The Kailashanath Diamond

Chapter 11

Being the daughter of Vishnu and all, Swati knew how to control the Bharatiya Nauka. She also knew the perfect bearings of the sea; that they were at 11.55 degree north of the equator and 91.24 degree east of the prime meridian. She also knew that they were passing an island to the west of Little Andaman, named as South Sentinel Island.

She knew that this area was deserted and prone to earthquakes, and she also knew that they were quite near to Barren Island, and as anybody knows, that is where the only active volcano in India is.

She tried to stir the ship away from that particular island, just in case anything erupted. She was gazing at the afternoon sky, and the serene ocean below. Behind her, at the deck of the ship, the others were discussing the possibilities of the location of the old Bharatiya Samaj.

‘Old Bharatiya Samaj, at some Kamaj? What does that mean?’

‘The Bharatiya Samaj declared one place throughout the Indian Territory as their main seat of power. And this place, as far as we should know, must be in the west, as the prophecy tells us to traverse the seas of yore,’ said Vignesh.

‘That means we must look for a country conquered by India in the east, is it not?’ asked Nandita, twirling Trinayan between her fingers.

Ashwin looked as though in deep thought. He was frowning as though looking for something in a book with a thousand words per page. His eyes were moving too, like some kind of virtual book was in front of him.

‘Hey! I have got it! We have to set sail to Cambodia! Now, or else we would be too late for it!’ he exploded, leaving Jasnoor whimpering in pain as she closed her ears.

His eyes gleamed strangely, like as though something had covered them for a while. He glanced about, looking for a reply.

‘Exactly...’ said Vignesh.

Swati turned around, and spoke.

‘I thought this voyage would be nice and comfortable. All we find is ...’ she muttered something that nobody could hear, and she turned pale.

This was because she had seen her father’s most powerful enemy, Kalia, or the mighty five headed serpent. He had such poison that could turn things to ashes, and he could kill goats with a stare. He was just like a basilisk.

‘I have seen Kalia lurking beneath our ship,’ she announced, looking grim.

‘C’est impossible! Kalia a été killed par seigneur Vishnu ya très longtemps!’ shouted Ashwin, and he covered his mouth.

‘I don’t know French!’ he said glumly.

No one had time to ponder over that French outbreak, for a loud hiss filled the deck of the ship.

‘Sssurrender, Ardha Ishwarasss, for I am the king of the evil snakesss of the world. I know that thy friend, Ssswati, knows of me, and my almighty father. He was ssslayed by thy father in the form of a puny boy.’ The snake said all this in a cold whisper, and it dragged out the‘s’ like a snake should.

 Swati was the only one who could control that snake. She knew that the snake, Kalia could only be killed underwater, which her father had done. She did not know swimming that well, but she supposed Vishnu could help her in such a sticky situation.

She prayed for emergency and jumped into the water.

She saw why the Bay of Bengal was considered a cluster of the cleanest water. The least number of ports in the eastern coast made it clear that this sea was less polluted, and more vibrant than the one on the other end.

All around her were corals that gleamed in silver, lavender, hazel, blue and red. Small and cute goldfish scuttled past, and they stopped in front of her, and bent their little bodies like they were bowing to her.