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“I mean, look at you...! A limping jack...!” Cho-den measured Vinit from top to bottom and Vinit gave him a smug smile.

“Exactly...! A limping Jack...! Gathering sympathy..!” he said winking.

“Oh! Just shut up..!” Dho-den was in no mood for any kind of humor.  But then Vinit too was in no mood.  

“Look.. I can make it through Badakhshan Autonomous Province...!” Choden shook his head hopelessly.  Vinit understood his concern.

“I have a diplomatic cause .... I need to meet the President Rahmon of Tajikistan...!” Vinit curled up his lip looking at Cho’s face.  “You are impossible...!” Vinit gave a laugh...and said in a serious tone...! 

“Don’t worry, I will be fine...! Ta Do-ran-sha, Time to move...!” he collected the papers and arranged them in the file neatly and handing it over to Cho-den said..! “Kha-leh Phe, Goodbye...!” Cho-den bowed  “Kha-leh shu!” Vinit gave him a light hug. 

“I owe you a favour...” Vinit said shaking hands.  Cho-den nodded brightly.  “I keep a balance sheet of our favors to each other...!” he said smiling. 

 Time to move indeed....! The route was already fixed in his mind.  He would leave Doilungdeqen, Lhasa, Tibet, enter Bhutan, through Nepal, meeting his friend there and then fly to Tajikistan to meet President Emomalii Rahmon on official duty.  Crossing Afghan border was not an issue.  The Wakhjir pass was closed permanently for regular traffic.  The china border was sealed.  There was virtually no road, the terrain was extremely rugged at almost 14000 feet high in Hindukush mountain ranges...! 

“I am an enthusiast tourist after all...! traveling with Kyrgyzs, the nomads...” he said smiling to himself.  He would stay with the nomadic tribes....! 

********  ******** *********

The tightly enclosed vehicle moved on the rough terrain.  Rini tried to peep out for some direction.  The guard would bang his stick on the enclosure to silence the murmur.    Rini was biding for time.  She didn’t know where they were taking the group.  Suddenly the vehicle stopped and the shutter creaked open.  Rini was blinded with the bright torch light.  “Night time?” she tried to calculate the travel time.... ! 

“Security check...” Rini had a know in her stomach.  She waited for her turn.  She was asked to get down.  She tried to jump faking fright.  A man lifted her.  Others laughed.  She pulled her burkha...! The man took her aside under the pretext of security check trying to touch her private parts.  She remained frozen feeling disgusted.  

“Ok!” she was cleared.  The man again lifted her to keep her in the vehicle... The transportation got clearance.  Everyone took a sigh of relief.  They moved.  

“Where are they taking us?” she asked in a whisper.  “Lahore... and then to the training camp...” someone answered and Rini’s eyes flashed.  She had a chance...! She sat there in the crowd.  Someone nudged her.  She turned to see no one. The vehicle stopped and the murmur grew.  The driver got down and the women at the back tried to peep out.

“Look... Our factory... completely burnt down...Destroyed...” someone said and Rini elbowed her way to the hole.  The factory was brought to ground with loud explosions of chemicals and short circuits did the rest of the things.  Rini pulled the burkha over her head smiling ear to ear....! One down... how many to go? She didn’t know but she was ready....! 

..............  ......

The rituals were never ending.  Dhatri was starving.  Ravi tried to talk to the Pandit.  He refused ...  “You cannot... !” he said sternly.  Ravi repented.  Why did they come here in this ancient family temple? “Destiny...” The old pandit had read Ravi’s mind.  

“Chalo chalo... “ Suddenly the bustle erupted.  Ravi looked on.  Someone pulled up Dhatri who was sitting at the corner, exhausted, tired, hungry...! 

“What? Why?” Ravi could ask.  “Hull Jotana hain...! It starts with ploughing. ... “ Avadhesh pulled Ravi.  He looked at Dhatri helplessly.  She went with the crowd.  

“Carry the plough on your shoulder...Let her sow the seeds...” the old pandit ordered and Ravi gaped at the huge plough.  They moved at the back of the temple.  Ravi gaped at the huge expanse of the plane land.  “Its only symbolic...” The old pandit chuckled looking at Ravi’s ghostly face.  Dhatri somehow had regained her energy and was all enthusiastic about ploughing and sowing...!

“You need to experiment and experience every trade, the people do...” The ceremony went on for hours.  They had to do carpentry, smithy, even had to carry the excreta on their heads...! The Old Pandit kept repeating that it was only symbolic but made them toil like hell ...! Finally they both were asked to take bath in the nearby lake.  By the way, they were asked to do fishing too...! The evening, setting son was mocking at them. Ravi wiped his sweat and Dhatri sat on the floor after her cold water bath.  The wife of Pandit gestured to Kranti and Dhatri was given new fitting wedding lehenga to wear....! 

“Final... Jaymala..” Pandit declared and Ravi and Dhatri exploded.

“Jaymala is over .... in the morning..” They both yelled and the crowd erupted in laughter. 

“Not in the sanctum... Devi Maa will bless the couple...” Old pandit moved into the sanctum... arranging the flowers...! Pin drop silence prevailed.  Most of them didn’t know what was going on.  The couple was made to sit before the idol.  Everyone waited eagerly.  The sanctum filled with the booming sound of the old Pandit chanting mantras.  Dhatri and Ravi’s body blossomed with goosebumps.  They looked at each other and then at the fierce looking idol.  Everyone waiting outside the sanctum with eyes fixed on the idol.  The chanting never stopped.  Almost an hour passed and the flower from the right hand of the idol fell down.... The crowd erupted happily. 

“Boy...! Definitely a boy...!” they all fought to enter into the sanctum.  Ravi gave a blank stare at the Old pandit.  He grinned.  Devi maa has given a go ahead ... you will be blessed with a baby boy soon... he said among the clapping. Ravi’s ears grew red.  He stole a glance at Dhatri.. She was gaping with dropped jaw, like an idiot, stunned, shocked.  

"Jaymala peheno... "Garlands were given.  They garlanded each other mechanically

“Ok..Ok...Humm... have this...” The Pandit brought two glasses of Panchaamrut... made up of Milk, Honey, Sugar, Curd, and ghee...! They both gulped it in no time.

“Finished...?” Dhatri suddenly found her voice booming.  Everyone looked at her.  The old pandit nodded. She got up with a jerk... Ravi ensued.  

“Now you can have food...!” Indroneel said raising his voice and Dhatri turned furiously towards him.  Indroneel ducked and Salil shielded him.

“Dhaa... you must be hungry..” he said chuckling and Dhatri exploded...

“No.  Not at all... I am filled to the full belly... I am burping with satisfaction...” she snapped and burped loudly.

“See? I told you.. she has a good sense of humor..” Salil turned to the crowd and Nilima wiped her eyes happily.  Her daughter was entering a new life with all these people blessing the couple.