Chapter 1

Chapter 1

May 01

Road wound up in the valley along the bubbling Holy River Ganges. Town of Uttarkashi was visible on the from the height of the road. Just before the road entered in the town a good looking young man walked to the driver with his backpack already fastened to his back, and requested him to stop the bus. Driver perceived that stranger wants to visit the river so he found an appropriate spot where a walkway led to the holy river and stopped the bus.
“Jai-Ganga-Mai.” Driver waved him. Bus moved and disappeared beyond the bend of the road.

He had spent ten hours of grueling journey in a beaten bus on the primitive mountain road in Himalayas. He walked down to the river and placed his backpack on a rock then removed his shoes and socks. He rolled the bottom of his pants and entered in the roaring currents of the holy river, till water touched to his bare knees. He struggled to balance himself in the frigid cold and dangerously thundering waters. He cupped his hands and washed his face, touched the water to his eyes and felt the joy of it. Soon it was unbearable to stand anymore, he came out. He walked to the main market of the Uttarkashi and had a cup of tea from a tea stall and then arrived on the ghat that was a public access to the river. Ghat was the wide steps leading down to the rushing waters of the holy river. Some pilgrims were present and a Hermit who wore black clothes, had long resinous hairs, was washing the ghat with an iron bucket. Sun was about to vanish behind the green wooded mountain in the west and it was the last of the sunlight. Stranger took off his shoes as well his backpack and walked down to the last step that was touching to the waters. Hermit felt the immediate liking for the stranger, he liked his face and he liked his respect towards the holy river. It was his job to remind to the most of the strangers to take off their shoes before walking on the ghat. Now this stranger was sitting cross-legged on the last step where time-to-time water splashed over him. As Hermit walked down to refill bucket stranger said, “Maharaj, can you lend me a loincloth.”
Hermit smiled. Whoever wants to take a bath in the holy river was his friend. May be the stranger had to travel again in the early morning to further in the high mountains to the holy town of Gangotri near the Ganges glacier, and does not want to wet his own clothes. It is always a nuisance to carry wet clothes. Smilingly hermit walked to a tiny temple by ghat and came back with a worn up loincloth and handed it to stranger.
“Thank you Maharaj.”
Hermit shouted, “Jai-Ganga-Mai.”
And stranger shouted back, “Jai-Ganga-Mai” -- then took off his clothes and wrapped the loincloth on his waist.
Hermit brought his backpack to the little temple. “All kinds of people come to the mother Ganges, Always keep your belongings near you.”
Stranger smiled and entered in the roaring waters. Hermit threw a bucket full of freezing cold water on him and laughed. He had several dips in the roaring river and enjoyed it immensely.
Hermit threw another bucket of water over him. “Come out or you would get sick because it is your first time here.” Stranger laughed and walked out of the water and picked up the bucket. He was pink with cold and shivering with teeth clattering.
“Now it is my turn to wash the ghat. I need to warm myself up.”
Hermit handed him the bucket and shouted in joy, “Jai-Ganga-Mai.”
Long bus journey made stranger’s body stiff and he joyfully started washing the ghat. He was filling water bucket and throwing the water on the steps above. Soon his body discovered the rhythm and the music of the activity. It helped his cold body to warm up. As he was done washing the whole ghat Hermit came with two cups of tea.
“Thank you Maharaj.”
“Jai-Ganga-Mai,” Hermit shouted in reply.
They sat together and drank tea then Hermit walked to the small temple and started preparations for the sunset time Aartee of the Holy River.
Stranger wore his clothes, then rinsed the loincloth and spread it on the wall of the tiny temple to let it dry. It was almost sunset time.
“Maharaj I got to go, I must find a place to spend the night.”
“Won’t you join me at Mother Ganges’s Aartee.” Hermit requested.
“OK Maharaj, I love to join the Aartee.”
“People named me Gangagiri.” Hermit said.
Stranger smiled. “And my name is Rishi.”
“Rishi means sage, a nice name.”

