Six weeks later
29 November 2016

8.30 am

"Say papa. Come on darling, you can do it. Say papa."

"Raman what are you doing? She's only four and a half months old. Babies don't talk this early."

Raman turned his attention from his daughter to glare at his wife, who was sitting on the sofa feeding their son and watching her husband and daughter in amusement.

"Hello madrassan, tu toh chup hi raho, samjhi?. You're the one who didn't know my darling was teething. Meri beti genius hai aur abhi mein uss we baat kar raha hoon, beech mein mat bolo." (Hello madrassan, you be quiet, okay? You're the one who didn't know my darling was teething. My daughter is a genius and Im talking to her now, so don't interfere.)

He turned his gaze back to his baby, tickling her softly on her feet. "Say papa Raashi"

"Ga poo" said Ms Raashi Raman Bhalla, giggling delightedly at her father.

"Ishita, did you hear that?" Raman jumped up excitedly. "She said papa"

"Kuch bhi" (Whatever) his wife snorted, gently removing her sons mouth from the feeding bottle he had firmly latched on to, and patting his back to make him burp before she carried him over to his father and sister.

"Here" she said, chucking her daughter under her chin as she placed her brother beside her. "Make him talk too. Theyve both been fed, they should be good for a couple of hours. I need to go down. There's so much to do for the wedding and amma is stressing out."

"Oye madrassan, ruk ja zara" Raman got up with alacrity from the bed and pulled his wife into his arms. "Itni jaldi kya hai. Ek kiss papa ko dete jao na" (Hey madrassan, just wait. What's the hurry, give papa a kiss before you go)

"Raman chodo na. Bache dekh rahe hai" Ishita squirmed ineffectually in her husband's tight embrace as their babies gazed at them curiously. (Raman leave me. The babies are watching)

"Raat ko toh chodo nahi, kuch aur hi keh rahi thi" her devilish husband grinned at her, trying to find her lips as she hid her face in his chest. (Last night you were saying something else, not leave me)

"Raat ko yeh dono so rahe theh" (These two weren't watching last night) she whispered furiously as her son set off a loud wail. "Now look Raman, you've upset Ishaan"

She raised her face to look at her son and her husband took the opportunity to plant a quick kiss on her lips, before letting her go.

"Rajnikant ka bhanja" (Rajnikants nephew) He turned back to look at his babies as his wife quickly sat on the bed, comforting her crying son. "I'm kissing my wife, what's your problem yaar?"

"You know my handsome doesn't like it when you bother me Raman" Ishita said smugly, holding up her son and blowing bubbles on his stomach until his cries turned into laughter. "You don't like it when silly papa bothers mumma, do you my darling?" she cooed at her son. Her daughter, meanwhile, had somehow maneuvered herself onto her stomach and was watching her parents and brother with raised head and a chubby grin.

"Raashi, did you roll over sweety?" Ishita stared at her daughter in amazement. "Raman, did you place Raashi on her stomach?"

"No" Raman sat on the bed and looked at his daughter in equally delighted surprise. "Did you just roll over Princess?"

Raashi continued to grin at her parents, displaying her two teeth, before her little head lowered and she subsided on the bed, giving a yelp as she did so.

"I told you my daughter is a genius" Raman said proudly, picking up his little girl and giving her a kiss before smiling at his son, still snug in his mother's arms. "You need to catch up, mummy's boy"

"Raman, I think he is teething" Ishita said worriedly, as her son burrowed into her chest again, refusing to be put down. "Kal se chidchid kar raha hai. Waise toh kitna accha bacha hai mera. Accha suno, mujhe yaad aaya, aap ko toh abhi Mihir ke saath shopping par jaana hai na - please don't forget. Pehle se kitna drama hua hai shopping ko lekar. Mein in dono ko nursery mein Aarti ke paas chodh deti hoon, warna phir aap ko jaane nahi denge" ( He has been irritable since yesterday, otherwise he is such a good baby. Okay listen, I just remembered, you have to go shopping with Mihir. Please don't forget. There's already been so much drama about his clothes. I'll leave these two in the nursery with Aarti, or else they won't let you go)

