THE MALLAH'S

1900 BC, Mansarovar Lake(At the foot of Mount Kailash, Tibet)

Shiva gazed at the orange sky. The clouds hovering above Mansarovar had just parted to

reveal the setting sun. The brilliant giver of life was calling it a day once again. Shiva had seen a

few sunrises in his twenty-one years. But the sunset! He tried never to miss the sunset! On any

other day, Shiva would have taken in the vista — the sun and the immense lake against the

magnificent backdrop of the Himalayas stretching as far back as the eye could see. But not

today.

He squatted and perched his lithe, muscular body on the narrow ledge extending over the

lake. The numerous batde-scars on his skin gleamed in the shimmering reflected light of the

waters. Shiva remembered well his carefree childhood days. He had perfected the art of

throwing pebbles that bounced off the surface of the lake. He still held the record in his tribe for

the highest number of bounces: seventeen.

On a normal day, Shiva would have smiled at the memory from a cheerful past that had

been overwhelmed by the angst of the present. But today, he turned back towards his village

without any hint of joy.

Bhadra was alert, guarding the main entrance. Shiva gestured with his eyes. Bhadra turned

back to find his two back-up soldiers dozing against the fence. He cursed and kicked them

hard.

Shiva turned back towards the lake.

God bless Bhadra! At least he takes some responsibility.

Shiva brought the chillum made of yak-bone to his hps and took in a deep drag. Any other

day, the marijuana would have spread its munificence, dulling his troubled mind and letting him

find some moments of solace. But not today.

He looked left, at the edge of the lake where the soldiers of the strange foreign visitor were

kept under guard. With the lake behind them and twenty of Shiva's own soldiers guarding them,

it was impossible for them to mount any surprise attack.

They let themselves be disarmed so easily. They aren't like the bloodthirsty idiots in our land

who are looking for any excuse to fight.

The foreigner's words came flooding back to Shiva. 'Come to our land. It lies beyond the

great mountains. Others call it Meluha. I call it Heaven. It is the richest and most powerful

empire in India. Indeed the richest and most powerful in the whole world. Our government has

an offer for immigrants. You will be given fertile land and resources for farming. Today, your

tribe, the Gunas, fight for survival in this rough, arid land. Meluha offers you a lifestyle beyond

your wildest dreams. We ask for nothing in return. Just live in peace, pay your taxes and follow

Shiva mused that he would certainly not be a chief in this new land.

Would I really miss that so much?

His tribe would have to live by the laws of the foreigners. They would have to work every

day for a living.

That's better than fighting every day just to stay alive!

Shiva took another puff from his chillum. As the smoke cleared, he turned to stare at the hut

in the centre of his village, right next to his own, where the foreigner had been stationed. He

had been told that he could sleep there in comfort. In fact, Shiva wanted to keep him hostage.

Just in case.

We fight almost every month with the Pakratis just so that our village can exist next to the

holy lake. They are getting stronger every year, forming new alliances with new tribes. We can

beat the Pakratis, but not all the mountain tribes together! By moving to Meluha, we can

escape this pointless violence and may be live a life of comfort. What could possibly be wrong

with that? Why shouldn't we take this deal? It sounds so damn good!

Shiva took one last drag from the chillum before banging it on the rock, letting the ash slip

out and rose quickly from his perch. Brushing a few specks of ash from his bare chest, he

wiped his hands on his tiger skin skirt, rapidly striding to his village. Bhadra and his back-up

stood to attention as Shiva passed the gate. Shiva frowned and gestured for Bhadra to ease

up.

Why does he keep forgetting that he has been my closestfriend since childhood? My

becoming the chief hasn't really changed anything. He doesn't need to behave unnecessarily

servile in front of others.

The huts in Shiva's village were luxurious compared to others in their land. A grown man

could actually stand upright in them. The shelter could withstand the harsh mountain winds for

nearly three years before surrendering to the elements. He flung the empty chillum into his hut

as he strode to the hut where the visitor lay sleeping soundly.

Either he doesn't realise he is a hostage. Or he genuinely believes that good behaviour

begets good behaviour.

Shiva remembered what his uncle, also his Guru, used to say. 'People do what their society

rewards them to do. If the society rewards trust, people will be trusting.'

