The white Light Calling - 13

**iniyamalar** · 24th June 2011, 08:28 PM

Part 1:

It looked like the rain had not had enough. It was still drizzling a bit.

Chemba now attired in a thick yellow plastic coat and a professional looking boots climbed behind Maran. Paval and others followed.The path was muddy and it continuously streamed out rain water. The bushes and trees looked like they just had a ‘diwali oil bath’. The rocks were slippery and their shoes got stuck at every hole in the ground which was filled with brown muddy water. It was a hard journey.

An hour earlier they had reached the interior survey booth of the tiger reserve. The booth stood there to shelter the occasional officers who come out on a trek to track down and survey the surviving number of big cats( tigers). It was shabby and small.

They had brought some very professional looking equipment, some of which chemba couldn’t even recognize. Mr. Maran who was to lead the search, looked rough and stiff as if he was dipped in a gallon full of ‘revive’ (textile starch). Maybe he was not too cool about two women joining him. Or maybe he didn’t like the way he was pulled out of the theatre when he was watching a nice masala tamil movie with his family, or maybe both. Whatever was the reason, he preferred to stay grim. He didn’t smile at the women even for courtesy.
They started on.

The sky was a weird mix of dark orange and inky gray and splashes of blue here and there. It was getting dark. Each had a big torch in their hands. Chemba walked close to Paval and asked her slowly“ Is kalai selvi your only sibling?”

“Yeah.”She seemed to beam at the mere mention of the name.

”She is more like my …daughter? I don’t know. My mom died when we were so young. So kalai used to come to me for everything, from that time until now. In fact when vikki proposed her she came home running to me, to ask an opinion. But I knew from her eyes, that he was already there in her heart.” Paval looked young but talked so matured, chemba thought. She felt a kind of calmness when she was near her. She liked this woman.

They had walked for quite some time when maran’s phone rang. He took the call and spoke over the phone for about a minute, took down something on a piece of paper and then he came near them. Looking straight at chemba he said, ”They got information on the guys”.

“What? Where? How?” chemba was excited.

“It’s from the base camp. You want to talk to them?” he asked mechanically.

“yes..Oh yes..”she said. He slowly gave the phone to her. She practically plucked the phone from his hand and spoke.

” Hello?”

“This is Anbu from the base camp. “

“Ah.. this is chemba..am,, shenbagavalli. Do you have a message for me?”

“Yes ma’m. I spoke to one Mr. Shekar. He said he and two of his friends including your cousin are safe in a cave. He also gave us perfect co-ordinates for the location and also some landmarks. Those I have given it to Mr. Maran. So probably you don’t have to continue the search. You can go back to the booth, and get back to your father. We have also informed him. The officers will take care from here. Is that Ok Ms. shenbagam?”

“Oh..God..Oh.. heavens.. Vikki.. You are alright” chemba was shedding tears of joy with her eyes closed.

“Ah..yes. Ma’m.We are happy too. Now, If you don’t mind can you return from there? It’s a little dangerous out there. We accepted because your father had insisted through higher force. Now, the officers will take care. You can come to the tiger reserve base station and wait if you want. Your father and Mr. Vikraman’s father will be there in some time. Is that alright Ms. Shenbagam?”

“Yes..”She heaved a sigh of relief and closed her eyes. Suddenly her eyes fluttered open.

”No..wait..wait..Hello..are you there?”

“Yes, Ma’m go ahead.”

“You said, Shekar and how many friends?”

“Two “

“Two?”

Paval could see the drastic change in her face. Just a moment ago Chemba’s face looked like an ‘alli’(white water lilly) which blooms beautifully and swiftly as it get the first rays of the cool moon. Her face was lit up like a Christmas tree, but in a few seconds the fuse was gone. Paval didn’t know the reason but she understood it must be of some great importance.

“No.. you said shekar and his two friends. Can you name them?”

“Ah. Yes. He did give some details. He said he and Mr. venkat is quite ok and one Mr. Vikraman, I find that is your cousin brother. He is unconscious right now. But, nothing serious i hope. They are in a safe location madam. No need to worry. Now please go along with kumaran to the base again, if you will.”

“No ..No I won’t” She left the phone to drop itself into the sluggish looking water in slow motion and faltered back.

“I cannot go. I will not go” chemba started shouting hysterically.

Paval who was watching the girl ran at once to chemba’s side, who had buckled down and was crying.
“Chemba..Chemba. Are you alright?

“No.. I am not alright Paval. I am not alright OK? He is not alright and so I am not alright.” she sat on the wet ground, with her hands covering her eyes she started to cry.

