Tulips parked her car just near the road side with the Saal forest stretching far beyond.
The sound of crickets was always sharp here, even in the middle of a warm day. The lone temple stood still, beckoning her, from the top of the hill. But it wasn’t the uphill walk that was on her mind.
Tulips turned around. Her two elder sisters were busy getting down from the car, adjusting their dresses and settling down in the immediate environment. It was a special trip.
After nearly 30 years, the three sisters had decided to leave their families behind and travel alone to their childhood place. This temple held special memories.
Tami gasped. “Do you remember how we raced up the mountains?” She was emotional. Tapasvi held her hand. She was the oldest of the three sisters.
Both looked around. It was just the same. The 100-odd stairs, the lion statues at the entrance, the water well inside the forest and the sound of crickets resonating all over.
Tulips was restless. She had forgotten to bring the chunari she wanted to offer to the temple deity,
Thankfully, a village girl appeared, sitting in front of the temple. She was selling religious items, chunaris, earrings and such. Tami and Tapasvi started buying bangles and chunaris from her. Tulips went over too.
“I have never seen you before,” Tulips told the girl. She had often driven down solo to La Devi. “I stay just nearby,” the girl replied laughing. She was so beautiful, Tulips thought to herself, no makeup or fancy wear. But pure, natural beauty.
Happy with their recent purchase, the three sisters began their climb uphill. It was a deep, quiet moment. Taking in fresh mountain air, memories of childhood came flashing back, whispering how they would try to read the temple’s old stone carvings. Legend had it that if anyone could read the ancient inscriptions on the stone, the temple would turn around and face backwards.
The La Devi temple in Rajban had come out in an excavation and held immense importance in the lives of the locals.
For Tulips, Goddess La Devi was indeed her first introduction to spirituality and these trips after more than 25-30 years, therefore, meant so much more.
“Bless me Maa,” Tulips prayed, “for I have come again to revisit my beautiful childhood spent in the lap of your forests, water streams, and mountains.”
On the way back, some monkeys came expecting food. But the temple priest chased them away and handed over some sticks to Tulips and her sisters.
By the time they got down to their car, that girl with the tinkling laughter had wrapped up and gone home. Some kids were playing about.
“Where is that girl who was selling stuff here?” Tulips asked a small child. He stared confused.
There was no one when they came, an older child replied.
Strange, Tulips wondered. In all her trips afterwards also, she never once came across that girl. That year was indeed special as the three sisters had visited Maa La Devi. Was it her in that mystery girl who laughed and never came back?
My World in Pictures 
Leave a comment