Nine: Vengeance of the Warrior (3 page)

‘That is rubbish! You are creating fantasy stories and drawing the wrong conclusions!’ Acharyaji spat out angrily. Anita was afraid he would burst a blood vessel and fall flat on his face. And secretly hoped it would happen. She could not fathom why he was getting so worked up. ‘You shouldn’t have come here. This is a library. Please go. You have wasted your time and mine.’

Anita was thick-skinned enough to ignore his insults. She wasn’t going to let this old fart get to her. She held her ground and continued. ‘Sir, I don’t understand your irritation. I am working on a serious project and was hoping for some guidance from such an astute scholar as yourself—’ He was about to interrupt, when she raised her hand to stop him. He clenched his fists. ‘Hear me out first. Ancient Vedic literature contains some highly developed scientific findings that are considered even more advanced than those in the modern world. For example, the twenty-three-foot-high Ashoka Pillar in Delhi, weighing over six tonnes, built during the Gupta era, is an enigma. Modern metallurgists are still pondering over the quality of the pillar which has shown no signs of corrosion for thousands of years. And it is widely believed that in ancient civilizations, wars were fought using nuclear weapons.’

‘You are pulling nonsense out of thin air!’ he said, irritated.

‘Not nonsense, sir,’ Anita continued, not the least bit miffed by his attitude. ‘Archaeologists have recently discovered evidence of atomic blasts dating back thousands of years. Therefore, it is this kind of knowledge that Ashoka felt would lead to evil plans by certain individuals. After he converted to Buddhism and vowed never to hurt another, he created the secret society so that such ancient knowledge would be protected from mankind, in case it fell into the wrong hands.’

‘You are the most irresponsible person I have ever met. How dare you draw your own conclusions, linking one thing with another and creating a bullshit story around it?’ This time he shouted at her. ‘You are fishing in the wrong pond, woman!’ he said, pointing at her as if she were the devil herself. ‘Whatever you’ve got from your Internet research is mostly false. And people like you go and ruin historical facts.’

‘I have not—’

His voice was more like a bark. ‘The problem with you journalists is that you always distort facts. You exaggerate, lie and make a big propaganda. Vedic literature is to be treated with respect and reverence, not flaunted cheaply like some Bollywood movie!’

‘I have done no such thing. And that not my intention,’ Anita exclaimed, standing up, matching his tone. ‘I have great respect for the ancient texts. There is a connection between Ashoka, Ujjain and his access to the Navratnas—the wise ministers of King Vikramaditya’s court. They had the Nine books of knowledge.’

‘Please leave. I have nothing to say to you!’ the man shouted.

‘This is a very dogmatic attitude, Acharyaji. I’m sorry if I have offended you, but you are intelligent enough to have noticed those links yourself. Why do you want to be so closed-minded?’

‘You better stop probing. This is not something you go around talking about like it was an everyday affair or like buying vegetables from the market. Thank you and goodbye.’ He was practically pushing her out of the office.

‘But Acharyaji … I am not doing this to sell to the world, I am doing this for my own reasons.’

The security guard was asked to escort her out of the building. Anita stared in wide-eyed disbelief. She was just asking questions and here he was being the violent one. So much for being a wise Acharya! ‘You have blocked your mind to the facts. And believe me, I will not stop my hunt,’ she yelled at the man as she was physically strong-armed out of the building.

Anita fisted at the guard. ‘I should call the police.’

‘Madam, I can give you my mobile phone to dial the number,’ the smart alec replied. ‘Besides you are not the first person he has thrown out of his office.’

‘Why is he so hot-tempered?’ Anita asked as he led her outside the gate.

The guard shook his head. ‘I don’t know. I just do my job.’ He slammed the gate in her face.

Anita murmured obscenities. She was thirsty, irritated and unsure what to do next. She adjusted the strap of her bag, weighed down by books and her notes, and started to walk away. The afternoon heat was so strong, it felt like she was in a sauna. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. There was no public transport; hardly any passers-by. Everyone was smart enough to be indoors. Turning back, she saw that the guard was already back at his post, in the shade, snoozing.

Walking away, she wondered where to go next when a young man approached her. ‘I know what you want to know,’ he whispered. Anita jumped in shock. ‘Who? What?’

