Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion

Designing her own destiny

The Present Era:

Dharma drew the line of the letter to a curve with the tip of her pen and studied the strokes with critical eyes, all the while chewing the ends of her short strands that touched her chin.

"Hey, that is some great calligraphy but do you mind finishing this assignment quickly? Or we will have to stay back for another hour," Dharma's closest friend Kamya aired her irritation in a sharp warning.

"Yeah, I am almost done."

Dharma was more interested in pen-script than finishing the lesson. She disliked these lessons on logic and philosophy but she loved to put her inherent artistic skills to use. She was glad that the last year of graduation was almost coming to an end. One more month and then the final exam! At last, she would be done with her studies and assignments. Right from the day she was enrolled in school by her mentor Jaydev Mohan, she developed a dislike for classroom studying. Jaydev's wife Ambika used to say that Dharma's aversion to school was rooted in the circumstances surrounding her joining. When Dharma joined the school in Mohandham, she had been older than her classmates by two to three years and despite the seniority, she had lagged in her understanding of the subject. Hence, she had been teased and pushed around by some of her classmates. Later, the demise of Jaydev shocked her and her lack of interest in studies compelled Ambika to urge her to finish graduation so that she would be prepared for life's opportunities. So here she was, struggling to finish her degree at the age of twenty-four while her peers had gone ahead to join masters or find employment in bigger cities. Dharma's primary interest lay in sketching, designing, stitching, and making dresses. She hoped that after graduation, she would find a job in a design studio. The only problem was that there were many more girls in the community who wanted to pursue design and they were doing much better than her. They worked with the small unit of weaving in the township and created their own designs.

The distance education classes were conducted by the University in Parijatpur town and once a week Dharma and her friend travelled to the town center from Mohandham to attend classes.

"Have you decided on your dress for the show on Founders Day?" Kamya asked her with interest.

"Gosh! No, not yet. I don't know what I am going to do."

"There is time, but start planning quickly ..."

While they waited for the bus to arrive, Kamya sauntered across the road to a vendor to buy a plate of fruit chaat.

"Hi!" Someone greeted her from behind and Dharma swung around. She was surprised to find Brahim with a sheepish grin on his face,

"Brahim, what are you doing here?"

Dharma and Brahim began their life in the township around the same time. So, they bonded instantaneously as newcomers to the campus. Brahim was shy and hence he didn't mingle much.

"I thought I would browse the weekly market for some good shirts to wear for the event."

"Oh yes! The founders' day..."

"Yeah, have you prepared your costume for the show?" Brahim asked, echoing Kamya's earlier query.

"I have no clue. What am I going to do Brahim? How can I come up with a unique idea in such a short time?" Dharma fretted, not aware that her eyes had turned a shade darker.

"Hey Brahim, are you stalking us?" Kamya returned with the plate of snacks and questioned Brahim in miffed suspicion.

To Dharma's surprise, Brahim stuttered in embarrassment, "Of course not..... I just came to buy a shirt."

"Aww...You should have asked our designer here to pick one for you," Kamya nudged Dharma with a teasing look.

Blushing and turning his face away, Brahim grabbed the handle of his scooter. Feeling sorry for him, Dharma asked, "Brahim, do you want me to select a shirt for you?"