#TheWritingProject
In the scorching summer a begger gave birth to an infant. Already suffering from hunger she didn't have resources to nourish the infant. For the better future she left the infant at the shrine gate.

The cry of the infant attracted several people. The young landlord was passing by. He stopped to take a look. The crowd was surrounding the child but no one dared to hold the infant in his or her arms. Soon a monk came out of the shrine. He ran down the stairs to hold that baby. But before he could reach there, a middle aged man picked the infant. Middle aged man said, "If no one is willing to take this infant then I would like to take the baby with me."
The monk yelled, " But you runs a brothel.
Please anyone else. But not this man."

People were standing like a dumb statues. No one was willing to adopt that child.
One of the minions of the young landlord said, " Our landlord will solve this problem."
The young landlord who was already drunk boasted himself. In an unclear voice he commanded, " If the infant is a boy then monk will raise him and if it is a girl then she will be sent to brothel."

The minions praised the landlord for his foolish decision. People around him knowing that the decision is a sin remain silent.

Monk holding the baby in his arm declared that it was a boy. Then he took the baby inside the shrine. He named the infant as 'Megh' (cloud).On asking the monk he always explained that the day he (infant) entered the shrine was a cloudy day.

Years passed Megh became an adorable teenager. Since from his childhood he was extremely beautiful. At one glance people always get confused whether he was a boy or a girl.
Although his voice was quite harsh but when he start singing it was more melodious than the female singers of the village.

On day Megh was shopping in the market. He saw a pigeon on the ground. It wasn't moving. At first he thought it was dead. But then he started thinking if the pigeon is dead then why there ain't any maggots on it. When he tried to touch the pigeon, it clutched the fingers of Megh. He was happy to see the bird alive. He picked up the pigeon and put it in the basket. When he asked the priest of the shrine to keep the pigeon he ( priest) denied.

When he placed the bird on the tree it fell. Its feathers were plucked out by someone which made it hard to fly for the bird. Megh picked the bird and hide it under his robe close to his chest. He started searching for a doctor.

The young landlord now became a middle aged man. He saw Megh searching for a doctor. Thinking that Megh was a girl he was charmed by his beauty. He order his servant to sent Megh to his wagon. Servant did so. When Megh entered the wagon, the landlord grabbed his arm and made him sit on his lap. He touched the pigeon and mistook it as Megh's breast. With a mind filled with lust the landlord put his hands beneath the Megh's robe and squeezed his chest. The pigeon on being pushed strike it's pointed beak on his hand. The bird made a continuous attack on his hand. The landlord cried in pain. The servants were standing outside the wagon but dared not enter it, thinking that God knows what the pervert landlord doing in the wagon. Megh was still confused. He said, " Aren't you a doctor? You can treat your wound on your own. As for my pigeon I am going to find some other doctor."
Then he jumped out of wagon and disappeared in no time.

Megh was still confused. He didn't understand the intention of the landlord. He was thinking why everyone hated his pigeon. He took the bird to the shrine but hide it in his room. In the evening the bird disappeared. Megh trembled in fear. He started searching it in the whole shrine. Poor boy he couldn't even tell anyone what he is searching.

While running in the corridor he collide with the monk who adopted him. He pulled Megh by his collar and dragged him to the main priest's room. Megh thought that he was going to be punished for being making chaos in the shrine. Monk along with Megh entered the room. There Megh saw the pigeon was sitting on pillow which was kept on the study table of the priest.
The priest said, " Why did you bring the bird in the shrine?"
Megh with tears in his eyes replied, " I wanted to see the bird fly again. I know you have denied to keep it but I couldn't find a home for it. So.."
"So brought the bird here. Why didn't you told us that the bird is a injured?", said the priest in a loud voice.

Megh didn't replied. He ran outside the room. Monk followed him. They both went to the shrine's garden where Megh asked the monk, "Why everyone is against keeping an injured pigeon? People in the market also denied to keep it. Then the priest too denied. If you are strong enough to save a life then why do you hesitate? What is the meaning of being alive if we leave the other living being to die soon? What's wrong with helping the bird to survive?"

