Bhagavati

2

16 years later

Jagdish's eyes blinked multiple times before he put his laptop away and stretched himself. He sighs, closing his eyes after this hectic week.

At Least tomorrow will be relaxing. It was a Sunday after all.

"Jagdish." He puts a tired smile at his colleague Shivam and nods

"Coffee?" he shook his head

"Ek bus!" he shakes his head again and Shivam sighs

"Kaise jeeta hai tu?" Shivam asks still surprised after 3 years of knowing him

"Mahadev ki kripa se." Jagdish grins ,his mood lifting up only at the name.

"Tu aur tere mahadev, alag hi prem katha hai." Shivam playfully slaps his head

"Mahadev hi prem hain." Jagdish smiles softly

"Accha accha mere dev, mahadev ke priye chal abhi." They laugh and walk away, ending their day at work.

Jagdish walks happily inside his home, his humble abode and finds his mother preparing the mini aarti-thal, the one she does everyday. He sneaks in quietly and moves behind her and whispers in her ear "taiyaari hogyi?"

Jyoti jumped back, the thal falling in front of her.

"Hey mahadeva." Jagdish whispers in fear. Jyoti turns and instantly glares at her son.

"Ma mai-

"Phirse thaali giradi, rukjao tum aaj mai-

Before she could complete, he ran away and Jyoti followed. Jagdish laughs softly, feeling like a kid again who's troubling his mother. He quickly walks to the mini back door and sneaks into the neighbour's house but Jyoti wasn't dumb, she followed, sighing knowing what will happen now.

"CHOTI MA BACHAO." Jyoti winced and walked inside and glaring at Jagdish who was now hiding behind Vaishali, their closest family friend and his choti ma.

"Ab kya kiya tune?" Vaishali asks Jagdish calmly. He gasps and moves away in shock

"Har baar mai nahi karta sab." He mumbles softly

"Not working Jagdish, maafi mango." Vaishali says softly

"Sorry mumma." He hugs his mother who still straight not giving into his drama

"Ab toh sorry bol raha maan jao." He chants continuously and in the end Jyoti gets pacified, because her son was too convincing.

"Chalo chalo Aarti karle?" Jagdish jumps in excitement and the ladies chuckle nodding. They walk back to Jagdish and Jyoti's house where she again sets the thali and they perform their evening prayers.

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्।

उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥

After this Jagdish walks back with Vaishali and drops her. He sits for a while waiting for Satya, his chote papa and scrolls on his feed. He stops looking at the post which read 'Trekking to Mansarovar' a smile forms on his lips

"Itna kyu muskuraya jaraha hai ?" Satya's voice booms and Jagdish smiles, greeting him.

"Bus solo trip ka soch raha tha itne dinon se. Navratri se pehle jaunga shayad." he explains

"Kahan? Goa?" Satya chuckles

"Mansarovar." Satya stills and Vaishali who was walking inside the kitchen also stops.