Meluha must he a trusting society if it teaches even its soldiers to expect the best in

strangers.

Shiva scratched his shaggy beard as he stared hard at the visitor.

He had said his name was Nandi.

The Meluhan's massive proportions appeared even more enormous as he sprawled on the

floor in his stupor, his immense belly jiggling with every breath. Despite being obese, his skin

was taut and toned. His child-like face looked even more innocent asleep, with his mouth half

open.

Is this the man who will lead me to my destiny? Do I really have the destiny my uncle spoke

of?

'Your destiny is much larger than these massive mountains. But to make it come true, you

will have to cross these very same massive mountains.'

Do I deserve a good destiny? My people come first. Will they be happy in Meluha?

Shiva continued to stare at the sleeping Nandi. Then he heard the sound of a conch shell.

'POSITIONS!' screamed Shiva, as he drew his sword.

Nandi was up in an instant, drawing a hidden sword from his fur coat kept to the side. They

sprinted to the village gates. Following standard protocol, the women started rushing to the

village centre, carrying their children along. The men ran the other way, swords drawn.

'Bhadra! Our soldiers at the lake!' shouted Shiva as he reached the entrance.

Bhadra relayed the orders and the Guna soldiers obeyed instantly. They were surprised to

see the Meluhans draw weapons hidden in their coats and rush to the village. The Pakratis

were upon them within moments.

It was a well-planned ambush by the Pakratis. Dusk was usually a time when the Guna

soldiers took time to thank their gods for a day without battle. The women did their chores by

the lakeside. If there was a time of weakness for the formidable Gunas, a time when they

weren't a fearsome martial clan, but just another mountain tribe trying to survive in a tough,

hostile land, this was it.

But fate was against the Pakratis yet again. Thanks to the foreign presence, Shiva had

ordered the Gunas to remain alert. Thus they were forewarned and the Pakratis lost the

element of surprise. The presence of the Meluhans was also decisive, turning the tide of the

short, brutal battle in favour of the Gunas. The Pakratis had to retreat.

Bloodied and scarred, Shiva surveyed the damage at the end of the battle. Two Guna

soldiers had succumbed to their injuries. They would be honoured as clan heroes. But even

worse, the warning had come too late for at least ten Guna women and children. Their

mutilated bodies were found next to the lake. The losses were high.

Bastards They kill women and children when they can't beat us!

A livid Shiva called the entire tribe to the centre of the village. His mind was made.

'This land is fit for barbarians! We have fought pointless battles with no end in sight. You

know my uncle tried to make peace, even offering access to the lake shore to the mountain

tribes. But these scum mistook our desire for peace as weakness. We all know what followed!'

The Gunas, despite being used to the brutality of regular battle, were shell-shocked by the

viciousness of the attack on the women and children.

'I keep nothing secret from you. All of you know the invitation of the foreigners,' continued

Shiva, pointing to Nandi and the Meluhans. 'They fought shoulder-to-shoulder with us today.

They have earned my trust. I want to go with them to Meluha. But this cannot be my decision

alone.'

'You are our chief, Shiva,' said Bhadra. 'Your decision is our decision. That is the tradition.'

'Not this time,' said Shiva holding out his hand. 'This will change our lives completely. I

believe the change will be for the better. Anything will be better than the pointlessness of the

violence we face daily. I have told you what I want to do. But the choice to go or not is yours.

Let the Gunas speak. This time, I follow you.'

The Gunas were clear on their tradition. But the respect for Shiva was not just based on

convention, but also on his character. He had led the Gunas to their greatest military victories

It had been five days since Shiva had uprooted his tribe. The caravan had camped in a nook

at the base of one of the great valleys dotting the route to Meluha. Shiva had organized the

camp in three concentric circles. The yaks had been tied around the outermost circle, to act as

an alarm in case of any intruders. The men were stationed in the intermediate ring to fight if

there was a battle. And the women and children were in the innermost circle, just around the

fire. Expendable first, defenders second and the most vulnerable at the inside.

Shiva was prepared for the worst. He believed that there would be an ambush. It was only a

matter of time.

