Part 1
A beautiful girl was sitting by the lake side lost in her thoughts. It was her 21st birthday and she was all alone. It was almost afternoon and because it was winter season the daylight disappeared around 6.30 pm. She looked at the sky and the surroundings. She could tell it was around 4.30 pm. She didnāt need mobile or watch for it. She could tell by the position of sun and its shadow. She being a villager knew many old practices which today's modern generation considered obsolete or orthodox but she knew how important and accurate they were having a scientific reason behind them. She was not against technological developments but refused to rely on it completely when she could manage without them. āMiniā¦ā she wrote her name on the mud with the branch of a tree then deleted it with her own hands to write it again in more decorative way.
Mini grew up in this small village of Dharampur located few kilometers away from big city of Patiala. Here under the care of her Dadu and Biji she had grown up in old fashioned yet modern ways. She was raised in a way where she maintained the perfect harmony between old beliefs and todayās scientific advancements. Her Dadu told her the importance of Indian culture yet taught her to respect ideals and values of other cultures equally. Her Biji imbibed in her moral values and sense of belongingness to her roots but also never stopped her curiosity when she wished to take admission in reputed college of Patiala.
Mini looked at her cloth bag she brought with her. The dough chunks in it has been finished, almost. She took whatever was remaining and threw it in the lake to feed the fishes. It was her routine. Everyday after her college she comes here to feed the fishes. But today she overstayed. She didnāt wish to go home and be sad about the fact that like every year her Dadu and Biji will wait for her fatherās call and it will come on exactly 5.00 pm. Then he would tell them to get rid of her as she was a curse on family and like always Dadu will cut the call in anger then both Dadu-Biji will cry over it the remaining day. Since the time Mini became capable of understanding all these things she has seen the same routine repeat on her every birthday. But today she wont be witnessing it as she decided that she will not go home until late night.
Mini put her legs in the water and closed her eyes as cool water felt relaxing against her feet. She had her eyes closed and thinking about her life. Mini was born killing her mother in the process. Her father Ashok loved her mother Babita very much and when he came to know that Babita hid the fact from him that she had complications in her pregnancy which may result into her death but she still chose to give birth to Mini, he was livid and blamed Miniā¦the just born baby for the death of her own mother Babita. Ashok was convinced that Mini has brought bad luck to their family and hence refused to accept her. He wanted to kill her or abandon her but his parents didnāt allow him to do that. Ashok fought with them and left Dharampur. He got settled in Patiala and after some years, remarried. He has his own family now. Over the years he tried to convince his parents also to leave Mini in any orphanage and come to live with him but Dadu Biji not only refused but also broke all ties with him.
Since then Dadu-Biji has raised her. They also refused any monetary help from Ashok. Dadu owned an old poojan samigri shop in the village and they had their ancestral haveli which they give on rent to earn extra income. Their village was famous tourist spot as it not only had scenic beauty but also had some of very famous and ancient temples, āGoddess Kali templeā was most prominent among them. It attracted tourist from all over the world. So there were always people ready to rent their haveli for few days stay. And Mini being a scholarship student their financial position didnāt hinder her education. She and her Dadu-Biji were happy in whatever little means they had for themselves.
Mini was still lost in thoughts when a child called her, āMini di, what are you doing here? Your Dadu was calling you back to home.ā Montu came running in her direction. āArre Montu, tum yaha mujhe dhundne aaye ho?ā Mini asked. āYes, Mini diā¦.Dadu was saying that today is someā¦.surajā¦surya..garhā¦something like that..āMontu tried to remember the exact word while catching up his breath as he was running continuously here and there searching for Mini and she was sitting by the lake just few meters away from their haveli. āYou mean Surya grahan?ā Mini completed his sentence. āYa, Dadu said today is Surya graham in a while and then also Chandra grahan at night. So we should not stay outside for long. He asked you to comeback immediately.ā Montu informed.
āI am not going home Montu.ā Mini replied as she turned around folding her hands in front of her chest. She remembered her Dadu had warned her in the morning about this dual grahan today; the Surya grahan and the Chandra grahan. Though she believed in Indian culture, mythology and these astronomical incidents having effects on environment and all but her Dadu was obsessed with it and she find it funny when he never left his panchang (hindu calendar of dates and time keeping) for even a minute. Most of the time she didnāt have any problem with it but in the situation like these when her Dadu goes one step ahead and starts all his shagun, apshagun, kundli, destiny thing she loses her calm.
