Conjurer & The Sacred Lemons

by Prakash

  “Brother, if my reading is current you have a very good balanced palm. The current issues faced by you are due to some force outside to your abode or you “Baba Guru Nath spoke confidently.

  Shikha translated this for Patrick and Ursula. Both were looking elated after hearing this.

  Baba Guru Nath posed for the moment. Next 5 minutes he was thinking by staring at the sky.

  Meanwhile Shikha interrupted and asked “Baba could you also see my palm and tell about future “

  Baba Guru Nath looked visibly disturbed by this question.

  “Daughter, it is unwise to predict the future. We Nath never practice that. We use palm reading to understand the pain and issue of the people and help them to overcome the same.” Baba Guru Nath replied slowly to Sikha’s question. Sikha kept mum.

  “If you have already done the house cleaning under the supervision of my revered colleague, Father Agnel I don’t have any doubt that no evil will dare to stay there. Father Agnel had used fire and water which is similar to our tradition of hot and cold supported by Shabar sidhi (Mantras and slokas). This must have cleansed your house “Baba Guru Nath said confidently.

  Sikha told the meaning in English to both Patrick and Ursula.

  “In spite of the cleansing if the trouble is still continuing then it points to only one thing. The Evil or evil spell is coming from somewhere outside “Baba Guru Nath said confidently.

  After Sikha told the meaning to Ursula and Patrick. Ursula asked her to ask Baba, the remedy to identify the outside source of trouble and fix it.

  When Sikha translated Ursula’s question to Baba Guru Nath, he just smiled.

  “It is not a difficult thing Daughter. Wait we will find a solution” Baba Guru Nath assured.

  “If the evil force is coming from outside, generally it is someone who knows you and having some rift with you and is the person who is doing such things this to you “Baba Guru Nath said confidently.

  Shikha translated the meaning to Ursula and Patrick. After understanding the meaning both looked puzzled. They thought who could be that person who knew them and wanted to harm them.

  “Thinking on the incidences Patrick had undergone, it looks like a case of a magic spell based on the ancient black magic technique. In this technique the spell is initiated on an image, idol or similar object and it gets transferred as an experience to the person at whom this is targeted at “Baba Guru Nath shared his observation.

  Though Shikha translated this for Ursula and Patrick they could not really understood the meaning and requested to tell this in simple language.

  “It is simple. I make a small idol out of mud. Then attach any body parts like 2-3 hairs or Nails of the person I want to harm, to this idol of mud. Then I use magic power and induce certain actions like putting pins in the mud idol. Similar pains then get transferred to the person targeted. Another thing I can make idol to fall from height then the targeted person will also experience the same wherever he is “Baba Guru Nath tried to give an example.

  When Sikha translated this to Ursula and Patrick, they could understand it this time.

  “It means now you would have to find this person, follow him closely and try to destroy the dummy he had prepared may be a mud idol or a doll or similar object “Baba Guru Nath added.

  Ursula and Patrick understood but were in a dilemma how on earth they would find out a person who is doing all this horrible things to Patrick. They were new to Mandeville and hardly knew very few people. They did not have an enmity with anyone so far.

  Shikha told William’s dilemma to Baba Guru Nath.

  “Nothing to worry. Shabar sidhi would help you to identify the person as well as direct you to the place where the sinner is planning this “Baba Guru Nath told them

  “ There are 2 small religious activities which both of you have to undergo tomorrow which will last for 4-5 hours and once this is completed you will have do the balance work which I will tell you when you go back to your home in US “ Baba Guru Nath told them.

  Ursula and Patrick understood the same and asked Shikha to enquire how much it would cost them.

  “Baba what all things will be required for rituals and how much it will cost? “ Shikha asked,

  “Daughter we do not do this for money. Naths do not trade their powers for money. We only do benevolent work without any expectation “Baba Replied.

  “However there are certain prerequisites for these rituals. The first it had to performed jointly by Ursula and Patrick as Nath believe that husband and wife together stands for the Lord Shiva and Parvati. The second prerequisite is that the lady should not be under her mensuration cycle. “Baba Guru Nath told Shikha.

  Shikha explained this to Ursula and Patrick. They did not see any problem in the prerequisites and confirmed their readiness to undergo the religious rituals tomorrow.

  “You will have to bring following thing with you to support the ceremony. It is a long list but you will get all these items in shops near Ganges Ghats which sells religious ceremony items “Baba Guru Nath Said.

  Shikha started noting down the items. It turned out to be a long list and consisted of Sandalwood sticks , Desi Ghee(Melted Butter) , Flowers , Incense sticks , Camphor ,Salt ,Turmeric , Kumkum ( Vermillion) ,Coconut , Areca nuts ,Betel leafs ,Ganges water , Pooja lamp and Matchbox.

