Saleem tumhe marne nahi dega. aurnHum, Anarkari, tumhe jeene nahi denge!

- Mughal e Azam

 

Yakshi, 3

Yakshi, 3

'The Yakshi is all around us. Also within us, if we're not trying to please everyone all the time! Any person or any behavior that doesn't confirm with the narrow norms is marginalized, isolated, pushed to the edges.Followed by feared, fantasized about and revered. '

Ashi walked to her car, and fought back stuffed Guru into the passenger seat. All the others had sensed the imminent move away from the house they'd grown up in, and quietly disappeared in protest. Cats are sensitive creatures.  It had been a week since she'd gone out with Saiju, and 2  since Guru died and resurrected.

Saiju was back on his feet and back to his philandering ways once the effects of his food poisoning wore off. He stopped his bike next to Ashi's car to say hello. when he saw the luggage and Guru stuffed in the car, he parked, got off and quietly gave Ashi a big, warm, goodbye  hug that actually felt genuine . Ashi was a tough soul who never let her emotions do the talking but this was such a charged moment that she hugged Saiju back tightly and silently sobbed on his shoulder. This time, as last few times in the town of her birth, Ashi felt neglected, persecuted, sidelined, feared, lusted after, loved- all in one quick wave . Unlike the Yakshis who had lived before her, she was grateful for the rule of law that afforded her protection form being sacrificed in the name of faith. Unlike the Yakshis who lived before her, she was also sad to note there was almost zero chance of her being worshipped in the name of faith.

-Shankar