Hi friends .. again I am late .. wat to do .. I am just like this.. any way here U go with d next update
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Part 19: Death of a Priest
"Are you the priest of Gobardhan Temple? Shantanu?"
Shantanu turned to discover the source of the voice. A man with perfect physic and beautiful eyes were standing there.
"Namastey, I am Maanendra, coming from Madanmohan temple on your search."
Maan was on his way to Gobardhan temple. He has come distance of two days. Gobardhan temple was a distance of half day but as it was night and he had to take refuge in an inn. It was there he found Shantanu. He has never seen Shantanu but he knew he is identical with Prince Swayam. At first instant he thought him the prince but his mind corrected him before he could react. Shantanu used to look exactly like Swayam, same eyes, same smile. He didn't have the royal aura in him but there was a natural glow of dignity. Shantanu was astonished hearing his name from a complete stranger. Anyone who knows he is a priest won't call him with his name. But the man certainly doesn't belong to any other religion than Hindu, his attire can be a testimony. He returned greetings and agreed,"Yes I am Shantanu. I used to be priest of Gobardhan Temple." Shantanu replied with calm smile.
"Oh God thank you. I will be always grateful to you for this."Maan thanked God. Shantanu is alive.. this was what he wanted to believe but couldn't. But God admitted his silent prayer rather say his unspoken wish. "I am coming from Madanmohan Temple on your search."Shantanu frowned but the mention of Madanmohan temple made him curious at once. "I will tell you everything later. But I was told you are dead in attack. How did you survive?"they sat on a couch, Shantanu explained the incident."Strange its odd that the messenger skipped this last part,"exclaimed Maan.
"Stranger is the thing that Hussen Shah, who is known for secularism in Bengal, why he is attacking and destroying Hindu temples here. His respect for Chaitanya Dev is not fake, it has so many testimonials then why he is behaving like a looter here?"Shantanu mumbled in a low voice.
"May be because he is a king and only a king. He has nothing to do with any religion neither his nor others'. He is a good politician who thinks about only his men.. nothing more nothing less."
Shantanu was hearing with knotted brows. His expression changed with Maan's answers. He nodded."Hmm .. for being a good emperor being good human is not enough always. But who are you? You don't sound like an uneducated sculptor."
"I never said I have no education."
Shantanu was surprised. In this society where people belong to higher cast also has no education only superstition and illiteracy is enlarging its tentacles, how an ordinary sculptor can have education. But without education how can a person be so logical and fearless. He didn't ask anything but his face expressed his question. Maan smiled and gave his introduction in detail. Shantanu was delighted. In this dark era it was rare that two men with the light of knowledge, with the open views and spirit of new ideology met and shared their thought. This night was such an unusual night. Maanendra and Shantanu talked for long. It was almost the end of night when Maan asked, "So are you going to start your journey to King's place from tomorrow?"
"Yes. I am already late for two days. I had to do many funerals. The king is waiting for me."
"Yes he is."Maan said in a meaningful tone. "He needs you. But go to Madanmohan temple for once after that. There someone is dying for you."Maan said with a beautiful smile and Shantanu's eyes replied him without a single word in use.
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Maan could have return to Madanmohan temple, he wanted so still he couldn't stop himself from visiting abandoned Gobardhan temple. It was bigger, much bigger than Madanmohan temple. In temple arena there are so many small temples. Most of them are bearing the marks of recent attack. Maanendra was standing in the middle of the vast architecture, what was full of life and spiritual illusion before some days, is only a memorial of old days now. Broken pieces of stone deities and stain of blood was revealing only one truth in front of Maanendra, God never fights for human.. they are not bothered about human affairs, not even if his place is destroyed. He has left human being to live and win their own fate but human has chosen the shortcut of worshiping God and expecting for his/her miracle every moment. But more than the destruction of a religious place what hurting Maanendra most was the destruction of art and a brilliant architecture. Maanendra felt a pang in his heart. Most of the impeccable artistic work of India has been done attached with religious monuments, temples or monastery only. And until religious brawls come to an end art will be the victim.
Maan was coming out of the temple when he found his guard, riding on horse, coming towards him with speed of storm. His attire, hair was covered with dust clearly showing he has skipped rests for reaching him. He even skipped the formal gritting before talking and said in between panting, "Are you safe your honor? I am told your life is in danger."
"Who said this?" Maan asked frowning.
"Rajlaxmi ji."
