"And this year, the Oscar for the best actor male goes to...Dwarkadheesh Vasudev Shree Krishna." Tiasha announced as soon as they were alone, out of Kunti and the Pandavas' sight.

Krishna jumped up on a raised platform of rocks and did a bowing gesture in all directions.

-"I would like to thank my dearest Sakhi Kaushiki, without whom I wouldn't be standing on this stage, receiving this magnificent award. It's the greatest honour of my life, to achieve this. Thank you, thank you, everyone." Krishna said. The duo started doubling down in laughter. They walked together towards the end of the forest where Satyaki was waiting for them.

-"Now now, jokes aside, hurry up, we need to reach Kashi by tonight."

Tiasha frowned, "Wait, are we really going to Kashi?"

Krishna's expression turned grave. He said in a serious tone, "Did you think I lied in the name of Baba Vishwanath?"

-"No...umm...I mean..." Tiasha fumbled looking down.

Krishna started laughing, "The day will be written in golden letters on the pages of History, I fooled the Vishwamitra Siswaa Kaushiki. She fumbled thinking I was offended by her words."

Tiasha narrowed her eyes at his comment and immediately knowing what she was going to do, Krishna started running away from her. 

-"Hey!! Come back here!" she stated chasing after him.

Finally, when Tiasha caught him, the chariot of Dwarika and Satyaki came into their field of Vision.

Tiasha said panting heavily, "The only...good outcome of this chase...we reached the chariot faster."

Krishna replied panting as hard as Tiasha and grinning, "It... was all... my plan."

Tiasha closed her eyes for a moment to catch her breath. She shot him a glare and said, "Of course it was. And for the love of God, Jayantha, you are the face of the Yadavs, you are the father of two kids now. What are they going to learn from you?"

-"What do you mean by, I am the father of two kids now? Does that mean I am not allowed to have fun anymore? Besides, Pradyumna and Shamba are not present in the spot. Something that they don't see won't harm them..." Krishna said shrugging, "And for the Yadavs, they are not here, I bet Satyaki didn't see anything. Did you, Satyaki?" Krishna asked.

-"No, Jadupati, I didn't see anything." Satyaki said trying to hide his laughter. 

Tiasha smiled at Krishna's antiques, "Come on now, aren't we getting late?" 

--

They reached Varanasi, the bustling and vibrant capital city of Kashi in the afternoon. When she was in Kaliyuga, Tiasha always wanted to visit the ancient holy city of Varanasi or Banaras. But as they say, you can only visit the humble abode of Kashieswar Viswanath and Kashieswari Maa Annapurna when they want you to visit them. 

Tiasha looked around with curious eyes and Krishna watched her in amusement.

They stood at the bank of the Ganga on Dashashwamedh Ghat, watching the sun slowly descend from the sky. The little waves on Mata Ganga's body shone when the slanted golden rays made contact with them making it look like the most beautiful piece of cloth woven in golden threads. The rays of the sun and the waves of the water seemed like a couple, separated by destiny. The separation has only increased their love and yearning more with time. At this moment while the tired Surya Dev appeared bright crimson after a long day, they are united again, and without any care in the world, they have mixed themselves into each other.

-"It doesn't look like Banaras in Kaliyuga, I hope you are not disappointed, Shyama." Krishna said.

The sound of Krishna's voice startled Tiasha. She sat on one of the steps of the ghat and Krishna joined her. The waves touched their feet as if Mata Ganga was worshipping their feet with her water.

-"Huh, oh, no no not at all. It sure doesn't look like Banaras in Kaliyuga. Varanasi is so much more beautiful. The pollution-free air and so much greenery around the city, it's only a imagination in Kaliyuga. Above everything not everyone in the streets is trying to scam you."

She sighed, "It's a complete disgrace to the human race, the places that are supposed to be the holy abode of God, are the very places where you get scammed the most. And that too by the priests themselves. People pay thousands of rupees just to get Darshan of God. You want Prasad, that's a story for another time." 

Krishna laughed at Tiasha's rant. Tiasha frowned and said in a displeased tone, "You are laughing Jayantha! People in Kaliyuga dress up as Sadhus to scam People. These scammers, they commit all kinds of crimes under the act of Dharma. They treat common people like garbage while sitting on the pile of their hard-earned money. They disrespect women in the worst way possible. And the law and Order barely takes any steps, because nobody has the guts to launch a complaint against them. The corrupted ministers stand with them, they have the support of the government itself."

-"Ok Ok Ok, I know it's messed up. It's not something we should laugh about, it just shows how in Kaliyuga, not just one person but the entire society is walking on the path of decline. It's concerning but that's how Kaliyuga is. It's the characteristics of Kaliyuga. Things will be much worse with the progression of time. But you know what? Kaliyuga is the golden time to be born in. In the middle of all negativity, you remember God's name once from the bottom of your heart with all the compassion, love, and devotion you have in yourself, God will make you sit on his lap." 

A sigh escapes Tiasha's lips, "All they do is those flashy extravagant things, where is the heart when they pray? Oh no, you need to follow this certain ritual, or else god won't listen to your prayers! Oh God please give me this, I will offer you this much gold in return or I will do your puja with this certain ingredient! I mean, what? Do you think this is, give and take policy? Are you doing business with God or what? I will worship you only if you consider my certain material gains?" 

