Bride-to-be Nikita Mala Prasad, 24, still shakes her head in disbelief.

She is trying to come to grips with the reality that her much anticipated wedding to her sweetheart on February 3, next year, will not happen.

“I have cried so much. I watched in agony as fire destroyed our home and everything inside,” she said.

“They included my wedding dress, jewellery and other accessories.”

Her home was one of seven homes destroyed by a fire on Wednesday at the Fiji Muslim League informal settlement, Nabua, Suva, on Wednesday.

She could not hide her despair. She and her partner of two years, Rahul Darshan, were looking forward to their wedding one year after they were engaged. She said they had planned to start a new life in New Zealand once they were married.

“But it is up in the air at the moment”, she said.

“The future looks uncertain. The family is unsure whether the wedding, a love marriage, will now even take place.

“I studied nursing at the Fiji National University and worked part-time to assist my family with funds for the wedding.

“We earned and saved little by little to buy those things. Everything was ready and now everything is gone.

“The temple was booked and all other arrangements were made. A lot of the invitation cards were already distributed.

“Our families in New Zealand and Australia have all booked their tickets and have taken leave from work to attend the wedding next year.

“It was my dream to have a good wedding. My father, a taxi driver, saved up and bought my $3000 wedding dress and accessories.

“My fiancé and I have not figured out our next move. He keeps telling me ‘let’s see’.

“All my family and friends were ready to attend my wedding but I think I want our house rebuilt first. Without a house, there’s no point in having a wedding.

“I just don’t know what to do.”

Ms Prasad was raised in the settlement since birth.

She said the gutted home carried a lot of sentimental value. The family had lived in the settlement for 25 years.

Her father, Suresh Prasad, faces the tough decision of whether to rebuild their home first or to collect funds for his daughter’s wedding.

“For me, sadly, I have to build the house,” Mr Prasad said.

“We have booked out the temple and made all other bookings. Everything was ready but now I am confused about my next move.

“Hopefully, I can receive some assistance then I can go ahead with the wedding as we planned it.”

Yesterday they joined neighbour and friend, Ramesh, whose house they are currently living in at Vatuwaqa, to celebrate Diwali.

But the celebrations could not hide their anxiety. For Nikita she wished it was all part of a bad dream.    

Feedback:  sheldon.chanel@fijisun.com.fj