"It's okay, Ishita, I have an hour" He looked down ruefully at his daughter, who had snuggled into his chest and closed her eyes. "Although on second thoughts, you may be right. Meri gudiya ko neendi aa rahi hai, aur mere chote Superstar Rajnikant ko bhi lagta hai yahi problem hai." ( My doll is sleepy and it looks like my little superstar has the same problem) He leaned over his drowsy daughter and planted a lingering kiss on his son's forehead, and then his wife's lips, before nuzzling Raashi's downy head. "Come on" he said to his smiling wife. "Beddy time for these two and busy time for us"

**************************************
10.30 am

Ishita entered the Iyer residence and was immediately pounced upon by her mother.

Tonight was both the mehendi and sangeet, Punjabi style, for Mihir and Mihika, before tomorrow's Iyer wedding at the shubh muhuratam of 5 am. For that reason, the mehendi and sangeet function was to start at 7 pm, to allow the bride and groom to get a few hours of sleep before the busy schedule of their wedding day.

But in the meantime, there was a great deal to do.

Ishita and Raman had gone down together to the community hall at nine am. The mehendi and sangeet was to be held at the hall, a small affair with family and neighbors. Papaji, Romi and Bala were busy in the hall, supervising decorations, arranging furniture and consulting with the caterers, who were setting up their cooking equipment in readiness for the evening. Raman had left with Adi from the hall to pick up Mihir and take him to the tailors, where his tuxedo for the reception and a sherwani for the sangeet would be ready for a final fitting. Vandu akka, Mr Iyer and Soumya chithi, Mihika's amma, were at the temple where the following mornings wedding rituals would take place, similarly seeing to preparations with the temple attendants. Ishita had been called up to the Bhalla residence by Mummyji from the hall and had walked into a Bhangra practice session from which she had escaped with difficulty, wondering whether her amma and Mihika had finished sorting out all the bridal outfits for tonight and the next day.

She had walked into the Iyer residence to find amma in a panic.

"Aiyoo Ishita" Madhuri Iyer grabbed her daughter's hand with one hand, gesticulating with the other at the boxes of sweets stacked up on the dining table. " Your appa didn't order enough sweets. Aaj raat ke liye chahiye aur kal bhi. Kam ho gaya toh kitna bura lagega. Aur Hall ka decoration karna hai, kab hoga sab." (We need it for tonight and tomorrow. It will look so bad if the sweets aren't enough to go around. And the hall has to be decorated too, when will we do it all?)

"Amma, don't worry. Aap bas Mihika ke outfits aur jewellery set out kijiye, everything else is under control. Aap bhul rahi hai, aaj raat toh papaji ne Punjabi caterers ko bulaya hai. Saari mithaiyaan wohi banaenge. Yeh sweets sirf kal mandir mein breakfast ke liye hai, it's more than enough amma. Hall ki decoration Romi aur Bala jeeju ke haath mein hai, sab ho jayega. Vandu akka, appa aur Soumya chithi mandir mein sab preparation kar rahe hai. Kal raat ki reception toh Hotel Paradiso mein hai, aur woh Mihir aur Raman ki events team organize kar rahi hai na. Flowers, caterers, photographer, music, DJ, decoration, everything is under control amma. You just relax, theek hai." ( Amma don't worry, you just make sure all of Mihika's outfits for the ceremonies are ready, everything else is taken care of. You're forgetting that papaji has called Punjabi caterers for tonight. They will make all the sweets. These are for tomorrow only, for breakfast, and it's more than enough. Bala jeeju and Romi are taking care of the hall decorations and Vandu akka, appa and Soumya chithhi will handle things at the temple. And tomorrow evenings reception is at the Hotel Paradiso and Raman and Mihirs event team is organizing everything. Flowers, caterers, photographer, music, DJ, decoration, everything is under control amma. You just relax, okay?)

