Teja had to wake up early.

Can't she sleep peacefully on her own birthday? So sad!

Getting up, she was taken for a haldi bath by the ladies, later dolled up in her mother's designed attire.

Despite being in South for a short time, her mother has got a liking towards their customs & costumes. So what she's a Kashmiri, she sees no cultural barriers to adopt every ritual having a scientific meaning behind, like the haldi bath, an antiseptic also gives a clear skin.

Beautifully accoutred, Teja took blessings of all her elders & went to Raiza's, as it is the festival day, they are preparing to visit temple together.

Chaya & Sekhar already left with her grandparents before telling her to hurry up Nandana & Adhvik as they are leaving early.

She first went to Nandana, who's in the restroom taking bath so made her way to Adhvik's room.

Knocking thrice & getting no response, she slowly opened the door to see it unlocked. When she stepped in, it was all black & so cool.

She didn't even have her phone & in that darkness she couldn't find the switch board when she saw shades of light through the window crevices.

The sun is about to rise.

Immediately she easily went there to open them as she's familiar with their locations but the bolt was tight & high too. She had to jump a few times & push it down to finally open the wooden windows.

She's surprised to see Adhvik when she turned back, holding his forehead.

He seemed drowsy & ruffled.

"He's still sleeping. Even I want too", she thought looking at the bed in longing.

She informed him whatever she's asked to & left immediately.

20 minutes later, she started with her family to the temple.

Today is a bit more special.

She was born on the day of Vijaya dashami & after 21 years her birthday coincided with the festival again. Like on her every birthday, there would be Puja along with charity to orphanages & a grand feast.

The temple premises were yet to be hustled with devotees as they arrived before for the Puja.

"Girls you have a surprise", Ajay told Teja & Nandana as soon as they got out of the car.

"Birthday mera hein surprise mujhe milna chahiye. Isko kyun?", Teja frowned. She wouldn't compromise on her special day.

Nandana slapped her arm earning a glare from her when they heard a voice, "Baath tho sahi hein"

Their mutual glares turned into happiness as they recognised the voice & saw the person before reaching & hugging her tightly.

"Ma"

"Lalli"

Lalitha laughingly embraces them. She missed these two girls very bad.

"Aap kab aye ho?" " Thum kab ayi ho?"

"Vacation sirf apke liye mere liye nai hein? Mein bhi apni ammi abbu ke saath holidays manane aayi hu", she replies looking at her parents & wishes to Teja.

"Woah matlab next 3 din hum Dhoom machayenge", Teja squeals excitedly. Lalitha is just like her a happy soul at times.

"Dhoom machale dhoom machale dhoom", Lalitha sings only to get tapped by her mother, Chaya.

"Kya kar rahe ho Lalitha? Mandir hein"

Lalitha scowls, "Ma mere bache khade hein atleast unke saamne math Karo"

"Khud bachi ki tarah peshti ho tho hum kya kare?", Chaya scowls at her.

The girls laugh while Adhvik hugs his mother. Though crazy with this particular person, she's his lovely woman. Lalitha's visit is a surprise to everyone except her parents so she greets every member of their families & proceed inside the Mandir.

Vijay's brother has arranged everything so they quickly completed the rites & settled before the Havan.

The Verma & Raiza elders sat opposite to each other beginning the holy fire,
Teja is in between her parents with Eshal & her cousins behind. On the other side, Nandu is sitting in between Adhvik & Lalitha with Ajay & his wife behind.

Few minutes pass by & Teja felt sleepy. She had to sit in the first row because of her birthday, if she's at last she would have slept for sometime.

She tried to stay awake, but her eyes are just not listening to her. They are shutting down.

She tried, tried tried & then slowly leaned aside for support which her father provided gladly, welcoming her peaceful world.

Eshal nudged her from behind to wake her but Vijay's one look & she stopped.

He affectionately soothed her hair & immersed himself in Puja besides fulfilling the father's role.

It was one hour later, she woke up for Prasad which she happily had.

What? That was tasty!

They stand praying to the Havan while the gents went to distribute the Prasad, the ladies stay at the Mandap.

_

_

Vijay takes Teja to meet Acharya, the head priest of the temple, who has been a family philosopher & oracle to them since his childhood.

He's the one who predicted that a girl child would soon bless their family who brings fortune to them. Like he said, Vijay got promoted, his family expanded the business internationally, acquired the mines and a whole lot.

