Saris by the sea 
by Eesha Iyer
 
Noisy seagulls. A noisier sea. A mischievous breeze. 
They stand respectfully in front of her.
They’ve worn their colourful best. They picked up jasmine at the market, and wound anklets around their feet. The least one could do when coming to pay respects to the immortal Goddess. 
 
They didn’t speak much otherwise. One had a husband who drank. The other, a job that drained her. The third lived alone, the disgrace of a fifty year-old who never married. They were united by silent companionship, their love for the sea and their respect for the Goddess.
 
“Here she comes” one of them whispered. They bowed their heads respectfully as the breeze picked up, whipped their faces and almost blew the jasmine of their heads. The sea frothed up, lashed out, and spray touched their cheeks.
 
The Goddess had blessed them. Nature had blessed them.