Chapter I - The Paniila

The paniila was dry, vast and didn’t have any sign of life. Not even a blade of grass grew there. The place was so silent that even the slightest of wind that blew was audible. The vastness of the paniila somehow made the order feel small. They felt as if they are into the vastness of sand and rocks occasionally meeting a salt lake and some strange looking animals. Except for same snakes, rats and scorpions they didn’t meet anything that moved. The sand dunes grew larger and similar as they went on. Soon they lost all sense of direction and were lost.
“Perhaps we should rest a bit. It’s confusing at this place. Everything looks the same and the heat is scorching and adding to the confusion”. Machua was both confused and tired walking in the hot sand. The water in their fox skin container was the only thing they had to cool them off and it was so limited that they didn’t use it too often. Dukku and Lastuka were nodding their head out of exhaustion and agreement with Machua. But Salunkenta was in no mood of stopping. They were just beginning the journey and tiring now itself was more like an insult to him. But he was the leader and it was never about him now. He should ensure the safety of the order.
“We cannot stop now, not here at least. We need to move into the shadows nearest to us. I can see some rocks there. We can reach there and rest. The heat will bake us to death if we sit idle. And also, we need to eat as soon as we reach that place. Keep cool, and take out some leather and put it on your head that will help”. Sammu was the only one not speaking. He was listening carefully and then told, “Yes, but I think that rocks are far away and we have lost direction. It will be easier if we rest at day and walk at night in the journey as the night sky is a friend for those who seek direction. For now I can say we should go the rocks and we will reach it by evening. We will stay there till tomorrow afternoon and then start moving at night”.
“That sounds like a good plan to me. But staying so long with our limited resource, we may end up not getting out of the paniila.” - Said Dukku.
“Yes, but I know for a fact that there are large animals in this place that can solve our problem for food if we can hunt them down and there are lakes in this place and around that we may even find some trees to get fruits from. So that is a risk we can take”.
“Okay then let’s move, we need to reach that rock by evening. Drink water, but cautiously. Our resources are limited and the obstacles are huge. Let’s go. Let’s go!” Salunkenta took everyone by arm and started to walk again. All of them tried to give themselves a shadow by putting something on their head. But the sun was too strong and they were tiring out soon. They were completely exhausted and the sun was almost down the horizon when they finally reached the rocks.
“Lastuka and Sammu, you prepare the food, and try to make a small fire by arranging woods from near the rock and I, Dukku and Machua will find if we can get some animals to hunt”
Sammu and Lastuka collected some firewood from the bushes and started a fire from the flints they brought with them. It was completely dark when the other three came back. Lastuka and Sammu by that time built a bed for the five of them using the bushes and got the fire growing. Lastuka also had some of the smoked meat roasted and was waiting nearby the fire with Sammu looking at the stars mesmerized.
“This is what we could get”. Said Salunkenta throwing 3 rabbits towards the fire. Lastuka peeled the rabbits out of its skin and poked sticks straight through their asses and out of the mouth. With the help of a crud stone knife, she tore open the stomach of the rabbits and hanged them on the fire. She also hanged the peeled skin near the fire to dry up.
“It will be ready in some time. By that time let’s get some more woods, else the fire will not last the night and it’s already starting to be cold out here. Then we can rest and decide on what to do in the shadows of this rock” – Lastuka.
As she said, everyone went to collect some woods, and returned with a heap of bushes. But the bushes were thin and so burnt fast. It was doubtful that the fuel they gathered will be enough for them for a night. Leaving the rest to Mother Nature, They finished their dinner and were ready to go to sleep. “Someone should guard while the others are sleeping”, said Sammu. “The paniila is not safe so let’s take guard in shifts”.
“Yeah I think he is right. Let Lastuka sleep, we four will take guard in shifts,” said Salunkenta. “So who’s taking the 1st shift”? Sammu volunteered and so everyone went to sleep as Sammu stood guard with a spear and a small stone hammer that looked more like a pestle. When the moon was just above them, Sammu went and woke Salunkenta up.
“I am tired and if you would want you can take guard. I will go to sleep”. Salunkenta got up and with his knife and spear, he went to stand guard. Sammu was tired and within no time fell asleep.
The stars and the moon with the burning flame of the huge fire they built in the shadow of the rocks and silence of the paniila, made the moment pass slower than ever for Salunkenta. He had to fight his sleep and for that he took a piece of wood and with his stone knife started carving on it. While he was carving, he looked around and found Lastuka asleep nearest to the fire. Her bronze colored body with her open hair made her looks even more irresistible. She was looking like a goddess in heat, sleeping near a big fire. A sudden shiver went though Salunkenta’s spine. The twinkling stars and the glimmering fire made the sands shine as if they were water and Lastuka was asleep on her bed made up of leaves from the bushes looked like a lonely sailor sleeping in a raft on the river of shining sands. Her dress was disoriented and the cleavage of her curves was most prominently visible. Such beauty, such innocence, made Salunkenta to rise and go near her. He sat near her head and looked down. He was not sure, what he was doing, and then suddenly, Lastuka turned to her other side facing Salunkenta in her sleep. This startled Salunkenta and out of guilt, he stood up.
Suddenly there was a sound of a herd running. It resembled that of oxen. They were coming from the east and were fast and restless. Everyone woke up and took a spear each and made a circle. In the darkness of the paniila, in the light of the fire and stars it was hard to see anything, but from the sound it was clear a herd of very powerful animals was coming towards them. No one spoke anything yet they understood what to do. It was as if a universal thread of communication was binding their brains to act together. They went nearer to the fire and made a circle around with spears pointing outwards.
Large, huge yet skinny animals, tall yet elegant looking, ran fast yet looked lethargic. The animals had a hump on their back which was bigger that any bull. They were wheatish brown in color. They had thin legs and long neck. The tail was short and eyes big. They were weird yet cute looking creatures. “What are they”? Dukku asked in a tone of astonishment and everyone except Salunkenta shook their head meaning I don’t know.
“These are paniila animals. They run, leave and stay at the paniila. Kolantha once told me. They are fast and drinks vey less water. Not very tasty to eat but can lead you to water holes in the paniila”- said Salunkenta.
“Then lets follow them” – Dukku.
“No they are going the other way. We need to get to east. They are going west. And that too we have enough water and food for now. Just let them pass”.
“Okay, then but I feel we should follow them to get some nice food. If we get a water hole we might get some fresh meat and fruits. That would help us”.
