Durga picked the receiver of her landline. She dialled a number and someone picked up the phone. The voice from other end enquired, "I am Rosy from Discovering India's Heritage, how may I help you?"
Her accent and voice is so professional. No wonder Rudra must have hired her as receptionist.
"Umm... Rosy, it is me, Durga," she replied nervously.
"Oh! Durga! I am sorry Durga, I couldn't recognise your voice."
"Don't tell sorry, Rosy, I wanted to inform you that I am not coming to office today."
"Okay, is it because today you celebrate Varmalakshmi Festival or something like that?"
Durga gulped. "Actually, Rosy, I am not feeling well. I am taking holiday due to health issues."
"Okay Durga. Take care dear."
Durga smiled and kept the receiver on the landline. She got up slowly clutching her lower abdomen. She sat on her bed and her mind replayed yesterday's hug. She never hugged any man other than her father. Not even Indrajeet. She blushed.
I hate these hormones. Always make me blush at wrong time.
She lay on her bed, covering herself with duvet, slowly drifting to sleep. But she couldn't sleep. She was thinking about her life again and again.
***
"Rosy, whose call was it?"
"Sir, Durga had called to inform that she is not coming to office today."
"Why?"
Rudra was shocked. Durga was fine yesterday, what had happened to her today?
"Sir, she told she has some issues."
Rudra was lost in pondering the reasons for her ill health when Ramaiah walked to him with white face.
Rudra noticed his face. An evil smirk appeared on his face. "Well, well, Ramaiah..."
Ramaiah gulped. Rudra is grinning too much. That means I am gone.
"... yesterday you were saved from my lecture..."
Ramaiah stiffened.
"... so I have decided that you will do something... interesting today."
Ramaiah gave a weak smile. "Huh? Sir, I am okay with this jo-"
"You will type everything that Durga has written about Karthikeya and Valli. Understand?"
Ramaiah was shocked. He was a slow at typing. "Sir, you are getting impulsive."
Rudra laughed. "No, no, Ramaiah, I thought that giving you lecture would be waste of time. So, you have whole day to type. Type it properly, without any errors."
Ramaiah watched Rudra going near the door. He shouted, "Now, where are you going?"
"I have some work. I will be back in an hour."
***
Durga heard continuous bell sound. She got up slowly and tying her hair into a messy bun, she opened the door. "Rudra, idiot, that's why I didn't tell you. How many times do I tell you that your work is more important than me?"
Rudra looked at her grinning wide. "I can't start my day without looking at you."
Durga rolled her eyes and sighed. "Stop being so filmi."
Rudra slapped his forehead. "Oh! I forgot. Happy Varmalakshmi Festival, Indumati."
"Thank you... eh? Indumati? I am Durga."
"So, you haven't heard the story of Indumati and Aja?"
Durga pondered for some time. "No," she said hinting slight dejection.
"I will tell you," said Rudra excitedly.
Durga and Rudra sat on the bed in her room. Durga sat crossed leg and hugged her pillow.
Rudra cleared his throat and Durga felt more irritated. Rudra ignored her and started, "Once upon a time there lived a king called Aja."
Durga snapped him, "Rudra! I am not a small child."
Rudra chuckled. Durga narrowed her eyes. Rudra stopped laughing and cleared his throat.
"Rudra!" she shouted with her high pitch voice.
Rudra got scared and started blabbering, "AjawasgrandfatherofLordRamscionofIkshvaku."
This time Durga said little calmly. "Rudra."
"Umm... Aja was grandfather of Lord Ram, scion of Ikshvaku. You must have heard him right?"
Durga nodded.
"Sources say he was married to an apsara called Indumati. Whether Indumati was an apsara or not is still not yet known but she was his life. He was her life too.
They would try to spend time with each other despite of their royal duties. After all Indumati was rare woman with beauty and brains. She would amuse Aja with her wit. Few years of their marriage, Indumati went on a walk with her royal maids.
Aja was greeted with terrifying news of her death, after an hour. Apparently, she was standing below the rotten tree branch which fell on her head cracking her skull and causing instant death."
Durga shuddered at the thought of the skull breaking part. Rudra, upon noticing her pale face, put an arm around her shoulder. Durga looked at his arm with amused grin. "Don't you think Aja that you are becoming too touchy touchy from yesterday?"
Rudra grinned. "Touchy touchy?"
She pointed towards his palm on her shoulder. "This is called as touchy touchy."
"Okay. Let's forget touchy touchy for now."
Durga nodded her head.
"Her sudden demise brought emptiness to his life. But he understood that Dashrath was still a child and he couldn't back put duties on his shoulder. Nor he couldn't escape from his royal duties.
He had lost his interest in royal duties. Nor any sport, any discussion or any activity could distract him from thoughts of Indumati. So he decided to wait.
He waited for Dashrath to grow up. He waited till he was old and mature enough to take responsibilities. He waited till Dashrath's royal coronation was done. But each moment was spent in loneliness.
After Dashrath's royal coronation, Aja took the urn of Indumati's ashes, which he had refused to let the ashes flow into River Ganga. Telling everyone that he is going on a pilgrimage, he went near the River Ganga. It is said that his last words were I am coming Indumati."
Durga became silent. Yet, she whispered, "Then, what happened Rudra?"
Rudra sighed. "Then, news reached to Dashrath that Aja was last seen near the River Ganga."
A wave of sadness spread across Durga. Rudra got up and said, "I am disappointed with you Durga."
Durga looked up. "Why Rudra, did I do something wrong?"
"Yes, you didn't even tell me your menstrual cycle has started."
Durga gasped. "How did you come to know?"
Rudra smirked. "Not hard to guess. Varmalakshmi Festival being festival for ladies, it is not possible that you won't do a small puja. You were clutching your abdomen so I concluded that your periods have started."
Durga smiled. "Your this quality impresses me everytime."
"Take rest, kanna."
Durga leaned to the door frame and sighed at his retreating form. She closed the door. Not far away from her house was a man standing and looked at Rudra. As Rudra was out of his eyesight, he called with his mobile phone.
***
Glossary:
Aja: Suryavanshi king who ruled over Ayodhya.
Kanna: My dear in Telugu, Kannada and Tamil.
I have updated twice this week. *pats her back*
This story is taken from one of the episodes of Devlok with Devdutt Pattanaik. This story basically tells how a man, in era of polygamy marriages, was deeply affected by death of his wife. I felt this story heart touching so added it.
Thank you for reading.