Percy and Annabeth had just left the infirmary. They looked cute as a couple, to be honest. After a few minutes, Pranjal came inside. Now I look at him, he looked Indian. I haven't noticed it the first time I saw him. Maybe just blurry.
"Hi, Hari. How do you feel?", he asked.
"Better. Say, Can I stand by tomorrow?", I asked concerned.
"Why such a hurry?", he asked back.
"You know..... you saw the thread; I need to do the 'Nitya-karma'. I have failed to do it today with all the travelling and then this event.", I said slowly.
"You may take another day, Hari. Here. Have some more Ambrosia and Nectar. Maybe you may heal overnight. But I can't promise.", Pranjal said and gave me the squares and some yellow (A/N: Is nectar Yellow in colour? Please reply in comments) liquid. I consumed them and it reminded me about my Paati's food. I felt nostalgic.
"Say, can we talk?", Pranjal asked.
"About what?", I asked.
"What two Indians speak when they encounter each other in foreign lands?!", Pranjal's reply came more of a question.
"Sure. You're from?", I asked first.
"Kashi. My mother actually. I was born here in the US.", Pranjal replied.
(A/N: To be more practical, I have decided to include a few dialogues in mostly Hindi. Its translations will be shown in the bolds next to the Hindi sentences that are in italics)
"Toh tumhare maa Kashi se hain aur tum yahan amrika mein janma liye?", I asked back in confirmation. (So, your mother was born in Kashi and you were born here in America?!)
"You know Hindi?", Pranjal asked in shock.
"What made you think I don't know Hindi? And can we speak in Hindi? It has been a while and I am losing my touch.", I asked back.
"Teek hain. Baat yeh hain ki tumhara naam se mujhe laga ki tum Tamil Nadu se ho.", Pranjal said. ( Okay. The thing is your name made me think that you were from Tamil Nadu)
(A/N: For explanation, In India, the southern states do not use Hindi as frequently as the north. Especially Tamil Nadu has a sour relationship with Hindi which had led to many political repercussions.)
"Haan. Mein Tamil Nadu se hoon. Ab Kayi Tamil log Hindi seekh rahe hain.", I replied back, with my fluency increasing with every word spoken. (Yes. I am from Tamil Nadu. Now, there are many Tamil people who are learning Hindi.)
"Tamil Nadu Mein kahan?", Pranjal asked. (You're from where in Tamil Nadu?)
"Sriperumbudur.", I replied.
"Yeh Chennai ke paas hai na?", he asked back. (It is the one near Chennai right?)
I nodded. Then we were interrupted by a cough. Standing near the door was A burly teen with an Asian face, more like Chinese.
"Praetor Zhang. How may I help you?", Pranjal quickly turned and bowed in respect.
"What language were you speaking Pranjal? And may we introduce ourselves?", he directed the second question towards me.
"Hindi! Praetor.", Pranjal replied.
"Sure. I am Hariharan Sivakumar. Call me Hari for short.", I said and sat on the bed with my back resting.
"You may lay down. I don't want to aggravate your wound. I am Frank Zhang. Praetor of the twelfth Legion Fulminata. Welcome to Camp Jupiter.", he said and raised his hand for a shake. Me being Indian unconsciously folded my hands in the 'namaste' pose to greet him. Awkward Moment time!!
I quickly shook his hand. "Get well soon. Here, keep this letter with you. Show this with Pranjal's report to the Chancellor of the college, Mrs Minerva Smith.", he said and gave me an envelope and exited the infirmary.
"Here I can have it. Now rest. If you want to heal yourself faster.", Pranjal said.
"A favour please.", I asked.
"What?"
"In my bag, there is an old cassette player and a bunch of cassettes. Can you bring it here please.?", I pleaded.
He glared at me confusingly for a minute before nodding and going out of the infirmary. After like fifteen minutes, he came back panting with the cassette player in his hand and a set of cassettes in another.
"Took you long enough!!", I said amused.
"I have to go to the dorm in New Rome and come back. It is a good distance away.", he panted between words and set the cassette next to my bed on a small table.
"I thought my bag was in the infirmary.", I asked.
"Percy just took your stuff and kept it in his room. He said he set up many things, but still, there were many things to unpack. Now back to the matter here.", Pranjal said and took out the cassettes.
"Can you take out a cassette that marked 'Dhanvantri Mantra'?", I asked.
"Sorry. I don't know what you're talking about. Moreover, I think everything is labelled in Tamil?!", Pranjal asked as he gave the cassettes to me. Sure, he was right. My father marked all the labels in Tamil. After rummaging through, I found a black cassette which was marked Dhanvantri Mantra. I gave the cassette to him and he ran the cassette player.
The background music was the standard sound that comes from a shruti box used in classical Carnatic renditions. After a few seconds, the hymns of the Dhanvantiri Mantra played around my bed.
(A/N: This is the Dhanvantri Mantra. There is also another variation in this mantra which is also valid, but this was the mantra my mother taught me when I always had any disease. It is believed that chanting this mantra will cure us of any diseases and protect us from diseases. )
"OM NAMO BHAGAVATE VAASUDEVAAYA
DHANVANTARAYE AMRUTA-KALASHA-HASTAAYA
SARVAAMAYA VINAASHANAAYA TRAILOKYA-NAATHAAYA
SHRI MAHAAVISHNAVE NAMAH."
"Who is Dhanvantari?", Pranjal asked.
"The actual god of Medicines. The Ashwini Kumaras then took over. My father always said that when you hear this mantra, again and again, it heals you faster. First I thought it was just a way to improve your mood and believe in the healing process. But since I found out that the Greek gods and all magic they did are real, then why not test this magic! If this goes according to plan, I may be healed overnight.", I explained.
"It is worth a try. But can I give you earphones. It will disturb the others. You may believe in Dhanvantari, But not the others. They believe in my father and grandfather. And I don't think the romans will appreciate someone believing in another god.", Pranjal said alarmingly.
"Ok. Relax. Give me the earphones then.", I said and Pranjal gave me the earphones.
"Rest. I will see you tomorrow.", he said and left the infirmary and I closed my eyes for a good night's sleep.
YOU ARE READING
Percy Jackson and the Incarnate- 1: The beginning
FanficPercy and Annabeth finally get their much deserved break from anything mythological. They finally settle in New Rome to attend college. But their lives change when Percy's dorm mate arrive; injured by the beef-head minotaur. But there was more to t...
