The earthen abode of Shiv Shakti seemed more bright , ethereal and ascetic than before. This can be accounted to the fact , it is Somvar (Monday) , or the auspicious Magha somvar. Devotees from way around the country have travelled to get a glimpse of Vishwanath Mahadev..... Sages , Saints and pilgrims have flocked the ghats of Ganga . The population of Kashi has soared by a considerable number. The ghats and roads which weren't so crowded in the early minutes of dawn are now bustling with people. The nad of "Har har Mahadev " , "Omm Namah Shivaya" & "Bum Bum Bhole" along with the blowing of conch , trumpet and drums have replaced the otherwise soothing silence by a austere noise. Kashi seemed more lively & as always ready to host all these changes.

Although the eyes of the devotees should only be on God ... the people couldn't help but glance often at the pair walking together.

Karn and Ananya.

The minute they exited the temple all the eyes were on them .... Karn was accustomed to be the centre of attention but Ananya liked to be in shadows. Karn walked as proud as a king with stiff posture with kindness in eyes and Ananya had a humble walk , kind smile and fierce eyes. Both poles apart ....but perfectly complimenting each other.

Clad in shades of Blue's and Grey's , walking together they looked no less than King & Queen ... The true King and Queen.

(KARN'S POV IS IN NORMAL FONT AND ANANYA'S POV IS UNDERLINED.)

What's this Mahadev? I want to avoid her and yet my mind is consumed in thoughts of her and my eyes seem to have got their own mind ... I just hope she doesn't take me for any creep .... This is all so awkward...

Maa Shakti what am I supposed to do now? I'm with THE MAHARATHI KARN , guiding him in the city of Kashi.... And look at him, other than having heavenly beauty and grace , he definitely has a otherworldly attitude... obviously a good one but why is he so mum?Have I done something wrong???Wait these are silly questions!! Major question is y is he here ? Y are his parents here & not in Hastinapur?? It seems as if all those authentic Mahabharat things weren't authentic at all!!! Hmm .... Even original notes from teachers can't be copied perfectly and I am thinking about a Yuga back story to be copied without interpolation ...hmp!!

What is she thinking so deeply that she hasn't had a glanced at me...Doesn't she find me handsome???

With this thought I glanced at her and she too looked up to me, at the same time.... It felt as if.... As if everything around has faded ... It is just me & her ... As if nothing matters anymore... As if I have got what I was searching for ...but ..the moment is short lived ..... Her eyes are the most beautiful one I have seen yet... Beautiful Lotus shaped with dark irises ...that had fire , light , warmth and... darkness!! Yes, the darkness in her eyes is something so out of place but so enigmatic, it seems as a eternal and important part of her...

His eyes are so deep and alluring.. They could drown anyone with ease.. I look up and we again share an eyelock.........

I smile at him softly & he too just smiles in return....His smile adds so much charm to his personality and can definitely outshine thousand suns...We soon avert our eyes and look at the surrounding.

Hundreds of white lotuses would fade before her smile .. so calm so beautiful . She folds hand and greets everyone with a kind smile .... Many greeted me too and I reciprocated it... All the eyes are on us only. I am used to it but that doesn't seem to be the case with her.. Although her eyes show confidence but the subtle digging of her nails on her hand say otherwise.

We are now moving towards the market area and all this while we haven't exchanged a single word other than occasional glances.. If this continues I will go mad... Com'on I am not the one with much patience , neither can I keep mum for a long time . Amba maa says I alone can talk for the entire crowd of 5 ... Okay seems I will have to start the conversation..as he definitely won't speak .. I mean y would he... Neither am I as talented and knowledgeos as him , neither beautiful as other princesses... I don't think we have anything in common....

The market place is so beautiful...It seems something out of fantasy tales... Everything properly managed , proper arrangement , proper order , clean and bustling with people.....

Eyes turned to us wherever we went and I often kept glancing at her to make sure she is comfortable... I looked around and people were smiling in admiration, some were giggling , some seemed jealous , but there were some lustful stares... I was used to it ...but the lustful stares at her angered me ... She too seemed bothered by it but chose to neglect it... And that angered me more... I glared at the men and instantly covered her petite figure with my body ..... For some reason I wanted to torture these men.....

Being in limelight is not something I fancy much ....And this much attention is the last thing I want... Some were friendly stares , some jealous and some lustful... I could feel it and as any other girl was angered and bothered by it ..But I didn't want to create a scene in early morning so chose to ignore it... At an instant , I was shadowed by a large figure... It was him... I noticed a change in his stance from relaxing to attacking ... But there's no threat around... I searched my surroundings for any possibility but no ... There's no threat then..??? I couldn't help but question him

Are u alright?

