CHAPTER 8

Drink of the Gods

Shiva and Nandi were walking back to the royal guest house. Shiva had decided he
wanted to eat lunch alone. Nandi walked a few steps behind, his head bowed in self-
recrimination. ‘My Lord, I am so sorry’
Shiva turned around to gaze at Nandi.
‘You are right, my Lord. We were so lost in our own troubles and the search for the
Neelkanth that we didn’t realise the unfairness of our actions on immigrants. I misled you my
Lord. I lied to you.’
Shiva didn’t say anything. He continued to stare intensely into Nandi’s eyes.
‘I am so sorry my Lord. I have failed you. I will accept whatever punishment you give me.’
Shiva’s lips broke into a very faint smile. He patted Nandi lightly on his shoulders, signalling
he had forgiven him. But his eyes delivered a clear message. ‘Never lie to me again, my friend.’
Nandi nodded and whispered, ‘Never, my Lord. I am so sorry’
‘Forget it Nandi,’ said Shiva, his smile a little broader now. ‘It’s in the past.’
They turned and continued walking. Suddenly Shiva shook his head and chuckled slighdy.
‘Strange people!’
‘What is it, my Lord?’ asked Nandi.
‘Nothing really. I was just wondering at some of the interesting things about your society.’
‘Interesting, my Lord?’ asked Nandi, feeling a little more confident now that Shiva was
speaking to him again.
‘Well, some people in your country think just the presence of my blue throat can help you
achieve impossible tasks. Some people actually think that my name has suddenly become so
holy that they can’t even speak it.’
Nandi smiled slightly.
‘On the other hand,’ continued Shiva, ‘some people clearly think that I am not required. In
fact, they even think that my touching them is so polluting that I need to get a shudhikaran
done!’
‘Shudhikaran? Why would you need that my Lord?’ asked Nandi, a little concerned.
Shiva weighed his words carefully. ‘Well, I touched someone. And I was told that I would
need to undergo a shudhikaran.’
‘What? Who did you touch my Lord? Was it a vikarma person?’ asked a troubled Nandi.
‘Only the touch of a vikarma person would mean that you would need to get a shudhikaran.’
Shiva’s face abruptly changed colour. A veil lifted from his eyes. He suddenly understood the
significance of the events of the previous day. Her hasty withdrawal at being touched. The
shocked reactions from the Guruji and Krittika.
‘Go back to the guest house, Nandi. I will see you there,’ said Shiva, as he turned towards