19 century (A remote village In India)

Madhopur

A group of women walked through the scorching heat with water pots over their heads. Its had been a daily routine for the women of Madhopur for past year. They had to walk 2 miles everyday to a nearby stream to get water. The drought stricken village have a had a difficult months with no heat and no water. The ones who had families in other greener places had left the village .

 The ones left were people who had no place to go and the ones who had more money and cloud hire these poor humans to get them all.

Kashi kept jumping around as he walked bare foot towards his hut, trying not to bun his already injured feet. He had a home to run, his wife and 2 daughters were dependent on him. He had been working endlessly in the fields of a Land owner of nearby village. It was just one day in a week he was allowed to see his family. He had walked 2 hrs and had to go back again in a day.

Kashi wiped his forehead, a smile stretching onto his lips. His elder daughter Gauri was getting married in a month. By god grace, the groom's family had not asked much in dowry as their son was completely smitten by beautiful Gauri. Kashi knew, once his elder daughter was married, and his wife's worry will go down to one. Kaashi saw a lone tree and decided to take a break. He sat there for about half an hour, his mind running calculations on how much money he would need to save for his second daughter and pay back his debt and free his lands.

He stared at the sky squinting, worrying when it would the rain God bless his village. With a sigh, he got up to start his journey again. He flinched when a blister in his feet popped. He took a minute and then picked up the speed. Being poor made humans  immune to pain, he smiled, atleast there was one good thing about pain.

***

Kaali (aka Shyama) walked into her hut with the water pot. She poured the two pots into the bigger ones.

''You need to get more water. Your Baba will be here, we need more for clothes and kitchen.'' her mother Sushila said.  Kaali wiped her face. ''Amma, this is my 3rd round, pls ask Gauri to tag along , it will save time.''

Sunita shook her head, ''No, this Sun will turn her skin dark, she has to be married soon. You are anyways dark, Sun won't do any damage.'' Those words had worked like dagger before but now it had no effect on Kaali. Gauri took all of her mom, and Shyama went after her dad. Her dad named her Shyama. It was name given after the Krishna but villagers renamed his daughter as Kaali due to her extremely dark tone. It was name given as a jibe but it became her fate. 

Kaali huffed, picked the earthen vessels and stepped out of the hut. Gauri grabbed her arm, ''I made you this, have some.''

''Why did you do that? If Amma knows, she will get angry.''

''She wouldn't know. Have it, you will again have to walk.'' Gauri's eyes were filled with regret and pain for her sister. It wasn't the fate which created the difference, it was the people and in their case , it was their mother. Kaali finished the Sharbat (summer beverage) in one go. 

''I will go now.'' Gauri nodded. Kaali made her way to the stream when she heard someone address her with the name she had forgotten. She smiled, it had to be the temple priest. The old man said she was a blessing and reminded him of the Goddess his worshipped.

''Where are you going Shyama?''

''To the river, we need more water.''

The priest caressed her head, ''May the goddess bless you with happiness.''

Kaali smiled. ''Can I ask you a question?''

The priest nodded. Kaali asked, ''to All the girls of this village, you give blessing of strength and power, but for me you always mention happiness. Why ? Don't I deserve strength and power?''

The old priest smiled. '' One day you will know that you are power personified.'' he blessed her once more before making the way back to temple. Kaali smiled, she understood nothing but it felt good.

***

Gauri sat in the middle of the room with her young groom a little nervous about the commotion. Her skin and face had made her the center of attraction and her parents seemed relieved that she got a good house. Kaali watched all unfold from a corner. No one was interested in the younger dark one. Kaali stayed invisible without a single expectation. She was happy for her sister and relieved that her parents had one worry less.

***

 ''Who will marry her? She is never leaving this house.'' Sushila grumbled staring at Kaali who was hardly visible in the flickering light of their hut. . Kaashi pushed his plate aside. ''Can I eat in peace on day? I have to go to harvest the crops. Its just a day I get to rest and you don't let me breathe.''

''Baba, can I come with you? I will help you in harvest and you can be home soon.'' Kaali offered. Kashi nodded and Kaali felt relieved that her mother will be out of her skin for few days.

Kaali smiled wide at the green fields , it had been more than two years since she saw the same in her village. The greens around , the healthy crops and the breeze suddenly calmed her mind. ''You start from there?'' Kaashi guided his daughter

Kaali picked up the sickle and started the job. Till she could recall, she had always worked on fields, sometime for her father or the people for whom her father worked for. Some others worked watched in awe as the young girl went about working double speed. Her arm had power strength more than other around her. but they didn't know that it was years of hard work which had made Kaali physically superior . Kaali finished her job , made her father sit and did his job as well. 

She watched her father with a smile as he thanked the his employer the nth time for the wage  he deserved . She picked her father's stuff as they made there way out. ''It's turning dark , we should start in morning.'' Kashi said.

''baba, I will keep you safe and about me, I won't be visible in the darkness.'' Kashi heard the pain in the pun.

''Do you know that Supreme Mother is called Kaali.'' She is the universe we live in and she is of your colour because she neutralizes all colors. All end in her, she is the purest and above all.'' Kaali smile at her father. ''I am fine baba. I was just a joke.''

Kaali made a make shift bed for her dad and made him lie down. She removed the sickle from her fathers's belongings and sat next to him to guard him.

***

It was near dawn when Kaali heard howling, she opened her eyes to the ones shining in dark. She shook her father, ''baba, wake up.''

Kaashi got up, ''Its a wolf.''

''baba, go up the tree.'' Kaali said. She wasn't worried about herself, she just wanted to keep her father safe. Kaali grabbed her sickle. She looked into the eyes of the predator.   If it was a pack, she would pay attention on leader, but of lone wolf, she was going to try not to kill it. She was going to scare it away and follow her father up the tree.

To her luck, it was lone hungry wold. Kaali tried scaring it away but the animal was hungry. It leaped and Kaali used her sickle with arm beheading the animal. He father watched in awe as his daughter stood over the dead animal not happy with her own deed. But that day, Kashi saw the personification of power and fearlessness in his daughter.

The Sun went up and Kaali stared up the sky, she smiled. The night was over and they would now reach home safely.

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This story is based on a real life brave hearts. I had watched the series as a kid on television. Will detail more in next and final part