The Mystery of the Lingeshwar Temple and the Lurking Shadows

by Laxmi Natraj

  Ram Singh said, “Sir, it seems the wires hanging from the roof are not just the electric connections but are also advanced internet connections. I think, as they progressed digging inside the tunnel, others from outside traced their path from the top and kept feeding the wires for connection. So this way the people working inside were able to communicate with their partners outside. From the way the tunnel is twisting its path continuously they were fed with specific directions for moving towards some finite targets.”

  Balvir called from his cell phone and contacted the commandos working on the ground level. Captain Shyamal jumped hearing his voice. He said, “Sir, are you really talking from the inside of the tunnel Sir? I cannot believe this.”

  Balvir said, “We can discuss our surprises later. From your laptop now locate the GPS of my position. Then move towards that point and then contact me.”

  The commandos collected together and started searching for the point in their laptop from the SMS sent by the Balvir. They were surprised that it was about 3 Kilometres from the starting point. With laptop in hand four of them started jogging towards the point. In twenty minutes they reached the point.

  They had now reached a point at the edge of the forest skirting the Nasik-Pune Highway. Across the high way, at about 5 Kilometres distance they could see the Army campus. The building of the Nasik Military Armament and Artillery research centre. They stood frozen, realizing the target of the enemies.

  Within half an hour all the commandos came out. They opened the map of the enemy camp which they were using for digging. It showed the shortcut way to reach the Army camp from the bottom.

  As they combed the entire forest they found three large generators hidden inside a four feet depth. The machines were packed all around with dried leaves and green creepers to suppress the noise. A mesh of electric wires originated from the generator and ran all the way on the ground, twisting and turning, tracing the exact path of the underground tunnel. Two bore wells were found dug near the generators.

  Balvir said, “This is the way they were getting the power to use the electric drilling machine, and light for the tunnel. May be they used this power to cook their food also. They would have taken approximately three to four months to make all this arrangement and drill this tunnel.”

  One of the Commandos Murugeshan said, “Sir, These generators are huge. How did they manage to get them here without the knowledge of the villagers?”

  Balvir said, “They must have brought all the equipment as dismantled parts and assembled them here. They must have taken some soil samples and located the soft soil for them to dig and bend it to their need.”

  Ram Singh said, “Sir, their target was our Nasik.......” He left his sentence unfinished as he was too nervous even to name the target.

  They all stood in silence, too stunned and shaken up, thinking about the destruction that could have been caused to the huge armament storage and the vast military research centre situated in Nasik. They could not even imagine the magnanimity and the consequences if the enemies had reached their end point.

  Balvir sighed deeply and said, “We have to thank our commando Shiva, and that intelligent Purohit, but for them we could not have caught them before their final act. This is how many times the common men of India help in a huge way. Or may be that village temple Lord Lingeshwara blesses and watches over the village and our Nation was saved in the nick of time.” Balvir called his high command for further orders.

  Chapter 68

  The Honour

  Ten days later there was a secret meeting in the Chief Minister’s Office. The Defence minister was also present along with the chief of the Commandos. Purohitji and Shivanandan, Nakul, Utkarsh, and the ACP were all present in the room.

  Then the Defence Minister started addressing, “A major terror attack on the Nasik research Centre of our Army was planned by enemies. If they had fifteen days more they would have reached the Defence research centre from underground and would have blown up our research centre. They had planned it on the exact day when our P.M. was supposed to be present for the inauguration of a new wing in the office. They would have moved through the underground tunnel passing under the main highway all the way up to the Defence centre. The attack was aborted only because of you brave people.

  The Chief Minister announced that

  All the forests, small or large, will all be guarded by the forest department even if there were no wild animals or poaching.

  Laws will be passed in the parliament that any foreigner entering our country for research or for tourism, invariably all their names will be recorded in the National network computer and their visa will be issued only after verifying their background from their original country.

  Finally they said that since the National security is involved, the mystery of the underground tunnel will remain as a classified matter for ever. Hence all the three brave solders could not be honoured in public but their tremendous contributions would be recognised. Commando Shivanandan was to be promoted to a Colonel rank. Both Nakul and Utkarsh were to be transferred from the police department and absorbed as commandos, after undergoing training for one year.

  Once again they all thanked Purohitiji for having an uncanny sense of alertness and lookout for the wellbeing of the Nation. Purohitji quickly brushed it off and sat quietly making a mental note of one more matter he had to go to the lawyer for.

  Chapter 69

  The True Treasure

  That day night, when the night pooja was over and every one left the temple Purohitji asked the boys to go home as he had some work to finish and would join them later. Mahadev and Manjunath nodded their heads and left.

  He waited till the outer doors of the temple were closed and securely locked. Once all of them had gone he stepped inside the main Sanctum. Going to the corner of the sanctum, he turned a knob on the wall hidden inside a carving pattern. A small trap door opened on the floor of the Garbagruha. He stepped in and closing the trap door, stepped down eight steps and reached the small stone enclosed room just below the sanctum. He reached the platform of the Shiva Lingam. Again searching in the dim light he turned the knob on the bottom of the platform. A sliding door slid open and exposed the bottom of the 38 inch tall Lingeshwar. From the glass bottom, crores of rupees worth precious stones of diamonds and rubies and gold coins glittered even in the mild light.