Gangagiri added butter oil in each small pit of a multi-pitted brass container and then added a wick in each pit and started fire at each wick. Facing the holy river, with the holy fire brass container in his right hand, he was moving it in circles and with a loud chant he started singing the praise of mother Ganges, other people at the ghat also joined him and in singing. After the aartee, Rishi did not stop to say good-bye to Hermit but left the ghat. He crossed the long suspension footbridge and walked to the other minor part of the town towards a hotel building that he noticed from the ghat.

It was always a most difficult task to find a proper hotel in any town. Usually he took any available clean room in at a new place upon arrival, and after taking bath and freshen up he went out to find a hotel of his choice and changed the hotel next day. It was still off-season because one whole month was left to summer holidays, when pilgrims and tourists invade the mountains. Most of the hotels in the town were vacant at this time. But this time Rishi was lucky to find the best hotel in first shot. It was an economical hotel recently built on the outskirts of Uttarkashi on the other side of river, away from the activities of town. All rooms in that hotel faced the river and one could feel and hear the roar and the vibration of crashing waters all the time.

In the hotel reception room a boy was watching TV, since whole hotel was vacant so Rishi was asked to choose any room. He arranged his belongings in the room and then he crossed back the river on the footbridge and arrived on the only liquor shop in the town. He asked for a bottle of his choice but he was dumped upon a low quality bottle in which they made more profit, he didn’t argue with the vendor but took the bottle and walked back to his hotel. Ten-hour mountain bus journey made him very tired and he had an urge to drink and he rarely resisted any urge. In the hotel entrance he met hotel’s owner Hira Singh Rawat who was about fourty, fair colored, fat man. He had a chat with Hira Singh, which turned out to be a very long one. Hira Singh told him his whole life’s story. Rishi mentioned about the bad whisky he bought. Hira Singh took away his bottle and reimbursed him the money, and cursed liquor-shop owner.
“I know how to teach them a lesson. I will get you the best stuff.”
Hira Singh handed that money to room boy and asked him to bring the desired brand of the liquor. Rishi went to his room.

Rishi’s dream to drink alone on hotel’s terrace didn’t materialize because Hira Singh appeared with two glasses and a bottle of soda. They started drinking, Rishi stayed silent but Hira Singh kept on telling him the rest of his own story. After they had three drinks Rishi felt that Hira Singh was about to get drunk he closed the bottle.
“Why did you close the bottle?”
Rishi replied, “Because we are done.”
“No we are not.”
“Yes we are.”
Hira Singh made an effort to control his urge.
“What kind of food you like.”
“I am vegetarian.”
Hire Singh went to the balcony and shouted in the direction of his home that was a part of the same building.
“Bring us the food.”
A servant brought food for both, which was very delicious.
Suddenly Hira Singh’s wife appeared, she was instantly angry to see a bottle on the table.
“I am coming home in five minutes.” Hira Singh barked at his wife.
“Rishi Sahib, good night.”
“Good night Hira Singh.”
As Hira Singh was on the stairs to ground floor, he suddenly turned back. “Rishi Sahib, are you a sales man? Pilgrims usually don’t come alone.”
“No, I am not a sales man and I wish I was alone here.”
Hira Singh had a belly laugh then turned went to the stairs but appeared again.
He placed five hundred rupee on the table and stuttered, “Here is the money you paid for the room plus the money for the bottle, you are my brother, so you stay free here. You brought me luck, you are my first customer in two weeks and after you arrived six more rooms are booked today.”
“Go away, and don’t come back tonight.”
“My promise”, Hira Singh laughed and went and didn’t come back.

Rishi usually traveled alone because he loved to be with himself, he made friend too fast so he never felt the loneliness in his life. He loved mountains and rivers; he equally loved long walks in the bazaars but pollution in those bazaars made him sick so he preferred clear air and solitude of mountains. When Rishi was very young he had intense craving for religions, he read most religious books and visited to many masters but none gave him any satisfaction, one day suddenly he felt his thirst to know more was no more, and a state of joy ascended to him, from that day he had not read any religious book or followed any system. He had no explanation for his freedom, he has no knowledge about what lies before or after death but he was free. That day he was free, suddenly. First he thought that this is some temporary phenomenon happened to him but his freedom and joy stayed. After his sudden freedom, his life didn’t change much because he was always a very simple man with few desires. In his profession he had to deal with many young women who instantly fell in love with him but he felt married life would never suit him. He had bodily desires but never crossed the line to exploit someone. He was free from the craving to know himself more, free from religions, dogmas and systems, free from right and wrong, regrets and guilt. Some of his close friends were aware of the fact that he was able to read their mind. Some thought Rishi was enlightened.