"Rajlaxmi?"Maan was trying to reason out everything when a chopper fell near his feet. No matter how philosophical and passionate he is about his job, has the blood of Kshatriya, he smelled danger and in a minute he rode on his horse and instructed his guard to do so. But before he could move another weapon came flying. This time it's an arrow. But fortunately it was again a miss. He knew this attack is not coming from a royal soldier, their style of attack and weapons saying it. It was more like a group of robbers. It was usual in those days but they attack in outside of locality. Maanendra got ready with his sword. Yes he was right a group of rustic people coming towards him with sharp weapons. But what surprised him more was the fact that he has seen him before in Madanmohan temple. They are not robbers but common citizen. His mind worked fast and a name came in his lips,"Devdutt."The next moment he ordered his guard to take care of these men and rode on his horse. 'Geet is in danger'his mind stopped working. Maan's guard tried to stop Devdutt's men alone but some of them followed Maan and in a certain place they encircled him. The place was behind the temple, a jungle near Bramhani river.. the same river which is flowing beside Madanmohan temple. Maan had no way but defending himself with his sword. No matter he is brave but burglars were also notorious and they were attacking in a group of four. It was getting bloody when an unexpected voice interfered.
"Leave him .."attackers stopped hearing Devdutt's voice. They moved from the place but didn't go far from Devdutt, just stood keeping a difference.
Maanendra and Devdutt stood facing each other. Maan was wounded; sign of sword cut could be clearly seen on his chest and back. Blood, mud and an unusual anger in his eyes, holding blood stained sword in his hand.. Maanendra wasn't the same Maanendra whom Devdutt has seen before. Devdutt's condition was no better. The last bit of his Godlike aura has left him leaving only a ghost like man. His eyes could anyone convince that he is a dead man coming out of his grave. He has covered the path f two and half days in one day, omitting meals, sleep and rest from his dictionary. Before his men can kill him, he had to meet Maanendra once. His death could only complete his revenge but it wasn't enough for comforting his burning soul. Not his corpse but his shattered form could give him satisfaction.
"What you have done with Geet?"Maan asked.
Devdutt didn't reply instead his moved from Maan to his sword and then to Maan again meaningfully. Maan threw his sword away. Arms in one's hand don't let a conversation remain a conversation and most of the time it remain incomplete. Maan's rage was strong but not stronger than his mind. He would never react before he hear. Keeping the arm aside wasn't for Devdutt, it was for own good.
Maan repeated his question,"Where is Geet?"
Devdutt smirked, "I must admit Maanendra you are intelligent. Even before knowing anything you guesses it is about Geet.. no not Geet, Geetasri, my Geetasri."Devdutt gave a pause to check Maan's reaction but Maan had no reaction except a piercing glance in his eyes. His jaw was tightened but his calm was yet not interrupted. Devdutt's effort to claim over Geet in his speech didn't affect Maan much as he knew to whom she belongs very well. "yes she has become mine, she has accepted my love and right over her. Her dedication is only for me now. So there is no place for you in her life. Do you get it?"
"Mighty priest of Madanmohan temple, man of honor, telling such filthy lies in the name of a woman .. can one defeat affect someone so badly? Devdutt you can speak a thousand lie about Geet, you can't change the truth.. that she loves me."
"I have killed your love." Devdutt screamed like mad. "I have killed her. With my own hands I have killed your, no, not your, my love. I killed her because of you. If she is not mine then she is not anyone else's. I couldn't let you to win on me. You are a mere sculptor, you can't defeat me."
"A man who once guided some mugger to a better life, is dragging them back to same profession for his self interest.. what is the need of a second person for his defeat?"
Devdutt wanted to see Maan broken, crying, screaming, howling in pain and anger in front of him. He wanted a reaction to satisfy his ego, he was searching for peace in his tears. But neither of his lies could break his calm.
"I don't care.She is dead and so her love. You two can never be together. You took her away from me, I did the same with you. Your love story has been finished, as dead as your sculptors."
"you think so Devdutt? If it is so easy to separate two souls that means they are not in love. Finishing our story is not in your hand any more. You can destroy everything Devdutt, you can even kill me, you can kill her ... but our love.. it has taken us in such a place in such a height, that no human being can touch us.. My art, my sculpture has immortalized us... Human race will witness them even after ages. Our story is written on the eternal time. You have to bend yourself in front of us... even if you don't want. And the day will come very soon" Maan replied in a low voice but his voice was firm, not a single hint of fear or confusion was intended.
Devdutt didn't know how to react. He tried to ignore Maan's words as meaningless brandishing but Maanenra's calm confidence was killing him. How on earth he has that control on him when his wife's killer is standing in front of her.
