"Sudeep, come out quickly!" Mom shouted from outside our house.
I was sitting on the sofa watching a cricket match. I got to my feet quickly and rushed towards the door. Hearing mom's shouting, my wife Renuka came out of the kitchen and followed me.
I reached the main door and saw the outside. I was a bit taken aback.
Mom was on her knees, and she was bowing at the feet of a Naga Sadhu.
The Naga Sadhu was standing in our house compound. He was a middle-aged man, around 45 to 50 years old. He was not wearing clothes other than a loincloth hanging around his groin region.Β He had long, salt and pepper colored hair and a long beard. His body was covered in some form of ash-white powder. He was tall and had a lean, muscular body with a small paunch on the stomach.
My mom got up and turned towards us and said, "Come here, both of you, and take a blessing from the baba."
Mom was the elder in our family after the death of my father three years ago. As we were staying at her house, we had to obey her. We quickly went beside Mom, got on our knees, and started bowing in front of the baba. The Baba had a different pungent smell.
Mom spoke to the Baba, "Baba, please shower your blessings on my son and my daughter-in-law." They have been married for five years now, but they are still childless.
That was true; I have been trying to get Renuka pregnant for the last five years. We did the testing, and the result was that my sperm count was low, but the doctor said to keep trying and Renuka might get pregnant. Alternatively, I had to get treatment, but it was a bit out of our budget.
We were just a middle-class family, and I was the only earning member. We have an old family debt (my sister's wedding expenses and my dad's health expenses) to clear as well.
The baba looked at both of us and said, "You can surely have my blessing to bear a lot of children, but if you can perform a ritual, I can guarantee that you can have a child born in this house within nine months."
There was a hint of a Bengali accent in his tone.
Mom replied excitedly, "Yes, baba, let us know what we need to do; we will follow your words."
Mom was a very religious and conservative person. She believes in most of the different baba's and gurus' teaching.
"That's good; we can perform the ritual today itself if you invite me inside your house," replied Baba.
"Really, please do come inside our home." replied mom and guided Baba inside the house.
Renuka and I followed them. Renuka was happy as well. She had a smile on her face, and she looked beautiful when she smiled.
Baba went into our home and sat on the sofa. Mom and Renuka went to the kitchen to get tea and snacks for Baba.
Baba sat comfortably on the sofa and watched the cricket match. I sat on the chair near the sofa.
Baba looked at me and asked me, "Do you think India will win today?"
I was a bit taken aback. The Baba was interested in cricket. Although I was not a very religious person, as far as I remember, Naga Sadhus lived in the forest and in isolation. They come out every three to four years when the Kumbh Mela is held.
This was the year of the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha, also known as the Nashik Kumbha Mela.
As we stayed in Nashik city, I saw many Naga sadhus and other pilgrims come this year to the city to bathe in the Holy Godavari River.
I replied to him, "I hope so."
We spoke about Kumbh Mela for some time until mom and Renuka came back with tea and snacks. Baba had tea and biscuits while watching the match. After he had finished, he asked Mom to sit near his feet.
Mom obliged.
Baba spoke, "So the ritual that you need to perform is a cleansing ritual." Your son and daughter-in-law will have to bathe me in your house, preferably in the bathroom. "Can your son and daughter-in-law do that ritual?"
Mom replied without a heartbeat, "Yes, why not? They will perform the ritual. It is a simple ritual."
Baba added, "It is not as simple as it sounds. The ritual needs to be performed in nudity. Your son and daughter-in-law will have to be completely naked. Your daughter-in-law will be the one to bathe me, and your son will help her handle things like soap and water. After bathing me, I will bless them for fertility, and then they will have to immediately perform sexual intercourse in front of me and follow my instructions during the sexual intercourse. Also, you will have to be present nearby as this is a holy ritual to witness. I just want to be clear on the ritual requirements."
There was no way Mom could agree to those requirements; a nude stranger asking for a bath from her Daughter in law, and that too in total nudity. But Mom surprised me.
Mom thought for a while and asked, "But baba, after the ritual, will Renuka get pregnant by Sudeep?"
"Are you doubting me?," Baba asked Mom.
"Sorry baba," Mom replied quickly.
Mom could not even think about offending a holy person.
Mom continued, "I do not have any problems, but I need to consult with my children as they will have to perform the task."
Baba replied, "Sure, please discuss among yourselves and get back to me."
Mom got up and told us to follow her to the kitchen.
Mom spoke first: "What do you think about the ritual?"
Renuka spoke, "It is a bit of a difficult task, but I am ok with it only if Sudeep agrees."
So now I had to be the one decision-maker.Β I knew Renuka was uncomfortable, but she was also religious and wanted to be a mother.
Both of them were looking at me with an empathic looks. As uncomfortable as I was with the idea of seeing my wife nude in front of a total stranger, bathing a total stranger, and being naked in front of mom, I knew I could not say no.
If I said no and Renuka never gets pregnant, then I will be blamed for this missed opportunity for the rest of my life.
I said yes with a heavy heart.
We went to the hall together, and Mom told Baba about our decision.
"That's good. Guide me to your bathroom."
Mom guided Baba to our bathroom.
Mom stood at the entrance while Renuka and I entered the bathroom.
"Do you have a stool that I can sit on?" Baba asked us.
"Yes, we do have one," Renuka replied, going to the kitchen to get the plastic stool.
She came back with the plastic stool and placed it in the center of the bathroom.