I
THE VERDICT
The temple shone in the darkness. A brilliant white! Dazzling…and yet serene. A group of men and women solemnly trudged out. Now they knew! They got the answers that they were looking for. No one uttered a word. Nor did anyone question the verdict. THE ONE could never be wrong.
As soon as the first group came out of the temple, the next one entered. Three men and two women. All dressed in their daily work-clothes. A simple lot indeed. They too, needed the answer from THE ONE.
And THE ONE answered…as always. Once again the temple shone with a dazzling white light.
And this group too knew that they were correct. THE ONE had told them.
One by one, the people entered the temple, either alone or in groups and told their stories to THE ONE and left. THE ONE always answered.
It was almost dawn when a young girl dressed in bridal finery stood outside the temple waiting for her turn. All the other people had left. She had, in fact, waited for everyone to leave.
“O Supreme One, I was going to get married tonight….to a boy of my choice.” she said slowly and deliberately, weighing each word carefully. As if a single wrong syllable could be used against her.
“Even our parents had consented to our marriage,'' she continued. “ We had a grand engagement ceremony last month. My parents had spent a small fortune for the engagement. They even sold our cow so that they could get me married in an equally grand manner. Everyone was happy. So was I….until tonight.”
Here she paused and took a deep breath. She had a mountain on her mind and wanted to shed it off. Yet she could not spew venom against the special person she had loved for the last three years. He had promised her the moon and the stars and everything in between.
He was a newcomer in the village, an expert in vegetation who had come to study the diverse ecosystems of the forest surrounding their village. She was easily the prettiest girl in the entire village with long, dark hair, braided neatly and lovely brown eyes. She too, secretly admired the tall young man with a cleft in his chin.
As days passed, distant glances turned into short conversations and then eventually to long meetings.
Her eyes wore a tranced look as she thought fondly of her loved one while unfolding the events of the last three years to THE ONE.
She spoke gently about him…his vast knowledge of plants, his passion for preserving ecological diversity, how his hair would never stay in place, how they would meet near the riverbank, how he had saved her from being poisoned by giving her a herbal medicine, how she tended to him when he was sick with an unknown illness…. Oh there was so much to tell!
As her story moved forward to the present day, her face clouded over. Her jaw tightened and the gentle look in her eyes hardened. Her voice became cold and unemotional and all the muscles in her body stiffened.
“He ran away. He took all our jewellery and ran away…just hours before our wedding.” she blurted in an unusually high-pitched voice.
“O Exalted One, tell me now!”
Suddenly all sounds ceased! It was eerily silent and a dark shadow descended upon the temple. The pale yellow colour of the temple at once drained into the earth. Even the air all around grew dark and heavy. The shadow spread almost to the foot of the hill all around the temple, draining colour from everything that it touched.
She knew that she had been gravely wronged and fell into a heap at the foot of the altar.
Her parents, who had been looking high and low for her all night, had seen the clouds gathering over the temple from far away and intuitively knew that they would find her there. They rushed to the place. The father picked up his precious daughter in his arms and carried her home.
Soon the temple returned to its previous state.
Barely an hour had passed since this happened. A little eight year old boy bounded inside carrying an injured little kitten in his wet shirt.
He stood at the foot of the altar and stared at the empty space above it and announced happily, “Look! I saved it from the stream!” He extracted the kitten from his shirt and held it in an outstretched arm for THE ONE to see. The kitten let out a feeble meow as if agreeing with the boy’s claim.
“O ONE, tell me now!” he said triumphantly.
And immediately, the temple glowed with a lovely white light.
The boy bounded out as happily as he had bounded in.
A few minutes later, the temple once again returned to its neutral state….a pale yellow colour exuding peace and calm.
II
THE TEMPLE
The temple had been there since the beginning of time, said the elderly people of the village.
Generations after generations had come and gone… and the temple was always there.
