Centaur - The Baba arrives

Dadi sat in the sun, watching Ratan and Jai walk off up the valley and disappear over the hill. She was feeling restless, and decided to go to her favourite spot near the stream to sit. She walked along the cowdung covered track to the stream.

The stream was a meeting point for the ladies of the village. A common working area, where washing utensils, clothes and even having baths was less a chore for the company. No one was there. Of course, the filling of water was done, and the women were busy with the morning cooking and cleaning, before they would come to the stream for the washing.

Sitting by the stream brought peace to Dadi these days. The water seemed like time itself, flowing along at its own pace. Heavy rains made it muddy, and it seemed to flow slower, but flow it would.

Dadi thought that the stream had a syombolic significance in the way it was situated - it washed the feet of everyone entering the village from the valley - as though the open alpine meadows were the land of the Gods themselves and the stream cleansed everyone approaching there of the material world of the valley and the city that the road led to, through the symbolic cleansing of their feet.

She woke up at the sound of a horses hooves. She'd dozed off.

Years of experience told her it was one horse, far before the beautiful mare rounded the curve and came into sight as she made her way surely into Tiling.

What a mare! She was tall, well formed and seemed intelligent from the way she led the way and walked unhesitatingly alone.

A man came into view. Like the mare, this was a man unlike any Dadi had met. He wore the city man's exercise clothes, but they seemed old and well-worn. His hair was long like a woman's and like the mare, he seemed very sure of where he was going. Strange that! Dadi had a memory like a razor, and she didn't remember seeing either the horse or the man before.

With intent eyes, she watched the mare approach the stream and have a long and refreshing drink. The water probably felt good. it was a steep 4 hour walk up from the road in the valley. The mare sniffed at the lady sitting close to the stream and then turned to wait for her master, her neck turned, ears alert and eyes following his every step.

Dadi remembered her youth, when she walked with that ease and speed, happy to be among her beloved mountains and drawing her strength from her very presence in the place. Dadi frowned. Why was she thinking of that? There was more important business at hand.

"Where can I camp for the night?" the man asked.

Dadi pointed to an empty area near the stream and followed him as he went there.

"Come Neeli" and the mare joined him there. Dadi deftly helped him unload the mare of her heavy load, secretly pleased that the man hadn't stopped her out of politeness for her age.

As the man rigged up a tarpaulin shelter, she put away the mare's saddle. Prabha was coming down to the stream with Malti. A little distance behind, their neighbour Shubhi and Sita and Jai's friend Vasant followed. It was time for the people to head to the stream.

Prabha quickly came over and poured some hot tea for them.

"I saw the musafir come, and thought he might want some tea."

They sat for a while, sipping the hot tea, as the mare shook herself vigourously and proceeded to graze.

"Where have you come from?" Dadi asked.

"From the city"

"Why? Where are you going?" Dadi probed.

The man shrugged. "Nowhere in particular. Just wandering"

Dadi smiled. "Why don't you stay here for a while?"