My Best Friend's Wedding

There was festivity in the air. It was a riot of colours. Red, the colour of love, was predominant. Melodious strains of shehnai could be heard playing in the background. Flowers adorned walls, doors and windows. It was a happy day. A day which would see two young people being bound together in holy matrimony.

The banquet hall was bathed in soft yellow light. Guests: relatives and friends of the bride and groom were mingling. Weddings are after all times when all relatives, near and dear, take time out from their busy, disparate schedules and assemble together to bless the newlyweds. Topics for conversation were no doubt many. There was a lot of ground to be covered, starting from the last time they had met each other. Children banded together, delighted to have so much company. Teenagers could be seen clicking selfies to go on their various social networking profiles.

A stage was set up at the front of the banquet hall. It was carpeted in red velvet and rose petals. In the middle of the stage, a mandap decorated with colourful flowers was set up. Holy fire burned in an iron vessel enclosure.

My eyes followed my best friend as she walked the seven sacred steps around the fire with the man who would be her husband. She was the most beautiful bride ever. Resplendent in her elegant red silk sari, matching jewellery and flowers adorning her hair. But her best adornment remained her genuine happiness, which added a radiance to her face which I hadn't seen before. It made her look ethereal, despite her tired eyes, the aftereffect of having had to be on her feet for major part of the past few days, engrossed in the wedding preparations.

I was struck by a wave of nostalgia as I watched the look of quiet resolve on her face, the determined straightness of her posture, the small, private smile on her face. She was ready for this. Ready to leave behind her adolescence and step into adulthood, ready to take on the responsibilities that would be heaped on her by the society post marriage.

How had time flown so quickly? It seemed like it was only yesterday when I met her for the first time. We had both been twelve. I had been made to sit beside her in class. After just one day at school spent in countless conversations with her, I knew we would be best friends for life. We had so many fond memories together.

The marriage ceremony was complete. My friend was a married woman now. My eyes started to well up. Melancholy swept over me as everyone stood up to sprinkle rice and flowers on the newlyweds. A part of life as I knew it was over. Our childhood was gone. We were on the precipice of adulthood. Would we lose each other in the maze of responsibilities, keeping up appearances and fulfilling expectations? The thought made me cringe. I realized I was not alone in feeling miserable when my eyes fell on my friend's mother making a herculean effort not to burst into tears. My heart went out to her.

It was time to go up to the stage to wish the newlyweds. I quickly wiped my tears and schooled my features. Wearing a smile which didn't quite reach my eyes, I walked towards the stage. When I came to face my friend, her infectious happiness broadened my smile automatically.

Despite my best efforts, two traitorous tears managed to escape. My friend's eyes were wet too. "Congratulations girl! Don't be a stranger", I said in a shaky voice while hugging her tightly.

"Never", she replied with a wink. Her voice was steady. "You are stuck with me for life." I managed a small laugh at that.

I turned to her husband to shake his hand. "Don't you worry", he told me solemnly. "I'm going to take good care of her."

"Thank you", I said. I could see the mutual love and respect my friend and her husband had for each other. Comforted that my friend was in good hands, I took my leave.

I felt my melancholy giving way to happiness for my friend. And this time, my smile reached all way up to my eyes.

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