KARIKALAN AND THE TIME MACHINE-- CHAPTER 100

                         KARIKALAN AND THE TIME MACHINE—CHAPTER 100

On being asked for details, the grandfather said, “While you were still inside the Mansion of Kabaligan two persons mounted on steeds were going along this way as they were not in a hurry they walked their horses. They were discussing something at the height of their pitch. I became invisible, once they said, ‘This Sivanesan is a lucky fellow!’ and followed them. As per their conversation, there is a cave temple called Lingparai in the surrounding and this Lingaparai or Linga Hill was once given by the king Karikalan to some Samana monks for staying and practicing their religion. And then, it was needed for the purpose of the Raja Guru of Karikalan. The Raja Guru had come to Karikalan’s court along with a horde of his desciples from the North. Since Karikalan spoke Sanskrit and worshiped Lord Siva in Linga form they became so very close to each other that the King requested the Guru to stay at the Palace. The Guru hated the luxuries of the palace and also he wanted a place for himself and his desciples if he were to stay at Chola Country of Karikalan. Then the king had no other way except to ask the Samana Monks to vacate the Lingaparai or Linga Hill. The Samana Monks were offered by the king an alternative place. But they took offence at it and vacated the Linga Hill and moved further south to Kanchi Country. This Raja Guru was in occupation of the Linga Hill for well over ten years and then he attained Maha Samadhi. Since then the Linga Hill was lying unoccupied by anyone. But now, the newcomer, Sivanesan and his family have been offered the place. That this Sivanesan was a worshipper of Panjchkini or the Five Lamps.”  The grandfather gave a pause. Then he said, “This Sivanesan looks exactly like you. And you want to worship a lighted lamp. But he actually worships five lamps. I hear it was his family tradition. According to the two soldiers, Sivanesan’s family has been worshipping these lamps for more than one thousand years! That the king was impressed so much by his tradition that he immediately assigned the Linga Hill and asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Veeravelar to help Sivanesan’s family to settle down at the Hill!”

There was a heavy silence you could cut with a table knife. And then both Manikkam and the Super Star started to raise a hue and cry all at once. “Grandpa,” said the Super Star, “I touch your holy feet, sir.” And he actually did that before resuming; “so the man does not merely look like me but actually is my forefather?! Well! Well! Well! I will worship you for the rest of my life, grandpa!”

Manikkam also waxed eloquent: “I thought much about it. Of course, I mind-read Mr.Sivaneasan this morning inside the temple, but there wasn’t much to read and know actually. He seemed to me a disciplined man and his mind was in a state of ecstasy inside the temple. But grandfather has done a fantastic job, indeed. So Mr. Sivanesan is your forefather, sir? And what a way to worship the Five Lamps for well over a thousand years without any interruption indeed!”

“All this is an ordinary thing for me. If you guys come to my place I could show girls and women who scintillate like lighted lamps!” boasted the grandfather. And the two youths started to fly away leaving him way behind. So he had to make haste. And once he caught up with the two youths, the three of them, they were still laughing.

Though they had come to Kabaligan’s Mansion through the sky, they had travelled in time. Which meant they arrived at the Mansion without any loss of time! So they had had no chance of looking at the Ling Hill.  Travelling by the Time Machine had its own advantages. Once they travelled from Chennai to Chola Country, they could go anywhere around the world without any time loss! They could go from the Chola Kingdom to any place belonging to the same time. And for this, they would not need the Machine nor any other device. All it would take was to think of the place to go. This is because they are pure spirits here and they could go anywhere within the timeframe just by thinking of the place and forming a wish to go there.