Tara Zenyora
and the
the Seven-Jeweled Lighthouse
Samantha B. Adra
Tara Zenyora and the Seven-Jeweled Lighthouse
Copyright © 2021 by Samantha B. Adra
All Rights Reserved
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. This book is intended for educational purposes only.
This is a work of fiction. The names, places, settings, and characters in this book are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, is coincidental.
Publisher: Lotus Happiness
Editors: Dr. Melissa C, Paul S. D., Michael P., Venkata M, Laraac.
Cover Designer: Shashika
NATIONAL LIBRARY BOARD OF SINGAPORE
Physical Book ISBN : 978-981-18-1403-7
eBook ISBN: 978-981-18-1193-7
DEDICATIONS
To my Teachers of Deva and Manusia,
my parents,
and my loved ones.
May this book of True Love
bring Healing and Awakening to You,
for all Humanity,
for Eternity.
Lighthouse of the Seven Jewels
Theme Song, All Rights Reserved
Songwriter: Samantha B. Adra
Music composer: Patrick Trentini
Singer: Victoria
Listen in Youtube: https://bit.ly/3pr1GE7
Verse 1
Home is where my heart is
I yearn for the True Light
that banishes all Darkness
in the everlasting Wheel of Life
leading me to arrive
at the Island of Supreme Paradise
Verse 2
Floundering in the Ocean of merciless Tempest
I am trapped in the shackle of Darkness.
Where is the Lifebuoy to keep me afloat?
Where is the Anchor of my happiness?
Chorus
O Hero of the World!
I have given my heart to You.
Guide me to the Lighthouse of the Seven Jewels!
Shine the Light of True Love upon me!
I want to go back Home with You
for Eternity
Verse 3
In times of trials and tribulations,
the Eternal Light of White Lotus,
is my adamantine fortress.
In times of joy and jubilation,
turning the Golden Wheel,
is the bedrock of my Invincible Will.
Chorus
O Hero of the World!
I have given my heart to You.
Guide me to the Lighthouse of the Seven Jewels!
Shine the Light of True Love upon me!
I want to go back Home with You
for Eternity
Bridge
Go, go, go all the way to the shore of Light!
Awaken the Aspiration of Purity!
Unleash the Power within me!
Transform me to become the Vajra of the Thunderbolt!
I vow to be the Sunlight,
and walk the path of Your True Might.
Chorus
O Hero of the World!
I have given my heart to You.
Guide me to the Lighthouse of the Seven Jewels!
Shine the Light of True Love upon me!
I want to go back Home with You
for Eternity
Last Chorus
Everyday I am thinking,
How can I be the Hero,
who leads the World
to enter the Path of the Unsurpassed,
and quickly return Home, return Home
to the Lighthouse of the Seven Jewels.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
THE WEDDING
CHAPTER 2
THE DREAM
CHAPTER 3
THE PERANAKAN MANSION
CHAPTER 4
PULAU UBIN
CHAPTER 5
THE BURNING CASTLE
CHAPTER 6
PURPLE BAMBOO GROVE
CHAPTER 7
CLASSICAL CHINESE DANCE
CHAPTER 8
PLANTS AND ANIMALS
CHAPTER 9
WATCHING SUNRISE
CHAPTER 10
MANGO DISASTER
CHAPTER 11
THE STARRY NIGHT
CHAPTER 12
THE DUNG COLLECTION
CHAPTER 12
THE BATH HOUSE
CHAPTER 14
THE DRAGON LIBRARY
CHAPTER 15
QIBAOTA MEDITATION
CHAPTER 16
IMPERIAL TEA HOUSE
CHAPTER 17
DRAGON FLOWER DOME
CHAPTER 18
DRAGON TEA PLANTATION
CHAPTER 19
MARTIAL ARTS
CHAPTER 20
DURIAN FIESTA
CHAPTER 21
BALLROOM DANCING
CHAPTER 22
THE PHOENIX RIDER
CHAPTER 23
KATONG LAKSA
CHAPTER 24
THE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
CHAPTER 25
SUMMER SOLSTICE WATER FESTIVAL
CHAPTER 26
SPORTS TOURNAMENT
CHAPTER 27
THE CINTAMANI PEARL
CHAPTER 28
REINCARNATION
CHAPTER 29
THE PRINCESS INVESTITURE
CHAPTER 30
MARRIAGE PROPOSAL
CHAPTER 31
DRAGON ENGAGEMENT RITUAL
CHAPTER 32
THE SEASON OF PURIFICATION
CHAPTER 33
LOVING-KINDNESS MEDITATION
CHAPTER 34
THE WISDOM OF QIBAOTA
CHAPTER 35
RETURN OF BO
CHAPTER 36
DRAGON MEMORIAL DAY
CHAPTER 37
DRAGON EGG FERTILITY CENTER
CHAPTER 38
FAREWELL PARTY
CHAPTER 39
TETE A TETE AT CLOUD NINE
CHAPTER 40
DRAGON QUEEN’S CASTIGATION
CHAPTER 41
THE ESCAPE FIASCO
CHAPTER 42
THE PHANTOM ISLAND
CHAPTER 43
THE CONSUMMATION
CHAPTER 44
THE SKY BATTLE
CHAPTER 45
THE SEVEN-JEWELED LIGHTHOUSE
CHAPTER 46
MOUNT PUTUO ISLAND
CHAPTER 1
THE WEDDING
Thus I have heard.
