by John Masters
It was decided that the searchers must be put on the wrong track. A delay until the break of the monsoon would be enough. Someone knew of the deserted jungle shrine. The Buddha there would not be missed. A party-set out at once and brought the Buddha back. The problem of where to ‘plant’ the false evidence caused considerable discussion. But since it was known that the Buddha Tumulus contained debris from the caves, that site was chosen. The tumulus, being of genuine antiquity, would keep the searchers busy and interested, yet it was a long way from the real point of danger. The joint Konpara-Gond council (of which women were always members - itself indicative of a distinctly pre-Aryan outlook) decided that the emergency justified the use of some of the gold from inside the cave entrance, in order that the well-known European cupidity might help in their salvation.
The stratagem failed, by a very narrow margin, and it was agreed that the Gonds should call their still more ancient jungle gods into the battle. The Gonds did, and for a long period the man-eating tigers delayed the search for the Venus.
After Mr Kendrick had killed one of the tigers it was decided that the Lady Rukmini, who was regarded as a reincarnation of the Venus and who was believed to be guiding the searchers to her own shrine, must be sacrificed in the same rite, for the same purpose, and on the same date, as the original labourers had died.
This attempt also failed, and with regret the council decided that all the searchers must die. The plan involved diversion of the Deori army, the setting of huge fires that would prevent movement for at least twenty-four hours, and the inveigling of the whole party into the pit. If the victims had escaped from the pit, execution was to have been carried out by the Gonds, and me bodies subsequently charred and put in the pit. The Lady Rukmini’s entry into the cave caused a few changes to be made, since the headman decided to use her as the bait, and she had to be impersonated, and the impersonator had to escape before the scaffolding was burned - but the real cause; of the plan’s failure was the unexpected spread of the fire. After the party’s final escape the Resident and Administrator, Mr Charles Kendrick, I.C.S., died as the result of an unhappy accident. The caves could not have been discovered without his active intervention. For the rest of his soul and in memory of all those who had been concerned, from the beginning, with the caves, the Rajah decreed the erection of a large pillar on the summit of Indra’s Rock. On clear days this pillar can be seen from nearly all points in the state, and is known as the Kendrick Memorial (or, in the vernacular, Indra-ke-lingam). On its base is inscribed in Sanskrit, Tamil, and English -
May the One hold in mercy Charles Kendrick and all who died here in order that the caves of Konpara might pass their message to man -
In fear, hate; in hate, death.
In death, love; in love, life.
Table of Contents
The Venus of Konpara
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Postscript