MM- Ch 12

Geet left for home before breakfast. She was too excited and like always couldn't wait to tell her mother of all the happenings. Geet was never one to hide anything from her Amma who most likely will give her another bash of lecturing on growing up.

But Jassi ji has always made sure her daughters could share anything with her. Geet was obviously first berated for her heedlessness of walking home in wet clothes without any fear of falling ill during the wedding. Ofcourse, finally for all the overnight tamasha which she had no sense to share with her mother sooner!

Alas, Jassi ji was more anxious of the decisions that Daijaan and Behroze Bhai would make for Meer's wedding. She wished more than anything to not have the young girls' heart broken.

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Breakfast was served and with tea Daijaan hosted a 'hearing' with the news of Haider’s overnight confusion and confession to Meer.

The offender (Haider) and the victim (Meer) were called to testify and state the truths of their hearts.

Daijaan offered a settlement to postpone the wedding until next year. So, that Haider and Meer can get some more time to think through and mature over their decision.

But Haider appealed otherwise, declaring his state of heart now and how he is seen the truth over night. 

Further testimonies and apologies were given from Haider’s father.

But finally when all hearts were at rest; Haider left with his father and best friend to return tonight with Mehendi for his Bride-to-be.

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Jassi and the rest returned to the Haweli to take care of all the events for today. But of course,  only after the much awaited conversation between Daijaan and Jassi discussing the hearing that took place at tea in the morning. 

As the day went by, the commotion of things going on just kept on rising.

Meer was first bathed after uptan and haldi ceremony. She was then taken to get dressed in a light yellow and green chudidaar for the Mehendi which was once worn by her own mother.

Haider arrived this time with a different kind of restlessness in his heart. His eyes searching for his bride. But she was nowhere to be found. The men were to be sat separately for this evening. Until the nikah ceremony, the Bride was to not been seen by her groom.

Asma brought with her lines and lines of trays filled with new dresses, accessories, sweets and fruits. Her happiness for her son could be seen in the display of gifts she brought for her daughter in law from Delhi.

Noora, Haider's sister was also so excited to witness sangeet and mehendi in a different setting than what she has ever seen before. 

The glamorous blitzy weddings and parties in Delhi were starkly different to the simple night of ' 'dholak ke geet' (wedding folk songs) under a starry night in the beautiful courtyard of the haweli. 

The simple drapery and lanterns brought the night alive and with it the raunak of the mehendi had begun. 

Under the luscious flowered filled canopy that Geet had helped decorate, Meet sat with girls drawing beautiful mehendi on her hands and feet.

Guests were sprawled across the lawn on floor cushions and the soft platform beds.  

The noise of dholak and those unsynced but joyous claps and whistles from the women singing  and dancing echoed all the way to the front of the haweli where the men were seen enjoying with each other along with the company of the delicious Punjabi spread, buffet hosted by Jassi ji as her token of love for Meer and Haider.

As the night went on the heart touching simple dholki geets raised emotions high in all the elders. 

Daijaan was seen happily wiping her tears and clapping to the songs. Dadima was enjoying every moment of this simplicity and couldn’t but help herseld to wish for such similar events and happiness in her own home and in the lives of her beloved. She too shed some tears of happiness with hopes of more.

Jassi ji was busy managing the whole event, Dadima admired the woman for her dedication and love to this family. Her relation to them is none to Behroz or his wife. But Mohinder and Jassi do beyond than being a neighbor or a friend. She realized that there are still many neighbourhoods and homes which didn't value relations on money or status. The callousness of the city hasn't rubbed off on the people of Hoshiarpur.

Dadima was intrigued at how Jassi ji who lives in a small town like Hoshiarpur had the knack to manage all events in its entirety with such ease that even the best of event management services in Delhi would struggle. From food to decor to greeting guests. Jassi knew how to do all!

Her own daughter in law wouldn’t life a finger without the help of 10 servants. And here Jaswinder was gliding across without a tinge of frown on her forehead.

Her genuine love for others and her down to earth nature touched Dadima’s heart. She wished to have also given charge of her own family to such a woman. Her heart sighed at the thought of her daughter in law and the plight of her home.

Just then Geet ran over and dragged her mother to sit with them all and join in the dholki. Jassi took her daughter's lead and finally sat with the rest joining in to lift the ambiance of the place even more.

Dadima's old wisdom filled eyes couldn't help but notice that Geet reflected her mother’s nature in so many ways.

Despite Geet's still young age, she saw that in her own fun she was aware of many things around her. Geet was trying to make Noora inclusive with all her other friends. Checking up Meer's Mehendi and even becoming an innocent shoulder of support for Daijaan.

As Daijaan’s emotions were so fragile on an evening like this when her own daughter should have been the one to host it all. Geet sat near Daijaan’s feet making sure that the old Nani was enjoying every moment of her grand daughter’s mehendi.

Dadima’s heart swelled at the sight of Geet’s simple yet so in-depth nature. She thought that the lost raunak of her home under the carelessness of its current caretaker can only be revived once again if she were to bring this younger form of Jassi in her own home.