CHAPTER 6
The miraculous medicine
There are many rare trees in the Naga forest! One of those is the miraculous Azhinjal tree. The seeds of this tree is having a rare quality of sticking to the main stem and mingles with the parent tree. No other tree has this quality of attracting its own seeds like a magnet. In witchcraft, this tree is used for sorcery.
It is believed that if you make a cot with the wood from this tree and sleep in it all your wishes will be fulfilled!
The great saint Adisankara has given three examples of how a devotee should communicate with god in his books.
Just as a truthful wife who attach her only with her husband.
Just as how the needle and thread do not leave each other.
According to him a devotee should go and attach himself with the divine just as the seed of Azhinjal goes and stick itself to the parent tree.
Ding…Dong…Ding the old German clock in the guest house announced that the time is nine.
There were no electricity in that forest guest house.
Only a very old petromax light was there. Kaladharan the security guard was there when Mohan came to the guest house stumbling. He was listening to some retro Malayalam songs in his mobile with his earphones on, sitting very relaxed with his legs stretched out on a wooden stool. He had wrapped a black muffler around his neck and has made a bonfire of his own with available wood sticks and was enjoying the warmness to escape the chill climate.
The tongues of the fire would be about one and a half cubits.
Mohan came and stood near Kaladharan.
"Hey,who is that?"
"I am Mohan Reporter from MB TV."
"Bro,what do you want? Why are you disturbing me at this time of the hour?"
"Bro,I am also a human being like you, will you not help me?"
"Bro,here there is not much facility so please do not ask me to permit you to stay here.However you have come in this night, I will offer you a stool to sit." When he went inside to take the stool, Mohan sat down on Kaladharan’s chair and when he came back, he got up.
But Kaladharan said, 'It's ok.' and he sat on the stool.
“Ok,bro,how tell me what you want?”
"Bro,I need a help from you."
"Bro,If I can I will help you."
"Will you permit me to stay here for a few days?"
"First tell me why you have come here?"
Mohan thought and rethought before he answered and avoided telling the truth that he has come in search of Manolal and said,
"I just came to roam around and write an article about Naga forest."
"But you could have come in the day time… "
"No,bro,I came here in the afternoon and was just roaming around thinking that I will get some accommodation somewhere then only I realized the difficulty and I contacted my channel director he advised me to enquire in this guest house that's why … "
"They call this a guest house only a group of mongoose and sewer rats stay here... not even a cot and chair is here.The floor is as cold as ice." The security guard spoke intimidatingly.
"Please, bro,I will manage with what is available... I will find some way in the morning."
"Do you want to stay here for some days?"
"If I stay only, I can write something interesting about this forest, right?"
"Ok,bro,you can stay here with me for some days on one condition that you should not write anything bad about our forest!” There was a slight fear in the security guard's voice.
"Why you are so much afraid, is there anything illegal going on here?"
"Nothing like that, now you can go and lie down somewhere and try to sleep,already it is late."
"What about you?"
“I don’t feel like sleeping, tomorrow the officer is coming for an inspection. ”
"Who is he?"
"One Narayanan."
"Ok, how big is this forest ...."
"Don't you sleep...you are always asking some questions."
Mohan dropped his backpack inside the guest house and said, "Oh,bro, do not get angry, I just wanted to know that’s all..."
Kaladharan reluctantly started to talk about the forest.
"Well ... I will tell you what I know, our Naga forest covers a total area of seventy two square hectare miles, covering forty one springs, fifteen streams, five waterfalls and about five lakh trees! According to a 2000 survey, there were forty elephants, two hundred and twenty wild bulls, hundred and fifty deers and more than two thousand mountain sheep, ten leopards and twenty to twenty five bears
"Are there five lakh trees?"
"It's less now. In 1965, there were eight and a half lakh trees in this forest."
"Oh,then three and a half lakh trees were cut down by people."
"If the forest is to cherish we have to follow some rules. The secret of the forest says that if a tree is to be cut down due its age, then nine trees have to be planted in its place, but no one cares about it! "
"Secret of the forest... Is there anything like that?"
