Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion - II

 38) Saugandhika Forest

"What made Yakshas believe in time travel?" Dushyant questioned the spiritual man, whose name he found out was Ananda Acharya.

"There are many secrets about the universe that the ancients had believed in; some of which we cannot even fathom."

"There must be some particular reason for them to have concluded that time travel was possible," Dushyant probed.

Ananda Acharya bestowed an enigmatic smile on Dushyant, "You are a persistent man. What do you think could have persuaded them to believe in time travel?"

"A wormhole maybe...."

The man laughed without restraint. His gaze seemed to weigh Dushyant with interest. "You have done enough research on this area. Haven't you?"

"So, is it true?" Dushyant persevered.

"And where do you think it was?"

"Yakshagni..."

Ananda Acharya regarded Dushyant with wonder and disbelief, "The river that has flown endlessly?"

"Endlessly?"

"Yes, without bothering about the changing times, it has flowed ceaselessly through the years. There is a story behind it. I will tell you later. First, I want to show you something. Come with me."

"Where?"

"Trust me, you will be surprised."

Dushyant followed the guru down the steps to a narrow path that led them to a dense trail. On their right side, they saw the range of mountains running parallel to them.

"See the peaks there? They were called the Mandara Mountains in the olden days. Another tribe called Kinaras used to live there."

"I suppose the name Kinnaur originated from them..." Dushyant queried.

"I believe so..."

As they trekked deeper into the forests, the descending silence disconcerted Dushyant.

"Is this Saugandhika Forest?"

"Once upon a time, this was a forest where an exotic tribe, rare birds, and primeval trees lived in great pride. The forest was so rich that other kingdoms fought over it. The Yaksha tribe that lived in the forest was loyal to the kingdom of Alaka. They adhered to the rules of the land and lived in peaceful harmony. But every paradise has a serpent. Here, a neighbouring king played foul. Not able to accept that his daughter was forsaken by the prince for a tribal girl, he ordered his people to set fire to the forest hoping that it would kill the tribal girl. What he hadn't expected was that his actions would be fatal to the prince too. As soon as the news reached the king of Alaka, he ordered the death of the other king; however, he had lost his son by then and the entire forest had been burnt down. In today's language, they would call it a failure of military intelligence. Anyway, coming back to this forest, let us go further."

In silence, they walked for some distance into the thicket. There was a stillness to the forest that was not common. Dushyant asked the Acharya, "Why is it so quiet? I mean forests do have their own cacophony of sounds. This forest seems frozen in time even though there are plenty of trees."

"It hasn't recovered from the tragedy that happened centuries ago. It lost almost all its children in the fire.  Days have flown, years have passed and centuries have rolled by but this forest is trapped in a time warp."

"What do you mean by time warp?"

"There hasn't been a single creature that has made this forest its home since the fire. They come and go but no one dwells here long. You know Dushyant... some wrongdoings are so colossal that there is no going back from it. This forest has been abused so badly that it has stopped being home to any species. Look at the trees here. They are either taken over by weeds or they have stopped growing. Similarly, none of the birds or mammals or reptiles stay here long."

Guru's words made sense to him. Dushyant looked around the forest. It existed like a haunted palace. Ananda Acharya continued, "We, the so-called exalted beings on this earth, think, only humans are sensitive. It is not true. I believe all children of the Earth are susceptible to suffering. This forest has endured so much pain that it has refused to be home to any of its visitors."

Dushyant was enraptured by what the Guru was saying. There was such profound truth to it that it impelled him to question, "So guruji, what can make this forest come back to life?"

"I don't know. Once upon a time, this was so flourishing that there were festivals celebrated in honour of Saugandhika. They used to cherish every living entity here." The guru sighed wistfully, "Perhaps Saugandhika is waiting for someone to return. The river could be flowing endlessly because it is looking forward to someone's reappearance, someone who had been wronged in the past."

"True, what you are saying is absolutely right. There are so many things that we have no knowledge about."

"Right!" There was a small clearance in the area and Dushyant viewed the small patch of blue sky with relief. Soon, the looming trees brought an end to the glimpse of the blue yonder. A narrow track led them further into the woods.

"We haven't yet finished the discussion about Ekveer," Ananda Acharya noted.

"Oh?" Dushyant was more focussed on the ground. He didn't want to step on some crawling creature.

They moved to the bank of the translucent river Maitsaya.

"Some people in Alaka had believed that Ekveer escaped death by travelling to the future through the wormhole in the river. If you go to the other side of the forest, there is a small village where they sing a lullaby to children at night. Like the poem about Yakshagni and the ballad that talks about Urmathi and her son; it illustrates the story of Ekveer. The lullaby ends with the return of the prince to his beloved land after thousand years."

Dushyant stared at the Guru in fascination, "Oh, how fascinating! I saw a cenotaph in Modhera. It was dedicated to Jalindra who had escaped from Alaka through the river and had been found on the banks of the river Pushpavati."