2

It was a dry but pleasing evening in Dubai. Don of a Mumbai Underworld gang was pacing nervously on the verandah of his sea facing palatial mansion. He left India a few months ago and was running his criminal enterprises and operations from Dubai. Like all Dons, he too was apprehensive of his criminal career. Of-course he was wanted by Indian authorities for questioning but extradition was out of question because they were unable to furnish any concrete proof of his involvement in any criminal activities because he bought corrupt officials by money or by terror. Interpol had his name on their lists but again there was no proof of his involvement in any criminal activity.

He had accumulated a vast amount of wealth during his long criminal carrier that included contract murders, kidnappings, extortions, blackmailing, price fixing of coal, commodity, construction and government contracts and more. Recently he had liquidated most of his assets. He was in the process to give him a new identity and was building a legitimate business empire in Canada where he had already negotiated to purchase two large paper mills in British Columbia. In about two weeks time he had to transfer a vast amount of money in the escrow accounts of a law firm in Vancouver. If he fails to furnish that money the deals would go sour and he would lose his deposits, expanses and effort too. He had already sent his wife and two sons to Canada, where a top rated immigration attorney was working on their Business Immigration visa petition. Since he was wanted in India, for questioning regarding countless murders, extortions and kidnappings, his attorneys in Canada advised him not to include his own name in the Canadian Immigration Petition because of the security clearance problems. For that reason don had recently divorced his wife on the documents and once his family settles in Canada he was to remarry her with a false identity and settle there on family based petition. He already got himself a new passport from Panama and all documents proving that he is a rich businessman involved in the diamond trade with offices in Dubai, Brussels and Panama City. For last two years, he was involved in diamond business that was generating more money than his criminal activities in Mumbai. For the many past years he was accumulating many assets around Mumbai, registered on the fake identities but now he had liquidated almost everything and transferred the capital into the diamond business. With a partner from Lebanon he was buying uncut diamonds from Sierra Leone and Liberia both war torn countries in the western Africa. Those diamonds were called blood-diamonds because warlords in both countries were selling those diamonds for a fraction of their market price to fuel their war and atrocities on the general population. Those diamonds were illegal in the rest of the world but a diamond is a diamond. In desperation he has been investing all of his ill-gotten gains to buy those uncut diamonds, which were smuggled to India to be cut to shapes in the town of Surat, which is five hours journey from Mumbai and is famous for diamond cutting industry. To avoid the element of surprise, he ordered to spread that huge bulk of diamonds to many reputable diamond-cutting houses. Cutting was free because cutters were to keep the wasted cut particles, those were to be sold as industrial diamonds that are used in boring, cutting and milling tools.

He was thinking if diamond cutter could rob him, of course they could link the proprietorship of the diamonds to him. Can they dare to rob a mafia boss?
He smiled, “Even if they think of robbing me, they better varnish their coffins first.” But he was still nervous.

