karna. Jab honeymoon pe jayegi na Sameer jeeju ke saath, tab pehen lena... theek hai? teased Preeti. "Kuch bhi bolti hai tu Preeti! Kaisi gandi baatein kar rahi hai, Naina retorted. Preeti slapped her palm on her head, "Gandi baatein...Bhagwan bachaye us Sameer ko ki usne tujhse pyaar kiya!
Naina was trying out a few sarees when she noticed a salesman staring at her. He had big mustaches, and oiled up hair. And then he winked at her. "Sameer? realized Naina. The salesman grinned at her. Naina was dumbfounded. This guy! How did he...why...he is an idiot, she thought to herself, though feeling pleased at her lover's conviction to follow her around, and that too dressed up like that champu salesman. Who would have imagined, "The Sameer Maheshwari would oil up his hair, fumble in broken Gujarati, just so he could see his girl in a sari. A sari of his choice!
"Madam ji...aapko dikha dein saari? the salesman called Naina. Naina smiled and went and sat near him, "haanji, dikhaye na! Naina could see Sameer blushing under those mustaches. Naina started pointing out to sarees and Sameer kept rejecting them. "Ye to ekdum behenji type sariyan hai. Aap to pariyon se bhi zyada khoobsurat hain! the salesman said in his weird, lispy accent, so that no one would overhear. Naina and Sameer were having fun, while Preeti was busy with Chachiji and Taiji's selections. "Ye dekhiye hamare yahan ki sabse khoobsurat saari, the salesman said and added, "...sabse khoobsurat ladki ke liye! whispered Sameer in his husky voice, loud enough for only Naina to hear. Sameer had taken out a beautiful, red, chiffon saree with golden embroidery and embellishments. Naina took the saari in her hands. It was the most beautiful one that she had ever seen. Sameer had cunningly selected the most alluring sari in red color. He knew that red was her favourite colour. It was also the colour of love, the colour of passion and he wanted to see his bride-to-be in red already. Just then Taiji's eyes fell upon the saari in Naina's hands, "O bai...Naina...ye kaisi sari dekh rahi hai tu? Ye to paardarshi sari hai! Tu kya khud ko kisi film ki heroine samajhti hai? Sab yahan Sridevi hi bani fir rahi hain! Taiji's temper had risen again, much to both Naina and Sameer's dismay. "Aur daam to dekho...500 ki saari! Ye paise kya tumhare papa bharenge aa kar? she taunted. Sameer felt a jab in his chest at this. Though Rakesh and he had never got along well together, taunting Naina for no fault of hers wasn't right he felt. Before he could control his mouth, he uttered, "Arey ben! Inka hone wala pati de dega kya pata! Naina, Taiji, Chachiji and Preeti all looked at him in surprise. Sameer hastily covered up, "Mera matlab...arey ben, aajkal ka latest fashion hai. Aajkal shaadiyon me ladkewale ladkiyon ko dekhte hi jhat se pasand kar lete hain. Kya pata aapki is pyaari si gudiya ko bhi koi acha sa ladka apne liye pasand kar le. Bela chachi got happy, "Bhagwan jhoot na bulaye bhabhiji. Ye ladka bilkul sahi bol raha hai. Bhaiya aap yahi sari de di do. Vaise bhi lal rang Naina ka manpasand, haina! "Bela...500 ki sari hai..., muttered Taiji. "Arey ben, chinta kyun karti ho...is sari pe to 50 taka discount bhi hai, hamari dukaan ki taraf se! added Sameer the salesman. The shoponwer raised his eyes at Sameer, but the latter gestured him to keep quiet. He knew Taiji would definitely fall for the discount trap, and that is exactly what happened, "O bai, 50 taka...chalo ghar me pehli shaadi hai. Chal le le Naina bitiya! she exclaimed happily. Naina was elated and so was Sameer. Naina tried to delay the shopping of others as much as she could, just so she could stay in the shop and look at Sameer. And Sameer too left no chance of talking to Naina, on the pretext of showing the latest accessories. As they finally left the shop, Naina turned to look at Sameer. He was smiling, staring after her. Naina's lips crept into a naughty smile as she gave him a wink. Sameer felt his world stop. He just loved this naughty side of Naina, which was known only to him. Sameer responded by puckering up his lips in a kiss at her. Colour flushed in Naina's cheeks and she ran to join her family.