The priest who was standing behind without the Megh's knowledge put his hand over Megh's head. He said, " Megh I declare that you will become the head priest after me. Your sense of kindness and justice is not bounded by worldly people."
"Then may I keep the bird?", asked Megh.
The priest nodded his head with a smile. Megh who was extremely happy hugged the priest and then ran towards his room. After he went away, the priest said to the monk, " You took a right decision to adopt this child."

When Megh turned 16 he was allowed to explore the world. One day he saw a young maiden was standing near the stairs. He asked her to enter the shrine but she hesitated. He took her hand and said, "God is for everyone then why are you hesitating?" When both started climbing the stairs, people of the shrine started shouting. Soon every person of the shrine gathered outside.
"She can't enter the shrine.", shouted a servant at Megh.
Megh was confused and demanded the reason.
"She is a brothel woman. Her presence will make the holy shrine's impure.", said another person among the crowd.

"Oh! That's the only reason", exclaimed Megh, " Listen maiden there is a well near the large tree. Go wash your hands and feet."

The head priest giggled at his words.
But the other monks yelled at him, " Stupid boy. You brought this sinner to a holy place. Buddha will become angry."

Megh quickly replied, " How do you know? Does Buddha himself told you?"
One of the servant said, "It is against the rules."
Megh asked, "Can a thief enter the shrine?"
A monk replied, "Yes"
" Ok, What about a murderer? Can he meet the God?"
Again reply was yes.

"Wow! Could you tell me who made these rules? Head priest, why you didn't taught me these rules?", said Megh with watery eyes fill with mischief.

The head priest replied, " Neither I made these rules nor my superior taught me anything related to this. The one who follow this rule is free to search the rulebook in the shrine."

This comment stopped the argument. And the maiden was allowed to enter the shrine after several years. Megh's foster father (monk) pulled him at the corner and said, "Why did you bring a sex worker here?"
"She is not a sex worker. She might be a servant at the brothel.", replied Megh.
"How do you know that?", asked the monk.
Megh said, " It is simple. Her hands were rough and nails slightly blackened similar to the hands of servants of our shrine."
The head priest poked his head between the father-son conversation. He said," Megh go drop the maiden where she wish to be dropped and bring some fruits while returning back."
When he left the priest said, "Aren't you proud of him?"
"Proud is one thing and fear is another. I fear that society won't accept him.", replied the monk.
The priest further said, "He will help the one who need him. If Buddha is with him then who are we to worry about his future."

During Winters one night
Some people were chasing a woman. She was running restlessly. Megh was walking in the forest maze where he collide with that woman. She was holding a baby in her hands. He could see fear in her eyes. He heard the noice of a mob coming towards him. Quickly he opened his robe and wrapped it around that woman. The robe covered her from head to toe. Not even her face was visible. Mob arrived at the spot and saw a man who was wearing pants and just a sash in the chilly winters. One of man among the mob asked him, "Have you seen a woman with a child?"
Megh replied," No. But why you are searching her?"
He said," That woman is a witch who gave birth to a monster. Being her husband I will kill her and the monster to save this village."
Megh said, "Do so."
"But why are you here and who is he?", asked the man.
Megh said in a loud voice, "You stupid human. You don't know who is he? He is saint who is meditating in the forest for the betterment of this village. I am his servant. Don't you dare disturb my master."

Mob proceeded forward to search her in deeper woods. When everyone left. Megh said, " Now you can speak."
Lady said, "I wish to leave this village."
"As you wish my sister. You can come with me if you want.", said Megh, "Do you have any veil?"
She took off her veil from her tangled hair and gave it to him. Megh wrapped the sash around his chest, opened his bun to spread his hair and wore the veil. He hold the baby and said, "You are already tired. Let me hold him." They entered the village market and stayed in a small hotel. Everyone who saw them thought Megh was a woman and the lady was a man. He ordered some for for the lady and asked her the whole story. She told the boy was born a month ago. But when he opened his eyes everyone got terrified. Our neighbors claimed the child to be a monster. So everyone started blaming my boy for every bad things happened to them. Like losing in the gambling, not getting more profit in business etc. And now even my family wants to kill him.

"You said open his eyes. Is there something wrong?", asked Megh. She said, " The colour."by putting the baby in his lap. Megh took the boy in his hands and saw his eyes.
"Beautiful", he said.
The lady burst into tears. For the first time someone has said something good for her baby.
Megh offered her water and plea her not to cry. He said, " What is his name?"
She said in a sad tone, "People call him monster."
Megh, "If you don't mind may I suggest a name for him?"
She agreed with a smile. Megh saw his beautiful eyes. He has blue, green and slightly yellow eyes. "Monal.",he suggested cheerfully because his eyes resembles the color of the bird Monal.
He gave all his money to her and asked her to leave the village to start a new life.