"Lekin Ishita, Mihir ki reception ke kapde humme dena hai na? Mihir toh last minute tak kaam se out tha Delhi se, tumhaare appa mil hi nahi paaye. Plan kiya tha appa ne. Aur yeh Mihika ab appa ko keh rahi yeh woh bother na kare, sari galti Mihir ki hai. Ishita, Mihir kya pehenega kal?
(But Ishita, we have to gift Mihirs clothes don't we? Mihir was out of Delhi until the last moment and so appa couldn't take him shopping as planned. And now Mihika is saying to leave it, it's Mihirs fault. Ishita, what on earth will Mihir wear?)

Ishita couldn't help laughing at the comic pathos in her Anna's voice.

"Amma, yeh Mihir aur Mihika ki Tom and Jerry fights se aap bilkul dur rahiye. Shaadi ho rahi hai phir bhi bacho ki tarha harkate karte hai. Raman is taking Mihir for his final fitting now. It's all under control. Aaj raat aur kal ke kapde banwa liya tha Raman ne, aaj fitting hojayega aur lekar aayenge. Raman ne appa ko explain kiya tha, aur mein ne aap ko, lekin aap tension mein sab bhul rahi hai. Accha,, mein apni behen aur beti ko dekh kar aati hoon. Aap please tension mat lo." (Amma please stay away from Mihir and Mihika's Tom & Jerry fights. They are getting married and still fighting like children. Raman is taking Mihir for his final fitting now. It's all under control. Raman has already ordered everything, they will get the fitting done now and bring the clothes. Raman explained to appa and I explained to you, but you're forgetting everything in your tension. Okay, I'll just go and see my daughter and sister. Please don't worry)

And saying so she gave her amma a hug, before heading out to Mihika's room from where she could hear the loud voices of her daughter, her nephew and her cousin.

"Ruhi chuhi " she called out as she stepped inside the brides room and was engulfed in a bear hug by all three.

"Mumma" "Chithhi" "akka"

"Stop. Enough" she managed to say as she was bearhugged onto the bed by the three, who all snuggled up to her as she managed to sit up.

"Mihika, you're worse than these two. You're getting married beta, time to grow up. Okay, tell me, what were you three goondas laughing about, huh?"

"We were laughing because Mihir uncle looks so funny in the video Chitthi" Shravan screamed over his cousin and aunt.

"What video?" Ishita asked in surprise.

"Yeh video mumma. Adi bhaiya ne bheja" Ruhi thrust Mihika's phone at her mother while her aunt the bride to be lapsed into giggles again. (This video mumma. Adi bhaiya sent it)

"Let me see" Ishita reached for the phone, giving an ominous look to her giggling cousin." I want to see just what is going on"

*************************************
Meanwhile at the Men's Outfitters

"Bhai, mujhe nahi pehenna ye sab. Suit pehen loonga, harj kya hai?" (Bhai I don't want to wear this. I'll just wear a suit, what the big deal?)

"Beta, yeh sab pehle sochna tha na. Iyer family ka damad banne ka bada shaukh tha, toh theek hai, ab pehno yeh dhoti." (Son, you should've thought of all this earlier. You wanted to be an Iyer son in law. So wear the dhoti)

Raman sat back in his comfortable arm chair and looked critically at Mihir, running his eyes from top to bottom. Mihir Arora was dressed in a spotless white dhoti with red trimmings, matched by a dashing red kurta and red turban studded with white pearls. He looked a sight to behold, and Raman could barely hold back his laughter.

He gave a stern look to Adi who was shooting a video of his mama on his phone, and having trouble hiding his amusement.

"Very good Mihir" he nodded with satisfaction, as Mihir stared in the mirror with dismay.

