[MEMBERSONLY]

[NOCOPY]

Smita,

Here is the interpretation to Section 3 of Part 44.

As Khushi came to stand beside Arnav whose eyes were glued to her, Anjali asked, Nani, Babuji, Ganeshji, shall we start? Or else Chotey would stand here all evening, looking at Khushiji! All chuckled as the grooms and brides turned pink in different hues. Amma and Buaji applied tilak on Arnav and Ganesh, giving both the grooms a traditional welcome. It was a customary way to ward off the evil eyes. Amidst the smiling faces, the couples got ready for the jaimala the exchange of garland ritual.

What is the significance of Jaimala?

Jaimala or Varmala is the exchange of garlands. It signifies the acceptance of both the bride and the groom as their partners. The garlands are circular in shape signifying that there is no beginning and no end of the union that is being created.

While the grooms stood waiting, the brides were led to stand across them. Anamika and Khushi were with garlands of Rajnigandha (tube roses) and red roses in hand. When Khushi tried to garland Arnav, Akash and NK lifted him out of reach, making Khushi pout and the rest laugh. Again and again when she tried they lifted Arnav out of reach. Finally, Khushi glowering at NK and her Jiju in mock anger jumped up and threw her garland right around his neck, making the rest laugh out heartily and applaud her brilliant strategy.

When it was Anamika's turn as she lifted her hand to garland Ganesh, NK and Akash with vociferous encouragement from Gaurav, tried to lift Ganesh away from Anamika's reach. Anamika missed placing it around Ganesh by a few inches. As the families watched, Ganesh quickly flexed his neck down letting his bride garland him comfortably. Akash's protest, that it is cheating and NK's borrowed words from Khushi, ramanchi, ramanchi were doused by Mamaji's wise words, when the man and the woman are agreeable what will the NK do? had all gathered in stitches.

Arnav and Khushi moved to the mandap, while Anamika and Ganesh took their seats with the family, closely observing the rituals which they too had to undergo next.

The mandap was beautifully decorated with white and red coloured flowers, roses, tuberoses and anthuriums and golden coloured drapes. The whole mandap area was lit by golden hued bulbs using accent lighting system, that lit the flowers and the ceiling and giving a golden haze to the mandap area with the bounced lighting or reflected lighting. Next to the poles of the mandap was a column of decorated earthen pots stacked one above the other, giving it an ethnic look. Seats were arranged around the havan kund.

Following the instructions of the purohit, Arnav and Khushi sat beside one another. With the chanting of mantras, began the marriage ritual. Khushi looked around. The hall was filled with the people she loved. She could see Munshiji smile at her from the crowd. A delighted Khushi with a huge smile waved at him, making Arnav struggle to hide his smile. Khushi from her vantage point, seeing Koelji and other ladies working at Anamika's studio seated beamed at them. Arnav shifted his gaze to Khushi's face and found that she was brimming with happiness. Seeing the glow on her face Arnav wished that she would be this happy all through their lives together and at that very moment as though she heard what he felt, Khushi, lifting her gaze from the sacred fire and gave a dazzling smile to her Arnavji.

Arnav and Khushi looked out at the crowd of well-wishers and family that had gathered for their wedding. Anjali was seen wiping away her tears, Nani was patting her eyes dry, Buaji, Amma and Babuji could not stop smiling with their happiness that their Sanka Devi was finally getting married, and that too to Arnav Bitwaa who bore the brunt of her madness with gusto, a smile and loved it, NK, Gaurav and Akash had wide smile on their faces, Payal was trying to control her tears of joy, Anamika and Ganesh were smiling fondly at them, Mami was crying till Mamaji reminded her with jest, of the sorry state of her make up if she cried making her tears stop in a jiffy and transform her facial expression into a smile...

