Celestial Love

Part 1

Some twenty years agoYear 1994:Kamla was howling in pain and was being taken to hospital.It was raining cats and dogs outside the village. No daayi or midwife was available. Kamla was just in the 7th month of pregnancy. However that evening she was feeling restless and uneasy and had come out of the house to take fresh air. Something happened and no one knows what. There was suddenly a storm and winds blowing wild. Kamla was found passed out near the old bawadi (a forbidden well).Half an hour later when she came into her senses she complained of contractions and terrible pain! Kamla's MIL asked her son Vitthal to make arrangements to get her to the hospital in the town nearby. They could not arrange any vehicle as it was already late night and due to storm the rickshaw and duggis and other modes of transport had stopped. But Vitthal did not give up he took the bullock cart used at their home for farming purposes and put Kamla in it and left for the city. Just when they reached halfway, Kamla began to lose strength, her eyes rolling backwards and she started getting cramps on her legs. She called out! Vitthal Help!She held out her hand to him and told him in a whisper. Her voice almost inaudible in the torrentious rain and lightning she said Vitthal save my daughter at any cost! I dont care even if I die dont let anything happen to her! Vitthal looked at her and promised he will then asked how do u know its a daughter? Kamla looked at Vitthal with horror in her eyes, he...he said that its a girl! and he would take her away! Please keep her away from the backyard Vitthal!Who he? KAmla Kamla!! She had fainted. No Kamla you have to get up please!! For our daughter. He removed the cover from the top and let Kamla get wet in the rain. She gained conciousness and Vitthal moved ahead! Suddenly the bulls went crazy and started going out of control. Vitthal was confused he did not understand why they were behaving this way. He was unable to control them. And then the lightning struck a nearby tree setting it ablaze in the rains and blinded Vitthal with its bright light and an earth shattering noise. Kamla's nose and ears started bleeding and everything went white. When he woke up he found a woman standing near Kamla with a bundle in her hand. He went to her. The lady gave him the child and said. Mulgi zhaali hai, laxmi aali! Its a daughter, a sign of prosperity! Vitthal did not bother to carry her he checked Kamla but she was no more! He wept oceans of tears and then held his baby to his chest and said I will take care of her Kamla more than my life! Its all my fault if only I could make you reach hospital on time.It was he who had forced her to stay in their native home for a few days for some rest. As she was always working. Kamla had told him that mumbai had better facilities than their small village in Ratnagiri. 5 years laterA 5 year old Kalpi is playing in her grandma's backyard. She is mute and cannot speak. The lightning that struck when she was born might have caused it was the doctor's reply. She was here with her father Vitthal who had come to visit his ailing mother.It is an old traditional heritage house which has transcended from ancestors to the current generation in the konkan region. The house stood over a vast area of land around 10 acres. Part of it was given for rice farming and the rest had ponds, streams, wells and palm tree plantations and plantain tree plantations, alphonso mango trees. One part had a cowshed where 2 cows were tied in them. The backyard of the house were full of trees and looked like a mini jungle and girls were not allowed to go out of the house after dark! Basically it was not safe as anyone could hide there and harm someone if roaming outiside. However in order to create the fear in the family the elders cooked up a story of a celestial being coming in the night to take away girls who are virgin and steal away their virginity! Also they were not allowed to go near a forbidden well called as yakshachi baawdi! Many people had slipped and fell into it and died so it was considered to be jinxed and cursed. Many laughed at it, some were scared while others believed in the celestial being and gave offerings to the concerned being!The front side of the house had a wide spread garden with flowers of all colours and fragrances!It looked like a mini heaven with the garden attracting a lot of birds and bees. The house though very old was maintained in perfect condition as the family ensured that the ancient wooden house stay intact and they kept renovating and adding new facilities time to time. The main attraction being a tree in the centre of their backyard stood the Indian Devil tree at more than 12 feet tall. No one knew how old this tree was as it was always there since everyone saw it! There also ran a jasmine creeper through its trunk and the fragrance of the jasmine along with the fragrance of the yakshapala tree was heavenly and mystical. But people were discouraged to go near that tree as there was a fear of snakes being found nearby the tree.The house was so beautiful just like one in a fairy tale that whoever visited swapnalok village they were sure to come and have a look at this house!However the 5 year old Kalpi was oblivious to the importance of heritage and stuff. One afternoon as she wandered out in the backyard her ball went rolling into the woods. She looked around to ask someone for the ball but no one was there! But it was her favourite red ball and how could she just let it go! So she went ahead and entered deep into the woods unaware of the fact that what would happen today would change her life forever...