The sun rose over the Kakatiya village set on the morning of November 30. The air was cool and crisp. The brass oil lamps that had burned through the night flickered out. The estate staff moved quickly along the grey stone pathways, sweeping fallen leaves and preparing the venue for the massive influx of guests.
Inside the Bride's Manor, Krithika woke up early. She walked out of her bedroom. Her cousins were already awake, sitting on the floor in the living room, drinking tea. Inside the Groom's Manor across the lawn, Siddanth stepped out of his room. He wore a simple grey t-shirt and dark track pants. He walked downstairs. His father, Vikram, and his uncles were sitting on the wooden chairs on the porch, reading the morning newspapers.
"Siddu," Vikram said, folding his newspaper. "Tell everyone inside that breakast is ready. The caterers are setting up the breakfast counters."
"I will tell them, Nanna," Siddanth nodded and went inside.
---
Siddanth walked toward the dining hall. The massive open-sided structure was buzzing with activity. Four long rows of buffet tables were set up. Behind the tables, twenty cooks dressed in clean white uniforms stood at live cooking stations.
The elders from both families arrived first. Subba Rao and Vikram Deva walked in together. They grabbed heavy steel plates.
The first station was for Idli. Thick, white steam poured from the massive aluminum vessels. The cook lifted the lid, scooped out perfectly round, steaming idlis, and placed four on Subba Rao's plate.
"Put extra ghee on top," Subba Rao instructed. The cook ladled lted ghee over the idlis.
The next station was Dosa. Five massive, flat iron griddles rested over open flas. The cooks poured ladles of fernted batter, spreading it rapidly into thin circles using the bottom of a steel cup. They drizzled oil along the edges. Within seconds, the edges lifted. The cooks flipped the dosas, folded them in half, and transferred them to the waiting plates.
"I want a Masala Dosa," Krithika's Babai said, standing in line. The cook spread a thick layer of red chili paste inside the dosa, added a scoop of potato curry, folded it, and handed it over.
Further down the line, a large wok filled with boiling oil bubbled aggressively. A cook dropped flat circles of dough into the oil. The dough instantly puffed up into round, golden Puris. He fished them out with a slotted spoon, letting the oil drain, and served them alongside a bowl of hot potato and chickpea curry.
Next to the Puri station, another cook dropped ring-shaped batter into the oil, frying crispy du Vadas.
The end of the line featured three massive steel buckets. They contained coconut chutney, ginger-peanut chutney, and a thick, vegetable-loaded Sambar.
Siddanth took a plate. He took three idlis, poured a ladle of sambar over them, and sat at a long wooden table. Saer, Arjun, and Feroz walked in, grabbed their food, and sat next to him.
A minute later, Krithika walked in with Anjali, Riya, Kavya, Sneha, and Priya. They got their food and sat directly opposite the boys.
Krithika broke a piece of idli. She looked across the table at Saer. A mischievous smile spread across her face.
"Did you sleep well last night, Saer?" Krithika asked innocently.
Saer paused, a piece of dosa halfway to his mouth. He looked at her suspiciously. "I slept fine. Why are you asking?"
"I don't know," Krithika shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee. "I just heard a rumor that soone got an one-hour lecture from my mother-in-law about smuggling single malts and poker chips into a wedding venue. I heard it was quite an intense eting."
Saer froze entirely. His eyes widened in horror. He slowly lowered his dosa.
He turned his head slowly, looking at Arjun. Then he looked at Feroz. Both of his best friends suddenly beca extrely interested in their sambar bowls, refusing to make eye contact.
"You told her?" Saer asked, his voice trembling with betrayal.
"We didn't tell her," Feroz muttered defensively, staring at his plate. "Swathi Akka overheard your mother yelling and told the girls."
"TRAITORS!" Saer shouted, slamming his hand on the wooden table. He pointed accusingly at Arjun and Feroz. "You two left to die! You saw Aunty standing at the door and you literally backed out of the room! You abandoned to the firing squad!"