Anjali tied the gatbandhan, Babuji and Amma did the kanyadaan. Amidst this, Arnav pressed Khushi's hand giving a silent promise to her to cherish and protect throughout their lives. She in return smiled and pressed his fingers. Arnav was surprised to hear the vows of Saptapadi or saath phere. It sounded as though someone had written those words keeping them in mind. It was as though whatever promises he had made mentally was being verbalized by the purohit in the form of mantras. How could he not look after her and the family they might have? How could he not consider her as his friend and the sole soul mate? How could he not live righteously and do his duty by her? He was bound to it. Arnav Singh Raizada realized that this was marriage. He knew that if he had not met Khushi and fallen irrevocably in love with her, he might have never known that such a world, such a possibility existed and there was no need to be a loner and feel lonely all his life. There was no need to engulf himself with work and let it take the place of a wife. There was no need to shoulder all the burden alone. Looking at Khushi's face he felt blessed. He felt that his parents seeing him feeling lonely, insecure and miserable had sent her to brighten his world. This thought had a profound effect on him. Taking the mangalsutra, he reverently tied it around Khushi's slender neck. He lifted the maang tikka and filled her parting with sindoor thrice.

Khushi shut her eyes praying to her Devi Maiyya to keep them together all their lives, stand beside each other and together walk through the trials and tribulations that the life throws at them. She wished if only her parents were alive today to see this momentous moment in her life making her tear up. She also felt if only Arnavji's parents were alive to see this day! How happy all four of them would have been! She silently promised Arnavji's Mama that she would look after him always, take care of his health, put up with his anger, and savour his love for her.

While her thoughts were going along such lines, the rituals in front of the fire were over, and the couple, now married, took the blessings of purohit and their elders. They were heaped with blessings, wishes, hugs and kisses by their family. It was a case of my cup runneth over with love. The family, that had been waiting to see this day since a long time, was in no way stopping themselves from expressing their feelings to these two.

When Anamika hugging Khushi close whispered in her ear, Thank you, she was puzzled and asked, for getting married is it? It made Anamika smile and tell her, that it was for making Ganesh's and her's marriage come true, for giving Gaurav his father and giving Anamika so much of treasures that she had never even thought they she could ever possess. It was Khushi's nudge at awakening that had given her, her life's utmost treasures. Khushi hugging her in a tight embrace, whispered tearfully, that if Anamikaji had not helped her, if she had not met her, she would have been so unhappy, so scared. What she has received from Anamikaji was something she could never repay and beyond her capacity too.

When the muhurat for Anamika and Ganesh's wedding neared, Arnav and Khushi sat along with the family, all set to witness the wedding. Anjali, Payal, Amma and Buaji led the pair along with Gaurav to the mandap. Anjali did the honors of tying the gatbandhan, while Babuji and Amma did the kanyadaan. Anamika paying close attention to the seven vows that they took and were explained, exclaimed to Ganesh, that was what he had been doing for the past 20 years! Ganesh with a smile, simply told her, that Gaurav and she were his family and he has nothing more valuable than them for him and he needs nothing else too if they are with him.

Anamika with great difficulty swallowed the pain through her throat that had gone dry. For 20 years, whatever she had really wished to have in life had been right in front of her. But she had been unable to see it let alone grasp it. If only she had realized it and had mustered enough courage to grab it with both her hands, Gaurav would have got Papa of his heart and she the best man for a husband long back. She sighed thinking if only she had enough courage to take a shot at happiness. She had crawled at a snail's pace but it was visible only on hind sight. She comforted herself saying that it was no use crying over spilled milk! At least now she had woken up to the fact. She was thankful for the awakening before she had lost her teeth and senility set in. In a bid to lighten the atmosphere, she whispered, and the mongrel. Ganesh with a laugh agreed, that Scooby was now irrevocably a part of their family, while he watched the luminous happiness that was visible for all to see in the face of Gaurav. Gaurav was hugging Scooby close to his chest as he watched his Mama and Papa getting married his dream getting translated into reality.