Life is magical; if we have the wisdom, compassion, and determination to awaken the Hero of the World within us to achieve Enlightenment.
For many years, Tara could not accept herself for who she was: a not-so-ordinary girl born with a tiny donut-shaped emerald jade in her mouth. It made her unique and different, when all she wanted to do was to lead a normal life. However, the truth remains that had it not been for the nurse who extracted the jade out of her mouth in the nick of time when she was still a baby, she might have died of suffocation. It remained a mystery as to how a jade stone ended up in her mouth while in her mother’s womb. Nevertheless, everyone concurred that Tara was a miracle baby and that she would enjoy boundless blessings in the future. As a Chinese proverb goes, “Those who sur
vive a catastrophe are bound to have good fortune and great blessings in the future.”
Born in the zodiac year of the dragon, Tara was deemed fortunate based on Chinese tradition. Yet, she was not sure of that. Persistent illnesses tormented her while she was young. It all started when Tara was still a baby. She was diagnosed with atrial septal defect (ASD), a congenital birth defect commonly referred to as “a hole in the heart.”
Tara almost lost her life to a rare bacterial lung infection known as Pulmonary Actinomycosis when she was five years old. Tara’s mother, Siew Lee, had a close friend who happened to be a Feng Shui consultant. Since Tara had a deep affinity with the healing jade (being born with it in her mouth), she advised Tara’s mother that she must wear the jade at all times for protection. Convinced, Siew Lee made sure that Tara always wore an emerald jade pendant.
As a baby, Tara would fuss and cry, refusing to wear the donut-shaped gem. But shortly after Tara began to wear the emerald jade, the hole in the heart disappeared naturally within three months, and the rare bacterial lung infection healed within a week without any further medication. This miracle cemented her mother’s faith in the unexplained, mystical power of the jade and its ability to protect Tara from all calamities. The fact that the donut-shaped emerald jade grew from the tiny size of a kidney bean to the size of a one-dollar coin was a testament that the gem was indeed a miracle pendant.
Time flew in a twinkling of an eye. Having graduated with a Law degree from National University of Singapore, Tara had started working in a law firm. The harsh realities she witnessed in her career and life ― countless acrimonious divorce cases, the failed marriages of her friends, and her Irish father’s two divorces out of three marriages ― made her perceive love as a disposable mask ready to be discarded once soiled.
Tara always wondered: What is True Love? Can I ever find True Love in my life? Somehow, she intuitively understood that True Love was no longer a feel-good Disney fairytale; it had to be something loftier.
If I wish to find True Love, I have to awaken the True Love within and become the embodiment of True Love, Tara thought. Since then, she aspired to live a purpose-driven life committed to personal growth and self-actualization in the service of humanity.
As such, Tara spent her weekend not only in dancing (her talent and favorite past time hobby), but also in volunteering her time in various charitable organizations. When she turned twenty-seven years old, she met her Prince Charming while doing volunteer work at a hospice. Prakash, a cardiologist, was ten years her senior. After six months of a whirlwind romance, she finally tied the knot with him in a cross-cultural marriage spanning Indian, Chinese, and Western contemporary marriages.
It was a sunny April morning. The weather was balmy with white fluffy clouds floating by in the sky, and the wind was breezy with a hint of sea salt. Two dragonflies flew in the air, forming a heart-shaped wheel. Tara was excited to marry Prakash in a romantic nautical-themed beach wedding in Langkawi, a tropical island not far away from Penang, Malaysia. While the traditional Indian marriage was held a week earlier in Singapore, the traditional Chinese marriage was held in Penang two days before the contemporary beach wedding.
“My dear, you look amazingly divine,” said Prakash, holding Tara’s hands tenderly.
“Thank you, honey,” Tara blushed ever so slightly. “You look awesome in your all-white Indian tunic.” Tall and lanky, Prakash was handsome in his own distinctive way. His gentle smile and compassionate gaze never failed to bring peace and assurance to Tara’s tender heart. She had fallen head over heels in love with Prakash’s kindness and gentleness, the noble qualities that she found irresistible in men.
The solemnization was held in a heart-shaped, white-and-turquoise floral arch under a round floral canopy on the sandy beach. With Mr. Lim as the wedding officiant, Tara and Prakash signed the wedding document to officially register their marriage with two witnesses: Tara’s father, Patrick, and Prakash’s eldest brother, Ravi.
The immediate families and close friends of Tara and Prakash were seated on the floral-decorated wooden chairs placed on the white sandy beach, witnessing the moment when the wedding vows were exchanged.
After solemnization, the music, A Thousand Years, by Christina Perri, blared out from the stereo, signaling the time to exchange rings in tandem with modern wedding vows.