Paval looked at the crying girl. She knew a lot about chemba. Selvi had told a lot. Chemba this.. chemba that. From all she heard, she understood chemba to be a modern yet typical tamil girl who loves poetry and cricket and would probably shy away for a camera but not for a challenge. She was told a lot about this girl. She had already grown a soft corner for her even before she saw her. And her instinct said she was quite right in opting to go out on search.

Paval had been repeatedly thinking that, How brave chemba had accepted things and is actually cool for a girl to be in such situation. Now after seeing her cry, her heart melted. So there is this other guy. She understood quite alright. She is in her vulnerable best now, she thought.

She had to make her move. She sat down beside chemba slowly and kept a comforting hand over her head. Chemba looked up. Paval didn’t speak a word. She just kept looking at her and held her hand softly for a while.
Chemba looked ok in a while.

But maran had become restless. After knowing that the guys were ok, he only had to go and get them. It would be easy if the women would just go back safely to the booth. He doesn’t have to watch out for them, he thought. But when she started crying and worse when she dropped the phone in the water, he totally lost himself.
He came near them with seething anger.

“See this is why girls are not to come here. Will you at least now listen to what sensible people say to you? Get back with that Marudhan to the booth now. We will see to the guys.”

“Like hell you will. You will not move from here without me.. us” chemba corrected and stood up like an angry tigress.

“Officer. Please don’t mind her anger. We are worried that there is one more gentle man who is in danger. We need to gather information and lead out a search for him.”Paval said soothingly to the angry man.

“Another search? You think we are all fools? You think we all sit there scratching the benches without any work to do? Or do you think we have no other job than to make dangerous trips to and fro to find out the idiots who get lost in places where they shouldn’t be in the first place. What do you think?”

“I think You are a selfish idiot. That’s what I think” Chemba spat back.

“What? Idiot? You filthy little thing. You wealthy monkeys will do as you please and when it pleases you and you want us to come out of our works and keep finding you every time you get lost. Who the hell told you to go trekking into the woods in the first place? Who gave you permission to take the route you took? Did you follow the rules we asked you to? You don’t do anything by the book but you want us to come running behind you to save you. And then you call me selfish.” he finished in one stroke and looked at her.

Chemba looked at him for some time and stood up without a word. She pushed back the hair with shaking fingers and tied them into a firm knot. She then turned towards paval “ You coming right?”

**Google Adsense** · 24th June 2011 08:28 PM

**iniyamalar** · 24th June 2011, 08:28 PM

Part 2:

Paval looked at her and then the officer. She came near chemba and said in a whisper “We need them chemba. Just give me a chance. I will work it out and believe me whether this guy is going to help us or not, we are not going to leave this place without whoever you want to save. What’s his name by the way?”she asked.

Chemba looked at her and said “Mahen.. Madhanan.”

Paval smiled “I can see what relation he is to you”. Chemba blushed softly at that and then her face was clouded with dark emotions.

“Now..now. Don’t you start it. Try to gather yourself while I try to soften that straight guy with some fabric softener.”Chemba laughed softly at that. When paval turned around, a cool hand fell on hers. She turned back to see a tear brimming face ”Thank you so much. Thank you for coming with me.” chemba said so sincerely.

“It’s my duty darling. Don’t thank me for it” Paval said and went to the ranting man.

It hardly took five minutes for her. Then Maran came near chemba and said “Ok. Get up. We will go fast. It will get dark soon”.

Chemba’s eyes widened in surprise. “What did you do?”she asked paval in a whisper.

“Oh. Just a little kiwi..”

“What?”

“You don’t know? Shoe polish..”

She laughed at that. “So you put polish on him?”

“You know what chemba? He is not a bad man. He is an average guy who is just pissed off. All he needed was some words of comfort and encouragement. A word of praise and a smile with love – the whole world is waiting just for that, at one point or another. And it can do wonders that even the dangerous weapons cannot do. And it’s not awfully bad too, you know?”She shrugged and chemba just wanted to hug her.

They could see the side view of ainthalai pothigai now. Chemba didn’t know why, but she got goose bumps looking at it. For a second there she even imagined that the huge rock formation took a form of Adhisheshan (the legendary five headed snake of vaigundam) to turn and look at her and then hiss at her.

“Hck..” she stepped back.

“What?” Paval was a little shaken too.

“Nothing. It’s just so real. Isn’t it? ‘Ainthalai (five headed) pothigai’ Such an apt name.” she said.

“Yeah.”

