As there is nothing that could be done they spotted Muthyalaiah coming towards their home. Muthyalaiah approached them '' Karunakara, Aparna are you coming to drop Krishna off?'' looking at three at the entrance door. Aparna '' yes uncle.its been late so mother asked us to drop her at home. But we did not know that you will be coming to pick up her!'' Krishna , looking at father with a little upper curve on her lips'' did aunt Kasthuri asked you to pick me up? Father'' . Muthyalaiah nodded.
Aparna and Karunakar simultaneously ''please come inside, uncle'' muthyalaiah chuckled and '' it is getting late and I will stop by another time'' patting karunakar hair. They took their leave and left for their home.
As they were nearing their home krishna '' father, tommorrow Aparna, her brother and I , are going to Ramalingeswara temple.'' Father looked her contently as she looked afraid as she was about to be scolded. Father put his left palm over her head affectionately '' make sure to come by sun set'' Krishna's face looked relieved lips slowly curled into a smile...
The next morning
Krishna woke earlier than usual. She cleaned the front yard making a beautiful rangoli, took bath and made herself presentable. She wore a beautiful purple colored silk saree with perfectly arranged plates over her shoulder . Her long hair is beautifully baided into single plate which are decorated with white jasmine in two rows which falls on the either side of her braid. Kunkuma¹ is placed on her glabella. Muthyalaiah woke up and as soon as he saw his daughter in early morning , he thought her as a goddess. And he went into his room and came back with two jewllery boxes. One is pure gold ornament with a single ruby embedded at its center. Another one is a longer chain which is adorned with nine ornamental stones along with a pair of ear rings with equisite design with a diamond embedded at the center.
As she wore them muthyalaiah's eyes filled with so much affection and sadness at the same time as those ornaments were her mother's.
.. krishna took his father's blessing by touching his feet with her hands.. an took her leave.
A little later Krishna and Aparna met in midway between their houses . Aparna draped over a light orange color saree with purple border along the saree. She wore a single gold ornament with a single tanzanite embedded at it's centre resembling the ear rings she wore. Aparna's hair is longer than Krishna's. She made her hair braided into single plate which is spiraled with jasmine flowers . At the starting of the braid a bright red rose is placed...
Krishna's eyes took a suprise as she saw an young man with white shirt and white dhothi behind Aparna only to realise that he was Karunakar. Her cheeks flushed as she looked at him, took her eyes off him immediately.
They greeted each other and set off to the temple by walk. Temple lies near the bank of river which is walkable distance for young people while older people my complain about the distance.
Aparna and Karunakar walking along side each other while Krishna followed them quietly at a small distance. Noticing Krishna behind them, Aparna took krishna's hand and walked beside her. Aparna and Krishna are almost same height while karunkar is a head taller than both. His natural curly hair falling on his forehead added more elegantness to his beautiful black eyes.
They reached the temple while talking among themselves. Outside of the temple they bought a coconut and materials required for pooja. They left their footwear outside and washed their feet before entering into temple. The entered the temple with their right foot over the entrance. And they reached main sanctum ( garbha gudi) where priest is offering pooja to Lord shiva with flowers and leaves. Aparna , Krishna and karunkar gave their offerings to priest and the priest performed pooja . The priest gave then a half of coconuts with a flower in them with chanting blessings in Sanskrit during which three of them closed their eyes with their palms against each other over their chest and slightly bent heads...
After pooja completion they came out of garbha gudi and sat on the middle chamber(mandapam) with their eyes closed and completely immersing themselves into god as they breath.
After a while they looked at each other as if signalling to get up, they left the mandapam with peace and content in their hearts. As they came out of mandapam, they stopped at kunkuma and vibhudi placed over a raised platform. They prayed to god one more time as they took kunkuma and vibhudi and placed them over their glabella. Karunakar placed vibhudi² over his adam's apple. Krishna placed kunkuma over her vertex...
As such they came towards pasadam area. They recieved the prasadam offered in the temple with both their hands. Then they came out of the temple without turning their back towards god carefully with praying the god one more time before they leave.
They took their footwear and walked towards the bank of river with prasadam in their hands.
They came under a tree and spread some coconut leaves amd palm leaves to sit over. As it early morning , sun looked as if he just took a bath in the river and is coming out of it. They removed their footwear nearby and offered their prayer to sun and river to show their gratitude, and slowly sat on the leaves carefully , krishna took out the flowers priest gave handing one to Aparna and the other ,she placed it in her braid. After that they started eating prasadam and coconut.
During all the time, they didn't talk much to each other nor there was any need to.
Krishna sat beside Aparna to her right side and left side to Aparna is her brother, looking deeply into the river....
1: kunkuma.. red colored powder made from turmeric used in Hindu rituals.
2: vibhudi... white or ash colored powder made from ashes of wood which has same use as kunkuma