10. Rangoli love

CHAPTER 10

Rangoli love

It was 5am. Sridevi got up and washed the compound. She put rangoli in front of her house. Then she went to the area in front of Prutvi’s house. There she drew a love symbol and wrote “FIND OUT” in rangoli.

Mayuri and Lavanya got up and put rangoli in front of their house. Danalakshmi came out and saw the rangoli in front of Prutvi’s house. She was surprised.

“What a nice rangoli. New design.”

She looked at Lavanya and Mayuri, who were putting rangoli. “Lavanya, did you put this rangoli?”

Lavanya and Mayuri came near the rangoli and looked at it in surprise. Lavanya looked at Mayuri’s face. Then she looked at Danalakshmi. “No aunty. My rangoli is much more beautiful than this.”

Hearing this, Sridevi came out. Prutvi and Arvind also came out. Prutvi looked at the rangoli and then he looked at Lavanya. She twisted her face.

Prutvi said, “How beautiful it is.”

Prutvi smiled softly. “Its name is FIND OUT rangoli. You have to find out who did it.”

He looked at the faces of all the three girls. Lavanya and Mayuri twisted their faces. But Sridevi was smiling.

Danalakshmi asked, “What do you mean, Prutvi?”

“I have” already found out who did it. I will tell you later.”

He went for jogging with Arvind

Lavanya thought, “One of these must have done this. Tomorrow morning, I will get up before everyone and put a new type of rangoli in front of their house.”

Mayuri looked at Lavanya and thought, “She only must have done it. Tonight before sleeping, I will put a nice rangoli in front of their house.”

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In the afternoon, Danalakshmi slipped in her bathroom and fell down. She cried loudly. Immediately, her husband came to help her get up. He took her in an auto to the hospital. She was discharged in the evening. She came home and lay down on the bed. Everyone in the compound came to console her.

Prutvi and Arvind arrived at 5pm.

Srilaxmi approached them. “Aunty fell down. She is hurt.”

Prutvi was shocked. “What?”

He immediately kept his bag in the room and went to Kotari’s house.

Danalakshmi was lying on the bed in pain. Kotari was standing nearby. Prutvi and Arvind entered the room and sat near Danalakshmi.

Prutvi asked with concern, “Aunty, what happened?”

Danalakshmi was in great pain. “I fell down in the bathroom. My leg got twisted.”

Immediately Kotari started telling all that happened. “I took her to a big hospital. The doctor is very famous. If he just touches, it is enough. All diseases got cured.”

Danalakshmi was not at all happy. She looked at him with anger. “That badmash doctor said that the pain would disappear in 3 minutes. It is already 3 hours and my leg is still paining. He took 300 rupees for it.”

Prutvi said, “Aunty, please show me your leg. Where is the wound?”

Danalakshmi lifted her sari. Kotari was watching. He was not at all pleased to see his wife lifting her sari in front of the boys. But he kept quiet.

Danalakshmi showed the area. Prutvi pressed it. Danalakshmi shouted with pain.

Prutvi said, “Aunty, you don’t worry. I will cure it in a minute.”

He got up.

Danalakshmi smiled in spite of the pain. “Your confidence is enough to cure me.”

Prutvi went to his room.

Kotari was very angry. “Is he a magician? He behaves as if he has a magical rod, which he will wave over your leg and shuuuuuuuu the pain is gone. One minute it seems.”

Danalakshmi looked at him with disgust. “I am tired of seeing your rod for so many years. Here I am suffering from pain and all you can do is to say bad things about the boy.”

Prutvi and Arvind came with a bottle of Brahma oil.

Showing the bottle, Prutvi said, “Aunty, this is Brahma oil from our ashram. If I rub it just once it is enough. All the pain will disappear.”

Kotari extended his hand so that Prutvi could pour the oil on his palm. 

“Dhanu, just extend your leg. I will rub it nicely.”

Danalakshmi laughed and folded her hands in a namaste. “You have rubbed me for 30 years. That is enough. Prutvi, my boy, you only rub the oil on my leg.”

She lifted her sari above her knees.

Prutvi took the oil on his palm and started rubbing it. Kotari was unable to bear it. He went to the window and looked at the sky.

After rubbing the oil, Prutvi asked, “Aunty, how do you feel now?”

“Ah! You rub so nicely, my boy.”

Kotari became serious. “You hurt your leg daily and he will come daily to rub. I will keep standing at the window looking at the moon.”