“These animals travel miles at one stretch. Following them may take us away from our path. Also, we have to rest, and Sammu hardly have had any rest. He has been of a lot of help and is tired. Let’s stay and we will continue tomorrow afternoon and throughout the night. If what our ancestors were right which they should have been as they mastered the paniila for eternity, We will find a place to stay whenever we require it in the paniila, like we got one today. So just relax and let them pass”.
They waited there for a while in alert and the herd passed. They were nearly 100 of them, children included. They rushed away as if something was after them. Dukku was watching them go with disgust.
“I think they are afraid of something. They say here in the paniila, string sand storms comes that even shakes the mountains. Our ancestors believed that it’s the foul breath of Satan, but Kolantha told me once that these are just Mother Nature wrath on these cursed lands. He told me once this land was green with water and trees and animals of all kind. But Mother Nature once got angry with the animal here for they didn’t give her enough. So, this is barren and full of just sand and the foul breath of Satan blow the sand to not let plants grow here.” –Said Salunkenta.
“So we must stick together. For now everyone go to sleep. If the storm comes, the guard will call us we will stick together near the fire. Now go and take rest. Tomorrow is a tough day ahead”.
Everyone went to sleep except Salunkenta who was still on watch. He was again in the silence of the desert alone with the sound of the crackling firewood and the slow yet steady wind that blew with it sands that could coarse down even the smoothest rock.
Again he saw Lastuka in her innocent sleeping position near the bronze light of the fire. She looked awesome and due to the heat of the fire and excitement of the herd of the paniila animals, little drops of sweat were dripping down her check from her forehead. He didn’t go near her again for he was guilty about the way he felt about a women who he should protect as the head of an order. The Samansadasuryas believed that a women especially as clever, powerful and charismatic as Lastuka had the right to choose her mating partner. So it was not her mandate to reciprocate to the feeling of Salunkenta.
After some time Salunkenta was tired and his eyes were heavy as if it would automatically shut and make him cut off from the world around him.
“What’s that”, - Salunkenta said to himself and from the distant east there was a roar coming as if thousands of lions were roaring together to drive them away. It was scary and in the midst their sleep no one was aware of it. Salunkenta knew at once what it was. It was the sound of the foul breath that brought with it sand to create new mountains and force to dismantle the already existing.
“Everybody wakeup”, Salunkenta was shouting at the top of his voice. But it was as if everyone of the order were enchanted to sleep till eternity. He went near Dukku first and woke him up and told him to wake others. He then went to Lastuka and touched her at her shoulder and she jumped off with her knife at her hand. She was so startled that she could have cut the throat of Salunkenta in one flick of her wrist. Salunkenta was shocked yet he knew it was no time to panic. He stayed calm and just told, “Listen the storm is coming. Wake up we need to stick together and face this mighty test of Mother Nature”. It took time for the beauty to recognize the words Salunkenta just told and the roar of the surging wind was growing louder. Dukku managed to wake the other two and they came near the fire. They looked towards the direction of the roar, but due to the darkness nothing was visible. They waited for sometime hoping for a demon to come front and roar, but it was the storm. The sands began to fly and the wind gathered speed. Slowly they realized that the roar had now engulfed them. They held each other’s hands and stuck near the fire. But the wind made the fire burn fiercely and small charcoal particles burning red under the dark sky began to dance with the wind as if a whole civilization of glow flies were celebrating the winds.
The fire now was getting even more intense and unpredictable and flames were hotter than ever. Smaller branches and pieces of wood with fire were now making it impossible to stand near the fire and the wind was now even pushing the members of the order in different direction.
“Hold each other’s hand and move towards the rock. We will hold the rock and wait till this storm passes. Get Lastuka in the middle, she is physically the weakest”- Salunkenta said and was surprised for his inner feeling for Lastuka had inherently made him to protect her before any other. He knew it would be Sammu who would be the weakest and yet he wanted Lastuka to be safer than Sammu. They held each other’s hand and moved towards the rock. But it was too late. A nearly one feet long dry wood piece completely on fire flew towards Salunkenta. Salunkenta ducked and he knew that he did a mistake.
“NO! AHH! SAVE ME!” Lastuka started shouting and her hair was literally on fire. Salunkenta could not understand and stood up and made Lastuka sit and buried her hair and head in the sand in one single flawless movement of his hand. For the first time he felt he had enough energy to drag an elephant to death single handedly. “You all move towards the rock and cling on to it. I will be her with Lastuka”. The others followed his order and moved towards the rock. Due to the rising wind and sand, the visibility was almost nil and in the light of the dancing fire that was now freely flying everywhere, it was impossible to see beyond two to three feet. Salunkenta ducked with Lastuka under him and curdled around her and stuck low in the sand putting his bag on his and Lastuka’s face. They were now looking at each other at and understandably unnerving closeness. The wind outside was growing stronger and time stopped for the two. They were now looking deep into each other’s eyes and almost forgot the presence of a storm and flying fire woods. They stayed low and were nearly half buried in sand and the bag near their faces protected them from the sand. The storm was now slowing down and from the distant horizon in the east a slight ray of reddish orange light was peeking into the paniila. The storm stopped.
“Lastuka! Salunkenta! Lastuka! Hey here they are”. Dukku was the one who pointed out the presence of the huddled pair near the fire that was just a pile of blacked out sand and some unburned heavy wood with a little charcoal.
“Salunkenta, are you okay”, said Machua. Then was that both of them realized that the storm was over and the need to cuddle each other in the sand was no longer present. Out of embracement, Salunkenta jumped up and said “yes we are okay”. Looking at Lastuka to acknowledge the fact he told. Lastuka just nodded apparently still looking at Salunkenta and told, “Yes we are fine”.
It was both the guilt of feeling the way they felt and the joy of feeling so, that made them feel uneasy as if out of breath. “Its morning already and I think Salunkenta and Sammu should rest as they never completed their sleep. By that time we can make some fire and cook some smoked meat. And then we can think what to do and where to go next”, - Dukku.
As decided Salunkenta and Sammu slept for dome time and the other three, went to collect some wood to make a fire again. Lastuka went to get the smoked meat and poked them by a stick and made a garland out of it. Then she hung it above the fire that Machua and Dukku made. By that time the sun was out and heat was growing. Though they were in the shadow of the rocks and the canyon formed by the rocks, the heat was supposed to dry out all moisture in the air and make the place even arid. They called the other two to have breakfast.
Lastuka gave everyone two pieces of the cooked meat and some corn to eat. The water was sparse so, they drank less and sat around the fire for some time. When heat started to rise, they extinguished the fire and sat in the shadow of the rocks.
