Lakshmi

Chapter 1 The dream

2030 AD. 

Sarasu was keenly listening to the lecture from her professor of psychology in her  first year medicine course.  The professor was a lady in her fifties. Fair skinned, jovial, and beautifull;  a person who interacted  with her students more friendly both in the class and outside, to ever  making her class interesting and enjoyable. Boys loved her. Few girls were jealous of her.

Rheema, the professor was explaining about symptoms of emotional disturbances.

" There are three symptoms to indicate emotional disturbances, of both male and female. One: Hyperactivity. It means short span of attention, a kind of impulsiveness; Secondly: Aggression with a behavior of self injuring; and the Third: Withdrawal from social interactions…….".

Sarasu had a great reputation on her professor, not only as a professor but as a close advisor of her life.

The professor was the grand daughter of a historian/ writer. The historian was no more. When Sarasu visited the house of the professor last week, regarding her assignment, she saw on the wall the photo of the historian neatly in a  well framed one, and looking executively. A fresh garland of jasmine was hanging on his photo.

When Sarasu was about to leave the house of Rheema, the professor handed over to her two old  books that were written by the historian. 

Sarasu was a voracious reader. She finished her assignments of the day from the college. Had her dinner. Switched off the television. Switched on her table lamp. Opened a book of the historian. She browsed it from the first leaf to the last. Saw the title. " The dream". Nice title, Sarasu thought. In her eyes,  the inner cover page came in. A small scribbling was on it. Perhaps from the hand writing of the historian himself.

 "Thirumayam fort- Lakshmipuram- lilly pond- bunyan grove"

Sarasu could not understand the meaning of this scribbling. What could be this? Any story? Any history? 

She like her father, had a mind for exploring. She wanted to visit this Lakshmipuram. She went into google map. She saw Thirumayam fort. She was able to locate Lakshmipuram. It was in between Thirumayam and Rangiem towns,  near Melur village. About one and half a mile north of Melur stop. She knew that she could get buses to Melur from Thirumayam fort. She decided to spend her quarterly examination leave, about ten days, in knowing Lakshmipuram. Her parents ever trusted her. They knew her exploring mind. They never resisted her tour that brought her good photos, and writings. Often her writings were published in magazines. It also brought to her some money. Sarasu was an independent researcher.

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It was a full moon day. It was a Friday of July. It was her leave day.. On the early morning at sun rise,  Sarasu boarded a fast service- daytime bus to Karaikkudi. She was told by the conductor, that the bus would stop for a few minutes near the Thirumayam fort. It was almost noon when she arrived at Thirumayam. 

She approached a police woman standing across the road, near to  several local town buses. She boarded a bus bound for Rangiem. Paid the fare up to Melur road. She politely enquired an old lady sitting nearby, stating   that she should get down  at Melur stop.  The old lady said," Get down at Thulaiyanoor hills. Opposite to it, is the Melur road on the north". Sarasu did not mention to the old lady about Lakshmipuram. 

The bus rolled on that gravel road, dancing a bit. It stopped at many places. The conductor cried," Melur-Thulaiyanoor!". He saw Sarasu getting out of the bus. Sarasu saw the hills on the south. She knew that she had to  walk on the cart path northwards to reach Melur. 

' O, right!", the conductor ordered  the driver. The bus purred a bit, and  went out of Sarasu's sight in a few minutes. She noticed around. She saw few girls tending their goats. She approached a girl. Asked her about Lakshmipuram. The girl's eyes went wide, in a mix of fear and wonder. She replied," Go to Melur. They would tell you".

With a small hand bag on  her shoulder, and a SLR camera in her hand, she walked towards Melur. She stopped a while at the big jamun tree on the left side of the road, drank water out of her two  bottles,and  hid her  behind the tree for few minutes on nature call. Her eyes roamed around to see any human. No one. Every where she found bushes, thistles, and brambles. She proceeded to walk. She saw Melur with about forty huts, with few cattle and chicken. The atmosphere was perspiring. Perhaps a drizzle would come.

Sarasu saw an elderly woman standing on the road. Sarasu approached her. She asked of Lakshmipuram. Exactly like the shepherd girl, whom Sarasu had met near the bus stop, this woman likewise rised her eye brows and stared at Sarasu with an astonishment. She asked," Who are you? Whom do  you want to meet? Lakshmipuram has only three houses now."

Sarasu did not reply her. Instead she thanked the woman and further proceeded to walk towards Lakshmipuram. Finally she saw Lakshmipuram from afar.

There was a big tamarind tree. On its side were three huts. The tree was facing a small pond full of lotus. She saw two little dogs that never barked at her, nor wagged their tails. She saw  few hens and roosters. It appeared she had come into a ghost place. But to her surprise, she saw an young girl, and three more children near the tree.

" Acca, elder sister! All the people here have gone to the forests, and would be back when twilight comes. Who are you? What do you want?", asked the young girl. The other children looked at her as a stranger.

Sarasu smiled at the girl. " It is ok girl. I wait here for them. Do you like these chocalates?", she extended her hands full of chocalates to the children and the girl. She saw immediately a reluctance. It went for few minutes. Then they all came near. Took the chocolates. They said," Tasty", and smiled at Sarasu. Sarasu threw biscuits to the dogs. They smelled at the biscuits but did not eat them. The two dogs looked at her strangely.

She sat under the tree and started to read a novel that she left undone. An hour passed. She saw three men and four women, all in the age group of around forties, approaching their huts. On their heads  were firewood. They were in sweat and appeared so tired.