"Jalindra?"

"Yes," Dushyant narrated the life of Jalindra to the older man. "Since it has been the mission of my family to trace the journey of the king, I was excited to come across the cenotaph and pay homage to him."

"What makes you think that he was the only one who had escaped? There might have been others who had taken refuge in the river and found themselves on the other side of the world."

"You mean like Ekveer?"

"Yes, he and the tribal princess..."

"But she was a Yakshi," Dushyant mused aloud.

"So what? If she had travelled to the other side, then she could have adjusted herself to the life there."

"Do you think Ekveer and his woman met on this side of the time?"

"Possibly... We will have to wait and see. Long ago, some wise men wrote a prophecy on the banks of this river. The prophecy was that if two innocent lovers had been wronged by Alaka; they would have to return to this land once again to save Alaka from the Great Storm."

"Alaka has gone already..."

"The name is gone but the land is still here, isn't it?"

"Do you think such prophecies come true?"

"Look at the placid river...Who could have imagined that once upon a time it had been awe-inspiring? That it had hidden a mind-blowing secret that no one could have imagined."

"Like you said, a wormhole..."

"Yes!"

They stood watching the serpentine river. Then, they sauntered deeper into the forest. Ananda Acharya commented, "See, even the Sun refuses to brighten this forest. The whole area is covered in darkness."

A dark cloud hung over the forest. The guru stopped suddenly. Dushyant who was following the guru came to a faltering halt.

Ananda Acharya picked a broken tree branch from the ground and brushed aside the dry leaves and debris from a spot near the river. As Dushyant watched perplexed, the guru swept away the top layer of the sand and mud with his hand.

Something like a marble glistened from the ground. Dushyant's eyes widened in amazement. As the guru dug the land around the marble slab, Dushyant helped him. He realized with astonishment that it was a cenotaph. There was an inscription on it. The script was unfamiliar to him.

"What is inscribed on it?"

"Our beloved Prince, Ekveer Bhadra - Prince of Alaka."

"Good lord, he died at this spot?"

"He was believed to have died on this spot. Only his sword and royal jacket were retrieved from this place. But since it is so close to the river, he could have jumped into Yakshagni and travelled to the other world."

"What about the tribal princess?" Dushyant lowered his tone as if he was discussing a palace intrigue.

"She too could have jumped into the river with him. If they had come ashore at the same time frame, they should meet and return here. Or this land would be destroyed soon."

Dushyant knelt and let his hands run over the inscription.

His ancestor! What a miracle to find this cenotaph...

*******************

When Maurya met Vasukinath Krishna at the hospital, the older man looked shattered. His wife, although exhausted, was more in control of the situation. She was the one who apprised Maurya of Rashika's state of health.

"What about Arjun?"

She shook her head, conveying that she wasn't aware of his condition.

Maurya then asked a nurse who directed him to another unit, where Arjun's parents were waiting anxiously for the doctor's prognosis. Half an hour later, the doctor informed the family that in spite of trying his best, he could not save Arjun. Arjun's mother collapsed on the chair.

Maurya would never forget that afternoon's terrible scene in the hospital. The distraught cries of Arjun's parents lent an air of heart-wrenching bereavement through the hospital's corridor. Many of Arjun's relatives arrived and some of them even screamed at the staff for their failure to revive Arjun. Following the altercation between the staff and Arjun's family, security guards arrived to control the situation.

There was utter chaos but what horrified Maurya was Vasukinath and his wife's utter disregard for Arjun's family. Their benumbed stance and their refusal to acknowledge that Rashika was driving recklessly, and therefore was the cause of her friend's death; appalled Maurya. Maurya recognized something very cold and selfish in their exclusive concern for their daughter with no thought for the person who had died.

Maurya instructed some of the senior staff of Krishna Industries to handle the uproar at the hospital. Index Fashion House closed for a couple of days and most staff showed their faces at the hospital. The hospital administration cautioned Maurya about the growing number of visitors as it was against the hospital mandates to have so many visitors for one patient.

In the midst of the turmoil, Maurya missed Dharma desperately. Although he was dying to speak to her, he did not want to involve her in the mess that Rashika had created. There were allegations and counter-allegations by Arjun's family and Rashika's family. Each blamed the other for the tragic accident. Rashika's parents alleged that Arjun had persuaded Rashika for the disastrous drive while Arjun's family claimed that Rashika had misled Arjun. Vasukinath looked up to Maurya for guidance but Maurya had no clue. He waited for the doctor's diagnosis of Rashika before he took any further action.

