The walk was long but the men were perfectly comfortable, although Madappa and Acharya had some difficulty keeping up with Bhadramanu, who seemed to have the energy of a sixteen year old.
They finally reached the police station, an old dilapidated building, with much elemental damage, the external color was faded and they could see parts of the roof falling apart. It was a pucca (finished) building though, but a small one. The terra-cotta roof was missing tiles in many places…
There were only two constables on duty, there was no officer posted at Srirangapura. The two constables were Nagaraj and Byrappa and they were the only two constables posted at the Srirangapura police chowki. Byrappa was the “head” constable and was naturally the person in-charge. Both the men were sitting outside on a wooden bench, sipping hot chai from small glass tumblers. As Bhadramanu and group got nearer, they stood up and exchanged a look. They must have guessed from the somber expressions on the face of the three complainants that there something serious was afoot.
Byrappa spoke “Namaskara Acharya avare, Madappa avare…” and then stopped to look at Bhadramanu. Acharya spoke up first…”Byrappa, this is Sri Bhadramanu, a guest at Madappa’s home. Bhadramanu, this is Byrappa, the Head Constable and the man in charge here at Srirangapura. His associate is Nagaraj.”
Byrappa and Nagaraj greeted Bhadramanu and both spoke in unision “It seems like something serious is going on…we noticed that you gents had a very somber expression on your faces”.
Madappa responded “Yes Saar…the problems near the Ashwath Vriksha…something a lot more terrible than goats turning up dead has happened!”
Byrappa replied “What has been killed now? A Buffalo, A cow perhaps…?”
Madappa said “No saar…this is really bad…we discovered this morning when I brought Swamiji to investigate the Banyan Tree for some supernatural activities…”
Byrappa “What did you discover?!”
Madappa “Saar…we found the head of Gowri Iyengar, hanging from a branch of the Banyan Tree!”
Both Byrappa and Nagaraj shouted “WHAT?!?…and who is Swamiji?”
Acharya had a bemused look on his face as well…since he wasn’t sure whom Madappa was referring to.
Madappa replied, pointing towards Bhadramanu “That is Swamiji…he is a Sanyasi…”
Byrappa, having gathered his wits said “You mean to say that Swamiji found the body of Gowri, the school headmaster’s daughter near the tree?”
Bhadramanu replied “No. I only found her head, hanging from a branch.”
Byrappa and Nagaraj fell into an animated discussion and finally Byrappa said “Saar…this is too much for us to handle…we are just simple constables. We will have to notify headquarters in Bangalore. They will have to send an SI or Inspector here to investigate. But come with us to the site and we will cordon off the area and prepare the site for investigation.”
Byrappa ran inside the station to make the telephone call. The men outside could hear him say something in a very animated voice. After about ten minutes, he stepped out and said “OK, I have notified headquarters and they will be sending down an SI today. Let’s go to the site”.
Nagaraj had started up their rickety old Police Jeep and the men piled in and drove off, towards the Temple again.
It was around 9:30 AM by then and people had started trickling towards the temple. The Tea and Paan shop had opened, as had the shoe stall and flower and incense stall. Things were not going too well for the Sriranga Temple since the past few years, since city folks had gotten too busy to visit. Maybe a few days a month, tourists would visit. Some would come simply to see the architecture while others were devotees and they would stop by to perform pujas. That brought in some revenue to the temple’s socio-economic eco-system.
Seeing the Police Jeep and the priest in it (accompanied by Madappa and a Stranger) piqued the interest of the fifteen-twenty people in that area and they all walked up to the jeep as it came to a halt.
The Constables and the others stepped out and walked towards the tree. The crowd followed, with questions being shouted out, inquiring about what was going on.
As the crowd realized that the cops were headed towards the tree, more than half of them fell behind, lurking at a safe distance from the tree. The party of five now had reached the spot where Bhadramanu had found Gowri’s head. The cops saw the head and the expression on the face and shrank back! The sight was too macabre for them as well…
Also by this time the crowd had realized what had happened…so there was absolute silence. Bhadramanu noticed something he had not observed earlier — even though the gruesome remains of Gowri were perhaps a day or two old, the head had not changed texture, nor shown any sign of decay. And what was even more baffling was that there were no flies or no stench of decaying flesh.
The initial reading of the place, along with the amulet and the condition of Gowri’s head seemed like a clear indication that there were some other-worldly powers at play here. A thought crossed Bhadramanu’s mind suddenly and he asked “How long has it been since you mentioned the other issue has been happening Madappa?”
Madappa said “Swamiji it started about two years ago…I remember the day well…since it was on the day of Naraka Chaturdashi, during Deepavali. That day Chowdaiah’s prize buffalo was found decapitated near the Banyan Tree…there were also trails of blood leading back to the shmashana (Cremation ground)!”
Bhadramanu muttered “Started after the New Moon, would mean that there might be the hand of Bhanamati or some malefic Tantra behind this”, but he said it softly enough that only Madappa and Srinivas Acharya could hear it.
The Banyan Grove was cordoned off by the two Constables, and people slowly left the scene of the crime. Srinivas invited Madappa and Bhadramanu to stop by his home (which was incidentally adjacent to the temple, on the east side) for a cup of coffee while they discussed the details.
Byrappa asked the men to be available for questioning, statements for the benefit of the investigator who was going to come down from Bangalore, and then drove off with Nagaraj.
