Chapter 11 - 11.The D-Day

Today's the D-Day and bride to be still sleeping even at 11 o'clock. Well no one complain about as this much ritual drained her out.

When Mahi wake up her friends take her to the spa for her much needed body massage before proceeding toward getting ready.

When Mahi got ready in her breath taking red lehenga with a new pair of Kalira and finally her choora got free from those clothes. Heavy bridal jewellery in neck combined with maangtika and naath. Heavy Anklet with those ring bracelet and a red chunari over her head to make her look a perfect bride.

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The Groom makes his way to the entrance of the wedding venue and meets the Mother of the Bride, who applies tilak and performs aarti to rid him of any evil eyes cast upon him.

Mahi is escorted by her four brothers under a wedding arch four corners hold by her four brothers to the Aisle. Where her groom is waiting for garland. The true essence of Indian Weddings stem from the customary rituals that take place throughout the wedding day.

After reaching the Aisle the Bride is the first to attempt to exchange the garland, fighting off the Groom's side as they playfully hinder her from placing the garland around his neck. This moment is highly anticipated amongst the guests and family in attendance due to its teasing nature. Once the Groom successfully exchanges his garland the couple takes their seats at the Mandap to start the ceremony.

The mandap is the 'sanctum sanctorum of wedding rituals. It is the central element in wedding decorations. A great mandap design is not just about pleasing aesthetics but also about the meaning behind putting up a canopy with four pillars that marks the auspiciousness of a fruitful married life. Only a select number of people are allowed in the mandap under its canopy, namely, the bride, groom, families of the bride and groom, and the officiating priest who will be summoning the rituals.

Weddings begin with a greeting and an opening prayer by the priest, naming the couple and asking for God's blessings on their wedding day. In front of Holy fire.

Gathbandhan symbolises the union of the bride and the groom in a sacramental bond for the rest of their lives. The Gathbandhan is done before the groom and the bride exchange marital vows during the Saat Phere.One end of the bride's garment (pallu or the chunni) is tied to the traditional scarf worn by the groom along with a coin, a flower, whole turmeric, durva grass and some raw rice.

Kanyadaan meaning is all about parents having to give away their daughter as a form of gift to the groom. This is one ritual that is overdriven by immense emotional value as a father has to let go of the most precious thing known to him - that is his daughter!

Saat Pheras, seven circles that a couple takes around the sacred fire under a gorgeously adorned mandap. However, it is not just taking seven rounds around a sacred fire that binds them in the matrimonial bond but also the promises that they make to each other while doing these circumambulations. Each phera comes with a different promise that the bride and groom vow to each other in order to lead a blissful marital life. In first three rounds groom lead the phera while from fourth round bride lead the phera which have its own meaning.

Sindoor (Vermilion) During a wedding, groom puts sindoor in the hair parting of his better half that delineates purity with the help of coin. Putting sindoor is a strong belief to that Goddess Parvati not only preserves the husband of a married woman but also saves from evils. It is an oblique prayer for the happy and long life of husbands.

Avatar said jokely before putting on Mahi's vermilion "This one rupees lead to million of investment over one person!" Everyone laughed while Mahi try to control her laughter.

Mangalsutra (Wedding chain) It is made of gold and black beads look as a beautiful jewelry accessory for women. Mangalsutra is considered managing body pressure and also regularize blood circulation. It is a belief that wives must wear body-hugging mangalsutra because it enhances the effect of gold. A black bead will off social evils or bad eye and have a pleasant married life.

After wedding ceremony now bride and groom have to get blessings from elders. while thier gathbandhan will never have to open in life time.

Joota Chupai' or 'Joota Chori' rasam literally means 'hiding shoes'. The bride and the groom are initially asked to remove their shoes before stepping inside the mandap' where the wedding ceremony takes place. During this time, the bride's sisters steal the groom's shoes as a prank and promise to give the shoes back only if they get a handsome fee in return.

The groom's brothers and cousins, on the other hand, try their best to find the shoes in order to avoid the fee, but in most cases fail since the bride's sisters are often too smart and clever when it comes to the lively ritual of the 'Joota chori rasam'. When the groom finally gives up on all his light-hearted negotiations and gives into the demands of the bride's sisters, he finally gets his shoes back which are put on his feet by the bride's sisters. But Natasha, Divya and Kiara only steal one shoe and not the entire pair since that gives a more comic effect to the situation.

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After Bidai ceremony happened and now Mahi is standing in the front Kapoor Mansion door to perform further rituals called Griha Pravesha, During the Griha Pravesha the mother-in-law then applies a Tilak to both the bride and groom, after which the couple seek blessing from the elders present. After this the bride is to tilt a Kalash (pot) laden with rice using her right foot and then step into a dish with Alta a mixture of vermilion and water. After this she is to walk into the home leaving behind auspicious red footprints which is symbolic of the arrival of Goddess Lakshmi.

post-wedding games, out of which first is to find the ring from a bowl of water, milk and rose petals. It said that whoever wins the game will be the the decision maker in their married life. Avatar wins that game.

The Pillow Talk is another popular game wherein the couple is made to sit back to back. A pillow is held between them by another person and they are made to answer various questions by just nodding their head to indicate 'yes' or 'no'. This is a fun-filled game and is used to check how compatible the couple is with one another. Karthik is the one who is asking questions.

"My first question, Did my brother is a Virgin?" Mahi is literally trying to control her laughter while shaking her head on the other side Avatar face become black like the bottom of the pot but still he Shake his head.

"Second question, Did my witch have any phobia?" Avatar pursed his lips while nodding his head. It's just a instinct nothing else while Mahi also nod as she have Cynophobia. This ceremony goes on with Karthik non sense questions.

Unknotting the knotted string is another popular post-wedding game which is quite popular amongst households. In this, a knotted bracelet string is tied to both the bride and groom. Both are then to unknot the knots using one hand. This game is very delightful and humorous at the same time.