She had never bothered about what the world said. When had she fallen in love with him?
Was it possible to be so enamoured with your lover that everything else paled into insignificance?
They said it would not last long. They said it was a new diversion. They said it was a childish crush. Well, it seemed like the voices came from far away. As she grew, so did her love. If earlier it was only limited to her heart, slowly it spread like a burning fever, devouring her mind, her soul.
She was accused of adultery. She just smiled. She was accused of slurring the name of her family. She laughed. She was accused of being a bad influence in society. She laughed louder as she walked away.
She clearly remembered the day her mother handed her an image of the love of her life. She may have been merely a child but she was serious like any adult could ever be about their vows to another.
With time her devotion, her attention and her love grew deeper and deeper. Her mother was exasperated. ‘Let’s marry her off, it will certainly divert her mind and cure her of this madness!” she emphasised. Tears brimming, she dolefully looked at her mother, “How can you even say that?”
“My heart is already taken; I can love no other. I beg you Ma, don’t do this to me! I am doing what you have taught me. Loving with every cell in my body.”
The handsome groom was the cynosure of all at the wedding hall. They made a handsome couple. He fell in love with his bride irrevocably. The dark dreamy eyes, the mirthful pink lips, the glowing skin, the dark long tresses, the deep red silken lehenga delicately embellished with gold, pearls and sparkling gems… nothing short of a goddess.
But his bubble burst soon. She said she was already wedded.
“Cheats!” His blood boiled; temper soared. “How dare your family arrange your marriage with me then?”
She could not be thrown out of the palace, after all she was the bride of the palace. The family’s honour. So began a series of attempts to kill her, to restore the family’s pride.
“Send her a basket of flowers but put a poisonous snake inside!”
“Send her a glass of poison… instead of milk and honey!”
“Tell her to drown herself!”
Alas nothing worked… In the name of her Love she graciously accepted all and not even a strand of her hair could be damaged.
Her lips could not be sealed. She sang praises of her ‘Dark one’ from morn till night. People came from far and near to listen, to affirm their own faith in Love.
And as she sang out her Love one fine day…. She simply melted into the Divine image of the Dark one, her Krishna! Only the walls of the temple were mute witnesses.
