Siya stood in front of the mirror, her own reflection stealing her breath away. Draped in a dazzling red saree that hugged her figure in all the right places, she looked nothing less than celestial. The delicate sound of bangles jingled from her wrists, each chime a soft melody of tradition. A bold red tika gleamed on her forehead, while her lips painted in a dark crimson curved into a radiant smile.

Her nuptial chain rested elegantly against her neck, while the sindoor in her hairline shone with finality, a divine seal of her new life. For a fleeting moment, Siya didn’t just see herself. She saw a goddess.