There are thirty-three chief deities mentioned in our ancient Hindu scriptures. These deities have been worshipped and prayed to in our country for ages.
These dieties are as follows:
The Adityas: The twelve sons of Aditi are known as the Adityas. They are called Dhattri, Mitra (the Sun god), Aryaman, Sakra, Varuna, Ansa, Vaga, Vivaswat, Usha, Savitri, Tashtri, and Vishnu.
The Rudras: The eleven Rudras were born of Sthanu. Sthanu, by description and reference, seems to be Mahakal himself. In the Sauptika parva, Lord Krishna told the Pandavas that it was Mahadev who had entered Ashwatthama. With his power Ashwatthama had become so powerful that he killed all the warriors in the Pandava camp. He narrated the story of Lord Shiva in which Mahakal was referred by the name of “Sthanu”. The eleven Rudras are Mrigavayadha, Sarpa, Niriti, Ajaikapat, Ahivradhna, Pinaki, Dahana, Iswara, Kapali, Sthanu, Bharga.
The Vasus: The sons of Prajapati and grandsons of Manu were called Vasus and were named Dhara, Dhruva, Soma, Aha, Anila, Anala, Pratyusha, and Prabhasa(Dyau).
The world has undergone significant changes since ancient times. We have moved from bullock carts to trains and airplanes. We have transitioned from small huts to big buildings. The new-age cities have replaced the traditional villages and towns. But the core remains the same.
That’s why Vedic astrology remains relevant in the new age. The scriptures mention the core, and we just need to make adjustments according to the new world. In old times Moon governed the agriculture sector, food, and nourishment, and it still does. We just need to expand our vision. The small farms are being replaced by the big agricultural lands with modern machinery. The storage houses are advanced and more capable. The eateries have gained more prominence and have mixed with taste and class. But the core remains the same!
So, how exactly can we determine our profession using astrology?
First, you need to look at a few things in your chart:
The strongest planet in your chart.
The lord of the 10th house from the lagna and the moon.
The navamsa lord of the sign where the 10th lord is placed in the D9 chart.
The Dasha lord.
Once you know the above, it will be easier to determine the profession. The strongest planet has a great influence on your personality, and hence, the traits signified by the planet come in handy.
The lord of the 10th house from the lagna and the moon are important while determining your profession. But the navamsa placement gives pinpoint results and in-depth analysis.
The dasha lord is important because the dasha lord determines which planet holds the most control in your life.
Let’sunderstand with an example:
You have a very strong Jupiter. So you must be knowledgeable and full of wisdom. You probably love reading books and may have a very philosophical approach.
Now your 10th lord from lagna is Sun, and from the moon it may be Mars. So you definitely have a thing for the energy sector, teaching, technical education, weapons industry, metals, engineering, etc.
Suppose both Sun and Mars are in the sign of Jupiter in the D9 chart. Then it is highly probable that you may get higher education in these fields, may gain a good position in the government sector, or may end up as a teacher or counselor.
But if these planets are in the sign of Saturn in D9, then? You may join the service sector and work in a profession dealing with metals, energy storage, manufacturing, precision tools, import export of sun/mars related materials, etc.
The dasha will ensure that you get these results. And which sector will dominate? Suppose it’s Mars dasha, then there will higher probability of joining technical industries, defence, medical sector, etc. If it’s Jupiter, then you may choose education or academic fields, or research.
This is a good way to analyse your profession. I hope this article was useful. Find similar posts and a lot more knowledge on our blog. Stay tuned!
Do you know someone who panics in every situation, or someone who stresses over little things? Do you know someone who fears darkness and believes that ghosts might haunt him/her?
In Vedic astrology, there are certain combinations that can indicate deep-rooted mental troubles/anxiety/fear. Every human being has a different emotional reaction to a situation. Some people are strong even in the worst phases of life, while some may break down over smaller issues.
Your emotional state and emotional balance are governed by the water element in your body. And therefore, when your Moon, the sign of Cancer, the sign of Scorpio, or the sign of Pisces, is under affliction, things get difficult for you. In fact, if there are malefics in your 4th, 8th, or 12th house, you may feel a similar impact on your emotional state.
