"I reached dad. Searching for parking... don't tell me he was waiting for me to help. I am not going to help him in wearing that dhoti, veshti or whatever" he replied annoyingly and stopped the car in his allotted lot.
"Tch..tch..Bad luck, he's waiting for you arnie" his dad said on other side of the phone.
"Dad i don't know anything about their tradition then how will i help him in getting ready for his marriage" arnav whined closing his car door.
"I heard someone boasted himself as best designer who knows all kind of cloths, now telling me he don't know how to tie dhoti" his father mocked him.
"...Dad..."
"What dad..? He is your cousin, you taken this marriage responsibility so its your duty to look after all the arrangements including bridegroom cloths" his dad chided him.
"How i know about that damn dhoti, i thought it was stitched like our pyjamas" he replied being annoyed by this last minute unnecessary tension.
"It's all your fault arnie, already i warned you to appoint someone for this matters as their tradition is totally different, but you being overconfident didn't let your ears" arnav heard another round of scolding.
"Ok i admit, it's my fault. Now what do you want me to do?" He asked scratching his forehead.
"Fix his dhoti" his dad replied in no nonsense tone.
"How?" Arnav questioned as if he is in preschool who don't know what to do when teacher order to do something.
"I don't know how you run your business, and the funny part is your company is in top position" his dad started another round of mocking session.
"Dad.." again arnav whined like a child.
"Call any designer who is from south india, especially from tamilnadu. Sid says there are more number of ways to tie dhoti in south india, but he want to tie like one's in tamilnadu" his dad explained detailedly.
"Why don't he ask help from any of bride's family or ask him to take help from YouTube, am sure there will be plenty of videos which tutors how to use that lengthy white cloth" arnav said massaging his temple in relief of getting an solution for this problem which came in last minute.
"Haha...my boy..i am your dad we already tried what you said. In bride's family there is no male except Meenakshi(Bride) little brother who don't know how to tie it and their other relatives will attend reception in Madhurai (Bride hometown). And regarding you tube videos, there's of no use when that dhoti is too stubborn to settle in his hip bones" his dad laughed imagining sid's state when he tied the dhoti and it keeps falling on his feet.
"Who asked him to love south indian girl?" Arnav asked irritatingly still standing in parking lot leaning in his car door.
"You'll know when you fall in love"
"Hey, here i am standing between fire but you both father-son duo started your usual chatting. My marriage is today yaar, not tomorrow that you guys keep talking without realizing time and surroundings" the groom sid snatched mobile from his uncle and started pleading his cousin.
"Haha...You better keep reminding us or else we'll forget in our jibber" arnav laughed loudly making many heads turn on him. Changing his body language into stern he entered the wedding hall and searching for groom changing room "I am coming, don't pester my dad"
And that happened *bump* his mobile slipped from his hands and a soft body touched his shoulders slightly before disappeared.
"What the!!!"
"Aiyyo, kadavula unaku karunaiye illaya? Ena ipdi thalli vitutiye" (Oh god, don't you any have mercy? You pushed me)
"What, why i am hearing some voice but no one is here" arnav mumbled himself but loud enough to other person and his eyes searched the owner of the voice.
"Loosu keela paru da"
"Where this sound coming from?" again searched arnav.
"Hey, mister Don't you have basic manners to help a girl" a girl asked him pointing her fingers at him. He stood surprised seeing her anger but soon his mind registered that she is scolding him, him...ASR so he intervened.
"Hey look Ms. Whatever... Don't teach about manners to others when you yourself don't have" arnav said with gritted teeth and disappeared into other direction taking his broken mobile in hand.
"Haww...how rude! I wish his wife should tame him or else these boys will show their arrogant nature to poor girls like me" she self pitied herself.
Huffed she entered into bride room.
"Khushi enga poi irundha d? (Khushi, where did you gone?) " Meenakshi asked her friend.
"Oru sidumoonchiya samalichitu vandhen (Got fight with kadoos)" khushi answered helping her to pin the pleats.
*
"Arnie see this sample pic and help me to tie like this" sid gave him a pic of a model tied dhoti/veshti.
"Stand still" arnav made him stand straight and started his experiment on dhoti.
