PART- 10

Lakshmi Pooja night. Traditionally on this day, one offers all that is precious to them to the Goddess. And she returns it back in multitude. Any other year she would be celebrating with her family, but today she was at her Dance Centre.

Guru ji had kept a special class. “But why on Diwali!” She thought.

“Hey Ridha! Come and place your ghughroos in the Pooja. It is about to start.” Her friend called out.

“Pooja? I thought we were going to have a class!” She was perplexed.

”As dancers, the most precious thing we have is our Ghunghroo, and our art. Surrender it to the Goddess and she shall bless you with abundance”. Saying that, Guru ji called the senior most student closer to the Goddess, and drew the curtain shut.

It was a solitary moment, guarded from the eyes of fellow dancers and even Guru ji. The student did a small dance sequence full of reverence and faith as an offering.

As students lined up in a queue, Ridha nervously waited for her turn.