They traveled for about fifty minutes tracking the wild river. The dwarf then turned south and led them into the dense jungle. After walking a while through the jungle, they encountered an incline. The dwarf climbed the incline with ease. The horses struggled to follow him. The top of the incline turned out to be the shoreline of a lake.
Ponnan and Vikraman looked in the direction the dwarf pointed.
They could see a landscape of boulders and shrubs. They could see hundreds of
torches moving. The figures moving around in the foot of the hills must have been human, although it would have been easy to mistake them for ghosts in that
eerie setting. Drumbeats contributed to the unsettling atmosphere.
Vikraman and Ponnan were both nervous, but they just resumed
following the dwarf without showing their fear. The dwarf was walking faster
now. He walked along the shoreline, and then cut through the dried part of the
lake. As Ponnan and Vikraman followed, they could sense that the horses were
shivering as well. In another ten minutes, they reached the forest at the foot
of the hills. The horses seemed more nervous now. Ponnan and Vikraman
dismounted, tied the horses to trees and entered the forest.
In the glow of torches, they could see several people dancing in a
fanatical trance. Some, clad in yellow, were meditating with closed eyes. Some
others were cooking pongal, the ceremonial porridge offering. Some were
sharpening their swords on the rocks, while others were beating their drums.
They had arrived at a clearing. There was a hillock to their right. A large figure of Goddess Kali was carved on the stone face and was painted in bright colors. The eyes of the Goddess were open wide in a fearsome stare. There was a huddle of men near the figure. Kapala Bhairavan was in the middle, towering over all others, with his reddish hair, necklace of skulls and red paste all over his body. A man near him was making rhythm with Udukkai, an hourglass shaped drum. Kapala Bhairavan’s eyes were closed. He was muttering something. His body was shaking.
Near that hillock was a flat rock, naturally shaped like a
sacrificial altar. The Shaivite sage was lying on the rock, his arms and body
bound. He had his eyes open. He seemed to be observing everything that was
happening around him.
A giant man was standing with a sword near the rock, apparently
waiting for Kapala Bhairavan’s command.
Vikraman scanned the scene and observed all this in an instant. He
rushed to the giant man and swung his sword. The man’s sword fell away with a
clang. Vikraman stood near the sage, and addressed Ponnan, “Ponna, what are you
waiting for? Untie the ropes.”
These events occurred before anyone realized what was happening.
The crowd now protested noisily. Kapala Bhairavan heard the commotion, opened
his eyes, and slowly walked towards the altar. He gazed at Vikraman intently.
He laughed. The laughter echoed around the boulders, causing goosebumps.
The crowd sensed that something important was happening and
surrounded the altar. Kapala Bhairavan raised his arm and grunted. Everyone
fell back. The giant had retrieved his sword by this time. He fell back as
well. Ponnan stood paralyzed, rooted to the spot.
Kapala Bhairavan gazed intently at Vikraman again. “My boy! Aren’t
you Vikraman, the son of King Parthiban? You arrived at the perfect time, just
as Mother Kali had foretold. What can I say about the omniscience of Mother
Kali!”
Vikraman stood silent, hypnotized by his gaze.
“My boy, I came to Mamallapuram, looking for you. That madman,
Marappan intervened and ruined my plans. But I was expecting you here tonight.”
Still under the spell, Vikraman asked in a feeble voice, “Who are
you and why did you look for my arrival?”
“Why? Mother Kali’s rule begins in the southern country tonight.
Mother Kali commands that you be crowned as the prince of Her kingdom!”
Someone in the crowd giggled derisively. Kapala Bhiravan, Vikraman
and everyone looked in the direction, but it was not clear who giggled.
The sound of the giggle broke the spell Vikraman had been under.
He looked at the sage and then met the eyes of Kapala Bhairavan. “I
don’t know what you are talking about. But if you really want to designate me
as the prince, don’t intervene in what I’m doing. This man is an esteemed
friend of my family. He has helped us in difficult times. I consider it my duty
to free him. While I’m alive, I can’t permit anyone to harm him!”. He
approached the altar, intending to cut the ropes that bound the sage.
“Stop!”, roared Kapala Bhairavan. Vikraman, for all his bravery,
was startled by this cry. His sword remained in the air.
Kapala Bhairavan resumed in a loud voice, “Vikrama, my boy. This
sage is an impostor. If you knew who he is, you wouldn’t be so keen to save
him!”
Vikraman was surprised at the venom in his voice. He recalled his
own suspicion that the sage was actually the Pallava spy chief.
Kapala Bhairavan roared, “Ask this impostor who he is. Let’s see
if he has the courage to answer!”.
Vikraman looked at the sage. The sage was smiling serenely.
Another voice thundered, “Vikrama, ask this impostor with the
garland of skulls who he is. Let’s see if he answers!”. The man behind the
voice emerged from behind the boulder nearby. Everyone turned around to look.
There was a loud exclamation from the crowd as light fell on the man’s face.
Vikraman felt a surge of respect as he saw the man, wearing prayer
beads and holy ash. It was the man who used to be the general of the Pallava
army, known as Paranjothi and Siruthondar.
Parthban Kanavu: The Tamil version of the novel is in the public domain. Copyright for the translation is reserved by the translator..
Art by Sujatha, unless otherwise credited.
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