Rani stood at the water’s edge looking across the huge expanse of the flowing ocean to the far horizon. Her light green eyes burnt with deep intensity as the divine power of the Snake Goddess flowed through her being, her spirit lifted on the wings of a supreme dynasty – a dynasty that had crossed the seas from the land of her ancestral birth. These shores she stood on were foreign but it became home, for her from a little girl as an earthly being. This was until the night when she had died from an angry Cobra’s bite and was restored to life by the Snake Goddess to become a snake-girl and a part of the Nagin dynasty.

Her family who had worked in the white colonial master’s house as servants had left in deep grief to cross the dark seas back to home, but she was left in the field of daffodils where her body had lain, lonely and sad as the years pass, never showing her form to anyone until a new European family came to live in the Master’s house. The girl of that house whom Rani had felt in her heart could be a friend, she had taken a chance and shown her two forms to. Though it had driven fear in the girl’s heart at first, she eventually accepted her and a wonderful and unique friendship had blossomed between the two young girls, a snake girl and a human girl. But that friendship courted danger for them both, because of the different entities they belong to and when the Nagin Family wanted her to leave and join them, Rani was left to choose between the life as a snake and staying with her friend as a human. It was with a heavy heart, she had chosen to leave that night with the King Cobra’s son, so no harm would come to her friend. But, Kate not wanting to lose her best friend, had tried to stop Rani but angered by Kate’s presence, the King Cobra’s son had bitten her. Rani deeply grieved by her friend’s impeding death had called upon the Snake Goddess and offered her life so Kate’s life could be saved. Her deep belief and compassionate prayers had moved the Snake Goddess to bestow upon her the power to save and protect a life- a power she had used to withdraw the venom from Kate’s body and saved her life.
It became a friendship that was now beyond special, it was in itself divine and Rani could now live as a human, undisturbed without the fear of Kate being harmed, but the part of her that was Nagina, she knew she would have to answer at any time.
“Rani, come on.”
She turned around and saw Kate and a small ground of friends signaling her to join them. They were on a short vacation on the Caribbean island of Mauritius at one of Kate’s family beachside home and Rani who had never left the island where they had lived, exulted at everything, from the same Indian music, culture, dance and food surprised that there were ancestral people living in other islands. The girls wanted to go on a short nature walk on the outskirts of the resort and they were really enjoying that walk, through the evergreen forest, marveling at the exotic birds, one of nature’s amazing and beautiful spectacle when Rani’s snake senses suddenly picked up the presence of another. She looked around, the light in her green eyes flashing and just as suddenly it was gone. She knew a nagin had been close, the look in her eyes alone, telling Kate what just happened and the girls cut short their walk. That night as they sat on the patio, looking out at the shimmering water and the few couples strolling on the beach, Kate asked Rani.
“What was that on the trail today?”
“One of my kind, but I don’t know why it was there, it was probably nothing.”
But late into the night, Rani woke up, her senses alert again, for in her dream, she heard the hissing of snakes and a voice calling her name softly. She got up quietly and looked out onto the beach but no one was there and once again the presence left. The next morning as the girls headed into town, Rani told Kate about the dream.
“What do you think it is?” Kate asked
“I don’t know for sure”
“They can’t hurt you though, can they?”
“No, but they want something”
On their way back from town, the girls stopped at an outdoor market place and it was there, Rani once again felt the Nagin’s presence. She looked around, slowly and carefully and this time, she saw the girl standing by the flower stall. Her long black hair and ducky complexion was like every other Asian girl, but the glint dancing in her light brown eyes, that intense look revealed who she was – a Nagina. The two Nagina’s stared at each other for a long moment and in the girl’s eyes Rani saw a troubled look that transmitted silently to her saying “I will come to you, tonight, we need your help.”
Before Rani could reply she was distracted by Kate calling her and when she looked back the girl was gone. As a Nagina with special powers, Rani knew she had to answer this call, as her duty and that night as the midnight hour passed, she heard the hissing and the soft voice calling her. She opened the door and stepping outside she saw the girl waiting at the fringe of the woods. Kate watched Rani go, a worried look on her face, hoping her friend would return, for though she understood Rani’s dual life, she could not help worrying every time she left, afraid that one day she may not return. Rani followed the girl deep into the forest, up a hilly enclave where the queen Cobra awaited her. This was the first Nagin dynasty she had seen outside of her home and for Rani it was a moving experience and an honour to be in the presence of a Queen – a most beautiful woman, whose green eyes reflect a power and a fire, Rani had never seen. It was a power she herself possessed and it was this power that the Queen needed to help her defeat the evil King Cobra, who wanted to dispose all the Kings and Queens of every clan in all the lands and rule the entire Nagin world.
Rani stayed for two days and nights, by the Queen’s side meditating on the supreme power of the Snake Goddess, the power inside of her growing stronger as they await the evil King Cobra. At early dawn on the third morning, he appeared out of the mist in his snake form, a terrifying being and as he transmitted his power to overcome the Queen, he was met with the combination of a stronger power from the snake girl and woman standing side by side. He possessed a very strong power but he could not defeat the combined powers and changing to human form, he sank on his knees, looking at Rani evilly, for all whose power he had stolen was now restored at his defeat.
“From where have you come?” he gasped, hoarsely.
“From the Snake-Goddess, herself” Rani said with a smile of satisfaction, “Now leave and return from where you came.”
It was the end of that evil entity and as Rani bid the Queen and Nagin family farewell. She felt in her being a stronger power, that in time would be powerful enough to defeat any evil.
Kate saw her coming from a distance and ran to her, hugging her, tears of relief in her eyes, for her friend had returned.
The divine friendship of the Snake-Girl and Human girl, continues.

(By: MAUREEN RAMPERTAB)