Sunila Gupte - A Harappan Adventure: Girls of India

It was the year 2570... yes, 2,570 years before Christ was born. Just above the great Taklamakan Desert in Central Asia, known in the local dialect as the go-in-and-you-will-not-come-out desert, walked a lone figure, stooping with fatigue. He breathed a sigh of relief at having crossed this dreaded place safely.

Suddenly he was caught and held in a painfully tight grip.

Dont move! Do as you are told, old man, or you will be very sorry, ordered a harsh, guttural voice. It belonged to a rough-looking bandit.

Indeeya! Shindu! Meluhha, Meluhha! muttered the man, Zhao Gao, groaning.

A Chinese with an air of quiet dignity about him, he was dressed in the robes of a monk, with his long hair braided into a pigtail. His hands were pulled unmercifully behind him, and with a rough push he was made to roll further on the dry, stony ground. He felt a searing pain as his hands were quickly tied. His bundles were opened and the contents scattered around in disgust... nothing of value there!

Where were his disciples, Li Jinsong and Wu Shaozu? he wondered. Why could they not see he needed help? In a blur, he remembered that they had gone ahead of him, running to check if there was a caravanserai close by. Night was approaching, the sun would soon set and the terrain was unfriendly and hostile.

They had walked too slowly. He was now tired.

It had been a long, long journey of two years from his land in the plains of the Yellow River in southern China. They had taken a longer route, as they had heard that there was a chance of coming across brigands and bandits on the Silk Route. They had thought they would find oases and shelter on the other route. They did manage to find various traders, who were good to them, as soon as they saw that the monk had not come to trade, and did not bring Chinese silk or medicinal herbs or precious gems. Taking the circuitous way also meant that different rivers would make the journey to Meluhha less arduous. Crossing mountain ranges like the Pamir and Karakoram would have tired them more.

Again he wondered about his disciples. As his mind cleared, he realized he could no longer see them. Maybe they had been attacked as well! After all these weeks, bandits had finally got them. These thoughts raced through his dazed mind even as he was pulled and pushed and thrown to the ground.

Suddenly he heard a new voice, raised in anger and fear... but not at him.

You fool! Can you not see that he is a holy person, a monk? He is wounded! We leave religious people alone! Untie him! Be gentle! Beg his pardon. Where is your older brother? He should know better, letting you work alone!

In front of Zhao Gao now stood a bandit with a long, light brown beard, wearing a rough tunic and a thick gold chain. He placed his right hand on his heart, bowed low and said in a rough but respectful tone, I beg your pardon! Forgive me, forgive him. He is stupid, he does not know. He has never seen a monk. He then turned to his left.

Help him to sit properly. Get water, honey, dates! he shouted to another small, unkempt man who had just come up, panting.

Hastily the two men helped untie the monk, who even now did not have any anger on his face. Blood trickled from his nose and lips.

Look at him. Could you not tell he is a MONK? Treat him with respect, the bandit with the long brown beard shouted again.

The other two immediately complied and Zhao Gao was helped up. His eyes shone with a brilliant light, now that he had recovered a little. His voice was soft. Like most travellers he spoke a mixture of languages, which the bandits could understand.

Forgive them, they know not what they do. My sons, I carry no jewels, no things to be bartered. I go only with the little I need for my long, arduous journey to Meluhha. Of worldly goods I have none. I only bring my prayer beads, my prayer flags, my little travelling altar, my jade disc and tubes, and my incense sticks, which I put in front of my ancestors and deities... these I need for prayer. He paused, then asked, And have you also attacked my two good boys, the companions sent to look after me? I can no longer see them.

The robbers looked at their leader.

If you mean the two men who were ahead of you, yes, we have them, the younger one confessed reluctantly.

Release them too! ordered the bandit lordfor he was the lord, as his gold chain proclaimed to all.

The minions ran to obey his commands.

The hard-eyed bandit who had tied Zhao Gao up reflected on the frail-looking monk. Not once had he shouted or resisted in any way. Nor had he tried to kick or bite, unlike the other two wild animals, he thought, rubbing his knee where he had got badly kicked. No, this man was differentserene, with only his long, narrow eyes blazing. However, this very calmness was frightening.

The monk stood rubbing his wrists, pulling his disarrayed, rough robe closely around himself. He looked at the sore, bloodied red welts made by the scratchy rope on his wrists, yet uttered not a word. His dark eyes were luminous with knowledge and he seemed to look beyond the human gaze.

The bandit lord, on bended knees, clutched the monks robe. He could feel the power emanating from the holy man. His composure, his stillness spoke of strength and purpose.

Forgive me, Your Holiness, the bandit lord pleaded again. We will clean your wounds. We will let you and your disciples go as well. We never harm monks, Gods chosen ones. We will return your belongings.

We know not where you are bound but we will helpfood, water sources, travel, mules to carry you, anythingonly dont bring forth the wrath of the gods and our ancestors on us and our families.

Indeeya... Shendu... Meluhha, murmured Zhao Gao. We have to get there. For my gods have sent me on a holy mission.

Sometime later, two puzzled, shamefaced men brought back the horrified and angry disciples, Li Jinsong and Wu Shaozu. Both the young monks were thin, wiry and strong, with slanting eyes and braided hair.

We were a bit violent with them. Seeing they came from the land of the Yellow River, we thought they would have silk, ceramics, jade, iron, salt or other riches to be traded, explained the younger bandit meekly.