Chapter 7

Chapter 7

07 May

Bishambar’s wife and mother took Sonny to a super-specialty hospital in Mumbai. A team of highly paid doctors went thought his X-Rays and medical records from Dehradoon; they were satisfied with the surgery Dehradoon surgeons performed. Next surgery must wait till inflammation subsides.

They returned from the hospital at 1am. Servants have cooked the dinner but nobody was hungry. Sonny waited till all lights in the house were out, he brought out a hidden whisky bottle from his wardrobe. Servants were sleeping in their quarter so he walked to the kitchen for ice and soda but found his mother sitting on the sofa in the living room.
“I just want to drink water.”
His mother gave him a glass of water.
He took the glass in his room and fixed himself a heavy drink and drank it up in a single shot. To avoid another trip to the kitchen he started drinking whisky without any water or soda. He never remembered when he fell asleep with almost finished bottle on his bed.

2

Roger was happy to be in Uttarkashi, he was free from the tinnitus. Anytime he though about Vinita, his heart started fluttering like a trapped pigeon. He wanted to marry her. He felt he is in peace in her presence. He was never a loser and losing was not his character. He always planned his ventures carefully with a challenge. He was a goal-oriented person and his goal was Vinita now. He turned off his lights after midnight but sleep was a mile away.

His character, talents and luck joined hands and success came to him too fast. He was still a student when he had begun with one small auto parts ancillary and later on bought more defunct factories. He was good in turning losing business into profitable assets. A conglomerate of banks in USA and Europe brought him one after another-foreclosed factories for almost free and almost all liabilities written off. With his tough negotiating skills he made those banks to provide him startup capital loans at negligible fixed interest rates. He converted potential environment time bombs into perpetual money pumps and turned around losing propositions into lucrative business. He made a dollar and banks made a nickel and it was a win-win situation for both parties. Bankers were happy because the value of their controlling interests in Roger’s companies was increasing many folds, the arrangement was still working but on a super mega scale. Now he was into billion dollar deals. As he brought life into abandoned or defunct industries, deserted and sleepy towns around them became alive and he made another fortune in the real estate. Luck was smiling upon him and he never missed a chance to manipulate his own stocks in the stock markets around the world. A smart group of highly talented and highest paid risk taking Executives was earning their payroll in his ever-growing empire. With each breadth his fortune increased.

He thought about Vinita again and he felt his heart jumping like a struggling fish in the both hands of a fisherman. He can’t buy her like he bought his ex-wife.
Vinita is not for sale she is a lady with the integrity. Rishi is not for sale, since day one Rishi was relentlessly shattering his ego.
At noon Rishi’s dialogues with Hermit shook him up severely.
I always thought I am the talent behind my own success but Rishi said it was the God at work. There is only God. Rishi butchered my concept of pleasing the girl with jewelry. An expensive piece of jewelry is lying in the temple waiting to be stolen and Rishi is probably snoring behind the other side of the wall. Yes Hermit is also snoring with Rishi, he too is not for sale, a man who can kill or heal. They are syndicate of idiots; unfortunately I am in love with one of them. Soon I must leave Uttarkashi. I have to go to Hungary, Hong Kong, Albania, Spain and Mexico in less than two weeks and time is running out. I must propose Vinita tomorrow otherwise she would be lost.
He decided tomorrow he would request Rishi to help him to win Vinita. He wished he had other alternative. Till few days ago he used to think that everything is for sale. Today he saw exceptions in that concept.

In his thought he fell into deep dreamless sleep. After many days he slept without a sleeping pill and past day was a medicine free day after many years in his life.

3

As usual Hermit woke up at five with a mild headache but Rishi was still sleeping. In the early morning the roar of the Holy River was the only sound in the valley. He came out of the room and glanced at the Holy River with his hands joined in reverence. There was a lock on the new gate so he had no alternative except to climb up the wall and jump. He went to the Ghat, took a bath in the freezing cold waters and meditated on the last step. His life was changing fast. He still loved mother Ganges and wanted to serve her forever. This morning his gut feeling told him that he would be leaving this place soon. He looked at the river as if he is looking at it for the last time. Tears fell from his eyes. He explored his mind to look for the sadness but instead he was full of joy. Word “free” echoed in his mind. He was free. From the small temple he picked up the ancient idol of mother Ganges. Mother Ganges looked prettier in the necklace. He hugged the idol and then washed it gently in the river and placed it back in the small temple.
I am free. Rishi Sahib set me free. Love set me free. Mother Ganges set me free.
Rishi’s words echoed in his ears. You are not the instrument of God this makes you separate from God. You are the God. You are Ganga Mai. You are the creation.”
He looked at Holy River. I am you. You are I. You are everywhere. I can’t go away from you and you can’t stay away from me. I got blessed

4

Bishambar woke up at six with a severe headache. He lit a cigarette and called servant for a glass of water. He took few headache pills and found his wife awake in the living room. Her eyes were swollen with tears and sleeplessness. She turned her face away and stayed silent. He checked the pile of accumulated mail; he found a large couriered envelope that was exactly what he was looking for. He took the package in his home office and opened it. All checks were there. With the help of calculator he made the calculations, all figures were correct. Servant brought Economic Times but he was not in the mood to read it.
His first job for the day was to pay off Sonny’s debt to Mumbai underworld because they were extorting three percent daily interest for each day passed. He bathed, dressed up and picked up a check and entered in his son’s room. As he opened the door, an offending smell hit him on the face. He was shocked to see his son socked with his own vomit. An almost empty whisky bottle of was lying on the bed. He hid the bottle and struggled in vain to wake up the boy. Servants helped him to drag Sonny to bathroom; they put him in the bathtub and he turned the water on. They were careful not to soak up the bandage around his right hand. Servants were now busy cleaning the room. Sonny woke up in the tub, took a shower and then had some headache pills. Servant brought him a cup of coffee.
Bishambar ordered him, “Dress up and come with me.”
He drove the Mercedes to his bank but it was not open yet, they waited in the car till it opened. They entered in Manager’s room and presented him the check. Manager was astonished to see the amount on it, he called a teller and check was cleared instantly because it was from the same bank.
“What else we can do for you,” said Manager.
“I would like to withdraw this amount, all in largest bills,” Bishambar handed him a pre filled withdrawal form.
Manager said in astonishment, “I doubt if we carry this much cash in our branch. I may arrange cash from other branches but I doubt if this much cash in large bill could be arranged from ten branches.”
“Do your best,” Bishambar bellowed.
Manager started calling to other branches, Bishambar handed him another slip to transfer another large amount of money to his brokerage account. Manager requested them to come back after one hour. They walked out of bank. It was nine-thirty in the morning.