"Only the elders among the tribal people are having knowledge about this."
"Is there any manuscript about it?"
"No, only by word of mouth it passes from one generation to another among the tribes. ”
"How do they remember all these?"
"It is in their memory!"
"Memory!"
"At present there is only one person in this forest who knows about the secret of the forest we call him ’Moopa’."
"Can I meet him?"
"How can you… he died last month...?"
"Oh.. how did he die?"
"He died that’s all, I don’t know the details. But there's one thing I want to tell you."
“What is it? ”
"I have been here for the last five years, since I came here for service, I have noticed that those ‘Moopa’s’ in the fifteen Nadu who know the secret of forest are dying frequently for no reason." said Kaladharan.
Mohan was still in a confusion thinking whether this is a reality or a mystery.
"Ok, you said that there are fifteen Nadu in this forest. What is this Nadu?"
"Don’t confuse thinking that it is a state like Kerala. There are small villages for each tribe in the forest which are called as Nadu... the Madya Nadu,Vadakku Nadu,Kallu Nadu,Vasantha Nadu, Vruksha Nadu,Kizhakku Nadu,Mela Nadu and so on…they will name Nadu according to the relevant direction and landmark of that area"
"So there are fifteen Nadu here? "
"Yes ... this guest house is in the Mela Nadu…"
"Well, is it possible to meet a ‘Moopa’who knows something about the science of the forest? "
"I already told you that most of them has died, still I know one by name Valan who knows about this secret of forest, some people call him a scientist. You can meet this person and he will brief you about this forest in detail...” before Kaladharan finished his words they heard the footsteps of someone walking towards the guest house. The light of torches moving through the forest path can be seen very clearly in that thick darkness.
"Someone is coming ...."
"Who is it at this time?"
"Let us wait and see..."
When they came near to them one of them asked,
"Where is Kaladharan?"
"I'm here…what do you want?"
"We are coming from lal sir’s bungalow. The manager wants to meet you immediately."
"Me...why?"
"There is some problem with the generator. It is not running and there is no electricity in the bungalow. That’s why the manager asked us to inform you…"
"Damn you... I'm the security guard of this guest house... Why do you keep on disturbing me just because I know some electrical stuff?"
"It’s,ok...we will inform the manager that you are not interested in coming “the person who came ended the conversation abruptly.
"Oh, man, just wait .. why are you coming to a conclusion so fast... If I don't come now, only you people will suffer of mosquito bites all night.”
"Why should we Kala... If we go to Punuku Pamman he will solve this within no time but the problem is that we have to walk some more miles to reach him in this night ... "
"Ok…wait a minute...I'll come “Kaladharan got up, locked the door of the guest house, took the key and looked at Mohan and said, "You stay here...I will be back in a couple of hours."
"Where is that bungalow? “Mohan asked.
"How many bungalows here,bro,only our super star’s bungalow! “Kaladharan replied.
"Who... Manolal?"
"Then who else..?"
"Shall I come with you?"
"Even if you come, you have to stand outside. The manager there will not let you in ... "
"Instead of staying here in this cold weather, if I accompany you, you need not come back alone in this pitch darkness. "
Mohan’s idea worked out well.
"Ok, come …" Kaladharan said.
"Is Manolal there?"
"Who knows ...?"Kaladharan replied.
"I remember someone said he is here only.... "when Mohan said this the person who came from the bungalow said,
"Hey,security...the manager asked only you to come... "
Hearing his words Kaladharan turned to Mohan and said,
"Did you hear that... Don't talk unnecessarily. Keep quiet and follow me.”
Kaladharan replied to the person from the bungalow…
“Bro,he's my friend only, he just asked out of curiosity. Please don’t take it seriously..."Kaladharan managed the situation cleverly.
Mohan looked at his watch
11 o'clock
It was very chilly.
Normally Insects do not come out in that chilly weather!
