The Goddess

This happened long back in the shady villages of India. There were trees, birds singing and grass dancing enthusiastically. It was night of the full moon. Deep in the forests there was a big banyan tree. Beneath it sits the goddess of the forest. She governs the everything from the movement of the leaves to the rainy clouds. Every insect bows in front of her as she's the queen here. Nali was so sure. She wanted him. Her great grandmother has already told her when she met her great grandfather in the forest temple. She promised the goddess that if she gets him she'll make the offering of the beetle leaves and guess what happened next, the goddess fulfilled her wish. Nali was so engraved in love. She was so sure the Goddess shall hear and guide her. The man of her dreams was awaiting her. He was from the foreign land. He makes feel special. Running his finger along her thin hair strands, he used to admire her beauty. That night Nali went along into the forest temple. The Goddess was beaming in the full moon light. She went near and lit the lamp and kept the beetle leaves near her. She prayed for her husband. Suddenly there was a commotion, a sudden wind. The trees started dancing wildly. The bamboos making noises. Nali became scared. She took resort in her Goddess "Oh Goddess, please save me. Please let my prayers be answered. Accept my offerings Oh Goddess". Everything was back to normal. She took it as a yes from the Goddess. Nali went back home with beaming faith. Despite the differences, soon Nali's father accepted the proposal of the foreign groom as he may bring more wealth and name into that poor household. But poor Nali, her innocent heart couldn't understand the devious plans of Dar. Dar, the foreign boy married her in the forest temple and the goddess herself witnessed it. Nali felt like the Goddess wasn't happy about the choice she made but despite all that she fulfilled the wish. Days passed. Dar lost interest in his wives. She noticed that he used to come home very tired. When she went out searching she found out that Dar was visiting many other huts nearby his village.

She was heartbroken. On that night when she was serving him rice she asked him about this. He became outraged and smashed her by the wall I anger. She cried. Cried a lot. Her tears washed all dirt on the floors of that filthy house. Later she came to realize that she wasn't the only one to wash up the dirt in his house like that. She has been cheated. She shall be soon sold to a market where ladies are traded as prostitutes. Her love life has now broken into pieces. She remembered the signs, yes the signs that the goddess gave her. She packed some things and ran. She ran fast until she reached the temple. She fell at the feet of the Goddess and asked her for forgiveness. But alas the goons chased her and reached the forest to take her away. Among them she found the man, the man who made her dream about love and hope. She was no longer Nali the normal village her. A transformation happened in her heart. Something pleasant and deep bloomed in her. She was no longer shackled. She was no longer a prisoner of her desires. She was set free by the Goddess herself. She merged at the feet of her Goddess. The Goons approached her but she assumed the form of the Goddess suddenly. She realized the fact that she always carried the Goddess in her great but she was unaware of the fact. The trident kept near the Goddess was always for destruction of evil was used. She grabbed it and screamed in anger and pain. The men trembled. They couldn't contain the rage of the Goddess. Nali started to chase them now as she has the trident now. There came an instance when these goons came indirectly in front of the police. They captured them. Nali explained herself to them and they assured her that justice shall be served. She went back to the forest temple. Kept the trident but she thought. How did she get to know about his secrets, how did she get the courage to act in self defence, how did the police came in front of them coincidentally. Well, she looked into her front. There she is. The Goddess who takes care of her in every instance of her life. She's her breathe and she's everything for her. She's the Queen of her heart as well. Well, everything must've been a coincidence but she refuses to believe it. Her belief in the Goddess always helps her as The Goddess reigns in the forest like the Royal Queen in the woods. She's in the music of the jungle and the dance of the trees. Nali will now rejoice in that ecstatic joy of the forest.