The Pakratis should have been delighted to have access to the prime lands, as well as free

occupation of the lake front. But Shiva knew that Yakhya, the Pakrati chief, would not allow

them to leave peacefully. Yakhya would like nothing better than to become a legend by claiming

that he had defeated Shiva's Gunas and won the land for the Pakratis. It was precisely this

weird tribal logic that Shiva detested. In an atmosphere like this, there was never any hope for

peace.

Shiva relished the call of battle, revelled in its art. But he also knew that ultimately, the

battles in his land were an exercise in futility.

He turned to an alert Nandi sitting some distance away. The twenty-five Meluhan soldiers

were seated in an arc around a second camp circle.

Why did he pick the Gunas to immigrate? Why not the Pakratis?

Shiva's thoughts were broken as he saw a shadow move in the distance. He stared hard,

but everything was still. Sometimes the light played tricks in this part of the world. Shiva relaxed

his stance.

And then he saw the shadow again.

'TO ARMS!' screamed Shiva.

The Gunas and Meluhans drew their weapons and took up battle positions as fifty Pakratis

charged in. The stupidity of rushing in without thought hit them hard as they met with a wall of

panicky animals. The yaks bucked and kicked uncontrollably, injuring many Pakratis before they

could even begin their skirmish. A few slipped through. And weapons clashed.

A young Pakrati, obviously a novice, charged at Shiva, swinging wildly. Shiva stepped back,

avoiding the strike. He brought his sword back up in a smooth arc, inflicting a superficial cut on

the Pakrati's chest. The young warrior cursed and swung back, opening his flank. That was all

Shiva needed. He pushed his sword in brutally, cutting through the gut of his enemy. Almost

instantly, he pulled the blade out, twisting it as he did, and left the Pakrati to a slow, painful

death. Shiva turned around to find a Pakrati ready to strike a Guna. He jumped high and swung

from the elevation slicing neatly through the Pakrati's sword arm, severing it.

Meanwhile Bhadra, as adept at the art of battle as Shiva, was fighting two Pakratis

simultaneously, with a sword in each hand. His hump did not seem to impeded his movements

as he transferred his weight easily, striking the Pakrati on his left on his throat. Leaving him to

die slowly, he swung with his right hand, cutting across the face of the other soldier, gouging his

eye out. As the soldier fell, Bhadra brought his left sword down brutally, ending the suffering

quickly for this hapless enemy.

The battle at the Meluhan end of camp was very different. They were exceptionally well-

trained soldiers. But they were not vicious. They were following rules, avoiding killing, as far as

possible.

Outnumbered and led poorly, it was but a short while before the Pakratis were beaten.

Almost half of them lay dead and the rest were on their knees, begging for mercy.

One of them was Yakhya, his shoulder cut deep by Nandi, debilitating the movement of his

sword arm.

Bhadra stood behind the Pakrati chief, his sword raised high, ready to strike. 'Shiva, quick

and easy or slow and painful?'

'Sir!' intervened Nandi, before Shiva could speak. Shiva turned towards the Meluhan.

'This is wrong! They are begging for mercy! Killing them is against the rules of war.'

'You don't know the Pakratis!' said Shiva. 'They are brutal. They will keep attacking us even

if there is nothing to gain. This has to end. Once and for all.'

'It is already ending. You are not going to live here anymore. You will soon be in Meluha.'

Shiva stood silent.

Nandi continued, 'How you want to end this is up to you. More of the same or different?'

Bhadra looked at Shiva. Waiting.

'You can show the Pakratis that you are better,' said Nandi. Shiva turned towards the

horizon, seeing the massive mountains.

Destiny? Chance of a better life?

He turned back to Bhadra. 'Disarm them. Take all their provisions. Release them.'

Even if the Pakratis are mad enough to go back to their village, rearm and come back, we

would be long gone.

A shocked Bhadra stared at Shiva. But immediately started implementing the order.

Nandi gazed at Shiva with hope. There was but one thought that reverberated through his

mind. 'Shiva has the heart. He has the potential. Please, let it be him. I pray to you Lord Ram,

let it be him.'

Shiva walked back to the young soldier he had stabbed. He lay writhing on the ground, face

contorted in pain, as blood oozed slowly out of his guts. For this first time in his life, Shiva felt

pity for a Pakrati. He drew his sword and ended the young soldier's suffering.