Maurya was aware that Dharma had been upset about his abrupt departure. He knew it instinctively because Dharma would have called him by now otherwise. He realized, in hindsight, that he should have given her the details of the accident. But, the truth was that he had been overcome by too many emotions when he received the phone call. He had felt guilty for being indifferent to Rashika during their stay in Modhera; had been regretful that he had not broken off the engagement sooner; but above all, he had been plagued with worry that Vasukinath, on learning about his daughter's condition, would insist on getting him married to her at once. Hence, he had withdrawn into a shell, as always. He supposed that he had hurt Dharma with his attitude. It was only after reaching Delhi that Maurya learnt that Rashika was much more critical than what he had been told, and that, Arjun had been with her.

In truth, it had only relieved him. He, now, had a definite reason to tell Vasukinath that his daughter loved someone else. However, Arjun's death rendered him speechless. He deliberated on the reasons for the ill-fated drive on that day. What had made Rashika take that highway? Had they been on a jaunty ride when they met with the accident?

**************

Dharma’s phone was switched off. A worried Maurya spoke to Shankaran who briefed him about Avadhi’s collapse, Dharma’s decision & her leaving for the airport.

While he was kicking himself for having been unfair to Dharma, one of Arjun's two brothers approached him. Arjun was the youngest of the three brothers.

"Hi," Rahul greeted him soberly.

"Hi, I am extremely sorry about Arjun."

Nodding, Rahul took a seat next to Maurya and extracted a cell phone from his pocket. "This is Arjun's phone. The police handed it to me. They found it inside the car when they were towing it away."

Maurya waited. He got an inkling that something significant was going to be revealed.

"I went through his call log and messages. I know you are concerned about Rashika. But we have to do our duty. We are investigating the incidents that led to the accident."

Maurya frowned, "And what did you find?"

"There is an unknown number and message here. When I enquired in my office, I learnt that Arjun was tracing a man who had escaped police custody. None of the lawyers in the firm recognised the number. Only the investigator seemed aware of it because he had been asked to find this man at the behest of Rashika. Just before the accident, Arjun and Rashika had met this fellow. I came to know about this from the umpteen messages exchanged between Rashika and Arjun. Do you know who he is?"

Even before he saw the number, Maurya guessed who Rashika had tried to contact. Enraged by her audacity, Maurya asked, "Do you have his number?"

"Here, see...."

With Rahul's permission, Maurya called the number. It was switched off. "I will let you know once I find out his identity," Maurya assured Rahul, even as he seethed with fury inside.

After Rahul left, Maurya remained motionless, too infuriated by Rashika's deception. But what really added embers to his indignation was Rashika’s manipulation of her naïve friend, just to find Chaitanya. Without a moment's hesitation, he shared Chaitanya's number with the police officer and the lawyer who was in charge of the case. He also shared the number with his friend who had been successful in tracking Chaitanya the first time.

Once he had given the information to the concerned persons, he gave one last try. The disgusting voice of Chaitanya came on line.

"Arjun here..." Maurya lied, to get to the bottom of the truth.

"Your friend, Rashika told me that you would inform me when Dharma arrived," Chaitanya remarked, unaware of Arjun's death.

"So, I did," Maurya answered, instantly understanding the motive behind Rashika's actions. Somehow, she had learnt of Chaitanya's pursuit of Dharma and had decided to contact him to get rid of Dharma. She had taken Arjun's help to track Chaitanya, had met Chaitanya just before the accident, and had promised him that she would inform him of Dharma's whereabouts.

The conniving bitch!

The hurrying nurse informed Maurya that Rashika had gained consciousness. He ignored her.

Instead, he left the building, reversed his car from the parking lot, and headed for the airport.

Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion - II

 37) The Ancient Folksong

Maurya's face was now blanched with a deep pallor as he answered the call. He listened quietly to whoever it was on the other end. Dharma mulled if the caller was Rashika.

Observing the abrupt change of expression on his face, Dharma's heart raced. There was some bad news. From a warm and loving demeanour, Maurya had turned remote and coldly detached.

"What is it Maurya?" she asked as soon as he ended the call.

"Rashika..." he revealed; his thoughts already miles away from Anuragnicheri.

"Is she fine?"

"She met with an accident; she is in the hospital."

"Oh!" ignoring the wounded ankle, Dharma climbed down hurriedly from the bed, "Who was on the phone?"

"Her father..." Maurya answered distantly, his gaze glued to the phone, "I have to go, Dharma."

"Yes, yes, we will go immediately."

"No...." Dharma flinched at Maurya's tone. "No, you stay here. I will book your ticket for tomorrow."

"But, Maurya...if you are leaving, we can go together," Dharma suggested. The fleeting impatience that crossed his face did not miss Dharma's discerning gaze.

"You take rest tonight. I will ask Shankaran to get you to the airport tomorrow."

Maurya had begun making calls, striding away from the room. Dharma followed him. She was anxious about Maurya travelling in the bad weather. She voiced her concern. He ignored it. She reckoned that he was shaken by Rashika's accident. Shankaran lent his car although he did raise the point about the thunderstorm. Maurya paid no attention to either of their misgivings. He left without a glance or goodbye to Dharma.