Don was nervous because of three major problems. His first and major problem was that it was taking longer than expected to get the delivery of the final cut diamonds, which were to be smuggled to Dubai and their finally to Brussels where buyers were ready and forged documentation too was ready to prove the legitimacy of the whole consignment. His second problem was to receive a huge amount if cash from Sonny who happened to be the nephew of Indian born, American billionaire Roger. Don needed cash badly and Sonny was given less than two weeks to pay the money or his family must face the pain of his death, the only son. With each day passed Sonny was to pay a daily interest of three percent but he rather wanted the money immediately. And the third problem needed an immediate attention. His lieutenants in Mumbai had kidnapped a ten-year-old child of a rich builder. Police was not informed and family had agreed to pay an astonishing amount of ransom and his men were on the way to pick up the money. It was always a stressful time because something may go wrong or family might have involved police etc.
Don sat down on the cane chair and yelled, “Abdul.”
Abdul was a tall and bearded young man in his twenties. He was serving as personal assistant to the don.
Abdul came and stood beside Don. “Yes Sir.”
“Did you call my brother to check with the damn diamond cutters in Surat?” Don asked in anger.
“Yes sir, he says the rush job may impair the quality.”
“Keep calling him twice a day.”
“Yes Sir and I must check your blood pressure and blood sugar.”
Abdul turned on his heels and came back after a moment with two portable machines. He placed both machines on the table next to the don. As he was about to draw blood, cell phone on the table rang.
Abdul pressed the cell phone to his ear. “Yes.”
It was a call from Mumbai. Abdul said, “OK” and placed the phone back on the table.
Abdul looked at his boss. “Sir, Rocky says the money is delivered. What are you next instructions?”
Rocky was his brilliant talented lieutenant in Mumbai and his specially was kidnapping operations.
“Tell him to release the hostage.”
Of-course he must release the hostage because he had a reputation to maintain. After all it was his business. It must be a two-way transaction.
Don’s anger turned into happiness, he looked at the ocean and felt a cool breeze on his face.
Abdul was busy testing his blood sugar.
“It’s a beautiful day. Isn’t it?”
“Yes Sir, it is a beautiful day. Your sugar is still very high.”
Abdul measured a dose of insulin and injected the needle in his arm.
“Call my brother and tell him to pay cash to the diamond cutters because I would rather keep the cut diamond waste.”
Abdul nodded.
“And also instruct him to transfer the rest of the money to Nigeria, more diamonds are waiting to be sent in Surat.”
Abdul nodded again.
Loudspeakers of mosques indicated that it was the pray time.
“I am going to pray the almighty God.” Don rose and went to his specially built prayer room.
Abdul too went out in the veranda facing the ocean. There he spread a mat and started praying.

3

He was one of richest Indian settled in USA, a step short to be in five hundred richest people in United States. Fortune magazine declared, if a list of thousand richest people on this earth is rearranged with the youngest on the top and oldest on the bottom his name would be in top hundred. He single handedly created a mineral, energy and engineering empire, which spread in all continents. His wealth was increasing by each day because of increasing energy and metal demand. He was a very busy man and was constantly traveling around the world to supervise and negotiate more deals, to acquire more mines, oil wells, factories, banks and more controlling interests in many different ventures.

May has just begun; it was spring like weather in Manhattan, New York City. It was eight in the morning and his face was lined with worry and anxiety. He turned his chair to the huge window at his huge room at his fifty-third street office and looked at the Statue of Liberty surrounded by blue waters of the tidal basin of Hudson. His lavishly decorated office was completely disorganized, there were four hard wired phones, five computers, three laptops, two cell phones and many other electronics equipments were scattered all over on his huge mahogany table. Meshes of wires from many of those instruments were all over the table and under it.

In the reflection of glass window he could see his own face; dark rings under his eyes. At the age of thirty-five he looked above forty. His success took a huge tool on his health. Five years ago he was having acid reflux problems and was diagnosed with chronic gastritis. He quit drinking coffee and most of the food that gave him joy; so life became miserable. Aggressive treatment with antibiotics and antacids was only keeping his condition at bay. He had hypercholesterolemia; his blood pressure was near double. For the last one year he had severe insomnia, he was having panic attacks at the evening and was scared of nights. His doctor put him on Ambion but it worked for some time, then Valium worked for few days and later on his doctor suspected that he was taking double or triple the prescribed doses, money was no object to him and even in New York City he knew where to get any medicine without prescription. After a hard battle to rid off his Valium dependency, he was given Effexor but again it was just the beginning of vicious cycle. Now even barbiturates stopped working. Recently he had accepted the fact that he just cannot sleep. He spent most of his time working and lack of sleep affected his physical and mental health. He begins his day with a dose of Prozac. Recently noting seems working on his anxiety, depression and insomnia. Before he found he had gastritis he used to drink at night, which always helped to sooth his anxiety and helped him to sleep, but he was unable to drink anymore, anytime he had a hard drink his gastritis reappeared and took again long painful struggle to keep it under control. Now he was not even making any effort to sleep, he was working at night to attend his business spread in all continents. He traveled at nights in his private Grumman Jet. His executives wondered when he goes to sleep because he was always found awake. He worked and worked and his fortunes were swelling by each hour.

