4 Anything can happen
Part 4 Anything can happen
"Don't worry, jee, wedding bells will ring soon" Khushi said that bringing a smile to Nani's face.
Nani touched her head with love. She felt content in her heart. She believed Arnav's life would get a satisfying turn as Khushi said. She wanted to share her grievance with Shivshankar. But she didn't know whether she could do that in front of Khushi because the severity of the issue was so harsh. She was scared about Khushi's foreseen talk. What if she said anything perilous?
Devi Maiya always comes for her devotee's help. This time also came for Nani's help. Or, maybe, she would have had the reason.
Khushi saw the Pandit of the temple going with the flask.
"Bhaiya, are you going to your home?"
"Yes, Khushi, I'm going to get hot water..." the Pandit said.
"You just stay here. I bring it for you. Give me the flask"
"It's ok, Khushi..."
"No problem Bhaiya, people may come to the temple and get disappointed not finding you here. So, you stay here. I will just come..."
"I will come quickly, Khushi"
"Bhaiya, won't you let me have Bhabi's coffee?" She pouted.
"Oh... then ok... you should have said that straight..." the Pandit forwarded the flask to Khushi smiling.
"Crazy girl" Shivshankar chuckled.
"Nanu, I will be back"
Shivshankar nodded ok.
Khushi left the Temple with a flask.
She came to the pandit's house. Pandit's wife saw her and her face brightened.
"Hi, Siya Didi"
"Khushi... come, come... how are you doing?" Siya asked.
"I'm doing great getting scolds from our village people," she said sulking.
"Don't take them seriously Khushi. People will celebrate us if we are in their favor. They will belittle us if we say something they don't like"
"Yeah... that's why I have decided not to say anything negatively anymore"
"That's a good decision"
"But, my tongue is my first enemy. It won't be in my control. I have a dirty blabbermouth" she pouted.
"Don't feel bad, Khushi. You should feel proud of yourself because the grace you have is truly a blessing"
Khushi sighed.
"Will you say the same if I disappoint you, telling something peril?"
"I may not feel good but definitely won't scold you because I know you tell them beyond your control"
Khushi nodded yes.
"Where is your little Ganesh?"
"He has not come from the school yet. I so want him to become a doctor"
"He won't become a doctor..." Khushi said in a flow.
That made Siya's face hang.
"He is going to rule the districts because he will become a collector"
Mrs. Pandit hugged Khushi delightfully.
"You made my day dear" she rushed inside and came with a laddo and fed it to Khushi.
"Ohfo... I wanted to drink your coffee...but, you stuffed a laddoo in my mouth" she muffled with her mouthful.
"No problem, you can have it next time"
"I don't think I can have your coffee," She said and stopped, getting stuck.
Siya looked at her bewildered. Both of them didn't know what did she mean.
"Bhaiya wants hot water," Khushi said, extending the flask.
Siya nodded yes and went to the kitchen, taking the flask from Khushi. She came with the hot water-filled flask and handed it back to Khushi. Khushi silently left the place with the flask with mixed feelings.
Siya was looking at Khushi's retreated figure with restlessness. Why Khushi said that she could not drink her coffee? What was going to happen that would stop Khushi from drinking her coffee? An unknown restlessness spread in her heart because she knew whatever Khushi said would come true.
In the meanwhile, in the temple,
"I want to talk to you about something important, Shivshankarji" Nani asked.
"Tell me, Devyaniji"
"You know my daughter was killed eighteen years ago"
"Yes... It was a tragic incident"
"The worst about it is, it was done by someone from my family"
"Whaaaaat?" Shishankar was shocked.
The Pandit who heard it also was shaken.
"Yes, jee..."
"How do you know that?"
"Two days ago, I met a saint in a temple. He was the one who told me about it. He said my daughter was not their target but my grandson. They are still trying to kill him but my daughter's soul is protecting him"
"This is miraculous"
"Yes, he said something too. That my daughter's soul is being controlled"
"By whom?"
"Maybe, by the one who killed her"
"You should have asked him about it in detail"
"I didn't believe his words at first. I could not think of my own family that way. I had a question why did he tell me everything all of a sudden? Before I asked him, he himself answered my question"
"Is it?"
"Yes, he said, I will get my answer the next day"
"Did you get it?"
