I knew the day I had met his father, the son would come sooner or later. Years have gone by, but it is alright I am the Goddess Ganga. Shantanu is here, life sure does know how to make things right. Let me tell you he is the sweetest of all the lads, he comes up to me and asks if he may be of any help to me. The son of a millionaire, asking me? My cafe is tiny, so I choose to do things by myself, sure it takes some time, but each drink is made with love and care. Shantanu leaves after having chai, but says he will be back tomorrow.
Right on the dot at 3pm Shantanu walk in orders a chai and sits down, reads the newspaper and leaves again. Saying again, that he'll be back tomorrow. Days and weeks go by and we have fallen into a routine. I always have his chai ready as soon as he walk in the door, I don't know how much longer he will wait to ask me to marry him, time is running out.
One day, Shantanu doesn't come in and I can't help, but wonder if something has happened to him. For the past three months he has been coming in everyday...
Just as I was about to call the police a few hours later he walks in soaked head to toe with flowers and a ring. "Marry me?" Shantanu asks. I can only marry you on one condition, you shall never question my actions and the day you do, I shall have to leave. "I promise not to, all I want is for you to marry me."
Fast forward one year and we have our first child, the greatest sorrow of a mother is to let her child go, and that is what I am having to do to fulfill the curse of the previous life. It was cruel of me to ask Shantanu not to question my actions, but what can I do, I am bound by duty. With each child that I must let go in the river, I see Shantanu hanging on by a thin thread trying to control his urge to ask me why I am drowning our children. It is getting harder for me to see the longing in his eyes, but he doesn't know about the curse of the previous life that these eight children must fulfill.
Shantanu was doing so good, but he finally broke down today. He asked why I have been drowning the children in the river nearby, I tell him these eight kids are the eight gods, Vasus, who are being punished for stealing Vashishtha's cow by being incarnated in human form. :Leaving my sweet husband behind might have been more harder than anything else in my life, but I know soon I shall be back because our eighth child shall be left in the care of Shantanu, once he is older.
For now I shall remain across the country at my other cafe. Until I see you again Shantanu...
Author's Note: So the original story is what the Mahabharata opens up with. In that the King of Hatinapura asks the beautiful girl he meets by the river, during his hunt to marry her. She does on the condition that he is not to question her actions, the day he does she shall be gone. Each child that is born Goddess Ganga drowns each one, until the eighth one. King questions as to why she is drowning the children in the river, she tells him that the eight kids are the eight gods, Vasus, who are being punished for stealing Vashishtha's cow by being incarnated in human form. Soon the wife disappears, but returns years later with the grown child to return him to his father. The baby is grown to be known as Bhima.
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| Goddess Ganga with eighth child on the riverbanks, followed by King Shantanu |
What a great story! I think you did a great job of making this seem like a true event by the narration. I also really enjoyed the picture that you chose and how big you made it. The ending of him remaining was pretty interesting and made me want to keep reading more! You do a great job of spacing out the events in the story as well!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Gavin! I really enjoyed reading your story. It seemed like it would fit as another section in the Epic. Your author's note also brings into perspective or the original version. I liked how they both intertwined with each other. Why did you pick to write this story over something else? Was it because it was the opening story to the epic?
ReplyDeleteThis is delightful! I wondered so much about what the deal was with Ganga and Shantanu, and this rendition is great. The rhythm of Ganga's narrative is spot on, and the only thing I can't decide is if Ganga is thinking or speaking these things. Which then makes me wonder who she's telling this to, if it is a conversation. Or is it a journal? Either way, this was a fun read. Good job!
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