5

Roger woke up at six-thirty. Top of the high mountains were bathing in the pink sunlight and river was surrounded with a mist. He wanted to have a walk to the Ghat to check if the necklace was still there but then he saw Rishi standing on the terrace.
“Sethi, Jai-Ganga-Mai”
“Hur-Hur-Gangae. Like to have a walk?”
“Sure. How was your sleep?”
“The best sleep I ever got in years. How is your head?”
“Coconut is fine.” As a matter of fact Rishi’s head was almost healed. Rishi planned to go to the same doctor to get the sutures removed.
Roger laughed; new gate was unlocked at this time so they unlatched it and walked in the direction of the suspension footbridge.
Roger didn’t beat the bush but came straight to the point, “You know that I want to marry Vinita.”
“Huh.”
“What do you feel about my getting married to her?”
“Tell me, when you saw her first time, how you felt about her.”
“I loved her on the first sight.”
“Then go and propose her,” Rishi said.
“So you approve this matrimony.”
“It is yours and Vinita’s business.”
“So you have no objection in this matrimony.”
“How can I object in any matrimony? I don’t know what lies in the future.”
Roger was relieved to listen this; at least this fool had no objection.
“Thanks for coming to my rescue yesterday. I almost blew the chance by buying her the necklace.”
Rishi was about to say, “That necklace is still on your mind,” instead he said, “I guess you are going to propose.”
“No man! I want you to help me or I will blow this too.”
“Hey Roger,” Rishi replied, “I can’t help you in this respect. As I told I don’t know what lies in the future.”
“Last night I tried to propose her but I couldn’t. I can’t.”
“Look, I will give her the message, that’s all I can do. Let’s start from there.”
“OK, please do your best.”
Sun was appearing from two mountains in the east, tiny temple on the Ghat was bathing in the morning sunlight. Roger saw the glitter of the diamonds from the small opening. Little idol was glittering. He felt relief.
They sat on the Ghat for a while then returned back on the hotel terrace. Vinita had just planted a small tree in the lawn and she was watering it.
Roger waved her and she waved back.
As they both sat on the chairs. Vinita came with two cups of tea.
“Where is your tea,” Roger asked.
“I just had mine,” said Vinita, “Rishi, when are we going to the temple.”
“Today I will have a massage as well bath in the Indravathi River. Water there is not as cool as Ganges.”
Roger said, “Really! I thought water is always freezing cool in all rivers here.”
“Only in the rivers those bring glacial melts,” Rishi said.
“Who would be giving you a massage?” Vinita asked.
Rishi pointed to Roger, “Who else.”
“No I won’t. Forget it,” Roger said and he was very serious.
“Hoy! Then forget the whole deal pal.”
Vinita doubled up laughing.
“OK I will give you a massage on one condition,” he was still very serious.
“And what is that condition?” She was still laughing.
Roger said to Rishi, “You must pay me back with the massage.”
“No I won’t, Forget it,” Rishi rejected the proposition and he too was serious.
Vinita was unable to control her laugh and she almost fell down from the plastic chair, she sat on the cool floor of the terrace and kept laughing.
Roger stomped his feet in anger. “This is blackmail.”
“Of-course it is blackmail,” Rishi said seriously.
“OK, I will give you a massage for only five minutes.”
“No Sir! I already got one litter of mustard oil and we must finish the bottle.”
Vinita had a fit of the cough, she said, “Stop it! For God sake, stop it.”
“Sucker! You win,” Roger was mad with anger. He kicked the plastic chair and it flew and fell ten feet away.
Vinita was still laughing.
Rishi went to his room and came back with something in a polythene bag.
“What is this?” Roger asked.
Rishi pulled out a one-litter bottle filled with mustard oil.
Vinita had another fit of laughter because she thought Rishi was joking.
Finally she calmed down, “Sethi, you have a digital camera with you. I would like to take pictures of you both massaging each other.”
“No pictures, I have a reputation to maintain. Read my lips! NO PICTURES,” Roger was again angry.
She said, “After the massage, are you both planning to wrestle too?”
Rishi said to Vinita, “You must come with us to watch the show, we need a referee too.”
She laughed again.
Roger said to Vinita, “No you won’t be coming with us.”
“Yeah! Yeah! He would be too embarrassed to massage me in you presence.”
“Huh! Forget it, this is men’s thing. Two men massaging each other I won’t join you,” she said.
“No madam, I need a witness, otherwise Sethi will budge from the deal.”
Rishi and Vinita started laughing.
“What deal? I think you know something that I don’t know,” she asked.
“We do have a deal, Sethi wants to catch the moon and I promised him to help tie up twenty ladders end to end,” Rishi said.
She laughed.
“At about ten, valley warms up in sunlight. That is the best time to bath and massage. Lots of small children come there to bath at eleven so it is even more fun.”
“Small children! In that case count me in. You can massage and wrestle. I’d be the referee. Now excuse me, have to go to market.”
“Why!” Roger pleaded.
“I need to get money from Western Union agent and also I need to get your birthday cards framed. Hey Sethi, you just saw that temple once from the helicopter and you drew a picture. You have a wonderful memory.”
Roger looked at Rishi and smiled.
Vinita left.
“Today’s massage is for the favor I did you last night. You owe me one for the deal too.”
Roger barked, “First you finish the job.”

6

Bishambar drove to a phone store and bought a new prepaid SIM card number that was local to Mumbai. His son’s cell phone too was off the line because with his resignation his privileges too were cancelled. Bishambar gave Sonny his own cell phone to contact Mumbai Underworld to make arrangements for the debt payoff. Sonny called Poppy and he asked for the money to be dropped at a home at the edge of a slum half hour’s drive from the bank.

They went back to the bank a little before ten-thirty. A guard was standing with a gun by the manager’s room. Manager saw them from the glass window and yelled to the guard to let them in. Three locked metal cases were laying one upon other in the room. Manager pointed to the cases and said, “That’s the best we could do on a short notice?”
“Thanks,” Bishambar said.
“You must to make your own arrangement to count the money. Our all three counting machines are in use, we can’t spare any.”
Bishambar had no choice but to accept the money and signed the receipt.
“And how would you transport this? For a small deposit we can lend you these cases unless you have your own containers.”
“We need these boxes. Please load them in my car.”
“OK, we will do this, you already signed the receipt. From this point you are responsible for it. Did you arrange any security or gunmen?”
“No we have to travel a short distance.”
“I can give you the phone number of our security company, you can hire armed escorts.”
“We will take our chances and goodbye,” Bishambar said.
Only one case fitted in the boot and other two were placed on the back leather seats of the Mercedes. They sped off from the bank, both were nervous, Bishambar kept looking at the rearview mirror but nobody was following them.

They followed the directions to the slum and found the home at the edge of a sewage lake. Bishambar parked the car next to the two brand new motorcycles, in front of the home and lowered the driver-side glass. Offending stench entered in their noses. Two men appeared from nowhere.
One guy had his nose running, he wiped his nose with his hand and grabbed Bishambar’s hand and started shaking it and said, “You can call me Tony. It is a pleasure to see you. You have a good taste for cars. How are you and how she runs?”
“I am fine and she runs fine,” Bishambar mewed.
Other man who was picking his nose went to Sonny and took his good hand and started shaking it and said, “How are you Sonny. What happened to your hand? Nice Car!”
Sonny replied, “Glad to meet you Poppy. I think I already told you that I had an accident.”
“Oh yeah, oh yeah. You told me that.”
As Tony the nose-wiper let go Bishambar’s hand, Poppy the nose-picker grabbed it and started shaking it.
“New model, how much you paid for it.”
“It is not mine,” Bishambar croaked.
Poppy looked at two cases on the back seat. “Seems like you got the money.”
“Yes please unload the cases, one is in the boot.”
Bishambar pressed the button to release the trunk.
Poppy and Tony both unloaded and moved the cases to the one room home.
“Like to care for a cup of tea,” Poppy said he was still picking his Nose.
Bishambar said, “No thanks.”
“I cooked goat meat biriyani with my own hands. Come on we have enough,” Poppy said and wiped his nose again with his fist.
Sonny said, “Sorry! Poppy some other time, we are busy we must go.”
“Friends are always welcome. You are welcome here anytime.”
Bishambar sped off.
He cursed Sonny, “Wish you were born dead, you are mud on my name.”
They arrived at home at noon. Bishambar placed the cell phone on the dinning table and went to bathroom to wash his hands with soap. Sonny entered in the bathroom and handed him the cell phone. It was a call from the Poppy.
“We counted the money. Two hundred thousand rupee are short.”
Bishambar said, “No way!”
“You tell me a liar.”
“Sorry! I didn’t mean it. Actually I picked it up from the bank. I didn’t count it myself.”
“Banks are crooks.”
“You will get your money tomorrow.”
“Sir, it is not my money. I am accountable to somebody else.”
“Whatever, you will get the money tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow would be two hundred and six thousand rupee. You already know the delivery location.”
“Yes.” Line went dead.
He said to Sonny, “They counted all the money in just half hour, in a house with no electricity. They say two hundred thousand rupee are short.”
Sonny was unable to utter any word from his mouth.
“Honor among the thieves,” Bishambar yelled to his son, “wish you were born dead, you are mud on my name.”
His wife was sitting in the guest bedroom, to stay away from his sight, and his mother was gone to temple. Servant was cooking the lunch. Since they left in the morning without eating breakfast he asked, “Sir! Would you like to eat lunch now?”
Both were not hungry. He went to the office and turned on the television.
His cell phone rang again.
It was Poppy again. “We found lots of fake bills in the money. Didn’t I tell you that banks are crooks?”
”How much do I owe you altogether?”
“Six hundred thousand rupee and some change?”
“You will get it,” he disconnected the call.
Bishambar lit another cigarette, “Honor among crooks. Hope it ends here.”