Lying on the bed in a strange place and in an uneasy state of mind, Dharma's ears caught the rhythm of the falling rains. Her worried thoughts traversed to her past life. The fact that she was a Yakshi made her ruminate about her future with Maurya. Would he be willing to accept her, knowing the truth about her origin?

Before they could discuss their intertwined past in detail, Maurya got the news about Rashika. Despite Dharma's connection with Maurya in their past lives, she understood with painful realization that Rashika enjoyed greater privilege in  Maurya’s life. Rashika was already engaged to him and Dharma knew that he hadn't yet broken his engagement to her. Now, it seemed unlikely that Maurya would come back to Dharma. Nevertheless, Dharma prayed for his safe journey. The Yakshis who had guarded her and Maurya, had left the world to inhabit the subterranean region. In the absence of their guarding presence, Dharma could only hope that bad weather would not trouble Maurya. What she had gathered from Maurya's unexpected departure was that Rashika was seriously injured. Maurya's distress on hearing the news made her wonder if he loved Rashika in his own way. After all, he had known her for many years, and they had spent their crucial growing-up years together.

Maurya had not even considered it necessary to give the details to Dharma. She was still smarting from his terse departure. Nonetheless, she waited to hear from him before drawing any conclusion.

When morning began to make its sunny presence gingerly, she slid out of bed to take a look outside. The rains had stopped, and a silvery dawn was unfolding through the mist. The street road was covered with uprooted trees and leaves ripped by the blistering winds.

She checked her phone and was disappointed to find no message or call from Maurya. After testing her ankle which seemed fine that morning, and freshening up, she left the room stealthily. She did not want to disturb Shankaran, and hence she slipped out of the main door quietly. She inhaled the earthy smell of the rain-washed morning. Ahead of making any conscious decision, her feet were automatically drawn towards Avadhi.

She gazed at the ruined façade of the house. Its rickety presence gave her comfort. Somehow, she got the impression that Avadhi understood her leaden heart. She noticed that a part of the ceiling had caved in during the stormy night. She did not enter the house, as she was sure the memories of the previous day would tear her apart.

Yesterday, Maurya had been with her, now she was alone, unsure of her future.

Was it the maneuvering of Time? Or simply her fate?

"Good morning!" the temple priest greeted her.

"Good morning!"

Echoing her thoughts unknowingly, he said, "Life is so unpredictable. Yesterday, Avadhi was crying for attention and today she is almost going down..."

"Going down?" Dharma questioned, taking a quick look at the house.

"Yes, last night's rains have wrecked her. She will collapse soon."

Curious, Dharma asked, "Why do you address the house as she?"

Smiling, he answered, "The woman who had lived here must have been forlorn. She died eventually but her sorrow had not. Time could not erase her misery but your arrival had."

His words brightened her fractured heart. She smiled at him guardedly. He continued, "Do you know what Avadhi means? It means time. Time had come to a stand-still here. When you arrived, you released it from its trappings.”

"Do you think so?" Dharma asked in wonder.

"Yes, Shankaran told me what happened and I realize that you were the one Avadhi wanted to see."

They stood in comforting silence, gazing at Avadhi. "Why don't you visit the temple?" he invited her.

"I will take a look at the river first..."

Dharma dipped her feet in the cold waters of Agni. It rejuvenated her. Like a wandering spirit that had finally found its destination, Dharma felt restful beside the river.

Without warning, a loud crashing sound thundered around her. She swung around in panic. The roof of Avadhi had come down completely. The pillars buckled and the walls fell to pieces under the weight of the collapsing beam.

***************

When Dushyant opened his eyes, he found, to his surprise, the Guruji right in front of him. Sitting up clumsily, Dushyant felt embarrassed to have fallen asleep.

"Good morning!" Guruji's warm eyes smiled at Dushyant.

"I am so sorry Guruji. I guess I was so tired that I dozed off," Dushyant apologized, darting a quick look around him.

"It is alright. Most of the visitors feel tired after climbing up all those steps. So, what is the purpose of your visit?"

"I heard that you are the only one who knows the origin of a folksong and the names of the individuals in the narrative."

When the spiritual teacher frowned in confusion, Dushyant explained, "The folk song that tells the story of a mother and her son, how the duo was jailed for singing a song about a brave prince and his love."

"Yes, yes, I know which folk song you are talking about. But why do you want to know their names? Is there any particular reason?"

Dushyant pondered if he should confess the truth of his journey to Guruji. Deciding to reveal everything, he began, "I stay near Almora. I believe my family is the descendants of the royalty of the ancient kingdom, Alaka."

The Guruji's eyes grew wider in surprise at the mention of Alaka, "Alaka?"

