"Gustakh dil, Dil mein mushqil
Mushqil mein dil mushqil mein dil
Gustakh dil, Thoda sambhal, Thoda buzdil
Dard ke dar pe thehra hai kyun
Sazayein sazayein yeh khud ko kyun deta nayi
Hasne ki dhun mein rota hai kyun
Sahi kya ghalat kya
Yeh kuch bhi s...
[DISCLAIMER: Guys the traditional Puja in this chapter is purely fictional – so if it is similar to anyone's family traditions it's purely a coincidence. It is by no means intentional to anyone.]
SHANTIVAN, DELHI – 08:00 A.M.
Arnav nuzzled his face deeper in his pillow as he moved his hand to pull his wife closer to snuggle but he couldn't find her and popped open one eye to see her side empty. He blinked a few times before sitting up, glancing at the bedside table to see the time and look around the room while trying to wake his mind up. It took him another five minutes to remember that today there was a puja in home along with relatives coming and he was pretty sure his wife was up and running already to make sure all arrangements were perfect. He pushed off the covers and went to bathroom taking his towel to shower and get ready for the day so he could go downstairs to see what his wife was up to though he pouted at not getting his wake-up kisses and thought, have to sneak kisses from her somehow. Thirty minutes later, he had brushed, showered and got dressed in casual white t-shirt with grey chinos as he picked his phone from bedside table and went out of their room, in search of his wayward wife.
He was walking down the stairs as he saw the flare of activities going around, dressed in golden kurta-pyjama Mamaji was giving instructions to decorators while Nani in pale-pink saree sat and Mami wearing her banarasi saree with heavy jewellery and make-up seemed to be tallying some lists. Anjali in designer golden saree was one side making sure her husband ate who seems like dressed in grey shirt with black trousers, probably had some work outside and was busy after him. He saw Akash in casuals going off somewhere with a list in hand, NK wore a blue kurta with black jeans entered holding a stake of packets which seemed like were sweets for the puja and Payal wearing a purple saree held her pleats in one hand and balanced a big plate of puja materials in other went off. Then his Mishti dressed in white anarkali with her white printed dupatta taken over her shoulder and tied while her long hair in a Dutch braid walked out of kitchen holding huge basket full of fruits and taking it to house temple, so he followed after her.
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Khushi placed the basket carefully beside an already seated Payal, said: "Jiji these are the fruits and are already washed, so you cut them along with keeping them on those big bronze plates over there..." pointing at the plates, "Also that the soaked rice for naivedhya is in that bowl, make small balls of it then place batasha over it and lastly tulsi leave on top of it. You have to make one hundred and eight like that, so make sure to count them it shouldn't be more or less and use this bronze plate for it." and pointed to the big bronze plate on Payal's right side, continues, "Then fill the lamps and diyas with camphor and cotton twines along with putting oil in them so they are ready when Panditji asked during puja... Oil bottle is there..." pointing to the bottle was placed, "Also don't put oil in those two big lamps, in those two pour ghee as Nani had said, okay... Aapko sab yaad rahega na theek se...? You'll be able to all this right by yourself, Jiji...?" looking little doubtful for giving so much to Payal for doing alone.