Afflicted/Weak moon: When you have a weak or afflicted moon in your chart, there is a high chance that you are emotionally weak. You don’t know how to handle your emotions.
How to know if your moon is weak or afflicted? 1. Moon in conjunction or aspect by Saturn, Mars, Rahu, and Ketu. 2. Moon in the 8th house or the sign of Scorpio. 3. Moon in 4th or 12th house with malefic aspects or conjunction.
If your moon is afflicted, then you may find yourself at some level of emotional anxiety or stress. Saturn will give you negative cold feelings, Rahu can make you delusional, Mars can give you a severe temper and impulsiveness, and Ketu can make you cold and clueless towards feelings.
An afflicted moon can still give better results if there are good planetary aspects of Jupiter and Venus.
Similarly, a bad moon can give even more negative results if there are multiple planets afflicting it. It is seen that people with Rahu Moon conjunction in the sign of Scorpio have a fear of ghosts, or an interest in ghosts and paranormal things. The same is true if the moon is in the 8th house, or malefics are sitting in the eighth house looking at the moon.
If the 8th and 12th houses are full of planets or badly afflicted, it is possible that the native is quite disturbed at a subconscious level. These people live in fear of something. They think a lot and may be very sensitive on the inside.
Ketu is a shadow planet that triggers the most curiosity in astrology. Wherever Ketu sits in the chart, you can feel maximum impact in those areas of life, especially during the major or antardasha of Ketu.
Ketu is the co-lord of Scorpio, and it is not wrong to say that it has a great resemblance to Scorpio and the eighth house. Ketu signifies detachment, blockages, losses, hidden threats and blessings, abstract elements of life, foreign entities, height, peak, philosophy, poison, etc.
The second house in the natal chart signifies family, assets, wealth accumulation, speech, eyes, family values, early education, childhood, etc.
When Ketu goes into the second house, then it will give results as per it’s natural significations and sign placement. A positive Ketu (good conjunction and aspect, and good sign placement) can make the native humble and charitable. But a negative Ketu (bad planetary aspects or conjunction, bad sign placement) will make the native miser and cunning. In either case, Ketu will not let the native save money. Saving and accumulating money can be a challenge with this placement.
Ketu in the second house can give detachment or separation from family. This separation can be physical as well as emotional. Such a native may not pay too much attention to the family. Or in some cases may go and live at a distance from them.
It does not necessarily mean that they don’t love their family. It’s just that Ketu denies the results of the house. In some cases, even family may not give them attention, or there may be some kind of dissatisfaction or sensitivity in family matters.
With Ketu in the second house, the native must be careful with their eating habits. The type of food intake can be poor, and sometimes natives may overeat or undereat. That is because Ketu is not good at judgment and making decisions. This headless planet can’t sense things properly and may eat more or less than the requirement, leading to various health troubles.
If Ketu is afflicted, then one must be careful with their speech as well. Ketu in 2nd house can give spiritual and philosophical knowledge but not the power to express it. You may find it difficult to speak your thoughts properly, and you may often come out as a wrong and mindless person.
Varun was sick. His body was quite weak, and he had been in bed for four days. His father, Shravan Ghosh, was a shopkeeper who owned a stationery store in the main market. Shravan was worried. His elder son usually helped him at the shop, but now, with Varun sick, Shravan was finding it difficult to manage everything on his own.
His younger son, Karan, was reckless and not interested in household responsibilities. But given the situation, Shravan asked Karan to accompany him to the shop. Though Karan was hesitant, he couldn’t argue with his father.
The next day, Karan joined his father at the store after school. He was feeling bored, but he somehow kept up with his father. In the evening, Shravan left for home, leaving Karan alone. People kept coming to the shop. Someone wanted a pen, some copies, and a few for chocolate and bread. Yeah! They kept a few grocery items in the store.
Then came a girl and asked for a chocolate. Karan got goosebumps. He had seen her. She was a senior in school. Her name was Ragini. It was the first time he had seen her in a suit. Even in uniform, she looked very pretty, but in that pink suit, she looked even more attractive.