"Yes... the saint passed away"
"Hey, Devi Maiya..."
"Yes... He is the one who asked me to visit my Kuldevi Temple. That's why I'm here"
"I really can't believe this"
"Haan, Shivshankarji... just think about my condition. I lost my sleep completely. I can't bear the truth that my family is behind my daughter's death"
"Did you feel your daughter's soul's presence?"
"No... the saint said she is controlled. I think that's why I could not feel it. My daughter's soul is roaming around her son to protect him restlessly. This is hell, Shivshankarji... I don't know what could I do to make her soul rest in peace"
The Pandit who was listening to them came forward.
"I'm sorry to interfere. You said the saint wanted you to come to your Kuldevi temple. That's why I want to say something as you are in your Kuldevi Temple"
"Tell me, Panditji. What do you want to say?"
"This is very intensive. Usually, I won't suggest this to anyone but, I feel to tell you this"
Nani looked at Shivshankar restlessly.
"If someone does a Pooja at your home, the problem will definitely get solved"
"What Pooja?"
"The person who does the Pooja should be fasting. She will chant a SLOKA given by me for thousand times. At the end of the day, she should light the lamp in any Devi Maiya Temple and bring it to her home without putting it off. After keeping it in your pooja room, she should complete the fast and should eat something"
The pandit wrote the sloka in a chit while talking to her and handed it to Nani.
"I will surely do this Pooja," Nani said taking the chit from him.
"Sorry, Maji, you can't do this pooja but an unmarried girl or a woman with a husband should do this Pooja"
Nani lost hope. Whom she could ask to do this Pooja? Whom she could trust in her family? Who would do this for her with dedication? She felt she was back to square one. Nani looked at Devi Maiya's idol.
"What's your plan, Maa? Why did you bring me here? To let me know that I can do nothing? What's all this Devi Maiya? I trusted you... that's why I came to your place. Please show me a way"
"Can't she do anything other than this, Panditji?" Shivshankar asked.
"I know only spiritual way to solve the problems, jee. Maybe, there are other ways but it won't get us God's grace" the Pandit said.
"What can I do, Shivshankarji? I'm leaving it on Devi Maiya's feet. Let her decide what to do"
"Now, you came on the right track. When you started trusting her wholeheartedly, she will take your problems into her hands. Then, there won't be any chance for sorrow" Shivshankar said.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure"
"Don't you really have any will and wish?"
Shivshankar smiled.
"Yes, I do... I have only one wish. It's about my death"
"Death?"
"Yes, my death would be a divine one... I should leave my breath in my sleep... without any trouble. That's the only wish I ask Devi Maiya"
Nani could not understand what kind of wish that was.
They saw Khushi coming. She handed the flask to the Pandit thinking something.
"What happened, Khushi?"
"Nothing Nanu... shall we go home?"
Shivshankar nodded yes.
"How many days are you going to be here, Devyaniji?"
"I will go to Delhi a day after tomorrow morning because I need a day's rest"
"Then you can have dinner at our home tonight"
"That's ok, Shivshankarji... I don't want to trouble you guys"
"There is nothing called trouble. If you are hesitant to come to our home, I will bring you dinner at your place" Shivshankar said.
"No no. I will come to your home but not today but tomorrow"
"You know, Khushi cooks well"
"Nanu, good or bad, she won't have a choice other than having my handmade food," she said without thinking.
Nani and Shivshankar thought she was talking about that NIGHT only. But, they didn't know that stance had other meanings too.
"I'm very tired. I had Prasad given by the pandit. I don't have the mood of eating anything now. Trust me, I will surely come to your home tomorrow for lunch"
"That's nice"
"Now, I'm taking your leave"
"Jee"
Nani came back to Sheesh Mahal and slept tight as she was tired like hell.
The next morning
Nani woke up a little late and took bath. As she promised, she had to go to Shivshankar's house today. So, she got ready. Having milk, she started to Shivshankar's house. When she reached the house, she saw the crowd in his house. She came to his house and stood thunderstruck, seeing Shivshankar's lifeless body lying on the floor with garlands. Someone's talk fell in her ear.
"Shivshankarji passed away last night, in his sleep... his death happened as he wished..."
To be continued...
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