36."What's Going On Around The World Today?"
As the morning sun rose, its warm rays gently kissed my face, coaxing me awake. I reached out instinctively to feel for Raji beside me, but her side of the bed was already empty. Slowly, I opened my eyes and glanced around the room, taking in the soft glow of the early morning light. I picked up my phone from the bedside table and saw that it was seven o'clock. With a quiet sigh, I slid out of bed and made my way outside.
Stepping out of the house, I was greeted by the familiar sounds of the village coming to life. The rhythmic clatter of pots and pans, the murmur of conversations, and the distant crowing of a rooster filled the air. I spotted Ramana talking to a few of the workers, gesturing animatedly as he gave instructions. Smiling, I approached them.
"Morning, Ramana. How's it going?" I called out, my voice still a bit groggy from sleep.
Ramana looked up and said. "Morning, Krishna. Just the usual work, you know how it is."
I nodded, turning to greet the others. "Good morning to you too, guys."
They responded in unison, "Morning, Krishna Bhai!" One of them, a young man with a cheerful grin, asked, "Krishna Bhai, when did you arrive?"
"Last night," I replied with a smile.
"So, planning to stay for a few days?" another inquired.
Shaking my head, I said, "No, I'm heading back today. I just came to pick up Raji, but I'll be back soon."
They nodded in understanding, and we chatted for a while about the village and the work that needed to be done. Suddenly, Raji's voice called out from the house, "Krishna, come here!"
"Okay," I replied, turning back to the group with a smile. "See you guys later."
Making my way towards Raji, I found her standing by the doorway, her hands on her hips. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her from behind and whispered, "Morning."
"Krishna, what are you doing? People are watching us!" she protested, her cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink.
"Who cares? Everyone in the village knows about us anyway," I said, chuckling softly. Ignoring her half-hearted struggle, I kissed her neck tenderly. "Why did you call me?"
"Ma said breakfast is ready. Go freshen up," she replied, her tone softening.
"Okay," I said, kissing her neck again before letting her go. "I'll be right back."
As I walked back to the room, I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over me.
Returning to the room, I freshened up quickly, the cool water waking me fully. Once I was ready, I made my way towards the hall where the family usually gathered in the mornings. As I entered, I saw everyone seated in their usual spots, a picture of serene domesticity. Uncle Rangam was absorbed in his newspaper, the rustling of pages the only sound breaking the morning quiet.
"Morning, Papa," I greeted, approaching him. "So, what's going on around the world today?"
Uncle Rangam looked up from his paper, his face breaking into a warm smile. "Morning, Krishna. Not much, as usual—politics and crime mostly."
I nodded, sharing a knowing smile. "Nothing new, then."
"Well," he said, his eyes twinkling with a hint of excitement, "there is an interesting article about old temples in India. The first one mentioned is the Gupteshwar Mahadev temple. People say that Ashwatthama—" He paused, looking at me expectantly. "Do you know who he is?"
"Of course," I replied, a touch of pride in my voice. "Ashwatthama, the son of Dronacharya, one of the seven immortals."
As I spoke his name, a sharp pain suddenly pierced my head. I winced, raising a hand to my temple as if to ward off the ache. The room seemed to blur slightly at the edges, and I felt a strange sensation, almost as if the name Ashwatthama had unlocked something deep within me.
(A/N:I recently watched Kalki 2898 AD, and it was a very good movie. After watching it, something came to my mind, and I wrote the below paragraph. I'm not sure about it, so please ignore the paragraph if you can please. 🙂 and if you have some ideas please share with me.)
Suddenly, blurred images began to flash before my eyes. I couldn't make out everything clearly, but I could see the outline of a massive battlefield. The clash of swords and the cries of warriors filled the air as people fought and fell around me. Amidst the chaos, I found myself standing on a chariot, a majestic bow in my hand. Opposite me stood an unknown man with something peculiar on his forehead, though I couldn't make out exactly what it was.
As I struggled to understand the scene before me, I suddenly heard a voice, clear and commanding, saying, "Madhava, but—"
Turning towards the voice, I saw a man speaking to his charioteer. Their faces were shrouded in shadow, but the urgency in their words was unmistakable.
"Dhananjaya, you don't have to worry about him," the charioteer replied. "He is my student. Focus on the man standing in front of you. He is not an easy opponent, even if he has lost his Kavach and Kundal. He still wields the Vijay Dhanush."
"Yes, Madhava," the man, presumably Dhananjay, responded with resolve.
Before I could process more, a sharp voice cut through the vision, pulling me back to reality. "Krishna! Are you okay?" Satyam Uncle's voice was filled with concern.
I blinked, the battlefield fading away, replaced by the familiar surroundings of our home. I was back in the dining room, surrounded by family, with everyone looking at me worriedly.
Hearing this, I said, "Yeah, Uncle, I'm fine. It's just a little headache."
Uncle Rangam nodded thoughtfully. "Raji, give Krishna some tea. He's feeling a bit of a headache," he called out to the kitchen.
"Yes, Papa," Raji responded, her voice filled with concern.
I turned back to Uncle Rangam, trying to push aside the strange sensation lingering in my mind. "But what about that temple you mentioned?"
"Ah, yes," Uncle Rangam continued. "People say that Ashwatthama comes there to pray to Mahadev."
I nodded, feeling a flicker of recognition. "I've heard about that, too."
Ramana, who was sitting beside me, looked skeptical. "And you believe in it?"
