Chapter 9
Forget me
Shiv Baba’s words written with blood in that silk fabric continued to talk with me. The message was very subtle. There are thirty-two ponds in Agasthyakoodam. Out of those, thirty-one of them is always visible. But the thirty second one will be visible, only on the thirteenth day of every fortnight, if also it rains on that day. Anyone who takes bath in all the thirty-two ponds will be relieved from all their karmas. Wa re Wah, if it is so it will be a blessing to all mankind I thought!
Kottarathil Sankaran.
The car in which Madhavan, Ananad, and Ashwini came was parked near Fort Cochin. They were sitting on the shores of the sea watching the waves kissing the shore and returning again and again as if they are never satisfied. By now Madhavan had briefed Anand about Mayamma and her miraculous powers. Anand’s face remained expressionless and Ashwini was playing with the sea sand, which took her back to her golden childhood days.
“What do you think, Anand?”
“To me, it seems like a grandma story!.”
“But whatever I said is true, Anand!”
“So, Mayamma made an entry into your family like this, as a savior?”
“Yes, and saved Varma from his enemies.”
“Ok, then what happened?” Anand continued the conversation with little interest.
“Then the real problem started”
“How?”
“Sree became Mayamma’s disciple and Mayamma became one of our family members. She started staying with my sister permanently.”
“You mean, she is staying with your sister even today?”
“Yes and now my sister has learned to do some magic tricks from her”
“I’m very sorry, Madhavan, I do not believe in magicians and their hand tricks, to me magic is simply a waste of time and sheer nonsense.”
“But, Anand myself and Ashwini are facing a lot of mental torture because of all this…”
“I can’t understand you…!”
“In Ashwini’s mind only you were there and in my case literally my mind, I was living with that poor girl, my love Shirly but Mayamma’s black magic changed everything upside down. ”
“It may be mesmerism or hypnotism, what they might have used on you both which is very scientific.”
“No. For a whole month, they made us forget ourselves just with some jasmine flowers.”
“Really?”
“Yes …it is called black jasmine although it looks white. They gave it to us and asked us to sniff it. After that, only our minds changed and Ashwini became my life partner.”
“Well, how come your mind changed and you got this much clarity now?”
“Good question! We planned to go to Munnar for our honeymoon. Before leaving, we got blessings from Mayamma and left. She blessed us and put vermillion on our forehead. Our car was fully loaded with luggage, there was a green wooden box among the luggage. I thought it was the box in which I used to keep my Handycam. The box had an antique- look, which was gifted to me by my grandpa. But this was not that one, someone had mistook it for my box and put this one along with my luggage.”
“What was inside that box, Madhava?” Anand asked anxiously.
"There was a silk cloth inside it, in it many messages were there written in blood. One of those messages was that there are 32 Teerthas in the Agasthyakoodam forest.”
“ What is Teertha?”
“Can be anything from a waterfall, swamp, pond, puddle, well...a type of water source.”
“Ok, then?”, Anand could not control his anxiety.
“It is said that anyone who takes a bath in all those 32 Teerthas will be relieved from all of their karmas, black magic influence, and planetary problems. After reading it, we decided to go to Agasthyakoodam, instead of enjoying our honeymoon. Reaching Agasthyakoodam with the help of a Siddha whom we met on the way we found all the Teerthas, except the thirty-second one, and took bath in all of them together. To our surprise on our way back we felt that some change was happening inside us! Yes, we got back our old memories! To tell you the fact, I have never touched Ashwini after our marriage.
Anand could not control his laughter after hearing this.
“Why are you laughing, Anand?”
“Madhava, why should not I laugh? The story you said about that green wooden box with the silk cloth inside it, with writings in blood…what’s all this? You are just confusing me more and more. Why can’t you tell me the truth straight at my face? Shall I tell you what has really happened?”
Anand paused for a minute and looked at the face of both Ashwini and Madhavan and then continued…
“After marriage, you people couldn’t adjust with each other so you two just weaved up this story to escape from the marriage knot you tied by mistake, is it not the truth Madhava?”
Madhavan without answering anything stood up and started walking towards his parked car. He opened the dickey and took a green wooden box out from it and came back silently. He stretched it out to Anand.
“Here it is, now open it yourself and see, then you will know the truth!”
Anand received the box from him and opened it.Suddenly a heavy wind blew and it started raining all of a sudden. The white silk fabric inside it was thrown out by the wind and it started flying in the wind like a kite which was freed from its string Madhavan ran behind it and tried to catch it.
But it went straight to a man who was just walking before him and enveloped him.
He looked at that fabric with shock and amusement. He saw the writings on the fabric, written with blood and he stood like a statue.
The rain stopped all of a sudden.
“Oh, Baba … how did this get here? So that’s why you told me in my dream to come to this beach?”
His words put new knots in the string of mystery which has already confused the three.
Seeing the man who was enveloped with the white fabric Madhavan stood speechless.
“How did you get this cloth? “The man asked Madhavan very coldly , freeing himself from the enveloped silk fabric and started folding it.
“Why should I tell you? May I know who you are?”
