The long silence of the journey was finally broken by Maan's voice.
"Sister… how long will it take us to reach Kashi?"
His question echoed softly through the barren landscape as they continued moving forward across the ruined world — a world where civilization had long collapsed into dust and memory.
Before Siya could answer, Andy spoke from ahead without turning back.
"Varanasi lies nearly eight hundred kilometers from here."
Siya nodded calmly. "Yes… and reaching Kashi will take us at least thirty days."
Maan stopped walking for a moment, eyes widening.
"Thirty days? That long?"
A faint smile appeared on Siya's face. She teased him lightly, her tone unusually warm.
"Why? Want to turn back already? You're free to go alone if you wish."
Maan straightened instantly, confidence flashing across his face.
"I learned from you, Sister," he said firmly. "When you begin a journey toward a goal, success must be the only destination. Turning back has no meaning. You always said — if determination is strong enough, success walks toward you itself."
I watched quietly from behind. A short while ago, worry had shadowed Siya's face, but now I saw something different — calm satisfaction. Maan's words had reached her in a way none of them expected.
For a few moments, Siya simply looked at him, almost astonished by the wisdom hidden within someone who had lost so many memories.
Then she spoke again.
"Maan… do you know the great legend of Kashi? Do you know how it came into existence… how it became Shiva's city?"
Maan nodded slowly.
"I saw glimpses during meditation once. I don't know everything… but I felt that Kashi is a divine land, blessed by Lord Shiva himself. That must be why it still survives — hidden, untouched."
He hesitated before continuing.
"But I also saw terrifying visions… from a very ancient time."
Siya's gaze deepened.
"Yes," she said softly. "Because Kashi was not always peaceful."
The wind grew colder as she began narrating — her voice steady, almost timeless.
"When Kashi first became a sacred land, many demons desired to possess it. Again and again, they attacked the city. For a long time, Kashi stood abandoned by humans… yet Shiva's blessing awakened it once more. The city was reborn."
Maan's curiosity surged.
"Demons? Like who?"
Siya looked ahead into the darkening horizon.
"Have you ever heard the name Jalandhar?"
Maan shook his head. "No… was he powerful?"
Siya exhaled slowly.
"Extremely powerful. Jalandhar was born from the fire that emerged from Shiva's third eye."
Maan's eyes widened.
"What made Shiva so angry that he opened his third eye?"
Siya began explaining, her words blending myth with living memory.
"Once, Lord Indra traveled to Mount Kailash to meet Shiva. To test him, Shiva took the form of an ascetic and blocked his path. Consumed by arrogance, Indra attempted to attack him. Shiva's anger ignited, and his third eye opened."
"The fire released was too destructive. Upon Guru Brihaspati's request for forgiveness, Shiva cast that divine fire into the ocean to calm it. The ocean absorbed the flame… and from the union of fire and water, a child was born."
"Lord Brahma named him Jalandhar."
"The ocean itself raised him, and when he grew older, he was sent to Guru Shukracharya for training."
Maan listened with complete fascination.
"Then how did he become evil?"
"Arrogance," Siya replied quietly. "He believed himself to be the strongest being in creation. That pride gave birth to ambition — the desire to rule all three worlds."
She paused briefly as the sky slowly turned crimson with sunset.
"After conquering heaven itself, Jalandhar challenged even Lord Shiva. He believed he could defeat Shiva and Vishnu… and become God."
I felt chills run down my spine as Siya continued.
"Jalandhar could not be defeated because of his wife — Vrinda. She was a devoted and pure soul, a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Her chastity formed an invincible shield around him. As long as her devotion remained unbroken, even death could not touch Jalandhar."
"When Jalandhar attacked Kailash, Shiva drew a massive divine chakra into the ground with his toe and challenged him to lift it."
"Jalandhar succeeded… but that chakra carried Shiva's cosmic power — shaking his pride itself."
The night wind intensified.
"Meanwhile, the gods realized that Jalandhar could only be defeated if Vrinda's spiritual vow was broken. Lord Vishnu took Jalandhar's form and approached her. Believing him to be her husband, she welcomed him… and her sacred vow shattered."
"At that exact moment, Jalandhar lost his protection."
"And Lord Shiva ended the battle with his trident."
Silence fell among them as Siya's voice softened.
"Jalandhar's severed head fell before Vrinda, revealing the truth. In grief and anger, she cursed Vishnu to become stone — which is why he is worshipped as the Shaligram."
"But moved by her devotion, Vishnu blessed her to be reborn as Tulsi — forever united with him."
Siya smiled faintly.
"That is why in many homes, Tulsi grows beside the sacred Shaligram."
Maan exhaled deeply, overwhelmed.
"What an extraordinary story… If hearing it fills me with such peace, then seeing that divine land itself… I would feel truly blessed."
"Yes," Siya said gently. "When you reach Kashi… you don't just see the city. You feel Shiva's presence."
The sun disappeared beyond the ruins of the horizon.
Darkness slowly embraced the world.
Siya looked around, sensing the coming night.
"It's getting late," she said. "We stop here tonight. We move again at dawn."
The group settled quietly, unaware that their journey was no longer just a search for a hidden city.
It had become a walk through destiny itself.
And somewhere beyond time and space…
Kashi was waiting.