Today also when she confronted him on this dual grahan, he started his old folklore and mythological stories and tried to convince her that this day of dual grahan comes only once in a while and mark either beginning or end of any important event of time. Last dual grahan he remembers was on the day when Mini was born and now again 21 years later it will be happening. Dadu was sure that Miniās life will be impacted by it in some way so he didnāt want her to go outside of the haveli but she couldnāt miss her college and then her routine of feeding the fishes so she didnāt listen to him. And since it was her birthday and she didnāt want to go through the emotional trauma of her dadās call she wont be going to the home till late night.
āMini di, Dadu asked me to tell you that he has disconnected the landline for today so no phone call will come but you please return home as soon as possible as Surya grahan is about to start.ā Montu told her and Mini turned towards him with surprise. Though Dadu-Biji has cut all the ties with Ashok but they still waited for his call on Miniās birthday just to listen to his voice as he spilled venom against his own daughter. She couldnāt blame Dadu-Biji. He was their only son after all. And Dadu wanting to miss his phone call was a big thing. She partly wanted to roll her eyes at Dadu was being superstitious and almost coward and partly wanted to laugh at him. But she knew how worried he was for her so she decided to return home. āYou go Montu, I am coming.ā Mini said and Montu started running again in the direction of their home. He was 10 years old but Miniās friend. He was their neighbourās son.
Mini started to walk slowly when her feet stopped as she heard the sweet sound. It was coming from behind her. She closed her eyes as she couldnāt move away from it as if captivated in its dulcet tone. Someone was humming a songā¦.a man was humming a song. She tried to recognize the song as she concentrated hard on it. āhmmā¦mm..hmmā¦.Jaane jaan dhundta phir rahaā¦.hoon tumhe raat dinā¦.main yaha se wahaā¦.ā Mini failed to recognize it but the very next second that man gave words to it Mini smiled as she finally knew what song it was. Without knowing she also started humming the tune. āMujhko aawaaz doā¦chhup gaye ho sanamā¦.tum kahaā¦.ā Completely lost in that captivating voice she didnāt know when she started singing along completing his lines, āā¦.Main yahaā¦.ā The man stopped singing as soon as he heard Miniās voice.
Mini opened her eyes as the voice stopped reaching her ears. She turned around to look who was the owner of such a soulful voice. She saw a man standing at the other corner of the lake. Apart from the fact that he was really tall, she couldnāt make out much details of how he looked. She felt sudden restlessness in her heart like she wanted something but didnāt have. She concentrated more on the stranger man on the other side of the lake as she wanted to see him properly for the reason unknown to her heart. She didnāt realize when she came very close to the shore and slipped on the mud falling into the lake. The water was not very deep but she panicked as she didnāt know swimming. She started throwing her arms and legs in all directions desperately to get out of it but she only got deeper into the water. She saw that stranger on the other side of lake and tried to call for help but before that he himself jumped in the water and it was only about few seconds that she found herself in the arms of that stranger as he lifted her up and walked back to the shore. "She has just blinked and he was by her side from the other side of the shore....how is that even possible?" she wondered.
All panic, restlessness, questions were gone and a peaceful bliss got settled into her heart for unknown reasons as she took in the handsome features of her savior. Long nose, sharp jawline, curious deep black eyes and those wavy long hair. He put her down slowly on the ground and Mini realized he was really tall as she barely reached his shoulders. Water dripping from his hair on to his broad shoulders then to those strong arms in which he had carried her a while ago like she was as light as flower. He was wearing white short kurta and jeans. His kurta was fully wet and clung to him giving a good idea about his chiseled body. Her clothes were wet too clinging her petite but beautiful body frame from all the right places. Was it her mind playing tricks with her or really the atmosphere has become more pleasant? She could swear she smell the intoxicating fragrance of white lilies which grew in this area but it was not the season. She could hear the sweet sounds of birds chirping and breeze became more pleasant and serene then it already was. What was about this man that has changed the surrounding? Mini wondered again.
Their village was small. She knew he was not a localite. May be some tourist. His hypnotic black eyes holding her chocolate brown ones as captive. She felt as if he was looking right through her soul trying to find out everything about her. A shiver ran down her spine in fear as well as in excitement as she remembered her Daduās words in the morning. āToday is the dual grahan day. Mangal aur amangal dono ka prateek hota hai aisa din. Both good and evil powers are at their peak on this day. It is believe that normal people should not go out on this day specially during the grahan as many creatures, ghosts, spirits, angel, demons and demigods walk on this earth for many reasons. They possess supreme powers. They can hold you captive or even worse, may take you away with them.ā
to be continued....
So here I am writing another story amidst my pending work
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