The Light of Darkness



Nishindara. As beautiful as the name sounds, the environment around the village is as mysterious. Surrounded by dense forests, sometimes high mountain ranges, and the howling of jackals in the dead of night, the village seems to be a realm of unknown fear. The people of the village are very simple, but they have only one story to tell - there is a light deep in the forest, which sometimes shines in the darkness. Some say it is the light of a ghost, some say it is the eye of a god, and some believe it is the play of a genie.

Rahima lived in a small hut in a corner of the village. She is seventeen, but she has been managing the family for a long time. Her father died a year ago, her mother is getting sicker day by day, and all her energy is spent on feeding her younger brother Rafiq two handfuls of rice. Rahima has no dreams in life, only one thought - how to sustain this family.

One evening, a witch doctor came to the house of the old village cleric. He came from a distant village, famous for driving away ghosts and spirits. Rahima had gone there to get her mother's fever treated. As the witch doctor was reciting mantras on her mother, Rahima heard him saying to the others,

You all know about this light in the forest. But don't you know what it is?

The villagers listened with bated breath.

The witch doctor said seriously, it is not a ghost, it is not a god, it is a genie, who fulfills the wishes of people. But its price is very high. Whoever calls on it has to give something or the other. Some lose their sight, some their life, some the memory of their loved ones.

Rahima's chest heaved. She thought, this is it! This light might save her mother's life!

That night, Rahima decided that she would go in search of the light in the forest. Mother was semi-conscious with a high fever, and her younger brother was asleep. Rahima lit a torch and silently left the house.

The path through the forest was filled with darkness. The branches of the trees seemed to be touching her like ghostly hands. Sometimes the call of a jackal came from afar, and thorns pricked Rahima's body. But she did not stop. She kept saying to herself over and over again, I have to save my mother.

Suddenly, in the light of the torch, she saw that the path ahead had split into two. One path went towards the mountains, the other deeper into the forest. Rahima hesitated. Just then, she felt as if someone was calling her. A soft, invisible voice was saying, Come... Come this way...

Rahima followed the call. The path gradually narrowed, the branches of the trees scratched her. Suddenly, she reached an open area - there were the ruins of an ancient temple. In the middle of the temple was a stone altar, and a sphere of blue light floated on it.

Rahima's breath caught. The light seemed alive! It moved slowly, and a deep voice came from within it

Who have you come?

Rahima said tremblingly, I... I am Rahima. My mother is very sick. Save her. And... remove our poverty.

The light grew brighter. Then the voice said again, Every wish has a price. What will you give in return?

Rahima had heard before that this light takes something from people. She thought deeply. Then she said, You can take what I have. But save my mother.

The light grew brighter, as if smiling. Then the voice said, Your sight. If you go blind forever, your mother will recover, and your family will be rich.

Rahima's throat went dry. Without eyes, he would never be able to see the sky, his mother, his brother—anyone else. But still he nodded and said, Okay. I agree.

The light suddenly became intense and rushed towards Rahima! She closed her eyes, but a warm touch spread all over her body. Then she fainted and fell to the ground.

In the morning, a shepherd in the village found Rahima lying unconscious on the edge of the forest and brought her home. Mother was completely recovered by then and sat up from the bed, and a bag of gold coins was found in Rahima's pocket. But everyone was shocked to see that Rahima's eyes were dull - she could no longer see.

The news spread throughout the village - Rahima had bargained with the light of the forest! People started to get scared. Some said that Rahima had committed a sin, while others said that she had become radiant with the glory of sacrifice.

But Rahima never regretted it. She said, I am blind, but my mother is alive, my brother now has enough food in his mouth. This is my greatest happiness.

From then on No one in Nishindara went in search of the light of the forest anymore. But sometimes that blue light could be seen in the darkness of the night, as if it reminded her of Rahima's sacrifice.

The old Maulvi Sahib of the village said to Rahima one day, Do you know what that light really is?

Rahima shook her head.

Maulvi Sahib said seriously, It's not a jinn, nor a ghost - it's a symbol of the deepest desire of man. It only manifests itself in front of those who are ready to sacrifice themselves.

Rahima smiled and said, Then it's good. I lost something, but I gained a lot more.

And from that day on, the people of Nishindara realized that the greatest light actually lies in the human heart, where sacrifice and love shine and show the way even in the darkness.