One and a half years ago.

There once was a glorious temple of Lord Shiva situated atop the highest mountain of the Nilgiri Hills, which mostly remained covered in the clouds. Only a faint glow of the diyas (oil candles) burning in the temple could be seen from the downhill from dusk to dawn. Massive roots of 150-160 feet tall deodar trees covered it from all four sides. The mighty hills marked the western end of the landmass called Avabhoomi. And this is where the tale starts.

On the last Monday of the auspicious Savan (Sep-Oct) month, many people had come to offer their prayers to the Lord. The temple was beautifully ornamented with glimmering diyas, on the pathways and near the walls. Bells were ringing in a rhythm. It was a misty morning. Clouds were touching the floor of the temple. Light snowfall was making the premises slippery. Inside the temple, a girl named Dhani, twenty years of age, fair-skinned and five and a half feet in height, was meditating. She was sitting with her eyes closed near the statue of Lord Shiva. Like waves, her long black hair rested on the floor from the end. Dressed in the attire of sadhvis (femal sages), her aura shone like a princess's. Her beauty attracted the very eyes of the visitors of the temple. It was the time when the dawn was breaking. Many had come to offer their prayers to the Lord but were mesmerized by her. Looking at this, the Temple's High Priest felt compelled to tell the visitors about her. 

“Look at that young maiden. It has been twelve years since she started the penance of Lord Shiva. It is about to be completed soon. Such a devotion she has for the Lord.” The High Priest smiled as he said those words. Dhani was cherished by the temple sages due to her great devotion.

“You are right, High Priest. She has great devotion for the Lord. But why has she chosen to do such hard penance?” A female visitor asked out of curiosity.

“To ask for a husband that her heart desires,” the High Priest replied.

“Oh! May the Lord bestow her with a boon. Twelve years is a great amount of time,” the visitor said.

“She will,” the High Priest said.

The High Priestess of the temple came out from the garbhagriha (main temple chamber) after completing the morning rituals. She was an impersonation of motherhood to the devotees just as the High Priest was an impersonation of fatherhood. Draped in white clothes from shoulder to ankle, her ambiance felt intimidating and love at the same time. She went to Dhani and called her name. Hearing her voice, Dhani opened her eyes slowly which looked like they were holding the very stars of the night sky.

“Dhani, dear, you are a beloved devotee of Lord Shiva. I have a strong intuition that you are on the verge of receiving your blessing. Today is the last Monday of the month of Savan. On this auspicious day say your wishes to the Lord with complete faith in him. Remember you must remain calm. Now, go inside the garbhagriha and start your puja rituals,” The High Priestess directed her. 

“Thank you for your guidance, High Priestess.” Dhani bowed down to the High Priestess, who served as her mentor in the temple, and went into the garbhagriha. The words of the High Priestess made her heart flutter. She was going to receive the long-awaited blessing for which she had fervently prayed. There was something unique about her that no one knew except for the High Priest and the High Priestess, not even her family. She remembered her past life. That was the very reason that caused her to ask the Lord for a devoted husband.

Inside the main chamber, she lit the diyas and incense sticks which had the aroma of jasmine. Then, decorated the altar with white flowers and Bel leaves and sat with her eyes closed. After some moments, when she went deep in her meditative state, a sweet fatherly voice in her head said “state your wish clearly to me, my dear child.”

Dhani stated her wish; “Dear Lord! My wish is to have a man who always adheres to his principles and upholds his morals, who diligently fulfills his responsibilities, and who remains unyielding in the face of any challenges that life may present, as my husband. I wish to have a husband, whose strength rivals that of a thousand bison, who is unconquerable and invincible, and who will always stand as my protector. I wish to have a husband whose beauty mirrors the brilliance of the full moon on a clear night, whose countenance exudes joy akin to the moon's luminous glow, and whose eyes resemble the depths of the ocean, sparkling like stars. I wish to have a husband who shares a profound connection with me, one where we can sense each other's emotions and experiences. I wish to have a husband who will meet the expectations and desires that a woman holds for her partner, providing me with all the joys life has to offer. And, I desire that my husband love me, and only me, in this life, remain devoted to me as I shall be to him. O Lord of the Universe, please grant me my wish!

Again, a voice crossed her mind; “I grant you your wish, child.” Dhani bowed down and expressed her gratitude to the Lord. Happily, she opened her eyes. A lotus flower fell from the Lord’s feet near her. Joyfully she came out of the chamber and greeted the High Priest and the High Priestess of the temple.

