I cannot sleep today, even though my eyes are too strained to bear the shabbiness left around, my nerves keep revolting everytime I close my eyes- I see you through a thousand miles. You look beautiful and so young. You had always complained of aging but now you are finally happy that time does not make you age anymore. How could I forget that innocent smile with shades of diffidence . I could clearly see the ceremony- your friends are putting 'haldi' on you, and you are wearing a lemonade colored saree that you hated when I bought it for your birthday. I had no idea what to buy and I was in a hurry, but I never knew you would be saving that for such a special day, rejecting all the expensive ones your cousin brought , you chose to wear that. Now the ceremony is over and I am waiting patiently under your balcony to get one glimpse of who- means the world to me. And then you arrive, finally with that pretty face all smeared in turmeric, the previously rough and tough curls now beautifully straightened and made up for the wedding. Ugh- I hated that. I missed those curls , I missed you somewhere. You looked too pretty to be my girl. And when you finally wave back at me, I realise its time to leave- your earrings slips out of your left ear and falls down. I loved that 'freaking out' expression on your face , you keep pleading me to return it but I never do. Its still there in my casket, and believe me you looked even more prettier with that one earring.
I had to get dressed up in the traditional bengali 'dhoti' and 'panjabi' and while I was trying to figure out how to wear that, dad helped me out. Standing at your entrance , I look up and find you immediately hiding yourself behind the curtains.
When the Sun sets, and the evening light keeps glowing through the marriage hall that was set out in the garden, our eyes met once again, while you slowly open your folded hands holding the betel leaf. Amidst that pandemonium of friends and relatives I kept looking at your constantly hiding eyes. You had never been so shy. Your eyes beautifully enhanced with 'chandan'. I never imagined you to be wearing a red benarasee saree someday because I knew how much you hated sarees, but truly, you never looked much prettier with golden bangles clinging while we took seven rounds about the fire, uttering the 'mantras' the meaning of which I could not decipher but I made one promise in my mind- we would always walk together, something which was meant to be kept by both of us. I never believed in rituals but I was glad that we were finally getting bonded in this relationship,making God a witness.