Khushi in her excitement of Anamika getting married, clutched Arnav's arm in a tight grip, making Arnav look into her face. It was aglow with happiness for Anamika's wedding as she had been at her own.

Ganesh, tying the mangalsutra around Anamika's neck and applying sindoor on her maang thrice completed the mandap rituals. All that left of the rituals, was seeking the blessings of the purohit and their large family. Once that was done, both the couples, stood together to take the congratulatory wishes heaped on them by the family and friends. For their dinner, they sat together amidst their family members who were in their element, with sharp witticism and jest made at their expense and took it all in good faith. Khushi looking at Arnav's face and seeing the contented look, hugged his arm in joy, making Arnav look at her. She was overwhelmed to see his love for her in his eyes.

Soon after the last of the guests left, Ganesh and Anamika bid everyone goodnight. They wanted to reach their destination for the night, the cottage by the lake, for their honeymoon. The family tried to entice them to play post-wedding games that would lead to laughter riot, but were unsuccessful. It took an hour for Ganesh and Anamika to get into their car amidst the never ending goodbyes, innumerable tips, cautions, reminders and instructions. Gaurav and Scooby were being house guests at RM.

As soon as Ganesh and Anamika left, Arnav took the two packed bags shoved them into his car, helped Khushi in and shut the door. After he sat behind the wheel, announcing that they were leaving and the teasings could be shelved for later, he drove off without giving any leeway to the ladies for an encore. They left behind a stunned bevy of ladies and Mamaji in throes of laughter.

This update is about passing a point of no return by taking a decisive step... CROSSING THE RUBICON.

What does the crossing the Rubicon mean?

It is to do something that inevitably commits one to following a certain course of action. Once committed, in the words of Julius Caesar, the die is cast.

It alludes to the crossing of the River Rubicon by Julius Caesar with his army, which involved him in a civil war in B.C. 49.

Seeing Arnav engrossed in Khushi without even being aware of his surroundings, Anjali takes a decisive step to begin the ceremony with the consent of the rest.

After the welcome of both the grooms by Amma and Buaji, the jaimala ritual was conducted. Jaimala signifies the acceptance of the groom by the bride.

Depending on the communities and custom, this varies. In certain customs, Jaimala is done once and in certain others, twice. When it is done once, it is usually the exchange of garlands by the bride and the groom. When it is done twice, usually first is away from the mandap where the bride garlands the groom as acceptance, Varamala, like in the swayamvaras, and the next in the mandap where both exchange garlands.

Here only once it is done and only bride garlanding the groom is mentioned. So I am unsure of the procedure. Anyway lets consider that Jaimala as done.

Khushi keeping her wits together, garlands Arnav withstanding the combined force of NK and her Jijaji Akash. She made her move distracting the other two, with her playful scowl.

When the turn of Ganesh and Anamika comes, Ganesh bends his head to make it easily accessible for Anamika to place the garland, despite NK and Akash's attempt to lift him up. For Ganesh who had waited for 20 years was not ready to tease Anamika and was all set to take the plunge.

"Getting something and having the wits to use it... those are two different things"

~ Rick Riordan, The Battle of the Labyrinth

Khushi while sitting in the mandap seeing all the faces that were dear to her is ecstatic. Her happiness radiating out of her makes him wish that she would be so all through their life together. The family members were either beaming a brilliant smile or shedding happy tears, seeing that the two had finally settled down and were readily taking the plunge. The Raizadas had given up hope of, Arnav ever settling down, Arnav ever controlling his temper, Arnav ever letting the bitterness of the past that had colored his outlook on life go, Arnav ever following the religious rituals. But today, they were witnessing a different Arnav than that they had been used to seeing for years together. Here was an Arnav, contrary to what they had been accustomed to but nevertheless glad to have this better as well as the best version of Arnav Singh Raizada. He was willingly leaving a crossroads and defining his future ahead with Khushi Kumari Gupta. The family that had been worried as to who would be marrying Khushi given her Sanki ways too were happy and were all smiles. Knowing that she had taken bitter blows when very young itself, but overcoming it and masking her unhappiness under the cloak of smile, she had the capacity to bring light into the life of others, their worry had been will her life partner be able to understand her and her simple needs. Getting Arnav Singh Raizada as her life partner, their mind had been set to rest and seeing her radiant face they too are full of smiles. Today, they were committing themselves to a bond, where they were tethered together for better or for worse.