I have died every day, waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years
Tara looked absolutely gorgeous in her white, deep V-neck, diamanté-embellished satin bridal jumpsuit with a cowl back. Her hair was tied up in a floral chignon, and her slightly well-toned arm made her appear vivaciously fit and seductively dynamic. Her mixed Irish and Chinese blood made Tara a Eurasian Chinese of exotic beauty. Fair-skinned and slender with an hourglass figure, her emerald-green eyes set in an oval-shaped face with Obsidian black hair were most alluring.
Tara created the Nautical Marriage Vow with Prakash for their beach wedding theme. Mr. Lim initiated the wedding vow ceremony by saying, “Prakash and Tara, please hold each other’s hands to begin the Nautical Marriage Vow Ceremony. Prakash, please.”
Holding both hands of Tara and looking into her alluring green eyes, Prakash said, “Tara, I am deeply grateful to have you as my wife today. Since the time without beginning and ending, I vow to love you and cherish you forever, just like the eternal revolution of the Dharma Wheel. I vow to be your Anchor of happiness in times of joy and jubilations, and I vow to be your Lifebuoy to keep you afloat in times of trials and tribulations. I vow to be your Life Compass pointing to the everlasting true self of purpose, passion, and purity. I vow to be your Lighthouse to show you the ever-present light of wisdom and compassion. I vow to be absolutely committed to you: high tide or low tide, I will always be by your side, hand in hand, heart to heart, in this enduring journey of Amaranthine True Love.”
Prakash began to get emotional, tears welled up in his eyes. It was a bumpy courtship for him because of his conservative mother’s fervent rejection. The latter did not want a Eurasian daughter-in-law. Instead, she wanted him to marry a Tamil woman so that she could pass down Indian cultures and traditions to their children.
“Tara, please,” said Mr Lim, slightly waving his hand on Tara’s side as a signal for her to begin her vow.
“Prakash, I am deeply grateful to have you as my husband today. Since the time without beginning and ending, I vow to love you and cherish you forever, just like the eternal revolution of the Dharma Wheel. I vow to be your Anchor of happiness in times of joy and jubilations, and I vow to be your Lifebuoy to keep you afloat in times of trials and tribulations. I vow to be your Life Compass pointing to the everlasting true self of purpose, passion, and purity. I vow to be your Lighthouse to show you the ever-present light of wisdom and compassion. I vow to be absolutely committed to you: high tide or low tide, I will always be by your side, hand in hand, heart to heart, in this enduring journey of Amaranthine True Love,” said Tara, her eyes glistened with tears of joy and gratitude.
After the Nautical Wedding Vow ceremony, Tara and Prakash exchanged their platinum wedding bands and shared a kiss. Glancing at her one-carat solitaire engagement ring dazzling brilliantly in the sunlight, Tara was imbued with boundless love to become Prakash’s wife.
The wedding vow ended with Tara throwing her bouquet of pink roses, peach peonies, and periwinkles to the guests. Her best friend and bridesmaid, Mayreen, managed to grab the bouquet.
After the completion of the solemnization and the marriage vow exchange, Tara and Prakash, as well as their immediate families and close friends boarded the luxurious two-tiered catamaran called the Sea Falcon for the post-wedding celebration. The yacht was decorated with aquamarine helium balloons, bedecked with nautical-inspired paraphernalia such as the navigational wheel, anchor, life buoy, oar, lighthouse, starfish, compass, pearl, and seashells. A balanced assortment of sweet and savoury delicacies was ready at the tastefully designed dessert bar.
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Inside the yacht’s private suite, Tara took a quick glance at herself in the mirror. Oh dear, my jade pendant! How can I forget about it? I promise my mother to always wear my jade pendant no matter what!
Penang was the hometown of both Tara and her mother. A few days ago, she went to pay respect to her late mother at the Kek Lok Si temple, a renowned Buddhist temple, in Penang, Malaysia. The photo of her mother on the niche was still vividly etched in her mind. Her mother had passed on seven years ago.
“Tara, are you ready for the photoshoot?” Mayreen asked. Dressed in a turquoise, knee-length chiffon halter dress, Mayreen looked charming with her slim stature, short ebony hair, and a warm skin tone.
“Give me a second, I’ll be ready in a jiffy,” she said, as she went to get her jade pendant from her jewelry box.
When Tara touched the jade pendant; she noticed it was warmer than usual. She knew from her past experience that the jade became warm before something untoward was about to happen to her. Nonetheless, because it was her wedding today, she brushed off the sense of foreboding doom as irrelevant.
“Let me help you with the pendant,” Mayreen said, offering to help Tara put on the pendant. “You look absolutely gorgeous today.”
“Thank you, Mayreen.”
Once she put on her pendant, she stepped out for a photo session organized by the photographer, Jun Yang. Patrick came along to join them in the photography. The videographer, Sean Tan, was also busy recording videos.
“Daddy, thank you so much for everything. I’m so sorry, I love you.” Tara embraced his father who was tall and stout. When she saw his wrinkled face and silver hair, her heart was filled with regrets for holding grudges against him. She was not on speaking terms with her father for the past seven years because she always believed it was her foul-tempered father who contributed to her mother’s untimely death. She resented the fact that shortly after the death of her mother, her father married his mistress. However, his father’s third marriage was short-lived. It lasted only six months.
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