prologue
Prologue
The day wouldn’t have kicked in yet for most people at 4 in the morning yet Nakul sat dressed at the edge of his bed. Surely, the rest of the family staying at the Mandapam would have been going around the place for quite a while now.
He felt his nerves tingling. The silk of his shirt stung at him and the viputhi on his forehead was swatted with sweat.
‘I can’t marry her’
It sounded absolute in his head, yet it made his throat go dry.
But that does not mean he could put this off now, not anymore.His kalayanam was just mere hours away and still his brain was trying to dissuade him from reality. It was now or never, he knew that. He peeked out timidly from the crack of his door.
If he was to venture out to the ‘mana magal’ room, however close by it may be; he would be attracting more relatives to his side than a rotting apple can attract flies. He wouldn’t be happy for all that attention just then. He saw someone coming by.
‘Oy’ he made in his loudest whisper.
The girl stopped at the door with a dubious look.
‘Call Giri Akka’ he instructed.
This made a cloud of blush float over the child’s face which almost made him groan, thinking what she might have supposed his urgent call to his bride meant. At least, he could depend upon her discreetness then. With a bob of her head which sent her nethi chuthi waving about, the girl had disappeared and he did so too into his room.
He was then left to wrack his brain over how he was going to let her down easy without totally devastating her, as if that was even possible. The din of a disaster that’ll soon be awoken outside by their people could be dealt with later.
Step by step, he had resolved when he heard the door being tugged open roughly and a flushing woman scurried in.
Oh no, he thought to himself. Giritha’s cheeks were plastered with bright sandhanum and her hair was covered with yellow rice.
She looked a delightful mess. He understood that she had just returned from her nalangu and it should be his turn next, so he mustn’t make this long.
‘What is it?’ she asked him, her eyes gleaming conspiratorially. He had to get it out with her.
‘I can’t do this’ he was almost breathless.
‘What do you mean?’ she still smiled carelessly.
‘I can’t marry you’ it tore from him in a rush and he instantly saw the color drain beneath the yellow paste on her face.
Terms
Mandapam- A hall where weddings are held.
Viputhi- a powder of white ash which is deemed sacred.
Kalyanam- wedding
Mana magal- Bride
Sandhanum- a sandal paste which is used in hindu rituals.
Nalangu- a ceremony conducted which is has elders put sandhanum on your cheeks and kumkum on your forehead as a gesture of well wishes for the future.
