Before I begin the story, I would like to introduce you all to three new characters. Ritesh and Shreeja are Esha's paternal cousins, and Soham is their son.
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Author's POV
It was the day of Krishna Janmashtami, and the ancient lanes of Old Delhi were alive with celebration. The very air in the houses hummed with a palpable sense of bliss and devotion. From every corner, one could hear the melodious strains of bhajans dedicated to Lord Krishna, mingling with the sweet, sacred scent of incense and marigolds.
Esha's POV
Krishna Janmashtami.
It remains, without a doubt, one of my favourite days of the year. The decoration, the spiritual discipline of fasting and chanting, the joyous Dahi Handi, everything..., I adore all of them.
Today, I got up earlier than usual. After a quick shower, I chose a vibrant red lehenga, its fabric cool against my skin. I pleated my yellow dupatta and pinned it neatly to my shoulder. The soft clinking of my bangles was a familiar, happy sound as I added a necklace and earrings to complete the look. A touch of minimal makeup and Bindi. I was ready. I descended the stairs only to meet Mumma, who was busy with the preparations of the pooja.
Mumma tasked me with decorating the Jhula for Lord Krishna. I decorated the background of the Jhula by carefully shaping a circle with the yellow flowers and hanging the mini flower garlands in the middle with ease. I placed the Jhula in the middle of the decoration, a perfect throne for the deity. Half an hour later, we gathered and performed the puja.
Just as the puja concluded, a sharp knock echoed from the front door. I opened it to the warm, familiar faces of Ritesh Bhai and Shreeja Bhabhi. With them was my seven-year-old nephew, the absolute center of my world, Soham, who ran straight towards me.
"Bua!!" He yelled excitedly while hugging my legs.
A wide smile spread across my face as I leaned down to envelop him in a proper hug. Soham and I are partners in crime; he confides all his mischiefs in me, too scared to tell his parents. We welcomed them inside, and the house was soon filled with the comfortable murmur of family. I sat near Bhabhi, enjoying their chatter. Bhai and Papa were quickly engrossed in their business talks, while Abhinav engaged in a lively chat with Bhabhi.
I took the decorated basket that I had prepared and turned towards everyone.
"Mein mandir jaakar aati hu." I announced, grabbing everyone's attention towards me. Papa gave me an affirmative nod. Just as I was about to leave, I spotted Soham beside me. He came towards me.
("I come back after going to the temple.")
"Bua, mujhe bhi aap ke saath ana hai."
I smiled at his excitement. This young boy is much like his mother, finding pure joy in the smallest of things.
("Bua, I also want to come with you.")
"Theek hai, par mumma ko bol kar aao." He dashed towards the house and returned in a few minutes after seeking permission from his mother. I helped him into the passenger seat, ensuring his seatbelt was securely fastened before getting into the driver's seat myself.
("Ok, but inform your mother first.")
We were on the way to the temple. The car halted near the signal, and I waited for the red light to turn green. A small vendor tapped on my window, holding out strings of fresh Mogra flowers.
Mogra! I love them!!
One of the many things that makes a girl tempt. The sweet, intoxicating fragrance was irresistible. Kisi ne sahi hi kaha hai ki koi bhi modern accessory Mogra ke phoolon ko replace nahi kar sakta. It has such a timeless elegance.
(Someone has rightly said that no modern accessory can replace the Mogra Flower.)
I bought a string. I pinned it to my hair, tying the rest around my wrist like a fragrant bracelet.
The signal turned green, and we continued. Soon, we reached the temple. This temple in Delhi was dedicated to Lord Krishna, which reminds me of my trip to Vrindavan; it has a vibrant, spiritual aura that pulls souls like mine. We took the blessings from God and sat down for some time. Soham's little mind popped with a question...
"Bua, kya Krishna Ji Mayya Yashoda ke bache nahi thee."
("Bua, was Lord Krishna not the child of Mother Yashoda?")
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Aakash's POV
"Aakash, chal chalte hai." Ma said, emerging from the house with a basket laden with all the items for the puja.
("Aakash, let's go.")
A few minutes before, we had completed the puja at home. We are now heading to the famous Krishna temple in the entire Delhi. We settled into our respective seats and started our journey. It didn't take long to arrive.
To be honest, I didn't consider myself a spiritual guy. But there's something about this place; the wave of positive bliss surrounds you. This energy has the power to calm my senses. The Bhajans and Kirtans people perform here with heartfelt devotion, and the happiness illuminating their faces when they see God is truly a magnificent sight to witness.
We went inside and offered our prayers. While we were there, I received a call from a colleague. I stepped to the side to answer it, the conversation lasting no more than three minutes. As I ended the call, a question floated through the air. It was a little boy..
"Bua, kya Krishna Ji Mayya Yashoda ke putra nahi thee."
("Bua, was Lord Krishna not the child of Mother Yashoda?")
