Chapter One

A tinge of red

Vaidehi wakes up in the morning to the warm sunshine that filters through her glass windows. Its just another day in her routine small town life. The tree whose branches always grow in her through her window is showing new shades of green, new leaves are peeping out to enjoy the warmth of sun like everyone else. The smell of incense and prayer bells from distance just adds to the warmth of the morning. But its not just the incense, theres smell of something delicious in the air too. Something she hasnt tasted in a while. But her sleepy head isnt ready yet to tell her exactly what to expect. Her beautiful curly hair is in a mess and thats something she wants to deal with later as well. Mornings are just not meant for worries, so she walks upto her window with a carefree walk just to feel the sun on her face. She feels more attached to the land beneath her today, well thats unusual..she thinks,but then she never been the perfect piece in a puzzle. Shes used to feel unusual things and this new found feeling to feel the soil on her feet is just another one of those. Vaidehi collects these thoughts as she opens her window, and takes a deep breath inside..ah!!! the mornings in mountains are just amazing, but she has never been away from them, its the only kind she knows. Nevertheless it doesnt bring her down, what she has is perfect, the green valley in front,lined with mountains majestic and tall. Her window tree that always sends in branches into her room as a friendly reminder of its presence. But then these lush green fields that streach in front of her are somehow greener today. Is it the glistening dew in them or the occasional spots of colors in green, she isnt sure, maybe she doesnt have to. She just stands there taking it all in. Her mountain morning.

Vaidehi!!! her mother shouts, and thats enough to put her on her toes. Startled she turns and there she is standing at the doors, a lil mad, a lil amused, a lil in haste like all mothers are in the moring. "I will be in breakfast in a minute Ma." But thats not enough to convince Aruna, Vaidehi's mother. Shes a women in her late thirties. A mother of four children Vaidehi being her third shes a benovalent mother and Vaidehi...well she sees her own reflection in Vaidehi, which makes her extra strict towards this little girl who had stepped into adolesence a couple of years ago. Shes has the face of a queen, Sharp facial featues and big red bindi on her hear head betwen her brows. Aruna is not very stern if come across her, but she deepky respected and often not taken lightly. when it comes to her family shes fiercely protective. Aruna says with a frown on her face "And whos supposed to make ur bed in the morning? You should be taking care of these things by youself now now Vidhu", Thats how she used to call her 'Vidhu'. Aruna picks up the blanket and drops it abruptly, rushes to the door and closes it in a frenzy. "Vidhu didnt u see this? Couldn't you feel it happen? Since when have you been experiencing it? Why didnt you tell me?" Aruna just starts shooting questions. Vaidehi puzzled comes closer to the bed to see what all the fuss is about only to find a patch of red on her bed. "Oh my god its all over you Vidhu, take off your colthes and sit down. I will be back in a minute." Aruna rushes out and closes the door behind her. Vaidehi takes off her colthes only to find the back of her skirt soaked in red too. It took her a while to realise it was blood. She bled last night, but she wasnt hurt when she back home after playing last evening?, This was strange and kind of confusing too. She was waiting for her mother though, she acted so strange maybe she knew what it was about, so she waited for her mother as she checked herself for open wounds.