"Yes guruji, and I came here with the hope of finding some traces to the ancient kingdom. When I heard the folk song, I was curious if it had connections to Alaka."

"The pair in the folk song is Urmathi and her son. She was the beloved mistress of a king of Khandvas. When war broke out between Alaka and her enemies Vindhash and Khandvas, Urmathi and her son fled to a village across the border. She sought refuge in the kingdom of Alaka. She tried to teach her son the valour of the prince of Alaka. Together, they used to earn some money by serenading the story. Unfortunately, they were jailed for singing the ballad publicly. The folksong, however, became a legendary tale of the heroism of Urmathi and her son, and made the prince of Alaka popular."

"So, the kingdom of Alaka was here somewhere in the region," Dushyant mused aloud.

"Yes, this gurukul has been here for many centuries, and during the earlier years, they used to teach the valour of the prince to the disciples."

"Which prince was this?"

"Prince Ekveer...he lost his life in a forest fire. He fought bravely for his woman, for the tribal community, and for the forest where they lived."

Dushyant was fascinated by the story of Ekveer, "What happened to the prince?"

"What happens usually? The girl to whom he was betrothed hailed from Vindhash. When her father heard about Ekveer's love for this tribal girl, he got furious and joined hands with the enemy of Alaka, Khandvas. Together, they waged war against Alaka. Ekveer fought the battle bravely from the frontline and he won, however, the enemies set fire to the forest without his knowledge. It is believed that Ekveer, the woman he loved, and most of the tribe were killed in the forest fire. It is a very tragic story. For many years, the prince's father grieved for his only son."

"Oh, so why stop people from singing the valour of the prince?"

"Khandvas, with the help of its neighbouring kingdoms captured Alaka. The general who had successfully annexed Alaka to Khandvas was crowned the new ruler. He was the founder of the Khadga dynasty. The subsequent rulers banished anyone who spoke about the prince or Alaka. Slowly, Alaka and its glory disappeared. In its place, new kingdoms and newer heroes had emerged."

"So which tribe did the woman belong to? I mean the prince's lover..."

"Oh, she lived in the forests of Saugandhika. They were called the Yakshis. They were a very intelligent tribe. They were great learners and had immense knowledge about the universe. When their forest was burnt down, it is believed that some of the Yakshis escaped through a river and others moved to subterranean caves. Yakshas protect the treasures buried under the surface of the earth."

Very hesitantly Dushyant put the question forward, "Had the Yakshas believed in time travel?"

The stunned Guruji regarded Dushyant with shock, "Why do you ask? Do you know something that no one does?"

"No, no, I wondered about the diagram made on the slopes of the Baspa Valley. It depicts a compass."

"They were made by the Yakshas when they had been the only ones who had ruled over the land, the mountains, and the river. They knew secrets about this universe that no one had known. It is possible that they could have believed in time travel."

***************

Some of the residents of the village rushed out at the loud crash. The tree that had looked barren to Dharma the previous day, toppled over the wreckage. Some birds fluttered across the area in panic. Fragments of soot spread over the debris of Avadhi. The tiny dust particles rose up gradually, merging into the gust of air, and disappeared from Dharma's view.

The emotions that were trapped in a moment of eternal predicament, moved forward from the crossroads. Avadhi had been caught in a crux but now she took a significant step forward in the constant motion of Time.

Yakshagni's tail end of the journey had come to an end. With the exposure of the other end of the wormhole to Maurya and Dharma, the river had surrendered itself to Earth. The river would henceforth become a legend to posterity. The truth of her secret may be found only between the pages of history, folklore, and myths.

The sight of the perished house brought a lump in Dharma's throat. She had a sensation of bidding goodbye to one part of her life. From her first meeting with Maurya to her journey to Modhera; everything had directed her to this momentous visit to Avadhi. Maybe this was the point where she would be parting from Maurya. The heaviness of the realization made her tearful but the sight of Shankaran followed by a group of men, forced her to get a grip on her emotions.

"Thank god you are fine. When I found you missing in the house, I was afraid that you had gone inside Avadhi to explore," Shankaran cried out in relief.

"Sorry, I left without informing you. I didn’t want to disturb you in the morning..." she apologized.

"Are you alright?"

Dharma nodded as more residents of the village gathered in front of Avadhi.

"We will have to remove the debris. Any idea, Dharma, on what we should do with the land? The Railway authorities have been eyeing this part of the land. When I asked Maurya, he said it belongs to you and that you would be deciding on what we do with that piece of land."

Dharma flashed a look at Shankaran and asked eagerly, "Have you spoken to Maurya? Has he reached Delhi?"

"No, we spoke about the house last night, just before he left. Today, I only got a message that he has reached Delhi."

Dharma agonized that Maurya hadn't even sent a message to her.

"So, what should we do Dharma? Either, we sell the land to Railways or use it. Maurya told me that he is ready to pay any amount for it."

