Immortals of Meluha

find Shiva standing in front of them. Unlike Sati, Krittika could not control her surprise and
blurted out, ‘Shiva?’
Sati, in her characteristic composed and restrained manner, asked sincerely, ‘Is everything
alright, Shiva? Do you need my help for something?’
How have you been? I’ve missed you. Don’t you ever smile?
Shiva continued to stare at Sati, the words running through his mind, not on his lips. A
smiling Krittika looked at Sati for her reaction. An even more serious Sati repeated, very
politely, ‘Can I help you with something, Shiva?’
‘No, no, I don’t need any help,’ replied Shiva as reality seemed to enter his consciousness
again. ‘I just happened to be in the area and heard your dancing. I mean your talk. Your dance
steps were not so hard that I could hear it. You were dancing very accurately. Actually,
technically it was all...’
Krittika interjected. ‘You know a bit about dancing, do you?’
‘Oh, not much. Just a little,’ said Shiva to Krittika with a smile, before turning rapidly back to
Sati. ‘My apologies Sati, but Guruji is right. You were being far too methodical. As they say in
the land that I come from, the mudras and the kriyas were all technically correct. But the bhav
or emotion was missing. And a dance without bhav is like a body without a soul. When the
emotions of the dancer participate, she would not even need to remember the steps. The steps
come on their own. The bhav is something that you cannot learn. It comes to you if you can
create the space in your heart for it.’
Sati listened patiently to Shiva without saying a word. Her eyebrows were raised slightly as
the barbarian spoke. How could he know more than a Suryavanshi about dancing? But she
reminded herself that he had saved her life. She was duty bound to honour him.
Krittika, however, took offence at this caste-unmarked foreigner pretending that he knew
more about dancing than her mistress. She glowered at Shiva. ‘You dare to think that you know
more than one of the best dancers in the realm?’
Shiva gathered he may have caused some offence. He turned to Sati in all seriousness. ‘I
am terribly sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you in any way. Sometimes I just keep talking without
realising what I am saying.’
‘No, no’, replied Sati. ‘You did not insult me. Perhaps you are right. I don’t feel the essence
of the dance as much as I should. But I am sure that with Guruji’s guidance, I will pick it up in
due time.’
Seizing his chance to impress Sati, Shiva said, ‘If it is alright with you, may I perform the
dance? I am sure that I am not as technically correct as you. But perhaps, there may be
something in the sentiment that will guide me through the correct steps.’
That was wellput! She can’t say no!
Sati looked surprised. This was unexpected. ‘Umm, okay,’ she managed to say.
A delighted Shiva immediately moved to the centre of the stage. He took off the angvastram
covering his upper body and tossed it aside. Krittika’s quick anger at the perceived insult to her
mistress was forgotten quickly as she sighed at Shiva’s rippling physique. Sati, though, began
to wonder how Shiva would bend such a muscular body into the contortions that were required
for this style of dancing. Flexibility was usually sacrificed by a human body at the altar of
strength.
Playing lightly on his dhol, the Guruji asked Shiva, ‘Tell me the beat that you are comfortable
with, young man.’