Aruna rushed back in with a bowl of water, with steam coming off off it. Since when has this been going on Aruna asks? Well its the first time something of this sort happened Vaidehi replies. Aruna carefully wipes her legs all the way up to her vagina as she says, "You are a women now and there things that women should know and take care of". Vaidehi looks at her confused,as Aruna goes on, this is going to happen often now and we have to be careful not stain another sheet or skirt. You don't want all your clothes with red stains on them now do you Vidhu?". Vaidehi nods as Aruna goes on to explain her what her mother told her when hit her puberty. She tells the story of her first period and the lessons she learnt from her mother. Its a bit too much for Vaidehi to process in an hour. Shes still confused as to why she bled? But shes a good daughter and she listens to every word her mother says, although it doesnt make much sense to her. Then Aruna comes in with a piece of cloth and hands it over to Vaidehi, "You have to keep it between your legs under your clothes at all times for the next few days till the blood stops Ok? And no jumping around till we are sure the bleeding has stopped." Vaidehi frowns "But why Maaaaa??", "No more questions, Just do what I say and it will be over in no time, untill next time." Perplexed Vaidehi looks at her mother like she had been punished for a mischief she had't done. Vaidehi sits with Aruna smiling as her continueswiping her legs, like shes happy which makes her Vidhu even more angry. "You change into fresh clothes now and put the bad ones in this bag in that corner I will throw them away later, I will get your breakfast here by then." Aruna says. "I will sit with baba for breakfast like I usually do, why would you get my breakfast here?" Vaidehi resists. Aruna gives her a stern look and says, "Well you are not getting out of this room today, Its the first day of Navratri and you are not allowed to be around the puja" and she shuts the door behind her. Aruna is really busy with the chores, specially with the puja around and although she really wants to she cannot sit next to Vaidehi and answer all her questions which she knew would follow once she had processed the whole incident. Vaidehi on the other hand is really mad at her mother but shes not the kind of kid who argues or talks back a lot. She has always been the meek and obidient one among all siblings and even if she wants to she cannot get her rage out on her mother. She is also really mad at her this new heriditary disease she has caught which all women in her mother's family had and she doesnt want to carry it on. But in between her anger and her serene nature there is little shes able to do or say. So she sits in a corner, naked with tears rolling down her eyes.
Vaidehi gets and gets dressed, her face looks twice its original size, her cheeks red with anger thats breeding inside. So she tries to distract herself and the sweet smell of something cooking in ghee hits her again. What is it? She ponders...something thats related to todays puja and it dawns on her,Its ofcourse "MohanBhog". The last time she tasted it, it was the month of shravan, On Janmashtami. Alekhya her youngest brother was supposed to climb up and break the matki this year, but he fell down instead. The minute he reached the matki it oveflowed from the edges of the matki and Alekhya slipped on the spilled curd. Vaidehi would tease him for days, on how funny his face looked when he fell down. Alekhya and Vaidehi were very close to each other and they were the ones to fight the most together and hence the once to be disciplined together the most as well. Where is Alekhya though why isnt he looking for her...maybe Maa has gotten him involved in chores as well. She found the silver lining, she didnt have to help around with the puja all day. She pushed herself into the bed. Shes the queen today...food will be served in her bed.

Aruna walks in with Vaidehi's food. Shes in fresh clothes, all cleaned up and laying in her bed humming her favourite song. Aruna smiles at her obidient daughter, shes happy her little girl is growing up. The fact that she grew up so fast is quite unsettling. It seems like yesterday when she and her husband were praying in their fields offering their prayers to the land godess asking for a daughter, for in their village it was so believed a man who hasnt done 'Kanyadan' atleast once in his life has not lived a complete life. After having their first son they prayed for a daughter next but god blessed them with another son. But Aruna wasnt one to give up, a women of great perseverance she fasted for 12 days and would eat only after the sun had set down the horizon. And on the day the rains first kissed the land, when she and Bhuban started building their dream house, which stands proud as a sign of their success today, they buried a gold coin in the ground, their most prized possession as peasents into the land and asked for a daughter. She still remebers the evening as the sun was setting and the scent of freshly wet ground was overwhelming the lands, she stood there with folded hands and Bhuwan took a coconut and broke it before he started digging into the earth for building his new house, and when they had made satisfactory progress Aruna handed over what her mother in law handed over to her when she entered her in laws house as the 'Lakshmi' of their new household, A glistening gold coin with godess 'Lakshmi' engraved on both sides of it. They buried in deep in the north eastern corner of what was going to be their house someday and left with hopes in heart. And Vaidehi came into their lives a year later, a playful little girl with a smile to die for, Bhuban wouldn't let her go for a minute for the first couple of months. Life has been kind to them since she came, shes their strength like the ground holds the walls together she holds the family together. With her adorable mischiefs, her non stop giggles, her helpful nature with hoselhold chores, her childish obstinance, her kindness towards her baby brother she was the perfect daughter they could wish for. Aruna keeps smiling at her daughter lost in her thoughts.

Vaidehi turns around and jumps, "That smells delicious maa give it to me already." ,"I am going to feed you with my own hands today" Aruna replies as she runs her hand around Vidhu's head. Aruna sits down and puts Puri's into curry and then into Vidhu's awaiting already open mouth. And she starts a conversation about what had happened to her and how it was a part of her growing up. She also tells her to deal with the changes coming ahead and how to take control of her body and actions in the days come. She leaves out the discussion of staying away from boys. She feels her little girl is too young, she saves the conversation for a later date when she would understand things better. Vidhu listens to her mother still confused. She doesnt want to worry about it now, shes enjoying the momemnt with her mother. The smell of freshly cooked Puris, the steaming curry's spices blending to give a rich aroma, the smell of ghee in sweets, how could someone worry, she rejoiced every word. She knew intsructions will be repeated as and when to be carried out again, but this meal isnt going to repeat itself anytime soon. Vidhu smiles at her mom as she takes the last bite of sweet in the mouth and aruna kisses her cheecks as she gets up. There are chores to be taken care of, she leaves the door open this time, she knows her Vidhu isn't going to abide her words and who could lock up a child like that all day. Vidhu goes back to her window dreaming of things she wants to do as she grows up, but first she wants to laydown in that green streach of grass in front of her.