"We had to survive, Saer," Arjun reasoned calmly, pushing his glasses up his nose. "If we stayed, she would have executed all three of us. It was a tactical retreat."
"I am never trusting either of you again," Saer grumbled, crossing his arms.
"Don't worry, Saer," Riya laughed from across the table. "We won't tell the rest of the guests."
"Eat fast," Saer said, changing the subject aggressively to save his pride. "We set up the volleyball net in the recreation park. It is ti for a match before the cricketers arrive and ruin the peace."
"Who is playing?" Siddanth asked, finishing his coffee.
"We need teams," Saer declared, standing up. "Groom Side versus Bride Side."
"That is entirely unbalanced," Krithika pointed out. "Our side is mostly girls."
"We will adjust," Saer said.
They finished their breakfast and walked toward the designated recreation park located behind the dining hall. The estate staff had set up a professional volleyball net on a flat patch of green lawn. The white boundary lines were painted clearly on the grass. Two tall, wooden high-chairs were placed near the net post.
"Sid, Krithika, you two are the umpires," Saer instructed, pointing to the high chairs. "You sit there. We need impartial judging."
Siddanth and Krithika climbed into the high chairs. Siddanth held a whistle.
"Okay, Groom Side," Saer announced, assembling his team. He pulled Arjun, Feroz, and Siddanth's older cousin, Rash. "Four n. Elite squad."
Krithika looked at her side. Anjali, Riya, Kavya, Sneha, and Priya stood on the grass. Swathi, Siddanth's cousin, walked over and joined the girls.
"I am playing for the Bride's side," Swathi declared, tying her hair back. "The boys are too arrogant."
"We are still at a height disadvantage," Anjali complained, looking at Rash and Feroz across the net.
Krithika scanned the park. She saw her Babai walking past the lawn, holding a cup of tea.
"Babai!" Krithika yelled, waving her hand. "Co here! We need you!"
Her Babai stopped, looked at the net, and smiled. He handed his tea to a passing waiter, rolled up the sleeves of his kurta, and jogged onto the grass. "I used to play at the university level," Babai announced proudly, taking his position in the center of the court.
"First to twenty-one points wins," Siddanth announced from the umpire chair. He blew the whistle. "Bride Side serves first."
Anjali took the ball. She tossed it up and served it over the net.
The match was intense. Saer and Rash played aggressively, trying to spike the ball at every opportunity. But Babai proved to be a formidable defender, digging out the spikes and setting the ball perfectly for Swathi and Sneha to push over the net.
"Five to three. Groom Side leading," Krithika announced the score.
Feroz served. Riya bumped the ball up. Babai set it. Sneha jumped and hit the ball over the net. Arjun dived and saved it. Saer set it high. Rash jumped and spiked the ball hard down the left line.
The ball hit the grass with a loud thud near the painted boundary line.
"OUT!" Krithika shouted imdiately from her chair.
"IN!" Saer roared, pointing frantically at the grass. "That was completely inside the line! It hit the white paint!"
"It was out by three inches, Saer," Babai argued, standing near the mark.
"It was in! The umpire is biased!" Saer yelled, looking up at Krithika.
Siddanth climbed down from the umpire chair. He walked over to the left line. He bent down, inspecting the flattened grass where the ball had impacted. Saer, Arjun, and Babai gathered around him.
Siddanth looked at the mark. He looked at Saer.
"It's out," Siddanth stated calmly. "Point goes to the Bride Side."
"WHAT?!" Saer scread, throwing his hands in the air. "Sid! You are my best friend! You are the groom! You are supposed to take our side! It touched the line!"
"I am the umpire, Saer. I call what I see," Siddanth reasoned, walking back to his chair.
"You are going to be whipped!" Saer yelled, pointing a dramatic finger at Siddanth as the girls cheered loudly. "The wedding hasn't even happened yet, and you are already taking her side! You are a henpecked man, Siddanth Deva!"