It was outside the village on the hill, somewhere midway to the top so that it wasn’t visible from the other side.
It was not an easy walk from the village, yet whoever had a question did not find it difficult to reach the temple. It would take half a day to go there through the forest and one also needed to cross an unpredictable stream which would swell up with water as suddenly as it would go dry.
But people went there nevertheless, risking their lives. Strangely, no one was swept off with the current… and as usual, no one returned unanswered. They all got the answer they were looking for!
No one knew who built it or how it came to existence. It stood magnificently…carved out of a huge, pale yellow rock which seemed to have emerged from the grey mountain like a lotus blooming in the muddy waters.
It was octagonal in shape with its eight pillars curving inside towards the top making it seem like a roof. There were no walls and one could enter and exit from any side that they wanted. Centuries of rain and shine had polished the pillars and made them smooth and shiny.
There was a circular altar exactly at the centre of the temple. That according to the villagers was the seat of THE ONE!….THE ONE that no one had ever seen or heard. Nor had anyone felt a supernatural presence. But it was always THE ONE who answered.
III
THE STRANGER
Many summers passed since the fateful day the groom ran away. Many things were forgiven, and the rest were just accepted as mere incidents which happened…
Time heals everything. But the memories remain and so do the scars.
No one had forgotten the runaway groom! Nor had they ever recovered from the trauma of the great famine which followed, where many families had been wiped out….it almost felt like the runaway groom had not only stolen the jewellery but also the water from the lower valley.
The girl was no longer young and dainty. She was now a tough woman with rough hands and a stern voice. She was a survivor. She had survived both the betrayal and the drought.
Years of hard work in the fields had made her strong and resilient. But her eyes wore a suspicious look. She was wary of people; especially strangers.
That day she was out collecting firewood in the forest when she saw her; an old woman, wearing faded brown clothes. She felt a mixture of pity and tenderness for her and approached her to find out who she was.
“Who are you, mother? What are you doing alone in the forest?”
“I live here,” she replied.
“Oh! And what do you eat? Where do you live?”
“The forest provides everything I need,” said the old woman.
Instinctively, she knew that the old woman had a story to tell. She instantly experienced a connection. There was great pain beneath the calm, reclusive exterior. Though she did not trust strangers, she could not leave the old woman alone in the forest. So far she had been lucky enough to survive, but what if she encountered a wild animal, or was bitten by a snake, or stung by bees…?
No!...She could not leave her there in the forest where dangers were lurking behind every tree, beneath every rock..!
She coaxed and cajoled and finally convinced the old woman to accompany her to the village.
The villagers were surprised to see an old stranger entering their village.
But they welcomed her with open arms. She did odd jobs in the fields and even helped them recover from various illnesses using concoctions of herbs.
One day, she had to rush to the landlord’s house late at night. His son had suddenly developed strange rashes on the skin. While she was rubbing a herbal paste on his skin she could overhear the angry conversation between his parents.
“You should not allow him to swim in that muddy pond. He falls sick everytime he does. It’s your fault. You don't pay attention to him. Letting him roam around with the street kids like a vagabond!” said the father.
“My fault!...My fault, is it? As if I don't have anything else to do other than looking after your child. I am sick and tired of you blaming me for everything that happens to him. Just imagine what you would have done had I not agreed to marry you after his mother died.”
“You are no saint, woman! You wanted a comfortable life which no one else in the village could have provided.” said the landlord.
“I took pity on the child. Otherwise who in their right senses would marry a widower? That’s it! I have had enough, I am going to the temple tomorrow.” said his wife and went to see how the sick child was faring. The landlord went to his room and slammed the door angrily behind him.
“O mother! That ungrateful wretch. I gave up my youth for his child and all he does is blame me!” she cried. “I am going to the temple tomorrow. I’ll ask THE ONE. Then we shall all see!”
