Subhadra Here of a lovely dark and there arid with their frightful extent, filling up the quarters at different places with the murmur of brooks, and interspersed with holy places, hermitages, hills, rivers, valleys and woods—these are the tracts of the Dandaka forest meeting my view, the sites of which have been familiar to me.¹¹³ This description captures the beauty of the place where river Subhadra meets the sea. At the mouth of the river there had formed a sandy island. The river formed two streams before it merged with the sea. The swirl of water made soft music akin to the ringing of silver bells, or like the soft, sweet tones of Kumud’s voice. At high tide the sea would submerge the island in knee-deep water. During the four months of monsoon the island remained submerged. It had no name; people simply called it the ‘Island’. To the north of the river, the area adjacent to the foothills of Sundargiri, was a large flat ground while on the southern side were sandy ravines so deep that only the tops of the trees that grew in them were visible. Lush, green grass grew the year round on the river banks. A thick canopy of trees covered the slopes of Sundargiri, and its higher reaches were hidden by clouds. From the mountain top one could see the vast sea swelling beyond the horizon—an expanse that challenged the human eye: ‘look as far and farther as you can, and also look within to know your own limits.’ The river meandered through the ravines on the east and almost disappeared into their depths. A platform was constructed in the middle of the island. A bamboo shaft was fixed onto the platform over which a small flag fluttered. Just below the bamboo was a small tent-like structure made of ochre- coloured khadi. During the dry season a sadhvi lived there. She had made an idol of the mother goddess of the island. Bharvads, Rabaris and other cattle-rearing communities brought their cattle to graze on the river banks. People of the nearby villages also visited the island. They came on festive days, Sundays and other religious days. Some came daily in the morning and evening and worshipped the island mother goddess at a spot where natural beauty was imbued with religious sentiments. The sadhvi was young and brimming with youthful zeal. But her mind was saturated with the aesthetics of ascetic life. She was so imbued with devotion that no worldly desires or bodily passions touched her. On the day that Kumud Sundari drowned in the river, the sadhvi was on the island, singing to her goddess, while some women devotees danced the garba. Mother Birdari descends Mount Sundargiri Wearing new clothes and tinkling anklets, Dazzling as the stars at dawn, Which adorn your shapely ankle rings. The sun rises as a mirror to you, Mother Birdari; Sparrows and swans play at your bejeweled feet. The Mother comes to bathe in the river. We are