"Serve the ball, Saer," Siddanth laughed, climbing back into his seat.
The match continued for another thirty minutes. The score reached twenty to nineteen, with the Bride Side at match point.
Arjun served. Swathi received it. Babai set it perfectly. Anjali jumped and pushed the ball over the net. Feroz scrambled to save it but hit it into the net.
Siddanth blew the whistle. "Twenty-one to nineteen. Bride Side wins."
The girls erupted in cheers, high-fiving Babai. Saer fell to his knees on the grass in dramatic defeat.
Before they could demand a rematch, Rahul jogged onto the lawn. He held his digital tablet and wore his wireless earpiece.
"Boss," Rahul said, stopping near the umpire chairs. "The security at the main gates just radioed. The first wave of guests has arrived."
"Who is it?" Siddanth asked, stepping down from the chair.
"Mr. Shikhar Dhawan and Mr. Suresh Raina, along with their families," Rahul reported, checking his screen. "They are clearing the periter now."
"Alright. The gas are over," Siddanth announced to the group. "Go shower and change. It's ti to work."
Siddanth, Krithika, and Rahul walked quickly from the park to the main circular courtyard near the Banyan tree.
Two large SUVs drove through the gates. They did not proceed deep into the venue. They parked near the entrance archway. The estate workers imdiately stepped forward, pulling trolley.
The SUV doors opened.
Shikhar Dhawan stepped out of the first vehicle. He wore a bright t-shirt and sunglasses. His wife, Ayesha, stepped out holding their son, Zoravar.
Suresh Raina erged from the second SUV with his wife, Priyanka, and their young daughter, Gracia.
Siddanth and Krithika walked forward to greet them.
"Gabbar!" Siddanth smiled, hugging Dhawan tightly.
"Siddu!" Dhawan laughed his booming laugh, slapping Siddanth's back. He stepped back, taking off his sunglasses, and looked around the courtyard. His jaw dropped. "Brother... we knew you were building a Kakatiya set, but this is a literal fortress. This isn't a set; this is an actual kingdom."
"We wanted it to feel authentic," Siddanth said. He turned and hugged Raina. "Suresh, welco. Ayesha, Priyanka, thank you so much for coming."
Raina looked at the towering stone walls of the main palace in the distance. "Sid, this is unbelievable. I feel like I need to wear armor just to walk to my room."
Siddanth introduced Krithika to the families. Ayesha and Priyanka offered warm, congratulatory hugs.
"Listen, before you guys go to your rooms," Siddanth said, his tone turning slightly serious. "You all know the rule. Absolute secrecy. No photos of the venue, no photos of Krithika, and no location tags on social dia. We want to keep this entirely private until the ceremonies are over."
"Not a single photo, skip. We promise," Dhawan nodded firmly.
Rahul stepped forward with his clipboard. "Mr. Dhawan, Mr. Raina. Your luggage has been loaded onto the trolleys. Please follow the staff. Because you are here with your families, we have allocated independent, private manors for each of you. The manors have two bedrooms, a living room, and centralized climate control."
"Perfect," Raina smiled, taking his daughter's hand. "Let's go see this mud hut."
The workers pushed the heavy brass trolleys down the stone path, leading the families to their respective private manors.
Ten minutes later, another SUV pulled up to the gates.
The doors opened, and MS Dhoni stepped out. He wore a simple polo shirt. He turned and helped his wife, Sakshi, step down, holding their daughter, Ziva.
Siddanth walked forward rapidly. "Mahi bhai."
Dhoni smiled, pulling Siddanth into a warm, brotherly embrace. "Congratulations, Sid. The venue looks spectacular from the outside."
"Wait until you see the inside," Siddanth smiled. He greeted Sakshi respectfully. "Bhabhi, welco. Thank you for making the trip."
"We wouldn't miss it, Siddanth," Sakshi smiled warmly. "Krithika, congratulations. You look beautiful."
"Thank you, Sakshi," Krithika replied, offering a warm smile.