This was not the first time that the old woman had heard about THE ONE. She had heard stories and legends about the temple right from the day she had arrived in the village. Almost everyone in the village had gone to THE ONE at least once in their life.
And they had all got the answers they were looking for.
The landlord’s wife insisted that the old lady should accompany her to the temple in the morning. She wanted an unbiased witness to the verdict. The old woman resisted at first but finally agreed because by this time, she already knew what answer the child’s mother would get from THE ONE in the morning.
As they neared the temple, early in the morning, they saw it turn into a brilliant white. Someone was already there before them. In a few moments, they saw the landlord come out of the temple followed by the headmaster of the village school.
The landlord passed by them impassively, barely even glancing at his wife. But the headmaster stopped and said apologetically, “Lady, I think you should take more care of the child. THE ONE ruled in his favour.”
The landlady was crushed. She was sure she was doing everything she could as a mother.
“Let’s return.” she said to the old woman.
“I think we should still go.” the old woman said.
“Why? The verdict is out. The headmaster won’t lie. He is the most honest man in the village.”
“Still… I insist.” the old woman pleaded. For long she had been thinking of a situation similar to this and wanted to see what THE ONE would say in circumstances like these.
Both of them entered the temple which had returned once again to its neutral colour.
The landlord’s wife narrated the incidents of the previous day and looked at the empty altar and asked, “After all these years of toiling for him and his child, all I get is blame and criticism. O Great One, tell me now!”
A looming shadow descended on the temple and it changed its colour. It was neither brilliant white, nor pale yellow. It had turned dark as it always did when some wrong had been done.
The landlord’s wife was confused. THE ONE had just given a verdict in favour of her husband and now it was saying he was wrong.
Nevertheless, she was relieved. Yes, he was wrong and yet she knew that she should take more care of the child, she reasoned. Nobody questions THE ONE.
The old woman was amused at how easily the landlady had resigned herself to accepting the contradictory judgements, justifying both of them at the same time. But she did not say a word.
As they were going downhill, the landlady asked the old woman, “Mother, you look like someone who has gone through a lot in life. Why don’t you speak to THE ONE? You will get all your answers.”
“I have no questions, my dear.” said the old woman.
Back in the village, the two contradictory judgements had become the topic of discussion for the day. People were confused about taking sides. Both were right. There was no doubt about that since THE ONE had said so.
The old woman had been a mute witness to all the verdicts given so far. She knew almost all the stories that had been told to THE ONE and had wondered at the simple mindedness of the village-folk.
But among all the stories she had heard, the one that stood out was the story of the woman who brought her home. It had shaken the entire village at that time. The villagers had left no stone unturned in vilifying the evil monster who had broken the girl’s heart. This had saddened the old woman deeply; yet she had kept quiet.
However that day, she felt that she had to speak. She knew that no amount of explanation or logical argument would convince them. Their faith in THE ONE was unshakeable.
While walking home from work with the other farm-hands that day, she quietly said:
“I want to speak to THE ONE. I have a story to tell.”
IV
THE STORY
The following day, almost all the villagers turned out to accompany the old woman to the temple. They were all intrigued by her aura of mystery and were curious to learn more about her.
The crowd stood around her as she seated herself at the foot of the altar and began the story:
“There was a river flowing down the hills through a village in the lower valley. A dam was constructed to divert the water supply to the upper valley. This caused a drought in the lower valley, and many people died; including the livestock they had. Many families in the lower valley perished.”
She paused for a moment and said, “Tell me now!”
The temple changed into a gloomy DARK colour.
“There was low rainfall in the past few seasons, and without the water from the river being stopped, the upper valley would have faced severe famine. Twenty times more people lived in the upper valley as compared to the lower valley, and a dam was necessary for their survival,” she resumed.
“Tell me now!”
The temple turned into a dazzling WHITE immediately justifying the building of the dam.
“A young man walked cautiously late in the night, careful not to make any noise or get noticed. He went to the place where he knew all the jewellery was kept. He quickly took it out without notice and vanished quietly into the night.”