  “All the three of you should get up early morning tomorrow take bathe. Then go to the Natha temple located near the Ganges Ghat. Offer your heartfelt prayers and flowers there. Then come back to this grave yard at around 8 am. I will be waiting here “Baba Guru Nath told them.

  Shikha translated the same to Ursula and Patrick. They understood the requirements.

  “Now I am going to Ganges Ghats for my daily rituals. You can go now “Baba Guru Nath told then.

  Taking blessings from Baba Guru Nath the trio left for their hotel.

  In the evening the Trio went to the Ganges ghat and purchased all the items as told by Baba Guru Nath for the ritual.

  They all were eagerly waiting for tomorrow’s rituals.

  Chapter 16

  Running around Mandeville

  The otherwise peaceful and tranquil community of the Mandeville locality was disturbed by the Rag Peter murder incidence in the last one week. Though there was no apparent display of the anxiety and fear by the community , somewhere in their mind there was a little sense of the insecurity.

  Some of the prominent members of the community like the Watson’s , Wen’s and the Patel’s were in touch with each other for the last one week. Their main concern was about the security of the community rather than any particular concern for the deceased. They were updating each other on the progress of the case, when nothing concrete had emerged even after one week of the incidence , they decided to approach the police chief and the Mayor.

  Next day a team of 10 prominent community members met the police chief and the Mayer. In their memorandum submitted to them they had expressed their fear about their safety and the security. They also alleged that the police action in this particular case is not progressing satisfactorily. Even 8 days after the crime there was no clue on either the motive or the criminals.

  When the delegation met the police chief and the Mayor , detective Bob was present there, He however was silently listening to the arguments and accusations levelled, He did not react to any of the arguments, and He was not having any concrete clue available with him till then so he preferred to maintain a silence.

  The police chief and the Mayor was however in no mood to listen to detective Bob’s issues and challenges in tracing the culprits.Detecive Bob briefed both of them about the incidence ,evidences collected and investigations so far. However both the higher authorities were not in mood to listen to all this.

  “ Bob , ours is a close knit and small community. We cannot afford such criminal activity in such a peaceful and god fearing community . We want the culprits to be booked within next 15 days “ Police chief told Bob .

  Bob was not sure what to r
espond but he somehow gathered all the courage and replied

  “ It will be done sir. We will soon arrest the culprits “

  The day ended again without any meaningful development in the case,

  Chapter 17

  “ LION “ Mystery persists

  Next day early morning Detective Bob arrived in the police station. The Political ,Departmental and community pressure to solve the Rag Peter case was experienced by him yesterday when the Mayor and the Police chief asked him to get the culprits to the book without any further delay. Thought he had assured both of them that the case would be solved soon , he himself was not sure on the same. Investigations so far had not given any vital clue to reach to the culprits.

  Sargent Tayler was yet to arrive. Bob thought of changing the direction of the investigation. Till last few days they tried to trace out based on the chit found in Rag Peter’s hand with “ LION “written on it. They also tried to collect information through the human intelligence in the community. However none of these could result in any significant clue in the case.

  Bob was veteran in the crime investigation. He was aware that many times the culprits themselves leave behind some evidence to create confusion in the investigation team’s mind.

  “ Was this Chit with “LION” written on it was really written by Rag during his dying moments or it is planted by the attackers” Bob asked himself. However Sargent Tayler had already checked Peter’s handwriting with that on chit from the handwriting experts from the department. The report confirmed that both the handwriting was of the same person.

  Just then Sargent Tayler arrived in the police station.

  “ Good morning Bob “

  “ Good Morning Sargent “

  “ Sargent we need to plan the future course on this case today. We are under watch for our actions” Bob tried to bring some seriousness .

  “ Yes Bob. Did you find that I and my officers are not doing their best?” Sargent asked.

  “ I am not saying that. We all did try our best in last few days but nothing concrete had emerged so far. We need to check whether we should change direction of our investigation “ Bob replied.

  There was no response from Tayler on this. There was complete silence for few minutes.

  “ Bob , currently we had no other clues available in the case to change the direction of investigation “ Sargent broke the silence.

  Sargent Tayler was right. Rag Peter was having no relatives or friends. Community knew a very little about his day today activities. There was no incidence that happened before his murder or in the past few years that could be probed further. The evidence collected from the site and makeshift home did not give any other clue.

  “ Could we revisit all the evidences collected and sealed by us “ Bob suggested.

  “ Why not..” Sargent replied.

  Tayler asked his one of the officers to bring all the evidences collected from the crime site and asked them to arrange on the two tables,

  Within next 30 minutes all the evidences were arranged neatly on the two wooden tables.

