Chapter 5: Visiting The Temple

The sun had risen and through the window the sunlight fell on Shiva's face as if it was waking him up.

It was pitch black and cold, he could only hear the both men talking, it was his father and Girish and then the sound of the car. Then everything became silent." What's happening," he thought. Amidst of the cold, he felt something warm. The warmness drew him out of his sleep.

Shiva got up and saw Mohan, he was still sleeping and Varad was already up.

" Good morning,"

Shiva looked at the door, it was Varad brushing his teeth. Shiva could not understand what he just said because of the brush in his mouth.

" Ehh, what?," Shiva gave out a thin smile with a puzzled face.

" I said.....Good morning," he mumbled.

" Let it be, get your work done first,"

Shiva got off the bed, took his brush and started brushing his teeth while walking in the front yard.

From the yard he could see the villagers around doing their work, starting their day

and going to their work. The village was so different than the city that he was used to.

Shiva finished up brushing his teeth and washed his mouth.

" Good morning Shiva," Ramkrushna said.

" Good morning uncle,"

Ramkrushna took out the newspaper from the gate as the newspaper boy used to come early and put it between the bars of the small gate, then he headed to the house.

" Hey Ramkrushna!, wait,"

Ramkrushna turned back to see who it was. He found it to be the Head Constable Mr. Pandey.

" Good morning Mr Pandey, lovely day isn't it?, " said Ramkrushna.

" It surely is,"

" How is your shoulder?,"

" There is just a little pain now, a bit exercise and medicine to continue,"

" That's great, "

Mr Pandey glanced down and shifted his gaze back to Ramkrushna, " Thackeray Aunty is insisting to meet Varad after she got to know that he'll be leaving today,"

" I see," said Ramkrushna thinking for a moment," He'll be leaving today at noon, bring her before he leaves,"

" Okay,"

As Shiva was listening the both men, Mr Pandey looked at Shiva.

" He's Shiva, my nephew," said Ramkrushna.

" Shiva...," the man recalled." Son of Mr. Amish?,"

Shiva's ear stood still on the mentioning of his father's name. He was surprised that after all these years people still remembers his father.

" Yes, you're right," Ramkrushna said.

Ramkrushna looked at Shiva and then at the Head Constable then again at the boy.

" Shiva, meet him, he's the Head Constable, Mr. Pandey,"

" Nice to meet you," said Shiva.

" Last time I saw you when you were a kid and see now!, how fast does the time flies," said Mr. Pandey.

Shiva simply let out a smile.

" Enjoy your stay here,"

" Surely,"

" See you," saying this he left.

******

Everyone sat doing their breakfast.

" Varad, I heard that you'll be leaving today," Shiva spoke.

" Yes, I have a job interview after a week so I have to get all the work done there,"

" In Pune?,"

" Yes,"

" I see, good luck for that,"

" Anjali, the Sarpanch told me that there's some meeting today, so we'll have to be there," Ramkrushna spoke.

" Meeting?, is it about the Spirit?," Anjali asked.

" Yes, they'll be discussing what actions we'll be taking now,"

" I see," said Anjali.

" Girish, would you like to come?," Ramkrushna asked.

" No, what would I do there," said Girish.

" Can I come?," asked Shiva.

" Yes, you can, but you will get bored there,"

" It's fine, I would like to know what's the situation,"

" Okay then,"

" Mohan will accompany me there,"

" Hey, no, not me," said Mohan.

" Come on what are you going to do here, instead come with us."

" Okay, I'll come."

******

The meeting was held at the Sarpanch's house. Shiva could see everyone murmuring about the Spirit with their expression dyed with fear, Shiva could feel the seriousness of the meeting.

" Everyone looks so tense here," Mohan spoke.

" Yeah," Shiva said.

The Sarpanch glanced over the room. Confirming that everyone came, he stood up and started the meeting.

" Everyone please sit down," said the Sarpanch.

The room that was filled with murmers and whispers fell silent and every took their seats.

" As we know about dreadful death or I should say the killing of Raghu and the missing of one of our Constable, the village is not safe now but the Spirit hunts only at night so it is safe during the day. But we can't go on living like this, we have to find a solution,"

Everyone murmured in the approval while some nodded their heads.

