Celebrations

“Where is Akash?” I inquired of my mother, for the third time that day.

It was my stepsister Swati’s nuptials. The entire house buzzed with energy. The smell of jasmine and chrysanthemum filled the air, mixing with the sound of celebratory tunes from the shehnai players who had just arrived. The mandap looked colourful, draped in bright fabrics and flowers, lit by the warm glow of lamps. Everywhere I turned, people were bustling about, and making last-minute arrangements, but I was only concerned with one thing: meeting Akash for the very first time.

Swati, my twenty-one-year-old ‘sister’, was busy with her wedding preparations. The first time we met was during the Dussehra festival, a year ago. She hadn’t shown much interest in getting to know me then, and I didn’t expect much from her today. Her world revolved around her fiancé and the future she was eagerly awaiting. I was just the younger stepbrother, newly added to the family, more or less invisible to her.

But Akash was different. I hadn’t met him yet, but I had heard about him. He was calm and mature for his age, and at nineteen, he was getting ready for University. I’m a bit of a rebel, causing enough trouble at school to get letters sent home every month. My hormonal changes had already kicked in, way earlier than expected for a pre-teen. I hoped Akash could be someone I could look up to, maybe even guide me as he was older than me.

My mom had married their father a year ago, after my dad died almost eleven years ago. Adjusting to this new family had been hard, but I was curious about Akash. Maybe he would be different from the rest. The loud sounds of the shehnai playing added a celebratory feel to the day, but I was restless.

A commotion broke out in the front yard, just as I was in the kitchen, helping prepare tea for some relatives. The maid handed me a sweet, Mysore Pak, but she kept glancing outside. The sweet was so buttery, half of it melted without much hard work. Voices were rising over the music, and I could feel the shift in the atmosphere. Something was happening. I put down the remaining sweet and ran outside, weaving through the crowd gathered at the courtyard.

The celebratory music almost halted, but it felt distant as I pushed my way through the standing group facing away. People were whispering, some loudly protesting.

“How could he do this on Swati’s wedding day?”

“What’s her caste?”

“Who is she?”

“What a disgrace?”

In the middle of it all stood a guy, and next to him, a girl. They were facing the disapproving looks and murmurs of the family.

The music restarted, but the joy of the nuptials felt disrupted by the tension. My mom appeared quickly, moving through the crowd like a storm. She didn’t waste time. Grabbing the guy and girl, she led them into the house without saying a word to the relatives, her face set with determination.

I followed them inside, curious and confused. In the room, away from the noise, my mom introduced me to the guy, Akash. I couldn’t be more bewildered. “My dear, what’s your name?” Mom moved close to the girl. “Malli and I’m nineteen too,” she looked at Akash. Despite the chaos outside, Akash seemed calm. My mom asked Malli few questions, and without hesitation, announced that Akash and Malli would be married that evening, after Swati. The relatives outside could gossip all they wanted, but inside, decisions were made.

“Are you sure?” stepdad asked, stepping in.

“Yes,” mom replied firmly.

Akash looked over at me as I sat next to him. He smiled, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I’ve heard about you, Ajay,” he said. “You’ve got a strong spirit. Being a rebel isn’t a bad thing, as long as you know what you’re standing up for.”

I nodded, taking in his words. Here was the brother I had been waiting to meet, and he didn’t disappoint. He stood up for what he believed in, even on a day like today, in the middle of our sister’s nuptials. It wasn’t just his calm that impressed me—it was his strength.

Later that night, as Swati’s nuptials ended and Akash’s began, the shehnai players started up again, their music filling the air with celebration. The decorations, once meant for one wedding, now adorned two.

There was joy, and though the day hadn’t gone as planned, I felt at peace. I had connected with Akash, and in doing so, I had found my place in this family.

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