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AUTHOR

The courtyard of Raghav's house was overflowing with laughter, voices, and endless wedding preparations. Women sat together singing traditional wedding songs while their hands stayed busy preparing sweets and decorations. Children ran around excitedly, chasing one another between the guests. Every corner of the house carried the warmth and chaos that only a village wedding could bring.

Tomorrow was the wedding of Raghav's twenty-year-old younger sister.

For years, his family had listened to relatives whispering the same questions and taunts.

"Abhi tak shaadi nahi hui?"
(She still isn't married?)

"Ladki ki umar nikal rahi hai."
(The girl's age is passing by.)

As if society had been given the right to decide everyone else's life.

Those words had hurt his parents more than they ever admitted. Despite Raghav trying countless times to make them understand that marriage should happen when his sister was ready—not because of people's opinions—the pressure of society had slowly won.

Now that they had found a kind and respectable family for her, everyone finally looked relieved. The smiles on his parents' faces carried a peace they hadn't felt in years.

That was one reason Raghav wasn't very excited about the wedding. He hated how society had forced his family into worrying so much. But none of that changed the love he had for his little sister.

More than anything, he silently prayed that her new home would be filled with respect, love, and happiness.

Outside the house, a large tent had been set up in their terraced fields, just as weddings are often celebrated in the villages of Uttarakhand. The open fields became the wedding venue, saving the family the expense of booking a marriage hall while giving the celebration a warm, homely feeling.

At one side stood the mandap (, lovingly built by hand from bamboo, wooden poles, and freshly plastered mud. Its pillars were decorated with marigold garlands, mango leaves, and colorful cloth. The fragrance of wet earth mixed with fresh flowers filled the air, making the simple handmade mandap look more beautiful than any grand decoration.

As the evening sun disappeared behind the mountains, the glowing fairy lights spread across the courtyard and fields, turning the little village home into a place that looked nothing less than magical.

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Raghav quietly stepped inside the house, hoping to surprise his family. But the moment he entered, he was the one left surprised.

The house looked completely different. Marigold garlands hung from every doorway, colorful lights twinkled across the courtyard, and the aroma of fresh flowers and homemade sweets filled the air. His eyes slowly wandered around the decorations before stopping for a moment.

His little sister's wedding.

A lump formed in his throat as the thought settled in—soon, she would leave this home forever.

Just then, his cousin sister, Sushma, rushed out of the kitchen, worried that someone would scold her for leaving her work unfinished. Instead, she froze the moment she saw him.

"Raghu!! Tu kab aaya?"
(Raghu!! When did you arrive?)

Her eyes instantly filled with tears as she hurried towards him and wrapped him in a tight hug.

Raghav smiled and hugged her back.

"Didi, bas abhi pahuncha. Captain sahab ne chutti di hai."
(Didi, I just arrived. The captain gave me leave.)

Sushma pulled back, wiping her tears.

"Tera hi intezaar kar rahe the. Seema bahut ro rahi thi ki tu aayega bhi ya nahi uski shaadi mein."
(We were all waiting for you. Seema had been crying, wondering whether you would even come to her wedding.)

Raghav smiled softly.

"Ab toh main aa gaya hoon. Usse bhi mana lunga."
(Now that I'm here, I'll convince her too.)

"Raghu!!"

His mother's voice echoed through the house.

Without wasting another second, Raghav walked towards her, bent down to touch her feet, and then hugged her tightly. She held him close, unable to hide the tears in her eyes. After six long months, her son was finally home.

Hearing the news of his arrival, everyone gathered around. Elders blessed him warmly while the younger cousins surrounded him with endless questions.

Among everyone, Seema looked the happiest.

The dullness that had settled in her eyes during the past few days disappeared the moment she saw her brother. She couldn't stop smiling, talking, or following him around like she always did.

The afternoon passed with laughter around the dining floor. Raghav ate with his family after months, sharing funny stories about his friends, army life, and little memories from the border that made everyone laugh.

After taking a short rest, he joined everyone in decorating the house. Every now and then, his eyes would unknowingly drift towards Seema. His heart grew heavy, but he quietly swallowed his emotions, never letting his mother or sister notice.

By evening, with everyone's hard work, the decorations were finally complete.

Soon, his cousins surrounded him.

"Bhaiya, mehendi mein green suit hi pehenna!"
(Brother, you have to wear the green suit for the mehendi!)

Raghav simply shook his head.

One of them folded her arms dramatically.

"Arey bhaiya, itne bhi khadoos mat bano. Jab se fauji bane ho, aur bhi khadoos hote ja rahe ho. Pehle toh thoda haste-muskurate bhi the. Ab dekho..."
(Oh, brother, don't be so grumpy. Ever since you became a soldier, you've become even more serious and grumpy. You used to smile and laugh a little before. Just look at you now...)

Another cousin quickly added with a grin,

"Humari aane wali bhabhi aapko dekhkar kya sochegi? Kaise khadoos se shaadi ho gayi!"
(What will our future sister-in-law think when she sees you? She'll wonder how she ended up marrying such a grumpy man!)

The whole courtyard burst into laughter.

Raghav tried hard not to smile, keeping his usual serious face.

"Abhi Seema ki shaadi hai. Jab meri hogi, tab ki tab dekhi jaayegi."
(Right now, it's Seema's wedding. When it's my turn, we'll see what happens then.)

