THE MYSTERIOUS ENCOUNTER

‘It’s the third time this week. What’s happening to me...?’Isha rubbed her eyes and awoke from sleep totally astounded. She slithered out of the bed. “Where am I...am I in the real world now”. She looked around and tried to reach for her favourite companion, her diary. “Yes it’s there, I can smell the pages and the ink. But….. Where is my granny? I had been with her .But how long, how many hours or how many days? Oh! It is perturbing me. Today also I couldn’t help her. She had been seeking my opinion to make a choice. But…… but now I cannot feel the heavenly bliss ,the fragrance of exotic flowers, the presence of talking animals, the spongy floors, the exhilarating ambience. Was it a palace of the divine world? Why granny is still standing there? She asked me something this time also. Oh! What was it?”

A sort of blankness overpowered her, she felt as if the nerves were about to burst. She closed her eyes and contemplated for a while. A series of kaleidoscopic images flashed in her mind in infinitesimal fraction of seconds. She realised that the blurred images are gaining clarity and filtrated out of oblivion. Isha sprung out of her bed and exclaimed, “Yes it is all clear now.” She took her diary and scribbled something. ‘Mm….. I reached the gigantic palace door studded with gold and diamonds. It was exactly the same like what my granny had described to me in bedtime stories. Then I walked through the wide aisle embellished with magnificent curios and reached a room guarded by fairies and angels. They gave me a grand welcome and led me to my granny’s room. She was waiting eagerly to meet me and rushed to me as soon I entered the room. I recalled that I had been making recurrent requests to her to be with me.

She was confused and wanted to respond to my request.” “Isha dear, my master had put me in deep dilemma. He gave me two choices out of which I have to select one. But …”

“She walked rather despondently and paused for a while. Then, she looked at me dementedly and her eyes were yearning to get a response from me.  I could see tears rolling down her cheeks. Never in my life had I seen her in such a disposition.” Granny, please tell me, what are the options?”

“Dear it’s your repeated request to come back to you that prompted me to ask my master. But I’m sure it would be unwelcoming for you as well. No one who reached here had got a privilege of at least the freedom of expression. You being a frequent visitor and your compassionate nature had pleased my master. That’s why his highness had blessed me with two options, first one is that I can come back to you”. “Even before granny could complete her sentence I jumped out of excitement and hugged granny tightly. But….”

But with a frustrating tone granny interrupted,” Isha dear I can’t come back to you in my real identity. I have only the possession of my soul not my body. Nobody can see me only you can feel my presence.

Other option is that you can stay here with me. But you can never go back to your world. What should I do........?

****

Ishaaa, it’s getting late”

With a shudder Isha responded to her mother’s sound. “What are you doing there? Nowadays you’ve become so lazy and irresponsible. It’s high time that I should bring this to your fathers notice". “Maa I’m coming. Why are you shouting like this?”

But all these reprimands and scolding all fell into deaf ears. “It was preposterous that the same scene reiterated in my mind several times. The same posture where my granny stood near the palace window looking out in to the blurred scene. Was it a dream or did I teleport myself to my granny?”

“Are you not eating? Are you trying to solve some international matters..?” Yes Maa something serious. “She muttered to herself. “ Should I tell her about my miraculous sojourn? Will she believe me? First of all I should get a clarification as to what’s happening to me.It was not a dream. I could get the scent of sandalwood which my granny had. I used to hug her tightly to smell it. That scent lingers in my nostrils even now. I had experienced everything which are exclusive privileges and luxuries of a heavenly world. There was a rush of exhilaration, joy and energy as I witnessed the ubiquitous vibrant bright colour. Even I could feel my feather weight body levitating in defiance of gravity. My locks of tangled hair itself is a testimony of my flight in the open air. The chillness of the breeze, the breath choking speed as I soared up in the air which lifted my soft locks of hair to form tight tangles.

Though Isha was near her mother, she was getting into a trance intermittently. “What is this, girl? You didn’t comb your hair. It looks as if you’ve flown high in the air.

What were you doing all this time? Didn’t you sleep?”

“No, ma, I was with my grandma. With a sudden shock mother turned back and stared at her. What! What did you say..?”

“Ma I saw granny yesterday. She hugged me and shared her feelings with me. Ma I want her here with me. That is why I went there.” there.” retorted her mother. “Are you mad.? She left us two months before. I will make it clear, she died”. Please don’t talk like a numbskull. Please accept the reality dear.”

“For me she is alive. I’m communicating with her regularly. Ma please feel this fragrance on my body. Can’t you feel her presence? “Mother came near her and did accordingly. But she didn’t utter a word. Isha looked at her with anticipation. “Ma granny has two options, I have to give her an answer. What should I say? ”

Isha’s mother was trying to hide her anxiety and fear that her daughter is on the verge of losing her sanity.

“Dear you need some rest .Go sleep for some more time. Come I will sit near you. Mother was deeply filled with anguish. “What happened to my child..? Is she normal? But I’m sure she is experiencing the presence of granny. “

Her tangled hair, sandal scent added fuel to her mother’s suspicion. I should take her to a psychologist. But she shouldn’t realise it as a serious consultation.

*****

“Hello Isha dear, How are you..?” “Hi uncle”. Isha was very close to Mr. Ram one of their close relatives. He was a psychologist specialised in dream interpretation and psychosomatic disorders. Mother was very sure he would help in resolving the problem they are facing.

