Chapter 18 The Temple Elder
Chandra stared down at the elderly woman in front of her. It was surprising how intimidating the woman was despite her physical frailty.
Her body was bent in half by age, propped up by a stout walking stick.
Her skin had so many wrinkles and sags it was difficult to say where her bones were.
A plain cotton saree was draped in loose folds over her torso, and she wore no additional upper garment.
Her earlobes had elongated to her shoulders by the weight of her ancestral gold studs she must have worn all her life.
And yet, the eyes beneath the ash brows were piercing in their intelligence.
“You’re of high birth, what excuse do you have to be so rude to a visitor who has come from far to pay homage to God?” demanded Chandra.
She felt the tremble in Matangi’s hand and squeezed in reassurance.
Their morning had begun nicely enough. Matangi was the sister of a bandit leader, Maruthi.
Veer had befriended him to accompany them on this journey.
From what Chandra gathered, the brother and sister were orphans with no other family.
Matangi didn’t usually travel with the bandit troop but had decided to come along to the temple upon learning her brother was going to be in the vicinity.
She had joined Chandra in moving around the temple complex, more, Chandra suspected, because of a lack of a familiar face than anything. And Chandra was sure Veer didn’t mind a girl in her teens tagging along if it meant he had extra eyes on her.
Then today, they had run across the elderly woman and her granddaughter arguing in the town center. The pair was having a crisis, having forgotten the name of a plant whose leaves were to be a part of the ritual.
The granddaughter was making note of the exhaustive rituals on palm-leafed manuscripts. She had been looking increasingly harried as her grandmother berated her for failing to write them down fast enough, resulting in her forgetting the name of the important plant.
Chandra felt compelled to help. At times in Devarakonda, her mother would run short of some herbs and Chandra, who roamed the woods and sometimes beyond, procured them for her.
It helped, too, that her life in a similar, though smaller temple city, made her aware of the rituals and their necessary steps.
Though she hadn’t been allowed to participate as much since her banishment.
The elderly woman, grateful for her help, had offered Chandra a job in the temple kitchens, but then she had caught sight of Matangi.
And the tattoos that marked her as lower caste.
The elderly woman asked Matangi to leave, and Chandra took offense on her behalf, causing a public argument. Chandra realized then that she was talking to one of the members of the temple committee, but it had been too late to back down. Nor did she want to, if she was honest.
“Matangi has come here to fulfill her mother’s last wish.
How can you refuse such a request? And based on what?
You belittle her for something not under anyone’s control.
Isn’t everyone equal in God’s eyes? Even King Amarendra, when he built this temple, made it open for all devotees irrespective of their caste. Why have the rules changed now?”
“Who is she to you, woman, that you speak so strongly for?” The elderly woman’s voice was strong, despite a slight lisp caused by the loss of her front teeth.
“She is my companion and friend,” said Chandra, holding onto Matangi’s hand. “We have traveled together so far, and I’m not going to abandon her because it suits me. If you require my help, then she comes along too.”
Silence reigned as everyone seemed to be waiting with bated breath for the elderly woman to tear into her.
From the whispers that reached Chandra, she appeared to be a stickler for propriety, who didn’t care much about couching her words.
Several people stopped in their tasks to watch and a small crowd grew steadily.
Matangi tugged, embarrassed at the attention they were drawing, but Chandra resolutely held on.
To Chandra’s surprise, instead of reprimanding her, the elderly lady smiled widely, revealing betel-stained teeth. “A fine spirit you have. All right, the girl can come with us, but there are going to be rules.”
She fixed Matangi with a stern glare. “You will have to bathe before entering the temple, same as all the other devotees, and make sure you adhere to strict vegetarian practices when you are here. And keep the chatter to a minimum. I can’t stand all that inanity. Do you understand?”
Matangi nodded, looking stunned that she was being allowed in after all.
“Good.” The elderly woman appeared satisfied. “Don’t make me regret allowing you in here.”
Matangi nodded again.
“Radha will show you around to the baths,” she continued, referring to her granddaughter.
Matangi shot Chandra a look of mild panic, but Chandra, inclined her head slightly, indicating it would be all right.
That Matangi even looked to Chandra for permission was a significant change in their relationship.
There was no love lost between her and Matangi.
From the moment she was introduced to her, the young woman seemed to take offense at everything Chandra said.
It took Chandra a while to realize that all that animosity came because Matangi was massively infatuated with Veer and, quite logically, considered her a rival.
But even so, there was something raw and honest about the young woman, and despite her borderline rude behavior to Chandra, she couldn’t work up a grudge against her.
“Now you.” The elderly lady turned to Chandra, reminding her she wasn’t let off the hook completely. “Where did you say you were from?”
“Amaravathi,” said Chandra, nervousness creeping into her with the realization of what Veer would say if he got wind of this matter. She remembered him telling them all to keep a low profile, sound advice she had neglected to follow.
“Where, in Amaravathi?” persisted the elderly lady.
“Er…Devarakonda.”
“Ah… a temple city like ours. My name is Agrani. What’s yours?”
“Chandrasena. Pleased to make your acquaintance,” said Chandra looking desperately into the crowd, hoping for an escape without offending her.
“You look like you are educated. You had knowledge of the plant that I’d forgotten. But your clothes don’t indicate that. And the way you stood up for your fellow traveler. Who are you exactly…what kind of work did you do in Amaravathi?”
Chandra gulped. Of all the people she could’ve picked to have an argument, she had to run across one who was in charge.
