Ascension

Chapter 3: Beginnings

The senses of the main Bazaar permeated Ira's soul from all sides.

Just a few minutes ago, Ira opened the doors of new beginnings for herself. She gave consent to Indira to join Gurukulam, or as she put it, an exclusive academy for Vidhyadharas. She was excited to know that she was the youngest student to gain admission to the prestigious institution.

Ira was handling the list for basic supplies and stationery as she trod along, the spice mountains and ivory ware eyeing her with heightened curiosity, their sights and smells luring her towards them to buy them. Alok had left a significant amount to her name so that she could forge her destiny comfortably, but Ira was cautious enough to not be trapped by honeyed words or luring sights of the objects and neighbours. Ira moved on, her anklets jingling with a melodious harmony which was gifted by her Gurus as a token for new beginnings.

 Ira cautiously stayed frugal as she saved half of her fortune for emergency savings and her school fee. Discovering an elite gurukulam drew her towards Mystical elements, the gods she worshipped and the goddesses she prayed for guidance. Right now, her heart synchronized with a very unfamiliar rhythm of quickened intensity. Ira was curious as to why her heart began acting jumpy all of a sudden, brushing it away towards anxieties of the unknown, trying to placate herself with the amount of fantastic knowledge which awaited her.

Rajvila was a great city which spoke about culture, progress and modernity in volumes. Here, Ira could see canteens and bookstores side by side, curious students haggling with the shopkeepers and the romantics swaying in the cool breeze with their lovers, their sarees flowing in the wind as if they were in sync with the breeze. The air was fragrant with spices and fresh flowers, and she could hear some street performers perform at a corner of the street. She noticed the canteens, the curated bookshops and a mess that was brewing some fresh, strong chai for a throng of students and adults alike.

She was excited to know more about her academy, her peers and the families they belonged to; it would be interesting to know how families functioned in normal society. Wondering this, she walked on toward the stationery store, collecting a set of books and notebooks that she could use. As she walked on, she felt as if a pair of eyes gave her a glance for a few seconds, but looking around, she found none, only normal people, some wearing rich silk kurtas and dhotis amongst the sea of ordinary cotton.

"Welcome," the shopkeeper greeted her with a smile, as Ira promptly gave him the booklist and notebooks that she required for the term. He glanced at the paper sheet with a squint before turning to her with a slight worry etched on his wrinkled forehead.

"I'm sorry to say this dear, but all the books are now out of stock. Just a few minutes ago, a group of children took away the entire bundle by themselves! My, you should see the carriages they have parked at the end of the street as if they were fit for a king! Well, all of them didn't-"

"Uncle", coaxed Ira, feeling guilty to interrupt his monologue, "Secondhand books will do for me, same goes for the notebooks". She was surprised to see him both relieved and confused, ignoring that, she observed the old man as he brought out her reed pens, ink as dark as the night sky, notebooks and some slightly frayed books.

"The boys looked as if they were from a divine realm, each of them looking as if they were God's favourites! Out of them, their leader, the boy with grey-"

Crash! 

Ira heard a loud yelp and a quick scattering sprint as the shopkeeper cursed his pet cat, before unloading all the stationery in a paper bag. He apologized to her for keeping her waiting, and he made her promise that if she required any stationery, especially for attending a prestigious academy like Gurukulam, she would contact Ratanlal and Ratanlal only.