Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion

Kaal - A link

William Shakespeare wrote in his play, Hamlet; "There are more things between heaven and earth than you have dreamt of in your philosophy Horatio..."

The famous phrase is so enigmatic...This chapter is closely related to this philosophy.

The Present Era:

Dharma and Brahim celebrated Kamya's birthday with cake, candles and gifts. They ordered Pizzas and coke and after the cake-cutting, Brahim surprised the girls with a bottle of red wine. In Mohandham, the hostelers would occasionally sneak a bottle of beer or vodka or rum into the campus. Brahim, Kamya or Dharma had never done that but they had been part of groups who had hosted secret parties for friends' birthdays.

When an astounded Kamya commented on the wine, Brahim quipped, "Yes, I have to impress my badass critic, or she would not let me continue my friendship with our common friend," not specifying who was the critic and who was the common friend here.

Dharma espied Kamya's face falling slightly at his words but the latter masked her disappointment well, "So you are doing this to impress Dharma!"

Brahim shrugged and raised a toast...

They sat on the floor of Brahim's small flat; chatting, munching and sipping wine. Kamya opened Dharma's gift first. There was a top in Kamya's favourite colour, a matching purse and a bottle of perfume.

"Oh god Dharma, so many gifts!" an exultant Kamya reached out to Dharma with a heart-felt warm hug. She was touched by Dharma's thoughtfulness.

Kamya then unwrapped Brahim's gift box. Dharma was curious too. When Kamya peeled off the last layer of the wrap, she gasped with pleasure, her face beaming in happiness. It was a beautiful shawl of the same colour and design that Kamya lost years ago on a trip to Bilaspur. Dharma remembered that a bunch of them had gone on a monthly trip to Bilaspur and Kamya had misplaced her favourite shawl inside the bus. She had been whining and fretting about it for many months.

Kamya rushed to Brahim, clasped both her hands around his neck and dropped a quick kiss on his cheek. Brahim's face turned red. His gaze dropped, valiantly trying to veil his feelings from Dharma and Kamya.

It dawned on Dharma then that her best friend, Brahim carried feelings for Kamya. Dharma started to recall various instances when he had tried to please Kamya, or follow them to Parijatpur or get upset when Kamya had been scathing to him. Dharma reflected on several incidents during their growing-up years when he had tried to impress her friend. The inkling of a suspicion burgeoned to a certainty when he drew away from Kamya and strode into the kitchen, turning his face away from the girls.

Dharma had been so blind to his feelings! Now as she watched her two best friends, her heart soared with happiness. She wished she had shipped them together earlier. She wanted to announce to the world that, here were two people who were destined to be together. However, she guarded her excitement. She had to affirm Kamya's feelings for Brahim. Unless she was convinced of both their inclinations, she couldn't play cupid.

She suggested watchfully, "Kamya, I have a suggestion for you. Why don't you find a job in Delhi? We can stay together."

"Wow! That is a wonderful idea, Dharma..." Brahim's quick rejoinder revealed his keen interest. He appeared now to be in control of his emotions.

"But who would give me a job? I don't even speak English fluently. And have you seen the teachers here? They are so sophisticated," Kamya dismissed their suggestion in her typical self-deprecating manner.

"Idiot, they cannot match your smartness. You just need one month to outdo them," Dharma tried to bolster Kamya's confidence.

"And we can stay together and afford the rent for a two or three-bedroom flat."