Part 83 Helping Hand
Maya looked at the smoky hand shockingly. The smoke had the divine smell of the HAVAN. Though it was in a smoky form the hold on Maya's hand was tight like hell. She twisted her hand from left to right. But no use. She could not even shake her hand a bit. The smoke started growing high and it expanded into broad eyes with a nose pin. That reminded her of Mahakali.
The milk that was boiling on the stove raised high and touched Maya's hand. In no time, she started screaming in the burning sensation. Her scream echoed in every wall of RM.
Hari Prakash sweated in fear badly as he could not understand what was happening even though it happened in front of his eyes. When he understood what he was seeing, his eyes tear up. His hands automatically joined together to worship the almighty. The loyal servant who never expected anything from anyone and did his duty without any excuses was given the super chance to see the Almighty.
People who are loyal to themselves, do not need to worship God or visit temples. God himself would appear in front of them. That was what happened there.
HP understood Maya had done something big that angered the Goddess because he didn't see mercy in those eyes which always looked serene.
How could he know the reason for her anger? The Goddess would tolerate any sin but she could not, if anyone tried to hurt any selfless souls. Maya thought she could ruin Khushi's hard penance. But it could not possible until Devi Maiya was there for Khushi.
The grip of the hand got loosened and Maya ran out of the kitchen, screaming with her badly burnt hand.
At the same time, Khushi entered with Arnav holding the hurricane lamp in her hand. She got stuck for a few seconds seeing Maya in RM. Maya also got stuck seeing Khushi's new avatar with a vermilion-filled forehead. Khushi looked at Arnav who tightened his jaws. How dare she entered RM? Khushi clutched his hand with her other hand. Without giving heed to Maya, Khushi walked to the pooja room with Arnav and kept the lamp in front of Devi Maiya Idol.
People who followed Khushi also got stuck seeing Maya and her burnt hand. Though they could not understand anything they also walked to the pooja room to see Khushi and Arnav completing the pooja. That alerted Maya. She expected all of them would rush to her and ask about her wounded hand. But they didn't give heed to her. That made sense.
She was about to leave the place, Guruji gestured for Siya something through his eyes. She nodded yes and rushed to Maya.
"What happened to you?" She asked with concern.
"Boiled milk slipped on my hand"
"Please wait. I will bring a banana stem. Its juice will reduce the burning sensation" she said, examining her hand.
Before Maya replied to her, they heard the bell sound from the pooja room. That indicated to them that Khushi completed the pooja. Arnav and Khushi gave the completion-Harathi together.
Arnav was eager to know what would be the outcome of the pooja. He was ready to go to Arvind's room to unlock Ratna. But to his surprise, Ratna came out of the room PENETRATING its wall, not giving him a chance to unlock the door. She didn't need it. The next second, she appeared in front of them. Her anger touched its peak seeing Maya at RM.
"Mayaaaaa...." She roared.
Maya feared, seeing Ratna's form. More than that, the way she uttered her name. It seemed she got to know who she was.
In no time, Ratna zoomed toward Maya growling. She was standing in front of Maya in a blink of an eye. She clutched Maya's burnt hand... The next second, something formed around them just like a Tornado. In no time both of them got vanished from RM.
All of them looked here and there for them. But they were not there.
Arnav looked at Guruji.
"She will take care of them. You don't have to worry" Guruji said.
Khushi saw HP standing speechlessly.
"What happened Hari Prakashji? When did Maya come here? What did she ask you?"
"She just come here. She asked 'Where are others'. I told her you went to the temple. She asked me to continue my work of preparing breakfast because you would have to break the fast. I went to the kitchen to finish breakfast preparation. She too came to the kitchen after a while. I went to the cupboard to remove the oil. I jerked hearing her shirking voice. When I turned towards her, I saw a smoky hand clutching Mayaji's hand"
"Smoky hand?" Arnav asked.
"Jee Arnav baba... The smoke grew to the roof height and Mathaji's eyes appeared in the smoke with a big size nose ring"
No one could understand whom HP addressed as MATHAJI.
Arnav and Khushi looked at Guruji who smiled. HP continued.
"She was indeed our Durga Matha... I saw her eyes furious. The milk automatically raised up and touched Mayaji's hand. It seemed like magic. I can't believe I saw Matha Rani..." He said excitedly, still having Goosebumps on his body.
"Is this what you mentioned as HELPING HAND?" Arnav asked.
Guruji nodded yes.
"Without God's helping hand, we can't win the evil. That's why we came here to perform a Havan to bring Matha Rani here. Durga Ashtami is an auspicious day for Durga Devi. Durga Matha will give ear to our prayers on the day for sure. That's why we decided to do the Havan at your place. And she appeared at the right time and gave a helping hand. She saved your pooja"
Khushi was overwhelmed. Her eyes tear up. Why not, if the Goddess herself came to save the pooja? She didn't believe when Guruji said, she was a child of God. She thought it was an exaggeration. But her Goddess proved it not an exaggeration. She was indeed a child of God.
"Why didn't you tell anything about it when we came to the ashram?" Arnav asked Guruji.
"Would you have believed if I had said the helping hand will be Durga Matha's?" He questioned smiling.
Arnav was silent because definitely he would not have believed it. Who could believe God would come?
"People would EVEN believe ghost but God..." Guruji said smiling.
Arnav was struck because Guruji was right. People were scared of Ghosts but God was. If they were scared of God, how would they make SINS?
"This pooja needed FAITH. You would be doubting it if I had told you about the helping hand. It might have changed your perceptions. That's why I didn't tell you"
Arnav nodded yes.
"Khushi, go and break your fast," Pandit said.
"Maaji..." Khushi was about to say something,
Cutting her,
"You have completed your duty with your husband. Hereafter, there is nothing you could do. God is on your side. She showed it to you through Hariprakash. So, just continue your routine"
"You too have breakfast with us. You too kept fasting" Arnav said.
Guruji nodded ok. Arnav gestured for Khushi and she followed them.
Manorama and Lavanya served them food. After eating it, all of them broke the fast.
Arnav came to Guruji.
"Guruji, where is Maa? What is she doing? Can't we see what she does?"
Before Guruji replied, Khushi did.
"We don't have to SEE it, Arnavji. Even though they were evil soft heated people like us could not witness it when it happens in real" Khushi said painfully.
Guruji nodded yes.
"Not only that, your mother will not let you face problems. Your betterment is more important for her than her revenge. That's why she took her to their place"
"To their place? They are witches... Will Maa handle them?"
Guruji smiled. His smile made Arnav relief.
In the meanwhile,
The same Tornado formed in the cave of vulture rock mountain. The same cave that was the meeting point of the witches. From Tornado, Ratna came out with Maya.
Ratna saw the whole clan present there. It seemed they also performed a pooja and offered a few LIVES to Kali Matha.
They stood up seeing Ratna with Maya and her burnt hand. They understood something AGAINST them happened in RM. And also understood Khushi completed the pooja. That chilled their spines.
Yet, they got ready to attack Ratna not giving up.
To be continued...