“So, what do you think we should do? The paniila is more dangerous than we thought and our water resource is depleting. Walking in the night is good, but at day resting is hard, especially if we don’t find a shadow. And worse if a storm like that of yesterday comes again; we don’t chance a stand in open ground” – said Dukku.
“Yeah, but if a storm comes, we need to lie down on the sand and cover your eyes and put a skin on your head to allow you breathing. That helped me and Lastuka. As of the water problem, I think we will get water holes at places in between. At this point of time, we must not be hopeless. Because, hope drives the weak in a harsh jungle. Let’s hope we will be fine and will reach our destination”. – said Salunkenta.
At evening they started walking again. This time they were fresh from the rest, and walked slow but steady. The stuck together and went in straight distance going around the sand dunes rather on them. This saved energy that they wasted in climbing the sand dunes.
The night was eventless and went smoothly. They appeared to be in the correct direction and located the brightest star to their left. They made sure in there route round the sand dunes, they were maintaining their direction by keeping the star to their left as told by Bhagnati: “The path is difficult and uneven. See the stars. Only the brightest star of the sky that doesn’t move can help you find your way, but make sure it is to the left of you”.
Even in the emptiness of the paniila, they always found life teaming up in bizarre forms and living in the paniila. Snakes that crossed the sands diagonally, Scorpions that dug sands and stayed inside, Vultures in search of corpse circling the emptiness and variety of insects that had the least chance of surviving stayed in the paniila. At places, rocks formed bizarre shapes mostly shaped by the storms. The bones and skulls of animals beyond recognition were always there to find. The rocks were left as marks of the great Banjaras. Drawing of hunting and moving were always found on these rocks.
“May be the great Banjaras lived through the paniila for long time. The drawings on these rocks are old and can only say that once this emptiness was teaming with caravans”. – Lastuka told pointing to a painting of a man hunting a boar.
“Yes, the great Banjaras are told to be good painters, singers, dancers and hunters. They could pass their time in great journeys by dancing and singing together. I think these paintings are part of that journey. Before settling down near the great Sindhayan, some of them started a journey into the paniila and never returned. It might even be possible that we will encounter villages like that of ours in our journey created by these Banjaras”. – said Salunkenta.
“We will rest today near these rocks and will hope our water supplies last”. – Salunkenta.
They made their beddings again with little available bushes near the rock and slept on them having a lunch of smoked meat and corn. Next in the evening, they started walking again.
After 3 days of walking, the paniila started to look never ending. The water supply and the food were getting over. The men were becoming more and more agitated. Salunkenta was starting to lose faith in his destiny.
“No! I can’t walk any longer. You all leave and I will stay back and die. I will not be able to walk”. – said Lastuka.
“See the burden of a woman. I knew she was weak”. – said Dukku.
“Well if you knew everything why didn’t you tell? She is just tired. So are we all. In this godforsaken place where there is no food no water and no shade, getting tired is normal”- said Salunkenta.
“Stop it! It’s just been 5 days into the journey and we have started arguing. Soon we will be fighting and killing each other. I am okay. We will walk again”. – said Lastuka
Her feet were worn out in the hot sand and blisters covered her feet’s palm. Even then she tried her best to conceal it from others by putting a leather socks on. But the leather did less good. In the heat being covered meant the blisters will grow and sweat made her legs even miserable. The next day morning brought with a hope. In the horizon towards the east there appeared to a big river glistering in the morning sun. Dukku was the biggest and the bulkiest. So he was the thirstiest. At the glimpse of the river, he ran towards the river in the hope of reaching it first. Everyone else followed him running towards the river. But the river was no river of water but that of light reflecting on the shiny sands of the paniila. After a run for it Dukku understood it’s no water but light, they stopped.

Preface ... cont...

The day of departure finally arrived. The Samansadasuryas were both tensed and hopeful. All the members of the order were ready to go. Lastuka had already packed 5 bags each containing smoked meat, dresses, knifes made up of ivory, bones and stone. Some fire making flint stones. Sammu was ready with his water skins. They were more looking like a fox without its head. The bone ring around the neck where he left some leather out to tie the opening was distinctly visible. The limbs were tied down and burnt to seal any openings. Filled with water its belly was swollen like it had a baby fox in it. But it was effective and that’s what matters most. All the five members of the order were carrying a spear, a bag pack and a skin of water. They also carried weapons of their own choice.
Salunkenta carried a long knife nearly one and a half feet long made up of ivory with a bronze hilt attached to the handle that was made up of the same ivory. The knife was strong and was curved. It was a slashing weapon that could hack through a tiger’s neck easily. The blade was toothed so that it could be used for cutting also. He tucked it in his belt that tied the robe he was wearing. Lastuka sewed the robe from tiger skin alone. The robe was loose and was tied with a brownish colored piece of leather round his hip. He also wore a head band made up of leather.
Dukku carried his bone club and tucked it in the belt that held his breechcloth in place. The bone club was made up of a front thigh bone of an elephant and was decorated with spikes (teeth of crocodiles, foxes and tigers) at the top (the striking part of the club). The handle was primitive and the lowest part of the bone was sharpened to make it a stabbing weapon also. He also carried small knifes that were mostly made up off stones, wood and bones.
Machua was carrying two spears both very straight and shined in the sun. Apart from that he had another straight stick and another bag full of small stone tools including 4 hand axes, knives and a small bone club. He also took with him a dozen of thin darts made up of bones of smaller animals. He was wearing a loincloth, and garlands made up of different sorts of precious stones, bones and leaves. He also carried with him a long knife like that of Salunkenta but was straight and heavier. Made up of whale bone, that once washed out at the Samundal nearby. He tucked it in the belt that held his loincloth.
Sammu was looking the least prepared of all. He was wearing a scot made up of leather and garlands of leaves and bones. He carried a normal spear and also the bag pack that was packed for him by Lastuka. Apart from it he carried another bag that had what he told “important tools for the journey”. No one knew what he was having in that bag.
Lastuka was looking gorgeous in her scot and a tiger skin blouse that was roughly sewed leaving her cleavage visible. Her dusky skin with the bright tiger skin gave her a look of a long lost deity. She wore her normal semicircular feather band behind her head on her hairs. The feathers in the band were new and white. With her blackish brown hair clubbed together to create a bun, which went out of the band, she was looking amazing. She also out of her normal was wearing jewelries made up of precious stones, bones and leather. But among them was a copper locket dazzling in the sun, threaded with leather came straight down to her cleavage and was dangling there as if asking permission to go down her valley. The locket was of the shape of a tiger tooth. She carried a spear, a long knife made up of whale bone but smaller than that of Machua. She also carried an extra bag in which she kept tools made up of stones and bones and some bone needles to sew anything if required.