Listening to the rituals and its explanations, Arnav realized, these were just reinforcing all the things that he had felt what he had been committing himself to and what was the right to do in life. He knew for him life was with Khushi only. Without her in it, he was just a robot, doing things mechanically. She was his life and committing himself to be her sole soulmate was nothing sacrificial. It was absolutely essential for him, just like air to breathe. So he was ready to jump in with both feet into this holy bond and he did so too.

For Khushi, who always felt her happiness lay along with that of the entire family, she wished both the set of parents, hers as well as his, were present at their momentous moment to witness and bless them. She vowed to keep him happy, cater to his needs, never let him feel the loneliness and face whatever life throws at them side by side. She was ready to bite the bullet to keep him and their family happy.

"Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own"

~ Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land

Anamika thanking Khushi for nudging her to awaken to the happiness that was at her doorsteps but not realized by her, showed that she held no regrets to leave a crossroads and take the plunge towards blissful happiness. This not only brought her the family together, that was already functioning in bits and pieces, but also brought her out of the grips of the demonic nightmare, an abyss that she had fallen prey into. Khushi's nudge helped her to choose her fate. Her decisive step not only had effect on her, but also on her son.The upshot of it was Gaurav received his Papa officially into the fold, giving him the loving family of four.

The move made by Anamika to help out Khushi to combat the ever growing lists of upstarts, had its Domino Effect. It not only helped Khushi gain confidence and establish herself as Mrs. Arnav Singh Raizada undisputedly, it also gave Anamika a direction to her life, towards happiness and contentment.

"It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are"

~ Roy Disney

While the rituals were being conducted, Anamika too felt whatever was being said were the ones that Ganesh had been doing for the past 20 years and she realized for the first time the decisive steps taken towards matrimony were well worth it. They were just giving it a legal status to what had already existed in Ganesh's mind and he had followed. For him there were only two things of utmost importance in his life, his family (she, Gaurav and of course Scooby) and their happiness.

Khushi was one happy girl. Not only she was happy to have married Arnav but also to witness, Anamika and Ganesh's marriage. Her promise to herself to help Anamika find her happiness was being fulfilled.

"Action expresses priorities"

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Finally after the repast, and seeing the prolonged bidaai of Ganesh and Anamika, Arnav took the bull by its horns. Making a quick decision, taking the two packed bags, stashing them into his car, helping Khushi in, he shut the door. Taking his seat behind the wheel, he announced that they were leaving and the teasings could be put in the back burner until they returned and drove off. The clamour that had accompanied Anamika and Ganesh were silenced, but replaced by laughter from Mamaji at the shatir dimaag of his bhanje. This decisive step of Arnav gave the family the inkling unequivocally that, where being with Khushi is concerned there would be no compromise and the pleasure of her company was what he sought the utmost. He was ready to share her with the rest of the family but it was within his limits. For him, there were no cross roads where she was considered, only a straight boulevard, with no intersections even. He made sure that all knew, he had the first right to her attention and the rest came behind him.

This was a prendre la balle au bond, a decisive step, taken by Arnav Singh Raizada, in his life where his wife Khushi was concerned, given her nature to involve the rest too.

"Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions"

~ Dallin H. Oaks

That is why this update is CROSSING THE RUBICON, passing a point of no return.

That's it from me. Hope you enjoy it.

rulama2013-07-06 01:54:54