Chapter 3
Armaan
I fastened the last button of my shirt and stepped back to look at myself in the full length mirror. Blue pants. Sky blue shirt. The fabric was crisp and perfectly tailored. I looked exactly like what I was supposed to be today. A prospective groom.
The thought felt strange. Surreal, even.
I reached for my comb and ran it through my hair, fixing the strands into place. As I set the comb down, I heard the door to my room open behind me.
Dadi walked in, her face lighting up the moment she saw me. She stood there for a long moment, just looking at me, and I saw her eyes grow misty.
"I cannot believe you are about to get married," she said softly, her voice thick with emotion. "It still feels surreal to me. I cannot believe you are thirty two now. I still remember the day I held you for the first time. You were so tiny. So fragile."
I turned to face her properly, giving her a small smile.
"Dadi, do not get so emotional. I am not leaving this house and going away. I will still be here. Nothing is going to change."
She smiled back, but I could see the tears threatening to spill over. She had been waiting for this day for years. Hoping for it. Praying for it.
Before either of us could say anything more, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in," I called out.
Mamta, our housekeeper, stepped inside and gave a respectful nod.
"Dadi, Girish ji has arrived. The car is ready whenever you are."
Dadi straightened her shoulders, composing herself.
"Thank you, Mamta. Tell him we will be down in a moment."
Mamta nodded and left, closing the door quietly behind her.
I grabbed my watch from the dresser and fastened it around my wrist. Dadi walked over and adjusted my collar slightly, even though it was already perfect. It was just something she did. A habit from when I was younger.
"Let us go," she said softly.
We walked downstairs together. Girish ji, Dadi's astrologer, was waiting in the foyer. He was an older man with a long white beard and traditional clothes. He greeted Dadi with folded hands.
"Namaste, Kalyani ji. I am ready whenever you are."
Dadi returned the greeting warmly.
"Namaste, Girish ji. Thank you for coming. The car is waiting outside."
We all walked out to where Ramesh, our driver, had the car ready. He opened the doors for us, and we climbed inside. Dadi and I sat in the back while Girish ji took the front passenger seat. Ramesh started the engine and pulled smoothly out of the driveway.
The drive to Avija's house took about thirty minutes. It was located in a posh locality, a decent middle class home with a well maintained front yard. As we pulled up to the curb, I could see Avija's parents standing at the door, waiting to receive us.
Vinay uncle and Sangeetha aunty stepped forward as we got out of the car. They greeted us with warm smiles and folded hands.
"Namaste, Kalyani ji. Namaste, Armaan. Please, come inside. Welcome to our home."
We followed them through the front door and into the living room.
The house was neat and comfortable, decorated tastefully but simply.
As soon as we entered, Avija appeared from one of the inner rooms. She was dressed in a beautiful salwar kameez, her hair styled perfectly, her face glowing with happiness.
She walked straight to Dadi and bent down to touch her feet in a gesture of respect. Dadi blessed her with a gentle hand on her head. Then Avija straightened and looked at me, giving me a bright smile.
I smiled back.
"I am so happy you are both here," Avija said, her voice bubbling with excitement. "This means so much to us."
Dadi introduced Girish ji to Avija's parents.
"This is Girish ji, my family astrologer. He will be helping us finalize an auspicious date for the wedding."
Vinay uncle nodded respectfully.
"Of course. Please, everyone, sit down. Make yourselves comfortable."
We all settled onto the sofas in the living room. Dadi sat beside me, her hands folded neatly in her lap. She looked genuinely happy, more relaxed than I had seen her in months.
"I am so pleased that Armaan has found his life partner," Dadi said, looking at Avija with affection. "I want to see them married as soon as possible. I have been waiting for this day for such a long time."
Girish ji cleared his throat and turned to Sangeetha aunty.
"I will need the girl's kundali to study the compatibility between the two charts. Do you have it ready?"
Sangeetha aunty nodded quickly.
"Yes, of course. Let me get it."
She disappeared into another room and returned a moment later with a folded piece of paper. She handed it to Girish ji, who accepted it with both hands and began unfolding it carefully.
Meanwhile, Sangeetha aunty turned to Avija.
"Beta, go and bring the snacks for our guests."
Avija nodded and went into the kitchen. She returned a few minutes later carrying a large tray filled with samosas, pakoras, and sweets. She set it down on the coffee table in front of us and began serving everyone.
