Chapter 13 – The Wedding

That night, after Shreya's bidaai, the Rajawat family gathered in the living room.

The house felt strangely quiet without Shreya.

But there was another important matter to discuss.

Poornima and Veeresh's wedding.

Aravind looked at everyone.

Aravind: "We should decide everything for the wedding."

Gayathri nodded.

Gayathri: "Yes. But Veeresh has already said he wants it to be simple."

Kamala looked toward Veeresh.

Kamala: "Beta, are you sure?"

Veeresh nodded.

Veeresh: "Yes. I don't want a big celebration."

Aravind: "Why?"

Veeresh: "Because we're leaving immediately after the wedding. I have work waiting in Germany."

He looked at everyone.

Veeresh: "There is no need to spend weeks on ceremonies."

Poornima sat quietly beside her mother.

Gayathri looked at her daughter.

Gayathri: "Poornima?"

Poornima smiled faintly.

Poornima: "I'm okay with it, Maa."

Aravind nodded.

Aravind: "Then we'll keep it simple."

Kamala smiled.

Kamala: "A temple wedding."

Everyone agreed.

Veeresh remained silent.

He was already thinking about his flight, business arrangements, and the documents that needed to be completed.

Poornima, meanwhile, was thinking about the fact that by the next morning, she would officially become his wife.

She didn't know what their marriage would look like.

She only knew that everything was happening very quickly.

The next morning, the family gathered at the temple.

The ancient temple was peaceful and beautifully decorated with flowers.

Kul Purohit Ji was already waiting for them.

Poornima arrived wearing a simple traditional saree.

Veeresh wore a cream-colored kurta with a traditional shawl.

There were no grand decorations.

No huge gathering.

Only their families, the sacred temple, and the rituals that would bind them together.

Kul Purohit Ji began the ceremony.

After the initial prayers, he looked toward Poornima.

Kul Purohit Ji: "Poornima beta, come here."

She walked forward.

The priest took a sacred thread and handed it to her.

Kul Purohit Ji: "Tie this thread around Veeresh's wrist."

Poornima nodded.

She gently took Veeresh's hand and tied the thread around his wrist.

Veeresh looked at her silently.

For a moment, their eyes met.

Then the priest smiled.

Kul Purohit Ji: "Now exchange the varmala."

Poornima and Veeresh stood facing each other.

Poornima lifted the garland and placed it around Veeresh's neck.

Veeresh then placed the garland around her neck.

Everyone smiled.

The rituals continued.

They sat together before the sacred fire.

Kul Purohit Ji began chanting the mantras.

Veeresh and Poornima completed the pheras around the fire.

With every round, they took the sacred vows of marriage.

Poornima's heart beat faster with every step.

Veeresh remained calm, his expression unreadable.

Finally, Kul Purohit Ji handed Veeresh the mangalsutra.

Kul Purohit Ji: "Veeresh beta, tie the mangalsutra."

Veeresh took it.

He gently placed it around Poornima's neck and tied the sacred knot.

Poornima lowered her eyes.

Then came the final ritual.

The sindoor.

Kul Purohit Ji: "Veeresh."

Veeresh took the vermillion between his fingers.

For a moment, he looked at Poornima.

Then he applied the sindoor to the parting of her hair.

Poornima closed her eyes.

The priest smiled.

Kul Purohit Ji: "From this moment, you are husband and wife."

Everyone blessed them.

Aravind's eyes filled with tears as he looked at his daughter.

Gayathri smiled emotionally.

Kamala folded her hands in prayer.

And Veeresh simply looked at Poornima.

There was no grand celebration.

No elaborate wedding.

Just a quiet temple, sacred vows, and two people who had entered a marriage neither of them fully understood yet.

Their new life had begun.