The Goddess

Chintu was returning from the school. He saw hundreds of people going towards the north of the village. He went home and asked her parents,'What's the matter?' His father said, 'A goddess arrived at the next village.'

-'How did you know?'

-'Everyone is saying. Her skin was showing different names of goddesses, and on her forehead there appeared the word 'Ma' (mother). We should also go and donate something to the goddess.'

 Chintu was excited. He went with her parents. When they reached the destination, they became speechless seeing the crowd. So many people from across the region came that one cannot imagine. People were donating whatever they could. Chintu's parents also stood in the queue to donate. After a while, their turn came up. Chintu saw that goddess. On her forehead there is a reddish burn curved like the word 'Ma'. But he noticed that the word is actually the mirror image of the real word. On her bare parts of the body there were names of a few goddesses appearing as reddish burns. Chintu returned home with his parents. He was even more excited to meet Suresh the next day at the school. Suresh already knew about it. But since he did not believe in the superstitions, he did not go to see the 'goddess'. But at school he heard the story from Chintu. The next day he went to the nearest town and met a dermatologist. The doctor also heard about the incident. He explained to Suresh, 'It is nothing but a type of rare allergy. When one scratches the skin, it migh

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t get a reddish burn, and only the portion scratched will show reddish lines. But it occurs to one in a million. It is a very rare type of allergy.' Suresh tried it on himself with a scratching stick. But nothing happened. Then he went to the office of a science organisation in the town and explained to them everything regarding the craziness among the people. They were also discussing it in their office. But they had no clue so far. When they met Suresh, they became enthusiastic to stop this crazy superstition. All of them started to scratch their skin. But nothing happened. Then they decided that they had to find someone who had that rare allergy. The belief that the woman at the next village was a 'goddess' was going stronger among people. Chintu also heard the explanation. He scratched his own skin. But nothing happened. He became upset and went home. At home, he tried it on his father. But nothing happened. Then he tried it on her mother, and it happened. His mother had that allergy. He wrote 'Ma' on her forehead, and it appeared as a reddish burn. Now Chintu realised the fact. He also understood that the woman used a mirror to write the word on her forehead. That was why it appeared as a mirror image. He immediately called Suresh. Suresh came to Chintu's house to verify it. Then he called the members of the science organisation. Next morning, they came with the police and picked up Chintu's family and Suresh and went to the next village, where people were getting crazy about the avatar of the goddess. The police announced to vacate the zone, and the science organisation gave a demonstration on the skin of Chintu's mother. Then the people realised the fact and asked the 'goddess' and the team to return their donations. The situation was going out of control. But the police arrested them and confiscated all the donations that were available there. They dropped Chintu's family and Suresh midway at their respective houses and then left for the police station. Chintu was so happy that he thanked Suresh next morning. Naturally, the whole village followed Chintu and thanked Suresh to open up their eyes.

 The End.