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Karan could not help but stare at her in plain sight. She noticed but didn’t say anything. Karan asked her, “Do you recognize me? We go to the same school.” Ragini nodded against it and asked, “How much for the chocolate?”
Karan replied, “It’s Rs. 5.”
Ragini paid the amount and left. Karan kept looking at her as she went away.
Soon, it became a routine. Ragini would come to the shop in the evening, mostly to buy chocolate and sometimes other things. Karan loved being at the store. He had a huge crush on her, but couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He waited all day for those 5–10 minutes, just to catch a glimpse of her.
A week went by. Varun recovered from his sickness. He told his father that he was ready to get back to the store. Karan was scared; he didn’t want to miss seeing Ragini at the shop. His emotions took over, and he spoke to his father. “Varun can rest for a few more days. I’m already helping you at the store,” he said.
Varun looked at his father. He was the obedient son. He knew his father would want him back. But to his surprise, his father said otherwise. Shravan was happy to see his younger son taking an interest in his business. He decided that Karan must help him for a few more days. Varun did not like it, but he was not brave enough to talk back to his father.
The next day, Karan waited eagerly for Ragini. But Ragini did not come. That was unusual. She was pretty regular last week. Karan thought to himself, “Maybe she is sick or something!”
The next day, the same thing happened. She didn’t come. Karan was so restless that he couldn’t focus on anything else. She had stopped coming to the shop. But why?
Karan’s love was slowly spiraling into obsession. He would wander near the senior class, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Every day, he searched for excuses, for fleeting moments to start a conversation. But no matter how hard he tried, she always seemed just out of reach — like a dream he could never hold onto.
He grew so restless that one day he followed her home. He waited near her house to catch up with her. ” She may come out for some work! I will definitely talk to her today!” he told himself.
Ragini finally came out in the evening. At almost the same time, she used to visit the shop. Karan was surprised. He was curious if Ragini was finally going to the shop today, after so long! He followed her. She didn’t go to the shop. She instead walked to the nearby park. Someone was waiting for her.
Karan was dumbstruck. It was Varun. She was meeting Varun! “Of course, they are in the same class! She came to the shop for Varun. When he got sick, she might not have known. But then he recovered! He must have told her at school that he wasn’t going to the shop anymore. So she stopped coming too. What a fool I am! How could I not see them together at school?”
Karan was in despair, his heart broken. He went back home. That night, his father asked him, “How come you didn’t come to the shop? Your mother said you didn’t come home after school. Where were you?”
Karan replied sadly, “I won’t come to the shop anymore. Let Varun help you, like before.”
Rahu will soon transit into the sign of Aquarius on May 18th, 2025. As Rahu is the co-lord of Aquarius, this transit will give this planet of illusions a lot of strength. Expect a lot of transformations and innovations during this period. The realm of Maya will grow strong and people will lose the sense of reality.
Rahu is an airy planet, and so is the sign of Aquarius (an air sign). Aquarius is ruled by Saturn, which itself transits in the sign of Pisces. Pisces ruled the subconscious mind and world beyond physical reality.
Saturn loves hard work, discipline, and structure, but it is now being shaped by the energy of Pisces. So it’s obvious that real work must be avoided, and as Rahu grows strong, so will the technology that would help us become lazy and escape reality. Online work or work from home culture may see a boom!
Let’s analyse the individual ascendant signs:
Aries ascendant: Rahu will transit your eleventh house. You will expand your social circle. You will work towards fulfillment of your desires, and if Rahu is in a good position in your natal chart, such desires may get fulfilled. You may have to change places or go far from home. Or you may even buy a new property.
Taurus ascendant: Rahu will transit through the 10th house of your chart. You are going to work a lot during this period. You may even see a rise in your status, especially if you have a strong and auspicious Rahu in your chart. Work-related travelling is quite possible.
Gemini ascendant: Rahu goes in the 9th house of your chart. Be careful with what you believe. This time may not be that favourable for you. You can easily get wrong guidance and may lack the wisdom to make good decisions. If you are pursuing a higher degree, then this transit can be beneficial for you.