His family believes in good times & good omens though he's a rational man but when it comes to his daughter, he just owns them. If that thing does good to her. Why not?

Acharya, an 80 year old scholar, warmly greeted him & Teja touched his feet as respect. He blessed her with heart & patted her head affectionately. She went back to her mother while Vijay stayed to know about his prophesy for her future just like every year.

_

_

Eshal calls Teja as soon as she came back, "Haath dikha" ,& ties her a pearl chain made of small american pearls & gold.

It was simple but attractive that Teja liked it instantly.

"Wow Mami. It's so good",she smiled at the wristlet. "For the time being keep it as a brace. Happy Birthday", Eshal wishes her warmly.

Teja hugs her with a huge smile & their grandmothers take them to a white metal cage to lock their wishes.

"Lalli mera gift kaha hein?", Teja asks having finished locking.

Before Lalitha responds, Eshal chides, "Bunny thum aise kyun puch rahe ho?"

Teja looks at her confused, "Meine kya pucha mami. I want to know what Lalli is giving me this year", she completes with an excited smile looking at Lalitha.

"Wahi..aise puchna achi baath nai hotha hein.Logonko bura lagega.If you want anything tell me.Ok?", Eshal smoothly tells her which Teja didn't get a bit but Lalitha understood perfectly.

"Meri beti mujhse gift mangegi tho mujhe bura kyun lagega Eshal?", Lalitha counters stressing on "Meri".

"Bunny tera gift car mein hein. Mein ghar jaathe hi tujhe de dungi.", she enhances her curiosity, "And that is a surprise waiting"

Teja is beyond excited because Lalitha's gifts are thoughtful & entertaining.

"Mujhe abhi chahiye",she whines.

"Bunny wait for sometime. What's the hurry?",Eshal says somewhat disliking the idea of Lalitha gifting.

"Na Mami.", Teja lunges at Lalitha,"Mein abhi jake check karungi. Please. Please"

Lalitha couldn't turn down her request & the excitement, she smiles & Teja is already on her way.

She's running when Lalitha shouts at her back, "Peeche hein blue color wala"

Teja is too excited bolting towards the exit, trying not to bump with the devotees when she heard her name being called.

She momentarily turns her head while running when she hardly bumped with Adhvik.

The impact was such he fell on the ground with her on him & as they were at the platform of the igneous steps leading to the consecrated temple pond, they started rolling down.

Teja couldn't even sense what was happening, she just clutched his shirt with both her palms with closed eyes.

He isn't able to control the accidental deed either so he did the only thing he could, he immediately put his arm around her back & her neck safeguarding her from the rocky steps.

There were almost 15 steps as they rolled down & down with him enclosing her until they fell in the water with a splash.

He is still holding her but he realised because of his weight, they were drowning more, so he quickly released her but held her hand.

The water counteracted the impact of the fall & it took him few seconds to halt & bring himself up.

Tightly holding her hand, he swims up bringing her with him. It was a hard task but he did it nonetheless.

As soon as he raised in the waters, he strongly pulled her & held her through back leaving her hand.

She took a deep throaty breath before leaning on his chest as he balances both of them amidst the green waters, scattered with flowers.

Just a while ago, the priests offered morning prayers to the consecrated pond and as it's festival time it was full of rose petals & diyas.

The few minutes were accidental & unexpected that the first thing they thought was survival.

His hold is secure enough to stabilize both of them & she took her time to steady herself. He didn't talk or ask as he heard her short breathes, slightly leaning on his chest & unconsciously clutching his red kurta under the waters.

She moved back a little & looked at him, notifying they could make their way out now, but he still held her.

Swimming apart is fast & better but his hold on her back said instead.

So she helped him by stroking with her left arm, him with his right as they both swam reaching to the higher step.

He held her waist & made her sit on the step while he stood in the waters with both of his arms on either side of her.

Teja seemed weak. Lack of sleep, running, the fall, rolling & swimming adding to the list, her dress, all of it weighed her down.

Closing her eyes, she lowered her face relaxing a bit.

She just needed some peaceful sleep in comfortable clothes on her soft bed.

"Ok?",he then asked her calmly without any panic.

She held the edges of the step & looked into his eyes, their wet hair clinging onto their faces, &  slightly nodded.

When she noticed the red mark on his temple, she realized he was hurt. He might have got it when they were falling down.

"Chot lag gayi", she tells him who seemed not to know until she informed him.