***
The stage was set, the hall was decorated. The Agarwal family was busy welcoming and catering to the guests. Sameer arrived quite early with his Nanu. He couldn't stay put at home and even after Nanu's persistence that shaadi uski nahi Varun ki hai, he dragged him to the hall much before the time. Sameer didn't want to miss even a second with Naina. He had taken out his blackish-gray suit to wear for the wedding and had spent a fine three hours to get ready. He had been fussing over which perfume to wear. If Naina could only smell him from close, she could tell the scent she really liked on him...Uhh Sameer jerked his imagination from Naina's arms back into reality. Puja didi's wedding had kind of set him thinking about his own wedding with Naina. He had been dreaming over what Naina would wear on their wedding- a red lehenga or pink? Red is her favourite, but pink suits her. The bangles she would wear, her jhumkas, her hairstyle. The sound of her jingling payal! He was replaying scene after scene. He in a black-blue suit...or would he wear a sherwani...taking pheras with her. Those saat vachan! "Sameer! Ab chalna nahi hai? Kabse mera dimag kha gaya ki jaldi jaana hai, ab khud pata nahi kahan kho gaya hai! he heard Nanu calling him. "Aaya Nanu..., he hastily put on his polished shoes and ran towards the car.
"Naina, Naina...where are you? he muttered to himself. His eyes were searching for her the moment he set foot in the hall. Nanu got busy congratulating the bride's family, but Sameer was incredibly restless. Just then, in her room, Naina put a red and golden bindi on her forehead. She was ready- ready to face her groom-to-be; ready to face her Sameer! Puja didi was still not satisfied with her makeup and looks. After all, it was the day she had been waiting for, all her life. Preeti and Swati sensed Naina's restlessness and convinced her, "arey tension mat le, tera hero abhi thodi na aaya hoga!
Soon the baraat came to the hall. Sameer saw Bela chachi doing the aarti for the groom. Again, he started day-dreaming about his own wedding with Naina. He saw himself getting down from the horse, standing in place of Varun and Bela chachi doing his aarti and applying tilak on his forehead. When the groom settled down, Sameer saw a commotion at the entry again. The bride had arrived. "Arey Puja didi bhi aa gayi! Meri wali kahan hai? Sameer was extremely impatient now. And then, he saw her. Time stopped for him as he saw her emerge behind Puja didi. Cameras were clicking to catch the photographs of the bride, but the flashes fell only upon Naina as far as Sameer was concerned. She had worn the red sari that he had chosen for her. And damn! She was looking breathtakingly beautiful! Sameer felt frozen to his place. Her aanchal was flying with the breeze. She was laughing. Her lips were adorned with a naughty shade of red lipstick. Beautiful big jhumkas adorned her ears. Her hair was half tied and half let loose, and a few awry strands of hair were flicked across her face. A big red-golden bindi was adding to the beauty of her face. Her eyes, which were adorned with kajal, were searching for him in the crowd and then, they finally spotted him. Naina blushed happily, as she saw how Sameer was taken in by her. He was gazing at her, mouth open, dumbstruck by her beauty, exactly like the way he had done during the first time she'd dressed up for him for their Mt. Abu mandir date. She lowered her eyes, and slowly pushed a strand of hair on her face, behind her ear. Sameer was still glued to the floor. His lips curved into a furtive smile as he saw her beaming abashedly. As she moved forward on to the stage with Puja didi, Sameer's heart fluttered with every beat of her payal, with each jingle of her red and golden bangles.