7

Danny informed his brother in Dubai that money has been received. In about one hour a money laundry operator called his agent in London. London agent called his agent in Nigeria who wasted no time to call to a Satellite phone in Liberian capital, Monrovia.
Liberian dictator and warlord smiled. “A truck full of hand-grenades is waiting at the border of Ivory Coast, this time arms dealer has refused to accept the payment in diamonds, but we got lucky.”
His son smiled. “To us it is same thing, some else has bought our diamonds.”
“Order a UN relief plane to leave for Nigeria immediately, refugees are needing more ass wipes.”
Same evening Danny’s Lebanese partner picked up diamonds from Lagos airport in Nigeria. In three hours they arrived in Kenya and were expected to reach Mumbai in another ten hours.

8

Rishi Roger and Vinita walked to the bubbling Inderavathi River. Rishi had their bathing clothes in his backpack. It was too early for the children to take bath so there were not there so Vinita was disappointed.
“Don’t worry, they will come,” Rishi assured.
Vinita and Roger touched the water; to their amazement it was gently cool. Vinita walked away from them to the confluence of Ganges and Inderavathi, walk was rocky and unsteady so she took off her sandals in her hands.
She turned her face and yelled, “Rishi don’t let water touch to your head.”
Roger changed into his swimming shorts and Rishi changed into his loincloth, they jumped in the little pool that children made.
“This is very pleasing, I wish pool was deeper.” Roger said.
They splashed water on each other and waded in the shallow water. Soon they felt cold. Rishi climbed over a huge flat rock and parked himself upon it the warm surface; Roger also landed himself next to him. Soon they were warm and entered in the little pool again. They repeated the cycle several times.
Rishi noticed two small kids on the bridge.
“Roger we must hide somewhere or kids won’t come here.”
“Why the kids won’t come here,” he asked but Rishi picked up their belongings and picked his chapels in hands, he followed the direction Vinita took. Roger was confused but he followed Rishi. They saw Vinita was sitting on a rock at the confluence of both rivers where Inderavathi water was cascading into the rushing currents of Ganges.
“What happened? Is the river on fire?” She asked.
“No, children bath naked; if they see us they will not come to bath here.”
She laughed, “This means they would bath there and we would stay here.”
“We will go there gradually one by one in a way not to give shock to the whole troop.”
They laughed. From the distance they saw at least twelve small kids. They all undressed, a couple of them wore underpants rests of them were all naked. They jumped in the pool and started splashing water over each other. Rishi went there first.
Rishi walked to them, most of them knew him from the other day, but they were again ashamed of him. They all froze and stayed in the waste deep water. Rishi smiled and entered in the pool and soon they were back to their own business. They splashed water over each other and waded in the pool. They included Rishi in their games.
Then Roger appeared, they again stopped playing and looked at the intruder, but again they got over the shame and started chirping and playing.
Finally Vinita appeared, now it was too much for them and they stopped playing. They were staring at her. Vinita opened her purse and waved a transparent polythene bag containing chocolates candies. She threw one chocolate in the water; there was skirmish and all kids jumped at it.
Two kids wearing knickers came out to her, she handed one piece to each.
She said, “Anybody wants a candy must come and get it.”
Smallest kids came out of the water and took a candy. Slowly they all came out of water and had one. Only two pieces were left, she threw both in the water to see the frenzy. Children got over the shame and resumed their games.

“Hey kids,” Rishi made an announcement, “Let’s deepen this pool.”
Children instantly liked this idea. Roger and Rishi dug out bigger rocks from the bottom and kids pulled the shorter ones. Some children took the duty to raise the height of the dam. It took them half hour and now pool was another two feet deeper.

Rishi climbed on the rock, he waved the oil bottle.
He announced, “Hey kids it is the massage time.”
Whole troop ran to Rishi. They all played and rubbed oil on each other’s bodies including Rishi’s and Roger’s.
Vinita was laughing.
Soon the bottle was almost empty and they all were all shining with oil.
“Hey Sethi! I say you didn’t give me a massage man. This is no good. We had a deal,” said Rishi.
“Hey man! We got lots of massage man. I say we don’t need more,” Roger said.
“Hey man! I say you are a thug man, I know how to make you do a massage man.”
“I say we had enough man. Too much is no good man.”
Rishi yelled, “He kids.”
All kids gathered around him.
Rishi pointed his finger to Roger. “He owes me a massage but he is not giving.”
Roger was standing on a rock and all kids ran to him.
Vinita had another fit of laugher.
Roger had no choice but to massage Rishi, then Rishi massaged his body.
Kids resumed their wading in the pool.
Rishi yelled to Vinita, “Why don’t you get a bath.”
“No, I won’t.”
Roger yelled to kids, “Hey kids she won’t take bath, she chickened out.”
Kids jumped out of water and ran to her, she had no alternative left but to jump in the pool. Luckily she had an extra dress in Rishi’s backpack because she was afraid that she might fell in the water accidentally.
There was still some oil left in the bottle. Vinita asked the kids to give her a massage on the head and neck; she was pleased to feel little soft hands. Roger sneaked his own hands and started massaging her head and when she saw it she only smiled. They all splashed water over each other. Rishi had two bars of soap; kids gave soap rub to Roger, Rishi and to themselves. Vinita washed her arms, head and neck with soap. They dried themselves in the sun and dressed up. Rishi had a cloth washing soap too; they washed their wet clothes and spread them on the bushes to dry in the sunlight.

9

CNBC was repeatedly broadcasting the news, Roger has given a home coming gift to investors; he has declared a dividend ahead of the schedule. TV mentioned that Roger was not available for a comment. For the last three straight days his stocks were rising. Yesterday alone his stocks rallied fifteen percent to a historic new high, but today they were falling gradually in high volume trading.

Bishambar knew Roger’s stock manipulation practices and he wanted to confirm his suspicions. He turned on his computer and logged into his web trading station. He checked price volume movement of the stocks he didn’t own anymore, for the last several days. Then he checked the minute-to-minute details for the last three days and printed up the information.
He shook his head several times and said repeatedly.
Today stocks are not behaving the way they are supposed to behave. There is only one way to find out.
He placed an order to purchase ten thousand shares of the most active stock. His order was filled instantly in single shot at the market price, and instead of moving up stock’s price did not budge.
Some body is skillfully taking advantage of the Bull Run and is dumping a huge quantity of stocks at the high prices. I got robbed. It is my stock that is illegally unloaded at a hefty profit.
Son of bitches, Roger’s goons are manipulating the stocks. Bastards! A bunch of Criminals! This was supposed to be my profit.
Bishambar he placed an order to purchase another ten thousand shares of the other stock he used to own. Order was filled up in single shot in no time; instead of price to move up it fell a point.
He was very angry and he started shaking his head again.
Roger didn’t even spare his own blood brother. He slit my throat with my own knife. He ate all the meat and handed me the chewed bones. Honor among thieves.
He opened a new pack of cigarettes and lit one. He opened a new bottle of Chivas Regal and called servant for soda and ice.

10

Rishi, Roger and Vinita made a brief visit to the hotel to drop off the backpack; Hermit was waiting for them on the terrace. Hira Singh asked them if they need transportation to the temple but they wanted to walk. They walked back in the direction of Indravathi and they crossed the bridge under which they bathed.
At the trailhead Rishi asked to Hermit, “Gangagiri take Roger to the temple, I am taking the shortcut trail with Vinita.”
Hermit was about to protest but Roger anticipated that Rishi wants to have a talk with Vinita so he pulled Hermit’s hand.
“Maharaj, trail is too steep for me. Let’s take the road.”

