Echoes of Destiny

Post Wedding Rituals

After receiving blessings from the divine at the small temple, Rajveer and Advaita returned to the main hall. The moment had arrived for the muh dikhai ceremony, a significant part of Advaita's introduction to her new family.

Advaita was guided to sit on a chair placed in the center of the hall. Badi Ranisa, the eldest and a respected figure in the family, initiated the ceremony.With a gentle and graceful demeanor, she stood in front of Advaita and lifted her veil, revealing her face. As she gazed upon Advaita's countenance, she couldn't help but express her admiration.

"Beautiful," Badi Ranisa declared, her voice filled with genuine pleasure. She was clearly pleased with her new granddaughter-in-law, finding her to be deserving of being Rajveer's bride.

Leelavati, with her usual grace, introduced Badi Ranisa to Advaita. "Advaita, she is Rajveer's Dadisa, and now yours too."

Advaita, displaying utmost respect, rose from her seat to touch Badi Ranisa's feet, seeking her blessings. "Pranam Dadisa," she greeted with humility.

Badi Ranisa, with a gentle smile, offered her blessings, "May you find happiness, prosperity, and love in your new journey, my dear."

In a touching gesture, she then presented Advaita with a jewelry set that had been specially crafted for Rajveer's bride when he was born. It was a heartfelt muh dikhai gift from Badi Ranisa, symbolizing her warm welcome and acceptance of Advaita into the family. "I had this made for my Rajveer's bride when he was born, and now I give it to you," she explained, her eyes filled with affection.

Advaita received Badi Ranisa's gift with great care and expressed her heartfelt gratitude. She understood the significance of these gifts, not just as jewelry but as tokens of love and acceptance into her new family.

Next in line was Leelavati, who, like the others, lifted Advaita's veil and was equally pleased with her beauty. With a warm smile, she presented Advaita with another precious jewelry set, one that had been passed down through generations. It was a gift deeply rooted in tradition, symbolizing the rich heritage of their family.

The muh dikhai ceremony continued with all the females in the hall taking their turn to lift Advaita's veil and admire her beauty. Queen Leelavati introduced each of them to Advaita, and in turn, Advaita sought their blessings with humility and grace.

The ladies had prepared beautiful gifts for Advaita, and she handled each one with care, appreciating the thought and love that went into each gesture. It was a heartwarming moment of bonding and acceptance as the family showered Advaita with their blessings and tokens of affection during this auspicious ceremony. 

After the muh dikhai ceremony concluded, the guests who had gathered for the occasion began to depart, returning to their respective homes. This left only the royal family remaining in the palace, and they gathered for lunch.

The lunch was set for everyone, but in accordance with tradition, the men and women dined separately. The men enjoyed their meal in one room, while the women gathered in another. 

After the lunch, the royal family and Advaita returned to the main hall, where they found an arrangement of seven thalis (plates) on the floor, each of different sizes, placed in ascending order of their size. This setup was part of a significant ritual.

Badi Rani Sa, with wisdom and experience, explained the ritual to Advaita. "Advaita, you are to pick up all seven thalis, one on top of the other, without letting any of them fall to the floor. Moreover, the thalis should not make any noise while you collect them and hand them over to Leelavati."

It was believed that if the bride made any noise while piling up the plates, it could lead to disharmony in the family. Advaita nodded in understanding and replied respectfully, "Ji, Dadisa."

Before Advaita began the ritual, Badi Rani Sa asked Rajveer to assist by using his sword to carefully shift the plates. Rajveer unsheathed his sword and, with precise movements, shifted the plates slightly to make it easier for Advaita to pick them up.

With utmost care and focus, Advaita proceeded to pick up the thalis one by one, placing the smaller ones inside the larger ones, all the while ensuring that there was no noise. Her graceful and silent execution of the ritual was a testament to her poise and grace. Once she had completed the task, she handed the pile of plates to her mother-in-law, Leelavati, marking the successful completion of this important wedding tradition.

Following the previous ritual, Advaita and Rajveer were led to sit on stools. In front of them, there was a large vessel filled with milk and rose petals. As they settled in their seats, Badi Ranisa explained the next joyful ritual.

"Advaita, Rajveer, the next ritual is a delightful game. Nayantara will hide this ring in the vessel filled with milk, and then the two of you will have to find it. The one who finds it first will be deemed the winner."

This ceremony served not only as a fun game but also as a way to test the compatibility of the couple and how well they collaborated, signifying their readiness for married life. Advaita and Rajveer nodded in understanding and responded respectfully, "Ji, Dadisa."

One of Rajveer's aunts added a playful comment, "Rajveer, it's believed that the one who wins this game leads the marriage, so you have to win!" This lighthearted remark brought laughter from everyone present. Leelavati intervened with a kind smile, "Now, let's not embarrass the young couple. Nayantara, dear, please hide the ring."

Nayantara, holding the ring in her hand, approached the vessel. With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she playfully whispered to Advaita, "Bhabhisa, I'm on your team. You have to win!" This friendly encouragement added an element of excitement to the game as the couple prepared to search for the hidden ring.

Rajveer and Advaita eagerly dipped their hands into the vessel filled with milk and rose petals, each hoping to be the one to find the hidden ring. As they searched, their fingers brushed against each other, creating a subtle but electrifying connection that sent a spark through Advaita, momentarily freezing her in place.

In that fleeting moment, Rajveer's quick reflexes paid off, and he triumphantly retrieved the ring from the milk. The room burst into cheers and applause, celebrating Rajveer's victory in the game. It was a moment filled with joy and camaraderie, and the couple's compatibility shone brightly as they navigated this playful ritual together.

Following the previous fun game, Badi Rani Sa explained the next intriguing ritual to Advaita and Rajveer. "Both of you have a yellow knot tied to your wrists by the priest a few days before your marriage. Now, each of you must open each other's knots, but remember, you can only use a single hand to do so. The one who opens the knot first will win."

Advaita and Rajveer nodded in understanding. Advaita, however, felt a sudden surge of nervousness. The mere touch of Rajveer's fingers had momentarily left her frozen during the previous game. She had no idea what would happen next.

They extended their wrists toward each other, ready to tackle the challenge of opening the knots with a single hand. This time, with her slim and agile fingers, Advaita managed to open the knot on Rajveer's wrist before he could open hers, winning the game. Applause filled the room, and Nayantara beamed with pride, celebrating Advaita's victory in this engaging and symbolic ritual.

The final game was explained by Badi Rani Sa, "Now, Rajveer, your task is to find your name hidden in Advaita's mehendi." Rajveer nodded in acknowledgment, saying, "Ji, Dadisa."

Advaita, sitting still, was gently reminded by Rani Leelavati, "Advaita, extend your palms for Rajveer." Shyly, Advaita opened her palms, which were adorned with intricate mehendi designs, and presented them to Rajveer. His hands, much larger than Advaita's delicate ones, held her palms as he began the search for his name.

As Rajveer's fingers traced the intricate patterns of mehendi on Advaita's palms, she blushed, feeling his touch. It took Rajveer a few moments, but he eventually found all the letters of his name hidden within the mehendi. With the successful completion of these delightful rituals, everyone present stood up to take their leave, marking the end of these joyous ceremonies.