“Here, Come nearer to me”. Said, the oldest of the villagers. “You are going on a quest you were never prepared for. But you will succeed. You belong to the families of the great Banjaras. They never fail. They move around. They walk from hell to heaven and never stop. Our forefathers told us, to become a banjara, you need to work together. Hunt together. Eat together. Some of you are strong. Some are weaker. Some will be healthy, other might be ill. Some will be focused others might panic. As the leader of the order, it’s you Salunkenta, who will have to lead them. Don’t lead just by examples. Lead by pulling and pushing. Pull those down who are going faster and push them who are slowing down. When you will get into the rhythm of nature, no more pushing and pulling would be required. You will not walk like a group but like a single entity. We will have to stick together for when you are alone you break, but when together, you will be safe. Listen to the members of the order for advice for you never know even the foulest can be the wisest at a given situation. Listen to your heart when you head does not reply, but stick to your head to take decision and your heart to motivate yourself to go further for your head is logical and will solve problems and your heart is courageous but will lead to into troubles”. Saying this he punched Salunkenta at his heart so hard that he almost fell down. “Don’t let the odds cloud your logic, for if it would not have been logic we would be the same as the animals we hunt. Don’t let Mother Nature to be angry on you. She might and will test your courage and strength. You might have to give sacrifices beyond imagination. You are the hope we are left with”. These words echoed for a longtime. “You are the hope we are left with”.
Sandhukirana was the only one standing in the crowd who was not even murmuring. He looked stressed and angry. From the day he was selected as the temporary Pundikura, he was looking unhappy about his life. He wanted to be in the order being the part of the prophecy. He knew he deserved to be with them receiving the honor of a hero and blessing of the god. But the truth was also clear. He was the only one who knew that the prophecy was true while others doubted it. He knew the jungle and some part of the precarious paniila. So he accepted that he will have to deal with the obvious and will have to wait alive with his fellow villagers till the order of the origin comes back with the location of their new Samansadasurya.
“The morning sun is smiling on us. The red sun that shows death in the valley is raising red from the day Kolantha died. And perhaps will rise that way till the order succeed. So we must hurry. Also the sun will be hard this cycle (lunar cycle). So they will have to hurry. Let’s go to the house of Pundikuras and we all will pray for the safety of the order and those who stay back to fight the Nature till the order comes back”. All of them nodded and moved towards the house at the center of the village. At the respected house Sandhukirana took his place in the middle of the court yard on his chair. And the order stood by the copper pillars next to the chair. The elders of the village stood at the front and the men and women followed. Everyone was silent and a ghostly shadow was upon the village. The sun was shining but was not hard. It was like it is lazy to give away its power to the inferior creatures like us. As soon as everyone organized themselves, Sandhukirana stood up and told, “I know many of us would accept the fact that I am not as good as Kolantha and easily we are against one of the biggest odd we have faced. I am afraid so everyone should be. But in these desperate attempts of us to survive we must not forget that our great forefathers always told us not to panic when there is a situation. So I propose that we form another order, ‘The order of counsel’, who would help me and assist us in case of any situation. We don’t know what is it that is going to happen. I don’t doubt Kolantha and so no one should. But before he could reveal details of Mother Nature’s fury, he died and so did the secret to our rescue with him”. He took a deep breath and again said, “So the order of counsel or ‘The counsel’ will take turn to guard the village, the river and the forest. The village elders will try to talk to Mother Nature and so will I for any hint that might save us from the calamity. We might not know what way the Mother will take her wrath out, but we know she wants us to be alive. That’s why she told us it in advance. So I feel she will warn us again and we should be prepared well to get the message perfectly and act upon it. I thought about this and I have listed 5 people for this order. Anyone who wants to back up may do so”.
“Saran the hunter, his hunting skills is exemplary and his patience is legendary while stocking. Would you like to be in the order”? A dark skinned man with a heavy body yet fast while he walked, came front and told, “It would be my honor”. He was wearing a loincloth made up of a blackbuck’s and another leather piece that went across his left shoulder and came across to be fixed in his loincloth. “It would be my honor for you to be in the order”, told Sandhukirana.
“Thusa the farmer, he knows the field and the river water. He can predict floods and so can help us. Would you like to be in the order”? A thin skinny and boney man came up and told in a grave tone that certainly didn’t go with his personality, “Yes Pundikura, I will”. He was also wearing a blackbuck loincloth, but was not wearing anything else. “I will feel safer when you will be at watch”, told Sandhukirana.
“Araan the runner, he runs faster than a cheetah and we will require a runner to carry information to the village from the river and the forest. Would you like to join the order”? Yet another thin, skinny and dark skinned man walked to the front. He was also wearing a simple loincloth. But made up of what looked like a fox skin. He was thin and lean like Thusa yet he was powerful.”Yes Pundikura, I will”. “I will feel faster when you will be around”, told Sandhukirana.
“Bhagnati the eldest of all, his wisdom is unquestionable, and his link with Mother Nature is second only to Kolantha himself. Would you like to join the order”? The same old man who presided over the construction of the order of origin came forth. He was also in a loincloth though it looked more like a scot. He was bald except for a little hair just above his ears and neck which were completely white. He must have been tall and strong as a youth for even at his age his persona was commendable. He wore very few ornaments. “Yes Pundikura, I will be honored”. “No sir, it would be me who would be honored, to be able to save the village by standing next to you. Your presence makes me feel nearer to Mother Nature and wiser”.
“Saminta the farsighted, her sight is that of a hawk and her presence will give us vision beyond imagination. Would you like to join us”? “Yes! Yes! Yes”! From beyond the crowd came out a short, dusky skinned lady. She was strong yet looked delicate. She was wearing the same kind of dress that of Lastuka but she was fond of ornaments. She had small steps but walked very briskly. Her eyes were dreamy. Though short and dusky, she looked attractive with perfect curves. The bun on her head did not have any decorated feathers as that of Lastuka but she kept it cleanly done, and that made her looks ever aromatizing. “Yes I want to be in it. I will see beyond distance and time. I am overwhelmed to be in the order”. She smiled and had an expression of both embarrassment and joy. “I too will be overwhelmed to have you by my side”. Sandhukirana said with a smile on his face too.