“Come Isha we will go for a walk, “Uncle said. “One moment uncle”, telling this,

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she rushed to her room and grabbed her diary.

“Uncle please help me. Tomorrow I have to go to granny again. Before that I need a solution.”

“Tell me dear. Did you meet your granny or was it a dream? Uncle I have traversed through the mesmerising land amidst the amazing creatures. It was similar to the picture given by my granny during my bedtime stories. She had vividly described how heaven would look like. Uncle I’m in my real senses, I’m not joking. All these things which I have jotted down had been experienced by me. Even I could fly high as if I got some supernatural power. If you have doubt please feel my tangled hair and the sandal scent.” Ram was observing her closely during their conversation. He could find an unusual incandescence in her face.

Giving a gingerly look uncle started asking many questions. Isha answered every query without a tinge of confusion. “Isha, did you notice what your granny was looking out of the window. Do you remember the scene? “Soon Isha appeared little dubious.” Uncle that was a perplexing experience. When I looked out I could see trees hanging from the sky, palaces floating, a flying horse which reminded me of Pegasus. But that time I didn’t take it seriously as I was earnestly trying to make choice and help my grandma. When I walked I couldn’t feel the pressure of the floor against my feet. I was under the impression that the spongy flooring was giving that soft effect. Though I got the scent I couldn’t feel the warmth and tightness when granny hugged me. But I am sure I met her. ”Ok, ok I agree to what all you are saying. Your granny is with you. Be happy and fly back to her with a good choice.”

“But which one.....?Both options are unattractive and it will not satisfy my desire.”

“You have to sacrifice something to materialize your dream. Even your granny told that her master had granted her a unique and unusual boon. It’s you, who should decide whether your granny should be here. Make a wise decision. Keep this as a secret even I will not be unveiling it to anyone” Hearing these pacifying words, Isha appeared to be in a serene mood. It seemed again she had lost in to her world and getting ready for her next journey.

Mr Ram met Isha parents. “Both of you should have some patience and presence of mind to listen to what I’m going to say. Please don’t discuss this matter with Isha. I had talked to her and she had opened up without any hesitation. She herself is trying to introspect and discover the root of her strange behaviour. By analysing her I could diagnose her problem and provide a sufficing solution. Her granny’s death had affected her and the depression she had suffered was the consequence of that. Even after her recovery she couldn’t accept what all had happened. Her granny was life for her, she can’t visualise a world without her. Now what’s going on is self-healing technique which she is practising involuntarily. Her granny’s bedtime stories, her description of heaven, the bliss that we get after attaining that, all had infused into her thoughts. Furthermore the books which I had given her also influenced her. I can’t say it had a negative influence, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. What she is doing is lucid dreaming through which she can accomplish what all things she yearns for. She herself can’t identify which is real and imaginary. One test question which I had thrown on her brought me to the conclusion that she is a lucid dreamer. Let it go. You can see the difference in one week.”

 Though Isha’s parents were listening to his words, they were not able to decipher the real picture of what was happening to Isha.

***

 “Isha dear, are you there? Yes ma. I’m coming. I’m getting ready for school. What is there for breakfast today? I’m really hungry, my catty too.”

“By the way Isha, how is your granny? Did you talk to her?” Mother could see an evasive attitude in her and with a casual tone she replied “she is fine mamma. She is so happy, so am I “.While uttering these words she cuddled her catty to her bosom.

Again Isha realised that she was getting immersed in her thoughts. Though her baffled mind balked at the mysterious sequence of events she could feel a sense of euphoria.

“Ah, I am relieved now. Why should I worry again? Yesterday night I brought my granny back. Nobody can see her, but me.It was a tiresome journey though Pegasus offered me a comfortable flight. Holding granny and sitting on his back was tedious and need perfect balance. But I wonder how I could do horse riding without having a training. But… Nevertheless, I am not in a mood to recollect the itinerary. Rather, I’m in a state of stupefaction .Even the conversation of the talking animals and the mellifluous songs of the heavenly birds which I recorded is not audible now. Why should I waste my valuable time pondering over unnecessary queries? After all I have my dearest catty with me.”

Isha’s mother was sitting there watching her lost in deep thoughts. She could notice a considerable change in her attitude.

Mother was dumbfounded and her eyes flooded with tears .After so many months she was seeing her child excited, active and smart. They all had the fear that granny’s absence had taken away all her positivity and happiness. Now she could watch her talking continuously mostly with her catty, pampering and caressing it. She was very inquisitive to know the reason for her daughter’s transformation. She could sense a mysterious ambience in the room pervaded by a strong scent of sandal wood.

“Isha, you seem to forget that your papa and mamma are here? You don’t even spare some time with us. Now it seems your catty is your world. What is that fragrance in the room? “

Isha was quite unresponsive to all these questions, but she was extremely happy and satisfied with her life as she acquired what she yearned for.

Mother walked around the room suspiciously and made sure that it was the same scent of sandalwood which Isha had mentioned before. “Isha you didn’t answer me? That scent of sandal wood……..?How…… From where……?”

 Isha took her catty in her hands, caressed it and gave an innocent smile and walked off. Soon an epiphanic moment struck her mother’s consciousness .That means……..??????

*Airavata -a mythological white elephant also known as the elephant of the clouds (Indian mythology)

*Pegasus-mythical winged divine horse, and one of the most recognized creatures in Greek Mythology