The Mysterious trail

Mahendra Pattanayak looked back contentedly at the 2 families approaching the quaint little Odisha town of Sambalpur in Eastern India. The Duster SUV had travelled the distance from Raipur in neighbouring Chattisgarh quite comfortably & smoothly. Mahendra lived and worked in Delhi where he received his American friend Justin Cruz on holiday with his wife and daughter and had promised them an unusual holiday of a lifetime in his hometown of Sambalpur.

Justin regarded the hilly countryside, wrinkling his 45 year old blue eyes against the glare of the midday sun. His Daughter Jill and Mahendra’s daughter Sneha let out excited squeals as they pointed out monkeys & birds, excited in their teenage adolescence. Mahendra followed Justin’s gaze and told him there was a vast reservoir known as the Hirakud dam over to the other side of the hill. Justin’s eyes grew round as Mahendra proudly recited the awe inspiring wonders of this dam; 6000 Cubic metre water storage, its average depth of 500feet, it’s longest spank of 25 kms, the highest in the world . He also added that the word Hirakud means Diamond Mine and that the site used to be an ancient diamond mine “That’s not all” Mahendra added proudly. “There’s something there that will take your breath away. There’s an ancient city beneath the waters and you can even see the tips of some of the 23 sunken temples above the water” Mahendra’s wife Supriya smiled at Julian’s wife Ann, affirming her husband’s revelations about the Dam.

“You wouldn’t say!” Julian exclaimed in excitement . “Let’s go there right away” Aiming a friendly jab at Mahendra. “We have a week ahead of us” Mahendra reminded him. “We’ll even show you a leaning temple and a 50 kilometer tunnel that goes under the dam with its feeder river and comes out in a temple.”

“Jeez” Julian was fascinated. “You hear all that, Jill?” He asked his wife who nodded in excitement. A landscape photographer from Oregon, she shared her husband’s passion for travel with a pattering of History added in. “I did” She nodded. “What’s that about a leaning temple? I only know of the Leaning tower of Pisa.” Mahendra nodded, adding in a dramatically hushed voice that the temple is at least 400 years old and is said to be deliberately tilted as its pinnacle is straight, as if it is pointing towards something. The Cruz family was all excited as Mahendra drove into the porch of his ancestral home in downtown Dhanupali. He had informed his people before so their rooms had been cleaned and renovated to receive the holidaying families. The weary travellers went in, freshened up and met at the ancestral 16 seated antique dining table for an early dinner. The Pattanayaks were amused to see their guests taking pictures of virtually everything they could see. Jill thanked her hosts for the elaborate continental spread of sandwiches, pizzas, Chicken au Gratin, croissants and even chocolate soufflé. Jill appreciated the effort taken by her hosts but asked Mrs. Pattanayak if they could have local food with less spices. Mahendra smiled and made a sign to his servant who brought in bowls of Chhena poda, a local dessert which is a kind of traditionally roasted cream.

Early the next morning, both Julian and Jill set out for a morning jog in the locality of the Pattanayak mansion and immediately attracted local attention. Embarassed at the stares and half smiles, the couple made their way back to their hosts’ mansion. Mahendra met them at his gates, looking worried and also relieved. “Don’t go out too far alone. It’s not safe for you.” He advised them very gently.

“We saw that.” Julian agreed. “We did attract a lot of attention. Not too many Americans and Europeans appear to visit these parts.

After an elaborate breakfast mostly of specially cooked local cuisine, the 2 families set out for an excursion. Although the Pattanayak family was local, they had come back to Sambalpur after more than 15 years and enjoyed visiting the Hirakud dam, The leaning temple of Huma and the Samleshwari temple. “Why are there 2 lions seated in front of every temple here?” Jill observed after a while. “The temples in Delhi don’t have them.”

Mahendra did not seem to know why and called up a Professor that he knew. He listened in detail and then explained to the Cruz couple. “They signify the Astrological Age of Leo. This is the Astrological Age of Pisces.”

“Oh yes, we know that” Jill chipped in excitedly. “Will last upto the year 2100. That’s why the Pope wears his Mitre with the symbol of a fish!” She thought for a moment and then a light of understanding dawned upon her. “The Age of Aries before that, preceded by Taurus and Leo even before.” She gaped at Mahendra. “You mean these temples are over 6000 years old?”

