They would hold debates about some of the logic used, and one thing their grandmother encouraged was to weave their own story of the epic. And she would correct them if they were straying away from the story too much, but at times will just go along with whatever they were saying with a small smile lighting up her wrinkled face.
                          
Back to the annual Shivaratri festival in their locality. Their colony was quite a small place with about 20 buildings in the street, all well acquainted with each other, a potti kadai or two in the middle which sold some essentials and small stuff. One end opened up to the main road and the other end, the dead-end, housed a small Shiva temple. (Potti kadai is like petty shops)
                          
It was a relatively small affair where the ardent Shiva devotees gather around the small temple and stay there the whole night, engaging themselves in bhajans and devotional songs, someone will volunteer to dance and at the end of the day, everyone will just chant the name of the Lord, immersing themselves in meditation.
                          
This was an annual event but for some reason, it just felt a bit... off to put it lightly. It was the same temple, the same neighbours, the same activities but yet there seemed to be just that little different but they couldn't figure out what it actually was.
                          
"Karti, don't you feel a bit different today?" Kirtika whispered, wanting to make sure that it wasn't just her who felt something wrong, something out of place. "It sure did feel different Kriti... and it's almost like someone us calling us, it almost seems like a magnetic pull... do you think it is the aura of the place?" Kartik agreed.
                          
Kritika shook her head. "We've come here every year Kartik. And never has it felt this way. You know it very well" she said, not believing that claim of his. They'd come here for as long as they remembered and not once have they felt this attraction. 
                          
"Alright, let's see what it is when the meditation starts. No need to disturb the people watching the performances right now" Kartik decided, gently thumbing the recently inked tattoo of Ardhanareeshwar, which covered a good portion of his right forearm.
                          
The two of them sneak out sometime after the meditation started, and end up near the back of the temple, a place people usually don't venture to because of the colony of snakes residing near the Vilva tree.
                          
"Why have we come here though?" Kartik whispers, "What exactly attracted us here?" "It does feel a bit strange. Why us? I did try to ask a few people and they were like nothing is amiss but..." Kritika said as she looked around.
                          
"I think I should explain myself more a bit yeah?" A male voice asked behind them and the duo turned around and stared in shock at the guy wearing a 3 piece suit.
                          
"Who are you?" Kritika asked as she grasped Kartik's hand, who just pulled her behind him protectively. "Don't you recognise me?" the man asked, amused and snapped his fingers.
                          
In front of them stood a man who was often recognisable in the photos - A Trishul in his hand, his closed 3rd eye covered by the standard Tripundra (3 horizontal lines of vibuti) and the river Ganga flowing from his matted lock, the crescent moon just below it. Though instead of the usual animal skin that adorned his bottom half of the body, he was wearing a casual top and bottom.
                          
"And here I thought I could be inconspicuous" he muttered as the two of them stared in stunned awe and respect. It was almost like a dream come true. Here was their kula deivam, standing in front of them, two orphans, in his glory and talking to them. They shook themselves out of their stupor and kneeled down to touch his feet before joining their palms. 
                          
"Forgive us for not recognising you at first..." Kartik started but Mahadev waved it off. "None taken. I was in a disguise. First things first, I have a lot to discuss with you. So listen carefully to what I have to say first before giving your answers alright?" he asked and they mutely nodded.