The Kailashanath Diamond

Chapter 2

Usually, Ashwin would have wanted to stay right there at the lighthouse for a while to observe the excellent use of logic on the top, but well, maybe he could use the time to read his novel. This novel was no ordinary novel, a great story, and an absorbing one too. It didn't matter to him all the name-callings and matter which could just be ignored.

Just then, Swati and Nandita came towards him. Probably they had an argument, he thought.

'Swati is immersed in the world of books. But I am not. Tell me, how to exactly select the trial method among the principle of Pythagoras?' asked Nandita.

'No, I am not. I have to get marks, don't I? Tell me too.'

'You can do it this way. Select the smallest square to the next set of numbers and L-divide it, simple. Anyway, I know you came here to talk about that spy boy, right?' he asked.

'Bingo!' said Jasnoor from behind. She was sitting with Madhumita. They were talking about something. Parvati approached Ashwin, too, but with a different question.

'I want to know whether you go for any extra tuition,' she declared.

'No, I don't.' Ashwin replied.

'Then tell me how do you get good marks?' enquired Madhumita.

'All will be learnt in due course,' said an unknown person, a parent.

They got down from the bus and approached their school. Ashwin liked this building. He, of course, like Swati, loved books, but he had a different feeling about this place, almost like home. Students were running about here and there. There was perfect commotion around. Yet, he loved this place.

'I want six of you- Nandita, Swati, you, Parvati, Jasnoor and Madhumita to come with me.' Said the parent.

Weird, Ashwin thought. A parent asks them to come for a ride with him? Suspicious and question arising. That reminded him. Questions-asking session.

'Sir, who are you, exactly? What do you want?'

'My dear, just call all of them. Special orders cannot be ignored.' He replied.

So he called all of them. The car of the parent set out towards north.

'Hey, we don't have to go north, do we? That's out of city.' Said the driver.

The parent muttered something about meanwhile and then continued giving directions. They reached a huge campus of school outside town. Redwood School had arrived. Two people were waiting outside. Ashwin did a double-take. It was Kamal and Gaurav.

'Sorry we're late. Get in and keep quiet.' said the parent.

The car veered off towards east till they raced through the outskirts of Chennai. They arrived at a small port village.

'North of here is Ishwar Academy. Please keep quiet when you reach there. And of course, by the looks of it, Mr.Ashwin, you're in altar four. And perhaps Madhumita is in altar three. I don't know. The Ishwar will only claim your adoption.' He said.

'Adoption? Excuse me, sir, we have parents. So if this orphanage is to take us, say no.' boomed Ashwin.

'Dear me,' mumbled the parent. 'My dear child, I am Narada, the messenger of the lords. Do not say something like that.'

The car trembled. They were now in a huge temple complex with around a huge lake; something that cannot be found on Google Maps. With that, they saw, that the whole temple spread out over altars. Not normal ones, but huge altars with marvellous colouring.

As they passed the gates, Ashwin's face began to illuminate, and a Veena appeared over his head and a book fell on his hand from nowhere.

'Behold, Ashwin, the son of almighty Saraswati, goddess of wisdom, knowledge and arts. Please accept Ma's offering .Saraswati Namasthubyam.'

Ashwin took the book. It was named 'Hamare Sanskaar va Icchaen'

That was in Hindi. Understandable it was.

And then, the sky rumbled, and Nandita's head glowed a reddish hue. Then, a silver trident appeared above her head.

'Behold, my godliness, Nandita, the almighty daughter of Shiva, the great destroyer of evil and the perfection expert. Om Nama Shivaya.'

They entered the city complex and the parent, actually Narada, led them towards a huge complex. The Sabha, it was called. It was full of mats on the floor and people talking. They entered.

'Nandita, and Ashwin, please go to your respective altars. Ashwin, as I said before, go to that white altar up there, near the Pustakalaya. And Nandita, you must go to altar one, the huge altar with three stripes and a red eye, go.'

The others were left. They felt really nervous.

Ashwin followed Narada to the main complex, and through a confusing set of signs in Sanskrit, one sign said: Vidya Ma Viman. That one felt right, so he followed that path. It was marvellous. The altar was huge: in white and with enormous bookcases inside, and lots of worktables and beds where you could read. Just Ashwin's kind of place to live in.

'Svagatam. Dear me, welcome to the Vidya Ma Viman that is the Saraswati Altar, that's what we call it anyway. You will excel if Ma wishes you luck. You have a great future ahead. Good bye, dear boy. Krupya agya davanti.'