Samragyi Draupadi to Priya Panchali

16. Growing Joy

Nakul's POV:-

Today, the rain finally takes a break and the sun is shining with its full glory. But, due to the previous rain, the warmth of sun brings a freshness in the nature, seems like after a devastation nature too finds a new hope to smile.

Krishnaa entered the cottage with full water pot. It seems like she in a hurry right now. She unwrapped her partial covered veil from her head, spread her wet curly hair which comes down her back, look upward and took a long breath, wiped her wet face with her palm. A sweet smile dance on her lips. Though she is exceptionally beautiful, still in this look, especially, she is looking excessively pretty. My eyes stuck on her. I remain looking and looking at her. But, she catches my cherishing look at her, and that let her wet in the shy water. Her cheeks turns pink, lips became more red, eyelashes squeezes in shame.
Somehow she manages to break the sudden shyness but I, still lost in her beauty.

"Aarya, what happened?", She breaks my unconsciousness.
"Nothing. Why?"
"Am I looking weird?", She try to overcome the situation.
"How my gorgeous beloved be weird?", But, I don't let the situation to overcome.
I like her when she blushes, when she feel shy, look with her naughty eyes.
"Aarya, am I the princess whom her lover prince secretly comes to meet?", She make a fake angry face.
"Maybe, in my heart-", I try to be poetic to achieve more impression.
"Stop stop, enough Aarya, everytime bad joke.", She just pop it and turn back to leave.
I remain smiling at her to rebloom her shy. I don't know, it works or not.
After moving few steps, she turns back and says, "Aarya, I asked Arya Arjun to take me to mata Gauri's temple. If you want, you could come", and vanishes inside the cottage.

But, I am not ready to rest myself. I want more to irritate her, disturb her. Not only me, every Pandava brother like to tease her more or less on silly silly things, somehow it's a way to distract her from those past wounds. Now days, in this woods, I notice that, when she is teased by us, her nose and ears turns red, and on that appearance, she looks more adorable. In Indraprastha, we never noticed that, as at that time, we never see her as angry, haughty, in tears or in pain. When we used to tease her, she used to giggle with joy. But, within one day, everything turned upside down.

"Krishnaa,when we are going there?", I peep inside the cottage and ask her. She is busy in kitchen with foods.
Without looking at me, she replies, "Today, on the next prahar."
"So, I am thinking that I don't need to go there."
"Why?", she turns abruptly and say, "No, no Aarya. You must have to come with us", with a tensed face.
"Us?", I give her a kidding smile.
"Yes, Aarya. We all are going today"
"So, why you tease me like that?", I move towards her and hold her waist.
"Uff, every time is it your responsibility to tease me?", She gives a fishy smile to me, "And leave me, it's looking awkward", she murmurs in my ears.
"Awkward!", I leave her and the room too.
She giggles with a fair shyness.

On the next prahar, when the sun is tilted a little west from mid, we set for Mata Gauri's temple. Krishnaa is wearing a red border saffron attire, and her locks are quite loosen.
Crossing the high rise trees, a flowing brook and an ashram, finally on a top of little hill, we reach Mata Gauri's temple.
In the peaceful atmosphere, it is like Mata Gauri's temple is in meditation. The ancient temple with purified scenic beauty, the garvagriha is filled with divine aura, and a white idol of Mata Gauri is in blessing posture. Looking at Mata Gauri's idol, with an auspicious respect our heads bow down.

The old priest of the temple bless us with his full hands. Panchali already brought every items to offer Mata Gauri. After offering and completion of all the rituals, she come near to us and ask us, "Aarya, would you please put those bangles again on my wrist, please."
A silence spreads. We know that the answer is be yes, but we are unaware about the rituals, either it is the correct time of not. We are waiting for Jyesth to answer and Jyesth is waiting for Sahadev to reply about the consequences of timings.
"Sure, stretch your hand", bhrata Bhim breaks the silence.
"Yes, Krishnaa, don't delay", finally Sahadev confirms.
She smiles and handover our respective bangles. And one after one, we put them on her wrist.

Her eyes glitter with joy. She remains speechless looking at her wrist. Her smile is priceless to us. Our heart's regret is somehow erase after making her happy.

"Panchali, it's still incomplete without the vermilion", Arjun ask, "Will you allow us?"
"Hmm", she replies without looking at us.

Several years passed, from Panchal to Indraprastha to Kamyak forest. Several consequences comes in our life, several incidents happens. The relationship between us changes time to time.
Again in this silence, in this auspicious time, we colour her hairline with vermilion, like before. The only difference is, on that day, we get the Panchal Princess with beauty, aura and fame. And today we regain our Panchali Krishnaa, full of love, devotion and dedication from the courageous Samragyi Yagyaseni.
We love her from every perspective, in every looks, everytime. Still, today for us, our Krishnaa is seeming completely different which we never discover before.
In her red hairline, saffron attire she is looking the most pious woman of Aryavart and she is the most.

We join our palm in front of Mata Gauri to get blessings of our pray. And our only pray is, "Whatever the situation is may we all remains in the path of Dharma and fight for Dharma by giving our full."

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