“Maybe, maybe not” Mahendra wrinkled his forehead. “Whatever, they signify that age”

The 2 girls did not understand and asked about this astrological age. Julian explained to them how our Solar system takes 25000 years to make a complete revolution of our galaxy and this period is divided into 2100 years in each zodiac. The 2 girls listened in awe

“Amazing” Julian murmured. “Wonder what other secrets this place harbours.” He noticed a bearded man in saffron priest’s clothing who seemed to be following them right from Huma and was behind them in the Samleshwari Temple. He thought he saw this man again when they were climbing to the hilltop temple of Budhraja. He listened as Mahendra explained that the tunnel from the Chandi temple in Brajrajnagar had a 2 way prong and opened up at both these temples. He asked the temple priest who smiled and showed and opened a small locked room in the temple and showed them a dark hole in the floor where the tunnel opened. He explained to Mahendra in the local Odiya language that the tunnel was not safe and there were several water leaks as it passed under the Hirakud dam.

Julian had been watching the saffron clad man who was now trying to get to talk to them and asked Mahendra to call him. The man joined his hand in Namaste and introduced himself as Parameshwar Maharaj, a priest in the jungles outside town. Julian pronounced the name with a little difficulty. “The Maharaj has observed you touring temples in the area and would like to show you ancient rock cut murals and temples in the jungles.” Mahendra translated.

“Tell him I.. We are interested.” Julian asked Mahendra, adding “I’m sure you would also like to join us.” The Sadhu (Priest) smiled and said he would meet them the next morning at dawn. When asked where, Parameshwar said he would be waiting on the way along the Deogarh highway going to Kolkata.

They left the priest and returned after their day long outing. The girls exchanged pictures of the beautiful islands in the Hirakud and the fish in the River near the leaning temple. Julian and Mahendra made preparations for their expedition the next day and decided to leave the ladies and children for security reasons.

They left early the next morning. True to his word, The Priest parameshwar was waiting at a roadside teastall just outside town. They were now 4 men as Mahendra had taken his gatekeeper along. He was a strong tough man and knew the local terrain well. Julian was engrossed in his google searches on his Smartphone and had done considerable research on the breathtaking history of the area since the last 2 days he had arrived in this quiet town with its treasure trove of secrets. As they approached the Ushakothi Reserve Forest with the directions provided by the priest, he began with a brief history of the area. Through Mahendra’s translation, He revealed the presence of a very ancient city named Shambhala, inhabited by ancient Buddhists from the time of Emperor Ashoka over 2000 years ago. “Yes, founded by King Indrabhuti’s successor Padmasambhava. This is actually Shangrila. The Town of Sambalpur is actually Shangrila which is not in Tibet as we always thought” Smiled Julian, showing his notes proudly. Stunned by this revealing information, Mahendra and Parameshwar gaped at Julian in amazement. “Just what I found on the net” Julian smiled at them. He beckoned to Parameshwar. “Go On”

The Priest was cautious and wondered how the American could know these ancient secrets. He went on to reveal how Shambhala was to be preserved through time until the last Avatar of Lord Vishnu, the Kalki Avatar , will appear here to get the world out of the dark ages, known as Kalyug in Hindu mythology. “Have you found Shambhala?” Julian asked him. The Priest admitted he and his fellow priests had found rock inscriptions and wanted his help to decipher and interpret them.

The gatekeeper, who had been driving the Duster suddenly spoke up. “We’re being followed.” He announced suddenly. Mahendra looked back and saw 2 motorbikes closing in from behind. The faces of the men were bound by cloth and they carried guns. Parameshwar pointed the path ahead which was rapidly thinning out as the Jungle closed in on them and said they would have to walk as the Duster could go no further. He said they would have to trek 2 kilometers on foot to the bank of the Penganga river where the Rock carvings were. They left the Duster locked under a thicket, almost hidden from the road and entered the thick jungle on foot, Parameshwar in front and the gatekeeper, now armed with a pistol, bringing up the rear. They set off towards the river. The Bikers were also on foot and they could hear voices behind. They were almost upon the river bank before they realised it and there was a sharp fall from the jungle which ended in a cliff dropping down to the river bank. Julian suddenly slipped on wet moss-filled roots and slipped down the cliff face. He desperately tried to hold on to twigs but they were weak and broke off. He fell a few feet near the river and was knocked unconscious by a jutting rock.