Cancer ascendant: Rahu goes in the 8th house of your chart. A lot of mental ups and downs can be expected. You could obsess over your problems, especially chronic health issues. There can be unexpected traveling. Sudden gains/losses can be expected as well, depending on Rahu’s placement in the natal chart. Be careful while making investments.
Leo ascendant: Rahu goes in your seventh house. A lot of focus will shift towards partnership and marriage. You may put a lot of effort into pleasing your partner. You may do well in business as well. Be careful with your reputation if the seventh house is afflicted. Then you may even end up in extra-marital affairs.
Virgo ascendant: Rahu goes in the 6th house of your chart. A good combination to rise in the service sector and make money out of loans, debts, and enemies. Take care of your health, though. If Rahu is badly placed in your chart, then be careful while taking any loan.
Libra ascendant: Rahu goes in the 5th house of your chart. Too much delusion in love life. You may miss the whole point of a relationship. Good transit if you are trying to make a career in drama, theatre, or some creative pursuit. You will learn a lot of new stuff and languages.
Scorpio ascendant: Rahu will transit the 4th house of your chart. It will be difficult to keep your peace of mind, but you will definitely make good material gains at home. Maybe a bigger house, or a new place to live. Your focus will shift to your family life, unless you have a career related to housing, finance, marketing, lifestyle, agriculture, food chains, etc.
Sagittarius ascendant: Rahu will go to the 3rd house in your chart. A lot of short trips are possible. You will learn new skills. You may meet new people and build your better community. Some hormonal fluctuation or spine/ throat-related problems are possible.
Capricorn ascendant: Rahu goes to the 2nd house of your chart. You will be innovative with your speech. You may work towards wealth accumulation during this period. Money from foreign sources may add to your wealth. You and your family may visit places during this period, depending on the position of Rahu in the natal chart. Be careful with skin infections and what you eat!!
Aquarius ascendant: Rahu will transit the lagna or first house in your chart. You will work towards self-growth and learning. You will seek jobs in a foreign land and may even get an opportunity if Rahu is placed in the 2nd, 4th, 8th, 11th, or 12th house in your natal chart. But you may lose the sense of reality, and hence, you must be careful with your speech. You may look very self-obsessed and arrogant during this period.
Pisces ascendant: Rahu will transit the 12th house of your chart. Lack of sleep and mental issues are possible. You may get an opportunity to work or travel abroad. You will not be able to balance the time for yourself and your friend circle properly. Try to focus on your work in isolation for the best results.
Saturn entered Pisces on the 29th of March, 2025. This is a very important transit. People are going to feel a lot of change in their workspace, and they will be drawn out of their comfort zone.
Saturn was transiting for a long time in its own sign, first in Capricorn and then in Aquarius. The planet of karma, discipline, and hard work was very strong in these signs. The effect of Saturn was evident in the workspace and employment opportunities. The common people and the masses had a lot of power.
Pisces is the sign of Jupiter. It is a water sign and is deeply linked to human consciousness and imagination. A dark and dry planet like Saturn will affect you at a subconscious level. People who were dealing in oil, Iron, building materials, pipelines, structures, marketing, labour class, barbers, lawyers, etc., might feel the most impact of this transit.
Saturn in this sign of Pisces will make you lazy and lethargic. You may not feel the same intensity as you felt before. Pisces is a sign of escape. You want to escape all your problems, and Saturn will not let you! So you feel lethargic, and yet you will get more responsibilities in the workplace.
People who are a dominant Pisces, like the ascendant or moon in Pisces, or maybe 2-3 planets in Pisces or the 12th house, will feel this change a lot.
If you are in a profession governed by Pisces, like creative work, poetry, art, literature, research, etc., then it will be good for such professions. Because Saturn will bring structure to your thoughts. If you practise discipline, then you will definitely see changes.