“Because I have been the custodian of this fabric for the past so many years. By the way I am Sankaran, people used to call me Kottarathil Sankaran because of my connection with the royal families. Unfortunately, I lost this box from my possession months back. Even today it is a great puzzle for me how it has missed from my hands?”
“Quiet surprising, Ji...but the way how I got this box is also very interesting, someone put it my car dickey by mistaking it as my handycam box. After opening it only, I knew...”
“What a miracle! I was very much worried about how to retrieve this box which was given to me by my guru Shiv Baba for safe custody. Every day I used to stand in front of my guru’s picture and was crying thinking that I have made a great sin by losing this box! Last night he came into my dreams and asked me to go to the beach in fort cochin and that a surprise was waiting for me there. That is why I have come to this beach today. Now I understand, that he wanted me to retrieve this box here.”
Kottarathil Sankaran was getting more and more emotional. Ananad came there to find what has happened.
Madhavan could not understand what Sankaran said, or make head or tail out it.
"Ji, you said your name is Sankaran?”
“Yes, could you please tell me how did you get this box?”
“I told you Ji This was in my car dickey. Someone thought that it was my handycam box, and kept it in my car while I was on a journey. ”
“Who?”
“ How can I say.It maybe one of my servants.”
“But how did they get it?”
“Maybe from Mayamma"
“Mayamma? Who is that?”
"Ji, that is a long story. In short, she is a black magician and an expert in black magic.”
“Black magic?”
“Yes... Do you believe in it? Ji, please let us sit somewhere and discuss it , this is somewhat a very serious issue.”
They started walking towards the place where Ashwini was sitting.
Madhavan briefed Ashwini about what has happened and introduced Ashwini to Kottarathil Sankaran.
Ashwini felt a little relaxed because now Madhavan and Sankaran had started unveiling the unknown mystery.
Anand sighed.
“Sankaran Ji, actually what is the mystery behind this silk fabric? Why is it written with blood? Who has written it? What is the message in it? Anand raised a series of questions to Sankaran one after another, in total confusion and commotion.
“First, take your seat and relax Anand. Sankaran Ji, Could you please tell us about this box in detail?
"Ok, I’ll tell you, but before that may I know who you guys are?"
“Oh.sorry, Ji, I forgot to tell. I am Madhavan, and this is Ashwini, and he is Anand.”
Anand was thinking why Madhavan did not introduced Ashwini as his wife.
Madhavan continued…
“Ji, my sister Sree married Rajendra Varma, Ashwini’s father a Zamin and a millionaire using black magic for his properties worth crores. She used the same technique to force me to marry Varma’s daughter Ashwini for Varma’s properties.”
“Hmm…then ?”
“Black magic, yes, Sree was using it with the help of Mayamma who is an expert in it, to control our minds and made us her mere slaves , obeying whatever she said. Mayamma is a witch in the disguise of a Yogini.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Luckily we got this box. It saved us and changed our life. After reading the messages on this silk fabric, we went to Agasthyakoodam and took bath in all the Teerthas mentioned in it, except one. To our surprise, we were relieved from the effect of the black magic slowly and within a few days we became completely normal and realized what had happened!”
Madhavan continued…
“Ji, Anand is a businessman from Srilanka. He and Ashwini were in love and they were about to get married, it is at this time that my sister spoiled everything using black magic, with the help of Mayamma and got us married…”
Anand who already knows all this story was becoming impatient to know what next.
Sankaran who was listening to Madhavan looked at Anand with a query in his eyes. Madhavan understood the meaning of it!
“Ji, Anand does not believe in black magic at all. When I told him about the black jasmine and its effect on people, he refused to believe in it and said that I am mad and what all I told him looks like a grandma's story. But Ji, what I said is the truth.”
When Madhavan stopped, Sankaran again looked at Anand and asked,
“ Anand, do you believe in all this?”
“No, Ji, I cannot believe a single word he said. Black magic, black jasmine. What’s this, Ji? A green wooden box and inside it a silk cloth with words written in blood. Sounds pretty crap to me. Really it is very confusing.”
“Anand, it is confusing only to those who do not know the truth about it, but now everything is very clear to me.”
“Ji, if you can please tell me what this is all this about?”
“Anand, I was working as an office clerk with the Devaswom board in Cochin, I am an ardent devotee of Chottanikara Bhagavathi. I do Kali Sahasranama recitation in my house every day. On a occasion, from our office, we went for a picnic to Agasthyakoodam. We went inside the forest for trekking. During the trekk I went to attend nature’s call a little away from the others, near a stream, I saw something which I should not see.”
Sankaran continued,
“I saw a siddha enveloped by a very big mountain snake and he was struggling like anything to save his life from it. I immediately removed my shirt wrapped it around a stick and lighted it with my lighter and showed it near the snake praying to my Bhagavathi. The next minute the snake released the siddha and crawled back into the forest swiftly and vanished. The siddha thanked me and asked for my details and then left .”
“Ji, Did you meet that siddha after that?”Madhavan asked with curiosity.