"Shit..." Arnav cursed his fate for landing in this situation. His dad laughed.
"Laugh as much as you want, here your son is fighting with this stupid cloth there you sitting and munching pakore" arnav's annoyed voice reached his dad.
"Arnie, don't call this veshti as stupid. It's their tradition, meenakshi will love it if i tie this veshti" sid said with dreamy smile.
"It's all your fault siddy, who asked you to fall in love with tamil girl, is there any shortage for delhi girls here" arnav asked smacked sid head.
"Arnie..." Sid whined like a kid.
"Ok, lets try for one more time" arnav again starts his task with new enthusiasm.
Finally after a lot of struggle arnav finished tying dhoti. His dad showed thumps up!
"Arnie go, look after altar decorations" his dad started pushing him outside.
"Dad all is set, why are you pushing me out now, have you both planned something?" Arnav scrunching his eyebrows in doubt.
"Nothing... nothing" sid and his dad surrendered by raising their hands in union.
"I doub..." before arnav complete his sentence they closed the door on his face, that's when he noticed he was already standing outside the room. Sighed he turned his feet to altar.
Before he step down the last stair, *thud*
"What the!!" This time he fall back taking the soft body along with him.
"Again you..." Arnav hurriedly stood in his feet.
"Do you have any problem in walking. Have you ever used your eyes while walking" arnav said sarcastically without giving her chance to speak.
"Hello, i can ask the same question to you" she retorted angrily. Her eyes caught some golden thing in floor.
"Haww...my necklace" she picked her necklace from the floor.
"You moron...you broke my necklace" she accused taking her necklace in hands.
"Mind your words Miss. Where did it broken, it's just that rope cut in middle, nothing else" he replied carelessly.
"Haw...broken or cut, now how can i wear this, it's my favorite one" her voice suddenly changed to sad.
Seeing her sad face arnav melted, he felt some different feelings around her.
"Give it to me, I'll fix it" arnav took the necklace in his hands.
Arnav tried to repair it, but the hook was broken. What can i do now? I cannot see her sad face? Why i am feeling different towards her? Anyways, now concentrate on your task arnie or else this girl will start crying, he thought seeing her eyes which is moist and ready to pour down.
His face bloomed suddenly making her confuse, before she comprehend anything he tied it around her neck putting three knots, so that the necklace will stand in place.
"Aiyyo, kadavula ivan thalli katitan" she said placing her palm on forehead. This time arnav stood confused.
"Excuse me" he confused hearing her talking. What she is saying? It is not hindi right? he questioned himself.
"Inga paru, smacking her forehead hey look you married me" she dropped the bomb.
"What the!!!" Shock would be an understatement after hearing her words.
"Yes, pathiji...you are my husband, we are married" She stated innocently with big eyes.
"Hey...i didn't even know your name, then how come you assume we're married" he asked horrified with the news he received lately.
"See you tied three knot in my necklace, in tamil culture if a man tied three knots to a girl then they're married, so technically we are married" she clarified his doubt obediently.
"You're kidding right" he asked masking his emotions which went high after hearing her clarification. Bloody hell, what is this i just tied her broken necklace. How it will make us as a married couple? Is she fooling me, but sid also said something like this. He scratched head in confusion.
"You're not believing me right, wait i'll prove it to you" she said searching for someone.
"Murugan, come here" she called bride's brother who was wandering near altar.
"Enna akka (what sis?)" He asked.
"Murugan, tell him how will marriages occur in our tradition. Groom will tie thalli(mangalsutra) by putting three knots hainna.." she asked him.
"Yes, bhaiya. Groom should tie thalli using only three knots not less not more" murugan also clarified to his dismay.
"Ok, murugan. You go, you may have many works" she said pushing him aside lightly.
"See now your doubt clarified. Yeah you asked my name right, my name is khushi. What is your name? I must say we're the first couples in the world who introduced themselves after marriage" she talked non stop making him gulp his throat, before she stop her blabbering he escaped from there.
Khushi laughed seeing his running form. No one can live in peace, after ruining khushi's peace. She thought proudly lifting her imaginary collar.
After sometime murugan told, "Khushi akka, vanga ukaralam (khushi di, come have a seat)"
Khushi nods and sat in a chair behind the altar. She carelessly playing game in her mobile and felt someone sat beside her chair. She turned to see whom with smile plastered on her face but soon it changed into smirk.
