KARTHIK
✨
Few hours ago...
'Ninna Karmada Phaladinda Haagu Ninna Hanebarahadinda Ninu Yellu Odalare!!!
(You can never run away from your doings and your fate...may you try to go anywhere)
Kelavu sala idu Naanu Madidu...Idu Naanu Bayasiddu...Naanu Teermansidu yennuva ahankaaravanna Manushyanu Tyajisabeku Kanda...
(Sometimes you may think...you did this...you wanted this...you decided this...this arrogance is what a human should let go)
Yekendare yellavu Ninna kai yalli illa!!!
Karma Maduvudu Maatra Ninna Kai yalli iruttade...Adara PhalaPrasada Ninna Kaiyyallilla!!!
(That's because everything isn't in your hands...only doing the task is in your hands...deciding if the task deserves a reward isn't in your hands)'
Saying he smiled as he kept moving to and fro and the human body which now had the supreme lord descended upon kept shivering at his statement. My heart kept beating loudly as I tried to understand his words. What was he trying to point out? I was here only to apologise to him.
'Aa kaiyinda yenannu nirvahisidiya nodu adanna purtigolisu...Ninna kaiyinda kattida gantannu bidisalu ninninda sadhyavilla Maga!!! Adannu bicchallu naanu biduvudu illa yaakendare illi yenagali...hege aagali...yake aagabekennuva nirdhara ninnadalla
..ninnadendigu alla!!!
(Whatever you had begun with those hands... fulfill it. You wouldn't be able to untie the knot which you tied using your own hands dear son. I won't let you untie that either because you should know whatever might happen here... however may it happen...why should it happen... that decision... Isn't yours!!!)
Aa Dharmanirdhara yendendigu Nannade!
(I am the decision maker here...will always be!!!)
Ninu ninagagi bayasuvudakkinta naanu ninagagi nirdharisuvudanna sweekarisu!!! Yekendare ninage ninnadenendu ninage innu saha gottilla...
(Instead of what you want for yourself...learnt to accept what I have decided for you!!! Because you still don't know what is meant for yourself)
Aa gyaana ninnalli udayavadaga kattaleyallu ninage belaku kaanuttade...
Kattida gantannu neene dradhapadisalu bayasuttiya...Oppada Manadinda kattikondanna neene sweekarisalu opputtiya..
(When that enlightenment will strike you..you would see bright light even in darkness...you...yourself would tighten the knot you once tied...you would wholeheartedly accept those decisions which you once took in uncertainty)'
Saying he smiled as he looked into my eyes and I gulped. My mind was going places trying to understand what he kept pointing to...But I was here only to apologise so I bent my head and folded my hands apologising to him whole heartedly
'Swami...Naanu haage aagabekendu yendu prayatna madirlilla...Sullu helabaaradittu...kshame koruttidene...
(Lord...I had never tried to do anything purposely...I shouldn't have lied...Kindly forgive me...)'
I pleaded again when he laughed out loudly and grabbed my folded hands and announced...
'Sullu Satya yembudu Manushyana manassina brahme...Adu avana manassinalliruva nambikeya prashne...neenu madiddu swaccha Manadinda annuva nambike ninnolagiddare adu sulladaru satyada prakshadante dharmada belakinante jeevanagallana belagisuvantugatte Maga...
(Myth and truth...are nothing but a human state of mind...it's all about his beliefs... If whatever you have done has been done with purity even the myth could turn into truth!!! Even if it is a lie it would burn so brightly in the light of Dharma that lives would be enlightened forever my son)
Gondalada stithiyalli ninnolamanassanna prashnisu...Ninna prati prashnege uttara ninnolage siguvantagutte!!!
(When in a state of confusion always question your inner consciousness...Your every question's answer would be found only within you!!!)
Olleyadagutte...
(Bless you!!!)'
He said keeping his hand on my head as my eyes closed as unknowingly tears filled my eyes. I didn't understand what he said or meant but the moment my eyes opened they fell upon a fearful Vanshika bowing her head and praying to the supreme lord and my eyes widened in shock as I looked at the supreme lord who smiled and slapped his chest assuring it's him and my lips parted as I gasped trying to still understand his statement.
What did he mean? What was he trying to pin point? Did he mean Vanshika and I???? No!!!
She...she is just a friend...just my friend!!!
A friend whom you tied a nuptial chain few hours ago?
I shivered at the thought alone. I may have done it unconsciously but do I regret it? I don't know...it felt so natural with her...It was just like tying a friendship band to her but now it feels something else. The way that chain rested on her chest brought shivers down my spine.
Was it really so simple?
No!!! We aren't officially married but now that I recall the moment it feels something else...
Never did I understand how things complicated within just few hours...it was all so simple until that one moment..why and how did things turn into something else so soon?
Present time...