Let’s see the effect of the transit on individual ascendant signs:
Aries ascendant: You have Saturn as a Yoga Karaka planet. But it will transit into the 12th house of your lagna chart. You will have to put extra effort into the workspace. You may even change job location or travel for work. There could be some losses, so be careful with your transactions. Expect some sleepless nights.
Taurus ascendant: You also have Saturn as a Yoga Karaka planet, and Saturn transits through your 11th house. A very beautiful transit for you. Your luck will favour you in your career, and you may see sudden gains. You will be more inclined towards social and religious groups. A fruitful period for you.
Gemini ascendant: You may see changes in your profession. You could either take a new job or start something else apart from your current profession. There could be ups and downs in a career. You will have to work really hard. But if you are disciplined and devoted to your work, then luck may favour you.
Cancer ascendant: Some partnerships may suffer, and new ones may form. You may even work closely with your in-laws, or your in-laws may be causing problems in your marriage. Not a good period for your married life. Be careful with your thighs/legs. There could be trouble in higher education. You will be inclined more towards religious practices.
Leo ascendant: You have to provide service to your elders and even your wife. You could see some troubles in marriage as well as business partnerships. Legal disputes and disputes over ancestral property are possible. The spouse can have chronic health problems. You can see a change in profession as well.
Virgo ascendant: You will have to work towards the fulfillment of marriage goals. But you may feel reluctant. The responsibilities towards your partner or other people will increase. You may plan to have children if you are already married.
Libra ascendant: Saturn is the Yoga Karaka for your birth chart. But it transits through your sixth house. You may see issues at home or with your mother’s health. You will have to travel for educational purposes. There could be problems related to digestion and metabolism.
Scorpio ascendant: You will put in efforts to enhance your skills. Saturn is transiting your fifth house of love, romance, and progeny. Your fourth lord in the 5th could suggest a new addition to your family (a child, maybe!). But you will be pulled out of your comfort zone. You will develop an interest in history, ancient languages, and scriptures. Work hard if you want to make money out of your creative pursuits. Trouble with digestion and laziness.
Sagittarius ascendant: Your second and third lord go in the 4th house. You will work day and night to make money and add to your land and property. But you will be deprived of sleep and mental peace. Be careful with heart-related issues.
Capricorn ascendant: Your lagnesh and 2nd house lord go in the 3rd house. You will work towards self-growth and self-development. You will take a lot of short trips. Money will be spent on siblings. You will take less interest in speaking and dealing with people.
Aquarius ascendant: There will be either a loss of saved money or gains through foreign sources. Foreign travel/away from home is possible. You will put a lot of effort into increasing your savings, but there will be continuous expenditure as well. You need to control your speech and your food intake.
Pisces ascendant: You will stay/work away from home or in foreign lands. If you stay close to your hometown, you may face challenges. You will put a lot of effort into fulfilling your desires. But you may still feel lethargic and hopeless on the inside. It’s important to be consistent and keep up the work. That way, your desires will be fulfilled.
The thirteen-year-old Varun was in deep sleep when a sharp voice woke him up. “Varun! wake up….I said wake up…now”, his mother was shouting from the kitchen. Varun slowly opened his eyes and looked at the school bag kept on the shelf. His laziness faded as he impulsively sprung out of the bed and sat uneasily. “It’s Monday…I forgot my maths homework. No..no.. Miss Sheetal will punish me badly”, his thoughts were making his heart beat faster.
He was still thinking when his mother stepped into his room and spoke in an angry voice,” You are still in bed. Get up fast. Get ready. If I have to come here again it will not be good”. She walked back to the kitchen.
Varun slowly walked into the kitchen and stood at the door. “Ma! I am not feeling well. Can I skip school today?” The mother didn’t bother to turn back. She kept preparing the dough while she spoke back in an irritated voice,” Your excuses won’t work on me. Go and get ready.”
Varun started doing his morning chores. He wore his school uniform and sat at the table as his mother served breakfast. He was thinking of a way to skip school but his mother won’t allow it. Somehow he completed his breakfast. His mother packed the tiffin and prepared his bag. He sluggishly carried the bag and walked out of the house to the bus stop.