“Your face is telling that the Lord has accepted your prayers,” the High Priest said with a smile.

“Did that flower fall from the Lord’s feet?” The High Priestess asked.

“Yes, High Priestess,” she answered and looked at the lotus flower.

“Dear, it’s time for you to go back to your home now. Your prayers will be answered when the time comes. Leave for your home after the end of the monsoon season.” The High Priestess advised her.

“As you say, High Priestess,” Dhani said as she bowed down to them. 

Since the temple was situated at the tallest mountain of the hill range, the terrain was not ideal to travel in the seasons of heavy rain. As soon as the monsoon season ended, the High Priestess sent a message to Dhani’s father that she was ready to leave the temple for good. Immediately, after receiving the very message, his father left for Nilgiri Hills to take her back home with him.

Around two months after completing her penance, Dhani arrived at her village Veerapalli with her father. Veerapalli was a landscape filled with beauty and field after field of rice and maize covering the land in greenery.  After twelve long years of great penance, she had returned home. For these twelve years, her family visited her in the temple once every year. She greeted her mother and sister who was two years younger than her.

“Ahh!!…my daughter has grown so beautifully. I am glad that you have finally returned. Come inside,” her mother told Dhani when they entered her home. Mala was her name. She was a benevolent yet authoritative woman whom every member of the house feared. She was wearing a peacock green saree and had a long, black, and thick braid coming down to her knees. 

“How did your penance go?” His father, Prabhupada asked after they were seated in the chairs. Prabhupada was the Upsarpanch (Deputy Chief) and Advisor for the Village Chief of Veerapalli. He was a very respected man and an eminent figure in the affairs of the village. 

“The Lord has accepted my prayers,” Dhani told them.

“Really? Does this mean you will get married soon? What characteristics do you want in your husband? Sweetness? Cuteness? Attractiveness? Hmm….what type of man requires twelve whole years of penance to show up? Tell me, sister,” a sweet voice rang like the cooing of a bird. Vani, her sister, asked the question in answer to which Dhani could only smile. Vani was a beautiful young girl with dusky skin and hair similar to her mother's but only one fifth in length compared to her mother’s. She was often taunted by Mala for keeping short hair.

“Mmm… then should we start looking for a groom?” Mala suggested.

“Yes, we ought to. Many proposals are coming in asking for her hand in marriage. Let’s take a look at…,” Prabhupada was saying when Vani cooed again.

“But, shouldn’t we first know what type of husband she prayed for? It will help us find the right one, won’t it? Tell us, sister, what characteristics did you ask for?”

“No matter whom you choose, the blessing will follow its course,” Dhani affirmed.
“You don’t want to tell us, do you? What have you asked for that you can’t tell us?” Vani asked with a raised brow. “Don’t tell Ma and Papa, just tell me,” she came close to her and requested politely. Mala and Prabhupada laughed at her naughtiness and Dhani smiled too. Then, Prabhupada informed that he will start looking for prospective grooms for her.

Days had elapsed since Dhani's return. The chill of winter had enveloped the village of Veerapalli. Numerous marriage proposals were presented, yet none were suitable, and her parents struggled to find a worthy match for her. This situation weighed heavily on Prabhupada's heart. Although her daughter had reached marriageable age, a suitable suitor remained elusive. Nevertheless, Dhani continued to pursue her life, confident that her blessings would manifest in due time. Each day, she dedicated herself to worship in the temple of Nilgiri Hills, and she maintained this routine by visiting the Veerapalli temple every morning. On a significant Tuesday during the month of Margashirsha, she prepared to go to the temple, just as she did on any other day.  

“Mother, I am going to the temple,” she announced.  

“Take Vani with you,” Mala responded with a sigh. “These two sisters are entirely different from one another. One has spent twelve years in a temple, while the other has not even visited a temple a dozen times in her entire life,” she murmured to herself.

Dhani left her house with a smile on her face, carrying a bamboo basket in her hands along with irritated Vani, who had to wake up early in the morning to accompany her sister to the temple. A bubbly feeling that Dhani couldn’t explain gripped her chest; her intuition said that something unique was going to happen that day. She looked at the orange Sun on the horizon that greeted the village with its warm rays, as if it was telling her that a new chapter was starting in her life.