I started walking deep into the jungles. Thankfully I still had the small packet of salt and matchbox in my pant pocket which I had took along when Rashmi and I decided to go to the waterfall to keep us safe from the leeches. I looked at my watch, it was only 6:00 but it had almost gone dark. I used my mobile torch which had zero network. I was glad at least it had enough battery to use the torchlight. I kept calling her name but I got no response. I don't know for how long I kept walking and now I started getting scared.
Watch was showing 7 pm and now I could hear the creepy sounds of insects in the silent forest. I didn't know where was I approaching but I didn't want to stop. I kept praying to our Daiva to keep her safe. His words kept ringing in my ears as fear engulfed me more and more. I had to be more gentle with her. I was even more disturbed after last night after I got to know that her grandfather's men are here in Kundapura. I have to keep her safe.
She is my.....my responsibility.
That's when I suddenly heard a loud scream and I ran in that direction only for me to burst out laughing looking at the sight before me. Shika had climbed onto a chikoo tree and was screaming on top of her voice.
The moment she heard my laughter she shouted
'Tikki you idiot!!! Stop laughing...and save me!!! Ahhhh Mummy!!!' and I pressed my lips tightly as I noticed a snake just below the tree. It was a non venomous rat snake. I smirked and decided to have some fun. After all she scared the hell out of me for the last 3 hours. She deserves some punishment too.
'Excuse me??? Are you talking to me???' I asked looking here and there when she widened her eyes saying
'No!!! I am talking to this snake!!! Who else do you see here you idiot??? Save me nowwww mummyyyyy!!!' she yelled while I smirked and slowly rested my back against the tree nearby and said
'Ohhh I don't know...by the way why should I save you??? Weren't you the one who ran away from me and reached this beautiful jungle...all by yourself? Which means you are fully capable of taking care of yourself!!! So go ahead and save yourself too!!!' saying I smiled when she gritted her teeth
'You Asshole!!! Scoundrel...how dare you??? You...you call yourself my bestie and you leave me to die bitten by this venomous snake here??? I mean look at the way it's putting out it's tongue and waiting for me to jump down from the tree!!!' she yelled when I chuckled saying
'Thats excellent!!! You are also no less than a poisonous venomous snake na baby!!! Go ahead...have some pssss pssss conversations with your new bestie!!! After all you left your bestie all alone and came here!!! Congratulations you found your new buddy!!! Ahhhh you like eggs na...heard snakes also like eggs...you both can share a good morning breakfast henceforth!!!' I said trying to stifle a laugh when she shouted
'Karthik Shetty you dumbhead...you bastard...I am going to kill you if you won't save me right now I swear!!! You...you...save me ya Tikki mummmaaaaa...why is it circling the tree??? Wait a minute...can snakes climb a tree???' she asked and I smirked saying
'Hmmm I don't know but last time I know one of these had entered Periyamme's bedroom hanging all the way from rooftop!!!' I said and her eyes widened like tennis balls making her look cute and funny at the same time which kind of tickled my stomach.
'Roooo...rooo...roof... Tikki please Tikki...okay okay I'm sorry...I shouldn't have come like that...but I was was...was...an... angry na...you...you first ignore me to be with your cousin then when I spend time with your family you get so angry and you....you... call me your....wi.....Mummy!!! Tikki help please' she was trying to explain and I wanted to hear more. I wanted to hear everything she had to say...
So I slowly walked towards the tree and tapped the stick onto the ground and the vibration made the snake move a little and I slowly used two sticks to carefully move the innocent harmless creature to move away. Poor thing was probably trying to find itself some place to rest and my loudspeaker of a wife was trying to scare the hell out of it.
I chuckled and the minute it crawled away I tried to ask her to jump down but she was scared. So I slowly scooped her in my arms by circling my arms around her back and her knees in bridal style and brought her down but she was hesitant to put her foot down.
'I am not getting down!!!'
'Shiku!!! It's gone!!! Get down now come on!!!'
'No no no!! Carry me!!!'
'Shika this is a jungle...I need to use the torch light so we could move out of this jungle!!! It's almost 8 pm and trust me it's not safe!!!'
She raised her eyebrows saying 'Exactly!!! That's why I'm asking you to carry me... How about a piggyback ride?'
'Shika you are not so light weight!!!'
