Durga | ✓

25. Madras II

A bus halted at an isolated road. The bus was painted dark brown on its lower half while light brown was painted on its upper half. A seal of Tamil Nadu transport corporation was printed with dark brown ink against the light brown background.

The wind blew quietly. Actually, it was difficult to predict whether the wind blew. Not a single soul was visible. No sooner did Durga and Rudra got down, the bus left.

Durga whispered, " Have we arrived at correct place?"

" I think so." whispered Rudra. He didn't know why but his instincts warned him that he should whisper. He looked around to find a green board. In white letters, the name of the village in three languages.

" First in Tamil, second in Kannada and third in... Telugu." studied Rudra carefully.

" What does it say?"

" It says ' Madras II' in Kannada."

Durga pondered. " Madras II written in Tamil is obvious because we're in Tamil Nadu. Kannada is quite a choice because we are less than ten kilometres away from Karnataka border. But in Telugu?"

" That's what I am thinking. Anyways we have confirmed that it is that village which we intend to seek."

They walked on little mud path. On their left hand side stretched the farm land with cultivations of potatoes, marigold, tomatoes and millet. On their right hand side, laid vast stretches of Nilgiri plantations. Dense canopy of these trees didn't let the sunlight reach the ground. The place looked inviting for spooky ghost stories. A sudden gust of wind blew making the trees whisper.

Durga jumped with fear. She clutched her heavy bag and walked very close to Rudra. But she didn't hold his hand, which she badly wanted to. It gave her a sense of protection.

But Rudra was frightened himself. He made an impressive job of masking his fear. Sudden breakthrough of nilgiri trees stood a grand bungalow. Same thought occurred in their minds.

A bungalow? At the start of the village?

The name board read, Ram Mohan Reddy. Rudra said, " This bungalow seems to be belonging of a Telgite. But why here?"

Durga shrugged. She pointed towards the path. Rudra understood her sign. They walked on the cart trodden path for almost five minutes. There stood the settlement. Colourful one. Just as the pandit of Mysore temple had said, there were two gigantic banyan trees. Around the circumference of the trees, a cement seating was constructed. Few elders were talking under the shade of the left tree banyan tree.

Under the shade of right banyan tree, sat a man. He looked in his fifties. His blue checked shirt had faded and his typical tamilian orange lungi with floral prints was torn at one of the end. His face was dark, which didn't seem his natural complexion. Rather it seemed sun tan and layers of dirt clogged in his pores.

He addressed to a group of young attentive children. " Then I turned my lorry to Mumbai. I quickly loaded the truck. You see I was Then I went to Shirdi. To seek blessings of Sai Baba. From there I went to Shani Shignapur. A strange sight greeted me."

One of the boys asked, " Which sight, Anna?"

He paused for moment. " According to the folklore of that land, once a robber had tried to rob the house. Nowhere a stick appeared and hit his head. The locals believe that it could have only been the god.

So they never lock their houses and windows. Actually there are no doors. Till this date, there has been no robbery."

The children were in awe. The orator noticed a couple listening to his tale with rapt attention. He asked them, "Whom are you searching for?"

Durga said, " We are searching for Pandit Bhadra."

He paused for a moment. He replied, "I am Shyam. Panditji is performing pooja. You will have to wait."

Rudra said, "No problem, Shyam. We will wait."

Shyam signalled them to follow. They went towards the right of the tree. A small temple was visible. If not for the reddish orange flag fluttering on the temple, it could've easily been mistaken for a house.

The temple was painted with sober colours. They entered the temple, which was little bigger than a usual room. The idol stood with rage depicting in His eyes. Along the idol, two shiny steel railings were placed. The temple was dedicated to Veer Bhadra Swamy. Or the rudra avatar of Lord Shiva.

It was one of those temples were Lord Shiva was not depicted in his linga form, but as a god with human features. Be His eyes with rage pouring out, His huge moustache or His muscular body, the sculptor had done a great job depicting His rage. Yet His smile.

His smile was small yet serene. Blissful, Durga thought.

The pandit slowly chanted the hymns. He circled the huge diya with camphor lit around the idol seven times. Rudra and Durga folded their hands to namaste and bowed.

The pandit came towards them. . He asked, " You don't seem to be from this village."