“Yes, Madahavan, after a month when my daughter got admitted to the hospital due to a severe stomach ache. At first, the doctors were not able to diagnose anything. Later they decided to go for surgery as they doubted some problem with her gallbladder. Around midnight while I was pacing before my daughter’s room in the hospital, miraculously the siddha, whom I met at Agasthyakoodam forest, appeared before me from nowhere.” Sankaran continued his long story.
“Sure, it’s a real miracle!”said Madhavan emotionally.
“To my surprise, he asked me about the health of my daughter and told me not to worry. He went inside my daughter’s room and applied some holy ash on her forehead. His lips were murmuring some mantras, as he just passed his right hand over her entire body and left without saying a word.”Sankaran said.
Anand was sitting expressionless.
Sankaran continued,
“The next day my daughter woke up without any trace of the disease. The doctors said it is a medical miracle. I remembered with gratitude the siddha who came and blessed my child, and thanked him in my mind.”
Ashwini was listening to them and at the same time counting the waves.
Anand asked, “Then what happened,Ji?”
“One day it was at about midnight, while I was watching the TV, the siddha appeared before me out of nowhere, he told me that his name is Shiv Baba and clarified many of my doubts in spirituality in a very clear and simple way. Our discussion went till dawn. Before he left he told me to meet him in Agasthyakoodam on a full moon day without fail. I met him and after that many miracles started happening in my life. My life began to turn upside down, all my debts got cleared, my enemies became my friends. My daughter who was very weak in her studies got a first-class in her graduation. I started worshipping Baba as my guru. ”
Madhavan asked,”Ji, You did not tell us, how did you get this box?”
“Yes Madhavan, I am coming to it On a full moon day again Baba appeared before me and gave me this box and told me to keep it safe and confidential and to throw it in a stream in Agasthyakoodam on the day when lightning strikes there and many people die. ”
Ashwini asked,” Ji, then how come you lost this box?”
Sankaran continued.
“Yes dear, it was quite an unfortunate event, against the wish of my guru one day I started reading the contents of the manuscript and understood that it carried much valuable information for mankind. After this, one day a lady wearing a blue saree came to my home with some jasmine flowers saying that she is coming from a Devi temple but the fragrance of the jasmine in her hands was quite different and soon, I lost my consciousness. After some time I found that the green wooden box given by Baba to me, was missing.”
“Oh God, it is really unfortunate!” Madhavan said.
Sankaran continued…
“Luckily now when this silk fabric touched my body, I can recollect what all has happened in the past. Pranamas to Baba who came in my dream, and advised me to come to this beach and that an important duty is waiting for me here to be done."
When Sankaran concluded his long story all of them felt a little tired within their minds wandering somewhere in some other world.
During this time, Madhavan did not forget to ask a very important question to Sankaran.
“Ji, do you remember the face of that woman who came with those jasmine flowers?”
“Yes, now I can identify her, if I see a photo of her.”
Madhavan took out a photo of Sreeksha from his wallet and showed it to Sankaran.
“Ji, this is my sister Sree. Please tell me if this is that woman.”
Sankaran looked at the photo. His eyebrows widened.
“Yes. It is her. It is her only”
“Ji, now I am sure that Mayamma has used my sister to steal this wooden box from you for some reason. "
Madhavan started to think and rethink about, why Mayamma need that wooden box?
As if he has read Madhavan’s mind, Sankaran replied,
“Madhava, there was some important information in that manuscript about Agasthyakoodam. There is an area called ‘Forget me’ in the Agasthyakoodam people who go there and lose their memory, and then they roam around the forest without knowing how to come out of it. This is due to the fragrance coming out of some rare and unique herbs growing there. The people who practice black magic may need this badly and go after it after taking some precautions.”
Anand said, “Ridiculous, I couldn’t believe in this.”
Sankaran continued with a smile.
“The secret messages in the manuscript are of immense value to the black magicians.
If this message was written as usual in palm leaves the evil forces could have found it very easily that may be the reason why Baba has written it with his blood on the silk fabric. I am a fool, I disobeyed Baba’s words and that is why I have lost it from my hands. Mayamma might have come to know about this precious fabric and box by using her black magic. So she used your sister for stealing this box from me with the help of the black jasmine.”
Sankaran concluded his story!
Anand, who was very silent all this time started asking a series of questions to Sankaran.
“Ji, why did Baba asked you to throw this box in the stream? How is Mayamma going to benefit from this box? Where is the Baba now?”
Sankaran replied.
“Baba has attained Samadhi in Agasthyakoodam. He wrote this so that it would benefit mankind in one way or another, someday. He might have asked me to throw it in the stream because it would float in the stream and reach the right hands at the right time, who knows the mind of a siddha. I hope and trust, Baba will show us a way out from this and will guide us in the right direction.”
At that time a newspaper boy just passed by them shouting, “Today’s evening newspaper, lightning struck in the Agasthyakoodam and thirty people were burned to death on the spot.”
Hearing the news, all four of them were shocked and they sat like statues.
Thetime has come to throw the wooden box in the stream in Agasthyakoodam, they thought. But the decision was in the hands of Sankaran, so they looked at him anxiously.
By now, Anand’s curiosity to know what was written in that silk fabric has reached a point, that he could not control any longer.Slowly he rolled it open and started reading it.