I was about to move towards the men when she asked me

Ananya: Are u alright?

I instantly turned towards her...so fast that I'm surprised, I didn't sprain my neck. Her caring eyes at once calmed me .... I smiled at her and nodded my head in yes.... How is it that she calms me so well just like her , the one in my imagination ..How do I get tongue-tied before both of them? I again looked back at those men and gave them a death-glare... something that even Asurs are afraid of ...

I saw him glaring at those men and now the sudden change in his behaviour made sense..... So someone here is a gentleman and prefers to be knight in shining armour though I am not a damsel in distress....

Thank you..

I raised my left eyebrow as if asking y? And she motioned towards the men...

I nodded once again.... We walked a little futher & she asked...

Do u always remain so silent or am I that scary to leave u speechless?

I could not be mum anymore... Com'on u can't expect a person taking a stroll with u to be completely mum ..can you? I mean it's just so plain , boring and unexciting.. & moreover if that person is a legendary hero of mythology... keeping mum doesn't make sense....

Karn: I never fancied the thought of Princess of Kashi speaking to a mere sutputra , like me.

Oh!! I did sound rude!! Didn't I? Ugh!!

Rude & judgemental...hmph!!

Ananya: Judgemental much huh!!....

Karn: Nope not at all .... It's just u didn't want me to accompany u and u didn't even say a single word from the time we met so ...

Oh!! My God!! He got it all wrong... what's with men and baseless assumptions??

U didn't say anything as well... Did you?

Wait!! So did she wanted me to initiate the conversation?? ...Women in Aryavrat are meek and shy so...

It's ok, I get it u ...don't want to talk to me ...

Karn: No... it's not that ... It's just ....I don't know what to talk about...

Now, this is embarrassing...

Ananya: Oh!! Let me clear something then... I didn't want to u to accompany me & that's true ... But not because I am some high class egoistic princess but because I didn't want to separate u from ur parents; that to when u met them after so many years...

I have been here for just 7 months but I can feel the longing ,love and affection they have for u... I have heard so many stories of ur childhood from them ... Ur mischiefs are Adhirath ji's favourite topic for our journeys . And whenever I visited ur house , I would most of the time see Radha ji praying for you, ur well being and return....

U know , although Adhirath ji is a jovial man and Radha ji has her beautiful smile but I always found something missing... & Now I know what...

She looked at me with slight moist eyes .. and I knew what or who it was. She didn't need to continue....& May be she understood it .. There was a long pause ...

I just hope I didn't came out as rude for interfering in their personal matters... I don't know why I explained him what I did...I'm not a person who likes to give explanation for every decision I made...then y him?? May be because I want him to be Adhirathi and Radheya more than Angraj and Champanaresh.. May be staying the former two would give him a different fate than being the latter... Therefore , I couldn't help but express my views ...

Ananya: Always be Adhirathi & Radheya before any other identity... because these two is you ...the real u..

He nodded and silence is what followed ... We both continued to look at our surroundings..

After renovation of this market place ...this is the third time I am here... So y not check for some drawbacks ....

Wooww!! Kashi's marketplace has undergone such a beautiful renovation....

Everything sophisticated , classic yet homey and cozy ....

Whoever did this is definitely praiseworthy.....

I look at Ananya who is busy observing everything with sharp eyes.. These are not the eyes of the lady I was walking with but the eyes of a queen overlooking everything ; having a critical eye , sharp brain and the intention of making this place better..with certain worry. I don't know but her being worried doesn't sit well with me ... before I could stop , my words were already out ..

Don't worry ... It's the most beautiful marketplace in the entire Aryavrat or might say world... It's so cozy , funky yet classic and elegant.. It seems something out of magical world... So beautiful , organised, clean and well maintained..

I saw her smile at this....

This is the result of teamwork ... The business class , workers , architect and citizens of Kaashi , all have worked together for this.. Not much architecture has been changed ...just a bit here and there ... Everything is just put into its proper place and bingo!!!

I'm glad you liked it .

But baba said all these news ideas , laws, constructions & renovations are your doing...

U see neither I am a witch nor do I have a magic wand so ..Me doing all of this alone is impossible... Ideas are only thoughts until implemented. And all of these being done by me alone is impossible... So it's team work.

Humble and modest... Definitely not the things I expected.... Seems this is y pitashree , Radha maa and the subjects adore her so much ....

