Durga | ✓

26. Past And Future

Bhadra's house was two houses away from the temple. As they walked on the mud path, Shyam continued his speaking. " So you see, the etymology of this village's name is never understood. Why was it named so?"

Durga nodded. She was curious to know. As if reading her mind, Shyam answered, "Britishers named it. I don't know what they were thinking when they thought of naming it. It is not a port. Like Chennai or Madras. Yet they named it. Very puzzling."

Durga asked, "So Britishers christened the name of the village as Madras II. But what was it called before that?"

Shyam stopped on his tracks. Bhadra smirked. Shyam fumbled, "I-I... don't k-know... nobody ever told me... I... never asked anyone..."

Rudra nodded, understanding Shyam's plight. Sometimes Durga can stun people with her questions. She always does that.

They entered Bhadra's house. A simple house with huge living room. Colourful cloth mats were laid on the floor. Shyam excused and went away. Rudra smiled. He must have got scared with her questions. Is this reason why Ramaiah refused to accompany us?

But he said he wasn't feeling well.

I know but still, it didn't seem genuine.

"Rudra! Your right thumb please." Bhadra said.

"My thumb? why do you want my thumb?" asked Rudra.

Durga giggled, "He wasn't asking for your thumb. He wanted your right thumb impression."

"Oh! I am sorry." Rudra said.

Bhadra said, "That's perfectly fine. Now before I predict your future, I will tell you few facts about your past."

Rudra nodded. He lightly immersed his finger in the ink. Then pressing his thumb on the paper, his thumb impression was clearly visible. Bhadra opened a book which was similar to that they were busy translating. But the pages were white, the writing was far clearer.

Durga glanced at the book. This is not the script. It is... Telugu! This book is written in Telugu.

"It is my privilege to read your fortune. One of the rarest, indeed."

Rudra shrugged. Bhadra switched his glances from the thumb impression to his thin book. He looked at them. "About your past. Your parents were killed in a road accident. Weren't they?"

Rudra was shocked. Yet he nodded.

"You were close to your mother until their deaths, weren't you?"

He nodded.

"Your paternal uncle took care of you, didn't he?"

Again, he couldn't say more than nodding his head.

"The history repeated itself. And he died in yet another road accident, didn't he?"

Rudra looked down. He always blamed Rishab for his uncle's death. But he knew that the accident wouldn't have ever happened if his uncle had maintained the speed limit.

"I didn't want to hurt you by reminding the loved ones you have lost. I wanted to predict your future. By telling the your past, I wanted you to believe you that whatever I will be predicting, it will be true. This is not mere fluke. This is a science. Created by Maharishi Agastya and Siddhars. I am sorry if I have hurt you."

Rudra gave a weak smile. "It's okay, Panditji, I can understand."

He read out. "Your new venture will be successful. Mark my words, when I say successful, it means it will be successful in a different way. It will be a success, which will give you a sense of satisfaction.

The woman whom you will be marrying will respect you. Not because she has to. Because you respect her. And admire her for what she is. Trust me, you will be happy."

Rudra smiled. He was feeling little embarrassed and shy. Durga slapped his wrist and whispered, "Somebody is feeling shy."

Rudra said, "I am not."

"We will see." Durga grinned.

"Rudra, your future is predicted. Let us see your future Durga."

Durga looked at her right thumb, excitedly. Bhadra sighed. "No, Durga. Your left thumb please."

"Left thumb? Why?"

"That is how it is done. Right thumb for males and left thumb for females."

Durga nodded. She lightly immersed her finger in the ink. Then pressing her thumb on the paper, her thumb impression was visible. Repeating the same process, Bhadra said, "I am honoured to read yours. Rarest among the rarest."

Durga smiled. Bhadra, "A sudden disease gripped your family, therefore, you lost your relatives and your mother, right?"

Durga said, "It wasn't sudden disease, it was due to cousin marriages. But you're right."

"You lost your father, didn't you?"

Durga sighed. "Appa said I was his world. But he was wrong. He is my world. I lost my world."

"You have faced a lot of troubles in your life. Yet you were strong. You didn't lose hope. This is what makes you special. People love you for that."

Durga nodded. If once you had respected my choices. I would have forgiven you for everything, Indrajeet. But your ego and weak personality ruined our lives. Our? You ruined my life.

You never cared for me. My inability to provide you child was the reason for failure of our marriage. Everything was tolerable till this news came. As always, woman is blamed. Nobody thought how the accident could have changed my life.

It didn't affect yours. You still continued to drink with your friends. You continued with your physical abuse. But it was I how had suffered this. Now, I am happy that you're in hospital. Stay there forever.

Bhadra said, "About your future, it says, you will be successful in life. You will be respected by everyone. Your married life will be blissful."

"Married life? I have divorced my husband."

"But you can marry again, can't you?"

What if my trust is broken again?

"I don't know about that."

"Don't worry. These predictions are ninety five percent true."

And what if I fall in that five percent?

Rudra changed the topic, "You have told us the predictions. How did you reach to this conclusion? What's the science behind it?"

Bhadra frowned, "Easy young man. I haven't finished yet. When I said it is rarest, it has a meaning. You, Rudra, try to find the symbols in the people living with you and the ones who were a part of your life. You will find something unusual. Their personalities would be same."

Pointing towards Durga, he said, "You, Durga, the people around you and ones not living with you have some symbols. But the personalities would be different. Try to look at the names with different aspect. You will find the symbols.

Don't go too far. Limit your search to your nearest families. You will understand that I am not lying. Then you will believe my predictions. And young man, you asked the science behind it, didn't you?"

Nadi astrology usually starts with telling the things known to you and then moving forward to the predict the future.

Can you think of the symbolisms which are mentioned here?

Thank you for reading.