Sati

“Long, long ago, when this universe was very young, there was a set of individuals known as the Prajapatis. They had a responsibility of creating and populating especially our planet-earth- with various species of life. An important task which they successfully completed.”

Just then, my youngest cousin, Anila, shrieked, owing to the beetle that was slowly crawling upon her lap. I moaned at the interruption of my grandma’s story.

“Yes, Anila. That little beetle, right there, descends from a great lineage of Prajapatis.” Avva chuckled as she threw it out the window.

I felt her older brother’s(who was also older than me, BTW) cool ticklish breath in my ear as he whispered, “On this count, I consider their task a smashing success.”

I shoved him gently, laughing.

“Continue please, Avva” pleaded my little sister, Jivita, who was seated comfortably on Anand’s(Anila’s older brother) lap.

“Apart from their busy schedules, Prajapatis also had families at home...wives and little children to look after. One of these Prajapatis was Prajapati Daksha.”

She made us repeat his name in chorus so we wouldn’t forget. She wanted to make sure we never would. Little did I realise why at that time.

“Prajapati Daksha had many beautiful daughters.” she said beaming at us, girls.

“Oh come on, Avva!” Anand whined, “I didn’t sign up for a princess tale.”

“Silence, child! It may not be your valiant princes slashing foes on a war ground but it’s important just the same, so pipe down and listen!”

I stared at Avva in disbelief. She rarely ever got angry. if she got angry, it had to be something reeeaaal baaad!! And I could tell she was almost there because she was shaking and her voice was surprisingly loud. Even Anand piped down as she continued...

“The youngest, and most beautiful daughter was called Sati.”

The name sent shivers down my spine. It tingled in my ears and spun around in a dance-like motion as it made my heart jump and my intestines entangle.

“She was the favourite daughter of Daksha.”

Anila and Jivita , being the youngest themselves, threw Anand and me their ‘sweet little devil’ looks as Avva continued, “But, from childhood, she had strong attraction towards Lord Shiva. A son of Bhrama, the creator, an ascetic of the Kailash mountain who dedicated his life to self realisation.

As time went by, her attraction increased. She became obsessed with the image of serving Shiva as his wife. She began to perform severe penances in order to please him. At this point, her father began to grow worried for a number of reasons, first of which being, that his precious child was performing very difficult penances like fasting from food or water, oblivious to the extreme conditions of weather...all for what? A guy who dressed in tiger-skin and wore snakes and skulls for ornaments, wore the ash of cremation as though it were the most auspicious thing in the world and lived atop a desolate mountain with only ghosts and goblins for associates?

Eventually, Bhrama, the creator, who was a much respected figure in the universe, convinced Daksha to accept the match...if and when it happened.

And it did...a splendid festival was made of Shiva’s wedding. And Sati went to her new home happily, accompanied by all her new subjects, not bothered in the least by their ghastly forms as she doted upon them in the most motherly manner.”

Avva’s eyes were glistening. Was she crying? She quickly wiped her eyes and said, “That’s it for tonight...I’ll continue tomorrow. Good night, childeren.”

“You too, Avva” we whispered back as she kissed each one of us on the forehead.

Fifteen minutes into the night, I found myself tossing and turning because of the sweltering heat. It was about to rain...It was always about to rain if it was this hot. I scratched my back and waited for the shower to cool our room, which it did in another fifteen minutes.

I thought about Avva’s story. The knotts were back in my intestines as I recalled her name. I found that it was still spinning in dance-like motion...I let the coolness of the rain wash over me and stared contemplatively at the ceiling. For the first time, I whispered her name. The familiar tingles ran through my body, and she danced upon my tongue like the strongest sting of my favourite spice-hing(asafoetida).

I had tasted her name on my lips for the first time and was completely enthralled by it - I felt the coolness tuck my tired body in and caress me to sleep. I felt something premonitory in the name. It shook me and gave me immense pleasure at the same time...

"Sati....”