WAR IN THE CURSED LAND✔️

38

The news of jara's death got spread like a wildfire. People celebrated the day as if it was Diwali. Dev received lot of appreciations from his higher officials. He got to know about gopi's death. He spoke to gopi's mother and assured her that she have an another son who will take care of her. Amukta also comforted her and told her to stay strong. 

Ramaswamy's crimes got exposed one after the other. Everyone wondered who is doing that. No one was able to find out . He got arrested and court served him lifetime imprisonment. Within a week everything fell back to normal state. Dev decided to fulfill his father's pending duty by helping that tribal group. He spoke about them with the forest department. They are quite amused to know that such group exists in the forest. When they have talked to the locals they have told that those people got cursed long back and everyone thought that they are dead. An old man came forward and stood infront of dev.

Old man : educated people like you will think that we are fools after listening to our words. But the truth is it's impossible. If at all they decide to socialise with us they will die. 

Dev : what are you saying thatha ( grandpa ) ? Don't you people want to stay with them ?

Old man : We are fine with that. But that's impossible. Make a trial if you want. Call an oldman like me and ask him to stay along with us. Within a day will die for sure.  They deserve it because of their crimes.

Dev : why ? Are they some sort of criminals ? Are you people going to kill them in my presence ?

Priest : No sir ! this is not just about the criminals. It is indeed about the curse. They are cursed. Look at that temple. It is closed since they are abandoned by us. If at all a person thinks to  open that temple they are getting killed by snakebite. You must believe this. They have a curse. Their ancestors deserved it.

Dev : every criminal will be punished one day and every curse have a solution to get rid of it.

Priest : what ?

Dev : the mistake was done by their ancestors. They didn't do anything wrong. There must be a way to get rid of that curse. I guess you know that.

Priest : I don't know. But i know a person who knows that.

Dev : who is that person ?

Priest : there is an old priest in our village. I am sure that he knew about it.

Dev : take me to his place. 

The priest nodded and took dev to that old priest's house. It is little away from the temple which is located on the hill. The same temple where dev spoke with jara's step-mother in the beginning. The closed temple is an another temple. It is called as atmalingha kshetram. It is the very same temple about which saritha told when she came to their place.

A young man opened the door and smiled at the priest. He looked at dev with a questioning face. 

Priest : how are you son ? 

Young man : I am fine uncle. How are you ?

Priest : I am good. He is our DCP sir.

Young man : namasthey sir ! 

Dev :Namasthey ! 

Priest : he wants to meet your grandfather.

Young man : please come inside ! Make yourselves comfortable.

He walked them to the living room and went inside. He came back with two glasses of  water.

Young man : thatha is meditating. Once he is done i will let you know.

Dev : ok !

Young man : what's the matter sir ?

Priest : it is about those cursed people.Sir wants to bring those people back to their place from forest. 

Young man : what ? We have to do a great atonement for that. Who will do that ?

Dev : I will do that.

Young man : sir ! This is not that easy. It is unpredictable . Moreover a person who have royal lineage should do this. 

Dev : My mother is Raghava Raju's sister. I think you people know him.

Priest : yes yes ! I know him.

Dev : hmm.

Priest : your father ?

Dev : I don't know about his family much.

Poornima  : you are Sri Lakshmi's son ? 

Dev : yes ! 

That lady came towards dev and touched his head with affection . 

Dev : do you know my mother ma'am ?

Poornima : she is my best friend. Finally you avenged your parents death by killing him.

Dev : what ? 

Poornima : yes ! You are the one who encountered jarasandha right ?

Dev : yes ! But what is his connection with my parents ?

Poornima : don't you know that ?

Dev : no !

Poornima : it was not an accident . It was preplanned. He did that intentionally to avenge his father's death. Your father shot his father . He died. 

Dev : what ?

Poornima : yes . 

Dev : how do you know that ?

Poornima : that was a known secret in this locality. Every single person of my age and above know about that incident. We all tried a lot to meet you. But your uncle never told about your whereabouts. I heard that jara works for ramaswamy. Is that true ?

Dev : you know him too ?

Poornima : yes ! He is the reason for your mother's separation from her family.  He was your mother's prospective groom. She was about to tell her family about your father. He interfered and spoiled everything. She left the house and got married to your father. Later it was known that he was already married and have a son. He came for marrying your mother. He was after her because of her beauty and wealth.

Dev was stunned after hearing this new information. He is actually fighting against the people who are the reason for his parent's demise. He felt like bringing back jara from hell and killing him again mercilessly. 

Poornima : chandu ! Is your grandfather done with the meditation ?

He got to know that the youngman's name is chandu.

Chandu : yes amma ! 

Poornima : you can meet him dev ! 

Dev came out of his thoughts and nodded. He walked into the room and saw an old man who might be around 90 years old.

..........

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