Durga | ✓

16. A Box!?

Durga spoke up, "So mister, what brings you here?"

The man settled down on the chair. He scratched his forehead with his right index finger. Durga looked little nervous.

Indrajeet was sitting on the chair looking at the article Durga had published.

" What made you publish this article?" asked Indrajeet. He sounded normal. But his tone was not normal.

" Indrajeet, I thought I should be writing about Kamakhya Temple. So that people will know about it. And..."

" ...And?" asked Indrajeet. He scratched his forehead with his index finger.

" And to earn some money."

Indrajeet looked at her angrily. Durga started breathing heavily.

" I don't understand Durga, why are so desperate to earn money."

" Indrajeet! I can't see Appa suffering like this."

" Durga! You care about only your father. Don't forget that you have a husband." said Indrajeet, his voice filled with authoritative tone.

Durga had lost her patience. "Husband? He is of no use."

Indrajeet slapped Durga.

" Okay madam. I am Rishab. Not nice to meet you."

" Same here." replied Durga.

" Well I don't know Rudra, how you managed to keep a woman in your company but let us discuss what for we've gathered here." said Rishab. Durga glared at him.

" Here?" asked Ramaiah.

" Ramaiah, you don't remember? My father is a MLA."

So his father is a MLA. No wonder he is a spoiled brat. Jerk. Thought Durga.

" We have found a box while conducting excavations at Kudremukh."

Ramaiah chuckled. " You have called us all the way from Mysore to look at a box?"

Rudra scolded him. " Didn't you hear properly? They have excavated a box. Which means it is of archaeological importance."

Ramaiah ruffled his unnaturally black hair. Durga looked at Ramaiah. If this person was my Appa's second best student then he should be brilliant. Why does he act so stupid?

Durga looked at Rishab. He is talking to him as if he knows them from a long time. Why is he looking at Rudra Sir so keenly?

She noticed Rudra's fist were closed tightly. His greenish blue veins were now clearly visible. By Devi Shakti, why are fists closed tightly? I think I am right. They must be knowing each other.

Suddenly, Durga felt she was an unknown person. She was listening to the conversation, with rapt attention.

Rishab got up from his seat. He signalled two men to get the box. The men bought the box into the room. Durga didn't move from her position but she strained her neck to get a better view.

Rudra and Ramaiah went near the box. They didn't touch the box. The box was small. Around three feet in length and three feet in breadth. The cubical box seemed that it was composed of an alloy of iron. Durga looked at the box.

It looks like an alloy of iron... Kudremukh has huge reserves of iron...

The box had a weird inscription. It seemed little familiar to Durga.

I seen this sort of script... but where?

Rishab decided to speak. " So Rudra, Ramaiah and Miss. Whatever-your-name-is this is your assignment for helping other state."

Rudra and Ramaiah ignored him. Something else had caught their attention.

" Rishab, this box has got an unusual casing." said Rudra. Rishab decided to be silent.

" It seems this casing was done to... waterproof the box?" asked Ramaiah.

Rishab smirked. " Your grey cells have become smarter, boys. Well done."

Rishab looked at Durga. She was looking at the inscription.

" Miss. Whatever-your-name-is, do you want ask anything?"

Durga ignored him. This script looks like... is it Tamil script? But it looks so odd...

Rishab felt offended. " Forget it. This box has a special casing, outside and inside, to protect it from water. Or I must say from floods."

Rudra, Ramaiah and Durga were looking at the box, without taking off their eyes. They just nodded their head.

" We have been working why was the box sealed so perfectly. For that we have been working on the age of the box."

Rudra looked up. " And?"

" Our tools aren't upto date. So we have worked out to find an approximate date which turns out to be around the Ice Age."

Ramaiah looked up. " Are you kidding me?"

Durga looked amused. Why is he telling like this?

Rishab asked, " Why would I do that?"

Ramaiah answered, " Because you are telling me that this box is of Sangamtamil civilisation? Of Pandya dynasty?"

Rishab looked amused. " How can you say so?"

Rudra explained, " Sangamatamil civilisation existed in the southern portion of India including Ceylon landmass. River Kaveri was a huge river, then."

Rishab interrupted him. " Why are you telling it to me? I know this."

Rudra replied sarcastically, " Oh! You already know this? I must say you are very smart."

Ramaiah chuckled. Durga was ignoring them. I had seen this script, six years ago... Please Devi Shakti, help me in remembering it.

" The scientists of Sangamtamil had decoded the warning of Mother Nature. They knew that the huge floods were going to hit the landmass. The Pandya king ignored them, of course.

So a box with such a casing, proves that it has got something really important. Damn important, I must add. Something which was supposed to be kept intact for the knowledge of future generations."

Rishab looked little jealous. " There is a book inside it."

Ramaiah narrowed his eyes. " How do you know that?"

Rishab replied. " We did a X Ray scan. We found out that a huge book inside it."

Ramaiah relaxed. I don't know why but I think I will believe him. But it is really hard for me. He would bluff a lot in the college.

" So Rishab, what is next?"

" Rudra, the text seems undeciphered."

" Rishab! You opened the box?"

" No. We didn't. But we believe that the text is similar to the text on the box. We aren't able to decipher the text yet."

" The text looks little weird, Rudra." said Ramaiah.

" Hmmm... you are right. At least do we know the script?"

Rishab replied, " No Rudra, we don't have any idea."

Durga spoke. " This is Vatteluttu script." looked at their astonished faces. "Speaking in simple terms, ancient Tamizh script.

Rishab looked at her in utmost disbelief. " Can you tell what is written on the box?"

Durga smiled. " Agathiyar."

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

Ceylon : Present day Sri Lanka

The other terms used in this chapter will be explained in the next chapter.

Thank you for reading.