The Yakshi and the Doctor

Chapter 10: The past

Chapter 10: The Past

As soon as it became morning, the doctor told lakshmiamma about his doubts of mohini being a yakshi. Lakshmiamma though taken aback didnt express any reactions. The doctor told her that he wanted to know as much as he can about the yakshi today and he has taken a days leave. He asked lakshmiamma if she can throw some light about the yakshi. Lakshmiamma was in double minds now. Finally she decided to tell him the truth. 

Lakshmiamma narrated the sad happenings in the life of mohini and how she became a vengeful ghost. But added that she has never seen the yakshi in person and these were only the local legends she knew. Doctor was determined to find out the truth. He called his assistant from office and asked him the same questions. The assistant told he will accompany the doctor to the house were the family of mohini once lived. 

After walking for around 15 minutes, they reached near the edge of a tea plantation where the house of mohini stood. It was a small tiled house. There was nothing remarkable about the house itself. The only strange thing was that nobody was willing to occupy the house. Since the deaths of mohini and her parents, the house was lying unoccupied. People were affraid to buy the property for fear of mohini. The house was lying untouched for last 10 years. 

With great difficulty they could trace the keys of the house. After going inside the doctor could see the photographs of mohini when she lived. She was quite beautiful but didnt in any way look like the mohini he knew. So he had a sigh of relief that it was two different persons. His assistant however warned him that yakshi can take appearance of any person they liked. The doctor just nodded his head to this suggestion but didn't actually take it very seriously.

As they came out of the house, the doctor enquired about the mohini they knew to the neighbours. All of them expressed that mohini was a very beautiful person both in looks and in her actions. They further added that none of them were ever troubled by her either in life or after her death. For them she was like a goddess who punishes the wrong doers. They held her in very high regard. 

After listening to the full story of mohini, the doctor could only feel sympathy for her. He actually felt whatever the yakshi was doing is right. But more than anything, he felt relieved that the mohini he knew was not the yakshi of the area. 

Human mind is a very powerful and unique. It believes the things it wants to, even if it is not true. Similarly, doctors mind wanted to believe, the mohini he knew as a good person and believed it. Despite the fact that according to local folk lore yakshi can take any form. But then again, doctor was known for his simplicity, honesty and helping nature rather for his cunning. In his mind people are inherently good until proved otherwise. He had no reason to doubt mohini. He even didnt find anything wrong being done by the yakshi either.

Mohini who was observing these happenings and thoughts of the doctor  from her Palm tree, was perplexed on how she can deal with him. She was hoping that the doctor would develop hatred for her and it would help her deal with the problem in a more simpler & easier manner. But that was not to be. 

Due to turn of the events of the day, the regard the doctor and yakshi held for one another increased by several notches. It was increasingly difficult for both of them to deny the feelings they had for one another. To sort out these problems mohini decided to confront the doctor herself in his way back home after leaving his assistant. The matter has dragged on for far too long and as per her it was time for her to bring it to a conclusion.

The doctor left his assistant at his house and started to walk back home. As he was crossing the Palm tree, he heard a call from behind him.  Doctor saab. When he turned and looked he say mohini he knew standing before him. He was extremely happy to see her. He enquired where she had gone for all these days and how she could act such irresponsibly. After all she was given stipend also based on his recommendations and she was doing a extremely great job of helping the community at large at the hospital. As doctor finished his scolding, mohini could sense his care and affection for her. She sighed. This is going to be a very difficult task. She decided to tell the doctor the whole truth herself, so that there wouldn't be any scope for confusion. She asked the doctor to listen to her carefully as this is going to be a very long story. The doctor nodded his head and mohini started her version.

To be Continued.