"Mahi bhai, Rahul will show you to your manor," Siddanth said. "It is a private family unit near the lake. Settle in, rest, and lunch will be served in the main dining hall soon."
Dhoni nodded, taking Ziva in his arms, and followed the workers pushing his luggage trolley down the path.
Shortly after, another car arrived.
Yuvraj Singh stepped out. He carried a heavy duffel bag. He looked at the massive stone walls and shook his head.
"Yuvi paaji," Siddanth greeted him.
Yuvraj hugged him. "My brother. You actually built a city. I thought the dia was exaggerating."
"I don't exaggerate, paaji," Siddanth smirked.
Rahul stepped up. "Mr. Singh. Because you are attending solo, you are allocated to the Bachelor Manors. You will be sharing a massive, four-bedroom manor with Mr. Harbhajan Singh and Mr. Gautam Gambhir."
Yuvraj groaned loudly. "You put in a house with Gauti? He sleeps at nine o'clock! He will complain if I breathe too loudly!"
"House rules, paaji," Siddanth laughed, pointing down the path. "Go unpack."
A few minutes later, Yuzvendra Chahal hopped out of a cab. He wore a loose t-shirt and carried a backpack. He looked around completely awestruck by the place.
"Sid bhai!" Chahal called out, walking over and hugging Siddanth. "This place is crazy. Where is my room?"
"Rahul?" Siddanth asked.
"Mr. Chahal is in the Bachelor Manor block," Rahul read from his list. "You are sharing a four-bedroom unit with Mr. Jasprit Bumrah, Mr. KL Rahul, and Mr. Hardik Pandya."
"Perfect," Chahal nodded eagerly. "The young boys' house. We are going to cause absolute chaos."
"Keep the noise down after midnight, Yuzi," Siddanth warned playfully. "Walk down that path. The workers will carry your bag."
An hour passed. The sun climbed higher in the sky. Siddanth and Krithika stood near the entrance archway.
A large, luxury SUV pulled up. Ravi Shastri stepped out, his booming voice echoing across the courtyard before he even closed the door.
"Siddanth! You magnificent champion!" Shastri roared, walking over with his family.
Siddanth smiled, shaking the legendary comntator's hand. "Welco, Ravi bhai. Thank you for coming."
"I wouldn't miss the wedding of the century," Shastri bood, looking at the stone carvings. "This is like walking onto the set of a historical epic. Brilliant execution."
Rahul guided Shastri and his family to their independent manor.
At 1:30 PM, a loud, heavy diesel engine echoed down the approach road. A massive, luxury Volvo bus drove slowly through the gates and parked near the entrance.
The doors hissed open. The Indian Test squad poured out. They had finished their match against England in Mohali yesterday and had flown today directly to Hyderabad on Siddanth's arranged charter plane.
Virat Kohli stepped out first. He wore the official blue Indian team travel polo. He stretched his back, looked at the massive Kakatiya Palace, and let out a long whistle.
Ravichandran Ashwin stepped out next, carrying his kitbag. Ravindra Jadeja followed, pushing his sunglasses up his nose. Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ush Yadav, and Mohamd Shami filed out one by one.
Siddanth walked up to the door of the bus.
"Congratulations on the win in Mohali," Siddanth said, shaking Kohli's hand.
"Thanks, Skip," Kohli grinned, dropping his bag. "We wrapped it up quickly so we wouldn't miss the party."
"I saw the scorecard," Siddanth nodded. "Ashwin, brilliant bowling."
"The pitch turned beautifully on day four," Ashwin analyzed, adjusting his glasses. He looked around the venue. "Sid, this architecture is stunning."
"Thanks,"
"Where are our families, Sid?" Rahane asked, looking around the courtyard. "My wife flew in this morning."
"The families are arriving in a separate convoy of SUVs from the airport right now," Siddanth explained. "We didn't want them waiting on the tarmac while you guys cleared the team logistics. They will be here in ten minutes."