After marching continuously for four weeks, the caravan of invited immigrants crested the

final mountain to reach the outskirts of Srinagar, the capital of the valley of Kashmir. Nandi had

talked excitedly about the glories of his perfect land. Shiva had prepared himself to see some

incredible sights, which he could not have imagined in his simple homeland. But nothing could

have primed him for the sheer spectacle of what certainly was paradise. Meluha. The land of

pure life!

The mighty Jhelum river, a roaring tigress in the mountains, slowed down to the beat of a

languorous cow as she entered the valley. She caressed the heavenly land of Kashmir,

meandering her way into the immense Dal Lake. Further down, she broke away from the lake,

continuing her journey to the sea.

The vast valley was covered by a lush green canvas of grass. On it was painted the

masterpiece that was Kashmir. Rows upon rows of flowers arrayed all of God's colours, their

brilliance broken only by the soaring Chinar trees, offering a majestic, yet warm Kashmiri

welcome. The melodious singing of the birds calmed the exhausted ears of Shiva's tribe,

'If this is the border province, how perfect must the rest of the country be?' whispered Shiva

in awe.

The Dal Lake was the site of an ancient army camp of the Meluhans. Upon the western

banks of the lake, by the side of the Jhelum lay the frontier town that had grown beyond its

simple encampments into the grand Srinagar. Literally, the 'respected city'.

Srinagar had been raised upon a massive platform of almost a hundred hectares in size. The

platform built of earth, towered almost five metres high. On top of the platform were the city

walls, which were another twenty metres in height and four metres thick. The simplicity and

brilliance of building an entire city on a platform astounded the Gunas. It was a strong

protection against enemies who would have to fight up a fort wall which was essentially solid

ground. The platform served another vital purpose: it raised the ground level of the city, an

extremely effective strategy against the recurrent floods in this land. Inside the fort walls, the

city was divided into blocks by roads laid out in a neat grid pattern. It had specially constructed

market areas, temples, gardens, meeting halls and everything else that would be required for

sophisticated urban living. All the houses looked like simple multiple-storeyed block structures

from the outside. The only way to differentiate a rich man's house was that his block would be

bigger.

In contrast to the extravagant natural landscape of Kashmir, the city of Srinagar itself was

painted only in restrained greys, blues and whites. The entire city was a picture of cleanliness,

order and sobriety. Nearly twenty thousand souls called Srinagar their home. Now an additional

two hundred had just arrived from Mount Kailash. And their leader felt a lightness of being he

hadn't experienced since that terrible day, many years ago.

I have escaped. I can make a new beginning. I can forget.

The caravan travelled to the immigrant camp outside Srinagar. The camp had been built on

a separate platform on the southern side of the city. Nandi led Shiva and his tribe to the

Foreigners' Office, which was placed just outside the camp. Nandi requested Shiva to wait

outside as he went into the office. He soon returned, accompanied by a young official. The

official gave a practised smile and folded his hands in a formal namaste. 'Welcome to Meluha. I

am Chitraangadh. I will be your Orientation Executive. Think of me as your single point of

contact for all issues whilst you are here. I believe your leader's name is Shiva. Will he step up

please?'

Shiva took a step forward. 'I am Shiva.'

'Excellent,' said Chitraangadh. 'Would you be so kind as to follow me to the registration desk

please? You will be registered as the caretaker of your tribe. Any communication that concerns

them will go through you. Since you are the designated leader, the implementation of all

directives within your tribe would be your responsibility'

Nandi cut into Chitraangadh's officious speech to tell Shiva, 'Sir, if you will just excuse me, I

will go to the immigrant camp quarters and arrange the temporary living arrangements for your

tribe.'

Shiva noticed that Chitraangadh's ever-beaming face had lost its smile for a fraction of a

second as Nandi interrupted his flow. But he recovered quickly and the smile returned to his

face once again. Shiva turned and looked at Nandi.

'Of course, you may. You don't need to take my permission, Nandi,' said Shiva. 'But in

return, you have to promise me something, my friend.'

'Of course, Sir,' replied Nandi bowing slightly.