Forgetting her own exhaustion, she quickly takes the water in her palm & washes the would. Looks like a deep cut as the blood is still oozing.

She dips her already wet plain end of the Half Sari & puts on his wound as he stands there with closed eyes, his arms on either side of her.

Few seconds later, the blood stops oozing but the would is still red,

"First aid karna hein. Ghar jaathe hi karungi", she reminds herself & to him.

Nodding, he comes out & she also stood to go back taking her legs from the waters.

Looking at the sacred pond, he closes his eyes & folds his arms, praying to the holiness.

However it might be, they did take a bath in the consecrated waters which is believed to be a good omen.

She also does the same & when they both finish, he's about to turn back when  he noticed her wet dishelved clothes.

There's nothing obscene but still she could adjust them.

And one stern look from him, she clearly understood what he's saying.

He ascended few steps & turned his back covering her from before while she quickly smoothens her half saree.

"We can go now", she hints calmly & he nods.

They both climb the stairs simultaneously without looking at each other.

By the time, the ladies were also at the foyer as Nandana informed them, she was the one who called her when she was running causing her to fall. Seeing her state, they panicked.

Teja leaves no chance for them to be peaceful.

Adhvik leaves from there without a second look, seeing her family surrounding her.

Geetha dries her arms, hair, dress with a hand towel as much as she can when Haniya noticed again,

"Thumhara chain kaha gayi?"

And this  time Teja noticed her hand which didn't have the pearl chain Eshal gifted her.

"You lost this one too. Hey Bhagwan!", Haniya holds her head fed up with her.

Eshal checks her dress to see whether it was stuck somewhere, "Meine tho abhi Diya hein"

"Mujhe nai pata", Teja mumbles really not aware of it.

"Acharya Ji se Puja karwake diye the. Bhagwan ka ashirwad hein.", Eshal feels sad.

"Didi maybe it was in the pond. I will ask the children to search for it", Haniya eases her.

While Teja pouts looking down because this time she truly lost it. Why she has to miss it? She made her sad. Again.

And a second later she felt something around her neck & also heard a gasp, as her face is lowered she saw it as the pearl chain her mami gifted.

Frowning, she looked up to see Adhvik.

He wore it on her & casually went away ruffling his wet hair.

Noticing a chain hanging on his kurta, he came back to give it to her as he saw Eshal tying it on her.

She just stared at him & the chain.

Not knowing what to make from it, she looked at the ladies & concluded they were as naive as her.

"Thank God milgayi. Ab tho ache se rakhlo aur chalo thum pura bheeg chuki ho. Fir nahna padega. Eshal, Haniya hame late ho rahe hein Lunch keliye. Let's go"

Geetha divert their minds implying that wasn't anything big & takes everyone out.

She decided not to give it a thought as  Teja & Nandu grew up together so he would have this rapport just like Vittal though he barely shows. But deeply, even she's surprised at his action.

While Teja nodded like a doll, too stunned to react.

_

_

"Aj Tejasswi ki Ikkiswa janamdin hein aur tyohar bhi. Sab acha rahe", Vijay wishes thinking about his daughter.

"Ikkis saal baad uska janmadin fir Vijaydashmi pe aayi.Iska ek kaaran hein. Uska tadkeer badalnewala hein.", Acharya kindly tells him.

"Matlab?"

"Iss saal uske liye bahot acha hoga. Jaha wo kadam rakthi hein, waha khushiyan, sampatti hogi. Wo jagah sukh shanti se bhar jayega.", Vijay smiles until,"Par ek bada sangharshn bhi usse sehna padega"

He frowns, "Uska tabiyat..?"

"Sab acha rahega", the Acharya affirms that there's no issue regarding her health.

"Vijay aapka sahara chahiye apni beti ko. Unki saath hi reh. ", he warmly tells him.

"Hamesha", Vijay reaffirms.

"Vijayibhava", Acharya dismisses him & he leaves from there with strong determination that he would do anything to protect his daughter.

One of his disciples ask Acharya, "Acharya aapne kaha unki beti ki zindagi mein sangharshan hoga kya wo rokpayega?"

"Nahi rokpayega.", Acharya reveals with a kind smile, "Unki beti ki sangharshan unhike saath hone wale hein.", he closed his eyes looking at the sky, "Daivecha!"

The disciple understood why he told Vijay to not leave his daughter no matter what. Wise men ...wise thoughts.

Picture tho abhi baaki hein mera dosth...

Well..?!.