"Perfect," Pujara nodded.
"Listen up, boys," Siddanth addressed the Test squad. "You guys are sharing the large four-bedroom Bachelor Manors for the duration of the events. However, for those of you whose wives and kids are arriving in the convoy, you have been allocated separate family manors near the lake."
"Thank God," Jadeja muttered. "I did not want to share a bathroom with Ush again."
"Leave your bags here," Siddanth instructed. "The workers will load them onto the trolleys and put them in your rooms. Go to the dining hall. Lunch is ready."
The players dropped their bags and walked toward the dining hall.
Fifteen minutes later, a convoy of five SUVs drove through the gates. The wives and children of the Test squad stepped out. Ritika Sajdeh, Radhika Dhopavkar, and Prithi Narayanan were greeted warmly by Krithika and Sakshi Dhoni, who had walked out from her manor to welco them. The workers quickly pushed their luggage trolleys toward their designated private family manors.
By 2:30 PM, the majority of the Indian players had finished lunch and settled into their respective rooms. The village set was quiet again.
Siddanth stood near the Banyan tree.
"One more group left," Rahul said, looking at his clipboard.
"The overseas and SRH boys," Siddanth confird.
At 3:00 PM, a convoy of three sleek black sedans drove through the gates.
Karn Sharma, the leg-spinner for Sunrisers Hyderabad, stepped out of the first car. He waved at Siddanth.
Kane Williamson stepped out of the second car. He wore a neat button-down shirt and trousers. He looked around the venue. He didn't look shocked; he looked deeply fascinated by the intricate stone carvings.
Dale Steyn stepped out of the third car. He wore a sleeveless t-shirt, showing off his heavily tattooed arms. Trent Boult followed him out.
Siddanth walked over to greet them.
"Kane. Dale. Trent. Karn. Welco," Siddanth smiled, shaking their hands.
"Sid, this is beautiful," Williamson said softly, his eyes taking in the stone carvings on the palace walls. "Is there a specific custom I need to follow? Do I need to take my shoes off before entering the main building?"
Siddanth chuckled at the New Zealander's endless politeness. "No need to take your shoes off here, Kane. Only on the actual Mandapam stage on the wedding day. I will guide you then."
"Understood. Thank you," Williamson nodded politely.
Steyn looked at the massive Banyan tree, his eyes trailing up to the thick canopy. "This is a serious tree, mate. Looks like sothing out of a jungle movie."
"We built the whole venue around it," Siddanth said.
Boult wiped sweat from his forehead. "Mate, it is hot. I thought November was supposed to be winter in India."
"This is winter for us, Trent," Siddanth laughed. "It drops to twenty degrees at night."
"Twenty degrees is sumr for ," Boult groaned.
"Don't worry," Siddanth assured him. "The air conditioning in your rooms is strong. Rahul will show you the way."
Rahul stepped forward. "Gentlen, you are sharing a four-bedroom manor on the right pathway. Please leave your bags. The staff will bring them to your rooms."
"Thank you, Rahul," Williamson said, handing over his suitcase.
"Lunch is still available in the dining hall if you are hungry," Siddanth offered.
"I'll grab so food," Steyn said, walking toward the dining hall with Boult and Karn.
By 3:30 PM, every single invited cricketer had arrived and settled into their respective manors. The massive 45-acre Kakatiya village set, which had been empty just a few hours ago, was now fully populated. The hum of conversations echoed from the terracotta houses. Kids ran across the green lawns.
Siddanth stood in the center of the courtyard. He looked at the massive stone palace, the Banyan tree, and the long pathways lit by the afternoon sun. The logistics were complete. The guests were housed. The food was served.
"All present and accounted for, Boss," Rahul reported, lowering his clipboard. "No missing luggage. No complaints about the AC."
"Excellent work, Rahul," Siddanth said, patting his assistant on the shoulder.
Siddanth took a deep breath of the air. The gathering of kings was complete. The celebrations would now truly begin.
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