Upasana was climbing down a circular staircase, the light fading away to dampness and darkness. She crossed snow-clad mountains and dried-up rivers. She wanted to scream and run back, but she could not stop herself from sliding further down till she stopped on a familiar face. It was a lady with sad droopy eyes who spoke in a peculiar child-like voice. Her voice reverberated in the room, a strange texture, ‘I am a willowy young woman in a homespun skirt. It is America in the eighteen-fifties, Midwest – Prairies. I am wearing a bonnet with a satin ribbon beneath my chin. Blood red. The bonnet makes me happy. A rivulet is running next to me as I look at it, the cool beautiful water gushes past me. And I see him, my face recoils with fear. And then I am old, in mourning. Wearing a black dress, everyone is sad beside me, but my heart is singing like it would sing in spring after a cold long winter. A tall window let in a faded sunlight that fell on the coffin. It was my husband’s coffin and I wanted to sing with happiness. I was filled with hope. The terror was leaving me and disappearing out of the tall pale window.’

‘You killed your violent husband with a poisonous herb and you got away!’ Rajjo whispered into her ear.

Upasana wanted to tear something apart and get out of this scene, her whole body in flames while someone was stripping her soul naked. Rajjo had played her. She opened her eyes with a jerk. Rajjo smiled at her calmly and stated, ‘You live with him, your husband. He has issues with you, in God’s name you are a good couple, you have to forgive him some and he has to forgive a lot! Meditate on this chant. You need his forgiveness in this lifetime and he needs yours. The Shani mantra will remove the impediments you may face in reaching your goal.’

‘There is another woman. Will you give me a chant to remove this other woman who has this terrible hold on my husband? She is sucking out my life, our love, our child, who we want but because of her we cannot have. You think Lord Shani will forgive her for snatching someone’s husband?’ Upasana dared Rajjo to respond. Before Rajjo could retort, Upasana continued in a menacing tone…