Match Made in Wedding | Rajvardhan Hangargekar ✓

Big little lies

Devika Pillai

"Devi, I need you to call Panditji and remind him of the timings. And also check with the caterers once to see if they've understood everything or not. And please call that Sandeep and ask him where he is. He was supposed to be here by now. Venkateshwara, I'm so glad we kept two days as a buffer!"

I watch Amma as she hands me my to do list. And just as I catch the paper, she let's it go, already rushing to talk to Appa about the arrangement of the mehendi cones and mehendi waalis.

A smile appears on my face.

Weddings are like those stressful examinations where everyone wants to perform to the best of their abilities. They want to bring their best foot forward in the Sangeet dances, decorate the venue in the most regal way, look their best on all days and so on.

There are moments where you're so tired that your back hurts. Your eyes pain. And all your energy is drained. But you push yourself. To give the bride and groom the wedding that they deserve. Rutu and Akka had gone through a lot in these three years.

When you are famous, people have tons of opinions about everything you do. It's not just the big decisions like whom you date, whom you marry, but they even find a chance to critique the choice you made while you were asked your favourite movie. Living under public eye is as much about scrutiny as it is about love. But the way Rutu and Akka have been each other's rock has moved us all.

Even Appa. Even he knows in his heart that no-one can love Akka the way Rutu does. We all know that their love is going to be enough for all the lows.

I concentrate on dialling the number as soon as a familiar face comes into view.

Pick up the phone Panditji, I think, repeatedly. Grateful to have managed to avoid making eye contact with him.

When he does, I sigh into the phone.

******

I among others, am helping Sandeep build a stage in the Aangan and Jad is taking Shalimar for a walk.

We're all assigned different tasks. Some are responsible for building the base, while some are responsible for transporting the pillars into the Aangan.

And as fate would have it Sandeep says, "Bhaiya aap chale jaao inke saath woh wala pillar uthane."

He gestures to Raj to go with me. Without looking at me he says, "Sandeep Bhaiya, aapko lagta hai ye utha payengi?"

The edge in his tone breaks my heart. But I reassemble it. You did the right thing, Devi, I remind myself for the hundredth time.

"Rehne dijiye Bhaiya, ye khud nahi utha payega isiliye mujh par naam dal raha hai. Aap kisi aur ko boldo mere saath aane ke liye."

I don't know why I said that. Perhaps I want to provoke Raj. That's the only way he'll look at me after I've requested him to keep some distance. Which is good. Very good.