He was not really born poor; his family was well to do in India. His father owned an auto parts making factory in the suburbs of Mumbai. He was extraordinary in his study and went to Ivy League schools and got selected in a prestigious engineering college in India and completed his Mechanical Engineering degree, then arrived in USA on student visa for graduate studies. While he was in USA his family fortunes in India made a U turn and he was on his own. He had to work as well study to keep going. One event led to other and he got richer and richer and here he was today.

About four years ago he got married, he was faithful to her but never had time to attend her emotional needs. Their relation got nastier by each day and finally they separated. He avoided filing for divorce because he risked a huge alimony, she wanted to remarry so finally and she applied for divorce. He offered her money and a home and she took whatever he gave her and left. He emailed her that she can have more if she wants or she can always come to him anytime for anything but she never replied.

He had a brothers and a sister, his father has expired and his mother was above sixty but still healthy, two uncles each from his father and mother’s side. His money made whole of his family very rich, everybody had controlling interest in a one or other part of his ever-growing business and industrial empire. Desire for more money, more success minimized the social activity with the family. They saw each other’s on weddings and funerals only, neither him nor they had enough time. They emailed each other once a while and that was all. They always desired for more money, more advise more chances to purchase his IPO’s, more controlling interests. His mother called him some times but she lived with his brother who took care of his operations in India. He was never a favorite son of his parents and fallen further from the grace, his mother accused him that he has not made his brother equal to himself. Initially he helped his brothers and brother-in-laws with huge amount of money, but they were not able to handle that vast amount of money and bought noting but trouble and almost ruined their own lives. Then he handed them controlling interests here and there in his vast ever-growing empire but all-important decisions were either made by him or by his well-paid and highly talented executives. Money was no object to him but he was afraid that his family might hurt themselves with the wealth that they did not work for and neither had talents. Unearned wealth always brings trouble. It was clearly evident that their wealth exceeded their talent and ability to handle it. How many times he had pulled them out of trouble and how many times more he would be able to do it. Just yesterday he got the news that his nephew in India raped one of the female employ in his company and he was busy whole night to protect his family and resolve the issue. Two months ago his sister’s husband or his brother-in-law beat up a politician’s son in a South American country. That politician took an oath to eradicate the presence of his establishments from that country. It cost him tremendous effort and resources to resolve that issue but his both sister were mad at him, God knows why. Today his doctor called to hand him further bad news that he was at highest risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes and one step away from heart attack.