I hesitated, a strange uncertainty creeping into my voice. "I don't know," I admitted. This uncharacteristic hesitation puzzled me. First, the headache, and now this uncertainty—it was as if something inside me was shifting.
Uncle Rangam's voice pulled me back to the conversation. "And there's another temple," he said, his tone growing more animated. "People say that this temple holds Shri Krishna's flute."
A sudden, inexplicable urgency surged through me. "Where is that place?" I asked, almost too eagerly. "Where?"
"Calm down, Krishna," Uncle Rangam said, trying to soothe my unexpected intensity. "I was about to tell you. The place is—"
But before he could finish, Raji's voice interrupted us. "Krishna, are you feeling well? What happened?" She hurried over, her eyes wide with concern, and placed a hand on my forehead to check my temperature. Her touch was gentle, soothing.
I smiled reassuringly at her. "I'm fine, Raji. It's just a little headache. Anyway, give me that tea."
She nodded and handed me the cup she was holding. "If you're not feeling well, we can leave for Hyderabad tomorrow," she suggested, her voice laced with worry.
I waved my hand dismissively. "Nah, I'm fine. Get ready; we should leave before afternoon."
"Okay, I'm going to change," she said, giving me one last concerned glance before heading to our room.
As I sipped the tea, the warmth spread through me, easing the lingering tension from the strange vision. Uncle Rangam broke the silence. "Krishna, when are you coming back?"
"After ten days," I replied. "But first, we're going to Kakinada to attend Anu's friend's wedding."
He nodded thoughtfully, but I could see a glint of something in his eyes. I narrowed my gaze at him. "What do you want?"
He chuckled, clearly caught. "Krishna, you really understand what's going on in people's minds. Can you get me that bottle you brought me last time?"
I sighed, shaking my head with a smile. "Okay, okay." Looking around at the others, I asked, "Anything for anyone else?"
Satyam Uncle grinned. "One for me too."
I nodded, amused by their requests. Ramana then piped up, "Mine also."
I turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "But you lost the bet."
He shrugged nonchalantly. "So what?"
"So nothing," I said, laughing. "But this is a favor I'm doing for you. You have to repay me."
He waved me off, ignoring my playful jibe. As we chatted, the earlier conversation about the temple and my sudden headache and that blurred images seemed to fade into the background, totally forgotten about it.
As we continued chatting, Raji approached me, her face lit up with a radiant smile. "Krishna, I am ready—"
I interrupted her with a grin. "You look gorgeous."
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she returned my smile. "Thanks."
Turning to the others, I announced, "So, guys, it's time for us to leave."
They all nodded, understanding that our departure was inevitable. I hugged each of them, feeling the warmth and love in every embrace. These moments were always bittersweet—saying goodbye, even temporarily, always tugged at my heart.
As Raji and I settled into the car, we waved one last goodbye. I turned to Raji, a playful glint in my eye. "Are you really my lady?"
She smiled back at me, her eyes twinkling. "Yes."
"Then let's go," I said, starting the car. With that, we began our journey to Hyderabad.
The drive was peaceful, the road stretching out before us under the bright morning sun.
We drove on, the landscape changing gradually from the familiar surroundings of our village to the bustling outskirts of the city. The journey was filled with a mix of comfortable silence and light-hearted conversations. We reminisced about past trips, shared dreams for the future, and simply enjoyed each other's company.
After a long journey, we finally reached Hyderabad. The sun was already setting, casting a warm, golden hue over the city. As I drove towards our house, I noticed Raji engrossed in her phone, texting someone. Curiosity got the better of me.
"Raji, who are you texting?" I asked, glancing at her briefly before refocusing on the road.
"I'm texting Anu," she replied with a mischievous smile. "I told her we're already in Hyderabad and that she should come meet us with your other girlfriend."
I chuckled, amused by her playful tone. Waving off my own smile, I kept my eyes on the road.
Soon, we arrived home. I parked the car in the garage, and we made our way inside. As I opened the door, we were greeted by the familiar, comforting atmosphere of our home. My mother was seated on the sofa, watching TV. Upon noticing us, she immediately got up and approached us with a warm smile, her attention particularly on Raji.
"Ma," Raji said, her face lighting up as she moved forward to hug my mother.
"Raji, how are you?" my mother asked, embracing her warmly.
"I'm fine, Ma. How about you? How's your health?" Raji inquired with genuine concern.
"I'm doing well," my mother replied, her smile reassuring. "Come, sit."
We made our way to the sofa and sat down. I looked around the familiar living room, feeling a sense of comfort wash over me. "Ma, where is Bhaiyya and Papa?" I asked, noticing their absence.
"Bheeshma said he was going to meet Chaitra," she replied. "And your father... I think he went for a walk. He'll be back soon."
I nodded, satisfied with the answer. As my mother and Raji continued their conversation, I started to feel a bit left out. They were so engrossed in catching up that I began to feel a twinge of boredom.
"I'm going to freshen up. You two carry on," I said, standing up.
They both nodded, barely breaking their conversation, and I made my way upstairs. Entering my room, I headed to the bathroom to freshen up, hoping to wash away the fatigue of the journey.
As the cool water splashed over my face, I found myself thinking about the vision again. The battlefield, the temples, and the names echoed in my mind. There was something there, something important that I needed to uncover. But for now, I pushed those thoughts aside. There would be time to delve into those mysteries later. Right now, I wanted to focus on the present, on being with my family and enjoying these moments of togetherness.
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