Krishna giggled seeing Tiasha's annoyed face. Tiasha continued her rant while absent-mindedly staring at the shining waves, "I will worship you, God, because I want to feel the oneness with you. I have completely surrendered myself in your feet, now you do whatever you want to do with me. I know you will give me everything I deserve. If you are putting me through pain you are preparing me. The pain is temporary, but the self-realisation that happens during that time, the lessons that we learn are for life. I know that at the right moment, you will take away all the pain. Because God you are pain, you are joy. You are love, you are compassion, you are kindness, you are life. You are me, and I am you." 

As if the entire universe has stopped to listen to Tiasha at that moment. Krishna just smiled. 

He held Tiasha's hand and looked deep into her eyes. The serene divine smile remained constant on his face as he cupped her face with his other palm.

-"You are me and I am you. God is human and human is god." The divine pair of the brother and the sister started staring at the universe through each other's eyes.

-"I hope, Veda Vyas captures these words in his memoir." Krishna said as they broke eye contact.

She smiled and turned back to stare at the water.

Krishna asked curiously, "Seems like you still have something in your mind."

She answered not looking at him, "I was thinking about Panchali..."

-"What about her?"

-"That, though people say she changed the fate of Aryavarth, in reality, she is nothing but a toy in the hands of men. The men in her life just toss her around from time to time like a rag doll."

-"Why do you think so?"

-"From the time she is born, King Drupad is preparing her for his revenge on the Kuru Family. From the moment she entered this world, people tell her, her destiny is Kumar Arjun. Her Swayam Var is just a show. A task only three people can perform and two of them are not participating. A complete joke, because she is never given the chance to think for herself, and chose her husband. Men are just trying to show that 'ohh she chose him herself, in her Swayam Var, it was her own will...' let me tell you something then, no it was not."

-"Nobody forced her into anything Shyama."

-"You don't need to force something on someone all the time. There is a very popular term people use in Kaliyuga, 'Soft Influence', which turns out to be more effective than enforcement. If you constantly keep saying 'Ohh he is so great! Oh, he is so kind! Ohh he is so handsome!' Obviously, at some point, the person you are saying these things to is going to fall for the one you are praising, without even seeing that person. Guess what? She might have been born as a fully grown Woman but her mind is still like an infant. An infant mind is the easiest to manipulate. Whatever you say, is going to have an effect on her thought process. She has yet to learn how to think for herself. And no offence to you Jayantha, you are into this too!"

-"What did I do!" Krishna exclaimed.

-"You know very well what you did. Did she ever get a chance to think for herself? Choose for herself? Tell me Jayantha, Did she?" 

-"You are right Shyama, she didn't. People call her the fate of Aryavarth but in reality, she isn't."

-"Men sacrificed her on their quest for power, in the sea of envy. She gets called Agni Kanya just as a consolation. Panchali, the epitome of sacrifice, what did she even get in the first place to sacrifice? Life didn't give her anything except for pain and humiliation. And King Drupad, people say he loved his daughter. Tell me Jayantha, Which sane loving father willingly marries their daughter off with someone from the family they have been enemies with for decades. You did an entire Putratshi Yagna to get a son, who will kill your greatest enemy. Now that enemy's most favourite student, the prince of your enemy kingdom, who also happens to be the one to capture you and push you on his Gurus feet, who in their right mind would want their daughter to be married to that person? If not for political alliance or your twisted personal revenge any sane person would never. Some say, 'Ohh but he is a good person, and King Drupad was impressed by Kumar Arjun's skills...' Really? Come on now, Kumar Arjun is a good person for sure, but do you really think the things you just pointed out apply to a vengeful egoistic person like Drupad? He did an entire Yagna to have a son who would fulfil his revenge on Drona! He raised Shikhandi constantly putting poison in her heart against Pitamah Bhishma, so that one day she goes to kill him. And you are telling me He wants his daughter's happiness, that why he wants to marry her off to Kumar Arjun? King Drupad does everything for himself and his own gain, he has no care for his children." With every sentence, Tiasha's excitement and voice kept increasing. She was panting when she finally finished.

-"I hope, Veda Vaysha doesn't capture these words in his memoir." She said after taking a deep breath and calming herself down. 

-"I fear for the life of your future husband Shyama." Krishna teased, mischief playing in his Lotus petal-like eyes.

Tiasha pushed her bottom lip over her upper lip and hummed, "Do you think I should put a danger sign around my neck? Beware, this woman is a feminist, she spits truth and facts with added logic, which might hurt your ego."

-"I think you should." They started laughing together.

-"By the way, I am the chief guest in Panchali's Swayam Var, I am not participating for sure but, the second person, how do you know that he is not willing to win Panchali's hand?"  Krishna asked in a serious tone, hiding his amusement when he saw Tiasha's face fall.

-"I don't know, It's his choice, he may participate..." It took all the strength in Tiasha's heart to utter these words in a steady voice and unbothered expression.

--

The next morning Krishna and Tiasha both prayed to Kashieswar Viswanathan and Maa Annapurna. They took special Prasad and blessing flowers for Draupadi.

Sending Tiasha out of the temple to give the Daana, Krishna took another set of special Prasad and blessing flowers and hid it.

At around midday after feeding all the people who came to visit the temple that day, the divine brother and sister duo started their journey towards the capital city of Southern Panchal, Kampilya.

-XX-

This chapter is just me ranting about my own thoughts and theories. I hope you like it.

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