Chapter 13: The Tantric’s Trap
Next evening they took the short cut and climbed up to the eastern end of the temple compound early. They peeped into the ground and were surprised to find nobody in or around the temple. Still they did not take risk. They waded along the curvy side of the hill and reached their selected hiding spot behind the temple. They tore creepers and thrashed down bushes to make a suitable nook. They guessed that it was not yet time for the tantric to start his worship. They waited for a long time occasionally climbing up to the edge of the hill and peeping into the level ground. The mouth of the southern track was still closed with the rock. They waited patiently and when the time at which the tantric had departed the day before was past. it seemed to them that the tantric had some specific schedule of worship and it was not a worship day. So they decided to climb up and inspect the temple. If there was any sign of movement at the mouth of the track they could get back to the hiding. The moon was yet to rise and cover of darkness would also help them to remain undetected. They cautiously climbed up and roamed across the entire ground and there was no sign of anybody.
They waited for about an hour more and then approached the temple. Nil closely examined the rings connecting the lock. One of the rings was rusted and became thinner at its attachment with the wooden door. This could easily be loosened with the help of an iron rod. He turned around to tell Doma that they should return now and come on the new moon night with the necessary contrivances. But his heart got into sudden flutter as he heard the grave voice uttering in distinct Bengali, 'I knew you would come again. Yester night you left your foot marks while you had trespassed. So I've set this trap to befool you and capture you. Mother Kali has sent you to get my last 'bali' (sacrifice) completed and the crucial night is only two days ahead.'
Nil soon regained his composure, exchanged glances with Doma and both of them rushed toward the eastern end. The raucous laughter of the tantric echoed in the hills and he uttered in a menacing voice, 'fools you cannot escape from me.' He raised his hand and Nil and Doma found themselves tied closely by a red ribbon from waist upward, hands fitted tight with their bodies. They could not make any movement as both of them were tied closely together. The tantric now laughed again and said, 'my men would soon lock both of you in a room and keep you confined till the grand puza on new moon night. Boy you'll be my tenth and last bali as I had promised to the goddess. Oh, after this bali I would get the supreme blessings of mother Kali and become invincible in this world.'
He looked at Doma scornfully and said in the local dialect, 'you look like a girl from the Lepcha village and you seem to be spying on this sacred place with your Bengali lover. Now your lover would be sacrificed to the goddess. And how should I punish you for your grave sin? You've done me great favor by presenting me this boy for bali. So. I'd spare you torturous death. Your punishment would be very light. I'd gift you to my men for sex-game.' The tantric started laughing again frantically.
Neither Nil nor Doma could utter a single word. Thought of the horrible fate benumbed their senses. All of a sudden Nil felt a tickling sensation in his coccyx as though some insect had been moving slowly up his spine. The sensation became intensified as it moved up and the heat coursing through his whole body was unendurable. Then all of a sudden flashes of lightning emerged out of his forehead which mingled with similar flashes from the forehead of Doma. In a moment the magic ribbon binding them disappeared. The tantric looked awe stricken. He raised his hand again and made a desperate effort but nothing happened. Nil and Doma realized that some uncanny force had robbed the tantric of his tanra power. In desperation the tantric tried to raise the trident lying in front of him but he was now too weak to lift it. He trembled in rage and started calling out his men for help in a meek voice.
Nil and Doma exchanged glances and dashed toward the hillside. They realized that mystic power of the tantric could no longer do them any harm but the hefty Nepalese could physically overpower them. They got to the edge of the ground and started scaling down like squirrels. They would have to reach the escape route before the men of the tantric could get at them.
They eventually reached the end of the rise and got closer to the clear track they had made. The last part was a cluster of burnt tree trunks arranged in rows making a tunnel like opening. They entered the narrow opening and Doma instructed Nil to race down at his best as soon as he reached the clear track. They got ready as the sprinters do before the whistle blares. They looked up and cold waves raced down their spines as they found Namsel blocking their escape route brandishing a vast kurki (a very powerful chopper like weapon used mainly by the Nepalese).
The Curse Of The Goddess Page 13