Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion - II

11) The Descendant

Shankaran Murthy's unresolved dilemma directed him to seek the advice of his old friend Dushyant Bhadera. Maurya Anurag Verma, the owner of the house, 'Avadhi' was not willing to visit Anuragnicheri, and Shankaran had no wish to open the dilapidated house when Mahendran Namboodri had forbidden him. Hence, he travelled from Anuragnicheri to the small town of Orchha to meet his friend. Dushyant and Shankaran had studied together under Mahendran Namboodri. They had taken great joy in studying subjects like Esoteric Philosophy, Theosophy, and ancient civilizations and they used to pester their master with questions. A fortnight earlier, when Shankaran received a letter from Dushyant, he surmised that his long-lost friend would be the ideal person to take advice from regarding Avadhi and its owner, however, his friend lived in a remote location without any of the modern technology and to reach him, Shankaran had to undertake a long-distance train journey.

When the train stopped at Jhansi, Shankaran alighted quickly as it would not stop for more than a minute. Shankaran made use of the retiring room at the station. He bathed, freshened up, and after a cup of tea and breakfast, he felt more prepared to face the two-hour journey to Orchha by road. Instead of a bus, he took a taxi to the small town. The journey was quite interesting as the landscape was dotted with remains of old monuments. Shankaran sensed that the region still retained the remnants of bygone empires.

When the taxi dropped him a few kilometres away from Dushyant's house, Shankaran viewed the quiet lane and the village houses with interest. The exposed bricks of the houses looked rustic and the gates had ornamental frames. He stepped inside the courtyard of Dushyant's house tentatively. The tall and dashing Dushyant rushed out of his house.

"Shankaran, my dear friend, welcome to Orchha!" A delighted Dushyant led his friend to the main quarters. Inside the austere house, Shankaran took a seat on the woven tapestry that was spread on the rough and uneven floor.

"Where were you all these years Dushyant? You just disappeared. I was so happy when I got your letter after so many years."

"I moved around to many places. Like I told you I had a mission and I had to complete it."

"Mahendran sir was looking for you for a long time."

"I know, I wanted to contact him but I moved to so many places that I lost track of time and place. When I reached Orchha, I contacted you and learnt that he was no more. I hope his end was peaceful."

"Yes, he had a peaceful end. He had taken care of a boy whom he had rescued from a gang of child traffickers and he handed the boy a promising future. So, he was happy and rested."

"Good, he was always kind to people," Dushyant said thoughtfully

"What are you doing in this place?"

"You know Orchha was built by a Bundela Rajput, and Rajputs usually build cenotaphs so I came here looking for the cluster of cenotaphs. I am studying them," Dushyant replied, settling down on the floor.

"Why are you studying these particular ones?"

"Not just these. I have been studying cenotaphs in many places. Through them, I am trying to find a link to an old dynasty."

"Why? Are you a descendant of the dynasty?"

"I don't know. But I have been entrusted with a job hence I have been travelling all over the country. Enough about me. Tell me about yourself."

"Well, I have been in a quandary ever since Mahendran sir handed me a key to an old house."

"What house?" Shankaran explained the story of Avadhi and its owner.