A kind of pin drop silence prevailed all around them. They say silence is beautiful but you have to experience it in the middle of a forest at midnight! All these were new to Mohan.They continued to walk holding the fire torches.
By now they covered a distance of three miles and was nearing their destination!
It was very difficult to walk in that curvy and muddy forest path. Mohan began to feel hungry as all his energy was exhausted by that long walk. But he knows well that he could do nothing but keep on walking with them.
Finally they arrived at the bungalow!
A big iron grate door welcomed them in the front of the bungalow!
There was a fire torch burning at the entrance, the security people with a sturdy bouncer checked each and every one of them and let them inside. Following Kaladharan, when Mohan tried to enter, he was stopped by the bouncer and was questioned,
"Hey, who are you?"
"I came with Kaladharan."
"Get out of here at once, when he finish the work he will come and join you."
"I just came to help him."
Kaladharan immediately supported him by saying, "Sir, he has come to help me please let him in.”
Halfheartedly the security people allowed Mohan inside."
One of the securities with a fire torchlight went in front of them and guided them in to the bungalow. Only one emergency light was glowing inside the bungalow.
A luxury bungalow with a number of rooms!
It was like touching the ice wherever you touch whether it is the floor or furnishing. The woodwork of the house was quite intimidating.
Kaladharan and Mohan were stopped when they tried to enter through the main door.
"Hey,why are you coming here? The generator is in the back yard! "
In the hall there is a photo of Manolal receiving an award from the President. Mohan’s eyes were always on the lookout for Manolal and Kaladharan guessed it correctly and asked,
"What bro,do you want to meet the super star?"
Mohan was a little taken aback.
"Bro,I know him ...although I have not seen him recently. I don't know why, but whenever I see him, he is always with that doctor. “Kaladharan said.
"Doctor... which doctor? “Mohan asked curiously.
“Not that much loud ,bro even the walls are having ears here... Raman Kutty doctor. There are also a lot of complaints about him…" they reached the generator room. As the person accompanied them showing fire torch was wearing a turban completely covering his ears he could not literally hear what they were talking. Kaladharan was about to tell something important to Mohan…
Mohan asked, "Where is the toolbox? “The person accompanied them went to bring it.
"Hey...give us that fire torch. We can’t stand here in this dark area for long!"
"If I give you this how can I search for the tools box, right?" The response from him made them to remain silent and stand in that pitch darkness.
The night sky sparkled with glittering stars. The moon shined so bright like a silver plate which is kept upside down. The chillness was so pricking.
"Bro,are you scared?"
"No..not at all.. we are standing inside the bungalow only right... "At that very moment they heard the howling of a fox.
"It’s good that you were with me otherwise these foxes, they will create some problems."
"What will they do?"
"What will they do…?If foxes come in a group they will attack us for sure.. Single fox will not dare to do it!” As Kaladharan was sharing his thrilling experience in the forest life, they heard the sound of someone opening a door. At a distance they could see a fire torch.
Both of them watched the torch light and the shadows of the two people keenly!
Pin drop silence!
A figure came out through the door.
Through the iron stairs curved to reach the floor from the bungalow that figure was coming down.
Mohan was very curious.
"Bro, who is that?"he asked in a whisper.
"I don't know...may be that doctor, from the style of his walking I assume…."
"Doctor....?"
Mohan slipped away from there and started following them.
Although the moonlight was adequate, he stumbled a little…
There was a very faint light coming through a window in the bungalow and the doctor's voice can be heard now clearly.
“Ji,shall we move?"
"I'm ready, doctor. We can move now... "
"Just watch how you change after the treatment today."
"Doctor, you told me the same last full moon day also but nothing happened!"
"Ji,I guarantee you this time it will not miss and my medicine will reduce your age to half ... "
Mohan understood from their conversation that they were the doctor and Manolal. As he couldn't control his curiosity anymore, he tried to move a little closer.
Mohan was able to see the old man to some extent in that dim light of the torch.
It was not just someone else that he met on his way to the Nagamma temple ...it is Manolal himself who was without any make up!
