Champa Page 2

made of bricks. It was champa. She had a flat basket in her hand. It was filled with wheat. She spread the wheat on a mat for drying in the sun. Then a man came out from the hut and embraced her from behind. She looked back and smiled.

  Eshwar could not believe his eyes. He was taken aback.

  It was him!

  “That is my Chetan” Champa said without taking her eyes from him.

  Eshwar looked again at Chetan. He wore a dhoti and kurta. Some thing in the back of his mind kept on telling that he knew this surroundings very well. He is familiar with everything here. He had been here!. But he also was very sure that never in his life as Eshwar, he has visited this place!

  “Yes Eshwar, you are the rebirth of my Chetan!” Unmoving eyes of Champa shined with expectation. ”so… come with me to my beautiful world” She opened her hands wide…….,

  “Noooo……..!!!” Eshwar shouted.

  Suddenly he woke up. Eshwar was surprised to find himself in his bed and the clock hung on the pole of the tent showed 08 O’clock in the morning. Dileep and Chintu was in the kitchen making morning tea.

  He could not believe this. Was that a nightmare? No. But, Look.. he is back here, in his tent!.

  He got up. While walking to the kitchen he saw small yellow flowers near his bed. It was worn by Champa yesterday night!. Yes,… the fact is that, she had been here yesterday night!

  With a dull mood he went for his job. He was sure that she will be back in the night. He didn’t disclose to anybody about the encounter with champa and events thereafter. In fact he was totally confused about the developments. He prayed to god to end this nightmare.

  That night went without any surprises. Champa didn’t turn up in the night. Eshwar could not sleep. Vivid images of the place he visited night before, rushed through his mind. He was convinced that, Chetan is none other than himself in his previous birth. The images ripped his heart. First time, he felt longing ness to see Champa.

  Suddenly he thought about his mother, who is awaiting his arrival in his hometown. He scolded himself. He is Eshwar! He is a live human being and not a spirit! The whole night he was restless in his bed, half asleep, fighting unwanted thoughts and emotions.

  Again, he got involved in his work.

  That Friday night, he woke up in the midnight to see Champa sitting near his feet. His heart missed a beat! A lightning traveled through his nerves ! She was looking at him silently.

  Eshwar was unable to face Champa. He looked away.

  “Don’t worry. I have not come to take you. I will wait. I will do nothing against your will”

  “Look Champa, you are a spirit and I am a live human being. How can I come with you? I have my own relations and liabilities in this birth too. Try to understand”

  Champa didn’t move. She continued to stare at Eshwar. Her face was wet with tears. Eshwar suppressed an urge to hug and console her. He slowly went near her, took her hand in his palm.

  “Champa I want to hear your story, about you.. about me... I can’t recollect anything from my previous birth”

  Slowly she got up and floated out of the tent. Eshwar followed her. They reached the peepal tree near the site. The surroundings were sunk in darkness. A small breeze blew through her long hair. Eshwar was overcome with empathy towards her.

  “Chetan and myself lived in that village called Pavanpur. It is a few miles from here. Eravati river flowed between the two villages Pavanpur and Chandan gaav. Chetan was a potter. we made pots, crossed the river, carried it to the big market, miles away, for selling. My parents and his parents had left to heavenly abode long back. We didn’t have children. Every body was envious about the love which existed between us. They told others, we were husband and wife in previous birth also. Such was the bond between us.”

  Champa fell silent. She was lost in her thoughts. Eshwar waited.

  “One day, during a rainy season, Chetan set out to go to the market with the pots. Downpour was so heavy, that it was very difficult to go out. Eravati was overflowing. I told Chetan not to go. But the fact was that, we didn’t have anything to eat at home. Due to the rains we were not able to make enough pots also. Chetan told me that if he continued to sit at home we will die of starvation. I watched him walking away in the rains with the huge rope basket full of pots on his head.

  Two days passed and there was no sign of Chetan. I was worried. The rains strengthened, accompanied with storm. I remained inside the house. One night I woke up finding that water has entered the house. I tried to open the door. But it was blocked by some big rock due to landslide. I was helpless. I shouted in vain. Within minutes water entered the hut fully and I was drowned”

  Eshwar was stunned. He let out a deep breath. He looked at Champa. She was looking down the valley.

  “From that day onwards I was waiting for my Chetan. I assumed that he may be drowned in the river. I still awaited. But when I saw you, I thought the wait was over” She stopped.

  Eshwar didn’t say anything. Suddenly she turned around and looked into his eyes.

  “Even if you don’t like, nothing can stop me seeing you!” She declared.

  Before Eshwar could say some thing, she dissolved into the air!

  The days followed were very difficult for Eshwar. He could not concentrate in his work. He lost his sleep. Champa visited him daily in the night. She would sit by his side and silently watch him. Eshwar could not disclose his problem to anybody. Inside his mind he was afraid that champa will do something drastically. He tried to communicate with her. But she was always silent. He was sympathetic and at the same time irritated with Champa.

  In the evenings he wandered to the nearby village. There was a temple situated in the heart of the village. He prayed silently before the diety. The priest of the temple was a very pious man and had good knowledge about Vedas and shastras. He was very good at astrology too. At times he thought of telling the whole story to the priest. But for some reason he felt not to tell.

  The Excavation team faced a serious problem. They needed to break a very huge and hard rock structure to progress further. They called in a team of explosive specialists to use dynamite to break the rock. Eshwar and his teammates watched the specialists at work. On the right side of the structure, there was a deep ravine.

  Suddenly an accident took place! Before using the detonating device, the dynamite exploded !!

  Rock pieces and shrapnel flew with huge force ! The bodies of the specialists at work were blown away into pieces! Due to force waves created, Eshwar and his friends went flying in the air! They were thrown over the ravine !