They walked on very slippery grounds now. It was like they were walking on a bald headed giant’s well oiled head. They climbed for few more minutes without much trouble to reach the location, thanks to the heavy grip shoes. Paval and chemba could understand why this place was safe from tigers. It wouldn’t be such an easy task for the tigers to climb on such as these especially with the rain making it more difficult. It’s a wonder how these guys came here, and with vikki along. Nice job guys, chemba thought.

It was a perfect hideout. It was situated right at the throat of the ‘ainthalai naagam’(five headed snake). A big cave, wide enough to hold a birthday party, very clean without rocks except for three big oblong rocks that stood close to each other to form a high platform. From the distance Chemba could see the small dark forms of the men sitting there with a fire beside.

“Look.. There they are..”

“Hi. Chemba. Nice to have some company.” Vangs smiled sadly. All his glamour and playful cheer had been washed off from his face in these few hours.

“You guys alright?” she asked concerned.

“Oh yeah..We are nice and warm. But..” his face was clouded.

“Hello Mr. Shekar. Mr. Venkat.. Maran here” The officer offered his hands to the guys with a smile.

“You did a good job by giving out the co ordinates. Now, we need to hurry. Since it is getting late and we cannot be so sure that all the tigers are not adventurous enough to try out this nice place. Some naughty young ones like you might just try. So let us move. Ok?”

“But what about Madhanan?” Chemba ran behind the officer who was helping Kumaran to open the portable stretcher/sling.

“Boys, I need all the help. Can you come and lift him.”He avoided answering chemba.

“Oh paval. I will lose patience with him. Will you ask him? He said ok to search for madhan right?”

“Ok I will ask him .You don’t worry” she said and went near the man. But even before asking she knew what he was going to say. In these five years of her police life, if she had learnt something it is definetly this – body language. Sometimes she even can assume to a great accuracy, what words the opponent may use. Her boss Muthu used to get amazed at this quality of hers.

“sir, you know this is not fair. I understand your problems but this is a life and death thing here. You must consider that. Surely you don’t think of letting that poor man alone here?” She said.

“No madam. That’s why I have asked another team to come back and lead the search. Think it yourself Such a rainy day, it’s already dark. One unconscious man, two very exhausted men, two young and excited women. What could we three handle? The best logical solution here is for us to take you in safely. We can or other team can come back immediately.I have already informed.

Any minute the other team will come to the tiger survey booth and lead the search. I also have informed the team who had just left from the base camp thinking that all is well. They would be getting up again. You just think of us. It’s a life and death thing even for us and all for what? mere hundreds as salary and lots of dirty politics. Please. Let me do my job. “with that he left her and went to resume his work.

Paval came back with head down. “ I knew it.. I knew that that idiot will deceive you.”

“No chemba. What he says is in a way correct. He had arranged two different teams to lead out a search.”

“But.. what about.”

“Chemba?”shekar stood near her hesitatingly.

“What ?”

“I need to tell you something in private. I don’t know whether I can disclose this to that maran guy.”

“What is it?”she asked a shaken man.

“It’s not as simple as you think Chemba. About that white light” his eyes darted from them to Maran.

“What white light?”Paval asked in confusion. Shekar looked at her suspiciously.

**iniyamalar** · 24th June 2011, 08:29 PM

Part 3:

“Oh I am sorry. Shekar this is Paval. Pavalakodi , Sub Inspector of police from Chennai. Vikki’s future sister in law. Paval this is shekar – vikki’s friend from the US.”

“Oh..”

“Ah..That pond water must have been poisoned. “he started slowly.

“yeah, madhan suspected that. We also did the test in the lab. Smitha said so.”chemba said.

“Ok. But you wouldn’t know that the poisoning was not natural but it could have been done deliberately”

“What?” chemba’s voice rised and maran looked at them.

“just a minute sir” paval smiled at him.

“What?” chemba whispered now.

“Yeah. And that white light?That’s not natural either.”

“I need to tell from the start for you to understand this. You see back in the US..”

“Are you people coming or what?”maran came near them. Chemba looked at paval helplessly while she gestured her to wait.

“We are ready” paval told him with a chagrin smile and they all started reluctantly. Maran and kumaran carried vikki while maruthan walked the exhausted vangs by his shoulder. Shekar fell back in line and walked with the women. Chemba waited until maran was in a distance and then said “Ok. Shoot”

“Well. A few months ago in our lab we had a peculiar testing case. Our team in the lab is specialised to do chemical analysis on various neuro drugs and sometimes other peculiar and weirdest chemical stuff, since our lab was so sophisticated and madhan is a pro in such testing.