"So," the Sarpanch continued, " we will be doing the same thing that we did twenty years ago, the Havan, I've talked with the Pandit, he's aware of the situation too. But he said that the arrangement of the planets is not right for the Havan so we'll have to wait for some days,"

" What shall we do till then?," asked one of the man.

" We shall continue to follow the rules,"

The people shared concerned glances while some shifted in their chairs and looked at each other.

" Don't worry, everything will be fine just follow the rules," said the Sarpanch.

" But should we really trust the Pandit?," Mr. Panday spoke.

Shiva looked at Mr. Pandey.

" What are you saying, don't you know it was him who calmed the Spirit twenty years ago," said one of the man.

" I know that Mr. Deshmukh, but what if it was just a coincidence and now he's just fooling us all,"

" Yes, he's right it could be that way,"

It was Mr. Rao, Raghav's father.

" The Pandit is good man, he can't cheat us," said Ramkrushna.

The room was again filled with whispers and murmers, some agreed with Ramkrushna while some expressed their doubts.

" I can understand your doubts but we have no other solution, so let's be positive," said the Sarpanch," the meeting ends here, have a good day,"

******

Ramkrushna, Anjali and both the boys came back and rested themselves in the chair.

" I'll leave now, there's a lot of work today," Ramkrushna said as he was leaving for his job.

" Take care," said Anjali.

" Want to drink some water?," Mohan asked.

" No, I'm going to meet Raghav,"

" At least bring me some water bro,"

" Oh so that's why you were asking me,"

" Hey brother please,"

" Get it yourself, I'm going....,"

Shiva had called Raghav near the Mango tree. There were many Mango trees in the village but this was the one where they used to meet when they were kids.

Shiva came to the spot and found Raghav waiting for him.

" This place..., you still remember?," Raghav spoke.

" Yes, it was our favorite meeting place,"

" Good old days," said Raghav.

" Hey, can you take me to the Vasusthala Temple?,"

" Vasusthala Temple, why?,"

" I've heard a lot of things about the Temple so I just wanted to visit it,"

" Okay, let's go,"

The Temple was located at the eastern part of the Village. It was a little away from the from the neighborhood, near the forest.

" The Temple is little far but I know the shortcut," said Raghav.

" Great,"

As the boys were walking they shortly reached the Market line. The market place was filled with the cries of the fruit sellers, the chatting of people, the honks of the vehicles. Among all the crowd there was someone who Shiva found familiar.

The man was an inspector interrogating the local shopkeeper.

" Who is that man?," Shiva asked.

" Who?,"

" That Policeman,"

" Oh, he's the Senior Inspector, Mr. Kadam,"

" Mr. Kadam....," Shiva tried to recall as he past by him.

" Hey boy!,"

The voice came from behind. Shiva turned back to see it was the Senior Inspector.

" What happened sir," asked Raghav.

" You....., I think I've seen you somewhere," the Inspector said to Shiva.

Just then Shiva got it.

" I'm Shiva, son of Mr. Amish",

" Mr. Amish!!!, he was my teacher when I was in class 10,"

" I remember seeing you when you were a teenager,"

" Really,"

Their conversation was cut off by the Constable who called the Inspector.

"I have to go, take care," saying this the Inspector left.

" Woah, the Senior Inspector knows you," Raghav let out.

" So what?,"

" That's a big thing,"

" Really is it?,"

As the both boys were talking they found themselves in front of the temple.

" Here it is, the Vasusthala Temple,"

Shiva looked at the Temple. It was neither too big nor too small, It was made up of stones and had a few trees along its side. The door of the temple were open.

He looked at the door. At the bottom there were some flowers and incense sticks.

" The Pandit," Shiva muttered.

" What?,' asked Raghav.

" I've heard that there is a Pandit here, is that true?,"

" Yeah,"

" Where is he?,"

While the two boys were talking someone was watching them, hidden in the leaves.

" I don't know, it's 10 am he's usually here everyday doing the puja,"

Shiva swept his gaze at his surroundings carefully and just then a man walked in.

" Hey Shiva, there he is," Raghav elbowed.

The man was quite old, and had a long flowing white beard with his wavy black and white hairs. The man wore a white dhoti and an orange cloth which covered his upper body, he was holding a copper jar of water.