"Nahi" I heard a female voice which seemed strangely familiar. I turned and spotted Esha. She was sitting there with a little boy. She looked different today. Dressed in traditional attire, she carried herself with a quiet, arresting elegance. The rich reds and golds of her outfit, combined with the fragrant white Mogra flowers in her hair, made her seem almost ethereal.
("No")
"Krishna Ji ko janam dene wale Maa ka naam tha Devaki aur unke Papa ka naam Vasudev tha. Par ek problem tha, Devaki Maa ke bhai ne unhe jail mein daal diya tha. Weh dono kayi saal wahi jail mein thee. Wahan Devaki Maa ko 6 baccho ko janam diya tha, par unke bhai jinka naam Kans tha, unhone sabhi ko maar diya. Phir aye bade bhaiya Balram ji. Woh Devaki Maa ke hi bete thee par Bhagwan ne unhe Rohini Maa ke ghar Janam dilvaya. Phir aaye Krishna ji, unko Devaki maa ne hi Janam diya par unko darr tha ki unke bhai unke bete ko maar denge. Isiliye Vasudev Ji, Krishna ji ko Gokul leke gayi. Wahan jake unhone Krishna Ji ko Mayya Yashoda aur Nand ji ke paas chod aaye aur unhone Yogmaya jo unki beti thi. Unhe wapas apne saath le aaye. Mayya Yashoda ne 14 saal tak Krishna ji ka khayal Rakha. Jab Krishna Ji 14 saal ke hue, tab unhone Gokul ko chodda aur apne Maa aur Papa ko Mama Kans ke jail se mukt kiya."
("The name of the mother who gave birth to Lord Krishna was Devaki, and his father's name was Vasudev. But there was a problem; Devaki's brother had imprisoned them. They were both in that prison for many years. There, Devaki gave birth to six children, but her brother, named Kansa, killed all of them. Then came the elder brother, Balaram. He was also the son of Devaki, but God had him born in the house of Rohini. Then came Krishna, who was born to Devaki, but she was afraid that her brother would kill her son. Therefore, Vasudev took Krishna to Gokul. There, he left Krishna with Yashoda and Nand and brought back their daughter, Yogmaya. Mother Yashoda took care of Krishna for 14 years. When Krishna turned 14, he left Gokul and freed his mother and father from Uncle Kansa's prison.")
The boy listened to each word carefully, trying to configure each word.
"Tumhe pata hai Krishna Ji ne hame pyaar aur hamare actions ke baare mein shikhaya hai."
("Do you know, Lord Krishna has taught us about love and our actions.")
I just smiled, looking at them both.
"Samajh aaya?"
("Understood?")
"Ha" The boy responded, passing on a smile.
"Chalo ab chalte hai." Esha rose gracefully from her spot. As she turned to leave, her eyes met mine. For a beat, the temple's noise and bustle seemed to fade into a distant hum. She held my gaze as she started walking in my direction, and I found myself rooted to the spot, unable to look away. She was just about to reach me when the spell was broken.
("Come, let's go.")
"Esha, tum yaha. What a coincidence!!" Maa said, gazing at her.
("Esha, you here. What a coincidence!!")
"Ji, woh ghar mein pooja ho gaya tha toh mein ne socha ki mandir ho aayu."
("Yes, the Puja at home was done, so I thought of visiting the temple.")
"Accha, aur yeh koun hai?"
("Ok, and who is this?")
"Yeh Soham hai, mera bhatija"
("He is Soham, my nephew.")
"Achha," Meera said while waving at Soham. Soham also gave a shy wave at Meera.
"Tum ghar jaa rahi ho?" Meera asked.
("Are you going home?")
"Kuch der rukti jao. Hum bhi bas thodi der mein nikal hi rahi hai."
("Wait for some time. We will also be leaving in some time.")
"Nahi aunty, Bhai aur Bhabhi kuch hi samay ke liye ghar aaye thee. Soham meri paas hai aur mein agar yaha ruk gayi toh woh late ho jayenge.." She told with a bit of hesitation.
("No aunty, brother, and sister-in-law came home for a short time. Soham is with me, and if I stay here, they will be late.")
"Achha, thik hai" Maa responded.
She said her goodbyes and left with her nephew. Ma went back inside the temple to collect the prasad. My gaze, however, was still on Esha. As she descended the stone steps of the temple, I saw something small and shiny slip from her hand and fall unnoticed to the ground. A flash of something gold against the grey stone caught my eye. I walked over and saw a gold-plated bracelet that had a small heart in the middle. After a moment's hesitation, I bent down, picked it up, and slipped it into my pocket before turning to rejoin my mother.
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Hey Folks!!
Aakash has her bracelet, not bad. What will happen if she finds out about it? For that, stay tuned!!
Hope you like this chapter. If yes, please like the chapter and comment on your favourite part.
Thanks for reading ❤️...