KARIKALAN AND THE TIME MACHINE--CHAPTER 86

                              KARIKALAN AND THE TIME MACHINE—CHAPTER 86

“Ok, Manikkam,” said the Super Star, “the small boy himself told me this. What’s so special about it?”

“You do know only what he said, sir.” Manikkam’s face was wreathed in a bitter smile. “He himself knows not what is in store for him!”

“That’s a most unkind word to say about the boy,” the Super Star was much worried by Manikkam’s words. “You say something is gonna happen to him?”

“Yes, sir, at least there’s a possibility. Not immediately, sir. But in future.”

“Present or past, what do you mean? We are living in the past, ourselves!”

“All the problems started when his Pandit asked him to bring his father, sir,” said Manikkam. 

“How now, tell me everything, Manikkam. If it is possible I am going to help him! He is such a nice boy.”

“Nobody could help him, sir. But his parents will have to go to someplace other than here. That’s for sure!”

“How do you say it all started with his Pandit’s asking his father to see him, Manikkam?”

“As you should know, sir, Kabaligan has for long been searching for a suitable sacrificial object. He or she should be prepubescent and a good scholar in the Sanskrit language!”

“O, my God! And how do you join up the two, Manikkam?”

“The boy’s Pandit got him bring his father, sir. When Manikkam, the boy’s father went to see the Pandit, the latter told the father that Manikkam the boy was a natural for the language. And the pandit asked for his permission to teach him, the boy, exclusively on Sanskrit literature, like the Four Vedas and the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutra. This, apart from the erudition in Sanskrit Puranas and Itihasas! The pandit was prepared to teach him the whole Sanskrit Literature so that the small boy could take his place when he is old enough! Naturally, the happy father of Manikkam, the small boy, gave the green signal. And even now the boy is given studies in pure Sanskrit Literature only!”

“But this is just some 50 years after the death of Jesus Christ, Manikkam,” the Super Star went on, “and already the Four Vedas and Vedandas were known here in Karikalan’s time?”

“You don’t know about Karikalan, sir. But we will get to know he himself is a scholar. When the time is correct we will see him teach Sanskrit Literature to his own son. But you’ll have to wait for some more time!”

“Gosh, Manikkam! Nobody has written about Karikalan being a scholar in the Sanskrit language!”

“You would come to know so much about him, sir that History of his age does not know!”

“But Karikalan had a son?”

“Yes, of course, sir!”

“Then why did his grandson was crowned a king after Karikalan!”

“That’s putting the cart in front of the horse, sir” Manikkam smiled. “You will have to wait for some more time!”

“And tell me about you, Manikkam. You are the boy here, aren’t you?”

“Yes, sir. And because of the Pandit’s ardour for Manikkam, the small boy, some boys spoke about it at home and the word got around. And Kabaligan got to hear about it. And he has designs on young Manikkam, sir!”

“But that rascal, Kabaligan could have the Pandit for his sacrifice…”

“He is no prepubescent boy, sir!” Manikkam laughed despite the knowledge of the sword hanging over him as the small boy here in Chola’s Country.