Mangalsutra and the Letter

6 months ago

Anjali

@MissWow

The sun beat down on the excavation site, casting a golden glow over the dusty terrain. Arnav's team had been digging for hours, their shovels and pickaxes striking the earth with a rhythmic intensity.

As they dug deeper, they stumbled upon a small stone slab, partially buried in the earth. The team's excitement grew as they anticipated to find something that would add to the rare collections of their department.

But as they attempted to lift the slab, they were met with resistance. The earth seemed to be holding onto it, refusing to yield its secrets. The team members strained and grunted, their faces red with exertion, but the small tiny slab wouldn't budge.

"Arnav, sir, we need your help," one of the team members called out, wiping the sweat from his brow. "We can't seem to lift this thing."

Arnav walked over to the slab, his eyes scanning the area. He noticed that the earth around the slab seemed to be undisturbed, as if it had been deliberately sealed.

"Let me try," Arnav said, his voice calm and measured. He positioned himself beside the slab, his hands grasping the edge. As he lifted, he felt a strange sensation, as if the earth itself was yielding to him.

The slab slowly began to rise, revealing a hidden chamber beneath. Arnav's team cheered as he stepped back, his eyes fixed on the opening.

But Arnav's excitement was tempered by a sense of uneasiness. He felt as though he had uncovered something that was meant to remain hidden, something that was sacred.As he carefully brushed away the dirt from a recently exposed layer, his heart skipped a beat.

Before him lay a glint of gold, partially buried in the earth. Arnav's hands trembled with excitement as he gently uncovered the artifact. It was an ancient mangalsutra, its intricate designs and patterns a testament to the craftsmanship of a bygone era.

As Arnav touched the mangalsutra, he felt an inexplicable connection to it. It was as if the artifact had awakened a deep memory within him, a memory that he couldn't quite grasp. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he turned the mangalsutra over in his hands, studying it intently.

He continues to examine the mangalsutra, starts to feel a strange, unsettling sensation. It's as if the artifact is stirring up memories that aren't his own, memories that belong to someone else.

Arnav's eyes glazed over, his mind suddenly transported to a different time and place. He saw a woman, her face blurry, but her eyes shining with determination. She was holding the same managlsutra, her hand extended.

The man's face was also blurry, but Arnav could sense his anguish, his horror. The man was inside a jail. The woman's words were indistinct, but Arnav felt the weight of her emotions, the depth of her conviction.

As the vision faded, Arnav was left feeling shaken, disturbed. He couldn't explain what he had just seen, or why it had felt so real. The image was fleeting, but it left Arnav feeling shaken. He couldn't explain why he had seen the woman and the man, or why the mangalsutra seemed to hold such significance. But as he looked down at the artifact in his hand, he felt a strange connection to it, as if it held secrets and stories that only he could hear.

Arnav's team was staring at him, concern etched on their faces. "Arnav, sir, are you okay?" one of them asked again.

Arnav took a deep breath, trying to shake off the feeling of unease. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Just...just give me a minute."

As his team nodded and backed away, Arnav was left alone with his thoughts, the mangalsutra still clutched in his hand. He carefully packs the mangalsutra. He continued to excavate the site, he stumbled upon a small, intricately carved stone box inside the half fallen wall of the temple. It looked like it had been undisturbed for centuries.

Arnav's heart racing with excitement, he carefully opened the box, breaking the seal made of mud and herbs. Inside, he found a yellowed letter, folded and tied with a faded thread.He untied the thread and unfolded the letter. It read

My dearest Kamala,

I could not hold back from writing this letter to you. I remember the day we first met, the way my heart skipped a beat when I saw you. I remember the way you smiled at me, the way your eyes sparkled with mischief. The song you sang.

I know that I may never see you again. But I want you to know that you will always be with me, in my heart, in my thoughts. You are my everything, Kamala. You are my second priority right after my first priority Azadi.

I promise you, Kamala, that I will never forget you. I will carry you with me always, in my heart, in my thoughts. And I know that one day, we will be together again, in a free India, where we can love each other without fear of persecution.

And the answer you needed.

I cant see you as anyone's wife let alone Raghav. The moment we got engaged I have considered you mine, only mine.

Yours and only Yours

Adithya Raghunath Shanubhag

Arnav finishes reading the letter, he feels a deep sense of connection to Aditya and Kamala's story. He looks up, lost in thought, and notices his team watching him with curiosity. The he sensed he had tears running down his cheek all this while when he was reading this letter.

"Arnav, sir, what's wrong?" one of them asks.

Arnav hesitates, unsure how to share the emotions that are swirling inside him. "It's just...this letter," he says, holding up the parchment. "It's a love letter, written by probably a freedom fighter named Aditya."

His team gathers around, intrigued, and Arnav begins to read the letter a loud. They appriciated the love that guy Adithya had for Azadi. Keeping his fiancee as a second priority.

Arnav's hands trembled as he carefully placed the letter back in the stone box. He stood up, brushing off the dirt from his pants, Arnav couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. The mangalsutra and the letter had awakened something within him, a sense of connection to the past that he couldn't explain.

He looked around, feeling a bit disoriented. His team was watching him, concerned expressions on their faces. He was the liveliest person on such abandoned sites and today he was so different. His team was worried to see him like that

"Arnav, sir, are you okay?" one of them asked.

Arnav nodded, trying to compose himself. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just...just need some time to process this."

His team nodded, but their concerned expressions lingered. They had never seen Arnav like this before. He was always the one who brought energy and enthusiasm to their excavations, but today he seemed...haunted.

"Sir, maybe we should take a break," one of his team members suggested. "We can come back to this tomorrow."

Arnav hesitated, unsure if he was ready to leave the site. But as he looked down at the mangalsutra still clutched in his hand, he knew he needed some time to clear his head.

"Yeah, okay," he said finally, tucking the mangalsutra into his pocket. "Let's pack up and head back."

Arnav walked back to his car, the mangalsutra and the small stone box with that love letter weighed heavily in his hand. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he had uncovered something special. He drove back to his office in silence, lost in thought. The images of man and woman lingered in his mind, and he couldn't help but wonder why those flashes came when he touched that mangalsutra.

Back in his home he sat at his desk, staring blankly at the wall, Arnav felt a sense of restlessness. He couldn't concentrate on his work, and his mind kept wandering back to the mangalsutra and the letter he had uncovered today.