"Are you enjoying the view, my little munchkin?" my mother asked softly.
I looked around in wonder, still nestled comfortably in her arms.
All around us were small huts made of clay. Villagers moved busily through the paths, many heading to the fields for farming or daily chores. From time to time, people warmly greeted my mother and father with smiles and kind words.
This village truly felt peaceful and harmonious. Even though the people here seemed to live modestly, they were cheerful and friendly—always smiling and exchanging greetings with one another.
Are you wondering where we're headed so early in the morning? Of course—it's to receive a cute and most beautiful name from someone called Teacher Samira.
"And yes, he did return with the milk—so please, no spreading rumors!"
She must be a well-known figure in the village. That probably means we have a school here too, doesn't it? I'd assume so, especially since my parents don't seem to be highly educated themselves.
While I was lost in thought, we had already arrived at our destination. The building looked rather simple, but still more refined than most of the cottages in the village.
At least the walls were made of bricks, though the roof was still covered in hay.
Knock knock.
My mother knocked twice on the door while holding me securely with her other arm.
"Coming," a voice called out from inside, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps.
The door opened to reveal a woman dressed in a vibrant orange saree. Unlike the other women in the village, her blouse resembled a shirt—neatly fitted and covering her upper body with modest professionalism. She looked to be in her thirties, wearing round, gold-rimmed spectacles.
She appeared to be in her thirties and wore round, gold-rimmed spectacles.
As I curiously observed her, she looked at me for a moment, then shifted her gaze to my parents and offered a warm, gentle smile.
"Mr. Raghavan, Mrs. Meera—what brings you to my humble abode?" Teacher Samira asked warmly, a gentle smile on her face.
"Actually, we came to request a favor, Teacher Samira," Raghavan replied politely.
"Oh? Of course! Please, come in. I just finished breakfast. Have you eaten? If not—"
"No, no, Teacher. We already had breakfast before coming here," Meera responded with a smile.
After exchanging a few polite greetings, we stepped inside. Teacher Samira brought out three small wooden stools and invited us to sit.
"Mrs. Meera, how can I help you? If it's something I can do, I'll be happy to assist," she offered kindly.
"Actually, Madam," Raghavan began, "we adopted a child just yesterday, but we don't feel confident enough to choose a proper name for her. That's why we've come to seek your help."
"Oh my, what a beautiful baby. Where did you find her?" Teacher Samira asked gently as she lifted me up and softly stroked my head.
"Well," Raghavan explained, "while I was returning from gathering herbs near the forest, I spotted her in a basket floating down the river—resting peacefully on a large lotus. I brought her home, and after discussing with Meera, we decided to adopt her."
He went on to share the full story.
After listening intently, Teacher Samira's expression softened. She looked at me with tender eyes, carefully lifted me from my mother's arms, and cradled me gently.
"Such pure, bright eyes... like moonlight reflected on a lotus. A child born of the lotus... hmm—Kaira," she said with a spark of excitement, lovingly rubbing my head.
"Yes, Kaira. The name suits her perfectly—graceful and full of light."
"Kaira… What a beautiful name! I knew I could count on you, Teacher Samira," Meera said joyfully, her face lighting up.
"She must shine as brightly as moonlight, radiating through the darkest of nights—bringing hope into lives and—"
Just as Teacher Samira was about to continue speaking—
Bang!
The door suddenly burst open. Two figures stood in the doorway, both panting heavily. One of them was carrying a third person, whose right thigh was bleeding profusely.
"Teacher Samira, please help! Vedant injured—his leg—he's in terrible pain and—"
The man carrying the wounded boy gasped between breaths.
At the sight of the scene, Teacher Samira immediately rushed over to assess the injury.
"Lay him down quickly! Raghavan, could you please fetch some water from inside?" she instructed urgently before hurrying into another room.
My father quickly ran to get the water and returned moments later, gently placing an earthen pot on the ground.
Teacher Samira emerged with a clean white cloth. She dipped it into the water and asked them to roll up the boy's pant leg to get a clear view of the wound.
Then, with calm precision, she pulled out the soaked cloth and began carefully cleaning the injury. After cleaning the wound thoroughly, she placed both palms near the injured area, focusing intently.
"Somam Sparsha," Teacher Samira chanted softly.
As the words left her lips, a white light began to glow between her palms and the injured leg.
Under the radiance of the light, the wound gradually started healing—visibly, right before everyone's eyes.
Once the wound was completely healed, she slowly withdrew her hands and examined the area carefully, ensuring everything was properly mended.
Meanwhile, in Meera's arms, the baby stared wide-eyed at the miraculous scene, a soft sparkle in her eyes.
Is this... magic? she thought, stunned.
"Everything is fine now," Teacher Samira said calmly. "He should recover in a few minutes—only mild trauma remains. But how did this injury happen?"
"Actually, Teacher Samira," the older boy explained, still catching his breath, "we went hunting in the forest. A young horned boar ambushed us out of nowhere. It ran off, but not before injuring Vedant. We rushed here as soon as we could."
Horned boar?
Is that just a boar with a horn? the baby wondered, still processing the strange new world.
"Horned boars are among the weakest Raksasa beasts," Teacher Samira murmured thoughtfully. "But for ordinary people, they can still be dangerous. Odd… there shouldn't be any Raksasa beasts in the nearby forest. Perhaps this one got lost and wandered too far."
She turned back to the group with a serious tone.
"Alright, next time, make sure you're properly prepared before going hunting. Something worse could happen if you're not cautious."
"Yes, and thank you, Teacher Samira!" all three boys said in unison, bowing deeply in gratitude.
"Also," she added, "visit the vaidya before going home. Ask for a remedy to replenish his blood—he lost quite a bit."
"Understood, ma'am," they replied, before turning to leave and heading toward the healer's hut.
After a brief chat with Teacher Samira, Meera bid her farewell, and we too began our walk back home.