MALANG

8. Memorable pain

Day 3 (January 5),
Bikaner

"So this is that sain't temple who helped Rao Jodha build the Mehrangarh fort?" Kabir muttered thoughtfully as we entered the threshold of Karni Mata temple.

"Apparently, yes." I replied in a similar tone. But the reluctance of my voice was soon replaced by horror as a sleek tail followed by a bulky body, ran across my feet in a quick succession.

I yelped and failing to manage the flow of my maxi dress, tripped over an amused Kabir.

"Easy, woman." He smiled teasingly as he helpled me get on my feet again. "You okay?"

"Yeah." No, I was still uneasy. But why would I show it before him?

"Well, it doesn't seem so." He pointed to my hands which were still gripping his muscular arm.

Guess who was wrong just a moment ago?

"Sorry." I released him and focused on fixing my hairs. My only moto as of now was hiding my face which had turned hot and red all of a sudden.

"Don't get bothered. Red cheeks kinda suit you." He cheekily commented again.

Damn you! I wanted to shout as I felt my face burning a little more than before.

"I am not blushing okay? This is just the tan." I blabbed instead.

He nodded at that- "As you say."

We didn't say anything after that. I picked up my dress with one hand and strode towards the sacred chamber. Holding the puja thali containing flowers and laddoos, Kabir followed me quietly. I didn't know if he was a religious person or not, but he didn't oppose the idea of performing a small worship to the woman saint. We gave the thali to the priest in charge and folded our hands in namaskaran style.

"Mother, do you have a child?" The priest asked me once he was done offering the figurine.

I was embarrassed yet again. But somehow, shook my head in denial.

"Dudho naho puto falo." He picked a flower from the deity's feet and touched it on my head. Then he repeated the process with Kabir. "Mataji tum dono ke jore ko hamesha salamat rakhe."

The land beneath my feet slid away. What was this priest saying? How did he just assume that Kabir and me were a married couple? And forget the priest, where the hell was my own fucking voice? How could I not protest to whatever he said?

"Ji, dhannyabad." Kabir kept a hand on his chest and blinked assuringly. The priest handed him our thali and offered a piece of laddoo nibbled on by white rats. Kabir scunched his mouth in disgust, but had the 'prasad' neverthless. A small piece was given to me as well. I mouthed it unmindfully and turned to leave the temple premises.

Once outside, Kabir pulled me by the elbow and made me confront him face-to-face.

"What are you doing?" I hissed at his action.

"You know about the legend of this temple right?" He replied nonchalantly. "Karni Mata's son, Lakshman had drowned in a sarovar while drinking water. Devastated, she asked the god of death, Yam, to revive her son. Yamdev listened to her prayers, but reincarnated all of her sons, including Laxman, into white rats."

I furrowed my brows. "What are you trying to say?"

He left my elbow and hold my shoulders instead. "I just mean that people mainly come in this temple to pray for the welfare of their children. So maybe the priest thought that we were also here to pray for our child."

Okay. So he understood that I am upset with the priest's blessing of having wealth, prosperity, children and a secured future with him!

"He thought that we are a couple and you didn't even care to object." I muttered acidly. His gaze turned cold.