In the morning he took the child to the clinic for health check-up.
Doctor asked, "Is it your son?"
Megh didn't denied. The nurse asked him the name. He replied her.
Later when Megh saw the prescription paper the mother's name was written 'Megha' in it.
After examining the child the doctor assured that he is healthy with no vision defects. He said, "You gave birth to a unique child." Megh didn't noticed doctor's words he was lost in playing with the child who was giggling in his arms.
Outside the clinic he returned the child to his mother. He gave all the medical reports to her and went towards his home.

After 20 years
Monal was sleeping peacefully, clutching the pillow in his hands. Mild breeze entering from window was making the curtains dance in a wave. Suddenly a gust of wind strike his ear.

Exhausted from work he was sleeping motionless. He pulled the blanket and covered his head. But that gust was only a starting. He heard a whispering sound as if someone calling for help. He lives alone so there was no possibility that someone would be calling him.
Soon the gentle breeze took a form of wild wind. Window smashed and closed.

Now this was totally disturbing. He jumped out of the bed and closed the window. He felt as if someone was pushing him. He shivered by watching white shadow. He ran towards his bed to close his eyes again, hoping it would be a nightmare.

He climbed the bed and the shadow followed him like a snake flowing in the air. He was terrified. He was sitting with his back struck on the wall, clutching his legs with his arms. He opened his eyes when the voice called, " Help me!."

He saw an old man's face larger than his own body. It was only the face. Totally white but translucent. Long white hair and mustache. Terrifying enough to make a person faint down.

He turned his neck in order to avoid eye contact with the ghost. But the spirit approached closer and closer. At last when it was only a palm distance away, he yelled, " I agree to help you. Now please stay away."

He asked the spirit why it had only targeted him? " Because you could only hear me.", replied the spirit.
He asked about the back story and got to know that this old man spirit went to land Lord's house on an invitation where the lord was killed and the villagers accused him for killing the landlord. But he denies and says he is innocent.

In the morning he realized he could see the spirit all the time. He murmured, " So that wasn't a dream after all." He asked the spirit how it had died. But the spirit didn't remember it. All it could hear the yelling of villagers cursing the old man for killing the landlord.

Next Sunday he went to the village where the landlord used to live. The mansion which used to be the villagers attraction now was turned into haunted monument. He entered the mansion and saw something disturbing. The scratches on the wall. All scratches saying the same thing, that is 'the lord was killed'. On asking the villager he came to know that they had found the headless body of landlord but never found the head so they had burnt the body as per the rituals. He saw the photograph of the landlord and the old man in the old mansion.

Villagers claimed that the old man ran away after killing the land lord and took away all his money. Since that day a negative aura is surrounding the mansion.

"Negative aura?", he asked. To this a villager replied, "you could see there is no house near that mansion. But it wasn't like that before. That mansion was surrounded by several houses at one time. But after the murder, neighbors started complaining that they saw someone in the mansion. Even though it was always closed. Many people experienced a sudden gust of wind near the mansion. But the weather was fine. So where did the wind come from?"

He knew where did the gust of wind come from. But telling people that it was a spirit is something weird. Who would believe him? Moreover he didn't want to terrify the villagers.

He further asked," Where are the houses? I didn't find any, near it."
He was told that the houses were destroyed by fire. No one ever came to know how? Only the mansion was saved, rest everything destroyed.

Exhausted from the trip Monal went to the shrine to ask the priest any solution.

It was nicely built Buddhist shrine. White stairs with little dirt on them. No foot print could be seen. He felt hesitated to put his feet forward. Soon someone called him from upstairs, " Don't worry my boy I can clean them again. Just climb up."
The voice was pure melody. He raise his head to see the person who called him. He saw a priest wearing a white and cream color robe was watering a small plant at the shrine gate. That priest was smiling at him. He was Megh who now became the head priest of the shrine.