  Both of them started reviewing the evidences.

  “ Murder weapon .. A blunt stone “ Sargent pointed to first main evidence

  “ Sargent , we should check last 5 years record and find out similar incidence where stone was used as a murder weapon. “ Bob had taken a note in his diary.

  “ Ok.Bob.That is an action item for my team. However in our country when the guns and other weapons are freely available why one should use a stone for murder,? I mean there is no surety that one would be dead by just hitting with a stone” Sargent shared his thought.

  “ Probably the culprits purposely avoided using the gun. The sound of the fire could have alerted the community..”

  “ Yes ..Or may be some unplanned shuffle happened between them and in a fit of rage the attackers attacked with whatever was available there”

  Bob nodded at this observation.

  The second evidence was the blood stains and samples collected from the spot. The analysis report confirmed it belonged to Rag Peter’s blood group. In one of the other report there was a mentioned of some other blood group. The attacker might have also suffered some bruise during the scuffle. They decided to skip this proof for the time being.

  The third proof on the table was the chit written by Peter and found closely held in his feast.

  “ Skip this we are already working on this clue “ Sargent suggested.

  Next evidence was the leather bag and the contents found in the leather bag in Rag peter’s house.

  There were old books , some handwritten pages , some needles , some threads , a black doll and some few other items along with the old leather bag.

  “ This seems interesting “ Bob observed.

  “ This seems to be something related to the black magic “ Tayler observed.

  “ Check the last 20 years records in the police station. Find out if someone practicing black magic’s were booked for any offense.” Bob ordered.

  “ Second action point for me for the day “ Sargent noted it down.

  They went through the other evidences collected but could not find anything that could be further probed.

  Meanwhile Sargent Tayler asked his officers to collect information on the murders with stone weapons and the people booked for magic practices in the last 20 years in the area and nearby locality.

  In the late afternoon both the reports were available .Bob and Sargent carefully examined the information in the reports.

  In last 20 years there were only 6 cases where murder weapon used was a stone or stone like object. All these 6 cases were from the nearby rural locality.

  “ Sargent ..Looks like ..The stone weapon link… is not giving any further clue. All these 6 cases are isolated incidences and it’s difficult to connect any thread to our case “ Bob observed.

  Sargent just nodded in agreement.

  The second report on crimes registered under magic practices was having around 30 cases in the last 2 decades. Some were related to illegal practice of black magic , some were related to exhortation of money by the magic practitioner and 3 were related to murders involving some thread of black magic.

  “ Strange. Such a technologically advanced country likes ours.. Still have many who believe in such nonsense things “Bob commented.

  “ This big melting pot had accommodated almost entire world in itself so also the practices from other parts of the world “ Sargent commented.

  “ Sargent , I think let us start parallel investigation track . Find out the people practicing all sorts of magic in and around. I strongly feel it may give some clue to our case “ Bob suggested.

  “ Let us try …. “ Sargent replied.

  In the evening before leaving from home ,Tayler asked his officers to collect the information about the all the magic practisoners from various sources such as newspaper ads , shops and information from human intelligence. He ordered them to have names ,addresses ,telephone numbers and all the possible information .

  Chapter 18

  Lookout for Black magic practisoners

  The information collected by the cops on all sorts of magic practitioners in the area was interesting one. Bob and Tayler never anticipated that they would have to gone through 200 odd entries.

  The list included almost 25-30 different sorts of magic’s and such practices include African magic, Tantric rituals ,Native Indian magic ,witchcraft and so on.

  “ Looks like thriving business “ Bob commented.

  “ Bob …where to start from “ Sargent questioned his confusion after seeing the list.

  “ No simple answer Sargent…” Bob replied.

  “ Let us first try to connect the dots…and then we will filter out the targets “ Bob suggested.

  “ The evidence collected from Rag Peter, s house consisted of the black dolls ,needles and threads, the old books found in the bag were related to the Afro-American magic type “ Bob was sharing his dot theory.

>   “ So we should filter out only Afro-American magic practisoners as a prime target for investigation “ Bob suggested.

  Sargent Tayler started filtering on the list.

  “ Bob , that still leaves 25 practitioners in the area “ Sargent replied.

  “ Sargent filters out those from Mandeville and close neighborhood “ Bob suggested.

  “ Ok.it is down to 6 now. It is manageable “ Sargent had a sigh of relief.

  They had a close look at those 6 filtered names. The list had atelast 3 nationalities included in it.

  “ Sargent , put 6 cops for next 2 days on these 6 prime targets and keep a tab on their activities , their clients and also asked to collect as much information as possible for all these 6. “

  Sargent Tayler instructed his staff in detail about the job and asked them to start acting right from the moment.