“This is the order I feel should be there to counsel me at times of need when we deal against this calamity. Let Mother Nature be with us”.
Bhagnati came near the copper pillar and said, “So here by as part of a order and the eldest among you, I Bhagnati declare that Saran the hunter, Thusa the farmer, Araan the runner, Saminta the farsighted, Sandhukirana the chosen and I form the order of counsel. That will be responsible for the safety of people of Samansadasurya while the order of origin is in the quest to find out the place to the east where we can go and start our lives again. May Mother Nature be with us”.
There was a small feast of meat and wheat porridge that was given to the order members to fill their stomach and leave for the precarious journey. After the feasting was over, They all came to the villagers again and departed for the new journey ahead.
Salunkenta headed the team and Dukku, Lastuka, Machua and Sammu followed him in silence into the unknown world of the paniila and beyond on this impossible journey to save the Samansadasuryas from the wrath of Mother Nature.

Preface (The origin of the orders)

The village (Samansadasurya) was a small village on the bank of river Indus (Sindhayan as called then). The social structure of the tribe was bizarrely different. It was a democratically socialistic village. The village head was a shaman who was nothing like the other shaman of the era. He was more of a guy who predicted whether, calculated dates, seasons etc. The village had a big piece of land near the bank and cultivated the land together. They distributed the produced among themselves on per head basis. The shaman was the one who normally presided over such things. Though farming was done but was not enough for all so every family went for hunting and fishing. Both were done by use of crude spears made of wood and stone. Copper was used but due to the rarity of the metal and the softness of it, it was mostly used for decorative purposes. Women loved copper and envied them who wore copper jewelries. The spears were prepared with caution by first finding out the straightest piece of shaft. Then the shaft was dried in sun and put in water for months. That made the wood stronger and then by putting animal fats on it, it was baked in the sun. The oil would get into the wood and make it even stronger but heavier. Then it was cut down to size and tested for its strength. This wood then with the help of naturally occurring resins would be fixed with a small sharp stone (flint) and would be tied by a piece of animal skin. This formidable weapon made the Samansadasuryas great hunters. Their throws were immaculate and their hunting skills intimidating. They also used them to catch fish.
The fishing technique used by the Samansadasuryas was even cooler. They would go the shallow water in the river and stand there for a long time, until the fishes would no longer feel the presence of a stranger. Then when a big fish would be in range with accuracy and speed they would throw their spear and make the kill. Such patient technique would normally be done in groups of two to five to achieve better success. They were a tribe who helped each other and lived a peaceful life. Since no pottery was evolved those days, the used banana leaves as plates. The huts they lived in were made with leaves, mud, sticks, bamboos and animal skin.
As any other tribe they had a strong judiciary system. The system was based on democracy and the punishments were strong. There was no fixed punishment and the truth of a person was judged by the villager’s votes. The shaman presided over it. Shaman was a powerful man but chosen by the earlier shaman and the villagers at the age of 5. Then the child was to live with the shaman and the shaman would teach the child about all arts of life. He would be taught to learn the secrets to calculate the days, the seasons, to identify weather.
But the most astonishing fact about the tribe was lack of a marriage ritual. Here the catch was to mate a female you needed to impress her and after mating you never had any responsibility. The tribe lived as a team and took care of the women, young and old together. Once someone died they would bury them with all his/her riches in the field. They followed the rules to make their life easier and were always welcome to change.
“This is a fascinating day. The sky is clear and sun god is smiling upon us today “. Salunkenta gave a nod at the speaker and told, “yeah a great day for fishing “. Salunkenta and the speaker, Sandhukirana were friends from their childhood. They were good hunters and lived their life by hunting, fishing and farming barley with the other villagers. The village shaman (Pundikura as they called him) was Kolantha. Kolantha was a hard man, with enormous skills in hunting and leadership qualities made him very popular. When he was selected by the previous shaman, he was 5 years old and was selected as he was the one with the strongest arm when he took birth. The previous shaman was right in his decision and Kolantha proved it times and times again.
The Samansadasuryas before going to any work normally went to him to find out the weather. This was what both Salunkenta and Sandhukirana were about do for seeking out confirmation from the expert on their inference on the weather. As they went along to the shaman, Salunkenta said, “This time around I think we will get a great crop. The water is good in the river. Sun is shining on us and the cool in the air will help wheat to grow”.
“Yes, but I don’t know what about the rats. Kolantha told he was doing something for them, but the rats are destroying the crops. May be this year we will have to hunt a lot if the rats keep on doing this”. Sandhukirana said with an expression of disgust. He was wearing a long piece of tiger skin he earned in his last hunting tour into the forests. His torso was covered by a series of garlands made by threading thin leaves of different exotic color with a single string of deer skin he killed a month ago. Deer was a nice food but only if you can catch it. They were fast and usually lived deep in the forest with wild animals like tigers and lions and elephants. They were an evasive target even for the most trained hunters like Salunkenta. So a deer killed was utilized properly by using its skin for dresses. Its horns for making tools like knife. Its meet was eaten. Its bones were used to make ornaments.
“Have faith, Mother Nature is not so ruthless. She will hear Kolantha’s Prayer. He will increase snakes in the field and rats will be killed out”. Salunkenta said. Then they were indulged in hot stories of their time and reached Kolantha’s hut. The houses in Samansadasurya were not planned. Usually better hunters had better houses as one of the most important part of their house: Animal skin was got by hunting only. But one man’s house was always at the center of the village since the time of the first crops, and had never been shifted, and has doubled in its glory. The house of the Pundikura was passed on to the present Pundikura by the previous one. The house was big enough for half of the village and was made by putting 4 feet thick mud walls reinforced by bamboo pillars. The house had a big door that lead to a compound. Small rooms surrounded the compound. Each room was thatched by straws, leaves, plants and was covered by an elephant skin. The elephant teeth were used to decorate the compound. In the middle of the compound was a crude chair, made with bones of animals and covered with tiger skin. There were 2 copper pillars on the sides of the chair. This was the chair that the Pundikura used to address meeting of the village.
The Samansadasuryas believed in only one type of sacrifice. The thing that is dearest to them. They normally gave the blood of the kill they made to the Mother Nature, at the altar placed next to the chair of the Pundikura. They believed blood is sacred and only Mother Nature is allowed to drink it.
