THE DARK FATED KANYA

CHAPTER 19

Arjun looked on, as Chandrika prepared the Chandan paste. The sky was doused in an orange hue, as Suryadev was finally making his way to his abode letting Chandradev take his place for the night. Just then, Bheem, Nakul and Sahadev entered the temple.

"What's going on?" Nakul asked, curiously eyeing the Chandan paste made by Chandrika.

"As you can see, Chanda is preparing the paste," Arjun said, in a matter – of – fact tone.

"I am going to write 'Om Namah Shivaay' on the leaves of Bilva patra, using this paste," replied Chandrika, with a smile, answering the curiosity of Nakul.

"There's a heap of leaves in that plate," Bheem said, with wide eyes.

"Yeah. Exactly 101 Bilva patra," replied Chandrika, while continuing her work.

The four Pandavas shared a glance with each other. Chandrika really went to an extent, when it came to her Aradhya.

"Have you been doing all this, since your first Mahashivratri Pooja?" Sahadev asked cautiously.

"Yes. I was 10 when I first did all this," Chandrika replied.

"How did... I mean, like... did... umm... Bhrata Karn... umm... allow this?" Nakul stammered, with the words.

"Well... Pitashree was intrigued when I told him that I wanted to do such a thing," said Chandrika, as she remembered the talk, she had with her father on this. "He asked me if I would be able to handle the Nirjala Upvas. When I said yes with determination, he allowed me as he himself had started his Surya Aradhna at the age of 6. Mata and Supriya Maa were skeptical, but agreed as I had been stubborn on doing this."

Nakul hummed at this, while Bheem and Sahadev just listened on. Arjun was in his thoughts. There was silence for a while in the temple.

"Can I... can I ask you something, Chanda?" Arjun asked hesitantly, finally breaking the silence. Chandrika looked confusedly, at Arjun hearing the hesitance.

"You... umm... you never told us... that... umm... that you had a sister – in – law and a... a nephew too," he said, not meeting her eyes.

Bheem, Nakul and Sahadev looked at each other, praying that the topic shouldn't act like a landmine.

"It's because I never thought that I would meet her ever again after the war," Chandrika replied calmly, focusing intently at the work she had been doing.

"Why?" Sahadev prodded, softly.

"I... I don't want to get into the details," Chandrika said, with a sigh and continued, "so... so let's just say that after... after Jyesht's death, Pitashree was completely distort. Videharaj, Bhabhishree's father, now knew that the Kauravas would never win the war. Also Bhabhishree's only brother had died too. So he just backed out from the war, and told Pitashree that he would never let Bhabhishree be a prisoner of war to you all. He also vowed that he won't let Bhabhishree's child keep any kind of relations with Pitashree's kin and would make the child, irrespective of girl or boy, his successor. With that, he took Bhabhishree with him. At that time, Pitashree and Mata were not in a state to stop him, neither was Bhabhishree in a state to protest against it. The last time I saw her was... at the... at the funeral pyre of Jyesht. After that, it was yesterday when I finally met her. I don't know how she persuaded Videharaj for allowing her to come here."

Bheem, Nakul and Sahadev were shifting glances between Arjun and Chandrika. Arjun had gone back to his musings while Chandrika was quietly continuing her work. She had started writing the mantra on the leaves of Bilva patra.