Actually Vinita was happy to be alone with Rishi. She felt Roger was flirting with her and he was getting out of control. She wanted to discuss this all with Rishi. They started climbing on the steep trail in dense pinewoods but soon Vinita was panting. Rishi asked her to sit on a rock and they sat cross-legged on the pine needles.
“What you feel about Roger,” Rishi asked.
Vinita was glad that Rishi started this conversation.
“I want to talk to you about him. He is getting out of control?”
Rishi smiled.
She continued, “After all he is a great man and a hero of our country. He is my employer too. Look yesterday he did a nice effort to make those cards for me. I don’t know if he is trying to please me or just flirting with me.”
“He wants to marry you.”
Vinita was speechless for long time.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“I am a one way messenger,” Rishi said, “You do not owe me a reply.”
“I do owe you a reply. I have no parents. You are my parent. For all these years I lived with your picture in my heart. I still have it with me.” She took out a faded picture from her purse and shown to Rishi.
Rishi laughed.
They sat silently for many minutes. Atmosphere was filled up with the noises of Indravathi, Ganges and the hissing air.
She said, “Once I begged you to marry me but later I realized you are not a marring kind. You are an aloof but I revered you. Any problem I faced in my life I looked at your picture and asked what you would do if you were in my shoes.”
Rishi was looking at the holy river, he said, “Let’s walk, we have to travel a long distance.”
They started climbing again. They reached at the intersection of road and trail. Both were panting, they sat on the grass by the deserted road.
“Rishi, you are my parent. Roger is too rich, what do you say?”
“Set aside the facts that Roger is rich; how do you feel about him?”
“He is nice to me. He seems to be a good man but marrying him…”
“Money could be used for the good as well as for the bad,” Rishi said.
They took the trail again. They were in the shade of huge deodar trees; time to time yellow pollen dust was showering around them. Thousands of butterflies were hovering upon the wildflowers. This stretch was less demanding. Birds were singing and suddenly air grew strong and it rained pine needles over them.
She laughed, “Tell me one good reason why should I marry Roger. I don’t love him.”
“Look, I am a one way messenger. I am not pursuing you to marry him.”
“I asked you a question, why should a girl like me to marry a richest man on the earth.”
“You were born poor; you can use his money to start poverty eradication plans in poor countries. Poor genuine students could be given vocational training in his manufacturing facilities.”
Vinita sat silently but her mood was changed. She was now watching the Holy River in the valley. At the far side of Ganges, some people were gathered around a funeral pier and cremating a dead.
“Rishi,” Vinita said, “We all die one day. Some may die poor and life is a torture trail for them.”
“Let’s go. It is still a long way.”
“Yes let’s go, I got to marry someone. Roger is not a bad man. You know he liked me at the first site.”
Rishi stopped.
She turned. “What happened, why did you stop?”
“Today I committed a grave sin. I influenced your mind.”
“No you did not.”
“Vinita please reconsider your decision.”
She laughed and kissed Rishi’s hand.
“Come on Rishi, I will marry Roger. It is my own decision.”
“Look Vinita. I set you up.” He was not happy.

Roger and Hermit had nothing common so they walked in silence. Road was steep and walking on the motor able road was also demanding.
Time to time Hermit gazed at the Holy River and yelled, “Jai-Ganga-Mai. Hur Hur Gangae.”
Anybody passed on the road he again yelled, “Jai-Ganga-Mai.”
Everybody replied back the same.
At the top of the ridge, there was a small canteen. Roger bought two Coke bottles.
Hermit drank first cola of his life, he was wondering about the gas accumulated in his belly.
He had a loud burp and yelled, “Jai-Ganga-Mai. Hur Hur Gangae.”
“Drink one more,” Roger said.
“No,” he burped again, “Jai-Ganga-Mai. Hur Hur Gangae.”
They walked to the end of road and took the trail leading to the temple. Soon trail turned into steps. Roger liked the place at the first sight. There was a certain peace associated with it.
Priest welcomed them, “Welcome to the temple.”
“Thanks.”
“I guess Rishi sahib is coming with Vinita.”
“Yes he is.”
Hermit rang all the bells and yelled, “Jai-Ganga-Mai. Hur Hur Gangae.”
They both entered in the one room temple and leaned in front of deity.
Hermit shouted, “Jai-Ganga-Mai. Hur Hur Gangae. Jai Durga Mai.”
Mother Durga was the main deity of the temple.
Roger prayed to Mother Durga, “please give me Vinita, I promise I will cherish her and keep her happy.”
Priest applied tika on their foreheads and gave them prasad.
Roger walked to the ledge and saw Rishi and Vinita coming on the steps. Even from the distance Vinita looked pretty. Air was coming from their side; he tried to feel her aroma.
He smiled and said to himself, “Elvis is with her too. He better pay me for that massage. Enlightened nut.”
When arrived, both Rishi and Vinita were breathless, and sat on the platform to rest. Roger sat with them.
Vinita said, “I must go to the temple.” She went in the temple to pray.
“So Rishi, what did she say?”
Rishi shook his head and kept it shaking and Roger’s heart was beating fast.
“You big dummy! Tell me what happened.”
Rishi kept shaking his head.
“Did she say no.”
Rishi shook his head.
“You idiot! Did you talk to her?”
Rishi nodded.
“So she won’t marry me.”
Rishi shook his head again.
“She will marry me.”
Rishi again shook his head.
Roger picked a piece of rock from the ground, “I will break your head, tell me what did she say?”
“She said you must ask her guardians.”
“Where do I find her guardians? Yesterday she said her mother is passed away and father is inaccessible. Who are her guardians?”
“I am her guardian.”
“So she recruited you as her guardian.”
Rishi nodded.
“You comedian!” He laughed heartily.
“What do I do to get your permission?”
“Man! I say you cheated me with the massage.”
Roger replied, “I say pal you cheated me.”
“I say you didn’t give me massage voluntarily.”
“I say now what do you want.”
“I say I want another massage.”
“I say we got no oil.”
“I say we got butter milk oil here.”
“I say that is stealing from the temple.”
“I say we are only borrowing it. You will buy it back.”
“I? Kings, Presidents and Prime Ministers receive me.” Roger said.
“I say Mother Ganges receives me at anytime.”
Suddenly they heard Vinita’s laugh she was behind them. She listened to the part of their conversation.
“I laughed enough today, if you make me laugh more I will have a heart attack.” She sat on the platform with them.
Rishi took Roger’s right hand and Vinita’s left hand and joined them.
“This is your engagement. Go have a walk, make a left on the road up there, scenes are breathtaking.”
They both stared Rishi in silence.
“What are you waiting? Go.”
Roger and Vinita left happily hands in hands.

11

Rishi was again in his favorite reclining position and viewing at the valley. He enjoyed the cool platform. Stepped rice fields were lush green due to the recent rains. He felt as green color is floating over the valley. Hermit was taking a nap on the same platform. Priest also came there and sat cross-legged.
A silence prevailed for some time. Rishi was glancing at the River down in the valley. Today it was windy so noise of the Holy River was not audible but he was feeling the cool breeze touching his face. Platform was littered with the pine needles.
“I have news to share,” said Priest.
Few dry leaves flew off from the tree and were airborne in the sky. Rishi was now looking at the leaves circling in a whirl.
“And what is it?” asked Rishi.
“Hira Singh and I were class mates in the same school. I was in seventh grade when I stopped talking to him. Yesterday I spoke to him after several years.”
Wind stopped and leaves were now floating down the mountain slowly. Suddenly wind again moved them up and one leaf came back and landed very near Rishi. He picked it up and touched it to his cool surface to his face and felt its smell. Breeze was back and Rishi let the leaf fly again.
“Why did you stop talking to him?”
“He lost his book and accused me of stealing it. I was humiliated. I hated him from that day. I couldn’t even stand his face for many years. His hotel is in my path to here, to avoid his sight, I used the longer way to reach temple.”
Rishi was looking at the town.
After a long pause Priest said, “My family is their family’s priest from generations, my father was suppose to perform Hira Singh’s marriage but he got sick and I had no choice but to go in place of my father.”
“And deliberately you didn’t pick the envelope containing your fee or Dakshina.”
“Yes! I hated to touch his money so I deliberately left this envelope at his home.”
He pulled an envelope from his pocket. “This is the envelope.”
“He kept it for you for many years. Why didn’t he send it to you?” Rishi was still looking at the valley.
“He sent the envelope to my home but I sent it back. Actually Hira Singh forgot all about that school incidence. He didn’t know the reason behind it so he kept wondering, but I was carrying the grudge for the long time.”
Rishi was still absorbed in the scenes of the valley.
Priest continued, “At his wedding I didn’t even want to touch his food but there in unavoidable circumstances I had to eat little food. When I got back at my home, I poked my finger in my throat and vomited the contents of my stomach out, washed my mouth with the soap. That day soap gave blisters in my mouth.”
Rishi now sat cross-legged and listened to the Priest attentively.
Priest said, “That day you walked me to one truth and your exact words were ‘So you got enlightened to one fact and now you are free from it and it happened in just a moment’. Remember you said this.”
Rishi nodded.
“From that moment I was watching my thoughts, it happened automatically.”
Rishi interrupted, “Watching happened.”
“Exactly! Exactly! Watching happened. That day I saw my hate. I hated Hira Singh in my conscious as well in my sub-conscious. Then I asked myself if Hira Singh is a bad person? Reply came from my mind that no, he is not a bad person.”
A sparrow came and sat on Rishi’s shoulder, he closed his eyes to feel its touch.
Priest said, “That day I realized that he is a good man. I was meditating in the morning and suddenly I remembered that once I lost my geometry kit and I though Hira Singh’s sister stole it. I told my teacher about it but later on I found that geometry kit at my own home. My sister took it from my bag to use it and then she forgot to put it back. But I forget all about it and Hira Singh wanted to take revenge and accused me of the theft.”
“Joshi Ji,” said Rishi, “So you are no different from Hira Singh.”
“Yes I am not different from Hira Singh. The moment I realized this fact, same moment hate evaporated and replaced the love. I started loving him and I knew that you are staying at his hotel so I used this excuse and went to his hotel and he welcomed me with his heart.”
“Joshi Ji, your story is the story of Mankind.”
“Yes my story is the story of Mankind. I am no different than the other. As my heart was filled with love with Hira Singh, my though watching process intensified automatically. I was having little thoughts, self-chattering in my mind is gone weaker and no thought ran away unwatched. Self realization started coming to me, in my thoughts I watched many hates and loves. Most of my problems got resolved and most of the contents of my mind emptied by itself.”
“I am happy for you. May bliss catch up with you? It wants to catch you but you were running away from it.”
“I know what you are saying. I can see it.”
Rishi resumed his reclining position; he was looking at the high mountains in the north, watching the birth of the clouds they were forming and blowing in the direction of the south.

Hermit was not really sleeping; he overheard the whole conversation between Priest and Rishi. He sat up and gazed at the valley, in the noon sun, Mother Ganges was glittering like a diamond studded golden necklace around the mountain called Varun Parwat. This reminded him of the ancient idol wearing a golden necklace the little temple at the Ghat.
“Pundit Ji,” Hermit said to Priest, “You are a religious scholar. Can I ask you a question?”
“Gangagiri Ji, you can ask me one thousand questions.”
He smiled, “Suppose if one has an idol in the temple. One loves her with the heart but wants to dispose it off in the mother Ganges, could it be done or it is prohibited in our religion.”
“Gangagiri Ji, any idol can be disposed in Ganges, it is called Visarjana or Submersion. Was any Murthy-Sathapana or any installation-ceremony was performed when the idol was installed?”
“No, let’s say if one finds an idol and places in the temple without any ceremony. Now one wants to be free of it. So is it OK to submerse it in the Mother Ganges?”
“Sure, one can submerse it in the holy river without any formality. By the way what is this idol?”
“It is of Mother Ganges’s.”
“In that case there is no problem. Mother Ganges is flowing alive here in Uttarkashi, so her own idol can be given back to her.”
“Thanks Pundit Ji. You took a big burden off my chest.”

12

Sonny asked his mother about the canvas bag they brought from Dehradoon. She pointed her finger in the direction of a wardrobe in the kitchen. He took that bag in his bedroom. She knew that there is lots of money in it but she was too upset to think about anything. He went to his bedroom and since his cell phone was off the line he used his home phone and called Poppy, who was a member of the Mumbai underworld.
“I got a suparee (contract-killing) job for you?”
“Where?”
“The place is Uttarkashi, in the mountains of Himalaya. It is a very easy kill. Person’s name is Rishi. He washes the Ghat there, and anybody just can’t miss him.”
“OK, you are lucky. Our best man is free and he can catch the flight in two days but it will cost you ten biggies including three biggies for expanses. It is a three days job.”
“Ten biggies! Are you out of your mind? There months ago I paid you just two biggies.”
“Killing some one in Mumbai is like killing an insect. There are ten million get-away. Killing some one in a small remote town like Uttarkashi in Himalayas is like stealing an elephant from a carnival in the broad daylight. You travel on just one road for hours and leave the marks then you do the job and again travel on the same road for hours you leave marks again. People there know who is stranger and who is local; again you leave the damn marks. In two months your police sketch is in all police stations of India.”
“Three biggies for expanses is a total rip off.”
“Brother, you expect us to carry a gun in the flight.”
“ A knife could be bought in Uttarkashi. It is a real easy job.”
“Then why don’t you do it yourself?”
“I wish if I could but my hand is hurt.”
“We want half in advance.”
“OK, you meet me at the same place we met last time.”
Poppy disconnected the phone and called Danny.

13

Roger and Vinita were holding each other’s hands they passed the forest check post and turned left in the direction of town. They were happy. Road was deserted at this time, whole valley was visible from this height. At a bend they saw a trail going above in the dense grove of deodar trees, they took that trail and as they were hidden from the road they sat on a big round rock and glanced at the silvery Holy Ganges. He kissed the back of her hand.
“Thanks for accepting me in your life,” said Roger, “Vinita. I will never let you down.”
Vinita stayed silence and felt her heart elated. She was getting married; days of her loneliness were over.
“What kind of wedding you want,” asked Roger.
“Simple and without any show.”
“You got it. Anything you say. Thanks again.”
They talked and laughed and then Roger looked at his watch. “We must go back, Rishi’s order.”
As they approached the temple Vinita said, “Wait a minute! Wait a minute! You didn’t make the second greeting card.”
Roger froze his heart skipped a beat. His tongue went dry.
She said, “Rishi taught me to read mechanical drawings and blue prints, his piercing eyes never miss a detail. We both saw this temple from the air but temple sketch on that card is drawn from this side.”
Roger had no words to say anything; he felt ground slipping from his feet. Sky was falling on his head.
Vinita took his hand and kissed it, “You naughty boy!”
“But I made the other card.”
“Thanks Sethi that was nice too. You are also an artist. I love you.”
Roger was relieved disaster is averted, he liked Vinita even more.
Priest was watching them from the temple, he shouted, “Your tea is getting cold.”
They descended to the steps leading to the temple.
Rishi and Hermit were sitting cross-legged on the concrete platform and drinking tea. Roger and Vinita sat with them and priest handed them their cups and refilled Rishi’s and Hermit’s cups.
Rishi had some amusement in his mind, “Joshi Ji, our friend Sethi is a very poor man. He is losing money in all ventures. You are an astrologer, please check his stars.”
Roger and Vinita suppressed their laughter with difficulty. Joshi went to his small room and brought out three dog-eared books and a notepad.
“Sethi Sahib, I will like to know your date, time and place of birth.”
Roger told Priest. Priest got busy with the calculation and drew some charts on the notepad.
“Rishi Sahib, you said your friend Sethi is a very poor man. He is losing money in all ventures. Is that correct?”
Roger nodded with a smile.
Priest said, “This is not possible unless his birth information is significantly wrong.”
Roger asked, “So what is your judgment?”
“Money is raining upon you, you will never be poor. I think Rishi sahib is mischievous.”
They laughed
“I am seeing one main problem, your relation with your family are strained. Is this correct?”
Roger nodded.
Priest made new calculations again and then checked the date and time in his wristwatch.
“You can repair your relations with your family today. I am seeing a window open in your stars. Today from now to 6pm you should make an effort to contact your family, all problems may solve today.”
Hermit jumped and said to Vinita, “Give me your phone. Give me your phone. Give me your phone.”
Vinita handed him her cell phone.
Hermit handed phone to Roger and ordered, “CALL NOW”.
“Maharaj, I will call later on. Joshi Ji has to tell me more things. He is a very learned man.”
Hermit was nervous he kept repeating, Call now.”
“Sethi, please call them,” Rishi said.
Signal was strong because temple faced cell phone tower down in the valley. Roger dialed his brother Bishambar’s home number in Mumbai but nobody was picking up the phone, he waited for a while then disconnected it.

14

There were two phone lines in Bishambar’s house. The phone rang, Sonny’s mother assumed her husband would pick up the phone but he was drunk in his room, in his presence servants rarely answered the call. Finally she picked up the receiver. She was a simple lady, she was always confused about the both lines, and she picked up the wrong phone and listened. At the same moment phone stopped ringing. She heard Sonny talking on that line. She froze with horror.
“OK, you are lucky. Our best man is free and he can catch the flight in two days but it will cost you ten biggies including three biggies for expanses. It is a three days job.”
“Ten biggies! Are you out of your mind? There months ago I paid you just two biggies.”
“Killing some one in Mumbai is like killing an insect. There are ten million getaways but Killing some one in a small town like Uttarkashi in Himalayas is like stealing an elephant from the fare in the broad daylight. You travel on just one road for hours and leave the marks then you do the job and again travel on the same road for hours you leave marks again. People there know who is stranger and who is local; again you leave the damn marks. In two months your police sketch is in all police stations.”
“Three biggies for expanses is a total rip off,” her son said.
“Brother, you expect us to carry a gun in the flight.”
“ A knife could be bought in Uttarkashi. It is a real easy job.”
“Then why don’t you do it yourself?”
“I wish if I could but my hand is hurt.”
“I want half in advance.”
“OK you got a job, meet me at the same place we met last time.”

Her son’s bedroom’s door was ajar and she looked inside. He was absorbed in counting the money with one hand because his other hand was in bandage and sling.
So he has hired a contract killer to kill his uncle in Uttarkashi. He killed someone before also. Both father and son, two worms! Something must be done immediately to avert this disaster.
She knocked at Sonny’s door, “Some one is at the door looking for you.”
“Tell him that I am busy.”
“You tell him.”
Sonny spread the bed sheet over the money and came out and walked to the door. Quickly she packed up all the bills in the same black canvas bag and rushed to kitchen to hide it in a closet.
Sonny opened the door and found nobody. He came back inside and yelled at his mother, “Seems like your ears are ringing. There is no one outside.”
He went to bedroom and instantly understood that his mother tricked him.
He screamed at his mother, “Where is the money?”
“You need it to kill your uncle in Uttarkashi.”
“I would never do that.”
“Get out from this home.”
Sonny stomped his feet and walked out but she knew he would come back in the evening. She kicked him out twenty times before and he always returned, it was obvious that he had nowhere else to go.

15

Priest was now working on Vinita’s horoscope.
He said, “You were born poor.”
She nodded.
“You are a very generous person.”
Before Priest could say more Rishi interrupted, “Joshi Ji now match Sethi’s and her horoscope?”
They all smiled.
Priest opened another ancient book and finally he concluded, “A match arranged in heaven. She is the water and he is dry earth. She is Mother Ganges and he is baking heat of summer. It is a match arranged in heaven.”
Rishi said, “In that case we will like you to perform the engagement ceremony.”
Priest was in a surprise, “Now?”
“If it is a match arranged in heaven, why delay?”
“I don’t know. You must bring relatives, or at least her guardians must give consent for this matrimony.”
“Consider, I am her brother and Gangagiri is her father,” Rishi said.
Gangagiri nodded in approval.
“Well anyway I must find out the auspicious time for the ceremony,” Priest said and he started making further calculations.
Then he laughed and tore off his paper and wind took small pieces to the air.
“A saint is her brother.” Priest said, “No time could be as auspicious as this time. No ceremony could be as auspicious as this ceremony. There is no need to check any date or time. I will perform the engagement ceremony.”
He added after a pause, “Why delay.”
He went in the temple to make the arrangements.

They heard a horn at the road. Above Hira Singh was waving them and his wife was standing next to him. He was carrying a huge Tiffin box. Hira Singh planned to come alone but his wife also wanted to see the temple so she joined him with the excuse that she will heat up the food in the temple kitchen. They walked down to the steps leading to the temple.
Priest rushed to help them they met in the half way, Hira Singh hugged him tightly.
Priest said, “Welcome to the party. We needed guests, we had none.”
Hira Singh and his wife were confused.
Rishi said, “Sethi and Vinita are getting engaged. This all happened suddenly.”
“Hira Singh,” Priest asked, “Who side you are, Sethi Sahib’s or Vinita’s”
“Whose side do you want me to be?”
Joshi said, “We need someone from Sethi’s side, you are Sethi’s brother.”
“My brother, the coal man.”
They laughed.

They decided that food should be served after the engagement ceremony. Roger never expected events to take turn this fast he was regretting not bringing his digital camera.
Priest asked Vinita and Roger to sit together; engagement ceremony was complete in half hour. Priest ordered Roger and Vinita to enter in the temple at the same time for the further ceremony.
Then Vinita and Kanchan went to the small kitchen to heat up the food.
They sat on the concrete platform in a big circle and waited for the food.
Rishi and Roger were joking again and Vinita repeatedly begged them stop it because she had enough laugh for the day and she was having pain in her ribs. This time Rishi asked Roger to wrestle with him. Gangagiri was also laughing with them.
He said to Roger, “Sethi call you family again.”
“OK my father-in-law, I will call but you must say hello to them.”
“Jai-Ganga-Mai. Hur-Hur-Gangae.”
Roger dialed Bishambar’s home number in Mumbai again.

16

Stock market was in a bull run, and but Roger’s most companies were about five percent low from their historic new high at the opening. Trading volume was historic high but still stocks stayed lower. Bishambar bought twenty thousand shares just to confirm the pattern. Just to double check he put an order to sell his first ten thousand shares. Order got filled up in ten minutes in about fifteen lots. With each block price went down a point and his average loss was seven points on each share. Then he unloaded other ten thousand shares, exactly same pattern was repeated, his order was filled in eight minutes, in all small lots and price went down. It was a bull market but some body somewhere was skillful unloading stock against the large lot demands.
Roger is selling my shares. He is making fortune with my money. This fortune was supposed to be mine. Roger didn’t even spare his own blood brother. He slit my throat with my own knife. He ate all the meat and handed me the chewed bones. Honor among thieves.
He felt severe pain in his chest. His left arm went numb. He smoked with his right hand and had another large drink. Pain in the chest was severe but he kept on drinking. His cigarette fell down on his cotton shirt. He had no energy left to pick it. His eyes closed and his saliva started flowing out of his mouth. Glass fell down on the concrete floor and crashed. A servant rushed in the room and saw his condition. He alarmed his wife; she rushed there and put off the cigarette. He was still breathing. There was a doctor living next door she asked a servant to run and fetch him. Doctor arrived and said, “It is a massive stroke. He is in coma. Call an ambulance.”
“I don’t know where to call,” she said.
Doctor knew that they were very rich so he called an ambulance from a prestigious private hospital. Bishambar’s mother also returned from the temple. Ambulance arrived and as they were to take Bishambar to the hospital, phone in the home rang. It was Roger from Uttarkashi.

17

Roger was shocked to hear the news.
He walked away to talk in privacy and conversation lasted for about five minutes. He came back with pale face.
Vinita rose and whispered to him, “What happened? Is everything all right?”
“Bishambar had a stroke and his wife and my mother pleaded me to reach Mumbai.”
Rishi said, “Roger, this is not good news.”
“My mother said, since he arrived from Uttarkashi he was smoking and drinking nonstop and now this happened.”
“What would you do now,” asked Vinita.
“I will go to Mumbai tomorrow, let me make arrangements.”
Roger walked away from them and made more phone calls for another twenty minutes.
“Tomorrow, I will go to Mumbai and return here a day later.”
“How would you go?” Rishi asked.
“If all goes well, my jet would arrive at Dehradoon Airport before tomorrow noon and a helicopter will arrive here in the morning?”

18

“Hey Freddie, Seems like boss is back in the business and our vacation is over,” Edward said to his copilot Fredrick.
“Call control tower and register a flight plan to Delhi, India with refueling touch and go at Cairo, Egypt.” Freddie said.
“Yes Captain.”
Freddie called control tower and asked for the permission that was granted immediately.
Roger’s private jet airliner left the New Jersey’s earth before dawn. At thirty thousand feet plane was on the autopilot. Eddie fixed Freddie a cup of coffee and then he went to sleep because his girlfriend didn’t let him sleep at night, she found out that he was having another affair; she knew the best revenge was to keep him up awake. Luckily Jennifer’s phone call rescued him.
Freddie was neck deep into a nasty divorce battle. He was lucky to be away from the country. He was getting at least one certified mail from his wife’s attorneys, each day, each was the nastier than the other. His whole paycheck went to the lawyers and alimony. Roger was aware of his situation, so he was getting most of his salary paid in undeclared cash. In return he bypassed one or other aviation law to help Roger run his business.

19

It took a while for Roger to recover from the shock. He was more worried about his seventy years old mother. He was happy to be engaged with Vinita and was looking forward to meet his mother. They walked back to the hotel. Hira Singh and his wife already took a shared jeep from the road above because they had to carry an empty Tiffin box. Rishi and Roger were joking again and Vinita repeatedly begged them stop it because she had enough laugh for the day and she was having pain in her ribs. This time Rishi asked Roger to wrestle with him. Gangagiri was also laughing with them.
Rishi said, “Gangagiri, Sethi’s brother who came here had a stroke. Can you do something about it?”
“What is stroke?”
Rishi tried his best to explain Gangagiri about what is stroke.
“I can fix him half,” Gangagiri replied, “I need fresh Cobra poison.”
“Where would we find Cobra poison in Mumbai,” Roger said.
“That is my problem,” Gangagiri said.
“Sethi, you take him to Mumbai, who knows he may help you.”
“OK, I will take Gangagiri with me anyway, but I doubt they will let him do anything. Everybody is scared of the snakes and poisons.”
Rishi wanted to give privacy to Roger and Vinita so he let them go on the road and, he pulled Hermit on the trailhead.
“Sethi, See you in the hotel.”
“Thanks Rishi.” Roger shouted.

“Let’s go to Mumbai together,” said Roger.
“Hey Sethi, I an engaged to you and it is inappropriate for me to visit your home.”
Roger didn’t say anything because an unpleasing situation was waiting for him at Mumbai and he wanted to introduce Vinita to his family in normal circumstances.
“Roger I am scared that you may never return and forget all about it,” Vinita said.
“First, I love you and second thing is that I don’t want to face the wreath of Rishi and Gangagiri. They are the arms of God. Look at my brother and my nephew; Gangagiri cursed them when they hurt Rishi. Gangagiri healed me and Rishi is your guardian.”
They walked in silence. Valley was ablaze with late noon sun.
They arrived at the exact place where she sat with Rishi and saw the funeral pier.
“Roger, let’s sit here.”
Now they were far below the height of temple, they were hearing the noises of the Indravathi and the Ganges.
“Vinita now we are engaged to be married, and about the temple picture greetings...”
Roger told her the whole story of the necklace and the greeting cards.
Both had a heartily laugh.
“How Mother Ganges looks wearing that necklace,” she asked.
Roger replied in embarrassment, “I don’t know. It is a black granite idol. You can imagine a small rock wearing a necklace.”
Vinita said softly, “Oh Sethi, please don’t say that.”
Roger smiled. “You can go there and see it yourself.”
Vinita said, “I want to see her wearing the necklace.”
“OK,” Roger said, he was not sure if the necklace was still there he too wanted to see it.
They walked slowly because both wanted the journey never to end. They sat at many places. Roger was upset, tomorrow he would be leaving Vinita as well Uttarkashi but he consoled himself that he will be returning in a day or two. They arrived at Indravathi Bridge and laughed remembering the morning instances. But anxiety of separation was hovering on them.

They stepped on the hotel terrace. Rishi and Hermit were drinking tea and two empty cups and a steaming teakettle was waiting for them too. They all had tea.
Hermit abruptly rose. “I must go.”
Rishi also rose. “Me too, I got to wash the Ghat.”
“Come Vinita, let’s all wash the Ghat,” Roger said.
They reached on the Ghat and necklace was still there. Vinita went to the tiny temple and bowed to the ancient idol and prayed.
She sat with Roger, “Mother Ganges looks pretty in that necklace.”
Rishi had bath and they all washed the Ghat.
They sat on the last step where stormy water was splashing over them.
Hermit took out the idol and said, “You all pay respect to my mother.”
They touched the feet of the deity. Then Hermit kissed it; he had tears in his eyes. He walked in the water and let go the idol and shouted, “Jai-Ganga-Mai. Hur-Hur-Gangae.”
All people at the Ghat shouted back, “Jai-Ganga-Mai. Hur-Hur-Gangae.”
Roger was too shocked to say a word but later on he asked Hermit, “Why did you do that.”
“To be free. I am going.”
“Where are you going?”
“With you.”
“But we would be coming back.”
“That I don’t know. Even if I may come back I will be a different person. Life is changing very fast. Water is moving in the river at all the time and Mother Ganges is always new so why should I stay the same.”
“I see,” That’s all he could say.
Last sunrays were touching the mountains. Hermit got busy with the Aartee preparations.

20

Hira Singh again arranged liquor party to celebrate the engagement, but this time it was on the terrace.
Hira Singh, Rishi and Hermit had drinks.
After the second drink Hermit turned his glass upside down and declared, “I am done.”
Rishi also turned his glass upside down and said, “I am done.”
Hira Singh banged his glass and said, “I am not done.”
Rishi made him a light drink and Hira Singh started speaking English, “Me, do you can more have not glam glut.”
Rishi closed the bottle and said to Hermit, “Gangagiri let’s walk.”
“Jai-Ganga-Mai.” Hermit shouted in approvel.


They walked, passed the Indravathi Bridge and they sat on the roadside concrete-barrier-curb facing the noisy holy river.
“Yesterday after the drink, I was not free at night because I was to control myself. That too was a kind of self endurance,” Gangagiri said.
“Of-course.”
“That day when I treated Sethi by the Yamuna River, you gave me the cell phone and said that your never lock your door.”
Rishi sat cross-legged and watched the river and city behind it.
“In the jeep, I though about it. I was worried about my open room where I have nothing but junk but you gave me the message. Indeed your door was open.”
Rishi had no intention to give him any message but it was coincidence.
Hermit said, “Then you asked me to take the Jeep. You said ‘we are free to decide when and where to stay’ do you remember.”
“I think so,” Rishi said.
“This made me think that I was worried about my room and Aartee and what not and you were free to decide. Today I am free to decide. I am free.”
“Gangagiri, I am happy for you.”
“There is more. Today I overheard your conversation with Joshi Ji. I pretended to sleep but I was awake.”
Rishi was still looking at the river.
Hermit continued, “Then today I watched my own thoughts, I saw many hates in myself. I know a person here, who owns a grocery shop; one day he threw a burning cigarette in the Mother Ganges. I started hating him. I hated many people and hate stayed for years but today I saw it.”
“Why did you watch your thoughts?” asked Rishi.
“It happened. I didn’t do anything and I had no control over it.”
“In other words meditation started automatically. I used to meditate each day at morning. I always tried to control my mind. Some times I was able to control it but most of the time not. In the beginning I happen to watch my thoughts but I was fighting with myself to brush away the thoughts. I followed other systems too, they said you watch your thoughts and thoughts would slowly go away, like you stop paddling and cycle would stop. Some times it stopped for some time and effect stayed for a short time. I did this all for many years but still I need to do this or that exercise to stop or slow my thoughts. Many Gurus visited Ghat and I asked them when would my thoughts stop? Keep taming the mind they said, slowly thoughts would stop.”
“Huh!”
“Do not say huh. Say something.”
“So you did this or that, you followed Vipasana system, Buddha or whatever but you stayed same. Is that what you are saying.”
“Yes, my life stayed same.”
“Do the meditation now?”
“Why?”
“Do it.”
“I can’t do it while you are watching me.”
“Go by the Indravathi River and do it.”
“For how long.”
“Go and do it, don’t worry about time.”
“Which meditation.”
“Whatever you do everyday.”
“I follow many techniques.”
“Do whatever suits you. Do it now.”
It was dark now but valley was lit by moon. Hermit a shepherd’s trail went to the Ganges riverbank, Hermit too it.
Rishi lay on the ledge and heard the noise of the river and felt the cool breeze blowing.
Hermit returned after forty minutes and sat near Rishi for some time. Rishi’s eyes were closed.
“So what happened,” Rishi said.
“I tried, but it was the same as usual.”
“You tried.”
“Yes I tried.”
“You are the problem. Your I is the problem.”
“What!”
“Any activity of the self is not meditation.”
Hermit was shocked to hear this.
“I was doing meditation for several years and you say it went waste.”
“It went waste only if you think it went waste.”
“So it didn’t go waste, is that you are telling me.”
“I didn’t tell you anything.”
Hermit was silent. He was trying to understand what Rishi was saying.
“How can I change my thinking?”
“You can’t.”
“So I am stuck.”
“Yes you are stuck. Or ‘I’ is stuck.”
Suddenly Hermit’s mind was clear. He was astonished. Understanding the truth lightened his heart. Truth set him free from another problem.
He said, “I is the problem.”
“Look in you?”
“What!”
“Yes look into you now.”
Hermit closed his eyes and sat there for ten minutes.
“I is the problem. I was doing meditation and it didn’t happen because I was doing it.”
“Either doing didn’t happen or you were against the happenings.”
“Yes, both things happened.” Hermit felt ecstasy in his mind. He was free from his own meditations.
“There is only Ganga Mai, and I goes beyond the identification tag.”
“It is too much for me to handle. ”
“Let’s go.”
Hermit walked with Rishi in silence and arrived at the hotel terrace.
“Gangagiri, You can sleep here if you want.”
“No I have to find the replacement for the Aartee. Tomorrow I am going to Mumbai with Sethi”
“Jai-Ganga-Mai.”

21

Rishi was gone with Hermit, Roger and Vinita were talking, they talked and talked. They told each other about their childhood, school and college. They told about their fears, desires, anxieties and everything. It was apparent that Rishi was deliberately giving them privacy.
Hira Singh appeared, “Where is he?”
Roger said, “Elvis has left the building.”
Vinita had another attack of laugher.
“I was asking about Rishi. Who is Elvis?” Hira Singh asked.
“Yes he has left the building with Hermit.”
Hira Singh went back to his home to help his wife preparing dinner.
They heard “Jai-Ganga-Mai.” Then Rishi appeared from the gate.
“Where is Gangagiri?” Vinita asked.
“He left.”
Rishi dragged two chairs far away from them; he sat on one and placed his feet on the other.
“Are you mad at us or what?” Roger shouted.
“For now on our ways split.”
Roger and Vinita dragged their chairs to him.
“Hey Rishi”, Roger said, “We’ve decided if we have a boy his name would be Rishi.”
“And if you have a girl,” Rishi asked.
“Then name would be Rishika.”
“Both names are very good.”
They laughed again.
Hira Singh appeared from the stairs he was surprised to see them sitting in the far corner.
“What happened, did you see a skunk or mongoose there?”
They laughed.
Dinner was served. Rishi went to his room to sleep. Roger and Vinita were talking again. She looked at her watch it was11pm.
“Roger you must sleep you have a long day ahead, and I will go to office. One week’s furlough is enough, I have to prepare a huge estimate for bidding.”
“Bid can wait. Are not you coming to see me off at Dehradoon?”
“Roger, I’d love to, because I need to do some shopping in Haridwar but you will land there at noon and then the last bus leaves for here at late noon.”
“Are you crazy? You are my fiancée. You can’t take bus.”
“OK I can take taxi but I can’t sit alone in the taxi.”
“You are my fiancée.” Roger nodded.
“Yes Roger, I am your fiancée.”
“We will reach Dehradoon at noon and Helicopter would be all yours till sunset. You won’t be coming alone, Elvis must escort you because he is yours self appointed guardian.”
“He is not a self appointee, he is my guardian angel.”
Vinita rose and Roger kissed the back of her hand and said, “Good night.”
She heard Roger following her; she turned, “Don’t follow me Roger. This is India.”
“I just need another pillow.”
“I will tell Hira Singh.”
“I need your pillow.”
“In that case we will swap pillows.”
He laughed, went to his room and brought his pillow. They walked to her room and she handed him her pillow and shut the door.
He went to bed; cuddled with her pillow, felt her fragrance, smell of her lipstick and her touch. His heart was beating in her desire. He fell to sleep a little before midnight.

Vinita too cuddled with Roger’s pillow and felt the smell of his cologne on it. In her imagination she dreamed her life with Roger. Most unpleasing part was meeting with people and attending the parties but she must adjust to the situation. She always slept like a baby, once asleep only an explosion could wake her up.

22

Freddy woke up Eddie and handed him a cup of black coffee, “Get up, Nile River is visible in the moonlight. We got to land.”
Eddie sat on the see and gazed from the screen and said, “All Rivers look same to me.”
They landed at Cairo airport, refueled and were permitted to leave. Night was falling in Africa.

When they were over Jeddah in Saudi Arabia it was midnight.
Freddy fixed another cup of black coffee for Eddie. Working for Roger was high paying but demanding job. Both were young and now they trained themselves to adjust in any time zone at any time and situation.
Eddie said, “Ever been to Jeddah.”
“Yes, I brought boss here three times last month lucky that you were on the vacation.”
“Me too. I hauled three Saudi Princes on this tempo, just two months ago. Boss must cultivate some dignity man, he abuses this beauty like this is an omni bus. He rarely drinks himself but those guys sucked up all his liquor like a vacuum cleaner.
They didn’t leave even one drop for me. Mopped up the bar and licked it clean.”
“Did they make any mess in this beauty, vomiting etc.? This makes me upset.”
“Oh! No they were professionals.”
“Listen to my story. I had hard time finding a bottle in Jeddah, I almost got whipped man, and next time I would bring my own quota and stay in the this tempo,” Freddy said.
“Eddie, You always learn hard way.”
“Yes! That’s what my wife has mentioned in the divorce petition.”
“I love India man, a free country! A completely free country! We think America is free but we are not free at all. Three days ago a cop caught me peeing at the curb, Oh man! I was drunk.”
“Did you get a ticket or court summons?” Freddy asked.
“I got lucky that cop turned out to be my brother’s drinking buddy.”
“And you say America is not free,” he added, “It is my turn to sleep.”
They were flying over the Dubai.

23

Few miles away and thirty thousand feet below, Don of the Mumbai underworld was extremely happy in Dubai. Sleep was far away. To control his nerves he took two anti anxiety pills.
With this diamond business my money is doubling in each six months. How come I was missing the ride for long time? Well everything is in God’s hands and my prayers are heard now.

Abdul served him chicken kebobs with lots of spices and herbs.
He said, “Delicious! Surely delicious! Gustoso! Comono gustoso!”
He took another bite and picked up the cell phone. Usually Abdul did his talking, he rarely talked himself but this time it was important for him to speak.
“Hello Danny, how are you?”
“Big brother I am fine.”
“Call me back on my new number and did you change your SIM card.”
“Yes, I just changed it.”
“Call me back.” He disconnected the phone.

Don started pacing in the verandah. Danny called after five minutes.
Don said, “So Sonny wants to do us a job in the mountains.”
“Yes, he wants to send some guy named Rishi to cold storage. He says this guy Rishi is easy to find, he washes the Ghat on the holy-river.”
Don laughed, “A Dionysus worshiper.”
They laughed.
Don asked, “Did you record his conversation?”
“Yes, yes. We record his all phone calls.”
“He is our gateway to La-La land.”
Both laughed.
Danny said, “Sonny said he would bring half the professional fee but he did not show up. His cell phone is off the line. He used his home phone to call me.”
“I heard his father is hospitalized, seems like he is busy.”
“I doubt it, he is a shit-sack and he does not care about his father.”
Don said, “Hey Danny, you know that we are running out of time. Send someone immediately to do this Ghat-washer. This time we will get Roger and his brother with lots of red paint.”
They laughed.
“Yep! He is our luck in the sky. I won’t wait the money, we must do it anyway. I will send some expandable stupid on this job.”
They laughed again.
Don said, “Send Omar to do this job, let him serve us before we hand him up to the ghost.”
They laughed.
“We will be killing two birds with one stone.”
“Good, good, Bonito, bonito. Thank you and goodbye! Gracias adios!”
“Goodbye big brother, your Spanish is getting better by each day.”

Don rounded up his lips and started whistling.
Ghat-washer Rishi brought me luck. Rishi means Sage. Thanks Rishi, small things must be sacrificed for the bigger goals. We will do this job for free. A pleasure.
Mucho, mucho gracias, adios Rishi!
Mucho, mucho por-favor Rishi!
Buenos noche Rishi!
Ha, ha, ha, ha.


End of Chapter 7