“Tell me now”
Once again, a DARK shadow fell on the temple declaring the young man a culprit.
“Time was crucial! The mighty river flowed furiously from the upper valley to the lower valley through a small channel. If the dam was not constructed on time, all the precious water would wash downhill, and dry up the river basin in the upper valley. The construction work needed urgent funds, and the people in the upper valley had used up almost all their resources. The young man was wise to understand the criticality. He took the decision of stealing for the well-being of his people, even if that meant sacrificing his love and happiness.”
“Tell me now!”
The temple turned WHITE this time honouring the noble deed of the young man.
“It was a beautiful morning. Everyone in the house was preparing for the wedding. They were shocked when they realised that the groom had taken all their jewellery and run away. The bride’s heart was broken. It was a betrayal beyond her imagination, and her dreams were shattered.”
“Tell me now”
The temple turned DARK, denouncing the groom.
“The Young man took a horse from the barn. He had all the jewellery with him. It was an exhausting ride uphill. But he rode all night and managed to reach the construction site just after sunrise. All the people in the upper valley hailed him and said he was an Angel. The construction work resumed on time.”
“Tell me now”
Once again, the young man was a hero and the temple turned brilliant WHITE.
“ The horse that the young man had taken actually belonged to an old couple. They were devastated when they saw the barn door open, and the only horse they had was not there. The horse was everything to them. It was their source of income, and they loved him like a son. The blow was too much for the couple. They collapsed!”
“Tell me now”
The temple turned DARK.
“It was a joyous occasion! The Dam was constructed on time, and the precious water was stopped. Thousands danced and sang with joy. They would survive a few seasons now. Their hungry kids were going to get food. Their starvation was over!”
“Tell me now”
The temple turned WHITE.
“The young man used all his knowledge and experience for construction. He guided the team to get the solid woods that would hold the small current first and then use the blocks to add more.”
“But he miscalculated something. The wood he selected was not strong enough. It caused a terrible accident. The water current suddenly rushed and overwhelmed the temporary resistance. It filled up the lake rather quickly, not giving enough time for workers working below to get out. It caused a few deaths and misery.”
“Tell me now”
DARKNESS fell on the temple again.
“This event stunned the young man!”
“Kids, animals, and workers in the shallow basin started drowning in that water. He quickly moved to that basin in the small wooden palette. He was desperately trying to save as many as he could. He knew that his life was also in danger, but he was not thinking about it.
“What a heroic Act!” people on the shore shouted. “
“Tell me now”
The temple dazzled in WHITE!
“The people in the bank were panicking. Mostly no one dares to fight against the mighty river. After all, how many will risk their own life for others?”
“Tell me now”
DARK COLOUR!
“A little boy held a kitten to his chest. He did not want to let it go. The young man frantically swam towards him. He handed his palette to the boy and pushed him towards the shore as fast as possible. The boy and the kitten survived. “
“Tell me now”
WHITE COLOUR!
“The man had pushed the raft too hard. It forced him towards the strong current. He now knew that he could not make it to shore. He saw his mother standing and watching helplessly. He quickly took a deep breath and submerged himself….gone forever….” sighed the old woman.
“Tell me now”
The temple turned depressingly DARK!
“But the people cheered, ‘He is our hero !!He is our Hero !!’. Only a mother knows the pain of losing her only child.” she let out a silent sob.
“Tell me now”
The temple turned WHITE as if a bolt of lightning had fallen on it and then with a loud crackling sound turned DARK again!
In an instant, the woman who brought her home knew who the old lady was! So did the elders who were present.
As they all stood in shock, the temple alternately shone and dimmed with furious intensity.
Then suddenly, there was a blinding flash followed by a deafening bang!....And then complete silence!
And there it stood, among the grey hills….A grey temple with eight grey pillars curving inwards at the top!
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