ONE BY SEVEN SERIES - Sophistic Hawkshaws

                                                       

Eve of Christmas vacation went in Kerala, at Raghu mama’s place. It was a big quarters with eight rooms, big lawn, with huge backward garden and front driveway space. All the seven cousins had limited energy to sheer his vacation, because of flu, one after other were falling sick. The wolf pack physical strength was mellow down. Only a week was away for their departure, so to enjoy within the limited time they all gathered in guest room and played cards, monopoly etc till late night.

Second night when they were playing …

Bhuvana, “Guys be silent, I can hear strange noise from outside, listen please”.

Rajiv “1’O’clock in the night who else it would be, sure it is Mohini-pesasu (devil)”.

Kailash “hey, I think Bhubs is serious, even I am hearing noises”.

They all listened very carefully, but nothing was there, so they went near the window to observe very keenly, on hearing a faint noise they opened the window and found that it was drizzling outside, hence the noise was from rain drops falling on the window shield. Relived by the fact, they resumed the game.

Vikram “I have a doubt, why do these ghost hunt at night?”

Rajiv “Good one, intelligent question”.

Akshy “it’s simple logic, ghost are in white colors, only in the dark that fluorescence is visible, and haunting fear peaks up so, ghost chooses that time.”

Kripa “that’s not true, long back I heard a story, in that my great- great grandpa had an encounter with a ghost early in the morning by 4’ O’clock”.

Kailash “what is that story?”

Varagur temple- sri venkatesa perumal

Kripa “its not story, this really happened and still now the family follow those rituals. Our mother’s great-great grandpa had acres of land for cultivation, early morning grandpa raised to irrigate their field, along with the company of his servant Karupu-kuppu. After reaching the well, grandpa instructed his servant to pull the water, from the well with a pulley and a bucket. As the servant was pouring in water garandpa turned around to open the irrigation cannels. All of a sudden there was a rush of water, when grandpa turned to see the cause; he noticed servant Kuppu was drawing water from the well in an extra-ordinary pace. Stunned he went near him, and heard a strange grudging sound – ghrrr-ghrr-ghrr, and turned his head 180-degree. On seeing his face grandpa panicked and ran home. Next day kuppu was laying un-conscious near the well and passed away next day. This incidence repeated twice again and two more were victims. So an astrologer was called for the solution. He suggested it was a work of MOHINI (lady demon), to escape from her wrath, the family have to do a special ritual called Mandapudi at Varagur temple near Tanjore, Tamil Nadu. Even to this day our uncle’s family follows this tradition.”

Vikram “yes, what kripa said was true; even I attended that festival last year”.

Kailash “so the conclusion is that ghost haunt in morning too”.

Ranjitha “nops, it’s not only the ghost, that haunts, even goddess do that”.

Bhuvana “that is rubbish, god protect us”.

Ranjitha “true, remember God punishes the evil”

Akshy “come to the point Rans”

 Ranjitha “In Gods too there are hierarchy, in the last ladder comes the village guarding Gods and   Goddess. The villagers fears those guardians punishes if they put their toes out of the line, or disobey the rules of the village. Last year when I came here I overheard this story from temple priest.

The priest was telling this to Banu-aunty. There is a place for goddess YAKSHI-AMMA, in the North West corner of the temple, the idol is just a rock stone with a red cloth tied over it. It said that this Yakshi amman is the guardian of this area, she is very much found of jasmine flowers, once she used to reside in the jasmine flower garden, and people used to hear her anklet sounds in the morning when jasmine blooms. Because of the encroachment of the houses, those gardens were destroyed.  And now people are seeing her near the jasmine bush in our house compound; hence it’s not advisable for men to go near that jasmine bush in the late night and early morning. So to please her, offer her jasmine flower on every Friday, praying that, Amma please visit our jasmine bush and play there heart contently and bless my family. The priest warned our aunty if she offers flowers without fail, Yakshi would protect our family”.

Kripa “oh, that’s the reason amma goes to temple or sends dad to offer flowers on Fridays without fail, we didn’t know the real story”.

Vikram “mom have lied to that I shouldn’t go near the jasmine bush because there is a serpent, even I was not aware of the true reasons”.

Bhuvana “Is it Friday today?”

Kailash “yes its FRIDAY….YASHI-DAY….ohhhh”.

Akshy “one have to think logically, its nearly 2’O’Clock in the night, so its really sarturday, so don’t worry, Bhuvana, Yashi wont hunt”.

Rajiv “ghost and gods don’t follow rules, even they act like our bollywood heroines, they follow their heart, dil-logical type”.

Ranjitha “I think, we can stop this topic and go to sleep”.

Bhuvana “even I am getting scared, let’s go to sleep”.

Akshy “why are you scared, be brave, if you are scared, then how can you sleep, so I suggest we all keep talking, and fall asleep as such”.

Kailash “good idea, if the girls are scared, lets the lights be on”.

Kripa “guys be frank, and say you are also frighten, don’t act smart”.

Rajiv “we are not scared, at least not me”.

Kailash and Vikram stared at Rajiv “Even we are not”.

Akshy “hey I even don’t know the meaning of scariness’”.

Bhuvana “then prove it”

Kailash “how?”

Akshy and Rajiv “we are ready.”

Kripa “ok, guys then do one thing, go and fetch water for all of us from the kitchen, without using lights.”

Vikram “that’s all!”

Ranjitha “it’s just for Akshy.”

Bhuvana “Rajiv should go out of the house, to the main door, open it and then peep through our room window.”

Bhuvana “Kailash and Vikram can go to near by bush and plug a flower and come back”.

Kailash “not that jasmine bush, please.”

Kripa “but in these task, whoever comes late will win, there is no hurry brave guys”.

Ranjitha “its very cold out there, u better wrap yourself, and take a torch, no need to light it, but use it in emergency”.

Akshy went to kitchen, and rest went to unbolt the main door, and the girls opened the window in expectation to see the boys coming. But after a while all they could hear is…..a scream!!!

The lights in house glowed and everybody rushed to main entrance drive way. To their dismay they saw their Raghu mam, was dashed to the ground, his left hand bleeding, lying badly hurt.

From the back entrance again there was a scream!

This time it was grandma standing with a stick, along the kitchen door.

“What is it Amma?” asked the wounded Raghu mama.

Grandma “I was shouting, thief-thief, and nobody heard me, so I myself came and locked him in the kitchen”.

Rahu mama “Amma, I heard your shouting, that is how I got up from the bed and saw the shadows moving around the house, I went to catch them, and got blown up by these stupid boys.”

Kripa “Grandpa, Akshy is inside the kitchen, please open the door, and let him out.”

 Banu-anunty “what is happening here, tell us the truth?”

Raghu mama opened the kitchen door, to their shock found a man unlocking the second door of kitchen and jumping out. Everyone was panicked.

“Where is Akshy then?” asked worried Ranjitha.

“Did the theif harm him?” panicked Bhuvana

“I am right here”. Appeared Akshy.  “I was frightened, to complete the task, so thought to go and sleep near grandma, I didn’t enter into the kitchen.”

Raghu mam “All of you, better spill out the truth, what was the task, that is happening in my house? Let it be better.”

Rajiv and Kripa looked at each other, trusting the other would have a better narration.