Sweety Aunty

The grandeur arrangement for that wedding seemed to be of a great charm in itself. It happened to be the most expensive wedding of the city. The invited guests were adding an extra splendor to it. Guests were coming, dancing, sitting and gossiping in the large vibrant wedding hall smelled with the jasmine flowers. Indian weddings are more interpreted as to show off the economy level of the families, than the things which are actually required for the ceremony. All men were suited up in their Van Heusen tuxedos while the ladies preferred to go with different styles. Some were wearing traditional sarees while some were in the colorful heavy weighed lehngas, making them walk with difficulty. The DJ boy had then played a romantic song and whole atmosphere was made lovesome. It was the time of the introduction of the bride and groom – the centre of attraction for that evening. Meanwhile Sweety Aunty, being simple and sober, holding an envelope full of money as a gift to newly wedded couple compassed into the place where mandap (kind of booth) and the stage for the wedding couple were situated. Sweety Aunty was self obsessed not so good looking lady. With every single hair colored with black dye, her facial skin had started experience the agedness of her life. She hated when being in a group, some other lady got appreciation for her looks and beauty. She realized that such situation might arise there, so she decided not to stay there for long. She went to meet the bride’s mother who also was a very good friend of hers. She congratulated her with a smile on her face and offered the envelope to the couple. She was about to leave the stage when she was pulled by her friend to have a group photo clicked with her family members. There and then somebody among the groom’s friend admired the fair bride’s beauty and delight. Everyone began fleeting their glances on her though no one felt the presence of the camera for a moment. Sweety Aunty felt so depressed that she had never felt before.  She felt very jealous of the bride and escaped from there.

She was in anger, walking back to the car parking when she heard pandit ji (the priest) reciting the Sanskrit hymns. She went back at the mandap and stood behind the other people watching the ceremony. She was dissatisfied with the thought of her looking old. She had grown a feeling of detest for the bride in herself to such a great extent that she wanted her beauty to be vanished forever. That thing was still moving in her head when she heard pandit ji screaming loudly. Suddenly Sweety Aunty stood on her forefeet to had a look and saw that bride’s silk lehnga had caught dreadful fire while having vows around fire. The entire scene before her eyes got brightened in a few seconds. Everyone rushed to help her but the moment when some help came to stifle the burning, till then she was burnt all over. Nothing was identifiable. Her beauty, her charm, her delight everything got burnt in the fire of Sweety Aunty’s anger but Aunty stood quiet and smiled slyly among the shocked guests.