SEARCH FOR AN IDOL

I am Hari, an officer of the Indian administrative service and am concurrently in charge of archaeology. Recently British tycoon Harold Witherspoon had returned an ancient idol stolen from India and I had collected it at Nottingham. Witherspoon said the idol had been in possession of his  family since the close of the 19^th century. Government of India had expressed thanks to Witherspoon.

That morning I was seated browsing the newspaper when my wife Nandini, dressed to go to work joined me. Nandini was also in the administrative service though we work in different departments.

I said “You seem to be leaving for work early.”

“I got a call a few minutes ago telling me that the Governor wants to speak to me.”

I said “Nan, I’m leaving for Sorgum in half an hour as duty calls. I’ve exhausted resources in trying  to locate the statue of saint Naban which was lost after a great flood  many years ago.”

“So your archaeologist Tara is asking you to go over.”

“You see Tara is qualified in archaeology and she qualified as a consultant. She is also familiar with certain ancient scripts.”

“And she had the gumption to send you a message in one such script which you…..”

I laughed and said “I still maintain that I couldn’t make sense of the message until she later deciphered it for me. I may have to camp there for three or four days.”

She said “I’ve told you I don’t like that woman.” Her phone rang and she said to me “My car has come. Bye!”

I had romanced Nandini from the time we had been recruits and we finally got married. She wasn’t great on looks but it was her intellectual capability which made me choose her.

I got ready and in a short while was driving towards Sorgum. Reaching the temple town I checked into the Traveler’s Bungalow and called Tara who was a local resident. She was with me in half an hour dressed in a cream colored top over brown pants. She had her ample hair fall free up to level of her chest and wearing only large ear rings appeared to me like a film star.

I sat in the reception hall when Tara joined me. After small talk I asked her “How is your study to get a doctorate?”

She said “I’m at work on a project and my guide Dr.Das says still some way to go.”

I asked “Tell me about progress in the search for tḥe idol of saint Naban.”

She said “Not very encouraging.”

I recalled the background: This was an ancient temple and has a primary deity. Facing the deity was the idol of the saint Naban and is of extremely occult religious significance. There was a massive flood which damaged much of the temple’s interior. The idol of Naban had been missing since then. Recently the temple authorities authorized construction of rooms as an adjunct to the temple. When the ground was dug to lay the foundation they found some vessels, bead necklaces and the like. In view of the discovery of relics underground, devotees said a thorough search was warranted using powered excavation tools in the vicinity of the temple to locate the idol of saint Naban. The government approved the work and I had sanctioned the expenditure.  Tara was taken on contract to generally supervise and ensure no part of the temple was damaged while searching.

Tara said “The surroundings of the temple were dug up to a depth of two meters. The tank which faces the temple was emptied of water and dug up. Water from the well next to the temple was pumped out and the dry bed was dug up 2 meters. We found only 2 tortoises. The water exhaust ducts were opened up and checked.  All drains were made dry and were searched. There was no trace of the Naban idol.”

I said “Tara what are the dozers doing now?”

She said “They are covering up and leveling dug up areas.”

“Naban idol is still missing and my budget has dried up.”

She shrugged.

Around noon we set off in her car for her house  for lunch at her invitation. We sat at her dining table when I said “Tara nothing elaborate. It is a working lunch.”

She laughed. The food was very tasty and we finished with fresh jack fruit whose taste was divine.

The doorbell now rang. She opened the door and returned with a handsome young man who was holding books in his arm.

Tara made the introductions:” This is Dr.Das my guide and this is Mr.Hari who is my boss now as it were.”

I shook hands and said “Nice meeting you Dr.Das.”

He laughed and said “I hope I haven’t intruded. Tara, I came to give you these two books about Sorgum of old times: Probably the only ones that exist.”

She accepted them and thanked him. While chatting I said “Dr.Das what is your opinion of the digging activity going on?”

“They seem to be on the right lines. I’ve one suggestion. The poem on Sorgum describes the level of flood water as making the well and the river invisible, Perhaps digging in the patch between the well and the river bank which is only a short distance away might be fruitful.”

I said ”Dr.Das, if you’re free let all three of us go and examine the sites.”

We went round and I saw Dr.Das’s suggestion was valid. I ordered the dozers to excavate the area suggested by him.

We broke off and I returned to my camp. I had finished dinner when my doorbell rang. I opened the door and saw my wife Nandini standing outside.

She said “I’ve taken leave for 3 days and will stay here. I hope you don’t mind.”

I was angry and said ”You have come because you don’t trust me. You think I might have an affair with Tara.”

It was her habit not to respond when she had no valid argument. She stuck to it but had other ways of pacifying me which she used.

The following day Nandini and I went to the excavation sites where Tara and Das were also present. Nandini knew Tara. I introduced Nandini to Das.

The dozers were busy on the site suggested by Das. In a matter of two hours or so the excavation was completed. Suddenly one of the dozer operators brought out a figurine. It was washed and studied. It wasn’t of a saint but was of a beautiful maiden.

Tara shouted “It is the statue of the divine dancer Urvashi. The poem says that the idol of saint Naban faced the deity while installed behind his back was the statue of Urvashi to show he had conquered worldly delights. The Urvashi statue was also missing. It has now been found.”

I said “Tara you have done an excellent job. Archaeology discovers only by chance. You have ensured that no harm came to the temple proper. I’m calling off the operation. Tara I will surely call you up if there is future need. My thanks for what you’ve done.”

If she were a male I would have given him a hug, but I gave Tara a hearty handshake.

END