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The strings of Bhoomli..

Boohri entered the old temple's courtyard square.. dry leaves Rusteled.. under her feet.. touching the cold rough marble.. the ruines of Kalya temple.. an old stone structure made in black stone and marble.. atop a slight earth rise.. climbing just a few steps.. on the gomti river bank.. she had mesmerising blue eyes.. hardly anyone talked with her .. she was said to be an angry person .. and similar of the angry god she worshipped.. She was of middle age.. in her thirties.. young but hardly anyone ever bothered her.. they feared.. because if ever anyone tried to talk with her.. she always abused and cursed angrily..

She looked dull with rough uneven hair.. and plain clothes.. and rough skin.. she was fasting for 10 days.. frequently to appease an angry God.. and further to earn favour.. she came to temple as many times during one day.. as she had to.. sitting by one pillar.. for a longest of hours.. with chaplet strings moving wampum.. around her fingers.. she rested her head periodically.. hardly anyone can notice anything about her except that she prayed a lot . .. often for hours on end.. during night.. she would spend in the sqare or under open sky beneath the pipal (Ficus) tree.. throughout nights.. and taking an immersion in to the waters of river.. Gomati.. at dawn.. by the end.. before going back home..


Boohri lived alone in a house nearby temple at the outskirts of village.. the old hut like house was afront to her big farm., where many Labours worked, They worked as she instructed them minimum and she was a rich woman with no relatives and no aim in life other then going to temple and river banks spending all time .. day or night.. she hardly looked tired of praying.. people said.. " she had come to live in this village from some other place.. she was suffering from God's anger " . .. and that she kept praying and someday she will become mentally ill.. or die.. sometime they worried.. and told her not to go bath in river water after dark.. evening sunset or in night.. she ignored them... cursing them with a flash of inaudible words..

She was in thirties .. she looked like.. and still looked good.. Heeman noticed.. remembering seeing her once.. first time at the temple.. he had come upriver just to fill regular cargo.. of goods he sold at town.. and suddenly he thought like walking up to temple.. he wanted to bring up regular offerings food .. for his grandfather's 98th birthday..

he set on one bench for a while.. he saw her coming in temple courtyard square.. she removed her slippers neerby a tree.. and walked in to the temple ..

At river .. next day he came again to see her.. he thought she would go in temple instead he had followed her to her house..
He realised she had spent whole night in temple.. perhaps.. he went back to river.. nearby temple he had tied his horse ... he asked one peddler..

Heeman: who is that woman in grey veil ..

Peddler: the one blue eyed..? She is Boohri.. she spends a lot of time in temple.. sometimes nights ..

Heeman: thanks..

Peddler: would you like to buy some fruits before going inside the temples..?

Heeman: yes.. please.. !!

Heeman turned back to his horse..

Next day.. Boohri noticed a man coming towards her as she walked out the temple..

Heeman: what's your name?

She didn't reply..

Heeman: why do you spend whole night sitting here in temple..?

Boohri looked at him.. he shivered..

Boohri: go away..

Heeman left.. but continued to temple.. sitting there for hours himself.. typically selecting the same bench he set on once first time.. for days and nights.. passed by.. he never tired looking at her.. Boohri thought.. she never noticed.. even as she set under tree sometimes nearby the bench where he set.. . The tree centered in courtyard square or inside the temple by any pillar.. she tried to be usual.. and it was easy.. he never bothered or talked like others.. she felt good.. once she saw him coming up through river.. just as she came out from water .. he was tying his horse.. nearby tree.. obviously before going in to the temple. ... she walked to him..

Boohri: what do you want.. ?

Heeman: i want to marry you..

Boohri: very well.. tomorrow ..

They married next day.. in temple.. and lived happily ever after..




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