Chapter 5
The Military Men from nowhere
Siddhas have often seen the Kalpavruksha tree walk in the Naga forest. But it did not stand still in one place in the woods, and they never paid attention to its wandering. When they did not pay attention, the tree came looking for them and walked in front of them in a way that aroused the desire in them. So the Siddhas used to close their eyes when they saw it.
As it is a wish-fulfilling tree, you could ask for anything you want from it. But, Siddhas did not ask because they were beyond the average human mind. Not only that, by asking, it becomes clear that you have desires. How can a person with desires be a saint? That is why they did not do it. But, the hill tribal people have a lot to ask for from the tree. Some Siddha doctors who know about this and many others who come to worship the Tryambaka tree will wander searching for the Kalpavriksha tree and enter the woods on the day of the full moon to see it. But, no one ever came close to it. Dr. Ramankutty saw it once when it passed through in front of him. But it was too late by then for him to try to catch even its shadow. So, it disappeared from his view. When he told about this to some people in the woods, they mocked him by asking, "Will there be a tree that walks?"
The History of the Naga forest
"Do not follow me. If you get caught by my tribal people, they will tie you in a tree and will sacrifice you to the bear... "
"Do you know the meaning of 'military'? Where were you before this? Do you know about Agasthya cave ... "
Krishnan was shocked to see Aghori Baba at that time in the woods. He stood there like a statue. Kurumatti was sticking to him very close out of fear. Krishnan's breath came back only after Baba disappeared from his sight.
Woah, luckily, he didn't see us. If he had seen us, you would have become a corpse," whispered Kurumatti.
"It's okay. I am able to see Baba.So it is not a story. That's more important for me," Krishnan said.
Kurumatti was in excitement; she asked," What?"
"Some people in the woods say that Aghori Baba is a myth and not real. Not only that, they think that all that is going on in this forest is a myth."
"So?"
"So what? I can tell them that it is not a myth and everything is real!"
"Dear, there is no use in it. Please do not waste your time on it. "
"It is not like that if Aghori Baba is real, all the other myths in this woods like Kalpavriksha tree and Sky Men are also real."
"Shut up! So all these days, you thought that all this is only a story? "
"I indeed had my doubts about all these, but from now on, I have started believing in all this! So, Kuru, I am sure that one day I will see that Kalpavriksha tree and will make all my dreams come true!"
"Shits, even our Moopan has not seen it, then how could you?"
"That Moopan is a drug addict! How can a drug addict see such a divine tree?"
"Okay, what wish you are going to ask when you see it?"
"What will I ask? Right, First, I want to change my skin tone. I want it to be like the skin of a superstar!"
"Then?"
"I will ask for money to set up a big shop in a town."
"Where?"
"In the foothills! Nair spent about two lakhs on his beautiful tea shop. I'm going to ask for a little more than that, about three lakhs."
"Then?"
"What then?"
"You wouldn't ask anything for me then, would you?"
Kurumatti cornered him,
She got up with rage and started to walk away from him. It was only then Krishnan realized his mistake.
"Kuru, Stop, baby, you are everything for me. You have me. Then what else do you want?" He followed her, saying that. She turned back, looked at him, and continued to walk away from him fast.
She shouted,
"Don't come after me saying all this. If you get caught by my tribal people, they will sacrifice you to the bear, remember. "
This anger is nothing new to Krishnan.
"Go, go. Let me see how far you go! Tomorrow you will come back to me mesmerized by the romantic songs that I will play in my tape recorder, understand?"
The next day morning.
Even at eight o'clock, the darkness had not departed. The snow and the clouds were bound together as if they were inseparable lovers. The sun's rays could not even touch the vines of the forest or the ground beyond it.
In the dim darkness, Sasi and Sheela were lying curled up like caterpillars in the bed. Sasi has a habit of going jogging in the early morning. He has added jogging to his life, like sleeping, bathing, and eating. His jogging time is 5 a.m.He woke up and picked up his wristwatch to see the time. He had a shock as the time was by then eight. He had never slept for so long.
Sometimes even the ruling birth stars of a person can not stop him if he has the habit of waking up before sunrise. People who wake up in the early morning are lucky and successful always. Sasi does not know all this. The reason he wakes up early in the morning is because of his mother. She also wakes up early in the morning. Today she is not here with him. But, the habit in him never changed. Sasi does not have diabetes and pressure etc. There is no cholesterol in his body.
Knowing that it was eight o'clock, he woke up Sheela.
"Is it five yet?" she asked as she yawned.
"Eight o'clock, Sheelu!"
"Eight?"
'Yes, eight. In these woods, the sunrise will probably be at nine o'clock. "
He went to the washroom and locked the door.
Sheela got up, stretched, stood in front of the full-size dress table mirror in the room, and looked at herself. A small sticker bindi was there on the mirror. The edge of a visiting card was visible in the gap between the wall and the dressing table. She pulled it out and looked. It had the name Neena on it with a mobile phone number.
'Who is this, Neena?' The thought for a second.Maybe the relation of someone who stayed here before she assumed.
At that time, she heard the sound of someone knocking on the door.
She went and opened it to see who it was. Out there was a group of military men in uniform. Some of them carried guns in their hands.
She just stared at them. She could not guess why and for what they were there! Then, finally, one of them smiled, taking his cap off his head.
"You?"
"Can't you see - Can't you guess by looking at us?"
"You look like military men."
"Very good. Do you know the meaning of the military?"
He asked very eloquently in English. Sheela stared at them blankly.
"Don't you know what military means?"
He asked that and just laughed at her. They seemed to be engaged in different types of activities. One was doing exercise from where he was standing. Another one of them was aiming his gun towards something in the nearby tree. A military man was cleaning the dirt in his shoes. Two of them were seriously discussing something with each other.
It was pretty amazing to see them all.
"Are you new to this woods?" one of them asked Sheela.
"Ah-yes. "
"Where were you before this?"
"In Wayanadu."
"Wayanadu?That is in the northeast."
"Ah. Yes."
"That forest is prevalent for lion-tailed monkeys and leopards. Is that right? "
"Exactly."
'In that woods, there is a cave for a saint. Do you know about the lake that he created there? "
Once again, Sheela stared at him blankly.
"Why are you staring like that? Can we all get a cup of coffee?"
"Coffee … Coffee."
"Why are you looking so tense? We knew yesterday you made some coffee with that goat milk? "
"Ah, yes, that's right. But now I do not have enough milk to make coffee for all of you. We have just settled here."
"Okay- we'll look elsewhere. Take care bye," saying this that military man just turned back and started running slowly. The other military men followed, running behind him. They looked so excited, like the little kids who had just heard the school bell ringing at the end of the school.
Sheela was standing there a little shocked, watching all that. She came back inside the room once they disappeared out of sight. By now, Sasi had also come out of the bathroom.
"What, Sheelu ... who are they? I heard you were speaking to someone."
"A group of military men. It was just like they had appeared from nowhere! One of them was asking me question after question like a school teacher. He asked me'Do you know the meaning of military?',' Where were you before coming here? Do you know the Agastya cave?' and so on. "
As Sheela went on talking, Sivakumar felt much amused. He went to the doorway fast to check. He could see only a veil of fog. The cool breeze in which even the birds afraid to fly numbed his face."
"Where are they, Sheelu? Why is the military here? Looks very odd."
"Who knows...? There may be some camps in the nearby area. They might have come for trekking."
He saw a black figure slowly appearing, splitting the foggy clouds!
