Thakur's Healer | 18+

The Naive Cow

Author POV

Amidst the soothing and healing abode of Narayana's grace, sat a beatific figure, embellishing the Aarti thaal with fresh redolent parijaat flowers, and untainted Lotus buds.

The saffron dupatta reposed exquisitely over her voluptuous head, with squelchy strands of hair frolicking on the fringes of her begulling face.

The breeze is enwreathed with the euphony of her mellifluous bhajans.

श्रीमन नारायण नारायण हरि हरि

श्रीमन नारायण नारायण हरि हरि

स्वामी नारायण नारायण हरि हरि

तेरी लीला सबसे न्यारी न्यारी हरि हरि।।

Crooning the melody delightfully, she held the Aarti thaal in her velvety palms, and upraised herself. The devotional chants sounded far more ethereal when they were chanted by her, so a portion of townlet preferred visiting the temple, when she worshipped there.

Encircling the Aarti thaal with a gracious smile on her face, she started chanting Narayan aarti. The public gathered behind her, initiated clapping and humming without any efforts.

A few of them were carrying small worshipping bells, and their tingling sound added extra tranquility to the surroundings. Within moments, the fellows were enchanted, entirely.

The main priest was also swaying his head sideways, wondering why his voice couldn't cater the attention of everyone in the way as hers used to do. Maybe this was the power of real devotion.

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे

हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे।।

The gathering hailed Sri Narayan in unison. The Priests began doling the prasad out, amongst everyone present there.

"Beti?"

"Daughter?"

The chief priest called

"Ji Pandit ji!"

"Yes, Pandit ji!"

The empyrean girl responded, who was none other than Ragini Singh, daughter of a poverty-stricken farmer, Guddu Singh, who was very well known for his irascible behaviour.

"You don't seem to be his daughter!"

The priest poked her, and she beamed.

"It doesn't matter, Pandit ji. No one can change the fact that I'm his daughter, atleast not for this birth."

The Priest forwarded a part of Prasad towards her, and muttered

"Take this for them."

She accepted it with a grin, and performed a dandvat before Sri Narayan before leaving the temple premises.

Sauntering the path to her home, with Prasad and flowers in her grasp, she came across a few cads, gossiping and passing deplorable remarks on the women strolling from that way.

She decided to change the route, and take the longer one, but her fate didn't seem to support her today, as one of them called out her name.

"Oyee Ragini! Kaha ja rahi humse bachke chhammak chhallo."

"Hey Ragini! Where are you going girl?"

Ragini amplified her pace, to escape those rascals, but her motion got hindered, when she felt her dupatta getting stuck somewhere behind. She turned around, and to her shock, the loose end of her dupatta was crushed under one of those scoundrel.