Festive colors adorned the sky of Junagarh palace today. Last night's moonlight seemed to have befriended the morning sun to spread a new kind of serenity. Today is Arohi's Bou-Bhat (Wedding Feast). From the inner quarters to the main entrance, the entire palace is being decorated with fragrant flowers and lights. The sweet melody of the shehnai floats through the palace air.
Waking up early, Arohi stood by the window. The morning light falling on the distant mountain peaks made them look like molten gold. A strange sense of peace filled her heart. Aditya's promise from last night had driven away all her fears. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Aditya entered the room, holding a bunch of blood-red roses.
Aditya said with a smile, "Good morning, my Queen! Today is very special for you."
Arohi glanced at him sideways and teased, "Is that so? And what about for you?"
Handing the roses to Arohi and touching her chin, Aditya said, "For me, every day is special as long as you are by my side. But today, the people of Junagarh will welcome their new Queen."
Preparations for the morning's "Bhaat-Kapor" (Food and Clothing) ceremony began. Arohi sat down to get ready after her bath. Her mother-in-law (the Queen Mother) personally supervised Arohi's styling, wanting everything to be flawless.
Arohi's Morning Look:
At the Queen Mother's direction, Arohi wore a pure Kanjeevaram saree with a cream-colored base and a broad border intricately worked with deep red and golden threads. She paired it with a red Banarasi blouse with elbow-length sleeves. Arohi seemed to lean under the weight of her jewelry. A heavy Seetahara around her neck, large Jhumkas in her ears, and her hands filled with Shakha-Pola (conch and coral bangles) and gold Choors. The Queen Mother personally applied a large red vermilion bindi on Arohi's forehead and braided her hair, intertwining it with garlands of jasmine and roses. Standing before the mirror, Arohi could hardly recognize herself—she looked like Goddess Lakshmi herself.
The Maharaja, the Queen Mother of Kanchangarh, Aditya, and other royal relatives were present in the ceremonial hall. Aditya wore a dhoti and panjabi. When Arohi slowly entered the room, Aditya was stunned for a moment. He felt he had never seen Arohi look so beautiful.
The "Bhaat-Kapor" ceremony commenced. After the chanting of mantras, Aditya handed Arohi a silver platter containing fragrant rice and a set of valuable new clothes. Standing before everyone, he declared in a solemn voice, "On this sacred occasion, with the holy fire and our elders as witnesses, I pledge—from today, the responsibility for your lifelong food, clothing, and all needs is mine. I shall cherish your honor and happiness until my last breath."
Arohi's eyes grew misty. She bowed and took the dust from Aditya's feet in a respectful salute. The Maharaja and both Queen Mothers placed their hands on their heads in blessing. The sounds of conch shells and Uludhvani (festive sounds made by women) echoed from all sides.
The lunch arrangement was magnificent. The Queen Mother of Kanchangarh had heard praises of Arohi's cooking, so Arohi wished to cook at least one dish for the feast herself. She went to the royal kitchen and prepared fragrant Basanti Pulao and Chanar Payesh (cottage cheese pudding) for everyone. The aroma of the cooking wafted through the palace.
When the food was served at noon, the Maharaja took the first bite and said in wonder, "Exquisite! Queen Mother of Kanchangarh, your daughter is Goddess Annapurna herself! This taste is unforgettable." The Queen Mother of Kanchangarh's face swelled with pride. Arohi smiled shyly while ensuring everyone's plates were well-served.
In the afternoon, as guests and distant relatives began to arrive at the palace gardens, a distant aunt of Aditya—named Malini Devi—made her entry. She was quite irritable and had a snobbish nature. She was secretly dissatisfied, hearing that Arohi was from a smaller royal house.
Seeing Arohi, Malini Devi curled her lip and said, "Oh my! The Queen Mother has certainly dressed her like a Great Queen! But I heard her father's house had only twenty servants, while our Junagarh has over a hundred. I wonder if she used to do the chores herself back home. It will take her quite some time to learn the etiquette of a grand royal palace."
Aditya was furious hearing this and was about to speak, but Arohi calmed him with a glance. She walked slowly toward Malini Devi, bowed to her, and said with a sweet smile, "Aunt, you are right. I love working with my own hands. My mother taught me that there is no shame in doing one's own work. And the responsibility of the Junagarh palace is mine now; I believe I will maintain the honor of both my father's house and my in-laws' house with my intelligence. I will certainly learn the etiquette of a grand palace from you."
Hearing Arohi's calm and logical reply, Malini Devi was silenced. Other relatives began to praise Arohi's intelligence in whispers. Aditya, watching from a distance, felt even more respect for Arohi.
As evening fell, the beauty of the Junagarh palace doubled. The entire palace lit up with the glow of a thousand lamps and chandeliers. The people of Junagarh began to gather outside the royal court to catch a glimpse of their new Queen. With music, dance, and fireworks, the entire city turned festive.
Arohi's Royal Evening Look:
For the royal evening assembly, Arohi wore a heavy designer lehenga—the color was deep royal blue, embellished with silver and diamond work. Her veil was set in a way that further highlighted her elegance. Her jewelry was a full diamond set—a heavy necklace, earrings, a tikli on her forehead, and diamond bangles on both hands. In this attire, Arohi looked like a celestial goddess.
Aditya wore a deep blue sherwani with golden thread work. When he came to see Arohi, he could feel his own heartbeat. Aditya went to Arohi and whispered, "You are not just the Queen of Junagarh, Arohi; you are the Queen of my heart."
Finally, late at night when the crowds had thinned, Aditya took Arohi to the highest balcony of the palace. Silence surrounded them, broken only by the sound of a distant waterfall. Aditya held Arohi's hand and presented a small box. Inside was a beautiful ring—a design featuring two entwined serpents with a large red ruby set in the center.
Aditya said, "This is the symbol of our sweet relationship. From the time I brought you from Kanchangarh after overcoming all obstacles, I had this ring made for you. It isn't just a ring, Arohi; it is my pledge that in every moment of life, in every battle, I will be by your side."
Arohi burst into tears of joy. She hugged Aditya and said, "I too will never let go of this hand, Aditya. May our new life be as beautiful as a fairy tale."
In the moonlight, the diamond ring sparkled on Arohi's finger. This night at the Junagarh palace stood as a witness to a new pledge of their love.