"Lekin bhai, kitni buri lag rahi hai. And you didn't have to wear a dhoti to your reception. Aap toh bade tuxedo mein handsome lag rahe theh. Mujhe kyun sazaa mil rahi hai?"
(But bhai, it looks horrible. And you didn't have to wear a dhoti to your reception. You were looking very handsome in your tuxedo. Why am I being punished?)

"Because....." Raman was just about to explain when he was interrupted by the loud guffaws that his son couldn't hide.

"Mamu" he spluttered through his laughter, while continuing to surreptitiously photograph the unsuspecting groom. "You look like a tomato"

"That's it, Im not wearing all this bhai" Mihir wrenched off the gaudy turban and threw it at the grinning shop assistant. " I'm not going to my reception looking like a bloody tomato" He glared at Raman as if defying him to insist, but was met with the same laughter as Adi's.

"Adi, you gave the game away" Raman mock scolded his son, when he was able to stop laughing. "Kitna pagal bana raha tha mein tumhaare mamu ko."(I was making such a fool out of your mamu)

"Bhai" Mihir glared at his friend, mentor and brother. "I'm already nervous, kyun kar rahe hai aap aisa?" (Why are you doing this?)

"I'm just following Mihika's orders" Raman replied with another laugh. "You were supposed to go shopping with her beloved periappa last week and you didn't make it, that's why."

"But that was your fault bhai. You made me stay over in Singapore an extra week. You should have gone but these days you just don't want to leave Delhi. Chunnu Munnu have done some kind of magic on you, right Adi?"

"Yes mamu, papa has become very boring these days. He just talks about the babies" Adi gave a long suffering sigh.

"Accha bachu? I was just as boring about you when you were a baby, and listen to you now. Mihir, go into the dressing room, your tux is there, try it on. Then you have to try on the sherwani for tonight. And Adi my boy, I'll get you back, just wait."

"Papa, dekho Ruhi wave kar rahi hai" (Papa, look Ruhi is waving)

Raman took the phone his son was holding and looked into the screen, only to see his wife staring back at him.

"Madrassan, face time kyun kar rahi ho? Miss me already?" He drawled sexily. (Madrassan, why are you face timing? Miss me already?)

"Ramann" his wife pouted prettily back at him. "I saw the video Adi sent to Mihika. Yeh kya bacho ke saath bache ban rahe ho. Mihir ka tux kahan hai, jo aap ne select kiya tha? Fitting finish ho jaye toh jaldi wapas aao na. Kitna kaam hai yahan. Leave poor Mihir alone, woh dulha hai. Aur is Mihika ki bachi ka main khabar leti hoon yahan. Now come home." (Ramann. I saw the video Adi sent to Mihika. Why are you acting like a child with her? Where is Mihir's tux which you had selected? Get the fitting done and come back quickly. There is so much work here. Leave poor Mihir alone, he is the groom. I'm going to fix up this Mihika right now, you come home)

"Yes ma'am" Raman saluted his wife who poked her tongue out at him before she switched the call off. He handed the phone back to his son. "Yeh lo, Ishima ke jasoos" he drawled at his sheepish looking son. "Bulla apne mamu ko, aur jaldi ghar chalte hai, warna madrassan yahan aa jayegi." (Take this Ishima's detective. Call your mamu, let's get this finished and get home, or else the madrassan will come here)

*************************************
Later that Evening
8pm

Ishita paused at the door to the community hall, taking in the happy sight before her.

Mihika sat in a circle made up of her giggling friends and all the little girls from the building (and Shravan), admiring her mehendi as the hired mehendi artists skillfully adorned her hands and legs. She had on a beautiful turmeric yellow ghagra and choli shot through with gold, the skirt pulled up to her knees as one of the mehendi experts made designs on her legs, the other busy decorating her palms. Haldi had been smeared on her glowing face during the day and she looked every inch a bride to be, her smile betraying her delight at her long delayed wedding finally taking place.