None of these men and women spoke to her. They were busy  doing their work;  cleaning the utensils, organizing cooking, while the men sat before her, at a distance, chewing  betel leaves. Sarasu observed them staring at her. She on the other hand resumed  her reading. She felt the twilight becoming dark. She saw the two dogs sleeping before her. 

Huts were now in illumination. Small oil laps were burning. Cooking was over. The women brought their food before her. Men and women sat around Sarasu including the children. One of the women set plates before each of them. A community meal? Sarasu was wondering. A plate was before her now. The cooked ragi porridge  from the three families was shared  on each of their plates.The children ate it fast, while the men and women were taking it slowly.Sarasu tasted it. It appeared nice, but bit salty, she observed.

Half an hour had passed. The moon was rising up from the east. It brightened the whole environment. She saw its beauty and its reflection on the lotus pond. 

Then a woman asked her.

" Who are you? Why did you come here? There is nothing in this hamlet we can show you". She continued," Our hamlet was big several years ago. That was about eight generations ago. Now only three huts. We are. Do not stay here from tomorrow. Leave the village and go home. Do not come here", pleadingly.

Sarasu was in certain suspicion. Why they want me to leave? Why? 

Another woman looked at her and said," You have come in the full moon day. Far from here in the midst of bushes and thistles there is a bunyan grove. We hear a woman singing perhaps from the grove on each full moon day; it comes out through the bushes. These dogs also never bark. We fear, it would be a demon singing. So we shut our doors and sleep on the full moon days.  We go to Melur to sell the firewood and bring ragi and other food items. None of us were been to school. No one wants to see us". She continued," So, leave us".

Sarasu was wondering. In 2030s a strange area. She looked at them, and said to them, " It is alright. You all go and sleep. I stay here and sleep here on the floor. I would leave in the early morning"

Upon hearing her, one of the women went to her hut, and brought an old palmyra mat, for Sarasu. Sarasu started to organize her bed. The men went back into their huts, and the women and children  followed the men. Sarasu heard the shutting of the doors. Then there was no sign of flames  in the huts. The two dogs, on the other hand, started to sleep little afar from her bed. They tilted their heads up now, and stared at her. Their eyes were reflecting the moon light. She was wondering. What could be this?

When the moon was at the upsky, she sat on the mat, and watched any untoward things happening under the tree. She heard a song from a distance. A nice song in a woman's tone. She stood up. She saw around her. No one had appeared moving in the huts. She ensured that no one was watching.

 She started to walk into the bushes, seeking at least a foot path, that could perhaps would take her to the place from where the singing comes.The dogs were already ahead of her. 

She realized  that the dogs were guiding her to some where;  definitely to the place of song. As she walked through the bushes on that one man path, with the two dogs guiding her, she started to hear the volume of the beautiful song increasing. It appeared it was coming from the bunyan grove. As she reached the bunyan grove, the song stopped. There was no one. No woman. No girl. No song. An eerie silence. She saw the lilly pond with  full of bloomed  flowers. She heard the bees making some buzz sound. 

She saw the two dogs were ahead of her walking slowly towards the lilly pond. Her eyes turned around   and inspected deeply into the grove. She could find none. By now the dogs had neared  the pond. They then sat quietly closer to  a piece of rock on the edge of the pond. She walked towards the pond and sat on the rock, turning her eyes and body towards those wonderful flowers. 

Minutes passed. The dogs were, it appeared to be, were watching at the flowers like her.The dogs never looked at her, nor turned towards her. Their eyes were at the pond. " Were they want to catch any fish from the pond ?", wondered Sarasu.

Sarasu was a  fearless girl. She was a bold girl, so was brought up by her parents. She had  felt herself as an investigating  journalist. An investigator had nothing to be afraid of.

She continued to look at the direction, at which the dogs were at. A cool breeze flew over her, cooling her with a new  freshness. Right before her eyes, she now saw a whirling mist arising from out of the water. Out from that whirling mist she heard a voice in that sweet tone of a girl. It called her." Sarasu".

Sarasu was in astonishment. A chillness ran over her spine. Yet she knew she had to be bold and courageous. She replied at the mist. " Who are you?"

She now saw the mist was turning into a small white kitten. Who the hell this kitten? What I am supposed to do. Her adrenaline started to pour into her brain. Yet she maintained her braveness.

" Do not be afraid of me, Sarasu", said the kitten. 

" I have invited you to come here through my friend, the historian, whom you saw  at Rheema's house as a photo. I have called you to tell you a story that has been dear to me. I am a friend of three people of this area. Lakshmi, Karuppiah and Sarasu", it smiled  through its whiskers.

" Sarasu? My name?". Sarasu replied in anxiety and in surprise.

" Yes Sarasu", replied the kitten. If said further, " My dear. I am not from your earth. I am from an another world. Now listen to  their love, their dedication and their lives. And write it when you go home. It is a long story. My beloved one; like my Lakshmi, like my Karuppiah, and like my Sarasu. It is a story of humans, who had cared for love and justice."

Sarasu stared at the kitten. She had found the kitten mysterious. Yet the kitten appeared as a loving person. It was taking to her. It was speaking to her. She saw the dogs keenly listening to the kitten. And she determined to listen to write it as a journalist.

Suddenly Sarasu saw bananas and water bottles magically appeared  next to her; and there were cookies for the dogs.The kitten said, " Eat them my dear, you have a long way to go". The kitten began.