So, this paper was brought down to us from a private source for further study and analysis. Madhanan headed the case and I assisted him. It was a study about a concoction which could be made by adding few herbs and chemicals. It was just in theory. The information was given to us and we were to test whether it could have the desired end result and what would it do to a human body. We did our testing based on hypothesis and what we found out just amazed us.

The chemical composition was like, if it was taken by a healthy mammal in this case a human, the
metaboli…. Ok I will tell you in layman terms. It was like a potion for everlasting youth and if studied keenly could even help us link the legendary immortal potion.”

“What??” Paval’s jaw dropped.

“The real ‘kaaya kalpam’( the legendary siddha medical formulae for longevity)” chemba whispered.

“yeah. Imagine the raised eyebrows there? It was so good that we wanted to know everything about it.

When we enquired about it we were given a negative reply stating that it was just a written thesis, the important ingredients which were described in the paper in actuality could never be found. And we were also told to just leave it at that. Before we knew, the papers with all the details just vanished.”

“Madhanan couldn’t sleep properly. He was so positive that something was going on there. So we, madhan and I took it up under our sleeves and went on searching for it. After much research we found out who lead that paper to us. It was a rich US Indian, you call them NRI. He part owns a huge pharmaceutical company there.

That paper was actually gathered by his special R&D team who sits here in india, to dust up all the old information relating to medicine that are available in ancient Indian palm scriptures and vedic srciptures.

Especially they were so much into bogar*, thirumoolar* and agathiyar*’s verses. “ (The important of main 18 maha siddhars with agathiyar as the father of ayurvedic sciences, all other siddhars specialized in sceince and medicine).

“When we learned all that we thought it really was a theory paper. In fact we used to get a lot like that. Like 'Chinese golden immortality potion' and stuff like that. Nothing ever gave a promise of end result. Besides it would always be impossible to find even one of the ingredients found in the formulae. It would always end up as a fantasy in medicine, what we call the 'miracle medicines' ."

"But this time it was so close, that even madhan said it would have been wonderful if only they could get hold of those herbs to know if they really would give such results. Few months passed and vikki came with invitation and said his wedding is to be at 'melathiruvenkatanathar temple’ near agastiya hills. Madhan took it religiously serious to come and check out the possibilities, for he had already familiarized himself with all the siddhas and their history. He said this was agasthiyar's final resting place and this is where bogar upon his return from china discussed the kayakalpa medicine with agathiyar and others.“

“Wow. Was that even real?”

"Who knows. It just picked up our curiosity. We already knew that there were several herbs used by the native kanis here, which cannot be found elsewhere in the world and supposed to possess excessive medicinal qualities."

"huh.."the women were totally awestruck now.

“Yeah..So when we came here we thought we might just make a round, you know? just inquisitive, nothing more. You understand?”

“So. We came here and you know what happened later.”

“Where does the white light come in here.?”

“Yeah I am coming to that. When those kani guys spoke about mysterious stuff and when we ourselves saw that white light thing that night, madhan told me that something was fishy. We kept it to ourselves because we didn’t know anything for sure at that point and we didn’t want to scare you guys. “

“Then.. everything happened. You all left. When we were almost near this place we hadn’t yet seen vikki. We were disheartened. At that moment we got a call from madhan and he told us to proceed to the cave he had already told us about. So I and vangs came here.

An hour or so later, madhan came up with vikki on his shoulder. He left vikki with us and told me that he had found something. Something about the white light. He told us to contact the base camp to come and fetch us. He also advised me not to say anything about this white light to the police or the officers because he suspected that they too have a hand in this. And then..He left”

“He left?”

“Yeah. A few minutes before you came, I got a call from him. A very disturbing one. He said he had found the secret of the white light . That it was a signal. ”

“What signal?”

“Alright? Ladies if your gossips are over,we would be delighted to have that young man with us. Kumaran is feeling numb on the shoulders. Mr. Shekar please help us.” Maran mocked at him. Shekar looked at the women hesitantly and started to walk in front. Before too long paval gripped chemba’s hand and gestured with her eyes.

“Ouch” she bent down.

“What?” and irritated maran looked back.

“Nothing . My shoe got stuck. You keep walking sir. chemba would you please help me?” Paval winked at her.

“Well. Make it fast young ladies. It’s getting really late. We don’t want to end up as dinner for the tigers now. would we?”he laughed at his own joke and walked on.

The two women looked at him and then slowly started to walk back a back few steps and then suddenly started to run down the slope. They ran down blindly into the dark wilderness, now only armed with a huge metal torch each.

Will come..