  Suddenly Eshwar felt that he is in somebody’s hands. He floated in the air and was slowly brought down to the ground. Apart from the injury on his knee he was safe !. When he opened his eyes he was in the hands of Champa. She was caressing the wound on his knee !

  He could not believe his eyes. The whole place was a mess. The villagers came in hordes. They started the rescue operations. Bodies were scattered here and there. They were relieved to find that he has survived. The bodies which fell into the ravine could not be found out. Only few of the crew who remained in the tents, survived. Many of the excavation equipments were damaged.

  Eshwar looked into the face of Champa. She was silent as usual. He could not find words to thank her. His eyes welled with tears.

  Police and the doctors came. They made report and took away the bodies.

  A condolence prayer meeting was held at the temple, in the evening. Eshwar attended. The priest discoursed about the mortality of human life, soul and spirituality. When the meeting ended, Eshwar met the priest alone in his room inside the temple. He narrated one by one, all his experiences from the day he has arrived. The priest patiently listened to him. After that he consulted his astrology books, did some calculations and mumbled some slokas and prayer.

  At the end he said:

  “My son, even if we try not to believe in whatever our ancestors have taught us, it remains a fact th
at they were simply, right. Body is mortal, but soul is immortal. Due to unknown reasons some are able to go into a new phase of life, but others are not. According to shastras, soul has to cross a river called Vaitharani after death. It is very important to do the last rites to the diseased so that due to our prayers, they gain strength to cross the river and enter into their next phase. They may attain moksha or may be born again. You were reborn after your life as Chetan. But Poor Champa has to wander as a spirit. It is said, that you carry your last or wish when you die, to your next phase. Hence Champa is continuing her search of her lost love.

  So it is very important to perform the last rites of Champa. I can see as per astrology that, only YOU can provide her Mukti. For that you have to find something that relates to her- her bones, clothes, hair, nail or something of that sort. As far as I know the village that you referred--Pavanpur is around fifteen miles from here. My instincts tell me, that you will find something there. After finding her remains do what I tell you. I will send my assistant along with you. You go there immediately”

  Next morning Eshwar hired a horse cart to go to Pavanpur. Priest had sent his assistant along with him. He described the ritual to be performed there. In a brass vessel, Eshwar carried Abhishek water and puja flowers of the Devi of the temple. As they were reaching the place he started getting some kind of vibrations—he had been here before!

  There were lot of changes from what he had seen from his visit along with champa. He enquired to a lot of people. Finally he could meet an old man who remembered Champa and Chetan. With his help Eshwar reached the place near the old Banyan tree and the old dilapidated temple.

  The place was totally barren except two or three old fallen buildings which escaped the disaster. The old man told Eshwar that the village had been swept away in 1940s floods. One of the buildings resembled Champa’s house. It was covered by bushes, shrubs and creepers. With much difficulty, they removed all the debris and vegetation and reached the front door. The door was covered with a boulder as said by Champa.

  They pushed open the front door. It gave away and fell down from its hinges. They entered the room. The roof had already fallen down partly. There were lot of vegetation inside. In between that, they saw it!.

  A broken skeleton covered with mud and creepers !

  Suddenly the atmosphere became dark ! A strong wind started blowing. The leaves of the banyan tree shook in terror ! Lightning streaks appeared in the sky followed by thunder!. The old man said : a storm is going to come. He tried to move away from the place. A piece of wood from the roof fell in front of him with a loud noise ! He shrieked !

  Eshwar knew what is happening!

  To his right appeared Champa !

  Her face was contorted with contempt, sorrow and anger!

  “What the hell are you doing here ?”

  “Champa, I am doing this is for every body’s well being ! You will be relieved from all sorrows. Please ! I beg you !”

  “No way! I will not allow you to disturb me. How can you do this to me. I have saved your life. I could have allowed you to die and you will naturally come to me. I didn’t do that!. Now you are trying to destroy me?”

  “No champa No ! I only trying to you give you Mukti from your present state. I loved you. I still love you” Eshwar held her hands.

  Champa stared at him. Slowly anger disappeared from her face.

  The assistant and the old man stood wondering, what was happening !

  The storm settled. Atmosphere became normal. Eshwar sighed! He, again looked at Champa.

  She had gone !

  With the help some of the village folk they cleaned and prepared a portion inside the house for the rituals. It was sanctified with abhishek water. The assistant prepared a Homa kunth and swastikas on the floor. After reciting some mantras he performed Havan with Ghee ,flowers and sandal wood. He told Eshwar to bring the bones.

  With much reverence Eshwar collected the hip bone and knee joints from the skeleton . He felt the presence of Champa by his side.

  Her eyes radiated serenity. It was filled with Love and thankfulness to him. As she watched, Eshwar carried the bones near the homa Kunth.

  The assistant recited some mantras which he told eshwar to repeat. He told to make a Sankalp of Champa in his mind and sprinkle the holy water over the bones. Eshwar did as he was told. Again he was told to put Ghee over it and put the bones into the holy pyre in the Homakunth.

  Suddenly a flame of white light emerged from the homakunth and flew away to the sky! The assistant said: At last…… Champa attained her Mukti !.

  After some time they took out the left over of the bones and ash from the pyre and deposited it into an earthen pot, which was covered with a red cloth.

  The return journey was event free. They reached the temple in the evening

  The priest was waiting for them.

  “Eshwar, her remains needs to be floated in the sacred Ganga”

  After two days, Eswhar started his return journey. First he will go to Allahabad and float the remains of Champa in Ganga and then proceed to Kakinada, to his mother.

  In the train, He kept the packet containing the pot, close to his heart.

  His love !

  When the train moved he looked outside. He felt that Champa is waving her hands over the hills.

  The train started its journey towards the shores of salvation.