As he reached the stop it came to his mind that he could make an excuse for missing the bus. So he went a bit far from the bus stop and sat at the tea stall. It was a hot sunny day. He was looking at all the snacks kept on the shelf of the shop when he realized that he was thirsty and had forgotten his water bottle. He looked at the school bus as it passed away and that gave him a bit of relief. He was still scared of his mother but what could she do now? The bus was gone.
He decided to stay there for a while and then go home. He was sitting there when a man came close on a bike. He was the kid’s neighbor, Prashant. He asked the stall owner to prepare a cup of tea for him and then looked at Varun. “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you go to school?”
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Varun mumbled, “I..I..missed the bus”.
Prashant looked away carelessly as he took the tea from the stall owner. As he took a sip he spoke again, “Come I will drop you.”
Varun started sweating with fear again. “No worries uncle. It’s ok. I will walk back home.”
Prashant nodded against it and spoke as he took the last sip of his tea, “Don’t argue kid. Your mother would be angry if you went back. Come, let’s go.”
Varun sat on the bike with a sad face. His heartbeat increased as they reached the school gate. He climbed off the bike and entered the school premises. All latecomers were standing in a line and were being scolded by the PT Teacher. He joined the line. The teacher scolded them badly and then asked all of them to run and make five rounds of the school grounds.
Varun was pathetic. He thought to himself,” I should have taken the bus. This is worse than getting scolded by Sheetal mam”. He pushed his thirsty tired body and started running on the ground. The teacher kept shouting from behind, “Keep running”.
Finally, the rounds were over. A tired Varun reached his class. He was panting and sweating badly. As he sat on his chair, his friend asked,” Why are you late today?”. Varun was too tired to answer. Thankfully the first class was over, so he won’t be facing Sheetal mam.
As he caught his breath, he asked his friend, “Did you submit your maths homework today?”. His friend smiled and said,” Oh! no. She did not come today. Thank god! You know I didn’t do my homework. I was so scared. But she is on leave till next Monday.”
Varun looked at his friend in shock. He went blank for a moment and then asked his friend, “Can I have your water bottle?”.
Mohan kept thinking about the argument with his wife while rowing the boat. The passengers were chatting among themselves, but that didn’t bother Mohan. He was immersed in his thoughts. He wanted to send his son to the town for better education, but his wife argued that he was too young to send away. It’s not that he was not attached to his son but wanted a better future for him. He is already 12 years old and there is no good school in the village. A voice broke his chain of thoughts.
One of the passengers spoke, “When do you cross the river in the morning? I need to go to the town early morning.”
Mohan replied, “How early do you want?”
The passenger spoke again, “At dawn.”
Mohan replied,” I will be here by sunrise.”
The boat had reached the shore of the river. Mohan hinged the boat to the riverside and the passengers climbed down. They paid Mohan and walked away. It was getting dark now. Mohan carefully hinged the boat and tied it to a stone pillar. He was taking out his stuff when a stranger came close to him.
The stranger called upon him, “Brother! Take me to the Rajghat.”
Mohan turned around and looked at the stranger. He was an old man with an overgrown grey beard. He was lean and tall. Mohan had not seen him before.
Mohan spoke, “ I have never seen you before. Are you from a different village?”
The old man spoke with a sad voice, “ Yes. I am from a distant village. I have walked all day to reach here. I need to cross the river.”
Mohan replied in a humble tone, “ Kaka! You are late. It’s dark and misty. I can’t row the boat at this hour. I need to go home. My family must be waiting.”
At this point, the old man looked tired and distressed. Tears rolled down his cheek while he spoke, “Oh boatman! Please understand my situation. I got a letter today morning. My son is dead. I need to go to Rajghat. I need to see him and collect his body. I need to complete the rituals. He was my only son and I don’t have anyone other than him. You can’t understand my loss.”
The old man broke into tears as he struggled to speak further,” Take everything I have. Just let me see my son one last time. I will never forget your debt oh boatman!”
Mohan shivered with pain when he saw that old man crying. He went forward and held him tightly. He gently tapped his arms and said,” Kaka! Don’t worry. I will take you.”