PROLOGUE

MAYA SARINI

A MYSTICAL TALE ON INDIAN WITCHCRAFT.

-BY ABHISHEK MISHRA

PROLOGUE

It’s a really chilly winter new moon night in Sharangul, unusually windy and thunder clouds crackling every now and then. Shambhu is running restlessly in the dark forest chasing his cattle heard that started running out of stable and right into the forest. He’s puzzled by this sudden unrest in his cattle herd, however having no time to think, he is chasing deeper and deeper into the forest, blinded by darkness directionless just following the noises of bells. The is sweet smell of night jasmine blossoms filling this part of the forest and there is the smell of dry crushed leaves with dust, Shambhu doesn't have time to stand a moment and take it all in though. Neither he has any time to look at the starry night sky glistening with starts. Hes focussed of sounds of bells. "I must get my cattle back!!!", is the only thought he can afford. 

Suddenly there's random rattling in nearby bushes and he is startled by the noises, the next moment he is on the ground face down with a thud!! He lays low as dust rises around him. He scared to get up was he attached by an animal, It cannot be, there were no claws. As he turns his head up again a chill runs through his nerves. Dark shadows shoot across the trees deeper into the forest. The starry night sky is not so beautiful to him anymore, all of a sudden. He holds his breath and lays low for a while random thoughts shoot fast across his head, faster than the shadows in front of his eyes. He has to get his cattle back cause going back without his cattle is not an option. His kids are not going to feed themselves, neither will his fields plough themselves, he need them, he has to get them back. But its not just fields or kids but his curiosity is driving him mad too, so he mumbles the hanuman chalisa as quietly as possible and moves towards the sound of his cattle. The wind keeps getting stronger as he moves deeper into the forest. The night jasmine isn't so evident either. Shambhu is cold and he pulls his ragged towel closer to his shivering body as he crawls his way into the woods.

The fear of unknown and the cold is making him shiver like a dead leaf on a branch and the bedlam of cattle at a distance puzzles him. He is blank as he approaches the sounds further in pitch black darkness. Suddenly his toe hits something hard. Shambhu almost reeks with pain. Blinded by the pain he sits down and draws it close to his face and only to find it red; a wound is the last thing he desires at the moment. Soon he realizes that its kumkum from a sacred stone. He looks around and is relieved by the thought that it’s the abandoned ancient temple site. It’s the shambhunath shrine thats visited only once a year on an auspicious day, visiting otherwise is not advice able. The very thought of standing on a sacred ground gives his pounding heart courage to stand up. However hes also confused whether or not he should enter the temple, but curiosity gets better of him, so he approaches closer. He is startled by the sight of it. The peripheral ground of shambhonath is circled by womanly figures and the cattle are running right on to them. But they get back up again holding their ground chanting. There is strange light coming out of all lantern holes from inside the temple. Bright colourful lights. These women are making weeping noises in unison and the place is filled with a strange pungent smell. He climbs up on the nearest tree to get a view of it. Is it a secret ritual hes not supposed to see, he doesn't know but he will definitely find out in some time. As he’s trying to peep into the temple, he’s blinded by the flashes of light emerging from the temple. He goes even higher to find out.

Shambho is confused to see the sight of what was happening there. So he slaps himself to see if he is dreaming or if it is the ganja is working its way up his head. There are six light sources glowing with the brightness of a thousand moons and their lights emanate to merge at the center where floats a womanly body. It springs into life every now and then squeaks and turns motionless again.

There are distant but clear chantings, so soothing that he goes dizzy for a while and right when he is about to doze off on the branches a loud cry disrupts his peace. When his eyes open he finds the womanly body inverted and her hairs shoot into the ground with a loud noise and the earth starts shaking. The light sources fade into human figures that fall back and dissolve into thin air. The squeaky cry keeps getting louder. The women outside the temple stand still. Earth keeps on shaking as shambo grabs onto the tree branch hes sitting on. The trembling earth has turned the temple into ruins. The woman in the centre sinks into earth as her hair spreads into ground forming roots, whereas she herself turns into a leafless tree.

The temple vimana completely collapses and theres a strange silence in the air all of a sudden, the dust of the collapse fills air with the smell of fresh dust and his cattle are nowhere to be seen...