The trio had made a quick plan to go inside the inner sanctum of the temple, where lord resides. Usually the temple will close by 9:00 pm, they waited patiently for devotees to leave. As their house was right behind the temple, it was easy to sneak inside.
Around 10 pm, the trio set their foot inside the Nataraja temple.
"It looks spooky in night.." whispered Bobby. But Petros shushed him.
Sirsi's family had always made duplicate keys for the temple.
As she opened the doors to the inner sanctum, she heard a bell ring!!! It instantly shook her..
Petros pulled Bobby towards him. Why are you Ringing the bell??.. am sorry I didn't know!! Apologized Bobby.
Sirsi stood in front of the statue, she first apologized for doing this... But the fear had made her sweat badly, breathing heavily and shivering hands swept the flowers below the leg of the Nataraja statue.
The idol was cemented to the ground,she didn't know what to do further.
She searched for any symbols or carvings on the ground and ceilings but it was plain.
She went behind the statue, the light of the lamp created a shadow of the Nataraja ahead of her, Sirsi wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing. She feared any misdoings.. it's a sacred place.
" I don't want to cause any trouble" said Sirsi to Petros.
He was completely scared and did not utter any word.
Sirsi asked for the torch as there was no light behind the statue.
While Bobby was searching for the torch in his bag pack, she was touching the surface of stones on the ground near the leg of the lord.
Her fingers suddenly felt a line kind off cravings on a stone, she instantly stopped to look but it was dark.
Bobby hurry up give me the light... He was nervous and scared, he wasn't himself inside the dark temple.
Sirsi immediately took the oil lamp that was there in front of the lord... And looked!
The stone was different from other stones that was used to built the sanctum, most importantly the lines .... But it was pitch dark for her to see the lines clearly. She was leaning to see clearly trying to focus the lamp's light on the carving..
Bobby suddenly lit up the torch, light hit her eyes and she dropped the lamp down!!
The oil spilled over the lines... And ran through the lines slowly.. the cotton thread lit up fell exactly in middle of the swastik sign.
The torch light from bobby's hand had put the swastik sign on a spot light!!!
She touched the swastik sign and prayed it... With a swizz knife they broke open that particular stone which was engraved with the sign.
With Bobby making a rupture sound to loosen the corners of the stone.. Petros was covering up for them.. observing any movements...
Sirsi was breathing hard and dabbing the sweat with her saree constantly.. the tension in air seemed to increase and eventually Petros also joined to pull the stone..
As soon as they lifted the stone... Water came gushing.
It immediately clogged the inner sanctum as the openings were very small to allow such massive water out..
Trio just stood there in awe and didn't know what to do.
Petros ran over to open the other side of the hole to make way for the excess water.
It took hours for the water to reside, as it was pitch dark and water clogging made it nearly impossible for them to see beneath..
It was 4 am .. temple will open in few hours..
They were not able to stop the running water.
Petros was trying to dig something out from that hole but he couldn't sense anything below.
The guards posted near Sirsi's home were alarmed at the trios disappearance.. they were searching for them and somehow landed inside as they heard water running...
One of the guards called chettiar and informed the current status, the voice was humble.
Keep them safe, inform the priest that he needs to shut the temple today for renovation purposes.
The guard obeyed his orders, he saw the trio and informed that the temple remains shut today.
Sirsi knew that chettiar was expecting this news.. after all it's his temple he can do what he likes.
The trio and few trust worthy guards were waiting inside the temple, the water seemed to be flowing but it was reducing gradually. The waiting seemed like a punishment at this moment.. they tried to get a mortar and fixed below the inner sanctum, as the sun was rising.. the cool air was turning humid.
But this idea worked, Sirsi saw the water level reducing and she could see the lord's feet again..
She stepped carefully on the water, the flowers were floating around the corners.. as she went behind and sat down to get a glimpse of how it looks inside... The water level made it difficult to see the hole clearly..
Can you increase the mortar speed??
The guard increased by turning the knob to highest on the meter.. its high now! He shouted.
But Sirsi did not hear... She was looking at a green Shiva lingam underneath the water... As the water level was reducing.. the lingam became more visible, with the sunrise peaking inside the hole, it looked like a divine light behind the lingam.
She slowly moved the lingam and held it in her palm like a new born baby.
Lingam looked extremely fragile.. it wasn't made of stone because it was light weight and the texture was unusual.
She came out with the lingam in her hand.. even the guards couldn't help but bowed down in respect to the lord.
Petros brought a wooden box and she carefully kept the idol wrapped in a cloth, while she layed and was about to close.. she noticed there was an engraving below the lingam, she asked the guard to take a picture of it.
The box was later taken by the guard as ordered by the Chettiar's son.
Sirsi and the rest of them were still surprised that the legacy they were all told as a bed time story is true.
She sat with her head laying down, seeing the ceilings above, she felt magical when she held the lingam, the vibrations were still running on her veins. Bobby was now totally observed by this miracle, he wanted to know the next destination and was looking at the signs on Sirsi's Nataraja statue. He couldn't understand anything, he walked straight to Sirsi ...
What does this say about the next destination?
She giggled.. it's not a map Bobby...
You said he had written about the places isn't??
Yes I did..
Bobby asked.. then where is it? I can't find anything apart from this single sentence..
Sirsi couldn't help but laugh at his innocence.. it's not so easy Bobby..
It is a verse but I don't know which part of the puzzle it belongs to!
Bobby did not quite understand what she was talking.. he was impatient,
fine what does this say..?
It says "Shiva resides in Panchabutham, which is air, water, earth, fire and space.
Those who see beyond will be blessed!That's it?? Asked Bobby curiously.
Sirsi liked Bobby for his innocence and the way he was inclined towards her, she was wrong about Bobby.. she thought he would probably not wanna share her baggage but he came all the way from London and living like a peasant in this town.
As Bobby was still looking at the Nataraja, murmuring the words he was writing on his journal.. Sirsi sat admiring his messed up hair and h bare chest with a saffron veshti.. he looked cute!!
YOU ARE READING
Lost Treasure
Mystery / ThrillerStory revolves around a women Sirsi, who is believed to hold the destiny to find the lost tunnels of treasure. But, soon word spreads like wild fire, she has unknown enemies and lost her only key to find the way. With her brother and friend by her s...