"Are you a human of blood and flesh or not? I am accepting I have murdered your wife, why don't you attack me? Before my men can reach me your sword can bring out my last breathe, then why not?"
"Because, you want me to do so. Devdutt, I know just like your first statement second one is a lie. If it was truth then the first lie wouldn't come from you. But I know something has happened with her. And I will find her even from the land of Gods if needed but your death is not your punishment. Your punishment is back in your place waiting for you, your punishment is in Rajlaxmi's eyes, your punishment is in Geet's hatred, your punishment is in my work, your punishment is your life. You can't get mercy of death easily."
Devdutt didn't stay there for a single moment more. He couldn't. He was ready for a many things, even for death but not this. He reached his horse somehow with his quaky feet and left the place signaling his men to attack again.
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It was the same room, "Natmancha" of Radha-Madhab temple, Devdutt was staring at his own shadow, longer than himself, standing there broken and devastated. Man can even live with his hurt, guilt or regrets but living with defeat is almost impossible. Devdutt was only an example. Yes his thought has taken a guilt trip thinking the monster he has became that night.. that he made Geetasri take that drastic step of giving her life, thinking he wasn't that evil to force himself on her, no way, it was just to convince her, to exhibit his zeal, may be to scare her .. but these guilt trip was just a side ally of his thinking while his thoughts only taking him back to the square one where his defeat was mocking him. Geetasri's death marked the triumph of vulnerability over mighty and that the worst possible defeat he could have. She won losing everything and he just lost. Maanendra was right; somewhere in his subconscious he wanted to be killed by him. It could be a consolation, that he has turned Maanendra a murderer rather say a sinner just like him. If his own death could make him the winner of this game, he would have died happily but even death can't help him now. A rage was blazing up inside inciting him to destroy everything. Maanendra's words were hitting in his brain. "My art, my sculpture has immortalized us" .. "Art sculpture huh .. I won't let any of them survive. I will demolish everything that says Maanendra and Geetasri were together, not in life, not in inanimate structures .. nowhere Geetasri will be with Maanendra. I will erase everything that carries their memory." He looked upwards, he looked aside. Every hook and corner talks about them only. Every sculpture in the room, every structure had the touch of Maanendra. They all speak about their story. If they were living being Devdutt would have seal their mouth but this lifeless objects aren't afraid to speak truth. Devdutt felt suffocated as if the room is coming to swallow him. He came out. The whole temple is bearing the art works by Maanendra and each of them is like their reflection, so much in love and life. Geetasri in Maanendra's arm Geetasri talking with Maanendra, Geetasri kissing Maanendra, Geetasri .. "nooo" he shouted. "I won't let you win Maanendra." He mumbled while searching for something. After roaming aimlessly he found a pole and came back to the same place, started hitting the figure on the wall with it. With all his power he hit the stony wall of temple. It damaged the sculpture partially. Devdutt was not left with much energy. But he didn't stop. He attacked another statue. Like a sadistic killer he assailed those figurines. His body was unable to take any more labor. Exhausted his hand stopped working. But still there are hundreds may be thousand of sculptures to spread Maanendra and Geetasri's story. He looked at the lonely temple. It seemed a thousand of inert statues are mocking him. He could hear their giggle. They resembled to Geetasri's laughter. He hold his ears and entered the store room of temple. Barrels of oil were there in store for upcoming event, "Raspurnima". In a push, oil spread everywhere in the temple. It was evening. The last bell of evening aarti has stopped chiming just a moment ago, everyone from Madanmohan Temple witnessed an omnivorous fire blazing up and consuming Radha Madhab temple inside it.
Devdutt rooted there to witness the death of the temple, the art, the stories it has in it, to see everything turning into ash and getting lost in the dark smoke forever. His eyes burned in the heat of horrible fire but his mind wasn't affected a little. People from near by come to pour water, he remain immobilized. Whole night he stood there without blinking his eye lash for once.The fire gradually took a shape of Chitah in front of his red wet eyes but not the chitah of someone's story but of a priest .. who resembles with him, the alive body standing beside the temple like an inert witness.
Precap: Re-Union
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well everyone wanted to bring Geet out of water but I guess she have to be there for some more days😆.. but this time not for a long time .. as I know everyone is upset with me for late update n that too a short one but the next update will come by the end of this week or the beginning of next week .. well this time it is sure as I am already working on it .. wanted to post these two together but some edit issue came and I decided to give it first .. anyway though it's a short update I want reviews from all of you .. this story has only 2 updates more .. so all d readers who do comment n all the silent readers
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