"If everyone in the village agrees, I think we should have a home built for destitute women. Can we build a home like that?" Dharma asked hesitantly, not sure if her idea would be accepted by the villagers.

"Why not? I will arrange a meeting with the administrative committee of the village and we can make a decision about it. It is an excellent suggestion, Dharma."

While the workers moved towards Avadhi, Dharma let herself inside the temple. She was not a religious person and did not follow any particular faith. She revered the mountains, the river, and the natural elements. But that morning, when she visited the shrine, a sense of peace encompassed her. The beautifully decorated divine face of the goddess brought a glimmer of hope to her. The priest offered her a crumb of sandal paste in a bit of banana leaf. The scent of the sandal rendered her nostalgic. When she exited the temple, she was greeted by some of the village women. They had heard her suggestion to build a house for homeless women, and they appreciated her idea. Avadhi had been an eyesore for them and they had wanted to get rid of it. Now, they were jubilant that there was, finally, a chance to make the village look better.

Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion - II

 36) Manohara - The Tormented Yakshi

"Ekveer..." Dharma sobbed in fear. The air crackled with tension, throwing Maurya into a tizzy.

"Who is Ekveer?" Maurya demanded, tugging Dharma to safety from the edge of the ditch. The water was rising steadily and spilling over to the floor of the house.

Dharma's agonized cry penetrated Maurya's heart with stinging pain. Hearing another man's name from her, with such poignance in particular, aggrieved him. The rawness of the anguish rendered him helpless and he fretted about her feelings for the other man.

Dharma was unaware of Maurya's despair. A plethora of soft voices besieged her. Almost identical to the profusion of nocturnal sounds in dark woods, the murmurs swamped Dharma's head. In her haste to search for the man who had haunted her dreams, she twisted her ankle and the pain shot up like an electric shock, numbing her senses. Everything began to blur for her; however, the whispers grew louder. Feeling groggy and light-headed, Dharma's eyes drooped. She began to slide down from Maurya's grip. Figuring that she was passing out, Maurya wrapped his arms around her tightly and prevented her from slumping down.

"Dharma, open your eyes..." Maurya's concerned voice floated over her. Amidst the babble of voices, Dharma identified Maurya's words but they remained out of her cognizance. There were much more confusing and incomprehensible whispers around her.

"We are leaving you...."

"Go to Alaka, Hanneli..."

"We have fulfilled the promise made to your father..."

"He is Ekveer, the prince of Alaka"

"Goodbye Hanneli...the Yaksha clan has to go..."

"She is not opening her eyes...Dharma, wake up …" a worried Maurya prodded her. Dharma was, however, inundated with subdued voices.

"We will disappear together with Yakshagni into the womb of Mother Earth."

"Yakshagni was the sacred river of Alaka; the kingdom where you were born."

"Your ancestor had promised Yakshagni that when the other end of the river is discovered, she could surrender herself to Earth..."

"You and Ekveer have found out this end. So now, we will depart."

"Leave for Alaka, Hanneli...They need you there."

"Love him with all your heart. He is your true love..."

"The woman who had lived here was Manohara, your ancestor. By coming here, you have released her spirit. God bless..."

"Manohara and the king had loved each other, and like you and Ekveer, they had jumped into Yakshagni. Unfortunately, they had gotten separated and landed in different eras of the time. The king was found on the banks of the river Pushpavati much earlier. Manohara was carried by the currents to this end of the river. She came ashore years later."

"The most powerful warrior of all; Time, defeated their love."

"Once they lost their precious time together in Alaka, they could never find it again."

"Hence, Manohara was haunted and cried for her lost love in Avadhi."

"The queen's curse had destroyed their journey on the other side of time."

"You have your father's blessings."

"You and Ekveer were steered to the land at the same course of time."

"Like your father had predicted, you and Ekveer would save Alaka from destruction."

"Hanneli, you know who we are, don't you?"

"Your protectors; we are Yakshis, your own clan. We came along with you to this timeline..."

"Now, it is time for us to bid farewell to you and the world."

"Ekveer and Maurya are one and the same...Like you and Hanneli."

"He will take care of you. He loves you."

"You have travelled through eons and reached here. Your love hasn't perished mercilessly. There is hope for Alaka."

"Alaka has suffered a lot for its cruelty to you and our clan."

"Yakshagni's secret will die with her."

"You are on your own now."

"There is danger still lurking around you both."

"We won't be there to protect you now Hanneli....so take care of yourself and Ekveer."

The murmurs went on without pause and Dharma felt as if her head would burst. She slipped deeper into blankness.

****************

The coffee had turned cold but Arjun had not relented so Rashika teased, "Arjun, you can never be angry with me for long. It has been almost two hours. Still, you are sulking."

"I am not sulking. I did what you told me, and yet you are not trying to convince your father. What do you expect me to do? Propose to you in front of the whole world?"

