'' You need to stop going to her !" Megha screamed. " She is hypnotising you with all of her stupid religious nonsense !"she said as she dumped the banana her mother gave her into the dustbin." Maya you shall not speak a word about her. She is very holy and is worshipped in the whole  town."argued her mother. But Megha had heard enough. She rushed to her hiding spot, a serene place near the banks of her beloved Ganges. She belonged to a very orthodox Hindu family. Her family  worshipped a godess who resided in the body of a woman since the beginning of time itself. Initially, the interruptions were bearable like  a weekly visit and puja (prayer). But over time they became more and more time consuming and horrendous.

Today her mother had brought her back a banana from the Mata (godess ; here referring to that woman) that would keep her virtuous and also gift her a male child in the coming years. Maya had been shocked at their changed mentality and the amount of trust they put in that Mata.

Then again, it was no surprise given the number of hours they had started to spend at her ashram ( a place where devotees  gather to pray and meditate), believing all the superstitions that she fed them.

I have to do something  before it's too late, thought Megha as she looked at the setting sun and made her way home. 

"Oh Megha ! Thank god and Shola Mata you are back, we were about to come looking for you." Megha's mother said as she hugged her tightly. 

"Tomorrow I will visit Shola Mata." Megha declared. Her mother seemed very delighted and clearly agreed to let her go. 

The next day, Megha visited the ashram and boy was she shocked ! 

She came across a huge meadow where people of all ages gathered together and practised Yoga and inside the ashram, she saw young boys and girls debating between the connection of the past and present. Loads of poor people were given shelter in the spare rooms of the ashram. Megha had to agree that she was impressed. 

She bowed reverentially to the Shola Mata and was about to head back when she heard a deep whisper. "Beta,(child) if you don't mind, could you stay back for a bit and help with the puja preparations for tomorrow's fest ?" said the Shola Mata. 

Megha was doubtful at first but finally relented . 

Legends say that you should always follow your intuition, maybe this story might have ended differently if Megha had listened to herself.

The grand fest planned by Shola Mata was indeed VERY GRAND -:  A HUMAN SACRIFICE ! And guess who agreed to sacrifice young Megha? Who else than her own mother !

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