“Kolantha, Kolantha”. Salunkenta called out loudly after he got to the compound. Kolantha came out from a small room. At 6’9” tall he was intimidating. He was powerful that was reflected by the cuts of his abdomen, leg and biceps. He was wearing a deer skin gown and leaves garlands. But the difference was in the number of ornaments made by bones, teeth etc that he wore. He carried a spear with a shiny metallic tip made of copper and the shaft was also bigger and looked very strong. He also had a knife attached at his belt that fixed the deer skin. Facial paints of red, brown and white color created a distinctive looks to his face. He was looking as a deity himself.
“Kolantha, we were thinking to go for fishing today, came to seek your advice”. Kolantha was standing still as if in a trance. He was staring at the arrivals as if seeing them for the first time. He came closer and closer and then collapsed on the chair in the middle of the compound. All of a sudden he started to roll his eyes and shake his head wildly. His well aligned hair pushed backward became disoriented and started flying here and there as if he was a coconut tree swinging in a cyclone. He started murmuring and closed his eyes. He was getting into the mode where they called it,”ammathalagi”, meaning mother has occupied him. He stood up and started dancing and was holding Salunkenta and Sandhukirana alternatively to gain balance. Then he collapsed to the chair again and regained consciousness. Both Salunkenta and Sandhukirana were baffled by this behavior of Kolantha. Usually ammathalagi happened during scarifies. But today was different. They knew some grave danger was upon them. He asked Kolantha for water and with a leave of Taro, brought some water from a stone vessel.
Kolantha’s eyes were blood drunk, and he was trebling. Like an unstoppable stream tears were flowing from his eyes. When a 6’9” tall muscular man starts crying like that it’s a horrifying scene. Salunkenta puzzled by the recent happenings asked, “What happened great hunter? We have never seen you crying like this. What is wrong?” Sandhukirana nodded with acknowledgement. Kolantha caught his breath and with a strong yet soft voice responded, “Everything you know the way it is going to get transformed. Mother Nature herself will put forth her fury. We will have to flee to the great paniila (desert) of the east crossing the giriunta. Then will have to travel into the unknown, till we get to the Samundal (Sea). Fish and hunt as much you can. We will leave during the next black night.
Both the hunters were terrified. They could not understand anything. “Why Mother Nature is furious on us?” Salunkenta said. “We pour her blood of our kill. We give the ashes of our remaining crops to her. Why?” it was a question whose answer even the wise Kolantha didn’t have. He just said calmly in his strong yet soft voice, “This is life. Our father’s fathers were Banjaras (nomads). They knew the truth. Life never lets you stay at one place for ever. Mother Nature wants us to go to learn. Learn more of her mysteries. She wants us to be strong, strong against the biggest calamity. She wants us to understand and outlive the rules of death. She is mother. Every mother has her way to teach her children. She wants us to be alive. So she is informing us. Don’t dare her, cause she lets us live. Now go. Go deep in the jungle. You will find elephants, deer and boars. Gather all the goats & lambs. We need a lot of meat. I will tell the villagers to gather today evening here. We need to tell everyone about this.”
Salunkenta and Sandhukirana confused and afraid of the Kolantha’s prophecy and determined to get enough meat for their small tribe started walking deep into the jungle until they came across the lake in the middle of the jungle. This lake was created by elephants and was often regarded by the Samansadasuryas as a haunted place where many different types of animals and birds met and conspired against them as Mother Nature favored them with unique knowledge of the earth. They were afraid yet cautious. They hurried but yet slow enough to watch their feet. Both the hunters took their bone clubs and spears in their hand and went into the open land around the lake. This was the richest place in the forest with elephants, deer, boars and a lot other types of animal coming together to drink water. But it was not a piece of cake for them to go on and hunt at such a place. The cover near the lake was bad. And it was surrounded by leopards, tigers, lions, bears, jackals, wolfs; hyenas and the most feared the crocodiles.
They had to be very cautious as neither the water nor the land was safe. Even the tree tops were covered with deadly cobras and king cobras. They walked silently and swiftly as a perfect hunter taking cover behind big stones, trees and sometime by crawling in the thick undergrowth. The mesmerizing music of the koel from a nearby tree, the trumpets of the elephants blowing their long nose and trying to mud each other, the hustle of the deer, the breaking of twigs and branches under the feet of the elephants all helped the hunters to come closer and closer until the spotted a bull elephant charging towards them from the other side of the half dried beach. They were afraid of being spotted. In panic they were about to get up and run but the found out another bull running towards the bull charging towards them. It was a mating ritual. The bulls fought to get the best female. But Salunkenta and Sandhukirana both knew these fights could well be very intense and this could be an ideal way to ambush other panicking animals. They wanted to get some deer and boars. So they waited near the trees so that anything that came in their path could be hunted. Their patience paid and at the end they were able to gather 5 deer and 6 adult boars. They brought a bamboo and tied them on the bamboo. With one end of the shoulder of each hunter both of them carried their prize out of the wilderness to the village. They took the meat to the shaman. Kolantha was sitting on the chair in his courtyard and they found the whole of the village gathered around him. They were all silent as if it was the silence before a storm and Kolantha was sitting as if all grace from his strong body has gone out.
At the sight of Salunkenta and Sandhukirana all the villagers turned. The sun was dying out and the eyes of all the villagers were swollen with tears still pricking down their chicks. There was nothing left to tell. The situation told it all and both the hunters knew straight what just happened. They were dumbstruck. They knew nothing of what to tell. Kolantha wanted to tell the villagers about the journey and the prophecy. Yet here he was sitting like a king at the center of his people unable to speak anything forever. And then something struck to them. What if Kolantha could not speak about the prophecy to the Samansadasuryas? So Salunkenta asked the villagers in a voice of such command and authority that he could have been easily misunderstood. But the fear and dilemma of the question in his mind could not hold his tongue. He demanded “Who was the last one to meet Kolantha? Did anyone speak to him before he died”? Seeing this anxiety, Sandhukirana came up and stood beside Salunkenta and whispered “you may just create a panic n the village and the big cats around the forest might ambush us in the panic. Calm down and explain every one the incident that happened today morning”. But it was too late, Salunkenta was already making statements. “You fools don’t just keep mum. Speak up or else we all shall die”. This was like a jolt of lightning on the Samansadasuryas. There was a huge murmuring going around and Salunkenta was standing near the body of the shaman with authority and tears in his eye.
Then a village elder stood up and told, “We don’t know what you are talking about but, Kolantha told us that a young man will lead us to a distant land. And we will have to choose him by our wisdom. So we have decided that anyone who could talk to Mother Nature will take the place of Kolantha and we will follow him even to the depth of the Samundal. By the way you are demanding we think you know about the fate of our future and so we challenge you to talk to Mother Nature herself”.