Rashika asked him coyly, "Would you do it?"

"I would if you get rid of Maurya."

Rashika laughed, a teasing sound that warmed Arjun's heart. His impassioned eyes roved over her face. He loved her crazily and if she asked him to die for her, he would do so without thinking twice.

Sniffling, he checked the time, "Come on, I have to go to the office. Drop me at the junction."

"Alright, come...." Rashika jumped up, checking her phone. Maurya had not returned to New Delhi yet. She had messaged Lekha whose reply confirmed that Dharma too was missing from action. Enraged at the temerity of Dharma, Rashika swore silently that she would never let the other woman live peacefully, and she would ensure that the moron who had escaped police custody would take her away. She didn't care if he abused or killed Dharma.

With surging fury, she got into the car. Agitated thoughts and incensed temper impelled Rashika to drive recklessly. Arjun checked her, "Rashi, slow down. You are crossing the speed limit. See, there is a traffic policeman standing..."

Nonetheless, Rashika was in no mood to listen to him. Her head was filled with images of Maurya; smiling, laughing, teasing, proposing to her...On her sixteenth birthday, he had got a bouquet for her; even now she had their petals stored in between the pages of her diary.

"Rashi, where are we going? This is not the route to my office."

"Just for a day Arjun, be with me. I want to escape from my angry thoughts."

"Why are you peeved now? That I didn't propose to you?" Arjun needled her.

"Aww, I know you love me..."

"But not enough for you to forget Maurya," he grumbled.

"Oh, can you please forget Maurya? Is it necessary that you have to bring up his name in every conversation?"

"He stands between us, Rashi. We would have been together if Maurya had not proposed to you before me..."

"Unlikely!" Rashika burst out, taking the highway to Agra. She was not sure where she was going but her frenzy blinded her to caution. She was hurting deeply over Maurya's betrayal and she was hauling Arjun after her to hell.

Arjun went still, "What do you mean by that?"

"I have loved Maurya since he came to Delhi. Do you hear me Arjun, I have loved him since I was nine or ten years old! I love him madly...." Rashika roared, venting her frustration on Arjun.

"Stop the car, Rashi...." Arjun ordered. Rashika's unpredictability had sparked his unease. She was driving with a devil-may-care attitude. And the particular road that they had taken was infamous for accidents.

"Why should I stop, Arjun? Didn't you want to spend the rest of your life with me?"

"Not when you are in love with another man...."

"And he loves me. Do you hear, Arjun? Maurya loves me more than anyone in his life. I am the only one he has. My father made him what he is today. If it had not been for my father, he would have remained an orphan like that bitch who is chasing him. She will never get him...Maurya and I are made for each other. He can never be with another woman."

At the speed the car was cruising, its tyre burst suddenly and Rashika lost control of the vehicle. It veered towards the right and skidded around in the opposite direction. Arjun shrieked out a warning but Rashika missed it by a fraction of a second. An oncoming wagon crashed into the car.

Both the vehicles toppled sideways. The piercing screams of the occupants of the vehicles shattered the peaceful quietness of the countryside. The state transport bus and other vehicles that were following behind, ground to an abrupt halt on the highway. Some of the bus passengers and drivers rushed to help the accident victims.

***************

Dharma opened her eyes slowly. She was lying on a comfortable bed and the room was in shadowy darkness. She looked around the room. Maurya was dozing on a chair. Not wanting to disturb him, Dharma tried to rise. Her head throbbed. Her shallow breathing awoke Maurya. He jerked open his eyes.

"Dharma...."

They regarded each other. Dharma lowered her gaze and reached for the water jug. Seeing her struggle with it, he poured the water into a glass and offered it to her. Their fingers brushed and he withdrew his hand quickly. She drained the water in one swallow.

"How do you feel?" he asked gently.

She shrugged as she flicked her eyes around the neatly arranged room, "Where am I?"

"At Shankaran's house. When you fainted, we brought you here."

"What happened in Avadhi?"

"I think when I pulled you away from the trapdoor, you twisted your ankle and lost consciousness. How is the pain?"

"It is ok. The head is aching a bit."

"You haven't eaten anything since we arrived."

Maurya uncovered a plate and handed it to her. "Shankaran had brought this for you but you were sleeping, I asked him to leave it here."

"How long was I unconscious?"

"Not too long. When we sprinkled water on you, you did open your eyes but you were too wound up. You couldn't stand on your feet and with that ankle pain, you were almost on the verge of collapse. We brought you here. The painkiller helped you to sleep."

Dharma shot a glance at her ankle. It was covered lightly with an elastic bandage.

"Eat," Maurya commanded.

There were some idlis, a bowl of sambar, and coconut chutney. It smelt delicious and Dharma realized that she was hungry. She ate while Maurya watched her steadily. Without tearing his eyes away from her, he helped her wash her hands. She was conscious of his stare but she pretended to be oblivious of it. Having finished every single morsel on the plate, she confessed, "I was hungry..."