Intercom barked, his executive secretary Jennifer reminded him that today he has lunch with a Saudi Prince. He looked through the glass in the direction of Jersey City; across the water, a railroad yard next to New Jersey Turnpike was visible from the height of his office. Three diesel locomotives connected together were pulling a miles long container train; this reminded him of a deal to purchase seven high power diesel locomotives from ABB, he wandered what happened to them, he was facing heavy logistics problems in his factory in Mexico. He called his executive in Pittsburgh and asked about the deal. His executive was already overburdened with hundreds of things and said he will look into it and let him know in few minutes. He got very angry at his employ but kept his anger in control, this was America, his anger was to cause him even more harm than benefit. He tried to control his anger by focusing his thoughts on his breathing. A big yacht was standing on a pier next to American Express building, he wondered if it is the same yacht belonging to Saudi Prince. This filled him with more anger because he was to have lunch with the Saudi prince but he would be eating salad and boiled beans, now even rice and potatoes were out of question because today doctor had informed him that diabetes is knocking at his door. Any visit to restaurants hit him up with further misery. He did the breathing exercise again. Suddenly a noise started in his ear, it was a brutal tinnitus he was having. Noise was crueler then the noise in his steel rolling mills. This noise was killing him. He was surviving gastritis, hypertension and never-ending nuisance his family was causing. But this ever-growing noise in his ears was knocking him down. No doctor was able to resolve it; they all said it is the side effect of the various medicines he is taking. He pressed his ears with his both hands and stared at the horizon. It was time to take his blood pressure pill then he stared at the pillbox like it was a poisonous snake.
His secretary Jennifer entered in the room, she was in her forties, and she was still attractive, probably she rang the bell before entering his office but his ears were pressed with his hands.
“Is everything all right, Roger?” His employs called him Roger.
“Oh, yes, everything is fine.”
“Canadian Consul General asked if she could come early.”
“She, Today?”
“I think you forgot you have an appointment with her. She said she could arrive in few minutes.”
“She said?”
“Don’t you know she is a lady?” Jennifer said.
“Yes she can come, and check if any airline flies to Delhi non stop.”
“Who is leaving?”
“May be it’s me.”
“Your jet is parked at Teterboro airport.”
“Long story, please find out the flight.”
“Gotcha,” and she were about to leave.
“And listen,” he said.
“Yes Roger”
“Arrange Vancouver Stock Exchange paperwork on the conference room table and did you call Michel”
“Michel is on the way and VSE paperwork is already on the table”
“Thanks, do you want to make some money.”
“Who does not?”
“Buy the stock.”
“Got-cha! I will call my Pa.”
Jennifer left in very happy mood, she knew it was an illegal transaction but Roger was always generous to her, she knew he was facing many health problems, she had a very high pressure job but she was making good money. She took care of Roger. She always talked to his doctors and reminded him to take medicines; she gave him herbal tea right at the time when he needed it and some times brought him home cooked meal. Roger was traveling around the world and her job was a twenty-four hour job. She was his communication hub.

She went out but came back with a glass of water, she pulled his drawer and took a pill from his medicine box and handed it to him. Roger knew she wouldn’t leave till he has taken his medicine so he swallowed the pill with water.
She said, “Another small matter you have to discuss with Canadians, which you don’t even know. Canadian Visa was denied to our nine employees.”
“In which country.”
“Five are from India, two in South Africa and two in Thailand.”
“I see. Do we have any paperwork?”
“Yes, I have it in this envelope.”
“As she arrives, this is the first thing I want to take care,” Roger said.
“Won’t it be better if we discuss this in the end?”
“If my employee can’t enter Canada, I have no desire doing business with them.”
“As you wish.” she turned.
In five minutes she called him on the intercom.
“No airline flies nonstop to Delhi”.
“Book me a ticket for today with about twenty-four hour stopover in Zurich and then to Delhi. Book me a hotel in Zurich and in Delhi for just one night. No other arrangements except the taxi to the hotels.”
“What!”
“I am taking a private vacation for few days; make sure my trip stays confidential.”
“Good for you Roger, but you have engagements.”
“Please take care of everything, I know you can.”
“Good for you, you need a vacation, look at your face. Don’t you worry about anything and leave your problems to me. Go home baby.”
“No home, I am going to Himalayas.”
“Roger, Where in Himalayas, I believe Himalayas is not a small place?”
“Well first I will go to Uttarkashi and then I don’t know.”
Jennifer wrote a note on her pad.
“What you writing?”
“Uttarakachi”
“No it is Uttarkashi.”
“Well to be sure I will check it on the internet. And how would you travel in India?” she asked.
“That …I may decide in Delhi.”
“OK, You sure you don’t want me to notify your Delhi office.”
“Read my lips, if you want to keep this job, nobody must be notified.”
“What about cash. I heard mountain region is still primitive there. You must carry cash.”
“Call Bank of America and make sure I get the money in my Delhi hotel, all in largest denominations.”
“Gotcha, since you would be leaving tonight, I will sent Christine to your home do your packing?”
“Thanks.”
He owned a penthouse apartment, which spread to a whole top floor of a building in an upscale apartment complex Jersey City. Building had an attached marina. He commuted on a high-speed charter boat to Manhattan. Boat can be called at anytime both ways.
“Yes I will go home first”
“I will book you from Newark”
“Canadian will be here in few minutes. I just got the message; she was at 30 and 10th avenue. She is not alone; probably a motorcade is coming with more people and a battery of attorneys.”
“Our Michel alone can handle their ten attorneys.” He said.
“Hey Roger, Hey man, look at your face, you still have time, go out and have a walk”
“OK”.
“Hey Roger we will miss you.”
“I am coming back in ten minutes.”
“No you are going to India, take care and don’t skip any medicine. Hope they got good doctors there, hope they haven’t sent their all good doctors here.”

