After the chaos of the Akhara, there was an eerie calm on the field.
People slowly came out from hiding. Broken chairs, half-torn tents, and ashes lay scattered,
but no ghost remained. The spirits were gone. The battle was over.
but no ghost remained. The spirits were gone. The battle was over.
I stood inside the fence, still trying to understand if my leg really didn’t hurt anymore. I was
leaning on the wooden boundary, catching my breath.
leaning on the wooden boundary, catching my breath.
In the middle of all the smoke and silence, I saw Bade Ustaad, our Guruji, shaking slightly.
Something felt wrong. Without thinking about my leg, I ran toward him. My pain had vanished,
like something else had taken it.
Something felt wrong. Without thinking about my leg, I ran toward him. My pain had vanished,
like something else had taken it.
He sat down slowly, holding his leg. When I bent down to check, I froze.
The exact same mark of the snake bite that had been on my leg... was now on his.
The rope marks too. All three tight circles were around his leg just like mine had been.
My ropes were gone.
My wound had healed.
It had transferred to him.
I looked up at him, my lips trembling. “Why?” I whispered.
Ustaad smiled faintly, his eyes already heavy with pain.
“The throne never takes a soul without a price,” he said.
“The throne never takes a soul without a price,” he said.
And then, without wasting time, he stood. His spine still straight. His voice strong again.
He raised my right hand high in front of the crowd and shouted,
“This boy Vivek is the next one. The owner of the Throne!”
“This boy Vivek is the next one. The owner of the Throne!”
At first, there was silence.
Then, slowly, a wave of voices rose. People who had been hiding moments ago came forward.
Someone fell at my feet. Then another.
I stepped back, but they followed.
They touched my hands, my forehead, o
Then, slowly, a wave of voices rose. People who had been hiding moments ago came forward.
Someone fell at my feet. Then another.
I stepped back, but they followed.
They touched my hands, my forehead, o
ering water, sweets, even flowers from the
destroyed stage.
“Vivek! Vivek!” the crowd chanted.
Their eyes... they weren’t looking at a boy anymore.
Their eyes... they weren’t looking at a boy anymore.
They were looking at a successor.
I stood there, frozen. I didn’t know if I was happy or afraid. But inside, something lit up.
Something ancient. Something I had never known lived within me.
Something ancient. Something I had never known lived within me.
In the distance, I saw Lila half-conscious, being carried gently by some disciples. Chhota
walked beside her, his arm broken, blood still on his cheek.
His eyes found mine for a brief second.
He didn’t smile. He didn’t frown.
He just nodded like someone accepting truth.
walked beside her, his arm broken, blood still on his cheek.
His eyes found mine for a brief second.
He didn’t smile. He didn’t frown.
He just nodded like someone accepting truth.
I saw Angira helping other disciples calm the remaining crowd. He was covered in sweat and
dust, his kurta torn at the shoulder. But he stood tall, alert, protective. For the first time, I saw
in him not just authority but brotherhood.
dust, his kurta torn at the shoulder. But he stood tall, alert, protective. For the first time, I saw
in him not just authority but brotherhood.
The politician and his men moved forward to help carry Ustaad. They didn’t speak. They
looked at him like one looks at something sacred.
Ustaad allowed them.
looked at him like one looks at something sacred.
Ustaad allowed them.
Before leaving, he turned to me and said one last thing:
“You are not chosen by people, Vivek. You are chosen by the throne.”
“You are not chosen by people, Vivek. You are chosen by the throne.”
He was carried away. And just like that... he was gone.
A soft silence fell again.
The people now hundreds gathered around me. Some crying, some still in awe. I wanted to
find my uncle in the crowd. I looked everywhere.
find my uncle in the crowd. I looked everywhere.
There he was.
Standing far away, behind the third row of people, his hand holding onto a pillar for support.
His eyes... were filled with love, and pain.
His eyes... were filled with love, and pain.
He didn’t come forward.
But he smiled at me.
But he smiled at me.
Just then, Angira came forward and gently placed his arm around my shoulder. He pulled me
away from the crowd, guiding me back toward the ashram.
away from the crowd, guiding me back toward the ashram.