Mohan took the old man on his boat and went back to the river. He rowed his boat in that dark misty night. He looked at the old man who was sitting still, looking at the wave created by the moving boat. He was feeling bad for the poor stranger. He gained all the courage and asked the old man, “How old was your son?”
The old man replied in a low voice, “He was 21 years old.”
Mohan asked again,” He works in the town?”
The old man was still looking at the ripple created in the river. He didn’t look away but took a deep breath and replied,” He wanted to earn a lot of money. We sent him with his uncle to the town. He joined a goldsmith there and started assisting with his work. He was doing well. In the beginning, things were good and he used to visit us every month.”
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He paused and looked towards Mohan, “ The distance is large. So I understand it would have been difficult for him to travel every week. But we were happy. But later he got busier than before. He couldn’t find the time. His mother passed away last week… and..”
The old man again broke into tears and he looked away. Mohan didn’t ask any further.
It was deep dark now. Mohan lit the lamp on the boat. He spoke, “Kaka! We are close. We will be there in another few minutes.”
The old man didn’t heed at first. Then he looked at Mohan and took out a box from his luggage and said, “ I was going to give this box to my son..but…now..”. His voice trembled and he stopped speaking. Mohan realized that they were at the edge. So he started preparing to hinge the boat. He climbed down the boat and tied it with a rope. He could hear the old man stepping down as well. But when he looked back he was shocked. There was no one near the boat. He went around to see. No one was around. He thought to himself, “Did the old man just run away? Why? Maybe he didn’t have money?..Why would he act like a thief?”
Mohan was a bit disappointed but then he realised the situation of the old man and calmed himself down. He went back into his boat to return back home. But when he entered the boat he saw a box lying on the sitting area of the boat.
He opened the box. There were two earthen pots with a cloth covering the mouth of the pots. He knew those were the ashes of two dead people. His fear was turning into reality as he opened the letter kept in the box.
Son! You never cared to return to us in these two years but we can’t give up on you. After your mother’s death, I felt lonely and I knew I wouldn’t survive for long. I don’t expect much from you but we will be released from this world of Maya if you complete the last rituals meant to be completed by a son. If you find our ashes and this letter we will find our place in heaven.
The letter had an address on the backside and was addressed to a person named Raghav. Mohan still in shock decided to deliver the letter and the ashes to the given address.
When he reached the given house and knocked, a lady opened the door. Mohan showed his face in the light of the lamp and spoke, “ Does Raghav lives here?”
The old lady looked surprised. “Why do you ask?”, she spoke.
Mohan said, “I have a message from his parents.”
The lady still in surprise spoke again with a hint of irritation in her voice, “ How come his parents ask his whereabouts now? No one came to ask in the last two years. His ashes were lying abandoned in his old room for so long. Do you know the amount of trouble…”
Mohan got numb. All the words were vanishing in thin air as if the whole world had gotten silent. He could only speak in a faint voice, “Where are his ashes?” The lady went inside shouting and came back with a pot.
Mohan himself completed the rituals early morning and prayed for the soul of the entire family. Then he returned home where his wife was waiting for him eagerly. She kept asking questing while he sat on the floor.
He finally spoke, “Our kid will stay with us.” Both looked at each other in comforting silence.
Madhu looked out of the kitchen window. The new neighbors were unloading their stuff from the truck. It was a small family like hers. Only she didn’t have a kid while the new family had one. She could see a tall, lean, fair man with a beard, his beautiful wife, and a small boy. The boy looked young …probably eleven or twelve. The man looked irritated as he carried the pieces of furniture but the wife looked calm and composed. She smiled quite often. The boy was reading a book in the corner.
The whistle of the cooker distracted Madhu and she came back to the kitchen platform. She got busy with her cooking and didn’t look out of the window again. Raman called her from the room,” Is the food ready? I am getting late.” Madhu replied in a loud voice,” Yes, come to the dining hall. It’s ready. I am just packing the tiffin.”
