Daughters of Kalika

২. crushes and crying

As a rule, the prince and the princess always fall in love.

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Maya had never thought she would get goosebumps on seeing a temple, but she did feel a current of bliss travel down her spine.

The temple was square in shape, built upon a large plot of land. Surrounding the temple was a garden, a little pond and various statues of the Matrikas. The shikhara of the temple was shaped into a trident. The whole architecture was red in colour, reminding Maya of the sindur that was associated with femininity in her culture.

Aadi allowed her to appreciate the temple in silence, waiting for her to express some form of awe verbally that was otherwise visible on her gaping face. Her warm eyes had dilated, and she stared at the temple with childlike interest.

"I never thought I would feel this special here."

"The youth of today don't easily appreciate divinity."

Maya frowned at his words. It pricked her faith a bit too deep. "Uncle, I do respect the Mother figure or else I would not have asked you to tell me about this place. I do love her, but I don't know why I have to explain it."

Aadi flushed at her words, pursing his lips in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I was just giving a general outlook. It wasn't meant to be personal."

Maya crossed her arms, her lips curved up at one corner. "The youth do know how to connect to the Divine. Why, isn't your priest of my generation?"

Aadi smiled in fondness which Maya deduced to be owned by the still unknown priest. "Yes, he is a good man. A man I would gladly love to have as a son."

"Or even a son-in-law, perhaps?" Maya joked.

Aadi's wrinkles deepened. "I-I mean, why not."

The two climbed the stairs of the temple while conversing.

"It is true that people nowadays get swayed by temptations easily and give up their faith. A lot of religious conversion has happened during the pre-independence years. Some did it to escape oppression and some did it out of greed for a lucrative offer. Some were forced to convert."

"You are right, yes. You got me." Aadi ruffled his hair. "But maybe you are different. Maybe you are like this priest. He is such a nice man!"

"I would be grateful if you do not start a matchmaking game here."

He chuckled. "That's the habit of old people, but I won't cross my boundaries."

Aadi opened his mouth to add something more, but then sealed his lips.

"Did you want to say something?"

"You are tempting me to reveal all the secrets. And when those secrets aren't even mine, I don't know what to do." Aadi took a deep breath. Maya noticed that his palms had gone sweaty. "He is a nice man, but very unfortunate."

"I have been hearing this for a long time. And what I feel is, I should never mention it in front of the priest, should I?"

"He has named himself as unfortunate on his own. Who are we to talk or not talk on it? But the matter is sensitive, and I would suggest that you keep away from things that don't need a place in your article. You have been sent here by an old friend of mine and I only wish for your good."

But it was in Maya's hands to decide her own fate, and that in the hands of Kalika too. Maya, by now, was determined to find why this priest was doomed to be jinxed. And yet, be presented as a man of virtue.