Journey through the Grand Canyon (Drisana's Mahabharat #2)

Chapter 12

Bheem took direction of the kitchen from a das and started towards it. As he neared the Kitchen, he smelled something delicious. His eyes closed automatically savouring the smell and his feet moved towards the smell. He came inside a smaller kitchen area beside the actual large royal kitchen. The smell was coming from there. Bheem looked around to find the room empty. A small cauldron was placed on the stove in low flame. Bheem went to it and lifted the lid to find the exquisite sight of mouth-watering Kheer (rice pudding).

"Sugandh itna manmohak hai, toh pata nehi swad kitna bariya hoga. Pata kar hi leta hu. (Smell is so amazing, I wonder how great it would taste. Let's find out.)" Bheem said swallowing hard. He took a large bowl and taking the cauldron out of the stove emptied all its contents on it.

"Pratit hota hai rasoyya bohot kripan hai. Itna kam kyu banaya hai? (Seems like the cook is a miser. Why has he made so little?)" Bheem muttered frowning at the little amount.

He then sat comfortably at a corner and took a mouthful. He instantly froze, then closing his eyes moaned loudly at the heavenly taste. He never ate so delicious Kheer before. This was pure bliss. Before long he had finished whole bowl. But his heart wasn't satisfied. He went to the cauldron and wiped out whatever was sticked to it.

"Iss rasoyya ko toh main Indraprasth le calunga aapne saath. Maja aagaya. (I'll take this chef to Indraprasth with me. I enjoyed it.)" Bheem said to himself pleasingly.

"Aap yaha kya kar rahe hai? (What are you doing here?)" A voice asked from behind frozing him.

'What are you doing here?!' Bheem thought closing his eyes. He turned to find Valandhara staring at him.

"Nothing. I was roaming around and then heard some sound and came to check." Bheem said nonchalantly.

Valandhara frowned a little, then let it go. But her mouth hung open as she noticed the cauldron of Kheer beside the stove laying empty. She went near and picked it to check what she was seeing was real or illusion. As Valandhara was feeling anxious, she decided to keep fast the next day. For that only she made the Kheer, so she could keep fast after eating it. During making it, some accidentally fell on her clothes. Not liking the stickiness, she went to change her clothes placing it on low flame.

"My - my Kheer???!!!!!!!!" Valandhara gasped out.

Bheem's eyes rounded realising what he had done.

"Who ate my Kheer?!!!" Valandhara asked glaring at Bheem. Bheem looked around to find some excuse and thankfully found one too.

"Billi!!! Billi ne khayi hai. (Cat!!! Cat ate it.)" Bheem said pointing at a cat sitting on the corner swaying its tail.

"Billi nehi billa. Bagar billa! Billi cule se Kheer utar ke chat kar gayi??? Mai kya murk dikhti hu? (Not cat, tomcat. Big tomcat! Cat took it out from the stove and ate it??? Do I look like an idiot?)" Valandhara said angrily.

"Arreh! Main kya mittha bol raha hu. Billi ne hi khayi hai. Usi ke awaz se toh main dekhne aaya tha ki yeaha kya ho raha hai. (What! I'm not lying. Cat only ate it. Hearing that sound only I came to check what's happening here.)" Bheem said innocently. At that time only the Cat made a loud sound.

"Meow!!!"

"Sunlo. Billi bhi haa bol rahi hai. (Hear that. Cat is agreeing too.)" Bheem said.

"Mujhe murkh banane ka prayatna mat kijiye. Mujhe pata hai ki aapne khayi hai meri Kheer. (Don't try to fool me. I know you only ate my Kheer.)" Valandhara said looking at him in anger.

"Main kyu khayunga tumhari kheer? Itna kharab aur bakwas Kheer main nehi khata. (Why would I eat your Kheer? I don't eat such bad and tasteless Kheer.)" Bheem said with attitude.