4.1 A call for change!

Chapter 4

The Roll of the Dice

1.

The Royal Crematorium, Patiala, India

Life seemed to have become a run from temples to crematoria for Rajat. It sometimes left him confused and puzzled. He often thought about what lay in store for him? Was it a blessing for him or a lifelong liability?

Today, as he stood in front of a strange crematorium, in a strange city, all he could think of was the probable purpose of him being sent here? He thought of everything that had happened to him since that accident in Bangalore. He sometimes thought that he had become delusional. But this was more than just delusions. Everything that happened had really happened. The accident followed by the death, the relocation to Kolkata, meeting Biswada, and now this. Everything seemed so surreal.

As he was lost in his thoughts, Rajat saw a group of familiar faces in front of him. Faces he could recognize. As his eyes moved from one face to another, his mind recollected their names one by one – Vikas, Tara, Trishna, Rudra, and with them wasVibhu. Rajat stepped back, but then charged at Vikas with sudden rage.

“You bastard! You threw me outside a crematorium in somebody’s body.” Rajat yelled, as he remembered his past.

Vikas calmed him by touching his head with a spell. He said to Rajat slowly. “It was my duty to do what I did. The difference was that I didn’t know the purpose of what I was doing then. I know what I have done now, and why I am doing it.”

As Rajat normalized from the short spell, he asked in a rather feeble voice. “What amount did you get for all this?”

“That time it was actually a lot!” Vikas answered, “but now, I don’t work for money anymore. I realized the futility of it all.”

“Then, why you’ve got me here today? Whom do you work for now?” Vikas asked in a tone of scornful insult.

“Let us get in Rajat,” Vikas said pointing towards the gates of crematorium. “I work for the kids who asked you to come here.”

Rajat looked at Vikas with contempt as both of them walked into the old arched gateway. Others followed them soon after.

Shahi Samadhan was, perhaps, the world’s only crematorium that doubled up as a tourist spot. Its gardens and domed funeral places gave it an air of royal retreat, rather than crematorium. The memorials, or ‘samadhis’ of the royals dotted the beautifully landscaped gardens, lined by shady trees, and flowering plants. It was open to the public, except on the days when it was booked by the royals and old households of the city for funeral. That was the time when it converted into a mourning retreat from a tourist spot. The solemnness of the place was still evident from the fact that there was a temple right close to the entrance, and right in the middle of the funeral grounds was a huge marble platform, covered by marble arches. The place was silent and calm. People meditated, sitting on the marble floor there.

“They want me to help you meet someone here.” Vikas said, as both of them moved towards the central platform. “Let us sit here till he arrives.” He said leading Rajat towards the meditation area.

As both of them sat on the marble floor, Vikas closed his eyes, and soon wandered off into meditative bliss, till he felt a cool and fragrant whiff of air on his face. It suddenly made him happy from inside. He slowly opened his eyes to see another himself sitting in front of him. Only that it was not a body. It was the true Rajat. Not the Pankaj-in-Rajat. It was Rajat’s soul. It smiled and said in a flowery voice in the language of the trees. “They call me Jai these days, for I won the battle from the death.”

Rajat just kept looking at his closest friend. Tears rolled down his cheeks. Jai consoled him in his flowery voice, taking away all the sadness and guilt from Rajat’s mind.

“Don’t worry Rajat, I am perfect. I am happier than I ever was in your body. I don’t feel any pain, any anger, sorrow, hunger or thirst. My friend in the afterlife is with me. Vibhu feels all that I should. But, all I can do is pray for him.”

He continued in his flowery tongue “I live among the trees as the air between their leaves. I dwell among the woods at the Rajbaha woodlands, not far from here. I indicated the Kumars on my willingness to meet you.”

Jai continued. “I just returned from the Himavant. Lord Parashuram burnt his abode and his body yesterday evening. When he moved north to the transhimalayas, I knew that the time for calling you had come. It is the time to get ready for the change!”