The Daughter of the Mountain

She was the princess of the mountains. Her childhood was spent in Rishi Dadhichi's Ashram hearing the tales of one great man. When she was just three the Rishi gave her a statue and said,
"This is your husband princess. When you are ready you will meet him, and only you can convince him to marry you"
She understood very less of what the great sage meant then.

Years passed by as she grew up hearing stories of how he gave her sister a purpose in life, how he had lost his love and how he has saved lives. Sixteen-year-old Gauri now dreams of meeting him every day, imagining how he will be as she chanted his praise at the temples. Her parents grew worried as she reached the age of getting married. They approached the sages for help. The sages in turn seek help from the wise old man who advised her to seek his love through meditation.
Thus began the greatest and most difficult part of her life. Her journey from the princess of a luxurious palace to the cave hermit. Her penance lasted days and months until an old man interrupted her seeking alms. As she gave him the last part of the food she had gathered for herself he said "Why are you seeking love from a man who has nothing? No home, no riches, no love to offer. Go home Princess and marry a Prince"
" He is the one I have loved ever since I understood love. I will not give up on him till my last breath"
He appeared pleased and replied " I had come to test you, princess, I will go to your father and ask him for your hand. Go home"
Surprised at the fact that she did not realize the old man was Shiva himself testing her in disguise.
The wedding festivities continued for days and the whole Aryavarta celebrated. But she did not get a chance to talk to him among the crowd of Gods and commoners who witnessed the holy union. The night before their departure to her new home she sat on the Balcony of her palace in a melancholy mood. It was their first night away from the celebrations. He was in one corner meditating.
He took her home. His home was the open skyline and endless meadows. His home was the Kailash Mountains at Manasarovar. Her luxurious palace life and her princess ways were left behind.
Days and months turned to years, he was her Guru and she, his Shishya but they were in a very respected yet formal relationship. Her care made the mountains his home. Yet something in him feared losing her. She was so much like his first wife yet so different. She knew how he resisted love because he feared being hurt again. He always blamed himself for his first wife's death and hence stayed away from her. Their family grew up with two sons and a daughter. He learned to care for her. But deep inside there was this emptiness for him. She looked into his empty eyes and wondered what was so special in his first love.

The mountain life was not easy. She learned how to tame wild animals and use their help without hurting them. He always told her that using power should be the last option. Time and again travellers were singing praises of her beauty. She ignored some, and he punished a few. Apsaras came wishing to marry him, she felt jealous. Somewhere in this possessiveness and jealousy, there was untold unexpressed love.

He was a perfect husband who respected and gave importance to her opinion more than his. She was the perfect wife who did everything only with her husband's consent. Maidens wanted husbands like him, and men wanted wives like her. Their marital success became an example for Aryavarta. Never did they lack fidelity. Yet somewhere there was this line of past in between that never made their love as successful as their marriage. Her marriage with her is worshipped all over the world till today yet his love for his first wife is remembered with a sad note everywhere.

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