The Goddess of the Himavan - Chapter Seven
The next morning, before the sun was up, Harinder jumped up from his bed. The dream had strangely resurrected him. What did it mean? Harinder had no time to ponder. He had to begin his task early so that he could achieve much before the skies lost their luster for the day.
He heard a rumble in the skies just before dawn and hoped for a little rain to dampen the hardened soil. He had much planting to do. He first turned a small patch of land. The seeds he had with him weren't many to fill the plot of land he had been given. He had to grow the seeds in small plots before collecting more seeds from the ripened plants for replanting.
Harinder worked through the day, only stopping for a while to eat some of the bread he had with him and drink the water from the well when thirsty.
At the end of the first day, he was happy with what he had accomplished. He had succeeded in planting all the seeds he had with him. The skies did open up, and it did rain for a while in the wee hours of the morning, so the moisture in the soil was perfect for planting.
In the later part of the afternoon, the sun was so hot that it burned his skin, as Harinder sat crouched, turning the soil and planting seeds with meticulous care. But then, Harinder wasn't in any way hassled. He concentrated on his task at hand, and when the cool breeze from the Himavan blew his way, it was like a balm.
For days Harinder toiled hard on his land.
He finally saw the fruits of his labor on the sixth night. The skies rumbled before a rainfall. Harinder thought perhaps it was to moisten his land and fill his well. The scorching heat of the day had dried up some of the well's water. Harinder had noticed that, as he lowered the pail into the well, it sank deeper into its sunken depth before the pail was filled to the brim.
The seedlings had sprouted amply. Harinder would have to wait a few more days before it seeded so he could plant the new ones elsewhere.
Harinder had drawn a big diagram of the number of days he had to cultivate the land on the walls of his room. He ticked each day as it passed, and though he saw that the plants grew out well, he got anxious as the days passed.
He hoped by the time the princess visited, the whole land would have been cultivated and developed as per the King's wishes.
One evening as Harinder finished planting another new set of seeds on another plot, he heard someone calling out his name.
"Harinderji! Harinderji! The Royal Princess seeks your attention!"
He stood up to see Her Royal Princess Marianetta, and her two aides, together with the two guards who accompanied him the first day, standing at the entrance.
He quickly put on the shirt that he had draped around his head while working and ran to meet them.
His heart somersaulted when he saw that the princess smiled at him. He kept his head bowed as he stood a short distance away from her and waited anxiously to hear what she had to say.
"Harinder, you surely have green fingers. Look how marvelously the land has prospered with the seeds you have planted. Only someone who toils hard at his task accomplishes a feat such as this. I have heard that the land is hard to cultivate and that it would take a determined mind to achieve what the King wishes. The King did test you on your prowess.
For you should know that no test is small enough forthcoming from a King who seeks only the best in those he wishes to elevate."
Harinder's tears started flowing when he heard what the princess had to say.
When the princess saw him crying, she was touched by his sincerity, so she asked, "Why are you crying, Harinder? I am pleased with what you have achieved so far. I shall tell the King of your marvelous work and your sincerity in doing his bidding with resolve. Now go and rest as you should. The day is nearing an end, and I am sure you would want to have some good rest this night. Here I have brought you some food and sour milk."
Harinder took the food and drink from one of her aides. "Thank you, Your Highness. I cannot thank you enough. I am so happy that my toil and hard work have met your approval."
Princess Marianetta turned to leave without a reply, and as Harinder watched her walk away, a little more of his heart moved as he waited to see her another time.
That night Harinder not only feasted on the princess's words of praise to him but also on the food that the palace had sent him. He had fried chicken, and yogurt with rice and drank heartily the sweetened sour milk. It was so kind of the princess to bring him a meal.
He had been eating tapioca and potatoes nearly every day. He had dug them up on the first day as he was turning the soil to plant his seeds. . On the days that he was too tired to cook a meal, he drank some broth before he slept. The meal from the palace was indeed a welcome change, Harinder acknowledged happily.