One cousin leaned towards Seema and whispered,

"Bol na bhaiya ko... teri baat toh zaroor maanenge."
(Tell your brother... he'll definitely listen to you.)

Seema slowly walked towards him.

"Bhaiya... pehen lo na. Phir toh main sasural chali jaaungi..."
(Brother... please wear it. After all, I'll be leaving for my in-laws' home soon...)

Her voice trembled.

Raghav immediately cupped her face and gently wiped away her tears.

"Bas... tu mat ro. Jaise tu kahegi, main waise hi karunga. Chal, ab chup ho ja."
(That's enough... don't cry. I'll do whatever you say. Come on, stop crying now.)

Before the moment could turn emotional, the youngest cousin loudly interrupted,

"Bas bas bhaiya! Kuch aansu iski vidaai ke liye bhi bacha lo!"
(That's enough, brother! Save some of those tears for her farewell too!)

Everyone burst into laughter once again, and the heavy atmosphere disappeared within seconds.

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The next morning, the house was awake before sunrise. The courtyard was once again filled with cheerful voices and constant hustle, as today was Seema's mehendi ceremony.

As the day went by, the sweet fragrance of fresh mehendi spread through the entire house. Women sang traditional songs, girls laughed while showing each other their designs, and the delicious aroma of food drifted from the outdoor kitchen.

By evening, Raghav quietly walked towards the courtyard where Seema sat in the middle, surrounded by smiling faces. Her hands were already covered with beautiful mehendi designs.

One of his cousins smiled and handed him a mehendi cone.

"Bhaiya, aap bhi lagao na."
(Brother, you should apply some too.)

He sat beside Seema and carefully drew a few small patterns on the empty space left on her palm.

After placing a gentle hand on her head and blessing her, he stepped back.

Standing quietly in one corner, he watched his little sister laughing with everyone.

It felt like only yesterday she had been running behind him, holding his finger wherever he went.

Now, she was about to begin a new life.

A faint smile appeared on his face, but his eyes quietly filled with emotions he wasn't ready to show anyone.

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I stood in front of the old mirror, quietly looking at my reflection. It had been a long time since I had dressed up like this. I rarely attended weddings or family functions. My shyness was enough to keep me away from crowded places.

I adjusted the end of my dupatta once again, making sure everything was in place.

Just then, Rekha walked into the room.

"Didi, aap ho gayi taiyaar?"
(Sister, are you ready?)

I turned towards her.

The moment her eyes fell on me, she stopped in her tracks.

"Didi... kitni sundar lag rahi ho aap. Lagta hai kala tikka bhi kam pad jaayega."
(Sister... you look so beautiful. I think even a black beauty mark wouldn't be enough to ward off the evil eye.)

A blush instantly spread across my cheeks.

"Bas bhi karo, Rekha..." I smiled shyly.
(Oh, stop it, Rekha...)

She came closer with a mischievous grin.

"Mujhe lagta hai aaj aapke liye bhi rishte aa jayenge."
(I think you'll get marriage proposals today too.)

"Bas bas... aisa kuch nahi hoga."
(Oh, stop... nothing like that is going to happen.)

"Dekh lena aap."
(You'll see.)

I laughed softly and lightly slapped her shoulder.

"Bahut shararti ho gayi hai tu."
(You've become quite mischievous.)

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Together, we stepped out of the house and began walking towards the wedding venue through the narrow stone paths that wound between the village homes.

As we walked closer, the sound of women singing traditional wedding songs echoed through the mountain air. The beat of the dhol and cheerful laughter blended with the cool evening breeze. Strings of lights twinkled in the distance, and the sweet aroma of fresh food and flowers welcomed every guest.

With every step, my excitement quietly grew.

The moment we entered the courtyard, my eyes wandered everywhere. Colorful decorations, smiling faces, children running around, women in bright traditional clothes... everything looked so beautiful that I forgot to watch where I was going.

Suddenly...

I bumped into someone.

The impact made me stumble a little.

Before I could apologize, I slowly looked up.

Instead of seeing his face first, my eyes met a pair of deep black eyes.

For a brief moment, the noise around us disappeared.

The laughter, music, and conversations faded into the background.

It felt as if only those Two Pairs Of Eyes remained.

There was something strangely familiar in his gaze, as though he had known mine long before this moment.

My heart skipped a beat.

Realizing I had been staring for too long, I quickly lowered my eyes. Heat rushed to my cheeks as my shyness took over.

Without saying a word, I stepped aside and hurried away.

Even as I walked, I could somehow feel that the stranger hadn't moved, his eyes still following me.

Trying to calm my racing heart, I quickly made my way towards Rekha, who was sitting behind the bride, laughing with a group of girls.

I quietly sat beside them, pretending nothing had happened.

But somehow...

Those black eyes refused to leave my thoughts.

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END of the chapter!!
Hope u like the chapter...✨

AUTHOR'S NOTE

This situation still exists today. The societal pressure around a daughter's marriage affects not just the girl, but also her mental well-being and her family.

I wanted to show a small glimpse of that reality in this chapter.

Kuch logon ko lgta h, Bas Bhagwaan muh diya hai toh jitni bakwaas kar sako.

Aise logon ko toh pitne ka Maan krta hai Mera.😶‍🌫️😤

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