A loud and raucous Punjabi DJ was spinning bhangra beats on the sound system and a troupe of Bhangra dancers was stomping on the stage. The senior Iyers were seated before the stage, watching with various expressions, some ( including amma and their relatives from Chennai) with their hands over their ears.

The senior Bhallas however, together with the junior Bhalla's who were not serving or drinking loaded, were on the dance floor in front of the stage, shaking a leg and everything else as they got into the spirit of the night. The formalities had been completed and the DJ had warned the crowd to be prepared for some surprise performances.

Meanwhile, dinner had also been announced, and several of the older folks and children were already seated at the dining section, having served themselves with a myriad of Punjabi dishes from the buffet.

Ishita had left the hall when the speeches were still going on, having received a call from Aarti that Ishaan had not stopped crying since she had left the babies half an hour earlier. She had whispered to Raman as she left, stopping him from coming with her, and had gone to her room convinced that her son was teething, as she had suspected. Ishaan had finally been settled with panadol drops and his mumma's kisses, and after kissing both him and Raashi goodnight once again, she had rushed downstairs.

She stood now smiling at the various tableaux in the hall - Ruhi having mehendi applied just like her chitthi. Mihir looking uncomfortable in his royal blue sherwani, sipping what he thought were surreptitious shots of vodka, egged on by Bala and Romi. Vandu akka trying to coax her amma and appa to join the Bhallas in their Bhangra. And Mihika. Her young cousin looked beautiful in her yellow outfit, the shots of gold and the red mehendi setting off the color so that her face glowed and her beauty shone radiantly.

Ishita felt her eyes fill with tears as she continued to stare at Mihika - Mihika had been her baby until Ruhi came along. She still felt like a mother to her sometimes, more than a big sister. And yet her Miku was so protective of her Ishu akka too. Ishita remembered how Mihika had tried to protect her from Raman, convinced her akka was being led astray by Mihir's nasty boss, fighting tooth and nail to save her akka's honor.

A single tear escaped as she remembered back to the time two years ago when she had fallen in love with Raman, had married him in secrecy. Thankfully, everything had worked out, their families had forgiven them, and now their babies had completed them.

"What's wrong jaan? Babies okay?"

Raman had come up silently behind her, and was looking at her with concern.

"It's nothing Raman"she smiled at her husband. "The babies are fine. I was just thinking about our wedding. Aap kahan gaye theh?" (Where did you go to?)

"Is that right?" He looked around and then pulled his wife into his arms, ignoring her struggles until she relaxed in his embrace. "Toh rona kiss baat ka? Suhaag raat ko yaad karke?" (Then what are you crying about? Our wedding night?)

"Raman, you just have a one track mind" Ishita giggled as she played with the buttons on her husband's black sherwani. "Har raat suhaag raat manana chahte ho" (You want to celebrate our wedding night every night)

"Of course darling. When I have such a beautiful wife, why won't I?"

Ishita pulled out of her husband's arms and grinned at him. "Kuch bhi. Accha kahan theh aap?" (Whatever, where were you?)

"I went to bring some special old music for the DJ to play. Now make sure you watch the stage, your husband is about to perform" And he dropped a swift kiss on his surprised wife's blushing cheek, before striding to the DJs booth.

And so the revelry continued late into the night.....

Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai
Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai
Yaar ki shaadi hai mere dildaar ki shaadi hai
Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai
Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai
Lagta hai saare sansaar ki shaadi hai
Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai
Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai

Waqt hai khubsoorat
Bada shubh Lagan mahurat
Dekho kya khub janchi hai
Dulhe ki bholi surat
Dulhe ki bholi surat
Kushi se jhume hai mann
Mili sajni ko saajan
Kaise sanjog miley hai
Choli se bandh gaya daaman
Choli se bandh gaya daaman

Ek masoom kali se mere gulzar ki shaadi hai
Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai
Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai
Lagta hai saare sansaar ki shaadi hai
Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai
Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai