CHAPTER 14

Pandit of Mohan Jo Daro

Shiva opened his eyes to behold a man who was almost a replica of the pandit he had met
at the Brahma temple, in what seemed like another life. He sported a similar long flowing white
beard and a big white mane. He wore a saffron dhoti and angvastram. The wizened face bore
a calm and welcoming smile. If it wasn’t for this pandit’s much taller frame, Shiva could have
easily mistaken him for the one he had met at the Brahma temple.
‘How are you, my friend?’ repeated the pandit sitting down.
‘I am alright, Panditji,’ said Shiva, using the Indian term ‘ji’ as a form of respect. He couldn’t
follow why, but the intrusion was welcome to him. It almost seemed as though he was drawn to
this temple because he was destined to meet the pandit. ‘Do all pandits in Meluha look alike?’
The man smiled warmly. ‘Not all the pandits. Just us.’
‘And who might “;us” be, Panditji?’
‘The next time you meet one of us, we will tell you,’ said the Pandit cryptically. ‘That is a
promise.’
‘Why not now?’
‘At this point of time, our identity is not important,’ smiled the Pandit. What is important is
that you are disturbed about something. Do you want to talk about it?’
Shiva took a deep breath. Gut instinct told him that he could trust this man.
‘There is this task that I supposedly have to do for Meluha.’
‘I know. Though I wouldn’t dismiss the Neelkanth’s role as a “task”. He does much more than
that.’ Pointing at Shiva’s throat, the Pandit continued, ‘Pieces of cotton cannot cover divine
brilliance.’
Shiva looked up with a wry smile. ‘Well, Meluha does seem like a wonderful society. And I
want to do all I can to protect it from evil.’
‘Then what is the problem?’
‘The problem is that I find some grossly unfair practices in this nearly perfect society. And
this is inconsistent with the ideals that Meluha aspires to.’
‘What practices are you referring to?’ asked the Pandit.
‘For example, the way the vikarma are treated.’
‘Why is it unfair?’
‘How can anyone be sure that these people committed sins in their previous birth? And that
their present sufferings are a result of that? It might be sheer bad luck. Or a random act of
nature.’
‘You’re right. It could be. But do you think that the fate of the vikarma is about them
personally?’
‘Isn’t it?’