They walked over to Srinivas’ home and Srinivas called out to his wife Sushila to make some coffee for his guests. That said, they settled down in the courtyard to talk about the problem at hand.
Srinivas started “Swamiji, if you don’t mind, may I ask about your background a little? This will give me some understanding of who you are and how you can help”.
Madappa looked up expectantly, since he had wanted to ask Bhadramanu the same question.
Bhadramanu replied “There is not much to say…I am a traveling vagabond, go where ever my Mother calls me. I was in Nanjangudu before the call came for me to visit her in Kanakapura. I spend my days meditating on The Mother, and live off whatever she presents me with…”
Srinivas replied “But there must be some place you were born, you grew up…your parents, brothers, sisters, cousins, family?”
Bhadramanu smiled “Acharya avare, you know very well that once one renounces Grihastashram, the house-holder’s life, he has to forsake even his very identity.”
Srinivas “Ah…so you are a Sanyasi!”
Bhadramanu “Not in the strictest sense…I belong to no denomination. My only identity is that I am the Holy Mother’s humble servant…”
Srinivas realized that he would not be able to get Bhadramanu to divulge anything else about himself. But he also realized that this man was not ordinary by any definition of the word. He had sensed Bhadramanu’s presence in the midst of his meditation that very morning, as he and Madappa walked past him to the Banyan Grove. He decided to push back his curiosity and accepted his gut instinct about the old man — that he was venerable and good.
Bhadramanu’s eyes twinkled as he looked Srinivas straight in the eyes…and Srinivas felt as if the old man had read his mind.
Madappa too realized that Srinivas had made up his mind to trust Bhadramanu, and was pleased.
Bhadramanu said “Friends…come on, we have some work to do tonight…while we wait for the Inspector from Bengaluru to arrive. I want to learn everything about these happenings…and perhaps even meet all the people who have been affected by it.”
Then, turning to Madappa, he asked “Madappa…will it be okay for me stay near the Banyan Grove? I do not want to offend your hospitality by not staying at your home…but I was hoping that the Acharya would allow me to sleep at Lord Ranganatha’s feet…”
Srinivas piped in quickly….”Not at all Swamiji, I have not objections. But I do have a request and I hope you will not reject it…”
Bhadramanu’s eyes twinkled again as he replied “I am most honoured to be able to spend the night at Sri Ranga’s feet…please tell me your request and I will try my level best to honour it.”
Srinivas replied “Madappa told me about your unique Yoga meditation. I would like to learn it too…would you please show me how it is done?”
Bhadramanu’s face broke into a radiant smile and he replied “Oh most certainly dear Acharya avare, it will be my pleasure to share my meditation with you…why don’t we start now?”
That said, he asked Madappa to join them as well. Just as he had explained to Madappa, he instructed both the men to stand with their feet about shoulder’s width apart, toes pointing straight (not splayed out or pointed in), hands hanging loose by the thighs, palms faced towards the back. Knees bent slightly so that the knees wouldn’t get locked tight. He then walked them through a basic relaxation first:
“Start with your head relaxed, neck relaxed, jaw relaxed. Then relax your shoulders, your chest and back. Relax your waist and also your wrists and ankles. Imagine that a golden thread has descended down from the sky to attach to your crown point. Curl up your tongue to touch the hard upper palate of your mouth…at the point where your tongue touches the palate when you say the word ‘la’” in the name “lata”.
He then walked around adjusting the two men’s toes and knees, shoulders a bit. And then:
“Now close your eyes and just don’t do anything. You will soon feel a tingling sensation in the top of your head…the crown point. Be aware of the tingling but do not try and do anything…simply be.”
At this point, the two men had been standing for about ten minutes. People aren’t used to stand around doing “nothing” and Bhadramanu could see that of the two, Acharya was having the hardest time. Madappa did not know much about esoteric practices, but the Acharya was a priest and therefore had both theoretical knowledge of the shastras as well as possibly yogic techniques. He could sense that there was potential in the Acharya, but he had a long ways to go. Srinivas Acharya was only around thirty five or so. But as is common with learned people questioning and doubting everything, he could sense the chaos in Srinivas’ mind.
He decided to direct some energy into the two men (just as he had done with Madappa earlier that morning), so they could sense what connecting with the source felt like. And soon both men settled in, a sense of well being, a paradoxical warm-cool sensation filled them from inside. They felt something filling them up, coming down from the top of the head and rising up from the soles of their feet. The two flows met at their navel region and took on a smoky, wispy sensation and moved around a bit until it stabilized. The two men had not felt this calm ever before.
After a good half hour of standing this way, the new “students” slowly opened their eyes. What was immediately obvious to both was that there was not a single thought in their minds. And no sooner than that thought ran across their minds, it was as though a flock of angry parrots were set free…the thoughts flooded in!
Bhadramanu said “Please don’t ask me any questions at this point…simply enjoy the feelings. I will explain to you both what you experienced”.
The men, awestruck, nodded their consent…too taken in by the calm energy that was infused into their every fiber to speak even! As they dispersed, Madappa and Srinivas Acharya both invited Bhadramanu to their home for lunch and dinner respectively. The rest of the day was uneventful and Bhadramanu retired soon after the temple doors closed.
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
The habit of "questioning and doubting everything " can only be sorted by a Guru and done only when the right time comes...
Regards
ns