'I don't care!!! You are the reason I'm here!!! So just carry me!!!' she yelled and I raised an eyebrow asking
'I AM the reason???? Madam it was you who decided to run into the jungles!!!' I argued when she said
'Its all you!!! You wouldn't misbehave with me...make me angry and I wouldn't come to jungles!!!' she yelled when I simply scooped her more into my arms tightening my grip around her back and her thighs bringing her closer to my chest and hotly whispered against her face
'Correction!!! You wouldn't go with Ganni...I wouldn't get angry and we wouldn't have a fight!!!' I said looking deep into her eyes and she gulped but shot back into my eyes whispering
'Well then... correction again!!! You wouldn't go with Rashmi...then I wouldn't go with Ganni and you wouldn't put all the blame on me and I wouldn't get angry and come to the jungle!!!' she said fearlessly and I don't know for how long we kept staring at each other only for me to break the long staring competition as I whispered
'We must look for a shelter!!! It's not safe travelling back from here at this hour!!!' saying I started walking from there still carrying her in my arms when she suddenly said
'Yyyyyou mean wwwwwe...we...we will stay here??? Entire night???' and I shot her a look and smiled saying
'No noooo...Daayega...Bala yenkulu po oli avaaa...pili na chirate na tinoli yenklega avaa??? (Why...Come...let's go...let anyone tiger or a cheetah eat us up!!! What say?') I asked and she gulped making her eyes as big as saucers as she slowly looked around asking
'Tha...tha...tha...this is really a jungle? I mean tigers and chee...chee-' and I bit insides of my mouth tried to hide my laughter but I wanted to play along so I said
'What do you think? This is Kadri Park for you to play around? This is a real jungle madam!!! Forget about wild animals... I've heard of many other things here!!!' saying I slowly reached near the water stream. And slowly tried to put her down but she grabbed my shirt with her small hands tightening her grip and asked gulping nervously
'Wh...wh... what oth...other things Tik...Tikki?' and I slowly looked at her shiney eyes which looked like a deer caught up in headlights and I couldn't stop myself from teasing her so I simply said
'Leave it Shiku!!! You have a weak heart. I don't want to scare you!!!' and I put her down but she immediately grabbed my wrist asking
'Tikki!!! Do...ddddddon...don't hide!!! What is it? Tell me na... please!!!' and I turned around trying to stifle my laughter badly and said
'You know Shikanji...this jungle is extremely dark and mysterious!!! I have heard lot of people who travelled here died in mysterious circumstances...and since then I have heard people who have had sightings here!!!' and she swallowed a lump asking
'Sa sa sa sightings as in???' she really looked scared and I smirked and said
'Sightings...of the dead people who probably died in the jungles... mysteriously!!!' I said and her breath hitched. And I pressed my lips tightly to hide my laughter. I was glad it was dark and she couldn't see my expressions so well.
I quickly picked a few sticks and lightened a fire by the stream side but she followed me everywhere like a tail and honestly I wouldn't complain. I knew I had scared her a lot but now I know she would never leave me and go anywhere.
'Tik...Tik...Tikki...are we going to spend a night here...I mean where are we going to sle... sleep? And then the sna... snak... snakes? And the gho...ghosts' she asked and I couldn't stop laughing this time. She shot me a glare as I said
'Shiku yaar ..you are so cute!!!' saying I pulled her cheeks and she frowned when I said
'Relax!!! This is a jungle but it's not like people don't live here!!! There are no wild animals...most of it you'll find peacocks and maybe wild cats...so relax!!!' I said and she raised an eyebrow asking
'You mean you know this place well? You...you made a fool out of me??? You you idiot!!!' and I pressed my lips tightly saying
'I don't need to sweetheart!!! You are already a fool!!! Now stay here...let me check how deep the stream flow is...' saying I started walking towards the flowing water when she quickly stood infront of me with worrisome eyes saying
'Karthik ...stop what are you-' and my breath hitched as I noticed how beautiful she looked to my eyes under the moonlight and the brightly glowing fire that I had lit. I slowly squeezed her hand saying
'Shika.. Relax!!! I know this place. I know what I am doing...you don't need to get scared.. hmmm?' I asked as her lips quivered and I helplessly tugged a carelessly flying bunch of hair that had escaped her bun behind her earlobes as she gulped nervously.
'I had lightened the fire because the mobile torch won't be enough to determine where is the least depth and flow to the stream so we can pass this stream and go on the other side of the stream!!!' I said and she narrowed her eyebrows asking
'Cross the stream??? Why?' and I chuckled asking
'What did you think? This is your bollywood movie or your sister's dumb tv soap opera that hero and heroine spend an entire night under a moonlight, by the fireside...you will feel cold, I will remove my shirt and make you wear it, then we look into each other's eyes and in back ground we listen to bollywood songs??? Hunnn???' I asked and her mouth opened and closed multiple times giving me a sign that she exactly thought of something like that and I shook my head saying
'This is my ancestral village. On the other side of the stream is one of our househelp's house. We only need to reach there. He harvests wild honey and takes care of our Naagabanas (Family Snake lord) who resides in the jungles. It's home..So relax...we are safe!!!' I said and she narrowed her eyebrows saying
'You...you buffalo...you...you made fun of me...lied to me...I got so so scared...you donkey... I'm going to kill you!!' saying she slapped me on the chest only for me to loose balance and the next second I slipped and before I knew I fell into the stream.
'Tikki!!!! Oh my God...Noooooo' is what I heard before water went into my nose and ears.