Soon, the varmala happened and the photo-sesssion began. Preeti saw Sameer standing near the stage and dragged him and his Nanu for the photograph. "Ek photo to apni hone wali ke saath le lo jiju, she whispered to him teasingly. Naina's friends, including Swati, Preeti, Munna and Pandit came onto the stage with Sameer. Everyone adjusted so that Sameer could stand just next to Naina in the picture. Thus came about another of their couple pictures (if cropped later on). Sameer's mind wandered over to the time when the stage would set like this and the big, shining banner would read "Naina sang Sameer, and he and Naina would be sitting on that decorative sofa on the stage, as the bride and the groom.
When Naina got somewhat free, she loitered over to Sameer and gang. Munna, Pandit, Swati and Preeti cleverly covered up the scene so that the love-birds could exchange pleasantries without being caught by the family. "Naina...Kya kisi ko ek baar se zyada pyaar ho sakta hai?Sameer asked. Naina was shocked, "Firse pyaar? Hey bhagwan tumhe kisse pyaar ho gaya? "Jo mere saamne khadi hai, lal sari mein. Yaar Naina, mujhe to baar-baar, har din tumse pyaar ho jata hai! Sameer flirted with a blushing Naina. "Ye sari bahot jach rahi tumpar...aakhir meri pasand hai...ye sari aur tum bhi..., he whispered in her ear. Sameer's words were full of warmth and love. So much love that it made Naina glow even more. "Tum bhi toh is suit me bahot handsome lag rahe ho! Naina complimented him. "Acha is suit mein...matlab baaki suits me nahi lagta? Sameer interrupted, teasingly. "Nai nai...tum to kuch bhi pehno usme ache hi lagte ho...ekdum hero jaise! Naina admitted, her cheeks red in colour. She raised her eyes and saw Sameer smiling at her. She didn't realize when her mind slid into thoughts of about their own marriage. The two locked their eyes onto each other, sharing that common dream.
Post dinner, the rest of the rasams began, and all friends stayed. Sameer saw Naina helping Puja didi near the mandap. He was again drifted to the dreamland of his own marriage again- with him sitting in place of Varun and Naina in place of Puja. Naina in that beautiful bright red sari looked no less than a bride herself. As Varun put sindoor on Puja's forhead, Sameer imagined himself doing the same to Naina. He looked over at her and smiled. Her shy, knowing smile told him she was thinking the same. He looked about to see if anyone was watching them. Everyone had their eyes on the bride and the groom. Sameer silently touched her hand and entwined her fingers into his. He looked at her and she smiled shyly. Their eyes met and then saw the rest of the wedding rituals, hand in hand. As the pandit started speaking out the 7 vachan, Sameer looked over at Naina at the end of each one. They were silently promising each of those vachans to each other. They did not need to speak. Their eyes could read their mind and their hearts. They knew their union was for a lifetime.
TEASER of My NEW SERIES:
Sameer sang Naina
It was almost noon, when a snazzy bike dashed into the college campus. The tall, slightly lean, young rider parked it in the student's section and disembarked from the bike. As he took out the helmet, his beautiful, shiny locks were let loose. He combed his hand through his hair and looked into his bike's mirror to set them. As he was doing this, his eyes fell upon a few girls ogling at him in the mirror. Sameer smiled, and turned to look at them. He took the shades off to reveal a pair of eyes sparkling with mischief. The girls were oomphhed. Had Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge' been released a year earlier, it would have seemed as if Raj saamne aa gaya tha! Sameer had transformed from Prem to Raj. He had retained Salman's innocent looks, but had now got hold of Shahrukh's boyish charm. Sameer chuckled apologetically at the girls and shook his head and fingers in a big NO. The girls were dejected to know this handsome guy was already taken. Little did they know, he had lost his heart to his Simran, some 4 years back.
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