That smile was so soothing that he almost forgot that he was tired. He removed his shoes, climbed up and said , " Now I don't think you need to clean the stairs again."(with a smiley face)
Megh said, "Yes, but I think you need to clean yourself. There is a well towards your right. You could clean yourself there. You can drop your luggage here. "

Monal went towards the well as per the instructions. Soon the priest heard a loud splashing sound. He ran towards the well and saw Monal sitting near the well. By watching his posture any one could guess that he would have slipped and fallen down.

The priest offered him his hand which Monal grabbed to stand up. Soon other monks arrived at the spot. They took him inside the shrine. There he took rest for an hour then went to meet that priest.

The priest was sitting in his room alone. He entered the room and greeted. To which the priest put his hand over his head. Priest said, " Tell me your problem."
He explained each and everything that had happened to him. How he end up visiting here. How a spirit asked for help. He was speaking rapidly similar to a small child who tells everything new to his parents. Same innocence and same passion could be seen in his eyes.

(A knock at the door. A monk brought food and kept it on the table. )

The priest offered him water which he drank in a one go. After finishing his talk he realized that he drank water which was offered to priest by the monk. He grabbed his bag, pulled out his bottle and offered it to the priest. He said, " it's clean I forgot to drink it."
The priest took a sip and said, " Fruit juice in exchange of water. Not a bad deal.
Since you finished your talk, you can start eating. I have ordered food for 2 people."

After the meal both went to the veranda for a walk. Priest told him to destroy the physical body of the spirit, either burry it or burn it as per the rituals. After giving hospitality the priest told, " I hope you you will revisit my lord.'
...my Lord. ...my Lord... Yes it is
The word my 'lord' echoed in his mind as if he found every solution of the problem.

He went to the market and bought all the stuff which could help him to set the fire. A gallon of fuel and a matchbox would be enough, but he wish to do it perfect at once only.

He ran towards the old mansion and set it on fire. It burnt like a forest fire. Villagers caught him and thought that he was insane. Soon the priest arrived and took him to the shrine.
Villagers demanded the explanation. On which he said," In your culture you denote guest as ' Lord'. On the wall it was scratched that the' Lord was killed ' not the 'landlord was killed' that means that night your landlord had killed old guest not the old man killed the land lord ,as you all are saying.
You not only hated the old man but also blamed him to such an extent that he became spirit to seek justice for himself. The reason I set fire was to burn down the skull of the old man which was till buried in the mansion."

One villager asked ,"how are you so sure that skull was in the mansion?
And the old guest was being murdered not our landlord?"
He replied, "Because you leave a place only if it is Haunted . Tell me what haunts you more than murder? Tell me why cannot anybody reside in that mansion ? And I do not think that anybody would be brave enough to carry the skull and hide it outside where anyone could find it .

If a person is landlord he would be having several servants and guards. So it would not be easy to kill him. And even if someone had kill him, then do you think that a person who is old enough to merely walk could escape easily from the mansion?"


Behind the priest he could see the spirit's form vanishing in the air . It was smiling when his last desire of seeking justice is fulfilled.

Someone threw a pebble towards Monal which strike his forehead. With this the priest head towards him and wrapped him around his arms. Megh said to the villagers, " It is enough. You already made a dead suffer, now hurting this man would only increase the burden of your sin.
If you don't want to hear the truth then cover your ears. Not everyone is capable of hearing the truth. Specially when he or she is the wrong."

These words controlled the rage of the mob. Soon the villagers went away. Now it was too late to accept their mistake.

The priest took the young man inside the shrine and asked him to never return again.
Priest said, " Telling the truth to villagers is like saying words to the deaf. They won't be listening you. They wish to live in a fantasy in which they are always correct. I fear that they will harm you."

The young man smiled and said, " the spirit had already gone. The soul found its destination. Now there is no reason for me to remain here."

Megh asked him to wait in the guest room. Monal took off his contact lenses and washed his face near the well. When he reached the room Megh was waiting for him with a first aid kit in his hands. He made Monal sit comfortable on the ground. With one hand he holds his bangs ( Monal's hair) and with other he applied the ointment on his wound. He saw his eyes without the lenses.
He said, " Monal you are a brave child."

While sitting in the bus Monal went into a deep thought whether he told his name to the priest or not. He murmured to himself, "How did he knew my name?"

Later neither he met that spirit again nor he wish to see it again.

© Amitra
#writco