'Call me Shiva. Not Sir,' grinned Shiva. 'I am your friend. Not your Chief.'

A surprised Nandi looked up, bowed again and said, 'Yes Sir. I mean, yes, Shiva.'

Shiva turned back to Chitraangadh, whose smile for some reason appeared more genuine

now. He said, 'Well Shiva, if you will follow me to the registration desk, we will complete the

formalities quickly.'

The newly registered tribe reached the residential quarters in the immigration camp, to see

Nandi waiting outside the main gates; he led them in. The roads of the camp were just like

those of Srinagar. They were laid out in a neat north-south and east-west grid. The carefully

paved footpaths contrasted sharply with the dirt tracks in Shiva's own land. He noticed

something strange about the road though.

'Nandi, what are those differently coloured stones running through the centre of the road?'

asked Shiva.

'They cover the underground drains, Shiva. The drains take all the waste water of the camp

out. It ensures that the camp remains clean and hygienic'

Shiva marvelled at the almost obsessively meticulous planning of the Meluhans.

The Gunas reached the large building that had been assigned to them. For the umpteenth

time, they thanked the wisdom of their leader in deciding to come to Meluha. The three—

storeyed building had comfortable, separate living quarters for each family. Each room had

luxurious furniture including a highly polished copper plate on the wall on which they could see

their reflection. The rooms had clean linen bed sheets, towels and even some clothes. Feeling

the cloth, a bewildered Shiva asked, 'What is this material?'

Chitraangadh replied enthusiastically, 'It's cotton, Shiva. The plant is grown in our lands and

fashioned into the cloth that you hold.'

There was a broad picture window on each wall to allow the light and the warmth of the sun.

Notches on each wall supported a metal rod with a controlled flame on top for lighting. Each

room had an attached bathroom with a sloping floor that enabled the water to flow naturally to

a hole which drained it out. At the right end of each bathroom was a paved basin on the ground

which culminated in a large hole. The purpose of this contraption was a mystery to the tribe.

The side walls had some kind of device, which when turned, allowed water to flow through.

'Magic!' whispered Bhadra's mother.

Beside the main door of the building was an attached house. A doctor and her nurses

walked out of the house to greet Shiva. The doctor, a petite, wheat-skinned woman was

dressed in a simple white cloth tied around her waist and legs in a style the Meluhans called

dhoti. A smaller white cloth was tied as a blouse around her chest while another cloth called an

angvastram was draped over her shoulders. The centre of her forehead bore a white dot. Her

head had been shaved clean except for a knotted tuft of hair at the back, called a choti. A

loose string called a janau was tied down from her left shoulder across her torso to the right

side.

Nandi was genuinely starded at seeing her. With a reverential namaste, he said, 'Lady

Ayurvati! I didn't expect a doctor of your stature here.'

Ayurvati looked at Nandi with a smile and a polite namaste. 'I strongly believe in the field-

work experience programme, Captain. My team follows it strictly. However, I am terribly sorry

but I didn't recognise you. Have we met before?'

'My name is Captain Nandi, my lady,' answered Nandi. We haven't met but who doesn't

know you, the greatest doctor in the land?'

'Thank you, Captain Nandi,' said a visibly embarrassed Ayurvati. 'But I think you exaggerate.

There are many far superior to me.' Turning quickly towards Shiva, Ayurvati continued,

'Welcome to Meluha. I am Ayurvati, your designated doctor. My nurses and I will be at your

assistance for the time that you are in these quarters.'

Hearing no reaction from Shiva, Chitraangadh said in his most earnest voice, 'These are just

temporary quarters, Shiva. The actual houses that will be allocated to your tribe will be much

more comfortable. You have to stay here only for the period of the quarantine which will not last

more than seven days.'

'Oh no, my friend! The quarters are more than comfortable. They are beyond anything that

we could have imagined. What say Mausi?' grinned Shiva at Bhadra's mother, before turning

back to Chitraangadh with a frown. 'But why the quarantine?'

Nandi cut in. 'Shiva, the quarantine is just a precaution. We don't have too many diseases in

Meluha. Sometimes, immigrants may come in with new diseases. During this seven—day

period, the doctors will observe and cure you of any such ailments.'

