There once was a glorious temple of Lord Shiva situated atop the highest peak of the Nilgiri Hills, shrouded in clouds for most of the year. The temple walls and grounds were made of black agate stone. The walls, both inside and outside, bore mesmerizing carvings. The temple compound stretched for several feet. Cedar trees hundreds of feet tall surrounded the compound. From dusk until dawn, the dim glow of the diyas burning in the temple was visible from villages in the valley. Thousands of stone steps connected the temple to the valley.

These towering hills were located at the western edge of the subcontinent, known as Avabhoomi. And this is where this story begins.

On the last Monday of the month of Savan, many people came to the temple to worship Lord Shiva. It was early morning. The fog was thick. Clouds touched the temple floor. A light snowfall made the grounds slippery.

The temple was beautifully decorated on this day. Diyas burned at the doors, along the walls, and throughout the compound. Bells rang rhythmically. 

Inside the temple, the mandapam was illuminated with glowing diyas and decorated with flowers. The morning mist was also entering the temple. The sanctum sanctorum was also decorated with fragrant flowers.

Outside the sanctum sanctorum, in a corner, a young woman, about twenty-two years old, fair-skinned, and about five and a half feet tall, sat deep in meditation. Her beautiful black eyes were gently closed. Her eyebrows were arched, her forehead broad, and her lips pink. Her long black hair touched the floor. She was wrapped in an orange robe like sadhvis. She was as radiant as the beautiful moon. 

She was beloved by the temple priest and priestess because of her devotion.

Her beauty captivated the attention of visitors. People were mesmerized by her.

The temple priest noticed the people and smiled. He was wearing white clothes and a rudraksha necklace, along with rudraksha armlets and bracelets.

A woman, out of curiosity, approached the priest and asked him about the girl, "Priest, who is that girl? I've seen her before in this temple, but today her beauty has mesmarized me as well."

The priest smiled and gave a simple answer, "She is a devotee of Lord Shiva. It has been twelve years since she began her penance in this temple. Today she is going to receive the fruits of her penance."

"Priest, why did she undertake such difficult penance at such a young age?" the woman asked in surprise.

"To obtain the blessing of a husband of her choice," the priest replied.

A short while later, the temple priestess emerged from the sanctum sanctorum after completing the morning rituals. She was dressed in an orange robe and wore a rudraksha necklace, armlets, and bracelets. Her hair was tied in a bun. She held a puja thaal filled with incense, diya, water and flowers. She was a symbol of motherhood for the devotees, just as the priest was a symbol of fatherhood.

“Dhani,” the priestess approached the girl and called her name.

Hearing her voice, Dhani slowly opened her eyes. She stood up and bowed to the priestess.

“Daughter, today is the last Monday of the month of Savan. Today your penance will be complete, and you will receive your boon from Lord Shiva,” the priestess said with a slight smile.

A faint smile appeared on Dhani’s lips. The priestess's words had stirred her heart. Today, she was going to receive the blessing she had been praying for so long.

“Daughter, now go inside the sanctum sanctorum and worship the Lord. After completing the ritual, express your desire to him with complete faith and seek his blessings,” the priestess instructed her. She handed Dhani the puja thaal she had personally prepared for her.

“I am extremely grateful for your guidance, Guruma,” Dhani said to the priestess.

The priestess gave her blessings. 

Dhani took the puja thaal and went into the sanctum sanctorum.

Inside the sanctum sanctorum, Dhani sat near the Shivling and began her worship. She offered flowers to the Shivling. Then, she performed aarti with incense and diyas, singing praises of Lord Shiva in her melodious voice. Finally, she did the jalabhishekam of Lord Shiva and bowed down to him.

At that very moment, she heard Lord Shiva's voice in her mind, "Daughter, with what desire have you worshipped me?"

Dhani bowed to him and expressed her wish in her mind; 

"Lord! I wish to have a husband who always stands by his principles and upholds his morals, who diligently fulfills his responsibilities, and who is steadfast in facing any challenge life throws at him. I wish to have a husband who is strong, invincible, and who will always stand by me as my protector. I wish to have a husband whose allure is like the full moon, whose face always has a smile and whose eyes are as deep as the ocean. I wish to have a husband who loves me deeply, where we can feel each other's emotions in our hearts. I wish to have a husband who fulfills my expectations and desires that a woman has from a man and who gives me all the happiness of life. O Lord of the Universe, I wish that we remain forever devoted to each other."

Again, a voice came to her mind: “Very well. I grant you the boon that you shall obtain husband of your desire."

Delighted, Dhani bowed to the Lord and expressed her heartfelt gratitude, "Lord, I am deeply grateful to you for fulfilling this desire of my heart."

She opened her eyes. A pink lotus flower fell from the Shivling near her. She took the lotus flower in her hand. Today, she had received the fruits of her years of penance. She again expressed her gratitude to the Lord in her heart.

The priest was sitting on a stone slab outside the sanctum sanctorum, distributing prasadam to the devotees. The priestess was also sitting near him. They were both waiting for Dhani.

Dhani emerged from the sanctum sanctorum, a soft smile on her face and the lotus flower in her hand. 

The priest and priestess smiled at her. 

She approached them.

"Your face tells me that Lord Shiva has accepted your prayer," the priest said with a smile.

“Yes, Guru ji,” Dhani replied.

“We are happy that you have received the boon you have been seeking for so many years,” the priest said. They were both happy for Dhani.

“Daughter, come and sit beside me,” the priestess lovingly called her.

Dhani came and sat beside her.

“Daughter, in Avabhoomi, couples connected by boon are viewed with special respect and honor because these couples are connected through the Lord's blessing. Soon, you too will meet your divine life partner,” the priestess said.

Dhani smiled. She lowered her gaze slightly.

“When your divine soulmate appears before you, you will feel a deep love for him in your heart, and your divine soulmate will feel the same love for you. This feeling will make you aware of your divine soulmate,” the priestess said.

Dhani was listening intently.

“And when you unite with your divine soulmate, a divine mark will appear on both of your bodies, proving your union. This divine mark will deepen your love,” the priestess said.

Dhani's cheeks flushed at the mention of the union.

“Daughter, the union process is crucial for divine couples brought together by a boon. If divine couples do not unite for some reason, they suffer immense pain from the separation from their divine soulmate until they unite and receive their divine mark. Therefore, I advise you to unite with your divine soulmate soon after your marriage and receive your divine mark,” the priestess said.

"Yes, Guruma," Dhani said. Her eyes were downcast.

"Dear, when you unite with your divine partner, your secret boons will also be fulfilled," the priest said. "Now it's time for you to return home. When the right time comes, your divine partner will appear before you. I will quickly send a message to your father and have him come here."

"Yes, Guru ji," Dhani said, bowing to him.