‘Come with me and I will show you.’ He caught hold of her arm.

‘Excuse me,’ Anita said, pulling back, feeling a trifle unnerved by the stranger’s attitude. ‘I don’t know what you are talking about.’

‘I heard your exchange with the Acharyaji,’ he whispered heatedly. ‘I’m surprised he even agreed to meet you. He probably got curious about your questions while you were in the library. The librarian has been asked to keep a watch on people who delve deep into certain texts.’ He pulled her forward, while the guard at the library gates watched him curiously.

‘Let’s go,’ he said and started walking. He looked like a college student, neatly dressed, and didn’t seem the ruffian type.

‘Why should I trust you?’ she followed hesitantly.

He shook his head. ‘Don’t be stupid, the Acharya is probably calling the goondas to scare you out of the city. He is one of the protectors, and things happen if you ask questions about the Nine around here.’

Anita was agape and stood stock-still. ‘Really? Goondas?’ He nodded, looking around suspiciously, and hastened towards the corner of the street. She watched his receding figure. Then, something told her she should give it a shot, and she shouted after him, ‘Wait up!’ and hurried to catch up.

‘My name is Sudhir.’ He was walking rapidly as he spoke. ‘I work here as one of the assistants to the librarian—part-time job—and I’m a history student.’

‘I’m Anita, a journalist from Mumbai.’

‘Good to meet you, Anita.’ He led her to his car parked a few metres away. ‘Get in. I know a place that you must visit. It’s a few miles out of the city. It’s an ashram, not popular with tourists. But you will find it very interesting. There you will find proof, an inscribed stone of sorts that speaks of the Navratnas—the Nine gems—the men with special powers. Not easy to find, but go ahead and try.’ Anita got into the car.

‘Why are you telling me this?’ She had one hand in her bag grasping the pepper spray in case she needed it.

He shrugged. ‘You seem serious, like it means a lot to you. And I know you want to get to the truth. Not too many people are interested in the Nine with such passion.’ He gave her a sideways glance as he drove through the streets.

‘So, you do believe that the society of the Nine was created, and they are guardians of ancient knowledge, and that they exist in today’s world.

‘Everyone knows. It’s just not talked about or announced. People get killed, or they disappear or go insane if they deliberately make contact with a member of the Nine, or are aware of their identity, or are even suspicious of their identity. If there is a secret society of the Nine, then think about it, surely there will be a society of protectors for the Nine.’ He raised his eyebrows. Anita wondered why the Acharya hadn’t killed this man already, what with his wildly weird ideas.

‘I’ve not read or heard about the protectors of the Nine,’ Anita scoffed.

‘Over the years, the legacy of the Nine has evolved. New era, new rules. But I don’t go around talking about this stuff. You, too, should be careful. The protectors are watching and waiting for someone like you to come along. Then they make sure you are silenced.’

‘How?’

He shrugged. ‘I don’t know, but I’ve heard of people who’ve gone mad overnight, their hair turned white and their eyes had this wild look. Still others died of a silent heart attack: one minute they were laughing and joking, the next minute they were dead.’

‘That’s nonsense. Especially when King Ashoka preached that no harm should come to mankind. And here you are telling me these bodyguards of the Nine are killing to hide the truth about their existence.’

‘Yeah, that’s the irony.’ Sudhir shook his head. ‘It’s a crazy world we live in. But what are you doing this research for? A feature story? Or personal reasons, right?’

Anita nodded. ‘My grandfather was a scientist. He considered Ashoka to be one of the greatest warriors in Indian history. He collected books, information and every possible detail on the great king. He religiously visited museums and old libraries that stored ancient scripts. There was so much he had found out that he started writing a journal on his findings. He told me stories … some of them quite extraordinary, mostly about the Nine. This was before he got sick,’ she reminisced.

‘See, I told you!’ Sudhir said. ‘It must have been the protectors.’

‘No. It was Alzheimer’s.’

‘These protectors must have caused it. Trust me. They can make it look like natural causes,’ Sudhir said.

Anita smiled. ‘My grandfather’s room and his desk were covered with his notes and many old books on the great king and his Nine. He was a staunch believer that if King Ashoka had not converted to Buddhism the history of India would have taken a different turn. And maybe he would never have created the society of unknown men.’

