Turquoise, Green, Yellow and Red
Pastel shades too add to the spread.
Zaris that shimmer and silk that flows
Dhotis are there, but none too close!
Glittering earrings and jingling bangles
Dazzling silk skirts with glittering spangles.
Flowers that laugh out as a riot of colours
Happiness, happiness it seems is all ours!
How pretty, very pretty, they all say
I keep hearing it all through the day.
Lady in pink, with diamonds to please
People swarm around me like busy bees.
Oh, Sakhi, oh Sakhi, my cousins tease
I bite my lip and say, oh please..
Yet they don’t care much to listen
And now, my eyes begin to glisten.
I look down at my mehndi-ed hands
And feel his gaze from where he stands.
I hide my eyes behind the veil of my curls
My heart pounds as this love story unfurls.
Yes, yes, you’re in love, my heart sings
I feel giddy with joy that this thought brings.
In a moment, I feel a hand on my shoulder
Oh, could it be him, I shiver and shudder.
What’s the matter with you, my darling?
It’s my dear grandfather who’s asking.
I heave a sigh and complain they’re teasing
In a fleeting second, I catch him smiling.
Now, come on, get moving, the old man says
And we all run up, while I’m still in a daze.
Sakhi, come here, I hear my mother call
I walk up with trinkets, anklets, jasmine and all.
I revel in the joys of a beautiful wedding
Running, meeting, talking, laughing,
Pretending to not see and still seeing
Stealing glimpses, smiling and dreaming.
While joy and laughter fill the spaces
Anxiety soon crawls up our faces.
For here’s the moment we all waited for
Suddenly silence comes knocking from far.
And the moment her man weds my sister
The barricades break open and there is a tear.
Slowly, steadily running down my face
Rolling down my cheek it gathers pace.
Through watery eyes I catch him again
This time looking at me straight and plain.
‘Brush away your tears,’ he signals to me
And throws a smile that I so love to see.
My dear cousins who said, am next
To say this I no more need a pretext,
I will soon jump and sing and say
Look I found my love and it’s here to stay.
Picture by Marian under CC license