  He talked to himself and said, “As it is the practice, after three years, I will show this treasure to one of these boys, Mahadev and Manjunath after they pass all my tests of loyalty and devotion. As it has been through years, when the village is in need they should take one precious stone from here, and deal with the bank, get the money transferred to the village temple account. I will explain to them about the legal letter for transfer of gems and temple wealth into money that is kept permanently registered in the bank. But John’s wealth has been also transferred to it, so there shouldn’t be any need in the next 50 years.. Oh yes, then, I must tell them about the two new ones too. The new agreement I drew up yesterday. The first will ensure our temple’s commitment to transfer money to the families of those who have laid down their lives for our country. Those who will never be named. And the second one which will go to the Stoneman trust that will support the research of medicine led by Dr. Nair. Of course, all these will be completely anonymous. ”

  The simple, dhoti clad, bare foot unassuming temple priest came out of the trap door and locked it back. He came out of the Sanctum and again prostrated in front of the Lingeshwar in full devotion to his Lord. These unimaginable riches meant nothing to him, except to make sure that they were utilised as best as possible. He knew he was merely carrying out what He wanted him to. The Lord of the Sanyasi temple, Lingeshwar smiled at him in His omnipotent grace.

  ◆◆◆

  Note from the Author

  This book is dedicated as a salutation to all those valiant Indian Army Soldiers, who laid down their lives at URI and Pulwama. A daughter of the Army, I have the greatest r
espect for our soldiers who stand and let us sleep in peace. We are indeed free, because they are brave. Quoting a poem by another great son of India Dr. Kalam, Former President of India here.

  My dear Soldiers

  Oh! Defenders of borders

  You are great sons of my land

  When we are all asleep

  You still hold on to your deed

  Windy season or snowy days

  Or scorching sun’s sweltering rays

  You are there guarding all the time awake

  Treading the lonely expanses as yogis

  Climbing the heights or striding the valleys

  Defending the deserts or guarding the marshes

  Surveillance in seas and by securing the air

  Prime of your youth given to the nation!!

  Wind chimes of my land vibrate your feat

  We pray for you brave men!!

  May the Lord bless you all!!

  -------------DR. APJ ABDUL KALAM-------------------

  Enjoyed this one? Check out these Other Books by The Author

  ADULT FICTION THRILLERS:

  A bride, A murder and a Trail of Blood

  The Wrong Chase (co-authored)

  Incubating in the Deep

  SHORT STORY COLLECTION

  From the Teachers Diaries

  YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION

  . The Adventure of the Magic Eye

  . The Adventure of the Disappearing Drum

  . The Adventure of the Bulging Buffaloes

  . The Adventure of the Dancing Ghosts

  . The Giggling Statue.

  . The Adventure of the Crouching Crocodile

  You can write to the author at laxsha1941@gmail.com and check out her blog at https://fromtheteachersdiary.wordpress.com/

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  [1] Rudraksha, meaning the eye of Rudra [Shiva] is considered to be the most potent manifestation of the Cosmic Force. These beads are the seeds of the Rudraksha fruit obtained from Rudraksha trees. The Rudraksha tree is botanically known as Elaeocarpus Ganitrus Roxb. Many Hindus use this bead necklace (mala) for chanting.

  [2] The Sarpanch is the village head, elected by the village-level constitutional body of local self-government called the Panchayat

  [3] Shastras refer to rules and rituals in Vedic Literature

  [4] Nandi is the sacred bull and the vehicle and gatekeeper of Hindu deity Lord Shiva, the creator. Often found enshrined in the form of statue at Hindu Shiva temples.

  [5] The Lingam is a symbolic representation of the formless being, Lord Shiva,

  [6] Shuddhi is a Sanskrit word for purification. Shudi pooja refers to rituals and prayers used to cleanse the temple air from negative occurrences.

  [7] Sanyasi refers to Hindu stage of life where marked by renunciation of material desires and prejudices, with the purpose of spending one's life in peaceful, love-inspired, simple spiritual life

  [8] Naishtika Brahmachari is one who undertakes a vow to remain a celibate till his death. He also has to undertake to live forever with his guru

  [9] Hawan also called Yagna, Homa is a ritual, wherein an oblation or any religious offering is made into fire. Aromatic, sweet, curative and nourishing items are added to the consecrated fire to purify the air.

  [10] Abhishek is a Sanskrit term denoting a devotional activity of giving Holy bath to a deity. Majority of Shiv lingas worshipped in temples and sacred places have pots hanging on top of the Shivlinga. A hole is made at the bottom of the pot and cool water drips continuously on the Shiva.

  [11] Tiffin mostly refers to a midday or evening snack. Tiffin box is used in parts of India to denote a well packed multi course lunch, often delivered.

  [12] A sashtang namaskar is a type of namaskar or prostration in which all "angas (body parts)" touch the ground. Devotees perform sashtang namaskar by lying fully prostrate on the floor with their arms stretched out towards the Idols or Gurus, representing complete surrender and seeking blessing and guidance

  [13] Gayatri Mantra is a chant enshrined in the Vedas and considered so powerful, that Indian sages kept this a secret to maintain its sanctity. Today, it is chanted all over the world as a supreme prayer that demonstrates the unity that underlies manifoldness in creation

  [14] Shanti Mantras are invoked in the beginning of some topics of Upanishads. They are supposed to calm the mind of the reciter and environment around him/her. In the Physical or Adhi-Bhautika realm the source of troubles/obstacles come from external world, such as from wild animals and natural calamities et

  [15] Lakshmana Rekha, in some versions of Ramayana, is a line drawn by Lakshmana around the dwelling he shares with his brother Rama and Sita at Panchavati in the forest of Dandakaranya which now part of the city of Nashik in Maharashtra. The line of protection is so strong that no one can cross it and reach Sita, while he is away searching for Rama. In modern Indian parlance, refers to a strict convention or a rule, never to be broke

  [16] Bhakta - devotee