Raman left for work. He ran a cyber cafe in the city. He would leave the house at 10 am and come back at 8 pm every day. He was a simple man with few expectations. He would usually carry tiffin for lunch except for Saturdays when he would close early. Madhu was a housewife but she also ran a tiffin service and provided meals for workers in the cement plant in a nearby area. She was assisted by her old neighbor and his younger brother earlier but now that they were gone she was facing trouble carrying out the work on her own. She called her own brother for a few days but he won’t stay long. His summer holidays would be over soon and she was looking for a new partner. She was making decent money from her tiffin service.
One afternoon when she was taking a nap, the doorbell woke her up. She woke up and went to open the door. She was expecting that Tarun might have returned. He had left early for distributing the tiffins. But she was surprised to see her new neighbor at the door.
The neighbor spoke,” Hello! My name is Sharda. I live next door.”
Madhu responded,” Ohh! Hello. Nice to meet you.”
Sharda spoke back,” Can I come in?”
Madhu responded again,” Yeah sure. Come in.”
Both hit a conversation and Madhu felt relieved that her new neighbor was very friendly. Madhu was impatiently waiting to bring the tiffin service into the conversation. Finally, she spoke,” You know I run a tiffin service.”
Sharda smiled and showed excitement,” Wow! How do you manage? How many people do you feed?”
Madhu said,” I send tiffin to 25 people right now. The thing is that I used to run the business with my previous neighbor…and you know she is gone.. and now you have come…which is great..mmm…but I need someone to assist me in my work…mmm”
Madhu was hesitating to speak,” Do you cook?..or even if you don’t..would you like to be part of my work. I will pay you..only if you are willing to work..”
Madhu finally took a breath. Sharda laughed hard. “Why are you so nervous? I would love to work. I don’t know anything about cooking. But I will help you. But…”
The long pause was making Madhu anxious. “ Is there any problem?”
Sharda spoke again,” My husband…”
Suddenly there was a knocking on the door. Someone was knocking hard. “ Sharda…Sharda..are you there?”
Madhu ran to open the door. It was Sharda’s husband. Before Madhu could say anything he barged into the room and held Madhu by her arm. “I asked you not to leave the house”, he was angry.
Madhu wanted to speak but she was also terrified by the man’s behavior. Her own husband never even talked to her in a high voice and this man was clearly very aggressive. As they both left the house she sat down. She kept thinking about the incident all day.
The next morning Madhu woke up by some noise. She could hear a siren from her room. She came to the main hall where her husband and her brother were peeking through the window.
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“What happened?”, Madhu asked.
Tarun said,” Di! Something has happened to our neighbors. There is an ambulance and a police jeep. The crowd is surrounding the house.
Madhu felt cold under her feet. She told herself,” It must be the husband. He would have killed Sharda. She should have filed a complaint against the monster when he barged in the day before. Poor Sharda.” She looked through the kitchen window while cursing herself. She could see a body wrapped in white cloth being transferred into the ambulance but nothing else was visible. The kid and the husband, no one was there.
The whole week after the incident she kept blaming herself. She didn’t even tell her husband about the pain. One morning when she served the tea to her husband, he asked Madhu to sit near him. As Madhu sat down she looked at the news her husband was reading. There was a picture of Sharda and her husband.
She asked Raman about the news. Raman looked at the paper and spoke, “Unbelievable right? I couldn’t have thought that something of this scale would happen in our neighborhood. Poor man.”
Madhu was shocked and spoke at once, “Poor man???? What are you saying?”
Raman sighed heavily,” Yes! our neighbor. His name was Aman. Poor guy. He was trying to keep his mentally unstable wife away from the police. She was the culprit in a murder case. Apparently, she poisoned an entire family in her previous neighborhood. The police were investigating the case and found evidence of her crime. Her mental history came up during the investigation. The police were going to file the chargesheet when the husband ran away with his wife and little kid. They shifted here to avoid the police. But last night she poisoned her husband as well.”
Madhu was shocked. She held the newspaper in her shivering hand as she read the headlines:
A woman charged with the murder of a family poisoned her own husband and ran away with her twelve-year-old kid
