Kirtidev had received many such proposals from his relatives, well-wishers and acquaintances who wanted to curry favour from him through this way. After all, there were many suitable candidates around in each family, immediate or extended. It totally depended upon how significant or not the woman was to that clan!
Girls as old as Kirtidev's daughter-in-laws to unmarried matrons to beautiful widows, a large number of them were sent to him under some guise or another for quite some time before he finally announced to the world that he wasn't going to bring in another woman across the threshold of the Bali house. Anyone offering to 'recommend' a female to him henceforth would attract the wrath of the Bali family.
Since then, it had been peaceful albeit lonely sailing for him, at least in his personal life.
Had Kirtidev's wife been alive, she would have been a part of the ceremony and would have sat on his left, as per the custom. But now, he sat alone on the small rug diagonally across the designated place of worship. Looking at the empty place beside him, Kirtidev willed the moisture in his eyes to recede.
The priest who was going to perform the havan had already arrived. He was sitting cross-legged in front of a havan kund* which was a rectangular contraption made out of mud. The old man was the descendant of the family of priests who had been the appointed holy worshipper on behalf of the Bali clan.
All noble households with long ancestry had their own priests, matchmakers, and even barbers.
The priest was familiar with the inner workings of the Bali family and was currently placing dry firewood sticks inside. His junior was busy arranging various things which would be used later during the ceremony.
Both the daughters-in-law in the household were dressed in festive, nine-yard* sarees. They looked dazzling in bright, felicitous colors. As per the Mandhaar custom, black and white were considered to be inauspicious colors and were a taboo during festive ceremonies.
Wearing bright make-up to match her magenta saree, Madam Lilavati's face still couldn't hide the despondency completely. But her chin was angled at an arrogant angle.
Some distance away, both Dharitri and Dharani looked a little subdued. It seemed that news about their parents' latest discord had reached them as well.
On the other hand, Madam Subhadra was radiant in a startling orange saree, which almost blinded one's eyes. A few days ago, the youngest master had brought a batch of rare and exotic treasures from some travelling merchants of the Western kingdom of Vasi. Madam Subhadra had been looking for an opportunity to show off some of these prized possessions for some time now.
Not only had she managed to suppress the eldest sister-in-law this morning with her opulence show, her husband had received some good news late last night regarding their business.
She looked at the dispirited Eldest family and the smile on her face simply wouldn't go away. Lilavati, this woman, had always looked down upon her and her lowly merchant background.
In all these years, Madam Lilavati had been ruling the house. From the time that Subhadra got married, she was subjected to veiled, unkind remarks regarding her background by this woman through her arrogant servants. Moreover, there was that constant comparison between the husbands and their abilities. The eldest, eloquent minister Rudradev was far superior to his money-minded youngest sibling. How she hated listening to these comments all the time!
Even when their mother-in-law was alive, it was Lilavati who had taken on the charge of the house during the early days of her marriage. The genteel old woman had been happy just being with her husband.
Thankfully, that grey-eyed vixen, Kadambari entered their house and caused this scholarly lady to lose her airs! Ever since then, Madam Lilavati not only lost her husband's heart but also her peace of mind.
Retribution came slowly but surely!
Subhadra shied away from the memory that even her own husband had been enamoured by Kadambari at that time but he had been too timid to act upon it. Thankfully, she had a money-loaded natal background and a good mind for numbers which made her remain useful for her husband over the years.
For now, she was just happy that Lilavati was miserable.
Katyayani stood in a corner and was dressed in a full length, long dress made out of organza. Fitted at the top, it was a plum colored dress with delicate grey embroidery in the shape of paisley and flared below the waist. Wearing silver anklets, which made a tinkling noise with every step, her bare feet peeked out of the flowing gown intermittently.
Everyone taking part in the havan proceedings needed to be bare feet.
The melodious vedic chants by the priest made the entire atmosphere harmonious and full of positive energy. The havan lasted for more than an hour and was finished with a poornahuti* which was done by all the family members present.
The air was thick with the smell of various ayurvedic exotic herbs which had been used during the puja*, out of which, the most prominent one was the bhimseni kapoor*.
*Havan Kund - is the center place in a Havan(Vedic ritual) in which people put on a fire in the center and make offerings along with chantings of mantras, mostly to please a god/goddess and/or achieve a certain objective.
*Nine yard saree - tends to be broader and thicker than other saree types with religious and cultural significance
*Poornahuti - ceremony which shows the significance of 'ahuti' to an individual's life. It means, "Absolute offering away of oneself".
*Puja - ceremonial worship
*Bhimseni kapoor - Barus camphor. It is burnt to perform Aarti (circular movement or display of the lamp) before the deity.