"Haw...cho sweet, husband misses his wife so he came running behind me" she said with blush. The person turned to get shock of his life, yeah you guessed it correct he was arnav.
"What the!!!" He sat with open mouth in shock as his words are borrowed by her. Instead of him she said what the.
"Do you want anything?" She asked with shy smile.
He replied nothing and tried to run away from there.
"I am kidding Mr. " Khushi said controlling her laugh. After seeing his shocked face, she did not want to pester or tease him.
Arnav released his breath which he was holding unknowingly.
"You kidding...i thought you are saying truth..." He laughed and shaked his head remembering his sillyness. He don't know why he enjoyed her prank, he will not deny that something attracts him to her. Arnav-Khushi, Mr. & Mrs.Arnav , how nice it sounds he thought.
"Are you bride's friend, i am sure you are also from tamilnadu, but why your name sounds north indian?" He asked forgetting their earlier encounter.
She surprised for a minute hearing his soft voice. "My mom is North indian and dad is from tamilnadu. They had love marriage" she replied which is shocking to herself as she is introvert but her activities from morning screams another story.
"Oh... It's my cousin wedding" arnav replied surprising himself as he is also a introvert but here he is speaking with a girl politely who dared to fool him.
"Bride is my friend. We're working together" khushi replied.
"Hmm..where are you staying?, If you don't mind" he added the last bit hesitantly.
"Working women's hostel near my office" she charmed a smile at him unaware of the effect she's creating on him.
"Hmm. Do you know these traditions?" He tried to strike a conversation.
"Hey, i am tamilian yaar. I know but i don't know" she twisted her lips.
"What?" he asked amused rather shocked.
"I mean, i know basic things but don't know fully. Will you believe me, if i say i seen marriage closely before some fifteen years ago. I don't have any cousins nor elder siblings so i came here to watch this wedding. But I'll explain you whatever i know " she finished with a smile.
"Ok..deal.." arnav agreed victoriously.
~~~
"See this is called 'Kasi yatra' where groom pretend to leave all his luxuries and father-in-law or bride's brother have to convince him to marry his daughter/sister. This is one of old tradition" Khushi explained the occurrences to arnav who listened quietly.
"If the groom didn't want to marry, then why on the earth he agreed in first place and father in-law should convince him. What logic is this?" He asked confused by this tradition.
"It's for fun. Hey what's your name?" She asked as Soon as she realized his name is unknown to her.
"Arnav..."
"Nice name" Arnav-khushi, sounds nice she thought shyly. Then they started chatting casually, in between ignoring the bride, groom calls for them respectively.
"Arnav see that is called thali, in your language mangalsutra. Usually thali is made by many small threads later it will be dipped in turmeric/haldi. After fifteen days or so they will change that thread into chain according to their wish" she pointed at thali👇
"Then the groom will tie it around bride and the groom should tie it by three knots" she explained gazing directly at his eyes.
"But i tied necklace not this yellow thread, then how we're married" arnav questioned without thinking and in no time they both drifted into their morning incident, khushi face flushed while his lips carry smirk.
"Th..a..t was just for fun.." she stammered making him chuckle.
"Next groom should apply kumkumam/Vermillion on bride forehead and to that new mangalsutra" she diverted the topic.
Arnav noded, "This is phere, am i correct?" He questioned.
"Yup, you're correct. But the difference is, here they take only three rounds. Bridegroom pinky fingers and their cloths will be tied. Bride's other hand was hold by groom's sister and groom's other hand was hold by bride's brother. Like this they will take three rounds" clarified khushi.
"Next the groom will put ring in second foot finger, some may put rings in toe too. The ring is called metti" khushi pointed at the happenings.
At last, they will take blessings from elders. And post wedding rituals follows like exchanging garlands, playing with coconut etc..
"I am ready to tie dhoti for you, will you wear lehenga for me" he asked with a smile.
Khushi nods shyly and put her head on his shoulders hugging his arms. Arnav hands in his own accord hold her hand and lips find its way to her forehead. They start their journey with their first kiss and hug.
Arnav-khushi hamesha
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