Maurya waited for her to settle down. He then probed, "Who is Ekveer?"

Dharma went pale at the sound of the name. The hammering continued behind her eyes. The murmurs and whispers came back to her in a rush. Strangely, she remembered every word of the Yakshis.

"Dharma, I am asking you something," he repeated, an unfamiliar dread clutching him. Losing her to another man would kill him, and he realized the stunning truth with desperation.

"You..." she answered softly. His eyes widened in astonishment. Her tender gaze and loving smile were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. For the first time in his life, he understood implicitly the sense of belonging to another human.

"Me?" he asked, even though her perplexing answer made sense in a primal way.

"Yes, we have a connection from another time," Dharma revealed.

Not taken by surprise, Maurya responded, "I knew it."

There was a tentative knock on the door. Shankaran put his head around the door.

"How do you feel?" he asked Dharma.

"Better. Thank you for the delicious meal. I just devoured them hungrily..."

Chuckling at her expression, Shankaran said, "We shouldn't have gone into the house without cleaning it first."

Dharma recalled the rising water, "The house must be flooded by now. The water was rising..."

"No, after ten or fifteen minutes of opening the trapdoor, the water began to recede. It went down pretty fast. I put the lid back."

Shankaran's answer ushered back the memories of the whispers that Dharma had heard. Thinking back, they made more sense now. She remembered all of them very distinctly. Sighing, she looked at Maurya. He was studying her, noting every minute expression on her face.

Shankaran requested them to stay, "You can stay here for the night. There are enough rooms. It is drizzling outside and the weather forecast is bad. They are predicting a heavy to very heavy rainfall here tonight."

"Yeah, I saw the news. There is some depression building up, right?" Maurya asked

"Yes, in the Southern Ocean. It is not advisable to drive back tonight. Stay the night here."

"You have already gone to so much trouble...." Dharma began but Shankaran cut her short.

"Rubbish. It was nice of you two to come here. I have been calling Maurya for months, and only now he has got the time to listen to me. We will finish the discussion about Avadhi tomorrow when you are rested."

"Thank you so much. I will arrange for the pickup tomorrow morning." Maurya added as Shankaran left the room.

They were silent after Shankaran left. Maurya then asked, "What happened back in Avadhi? You called out for Ekveer. How did you remember the name?"

"I don't know where to begin Maurya. I think you were right. Hanneli was my name. And Ekveer was her love."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember, I told you that I hear whispers. I heard them again today."

"And?"

"They revealed that Hanneli and Ekveer had loved each other at another time. There had been a woman in Avadhi whose thoughts I could perceive. I did mention that, didn't I?"

At Maurya's nod, she continued, "Well, Manohara was my ancestor."

"So, Avadhi belongs to you and not me..." Maurya murmured thoughtfully.

"Maurya, there is something I have to tell you."

With trepidation, Maurya waited for her to explain. When Dharma had slipped near the trapdoor, for a moment, he had thought that he had lost her. That had been a devastating moment for him. He had even considered going after her into the waters but at the nick of time, he had held her back.

"I am a Yakshi...."

"A what?" Maurya asked in mystified shock.

"Yakshas are a tribe that I belong to. Apparently, some members of the clan have been present around me without being visible. They disappeared into the river in Avadhi when we opened the trapdoor. They were unseen shadows who had protected us from danger. They were the ones who whispered to me when you were in danger."

"What did they tell you in Avadhi?"

"That we had loved each other in a distant time, and in a faraway land..." Dharma's words brought a tingling sensation to his skin. He listened riveted to the spot.

"Those waters are from River Yakshagni, a sacred river that was worshipped in Alaka."

"Alaka?" Maurya spelt out the name in a daze, recognizing it but not actually identifying the place. His brows furrowed in thoughtful concentration.

"Yes, Alaka. I have to go back to Alaka. Only then, would I know what happened to us."

"But where is Alaka?"

"I don't know. I recall them saying that Jalindra had been Manohara's love and they too had come from Alaka but they had got separated."

"So, Mahendran asked me to visit this place for a purpose. He wanted me to bring you so that you would learn our past."

"I guess so. Maurya..." she uttered his name hesitantly. At his inquiring glance, she sought for his acknowledgement, "Do you believe what I say?"

He came closer and brushed the lock of tendrils that had drifted over her cheek. He swept them away from her face and tucked them behind her ears. Her breathing quickened at the sensual gesture. His touch caused frissons of excitement and pleasure.

"Do you know, I almost went berserk when you slipped in Avadhi? And when you called out for Ekveer, I was raving jealous."

Rendered speechless by his admission, Dharma's incandescent gaze bared her heart to him.

The sudden hum of his phone tugged them out of the trance.