8. Mohandas is shocked to see the ornaments

CHAPTER 8

Mohandas is shocked to see the ornaments

Shastri was sitting in the hall with elders of the village. Workers were opening one big box.

Suddenly Mohandas came down the stairs. He folded his hands in front of Shastri.

Shastri smiled. “Namaskara. Come. Sit down.”

“I am Mohandas.”

“Yes. I can see that. Have you had your bath and tiffin?”

Mohandas smiled. “Yes. Your wife has given me everything.”

“Just one minute.” Shastri looked at the workers. “Take out all the ornaments and count them.”

The workers took out all the golden ornaments and counted them. Mohandas watched everything in a state of shock.

Shastri looked at Mohandas. “This was gifted to our temple by my fore fathers and others.”

Mohandas stared. “What is the total cost of all this?”

“We have never calculated the cost. But according to the present rate of gold, this might come to around 3 cores. Our temple was constructed 400 years ago by my fore fathers. I am the administrator but all these ornaments are kept in the treasury and brought out only during Ramanavami.”

The serpanch counted everything.

Shastri looked at Devyani. “Devyani, call mommy”

Devyani went and brought Jayalaxmi. The workers wrapped the ornaments in a red cloth.

Shastri said to Jayalaxmi, “Keep this in the locker. Give it to Swami tomorrow morning.”

Shastri looked at Mohandas. “Will you start Harikatha tomorrow?”

Mohandas said, “Yes. But I have come alone. So you will have to arrange the background music.”

Shastri smiled. “We have made arrangements for that already.”

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Harikatha started the next day. Many people hade come to hear. Shastri was busy in the temple distributing prasada. Mohandas kept looking at Jayalaxmi as he told the harikatha. She was very happy to see him pay so much attention to her.

At night, Jayalaxmi brought tiffin for Mohandas. “You are really an expert in harikatha.”

Mohandas looked into her eyes. “When I look at you I get inspiration to tell even more nicely. You are so beautiful.”

Jayalaxmi felt her body shake. She kept staring at him.

Mohandas said, “God has given something only to see and not to experience.”

She kept looking at him.

Mohandas said sadly, “I am not so lucky.”

She remained silent for a while. “I am also not so lucky. If I had met you before getting married, my life would have been completely different.”

Suddenly she felt someone climb up the stairs. She immediately went down.

Mohandas thought of her and the golden ornaments. “Luck is in my hand now. I must not miss it.”