Baby

Acharya opened the doors to the temple. It was early in the morning - 5 AM. He lit the lamp beside the temple door and proceeded inside. He was earlier than usual because it was a Sunday. He had to complete the initial rituals before the devotees would come to pray.

As the senior-most priest at the temple he was the most qualified to do this. Acharya limped along the smooth black granite floors with the help of his cane into the main temple building.

Acharya first clasped his hands together and bowed to the idol that stood in the center of the room. This was a sign of respect to his god. He then went to the side to prepare the materials required for the ritual.

He would adorn the god with flowers and jewels after bathing him with milk. He would then sing praises throughout the day as devotees would enter from the side and shortly see the idol and pray to Saketh.

While he performed the ritual, another priest who had come to assist Acharya stopped at the temple gates. He saw something very out of place - a baby.

Someone had put a baby in a basket and left it at the temple doors. He would have missed it completely in the dark even with the single lamp lighted if not for the baby bawling loudly.

The priest, Saaho, picked the baby up and tried to console it. He put it back in the basket and swung it slightly like a cradle as he walked to the main temple building.

As Saaho got close to the temple building, the baby stopped crying. Saaho went inside and saw that Acharya was finishing up the initial ritual before the devotees arrived. He waited patiently until Acharya had finished.

This took half an hour. Saaho was a trained priest so he could stand still without disturbing Acharya, but Saaho found it intriguing that the baby didn't make a single sound, as if to not disturb the ritual as well.

After the initial adornment of the idol was finished Acharya noticed Saaho. He immediately noticed the basket in Saaho's arms. He peered inside and watched the baby look at him with his wide unblinking eyes. Acharya looked up at Saaho.

"I trust that this baby is not one of yours. I haven't heard from any of the priests that you were expecting another baby," Acharya said.

Saaho nodded. "Yes panthulugaru*. He is not one of mine. I found him at the doors of the temple entrance," Saaho said.

[* panthulugaru is a respectful way of addressing a priest]

Acharya sighed. "The city has started to become turbulent. What must his parents have to go through to make such a big decision," He said. He then thought for a while and gave some instructions.

"Saaho, take him to the temple school and wait for one of the other priests to come there. They will have some experience with kids. I am very busy today. I will think about a proper arrangement for this child tomorrow," Acharya said.

Saaho acknowledged the instructions and picked up the basket. He then went to the north side of the temple where teachers would teach kids various holy scripts. The temple itself was massive in area.

The main temple area was very close to the entrance, but behind the temple was a vast courtyard. Here, some priests would even reside and take care of the temple. A school was a small addition to the place.

Saaho reached the school. Lessons happened in the open. There was a huge tree that provided shade from the sun if needed. He sat down at the tree and put the basket beside him.

He looked at the baby and found that he was sound asleep. Saaho rested his head to the tree and closed his eyes.

When Saaho opened his eyes he saw that the sun had come up. Several priests were wandering around. Saaho got up and picked the basket. He then went to one of the priests he knew very well.

This priest was Muna. She was a middle aged woman who was a mother to eight children. He explained the whole ordeal to her.

"You do not worry. I will take care of this baby for today until we hear what Acharya garu** has decided," Muna told Saaho.

[**garu is a respectful way of calling anyone. Attaching it behind any name is giving respect to that person.]

Muna took the baby to her hut which was behind the temple. She went back to the temple to pray to Saketh. She then came back to take care of the baby along with her other children.

The next day Acharya went to Muna's hut. He took the baby into his hands.

"You have done nothing to deserve your poor fate. This temple will take care of you. I will make sure that no orphan will be ignored by this temple. Saketh will look favorably upon all of you," he told the baby.

"What is his name panthulugaru?" Muna asked Acharya.

Acharya looked at the baby. His brown eyes were staring at him.

"Netan," Acharya declared. "He will be named Netan."