Sati took a deep breath, girded her angvastram around her waist and committed herself to
the Nataraj pose. Shiva smiled as he felt Mother Earth project her shakti, her energy, into Sati.
Energised by the earth she stood upon, Sati began her dance. And she had really improved.
The emotions seemed to course through her. She was always good technically, but the passion
elevated her dance to the next level. Shiva felt a dreamy sense of unreality overcome him
again. Sati radiated a magnetic hold on him as she moved her lithe body into the dance steps.
For some moments, Shiva imagined that he was the man that Sati was longing for in her dance.
When she finally came to a stop, the audience spontaneously applauded.
‘That was the best I have ever seen you dance,’ said the Guruji with pride.
‘Thank you Guruji,’ said Sati as she bowed. Then she looked expectandy at Shiva.
‘It was fantastic,’ exclaimed Shiva. ‘Absolutely fabulous. Didn’t I tell you that you had it in
you?’
‘I thought that I didn’t get it exactly right at the attacking sequence,’ said Sati critically.
‘You’re being too hard on yourself,’ consoled Shiva. ‘That was just a slight error. It happened
only because you missed one angle on your elbow. That made your next move a little odd.’
Rising swiftly to his feet, Shiva continued, ‘See, I’ll show you.’
He walked quickly towards Sati and touched her elbow to move it to the correct angle. Sati
immediately recoiled in horror as there was a gasp from the Guruji as well as Krittika. Shiva
instantly realised that something terrible had happened.
‘I am sorry,’ said Shiva, with a look of sincere regret. ‘I was just trying to show you where
your elbow should be.’
Sati continued to stare at Shiva, stunned into immobility.
The Guruji was the first to recover his wits and realised that Shiva must undergo the
purification ceremony. ‘Go to your Pandit, Shiva. Tell him you need a shudhikaran. Go before
the day is over.’
‘What? What is a shudhikaran? Why would I need it?’
‘Please go for a shudhikaran, Shiva,’ said Sati, as tears broke through her proud eyes. ‘If
something happened to you, I would never be able to forgive myself.’
‘Nothing will happen to me! Look, I am really sorry if I have broken some rule in touching
you. I will not do it again. Let’s not make a big deal out of this.’
‘IT IS A BIG DEAL!’ shouted Sati.
The violence of Sati’s reaction threw Shiva off balance.
Why the hell is this simple thing being blown completely out of proportion?
Krittika came close to Sati, careful not to touch her and whispered, ‘We should go back
home, my lady’
‘No. No. Please stay,’ pleaded Shiva. ‘I won’t touch you. I promise.’
With a look of hopeless despair, Sati turned to leave, followed by Krittika and Guruji. At the
edge of the hedge, she turned around and beseeched Shiva once again, ‘Please go for your
shudhikaran before nightfall. Please.’
At the look of uncomprehending mutiny on Shiva’s face, the Guruji advised, ‘Listen to her,
Shiva. She speaks for your own good.’
singke
(singke)
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