Salunkenta was standing puzzled. He knew that talking to Mother Nature is not simple. He will have to sit ideally for hours and come up with information that is unique and could only be derived from Mother Nature. He looked at Sandhukirana but then again the village elder talked.
“You will not have to do anything sitting here. We have talked and decided that you will have to travel to the distant land and comeback with a piece of evidence. Kolantha told there will be a Samundal near the distance land and that will have many tortoises that will be big and different. Bring us the shell of it and we will go to that land. But beware before you accept the challenge. You have only 2 years to do it and you can choose only those who want to travel with you. The path is difficult and uneven. See the stars. Only the brightest star of the sky that doesn’t move can help you find your way, but make sure it is to the left of you”.
Salunkenta was watching like he has dragged himself to be a hero but didn’t want to be one. He didn’t choose anything for himself. He was just a simple man trying to express his emotion. Seeing the contours of his face, Sandhukirana told, “Don’t worry friend, we both were into this together and I will not leave you alone. I will come with you even to the stars to save our people”. The elderly man knew what was going through the mind of Salunkenta. So he told “It’s not in our hands always to determine the path of our future. But yes with determination and courage if we face it, we might shape its outcome. So go, I know there will be plenty who will help you and if it was not for my age and the fear of slowing you down I would also have come”.
This gave Salunkenta hope and courage. He with all his might shouted “yes I will go. Yes I will find the tortoise. Yes I will get to safety. But before I go I must warn all, don’t go to the river alone. Each day one of the villagers takes shift to watch at the river, even during summer. And any chance of a flood, go away to the forest and climb the tallest tree in the middle of the swamp. And stay there until the flood is gone”. Then he turned to Sandhukirana and told, “Dear friend this expedition is ours, but we need someone with the knowledge of the forest with the villages as the flood might come any day. So you stay behind and pray to Mother Nature to help us. To give us strength and pour blood to her every night from your hunt”. To this Sandhukirana was reacting but then the old man intervened again. He said, “Yes one of you must stay back for you have the courage to fight and the knowledge to prosper. So you need to stay to lead us during these difficult times. May Mother be with you”.
Sandhukirana told, “Okay but I will not stay until I feel Salunkenta has got a big enough and skilled crew on this expedition. And also we will have to swear that you will follow my words during the difficult times without questioning. If you agree to this I might give away my honor and stay back as a coward with you. So ‘WHO WANTS TO GO WITH SALUNKENTA’”? The question echoed round the place as if it was told by a thousand people at a time and a deathly silence fell among the people. Everyone started to look at one another with a compelling look that translated to “are you going”?
“I will go”. A voice sounded from the back of the crowd and a barbaric looking, dark strong man came up and repeated, “I will go”. There was a loud murmur in the crowd. His name was Dukku. Dukku was a tall man with the power of lifting a mountain alone. He was the strongest among them but definitely not the brightest. At 6’9” tall and a broad chest, he was looking like a mountain. His appearance was that of a true warrior who could win a battle with the fiercest lion with his bare hand. His strength was a legend among the Samansadasuryas. He wore a brief made up of deer skin, roughly sewed with some short of old brown leather. Apart from this he wore only one locket that looked like a canine of a crocodile or tiger. His hairs and beard were long and gave him a dirty yet powerful look. His voice was coarse like a roar of a lion and his eyes glittered like the brightest sun.
“Sandhukirana, you lead our people and I will help Salunkenta. I promise in the name of Mother Nature herself, that if I betray Salunkenta in his sacred quest, I will die in my hut with no one to bury me. And vultures will eat away my body”.
“Dukku, your help is welcome and appreciated, but not you alone. Who else is ready to come”?
“I will”. Said a voice that from the way it sounded was of a female, and so it was. A very good looking female named Lastuka came forward. She was at her prime with nice curves and a body any one will lust. She was dusky in color and was wearing dress made up of many colored skins of different animals the prominent being that of a tiger, a fox and a deer. But the thing that made her appearance distinct was the prominent lack of any jewelries and a semicircular band of swan feathers creating a circular background to her face that was attached to her hairs. She was a strong woman by the standards of any woman. She had a distinctive strong arm and was regarded as one of the wisest in the village. She had a round face that with her glittering eyes was looking both cute and curious.
“I appreciate your gesture of selflessness”, said Sandhukirana. ”But this is a dangerous quest and I don’t know if a woman can keep up to these men’s speed”.
But Salunkenta intervened. “No, she is one of the brightest of all in our tribe and she can be of great help with her brain. She is strong enough to keep up the pace and we may need a female for gathering roots in our way”.
These words got Lastuka to smile and she gave a single nod to Salunkenta approving his comments.
“Okay if you say so. But only two, no one else wants to go”? The words echoed around again as if everything around them was hollow. Sandhukirana was having a look of both disturbed and surprised. “No one is brave enough?” He asked again. No one replied. After hesitating one voice came, “Okay I will go. But I don’t know how useful I will be”. The voice was of a man called Sammu. Sammu was lean and was not very strong. He had a dusky complexion but not as dark as Dukku. He wore a simple brief made up of fox skin and was having no ornament what so ever. He was regarded as the most useless man in the tribe. He seldom hunted. He scavenged for dead meat near the village and was usually busy collecting herbs that he claimed could cure curses. Every disease we know was thought to be curses, by the Samansadasurya. He claimed that eating the leaves of a tree which was so bitter one could not even imagine touching it (neem) could help reduce chance of measles. Though everyone was frightened to try anything he told after he claimed some cobra venom could be used to reduce pain of an injured. He was teased by all and was never taken seriously. But he was determined and truly believed in what he was saying. He even tried to cut open to body of a man from another tribe who died in a small battle. He was considered as a mad but only Kolantha appreciated his efforts to cure people and only due to him he was still in the village. Perhaps as Kolantha died he knew he had little chance of living in the village and so he wanted to go for the quest. His curiosity was his curse.
“No! No! No! The last thing we want is a paranoid among the questants. You are unpredictable and god knows what you will do with them if left alone. Back away now or you will be dead”. Sandhukirana was about to beat him up when the elder told calmly. “Don’t be so rude. He might be different but he definitely is brainy. His skill with some medicines is exemplary. He could be useful in a land where nothing is predictable. His unpredictability can be a boon. Mind you Kolantha himself told that he is restless like a monkey and cunning like a fox. He would be useful mark my words”.