Julian felt a gentle touch on his arm and woke to find a very fair skinned Priest who looked more like a Buddhist monk. His head was shaven and he pulled Julian up. The monk had rubbed a fragrant paste on Julian’s head and he felt no pain from the fall. The monk smiled and beckoned to Julian to follow him. Julian looked back but could see no sign of Mahendra or the others. The Monk led him to a small cave almost fully hidden by foliage and they entered. The monk walked to the back of the cave and pulled up a trap door cleverly hidden by creepers. There was a stairway and they descended for what seemed an eternity and Julian was almost blinded by a bright light as they entered a vast cavern. There was large monastery and there were fields , running water like as if it were on the surface.

The monk led him into the monastery and entered a hall where there was a master priest and several priests were bowing to him. Taking the cue, Julian also bowed to him. The Master smiled benignly and spoke to Julian in a strange language which sounded quite different from the Hindi and Odiya languages that he had been hearing these last few days. Julian suddenly realised with astonishment that he could understand every word though the Master’s lips hardly moved.

“Welcome to Shambhala, Guest from over the Seas. Ask what you may”

“I have so many questions. I don’t know where to begin” Julian felt himself say

“you don’t have much time. Your companions are searching for you and we do not want a large search party here looking for you. Your world is not ready to face us yet.”

“We have been here for thousands of years, meditating and strengthening our mind and bodies and building up our skills to superlative level. We are waiting for our Lord to join us shortly. He is preparing Himself for the task of saving the world; a world you have corrupted with uncontrolled desire that brings about disease and natural calamities.”

“yes Master” Julian felt himself saying. “Our world faces a great disease.”

“Yes” The Master smiled. “The one you call Corona. It will keep killing people again and again until it is eradicated. Here we do not need medicine. We have used Ayurveda to cure ourselves. There are only sacred chants and not herbs as you believe. We practice the Vajrayana sect of Buddhism.”

He saw Julian’s fatigued face and said gently. “You must return to your world and rest, Son. You must rest”

Julian felt himself sinking. “Can I rest here Master? I don’t want to leave yet. I have so much to learn from you” He felt himself lie down in fatigue and fall into a deep sleep

Julian found his face being splashed with water , opened his eyes and saw the worried faces of Mahendra, Parameshwar and hi gatekeeper. He sat up and Mahendra looked relieved. “are we glad to see you? You had disappeared as you slipped and fell. We found you here near the edge of the river.....”

Julian stood up. “who were those chasing us?”

“Illegal arms dealers.” Mahendra smiled in satisfaction. “They had a large store of rifles and ammunition hidden near here in the jungle and they thought we are Police. The presence of a white man made them more nervous. Probably thought Interpol was chasing them” He laughed.

But Julian wasn’t concentrating. He walked to the rocky outcrop nearby. “Is there a cave here somewhere?” He asked.

“Not in this vicinity” Parameshwar answered confidently and Mahendra translated.

Julian walked the whole area but couldn’t find any cave.

Had he really visited the mythical Shambhala or had he dreamt the whole thing?

He thought of telling the others but realised no one would believe him. He wanted to explore the area but Mahendra firmly led him back to the Duster.

“Though you don’t appear to be very hurt, we need to get you checked up by a Doctor.

They returned and were met by 4 angry ladies who demanded to know why they had been left out of this expedition.

Mahendra murmured something about the area being dangerous

“Then you shouldn’t have gone either” Jill retorted crossly. “Julian looks tired, exhausted and a little shocked. What happened? “ She asked him quietly. She knew her husband and sensed he had had an unusual experience.

“Nothing much.” Julian shook his head. “We went to the Ushakothi reserve forest to see ancient rock carvings. We also ran into Gunrunners. I slipped and fell near the river.”

Later in their room, Jill examined her husband’s head and neck.

“No injury” She observed in relief

Julian went in for a shower. As he was rubbing the back of his neck, a trace of balm came into his hand. He looked at the trace of the mild fragrant balm and recollected the monk from his dream.

Or was it a dream?

Who would believe him and what had happened to him? It was a puzzle that would intrigue him for several years

Julian decided he would wait until he encountered the mysterious Shambhala people again before he revealed anything to the world . He Thanked God for his unusual experience, regained his smiling composure and went down to join his hosts for another delicious cross-continental lunch spread