Malana : a lost town.

Chapter 27

On Catching a glimpse of Veer coming from the opposite direction, my heart instantly began to smile, running towards him I wanted to hug him forever and wanted to let him know how much I love him, but how he just went away, made me believe all of such absurd thoughts I ran towards him, on nearing him instead of giving him a warm hug I slapped him tightly and then bringing him into a tight hug.

"God veer! I hate you so much." I said gripping him tightly.

"And I love you too." He said.

Looking at each other we smiled like silly people in love, but then I remembered we have Drauni too with us. "Veer you won't believe who's there with me," I said withdrawing myself from his grip and looking back with excitement.

"Who is it?" He questioned on seeing nobody behind.

"Drauni?" I looked around, not able to see him anywhere.

"Ashwattama ??" He asked.

"Hmm where are you, I swear he was there with me," I said confused and anxious.

"I trust you." He said giving me an understanding look and a warm smile.

All the villagers amassed around looking at both of us puzzled. They were all wearing old woollen cloths, the village was exactly how Veer described it to be, it was simple with no roads and towers with wells and huts, platforms on every house and a terrace farm all around sown with multiple crops, looking magical. The river that flew beside was calm, not ferocious like it was in Kasol or Koli
It was flowing very calmly.

The woman looked wonderful in all those silver trims and colourful cotton sarees, which were tied very differently from what we tie today. They didn't wear makeup to look beautiful, they were natural beauties!
They had copper utensils over their heads probably going to fill water from the river.

"Veer is this malana?" I questioned amazed by the beauty of that town.

"Heaven on earth! Yes." He replied.

"Where is that temple?" Asked veer to one of the villagers who looked the oldest among them.

"We don't know!" He said.

"WHAT." We both replied confused.

"You don't know where the Shiv temple is?" Said veer cracking a bit in between.

"We know it's somewhere near the river, but it's all in the stories." Said one of the old men from the crowd.
That made me and Veer look perplexed and worried, looking at each other we talked with our eyes, "That wasn't something I was accepting here." our eyes made a talk.

"Oh Govind, thank you for leaving us in the middle of such a situation." Said veer to himself.

"Govind?" I replied looking at him confused.

"Hmm, he was there," I replied.

That made me think, why he didn't meet me once, I don't even remember his face, I know everything that happened in dwaper yuga, but why I don't remember faces apart from Veer's and Drauni's is something weird.

"Now what to do?" I asked Veer who inclined back towards a big rock, taking its support he stood there thinking.

"Pari where is Ashwattama?" He questioned.

I looked here and there and said "he was there when I entered the town, but I don't know where he is now."

"Oh, Pari you should have checked na? He said a little tensed.

"I'm sorry I was so excited to meet you." I said making a baby face, which he cupped in his hands, planting a small kiss on my forehead, "That's okay we'll find him and the temple, Don't worry. " he said.