Sandhukirana was shaking his head with disagreement but Salunkenta came and put a hand on his shoulder and nodded.
“Forget about him, until I am there no one can shake the determination of the questants to reach the goal and get the tortoise”. The voice had components of enthusiasm and strength in it. The man who spoke was one of the best fishermen of the village. His name was Machua. Machua was average in health and looked like a normal man. But it was not strength alone that helped a fisherman. He was calm yet curious. He was focused and yet could see a lot. He was fast like a lightning and his aim was perfect even in the delusion of running water. His bravery against crocodiles was themselves a chronicle and he was regarded highly among the villages. His inclusion was cheered by one and all and hence an order was created.
Machua, the fisherman.
Dukku, the strong.
Lastuka, the brainy.
Sammu, the mad.
And Salunkenta, the leader.
The order came near to the Pundikura’s chair and held there hand towards the village elder. The village elder took their hands and said.
“I hereby as the most experienced of you all declare it. Machua, the fisherman, whose aim is perfect and whose patience is exemplary, Dukku the strong, who can kill a tiger with his bare hand, Lastuka the brainy who is bright and knows the roots, Sammu the mad, who is unpredictable and yet knows the herbs and Salunkenta the chosen who is to lead the quest form a order ‘the order of origin’ as their success should mark a new origin for our tribe. They from this moon onwards are bonded to each other to respect, care and protect each other and the cause even at the stake of their life. They are to go deep into the forests towards the sun’s home and find the tortoise that is different and big from the Samundal at the end of this land. Anybody who objects may say now or never”.
Saying this he remained silent and waited for objections. When no one objected he resumed.
“In this period of difficult times our people need someone who knows the forest and knows the prophecy. So I propose Sandhukirana to lead our people as the new Pundikura. If anyone objects he must say now or never”.
Now he again waited and then said “So the order begins their journey next black night and we shall wait for them till 25 full moons to follow. If they don’t return, Sandhukirana will be challenged and a rightful Pundikura will be chosen”.
“May the mother be with them”.
The morning was different the next day of creation of the order. The sun was blood red as if has taken a bath in blood and the forest appeared to be silent than ever. The whole of the village gathered together at the house of the Pundikura to bury their great shaman. The village was silent and though such a big gathering justifies noise, none of the villagers talked. The order themselves went to the field and dug a grave. The grave was not ordinary and was square in shape. It was big enough for 10 men but again it was the grave of their shaman. It had to be different. As ritual the personal possessions of Kolantha was to be buried but not the ones that were passed on to him. It was now Sandhukirana to preside over it. Kolantha with all his clothes, ornaments and spear was carried on a stretcher made out of bamboo and animal skin was taken to the grave. There Sandhukirana told “May the body of this great man go back to where it came from. May he rest there in peace and see to the fertility of the lands. May his soul carry on to the place of Mother Nature to be with the souls of all other Pundikuras”.
“He has given the true sacrifice to warn us about the future, and so let he be treated as a god in his burial ceremony”, said the village elder.
The burial ceremony was big. The body of the Pundikura was lowered to his grave by the order and Sandhukirana. And each one did their part by putting dirt into his grave. Some even added their own precious in the grave. Machua gave a spear. Dukku gave a bone club made out of the thigh bone of an elephant. Lastuka gave a feather from her crown. Sammu gave his pestle made of copper he got from another village. And Salunkenta gave blood from his kill last night and told, “May like this blood to run thorough our land and help it grow strong. And may like the great deer whose blood this is, you stay happy and energetic forever”.
The burial was over by the time the sun was at the horizon. The villagers came back to the house of the Pundikura to discuss what to do now so that the order can start their journey. The journey was tough and food and weapons they must carry. Also the great paniila towards the sun’s home was devoid of water and so they need to take with them water. The biggest problem for anyone to carry water was it could not be tied down. So it was difficult to carry.
Acknowledging this problem, Sammu told.
”Well I know I am not regarded as the best person in the order but I have a solution for carrying water. I assume the responsibility to carry water just enough to let us pass this great paniila without dying. So I will go to my house to start working on it and will meet you in the evening every two days to let you know about my progress. I think Dukku, Salunkenta and Machua can gather meat and fish for our journey while Lastuka should be able to sew some dresses and get some roots and crops to take along so that we can survive the paniila. I am sure once we cross the paniila; we will be able to hunt again and may be gather some roots and fruits. So I am leaving now”.
He started walking briskly towards his hut at the outskirts of the village where nearly no one came. He knew he had an idea and this was his chance to let the others know that he was not mad. He knew with effective sewing and burning the ends of the hairs of a fox skin he could make a nearly water proof bag that can hold water for one to cross the paniila. He just needed 5 fox, hunt them and skin them. He was confident about his plan and walked in a way never before he thought he could.
The sudden declaration and departure of Sammu was more a shock to others as they could not understand if to leave a mad with a matter serious enough to ruin their quest or to trust him as a member of the order. Salunkenta understood everyone’s thought and said, “He is a member of the order and doubting anyone from it is to doubt the whole of the order. He might be unorthodox but the problem here is also strange. So I think he is the perfect man to go after it. Also the mad has paved a plan for the members of the order, which I feel is a good one. So for the timing we will follow it and meet after 2 days here when the sun is about to be gulped by the distant lands”.
Every one from the order went to work while the villagers were gone to deal with their daily needs.
Salunkenta and Dukku went to the jungle. Machua went to the river. Lastuka gathered some women and started to smoke the meat of the hunt of the day before and kept the skin of the hunts to dry in the sun.

Introduction

Hi friends,

This blog is a story I am writing and want to share with you guys.
Go through it and let me know how do you feel about it..


The Origin

India, called as Bharat previously, is a country with a deep, mysterious beginning. There are n number of theories and n+1 no of reasons to discard them. But the truth is actually far more complicated, amazing and strange. The story starts in a small village of pre-Harrapan culture somewhere around 8000 BC. That was a year of great tragedies. All crops of barley and wheat were destroyed by Mother Nature. Like all ancient tribes these tribes near the fertile lands of Indus valley were pagan believers and the only way they knew to satisfy their deities was to pray and sacrifice. Sacrifice comes from the word sacred, and from very beginning of human civilization had been regarded the ultimate step to salvation. Well it’s not just sacrificing animals or life, these people believed in sacrificing the dearest possessions they had. Sometimes they were to sacrifice some things so dear to them, for an act of social well being that they went to the realm of gods.
This story is about men who redefined sacrifice and made the biggest act of selflessness the planet will ever see.