4

It was a beautiful May morning in the Zurich when Roger arrived. He was lucky to have four-hour sleep in the flight, which was unusual. Limousine driver was waiting for him with his name written on a cardboard and it was already rush time. It took half hour for the limo to travel fifteen kilometers to Hotel Eden Au Lac, which suited him well. The reason he didn’t use his private jet because he wanted to go away from business. His jet was equipped with all electronic equipments to keep him in touch with his empire, once in jet it was hard to resist the temptation to get sucked into business. He just kept his private cell phone; only Jennifer knew its number. He desired to stay away from his empire for few days. It was do or die because just a day ago his doctor said he was very close to his first heart attack and diabetes. He was not fat or obese but his body was just betraying him. Gastritis alone made his life miserable and what his life would be if he had a heart attack or got diabetes. He wanted to think alone and wanted to have some time with himself. It was now or never.

About fifteen years ago, when Roger was studying Engineering in Bombay (now Mumbai) he went to Gangotri with a college arranged group tour. They were twenty students in the group, which had a very tight schedule because they have to be back to Bombay in nine days. They spent two nights in the train and third in the holy city of Haridwar. It was summer and burning hot they all took bath in the cold waters of Ganges, he loved the place and the holy river, he wished if he had more days there but they moved on to Uttarkashi. It was a grueling journey in those days, they stayed in a Dharamshala (a inn that runs on charity) just next to the footbridge. At evening they all took bath in the cold and crashing waters of Ganges, it was fun. He just fell in love with Uttarkashi and wanted to walk around the valley but again they were in rush, they slept at night and in the morning they rushed to gut churning road to the sacred town of Gangotri. Scenery was breath taking but they had no time to walk around but just raced to the temple to pray and came back to Uttarkashi the same day at late in the evening. Next day they left to Haridwar and caught the night train to Bombay, which took another 3 nights. He always craved to visit Uttarkashi but it stayed a distant dream. Time-to-time he asked himself what good is the money if he can’t even fulfill his dreams. His ex-wife never wanted to travel, she had many relatives around New York, and she was always busy with her family. Few times he mentioned her to visit Uttarkashi but always she mentioned about many beautiful place in United States where they could go but why in a remote city in a third world country. Two days ago he saw a program about Uttarkashi on National Geography Channel and his desire to visit there intensified, yesterday as doctor gave him another bad news he said to himself, “Let’s go”.

Three years ago he visited India on a private visit, he informed his Delhi office about his arrival, they left no stone unturned to please him and served him well, that tour turned out to be a complete disaster. He came back to New York more tired than relaxed. Even those days he was in the list of richest Indians, his company informed local authorities to provide him protection. Ministers and Government officials came at the airport to receive him. God knows who arranged lengthy meeting with high-ranking politicians. Instead of having quiet time, he was compelled to meet dignitary, VIPs, high-ranking government officials or politicians they dragged him to their homes. They asked him for favors, money, bribe, charity, his opinion & guidance or what not. They fed him the food he never intended to eat. At one day he had to drink twenty cups of tea and his gastritis got worse. Once he wanted to have a retreat in Nainital, a mountain town, Governor of the state visited him there at the very first day and forced his stay at his official residence. There again he had to meet countless local VIPs, Chief Minister and more politicians. He was given an escorted boat tour in the lake, which was just funny or rather amusing. He couldn’t take it and at midnight he escaped to Delhi and called to prepare his jet for immediate take off and left India the same day. After that trip he visited India on business trips only.

This time he was not going to make same mistake; he wanted to walk on the streets of India like he was nobody. He hated all politicians, they were always greedy, and he was greedy too. He had to buy them to win even bigger favors and that’s about it. He believed in paying them the money they demanded but wished no friendly relation with them. Time taught him that friendly relations with corrupt people even cost him more.

End of Chapter 1