Lekha (Completed)

Lekha 4

                           The silver door of the real Shila Devi Temple (Inside the fort)

Both the girls led me to a temple for the evening aarti (prayer). They told me it was Shila Devi temple. I gave a knowing smile. I had visited it previously just before popping into this timeline. There I had prayed for a solution for my loneliness and misery to God. I had Vaishali a close friend in the orphanage but what I had really wanted was a family who loved me and accepted me for who I was.

The evening prayer turned out to be a grand ceremonial prayer and was beautifully conducted. I was enthralled by it and my instincts told me that this is where I would get my solution. I closed my eyes in prayer. When I opened them, I saw Vasundhara's mother looking at me in a serene but thoughtful expression, as if she was making up her mind about me. I had an inkling of her thoughts.

Out of motherly kindness, she had all but adopted me and had instilled me as a part of her family, but the chattrani (warrior princess) in her was still apprehensive about the safety of her people. From that perspective, I had still not been given a clean chit on the matter, whether I was a threat to the security of the kingdom or not. I smiled back at her, my mind made up with what I had to do.

After the aarti, I asked Vasundhara "Can I meet your mother alone somewhere. I mean... I simply wanted to talk to her. She has been so kind to me so I thought maybe she will be able to help me sort out all this."

I gestured with both hands indicating the situation I was stuck in without having to say that loud in case someone heard me. Both of them looked at me skeptically, as if wanting to ask me what I wanted to reveal to her mother, but they kept quiet.

"Of course! You are now an honorary member of the family. You are always welcome to meet anyone of us anytime. After dinner, we will take you to meet maasa. She will be most pleased" said Vasundhara.

I stuck on close to them considering the enormity of the palace, I didn't want to get lost and be asked more awkward questions by the strangers.

Dinner was another lavish affair. My eyes widened seeing the food being served in silver plates and the variety of it. I imitated all their actions, in an attempt to merge with the crowd and not raise any untoward questions. We sat on a low stool cross-legged with another low table in front of us where the plate was placed with so many bowls in it. We had to first wash our hands in a bowl held by a maid as another maid poured out the water from a surai (kettle kind of utensil with a long neck).

Everyone was seated in two straight rows facing each other. I thanked the heavens that Vasundhara and Gayatri were seated beside me so that I could watch what they were doing. There were other children seated too, of all different age groups. Some I had met before in the day. Some nodded politely, some just stared curiously, though none of them was rude and I was truly grateful for that. I didn't have many friends here but didn't want unnecessary enemies too, no matter for what reason.

At first, the sweets were served, then the salad and chutneys. It was followed by appetizers of some kind, pappadoms, the pickles, the variety of kadhi, the different kinds of curries, the different types of chapatis, again sweets, and then different kinds of drinks. You name it and they had it. I wondered how these people keep fit after all this consumption of ghee, naturally trans-fat free refined oil had not been invented yet. My mind had been totally taken up by this whole culinary experience. Each dish seemed to have been prepared with extra love and care.

Suddenly I lost my appetite when I saw Vasundhara's mother entering the dining area. The elder women ate in the end after seeing to the needs of the younger ones. Though it was a jenana(female section of the palace) dining area, younger boys till they attained a certain age also ate under the care of their mothers.

Seeing Vasundhara's mother reminded me of the pending talk and also the thought that this just might be my last meal or at least in such grand conditions. The big smile which had been there on my face since the time I sat down for the lavish meal, enjoying the royal treatment, suddenly disappeared. Fear crept over me, the future looked bleak, the happy chattering around me sounded like the voices filled with accusations. I was a fraud in their time, with a fraud story.

My sole friend's mother smiled at me asking me if the food was to my liking and all I could do was stare at her and nod. 

She gave me a worried look and said softly only for my ears " Lekha dear, what happened? Do you want to talk to me and tell me your worries?"

I again nodded like a stupid person.

"Come meet me after dinner on the terrace. Vasundhara will show u the way" she said.

I gave a slow nod to indicate that I would definitely come.

Gayatri and Vasundhara talked nineteen to the dozen about the wedding, the clothes and the jewelry they would wear, and what all they planned to do. I felt left out, though they did try their best to include me. I was an impersonator and it rankled my conscience. It was like food stuck between the teeth, I couldn't concentrate on anything else. I constantly tried to think of the best way to broach the subject with Mahadevi sa (Vasundhara's mother). 

Apart from telling my unbelievable truth, I had to convince her to trust my story and also that I meant no harm to anyone. The history books I had read had loads of examples of how even one spy could create irrevocable destruction. These were the times when every kingdom had to be constantly on full alert because they never knew what kind of day the sunrise would bring.

After some relevant time had passed I asked Vasundhara "Do you think your mother would have finished her dinner by now? She had asked me to meet her on the terrace".

Wordlessly both the girls guided me to a room on the terrace where I found Mahadevi sa already waiting for me.