‘You agree with your grandfather?’

‘Not totally. King Ashoka may have been a great ruler but his power and greatness stemmed from a distorted mind. He must have been an obsessive man, and prone to extreme emotions. From a violent conqueror who would wage war at the drop of a hat and kill millions, he turned to Buddhism and went around India building edicts and pillars to spread the message of non-violence and peace. He was either insane or a genius.’

‘He was a peace-loving man who created a legacy that exists today. Genius in my book,’ Sudhir said. He stopped the car outside a small shop advertising tour guides and trips. ‘Go inside and ask for a car to take you to the Sandipani Muni Ashram. Ask for a driver called Ravi. He knows me well. I have to get back to work or the Acharyaji will throw me out as well.’ He gave her some information on the ashram and smiled.

Anita, dazed by this sudden information, didn’t know what to say besides a thank you. She got out of the car and before she could say anything else, he drove off in a cloud of dust.

She had read up on the Sandipani Muni Ashram. Sandipani was a rishi—an enlightened one—or a sage of the gods, also the guru of Lord Krishna. The interesting fact was that Lord Krishna was believed to have received his teachings while residing there. He used to wash his writing tablets in a nearby pond. It made perfect sense to find some evidence of the Nine in that area. Sudhir had asked her to walk away from the main ashram area towards the river bank.

She managed to arrange everything within the hour. And she was soon on her way. The air was heavy and humid. The open jeep rattled and bumped through the rugged terrain. Weak gusts didn’t help relieve the oppressive heat. Perspiration trickled down Anita’s face and neck. Her Ray-Bans felt heavy against her skin. Her hair was plastered to her scalp and tied up in a ponytail. It didn’t cut the effects of the temperature. Anita had dressed light yet sober. The thin cotton T-shirt and drawstring pants clung to her skin. She decided to ignore the stifling discomfort, and instead, stayed focused on the impending discovery. Sudhir came and went so suddenly she didn’t feel he was real. But he had given her a real link to the location. The tedious journey should be worth it, Anita mused. She glanced at the aggressive driver. ‘How much longer?’ she yelled over the blaring radio.

‘Almost there,’ Ravi shouted back. Wearing a snug tee, Ravi looked a step short of a Bollywood extra. His dark hairy arms were buff and he worked the wheel with an exaggerated style, like he was acting out a role. With his gelled hair and rugged boots, he probably considered himself a perfect candidate for the film industry.

‘We have to get there before dark, Ravi,’ Anita reminded him for the umpteenth time.

He raised his eyebrows and gave her a sardonic glance from above his fake aviator shades. ‘This is as fast as I can go.’ He circled the wheel with one hand, narrowly missing a herd of goats. ‘Anyway, what is the rush? The place is not that interesting. There are some stories that speak about a strange yogi levitating by the riverside, though.’

Anita smiled. ‘Great! Then the faster I reach the sooner I get to see something unusual.’

‘Sudhir called me up, told me you are looking for something in the area of the ashram. Do you even know what to look for?’

She shrugged. ‘I’ll know when I see it.’

He looked at her curiously. ‘Why do you want to go on a wild goose chase? You are a little crazy if I may say so.’

Crazy?
He was a fine one to talk! Who wore boots in this sweltering 45-degree heat? ‘Yes, actually I am a little crazy,’ she said and left it at that.

‘Well, I hope you find what you are looking for,’ Ravi said emphatically. ‘Sometimes in life you must just go and do what you want to do, and not be afraid of people calling you mad!’

‘Very well put, Ravi.’

‘My father said that we must think for ourselves and not for others. People must learn to understand good and bad, right and wrong by themselves, and not be told what is right and what is wrong.’

Not only was he a great driver, Ravi was turning out to be a philosopher too! ‘I believe that we must share knowledge so that it is easier for people to understand and find their own solutions. What I am looking for is so powerful that it still has a great influence on our world today,’ Anita responded.

‘I know what you are searching for. But you are better off researching the Ashoka pillars … else you might face danger.’

Anita brushed the threat away. ‘Everyone here knows about the Nine, but no one really wants to talk about it.’ Either the people around here were paranoid or the protectors of the Nine really did exist.