Vishnupriya

Missing Makhan Pots

Years passed Vishnupriya grew up to be a lovely and sweet child who was adored by all. The eight year old Vishnupriya ran down the corridor trying to find her sister. "Jiji~" Vishnupriya calls. "O jiji~" Vishnupriya calls pushing the door open of her sister's room.

"Jiji!" Vishnupriya climbs on the bed where a girl with beautiful golden complex was sleeping. "Its still early! Why are you up?" radha whines pulling covers till her head. "The sun is up! So I am up!" Vishnupriya says dramatically plopping over the sleeping figure of Radha.

"Wake up na! How long are you planning to sleep? We have to go to bath in Yamuna, dress up, play and milk the cows!! So many things to do!" Vishnupriya says dramatically making radha chuckle and sit up. 

"If so then chal, lets go choti." Radha says and collects her clothes along with Vishnupriya's and head for Yamuna where they meant Lalita, Vishakha and the rest on the way. 

"ZHZH! Brrr! Yamuna is cold today!" Vishakha says retreating her feet. "But we still have to take a bath." Lalita says trying to adjust to the cold temperature. Everybody were shivering trying to get inside the water except for Vishnupriya who got in the river effortlessly.

"Its not that cold. Come sakhi!" Vishnupriya says as radha too joins her. "Yamuna has always been gentle and welcoming to you Gauri. Not to us." Chitra says too joining in. After a while everybody got in and adjusted to the temperature.

"Ayee!!" Indulekha says gaining all the attention. "Shoo!" Indulekha says as a monkey tries to get her clothes. The monkey upon being caught quickly retreats to a nearby tree. "Who is this monkey? I have never seen it here before." Champaklata says.

"Come here." Vishnupriya says and the monkey comes as per her wish. "Here take this and don't try to steal clothes again." Vishnupriya says giving the money two mangoes making it nod violently and take the mangoes. Ever since child Vishnupriya has been able to understand the animals so persuading the little monkey was no problem for her. After taking a good bath and chatting the gopis get dressed and head for their home.

"Maiya- What happened maiya?" Radha asks Kirti who looks stressed. "Where were you two?" Kirti asks. "In Yamuna with our sakhis to bath. What happened maiya?" Vishnupriya asks. "All the makhan pots have gone missing without any trace." Kirti says.

"Vishnu did you?" Radha asks. "No! No! I never steal! You know that! And even if I did do you think I could eat all the makhan all alone?" Vishnupriya says making Radha nod in acknowledgement.

"Don't stress maiya lets make again." Radha says. "And we too will help." Vishnupriya adds making Kirti chuckle. "Then come, lets go." Kirti says and takes her two little girls to the kotha filled with pots and necessary materials to make makhan.

Kirti and the two sit on the ground with necessities all prepared. "Now both of you observe me carefully. Take this rope and this then pull this first then the other and continue it. Like this." Kirti demonstrates to which Radha and Vishnupriya observe it with hawk eyes and too try it.

First it was difficult but soon got hand of it. "Like this maiya?" the two sisters ask. "Yes, now slowly increase the speed and force but don't apply too much force." Kirti says and the two follow their maiyas orders.

After few hours they were all done with 3 pots each and Kirti with 4 pots. "Waah~ These makhan look really delicious!" Vrishabhanu says crouching down sweeping his daughters is his embrace while looking at the white makhan pots.

"Now go and sit in the dining. I will keep these and come." Kirti says taking the pots. Vrishabhanu takes his two girls in his shoulder and race to the dining making the two giggle. Kiriti just chuckles at the sight of her family and goes to the kotha to store the makhan.

******  

"Makhan has been disappearing from many houses." Kiriti says while dining with her two girls and husband. "Makhan? Which thief would steal makhan Kirti?" Vrishabhanu chuckles. "No, even our house have been robbed of makhan." Kirti says.

"But how is that possible? Disappearance of all the makhan of all houses in a day?" Vrishabhanu says. "What if its a bad spirit?" Kirti asks. "But which bad spirit goes for makhan instead of human maiya?" Radha asks. "Yes, that's a point to be noted as well. But you two stay safe, don't go too far while playing with Vishakha and Lalita." Kirti says making the two nod.

******

"Done!" Vishakha says as she finished making garlands. "The flowers are well bloomed this year as well." Sudevi says. "Yes, the fragrance too is very sweet." Rangadevi says. "Yes sakhi Sudevi is right." Lalita says. "Sakhi Rangadevi sakhi lalita. She is sakhi Sudevi." Vishnupriya says making the twins Sudevi and Rangadevi chuckle at Lalita and Vishakha's confused face. "Sakhi Radha? Sakhi Vishnupriya? All our works are done. Now what should we do?" Tungvidhya says.

"We have to fill pots as well Sakhi." Radha says pointing at the empty pots to fill water brought by them. "Lets go, the sun is near to high. If we don't go now then it will be hard to carry these matkas under the hot high sun." Indulekha says making them agree.

The 10 gopis stand and go to the Yamuna to fill the pots. "We should have come abit earlier." Vishakha says while filling her pots as the sun was now high. "Now let it be and fill the pots fast and head back." Lalita says.

After filling the pots the gopis start returning. "Its is hot!" Chitra says to which others agree. "Why couldn't it be this hot early in the morning? If it was then I would be the first one to jump in the Yamuna early in the morning to bath." Indulekha says making everybody chuckle.

"I want to jump in the cold Yamuna now. I want to feel the coolness of the cold Yamuna." Tungavidhya says and soon she feels cool on her back. "Looks like God listened to me. I am feeling cool....but..." Tungavidhya says.

"But its feeling wet." the 8 gopis says in union making radha and Vishnupriya who were in the lead turn back. "Aree! Sakhi Indulekha there is a hole on your pot!" Vishnupriya says. "Yours too Sakhi Lalita." radha says and the two put their pots down to check the hole.

"Sakhi Vishakha! Sakhi Tungavidhya you too!" Lalita says. "Sakhi Sudevi and Sakhi Rangadevi as well." Indulekha points out. "How did this happen? There was no hole while filling it." Sudevi says. "Sakhi Radha! Sakhi Vishnupriya you both too should check what if there is a crack on yours as well?" Rangadevi says and the two put their pots down.