Dadi took a bite of a samosa and her face lit up.
"This is very delicious, Sangeetha."
Sangeetha aunty beamed with pride.
"Actually, Avija made all of this herself. She insisted on preparing everything for today."
I looked at Avija in surprise.
"I did not know you could cook."
Avija laughed and gave me a playful look.
"There are a lot of things you do not know about me yet, Armaan. I can do everything when I set my mind to it."
I was about to respond when I noticed Girish ji's expression. He had been studying the kundalis silently, his eyes moving back and forth between the two pieces of paper. But now his face had changed. His brow was furrowed deeply, and his mouth was pressed into a tight line.
Something was wrong.
Dadi noticed it too.
"Girish ji?" she asked, her voice hesitant. "Is everything alright?"
Girish ji looked up slowly. He shook his head.
"I am afraid this marriage cannot happen."
The room went completely silent.
Everyone stared at him. Dadi's face had gone pale. Avija looked shocked, her hand frozen halfway to her mouth. Vinay uncle leaned forward, his expression confused. Sangeetha aunty's eyes were wide.
Dadi found her voice first.
"What do you mean it cannot happen? What is the issue, Girish ji? Please explain."
Girish ji set the papers down on the table and folded his hands.
"There is a flaw in Armaan's kundali. A very serious one. His chart and Avija's chart are not compatible. If they marry, the consequences will be severe. According to the planetary positions, if this marriage takes place, Avija will not survive beyond one year."
"What rubbish," I said sharply, my voice cutting through the stunned silence.
I looked around the room. Avija's face had gone completely white. Her father looked deeply concerned. Dadi was staring at Girish ji with an expression I had never seen before. Pure terror. I knew exactly what she was thinking. She was remembering my mother. She was reliving the loss all over again.
Sangeetha aunty was the first to recover. She sat up straighter, her mind clearly working through possibilities.
"There must be some solution," she said firmly. "Some puja or ritual we can perform to remove this flaw. There has to be a way."
Girish ji was silent for a long moment, his eyes scanning the kundalis again. Then he looked up.
"There is one solution. But it is not simple."
Everyone leaned forward.
"Armaan must marry a girl who was born in the same nakshatra as him," Girish ji said slowly.
He mentioned a specific nakshatra name that I barely registered.
"He must remain married to this girl for one full year.
This will calm the malefic effects of his planetary position.
After one year, he can divorce that girl and marry Avija safely. "
Avija's eyes filled with tears. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hold back a sob.
I stood up abruptly.
"What kind of stupid solution is this? You want me to marry some random woman and stay married to her for a year? What if something happens to her? Are we planning a murder here?"
I could see the fear in Avija's eyes. She was terrified. But before anyone could respond, Sangeetha aunty suddenly stood up and walked out of the room.
I turned to Girish ji, my anger barely contained.
"I do not believe in any of this. Just give us a wedding date. I do not care about nakshatras or flaws or any of it."
Dadi's voice was sharp and final.
"No. Nothing like that is going to happen, Armaan."
I turned to her, ready to argue, but the look on her face stopped me cold. She was genuinely terrified. She could not lose another person she loved. She would not survive it.
Before I could say anything, Sangeetha aunty returned. She was holding another piece of paper. A kundali.
She walked straight to Girish ji and handed it to him.
"This is my niece's kundali. Viya. As far as I know, she was born in the same nakshatra you mentioned. Can you check if her chart matches?"
Vinay uncle's head snapped toward his wife.
"Sangeetha, what are you doing?"
But she ignored him, her eyes fixed on Girish ji.
"I can do anything for my daughter's happiness and wellbeing. Please, check the kundali."
Girish ji unfolded the paper and began reading. The room was so quiet I could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall.
Then Girish ji looked up, and his face was filled with something close to wonder.
"This is a perfect match. This kundali and Armaan's kundali are perfectly aligned. This is a match made in heaven. If Armaan marries this girl for one year, his stars will realign completely. After that, he can marry Avija without any danger."
I could not believe what I was hearing.
"I am not part of this nonsense," I said loudly, my voice echoing in the small room.
Avija was crying openly now.
"I am not going to share you with anyone, Armaan. Especially not with Viya."
Vinay uncle stood up, his face red with anger.
"I will not let my niece be used as a sacrificial goat. This is insane."
But Dadi reached out and grabbed my arm, stopping me from walking out.