Jogini : A fight for honour

Chp 9:- It's Over

   For seven whole years I stayed away from my daughter. What had become of her? How was she?
I knew nothing. It was not true that I didn't fret about her condition, but I knew that Avantika knows that I would be back soon.

She would see her mother and an army of older ex devdasi's revolting to this hedious system of enslaving women in the name of God for sex.

"Chandramukhi, we need to move quickly or else the pundits will dedicate her." Said an old woman.

How could I forget to mention, my girl has grown up into a beautiful young maiden of fifteen.

From the past few years, the pundits had been eagerly waiting for Avantika's puberty to begin and now when it has all they want to do is destroy her innocence.

I and a few other women reached the temple and saw that Avantika was circling the fire and the idol of Swami.
I dashed into the temple and stood ahead of my daughter.

"Amma!" She gasped and clung to me crying.

I caressed her soft hair gently fighting my overwhelming emotions.

"I'm here", I reassured, unsure if the reassurance was for me or her.

"Chandramukhi, you are a demon and do not belong to this temple." Roared Rajguru Venkata.

"All of us present here know who's the demon." I replied with rage.

"Guard's," That yell came from a familiar voice and I turned towards the direction of the voice and saw Kumar Subayya "throw this woman out, she is impure."

The guard's closed in on me and dragged me by my arm's. I did not stir because the other jogini's came to my rescue. They began stabbing the guard's with their sharp knives. Most of us were hurt and injured. Blood oozed out from the fresh cut on my arm, I didn't wince like a helpless puppy but fought like a lioness.

Until, a stinging pain shot up from my back and spread throughout my body almost paralyzing me. As the pain took deeper root into me, I felt the coldness of the metal and the warmth of my blood pouring from my back. I fell on my knees and then in my haunches to the temple ground.

"Amma!" Gasped Avantika placing my head on her lap. "Amma, amma please don't leave me."

I wanted to speak but my voice seemed to be stuck to my throat, the pain was excruciating and I could not feel my arm's nor my legs, let aside my torso.

"A- Avanti ...." I managed gasping for a breath under the weight of my pain "Run."

"No,no, no, I can't run away amma. You always taught me to fight not run. I'm not leaving you amma." She wept herself out.

My vision seemed to blur and I could not judge who was towering behind Avantika.

"Before they make your life a misery. RUN." I screamed with my final breath and collapsed.....

All alone, will Avantika continue the struggle to end this system or will she just be a jogini.
The fight for honour has only begun.....
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END OF BOOK 1