Miraculous Love

 Once Shyam was travelling by a mountainous hamlet that belonged to tribals. He was on his bike journey to his maternal house situated back side of the mountain. He was spiritual young man and a defense personnel who was off duty. Shyam wanted to spend his holidays at his maternal house. He completed his job for two years. His bachelor spirit knew no bound while he was enchanted by the natural beauties of the surrounding forests. So, he desired a short break at the tribal hamlet. Nevertheless, he was hurried to reach at his destination, his romantic mood instigated him to ride into the hamlet.

Shyam entered into the hamlet. Suddenly he was taken aback while he saw a tribal girl was tied closed to a banyan tree with a cord of rope. Some tribal guys were surrounding her with a persuasion to make her agreed to sacrifice herself in front of the jungle deity as per their native custom for the well-being of the hamlet. The tribal girl was weeping loudly and requesting the men to set her free as she was unwilling to be a sacrifice. After observing such mishap of the girl, Sham's inner heart was moved with sympathy for that girl. Moreover he was a military man with boundless courage. So he determined to help the girl at any cost and prove that a soldier could not be off duty He halted his 5 horsepower Royal Enfield Bullet under the tree and made a blank fire from his revolver to disperse the crowd. The firing sound of his gun intimidated the tribal folks and they ran away into the thickets. After they left the girl he untied the girl from the tree and wiped off the tears on her face by his hanky. He also took out the garlands from around her neck and wiped off the red vermilion paste which disfigured her appearance. Although he was unknown of tribal language, he grasped half hazard as those tribal folks were well acquainted with Odia language through regular interaction on long term process. Then he made the girl to be seated on the back seat of his bike and drove towards her house.

There is a saying - God saves the shorn lamb- Anyone who is helpless He must help one in the distress. Likewise, when the girl got the unexpected lifesaving help, she felt ecstatic pleasure and told, " O Sahari Babu, may our goddess bless you for saving my life. So, you are my saviour. Please never take me to my house. Because our villagers can never spare my life. They must hack me into pieces before the goddess. Please take me with you to your house. I will serve you as your domestic maid-servant lifelong. These tribal folks are very particular about the observation of periodic rituals. If you drop me at my house, they can never leave me unhacked." Simultaneously she dropped tears from her eyes while talking. The tears of that girl seriously moved the young and sympathetic heart of Mr. Shyam.

Then he thought for a while and told, " Okay what is your name? " My name is Phulan. " " Are you literate " " Yes I am " " How far have you been taught? " " Class X. But I could not pass the HSC exam Babu. " " Where is your school " " My school's name is Birsa High School situated two kilometres away from our hamlet. " " Why did the priests of your hamlet become so cruel to you? What is the reason? " Because in every ten year's rotation a ritual is observed in front of the deity. It is called Tokimara festival which is celebrated to satisfy the jungle deity for better harvest and healthiness of village folks and livestock's .There are fifty families in the village. In each five year's turn each family is bound to hand over a virgin to the priest as a human sacrifice. If any family headman disobeys this rule, that family must be driven out of the village by the superstitious headman and the priest. As I am a little qualified girl I was the only family member to protest. My parents were very much afraid of protesting against this inhuman tradition. They could not give me protection, so I was beaten by the priest black and blue and dragged out of our home. The priest and headman tied me with the tree trunk with a jute rope. I was frightened severely. I only was praying our jungle goddess with the tearful eyes to save my life. Eventually She gave weightage to my fervent prayer. She sent you to me just like an angel from the heaven at once. So my life was saved. "

The sensitive narration of Phulan melted the stony heart of Mr. Shyam, the bachelor and stunt Military man. In God's kingdom women have been created with special appearance and calibre. In spite of their delicate physical structure they are not at all inferior to a man in any respect. Their body may be soft; but their mind and will power be stronger than man. However, Phulan's grievanceful utterance put a tremendous impact on the humanitarian emotion of Shyam. He was inclined to her. He recognized the inner heart's fragrance of Phulan. He felt as if someone was advising him in his ears whisperingly, " O Mr. Shyam you are bachelor and able bodied young man. Never kick out Phulan from your life. Of course her complexion is dark. But her heart is very pure and loving. Never judge her from the trifling standpoint of caste, tribe, creed and color. You should raise your human heart beyond the horizon so as to embrace Phulan with eternity as a life partner. Never neglect her considering her as a mere hilly girl. Convince your parents and kith and kins to accept her. Prove before the adamant superiors that God has created two castes viz man and woman. Go to the open glade. Declare under the blue canopy of stars and moon. Phulan is mine from now on. Take a vow on the name of Lord Jagannathji that you accept her as your life partner for ever without delay. " The inner human sense of Syam was being activated. It's soothing advice were echoing in Shyam's inner ears. ' Shyam changed himself as a godly young man of twenty first century. Ms. Phulan was sitting behind him on the bike. Her sweet embracing hands were encircling Shyam's handsome figure as though two migratory cob and pen were on the way to build their nest in the bank of worldly ocean.

However, a romantic and idealistic mood of Mr. Shyam was highly delighted. His Royal Enfield stopped in a meadow, outskirts of the forest. Shyam and Phulan got down from the vehicle. Shyam being freed from Phulan's embrace walked hand in hand with her. He solaced her, " O my darling! Break off all the nightmares. Now your gloomy sleep is going to be lightened. Let us promise on the green -grass mat and under the romanceful twinkling stars dancing with joy clad by golden moonlight.

The solacing voice of Shyam enlivened the heart of Phulan. A cheerful smile spread over her moony face. She accompanied with Shyam, her would-be life partner, looked up and proclaimed simultaneously, " O Dear Heaven, Moon and Stars we are now going to be a sweet couple life long. Please bless us with your divine effulgence so that we can keep up the name and fame of the mankind with an innovated creation of progeny. " The declaration of solemn vow was over. They slept for some time on the green grassy bed in supine position staring at the moonlit sky. Then Shyam started his bike homeward, and both reached at maternal house by the way. They spent a romantic night there.

 In the morn Shyam convinced his uncle and aunty about their romantic episode in detail. After receiving consent and blessings from Uncle and aunt Shyam along with Phulan came back to Nirahankarpur, the native suburban village of Shyam where Lord Kapaleshwar Temple was awaiting with it's doors opened to welcome the romantic couple so as to allow them to enter into a new life at the presence of priests, elders and blood relatives as well as parents of Shyam and Phulan. After completion of marriage ceremony Shyam admitted Phulan in a Highschool to restart her drop-out career. In due course of time Phulan completed her bachelor of degree courses in Arts with computer science. All the lookers on were amazed and passed comment, " Really it is an eternal embrace between Shyam and Phulan. May Lord Jagannath shower His merciful blessings on them for a peaceful life forever.