THE HARBINGER OF NOR'WESTER

Blessed Grounds of Mayatalav

It somehow seems essential that every massively constructed temple should have a history. The Mayatalav temple stood on a large boulder that stuck itself to the mountain side. The outer complex at the far end rose over 25 feet from the sanctum. Laid in a straight line at front of the sanctum was the mandap. A space for artists, songs were sung, people waited here to offer prayers, it was surrounded by a wide rotunda or the pradakshina path. The wide hall had an intricately carved roof and was lined with pillars that opened to sheer cliffs on either side. Vaibhav always found at the temple which do not possess a history were often the most peaceful ones. That is probably the reason neither Sattu nor Biraj could tell Vaibhav anything about the Mayatalav temple.

Vaibhav stood on the rotunda, the temple was empty this early in the morning. A young girl ran away noticing him. Vaibhav came up to her dwelling place to notice a half drawn hop scotch court. Vaibhav bowed to the deity and breathed in the serene air. He peacefully looked around the decoration and the murals on the pillars. When another woman carrying a plate full of flowers stopped in front of him.

"There! by the northeastern corner," the girl said as she stretched the upper fold of her knee length saffron saree further up the shoulder, "you can see a washing basin. Bring up the two buckets of water kept there."

Vaibhav squinted his eyes and twitched his face but quietly obliged with her instructions. He followed the woman's directions and found the two buckets. He lifted them and walked inside to find her standing in the inner sanctum, indicating Vaibhav to come up there. Vaibhav followed the girl's instructions exhaustively to keep the buckets on the steps leading to the sanctum.

"I'm sorry to make you do this," the woman said abruptly, adjusting the flowers on her plate, "actually the two volunteers did not come to work today, so...."

"You are Shreema," Vaibhav smiled as he said, "yesterday night, at the fair?"

The woman put down her plate beside the seat meant for the priest and turned around to face Vaibhav. She keenly looked at him and then spoke, "I was told that my performance was appreciated by a very important guest," Shreema stepped down from the sanctum.

"It was ah...," Vaibhav made meaningless gestures in the air. Shreema squinted her eyes and followed Vaibhav's movements keenly.

"Um....," Vaibhav broke into a smile, "it was like a trance. You..."

"Thank you, that was the most obscure compliment anyone ever gave me," Shreema mockingly hugged herself.

Vaibhav smiled and looked away, eager to change the topic. His eyes caught the murals again, a long chain of dancing women painted with varying sceneries.

"Hey," he nudged Shreema, pointing her to the least old painting. The abstract dancing figure was dressed in a white saree with a golden border. Simply ornamented, her lips bright red and a golden belt on her mid torso highlighting her waist.

"Mohiniyattam...," Vaibhav gasped, realisation dawning him, she was locked in a similar tribhanga position like Shreema did yesterday, exactly similar.

"So you do know your dance!" Shreema came behind Vaibhav, "my father tells me she was called Maya Devi," Shreema turned to Vaibhav, "this temple belonged to her family for generations. Some say the place was named after her."

"She, like a keeper of this temple?"

"Yes, they all are!" Shreema turned around to point at the murals.

"She was a... she performed at the village fair too? From what I know, women of that time weren't allowed to perform publically and the Mohiniyattam repertoire needs a lot of space."

"You can say devdasi. Maya devi was a devdasi, for all purposes I am too. Except, it has been a few years, any priest took up the responsibilities of this temple. So I am the priestess now." Shreema was quiet for a few moments, "Maya devi, she performed at the Courtyard"

"Where?", Vaibhav turned to the temple entrance.

"You just walked through it.", Kali pointed outside, where a small shed was built at the edge of the cliff, "That area belonged to this temple before there was a lookout point constructed there."

"Belonged?"

"Nandan Sikdar owns the temple grounds now. Had to be done, revenue was not good."

Vaibhav and Shreema stood in silence for a few moments. Vaibhav turning to the image of the goddess for one last time.

"Nice talking to you," Vaibhav checked his watch and started walking out, "hope I made a good first impression."

"Why would you want that?" Shreema enquired pulling back a strand of hair from her face.

"A recent acquaintance of mine told me that it is important," Vaibhav began walking towards the doors.

"A wise friend!" Shreema locked her hands behind her as she walked.

Vaibhav stopped at the lowest step of the temple, when out of nowhere a loud thunder crackled across the sky.
Shreema walked out into the courtyard and looked down to the valley, "You should beware, Dr. Vaibhav Roy. It seems that the Kalbaisakhi is early this year. And the police here would not lend you an umbrella!"

Vaibhav raised his eyebrows, "how do you know that?"

"Asta-Siddhi of course and," Shreema smiled and scanned the horizon, "I hear people pray sometimes," Shreema walked back into the temple, "I heard that the civility in your ways made you a preference over CRPF reinforcements!"

"Better than having supernatural powers, I suppose." Vaibhav joked, a little unsettled.