'And one of the guidelines that you have to follow to control diseases is to maintain strict

hygiene standards,' said Ayurvati.

Shiva grimaced at Nandi and whispered, 'Hygiene standards?'

Nandi's forehead crinkled into an apologetic frown while his hands gently advised

acquiescence. He mumbled, 'Please go along with it, Shiva. It is just one of those things that we

have to do in Meluha. Lady Ayurvati is considered to be the best doctor in the land.'

'If you are free right now, I can give you your instructions,' said Ayurvati.

'I am free right now,' said Shiva with a straight face. 'But I may have to charge you later.'

Bhadra giggled softly, while Ayurvati stared at Shiva with a blank face, clearly not amused

at the pun.

'I don't understand what you're trying to say,' said Ayurvati frostily. 'In any case, we will

begin at the bathroom.'

Ayurvati walked into the guest house, muttering under her breath, 'These uncouth

immigrants...'

Shiva raised his eyebrows towards Bhadra, grinning impishly.

Late in the evening, after a hearty meal, all the Gunas were served a medicinal drink in their

rooms.

'Yuck!' grimaced Bhadra, his face contorted. 'This tastes like Yak's piss!'

'How do you know what yak's piss tastes like?' laughed Shiva, as he slapped his friend hard

on the back. 'Now go to your room. I need to sleep.'

'Have you seen the beds? I think this is going to be the best sleep of my life!'

'I have seen the bed, dammit!' grinned Shiva. 'Now I want to experience it. Get out!'

Bhadra left Shiva's room, laughing loudly. He wasn't the only one excited by the unnaturally

soft beds. Their entire tribe had rushed to their rooms for what they anticipated would be the

most comfortable sleep of their lives. They were in for a surprise.

Shiva tossed and turned on his bed constantly. He was wearing an orange coloured dhoti.

The tiger skin had been taken away to be washed — for hygienic reasons. His cotton

angvastram was lying on a low chair by the wall. A half lit chillum lay forlorn on the side-table.

This cursed bed is too soft. Impossible to sleep on!

Shiva yanked the bed sheet off the mattress, tossed it on the floor and lay down. This was a

little better. Sleep was stealthily creeping in on him. But not as strongly as at home. He missed

the rough cold floor of his own hut. He missed the shrill winds of Mount Kailash, which broke

through the most determined efforts to ignore them. He missed the comforting stench of his

tiger skin. No doubt, his current surroundings were excessively comfortable, but they were

unfamiliar and alien.

As usual, it was his instincts which brought up the truth:

'It's not the room.It's you.'

It was then that Shiva noticed that he was sweating. Despite the cool breeze, he was

sweating profusely. The room appeared to be spinning lightly. He felt as if his body was being

drawn out of itself. His frostbitten right toe felt as if it was on fire. His battle scarred left knee

seemed to be getting stretched. His tired and aching muscles felt as if a great hand was

remoulding them. His shoulder bone, dislocated in days past and never completely healed,

appeared to be ripping the muscles aside so as to re-engineer the joint. The muscles in turn

seemed to be giving way to the bones to do their job.

Breathing was an effort. He opened his mouth to help his lungs along. But not enough air

flowed in. Shiva concentrated with all his might, opened his mouth wide and sucked in as much

air as he could. The curtains by the side of the window rustled as a kindly wind rushed in. With

the sudden gush of air, Shiva's body relaxed just a bit. And then the battle began again. He

focused and willed giant gasps of air into his hungry body.

Knock! Knock!

The light tapping on the door alerted Shiva. He was disoriented for a moment. Still breathing

hard! His shoulder was twitching. The familiar pain was missing. He looked down at his knee. It

didn't hurt anymore. The scar had vanished. Still gasping for breath! He looked down at his toe.

Whole and complete now. He bent to check it. A cracking sound reverberated through the room

as his toe made its first movement in years. Still breathing hard! There was also an unfamiliar

tingling coldness in his neck. Very cold.

Knock! Knock! A little more insistent now.

A bewildered Shiva staggered to his feet, pulled the angvastram around his neck for warmth

and opened the door.

The darkness veiled his face, but Shiva could still recognise Bhadra. He whispered in a panic