Ananya: Amba Maa said u are a very sharp observer and have vast knowledge of almost every sphere of life... Although u just arrived today but still what are ur views on Kashi ?

Karn: How did you know about when I arrived?

Ananya: I saw your reflection in the water of Ganga...in dawn & on an honest note ... Men as handsome as u aren't safe in this wretched world.. U shouldn't move alone in the early dawn hours ....who knows anything can happen anytime...

Wait what???? She winked at me , chuckled ,moved forward , turned around & giggled ; she held her hears still smiling and nodded her head saying sorry... I couldn't help but smile at her antics.. I mean here one second she was the queen and the other second she behaved as a child...so unpredictable ...hmm....

Men like him aren't safe in this wretched world .... I mean seriously???From when did I get such bad sense of humour..eww it sounds so cliche ...But at least I got him to smile..

Ananya: Okay!! Now back to my questions..

Yes.. sure ..Ask anything u want

And now we had something to talk about...

At last we found a common ground....

We talked about laws , their implementation , the Shastras and verses which support them , the new construction plans, and some new projects..... although not briefly but enough to get an idea about how the other person thinks....

& What's astonishing was she is highly knowledgeable though she didn't had a proper education here.... atleast this is what she said ....

Her humble nature and leadership skills are commendable. She didn't take credit for anything....

The laws were changed by the help of original and relevant Shastras that were found by Rishi Hotravahan and his shishyas , seconded by Bhagwan Parshuram.

The spy network , renovation and construction were the under the supervision of Crown prince Shaktiraj and ex-King Vallabhraj ji along with some ministers.

The formation of women & child development was headed by Devi Suruchi , Princess Vallandhara and Devi Anandmayi & so on....

Never for once did she took credit for herself...... The respect I manifested for her initially , has now multiplied 10x....

We were talking about random things ... When I saw some shops that had women as sellers... This is weird, not something the men of Aryavrat would agree to....then ??

What are those shops?

Ananya: I told u about the women development sector right?? This is a initiative of it ... assembling women who want to support their families and themselves; women from poor section of society , widows , divorcees and prostitutes who wanted to have reformed life are grouped to make crafts , clothes , loban and other stuffs and sell them. I have asked them to put a stall as there would be devotees & businessman from all over Aryavrat for this month.. This would be a great exposure for them...

Would you like to pay a visit?

Karn: Sure ...

I must appreciate the people behind this idea... It would actually help so many women become independent financially.. They would be able to support their households and earn recognition... This is a great initiative...

We visited the shops and I must say the clothes , crafts & loban were of high quality, very well made , beautiful and better than other shops ..

These ladies have magic in their hands. Look at these .. Befitting to be worn by God and kings ....I'm definitely gonna purchase some of them for my celestial family members , maa , pitashree and Gurus....Such beautiful garments and that too in affordable price .... But still they have very less buyers...

Their sad worried face says everything. For others it might be a way of earning money but for them this is a way of getting accepted in society. For getting recognised as an independent individual... People rejecting these things is like rejecting them and that's tormenting .......

To boost their morale I said ...

Woow!!! These are beautiful... I have roamed entire Aryavrat but never found any thing as beautiful as these...

And these compliments are true .....

I see relief in their eyes...& Smile... Even Kashikanya Ananya does so .

I see two girls from morning , one elder and the other younger, whose names are Suru and Dhara ,with 7-8 soldiers near Princess. Suru addresses Kashikanya ...

Jiji .. There hasn't been much sales from the morning ... If this continues I'm afraid the state shall incur a great loss and also the women .

If the sales don't increase ...what will we do..? We will incur a great loss.... And all our hardwork will go in waste...And moreover if the income isn't sufficient our families might not allow us to continue...

Hardwork never goes in waste... Even if no one else sees ...Maa Shakti always observes us... Don't worry ...I won't let ur hardwork go in waste... Even if no one buys it now , the state will buy it and these will be later sold to neighbouring kingdoms to increase trade... It's a win-win situation in both cases ...So relax....

A good strategist and solutionist is always worthy of admiration.

Vallandhara: But jiji the things made by them are of the best quality and beauty yet people are not buying...not even visiting y?

Most people aren't visiting the shop because it's their way of silent revolt. Revolt against the idea of women empowerment , because they're still caught up in their age old thinking... The thinking of women being easily disposable ,inferior and always under the guidance of men... This thinking has strengthened it's root in everyone's mind .

If the same things made by women, were to be sold by a man the stall would have been empty by now ...but that's not the case because women are selling these.

It will take time to change this thinking ....

Be optimistic.... Give time to people to accept these changes.