𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒊𝒅𝒆

PART-8

Maiyaan = Mother
Bahu = Daughter-in-law
Aarti = flames use in prayers
Prasad = sweets offered to the God during prayers

-*-*-

The first light of dawn crept across the horizon, brushing the sky in shades of amber. A soft chime rose from the courtyard of the three-tiered government bungalow, each note folding into the hush of morning.

A woman stood there, bell in one hand, aarti thali in the other. With each ring, her eyelids sank shut, her lips moving soundlessly, the rhythm of her breath joining the early call of birds.

She lifted her face toward the rising sun. Her hand circled the flame in the shape of ॐ - the holy sign of Hinduism. The ancient words of the Gayatri mantra slipped from her lips into the morning air, steady and unbroken, until the prayer itself seemed to belong to the light:

"𝑶𝒎 𝑩𝒉𝒖𝒓 𝑩𝒉𝒖𝒗𝒂𝒉 𝑺𝒗𝒂𝒉𝒂
𝑻𝒂𝒕 𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒓 𝑽𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒚𝒂𝒎
𝑩𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒐 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒔𝒚𝒂 𝑫𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒉𝒊
𝑫𝒉𝒊𝒚𝒐 𝒀𝒐 𝑵𝒂𝒉 𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒂𝒕."

Bowing one last time before the Almighty, she turned away. Her steps carried her toward her mother-in-law's room, the aarti's flame trembling faintly with each step she took.

💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

Inside, the old woman sat upright on her bed, eyes closed; a tulsi mala slipped bead by bead through her fingers. Her lips moved in steady rhythm, the chant soft enough to mingle with the faint rustle of the curtains. Each pass of the beads left her face calmer, as though the prayer had carried her somewhere far beyond the four walls.

When the chanting stilled, she opened her eyes. A smile rose slowly, lighting her face as her gaze settled on her daughter-in-law.

The younger woman bent low, touching the older one's feet.

The old woman's hands rose instinctively, resting on her head with the lightness of a blessing. Her voice, quiet yet firm, drifted into the room. "May the Divine guide and protect you, Anusuiya. May your path be filled with love, peace, and harmony."

Anusuiya's lips parted, but her voice broke before the words could gather strength. "Just let my child return to me. I ask for nothing else."

The old woman brushed her palm across the aarti's glow, then looked into her daughter-in-law's eyes. "Do not let faith slip away, bahu. He will return."

Anusuiya's mouth trembled. She pressed it shut, blinking rapidly before she managed, "It has been more than two weeks, maiyaan." The words fell heavy, refusing to move past the silence that followed.

The old woman's gaze held steady, her fingers still curled around the mala.

Anusuiya turned at last, her steps careful, as though each one carried more weight than she could bear.

💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

She entered her bedroom, the aarti still clutched in her hands, its gentle glow lighting her path.

Inside, a man in his mid-fifties, dressed in a plain white kurta and pyjamas, was pacing beside the bed. Lines of fatigue and worry had carved themselves deep into his face.

Inhaling deeply, Anusuiya approached him, offering the aarti. Her eyes darted occasionally between the flame and his stern expression, as he accepted the aarti with a quiet nod, passing his hand over the flame.