HELLO MAHABHARATA

17. New Moon

The new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have same ecliptic longitude as wane crescent.

KUNTI WAS RESTING on a diwaan reminiscing her five little boys who were now five unassailable warriors. 

"Priyamvada, as long as I'm alive, Hastinapur is my home." Kunti spoke or pacified herself. The personal maiden servant, who was her acquaintance and confidant from childhood, she knew her lady like a book. She knew Kunti needs to vent herself out on occasions, this must be one such. Now when Priyamvada was looking down from the window, she wasn't surprised of this coincidence.

She looked at her princess' long lost son who was found here in Hastinapur. However, she avoided any initiation of conversations about him because she didn't want her princess who is now the Rajmata of Hastinapur to sink again in past to blame herself for the societal norms.

Karn sat in the afternoon sun near the fountain moving his fingers in the cold water. Somehow he preferred the heat of the afternoon which satiated him. The drops of fountain water evaporated as soon as they fell on his body, even in the warm month of Chaitra. The reflection of the king of Anga in flowing waves continuously reminded him of how his life is a big question surmounting him. He held the bangle with a hook, as he called it, up in the air. Initially he thought it was an earring, but there was no gem studded in it and the metallic circle was quite big. The circumference of the metal was shining brightly when the sun rays fell on it. He remembered the day he had taught her the basics of archery.

The girl from kaliyug. Is it possible to travel in time? Perhaps she has the grace of the gods above.

Her skin as a wheat grain, her unibrow like his bow, that shining forehead, her sharp eyes with a sparkle, the mundane smile which bewitched him and vines of her curly black hair flowing and trapping him, his conscious when suddenly a few strands comes over her face, he gently pushes them behind her ears, her big circular earrings.

He opened his eyes and chortled at himself, "Oh it is her earring only then" Karn wiped the drops of fountain shower from his right profile. "Oh, I wish. I wish if I can ever tell you. I fancy you"

"Mitra Karn!"

Karn turned to look back, flabbergasted, only to see his best friend standing behind.

Duryodhan was shocked at what he just heard, looking at his helplessly wane friend. There was no excuse now, nothing to sheiks it. Karn couldn't deny at this instance. Gandhareya sat beside him. "Mitra, You must not worry. You love her, you do. We shall bring the woman here, in Hastinapur to make her yours."

Karn totally disagreed with his friend's statement. "No Mitra" He stood up and walked a bit ahead from the shade of lush trees in the scorch heat.

"She is soft just like this air I am breathing, but she is also strong and fierce like a storm. Mitra, she is completely unaware about my love for her. I tried to express myself to her on a few occasions but, I don't know she's very intimidating. And- I am a warrior and here I act like fools"

The eldest Kaurava held Karn's stern shoulder with an assurance. "Mitra you are strong, handsome, a great warrior and everything a girl ever wants, I am sure she will accept your love, and if she does not then I know how to-"

Radhey was now at the face of a large fear, he jerked and folded his hands before Duryodhan with a hint of disapproval. "I disagree Mitra. Please, we must refrain now. We cannot do anything unwilled to her" his tone authoritative, this Karn was spectacle to Duryodhan.

"Angraj, if you desire something and if you have the ability to win it," Shakuni limped towards them from a deep corridor leading to the yard as he completed his theory, "never back off" The king of Anga took a deep breath and realised that something isn't right in terms. "Mitra, Gandharraj, I just-"