“I have worked as a maid to the royal family since my childhood. I picked up a few things along the way,” she said, hoping that would mollify her.
“Hmmm… I could believe you, if you were a little more submissive like your position would suggest.” Agrani tilted her head to peer closely at Chandra, raising a hand to shade her eyes against the sun. “Show me your hands,” she barked suddenly.
Feeling apprehensive, Chandra put them forward, palms up. The old lady ran her palms over them, leaving her bewildered. “They are rough. You are no royalty,” she said with a disappointed breath.
Chandra let out a breath, thanking her stars. Her regular practice ensured she didn’t have the soft hands befitting a woman pampered from birth.
Radha rolled her eyes, hoisting up the palm-leafed manuscripts and parchments in her hands. “You are always doing that. As if you can identify royalty.”
“Quiet, child. What would you know? During my time, the royalty would disguise themselves as normal people to see how those of their kingdoms were doing.”
“Anyway, what is your business here, child?” asked the elderly lady, addressing Chandra. Some of the starch in her voice had melted. “Was this a pilgrimage for you?”
* * *
Veer didn’t need prodding from Billadev to know it was way past time for him to interfere. Chandra, with her carelessness, had already brought matters dangerously close.
He pushed to the front of the crowd and came to stand beside Chandra. The arm he slid across her waist proclaimed his familiarity.
“Go on, Chandra,” he said in a perfect southern accent to his shocked wife. “Tell her. There is no need to feel shy, is there?” He turned to the elderly lady. “I’m sorry for interrupting your conversation, I’m her husband. I heard the commotion and couldn’t help but worry.”
Agrani took her time, peering up at Veer from her bent position. Beside his great height, she appeared tiny and only reached his waist. “You don’t look like you are from Amaravathi.” She pointed her cane at Veer, nearly jabbing him in the stomach. The southern accent didn’t seem to fool her.
“I am from Rajgarh,” he said, giving her a piece of truth, hoping it would satisfy her. It would have helped if Chandra would relax. She had gone stiff as a board the minute he laid his hand on her.
“A man from the north with a perfect southern accent?” the woman remarked suspiciously.
“I have lived here and there…” he admitted, reverting to his usual accent.
“And what kind of work are you in?” she asked.
“I am a blacksmith by profession. Chandra and I are newly married,” he said. “I’m taking her back to my place, but she requested we halt here and see the festival.” He looked down with fondness at a disgruntled Chandra. “It was the first request she made of me. I couldn’t refuse.”
They heard Radha give a wistful sigh at the romantic tale Veer was spinning. The pile of manuscripts in her hands listed dangerously. Matangi gave Radha a hesitant look but seemed to shy away from offering help carrying the pile of scrolls.
The elderly lady’s stance softened the minute Veer wove the tale of them being newlyweds. It also gave a valid reason for Chandra’s discomfiture if they were still strangers to each other, which he supposed was true, after all.
“I see. Well, congratulations. It is fortunate, then, that you happened to be here on the eve of starting your married life. Lots of married couples worship here for a long and fruitful life. How long have you been married?” she asked.
“Two months,” said Chandra.
“Seven days,” said Veer simultaneously.
The old lady watched them, confused.
“Now wife,” said Veer, giving her a warning squeeze that drew an affronted gasp from her. “I know you feel like it has been that long, but the end of ceremonies was only seven days ago.”
She tried to dislodge his hand surreptitiously, but that only made him hug her tighter to his side.
“You don’t look entirely comfortable with each other,” said the old woman with a frankness that made Veer wish he could tell her to mind her own business. “I wonder if you’ve had your three wedding nights yet?”
“Yes,” said Chandra, almost a little too desperately.
“No,” said Veer simultaneously.
They looked at each other.
“Come on, dear, don’t be shy,” said Veer with another warning squeeze.
“There is no shame in admitting the truth that we haven’t been left alone since our wedding.
” It gave him a puerile sense of satisfaction to see her squirming with embarrassment.
She had no choice but to be dragged along by his lies.
After this latest mess, she deserved it, too, and he was going to remind her of it often.
The elderly lady spoke again. “This is not a problem at all. I shall arrange for separate quarters for you. Have you been staying in the guest buildings?”
“Yes.”
“Very well, then. Both of you shall take part in the puja that is auspicious for married couples. Chandra, you will work for me. I wouldn’t mind having an extra helper. My granddaughter can only do so much.”
Right on cue, the sheaf of manuscripts in Radha’s arms finally spilled over onto the ground, leading to a string of curses from the old woman. Matangi and Radha were on the ground retrieving them.
Veer bent down to help as well and saw some of them contained detailed maps of the temple complex. His hands itched to get hold of them. They would be mighty useful.
But perhaps there was a way he could turn this to his advantage.
“Forgive me, Agrani,” he said, addressing the temple elder as he straightened. “I want to pay for this puja with my own money, but I need work to earn it. Can you put in a good word for me with the captain?”
Agrani nodded. “I can do that. As a matter of fact, we do need a metalworker to work on the temple doors. They took some damage last monsoon.” She sized him up. “How good are you?”
Veer answered her and the discussion moved to more practical matters. Agrani concluded matters by deciding for all of them, then herded Chandra and Matangi away as she left.
Chandra gave him one aggrieved scowl before she turned away. “Oh, I am very good, Agrani,” said Veer under his breath, returning a mocking smile to his wife. He found he rather looked forward to obliging her if she wanted to battle it out with him.