They came down along the flanks of Ashtapada mountain. Men, women and children, carrying their household belongings walked along. The journey was obscure, the destination vague. Nagavanshi king Vasuki looked around. The peak of Kailash could be seen at a distance. His Lord’s abode. Perhaps, this was the last time he was watching it. The Nagas were now a cursed tribe banished from their homeland. ‘Remember everyone...this journey is going to be very long...soon we need to cross the desert which might drive us crazy...I hold the power of life and death of every person I take with me.’ Vasuki shouted on top of his voice. The Nagas listened patiently, some of them afraid of the way ahead. ‘And remember we have only one God...Lord Shiva...and in his name I swear that I will do everything possible to win over the horrific roads ahead. We all should stay together, no matter what. I want each one of you to swear by the greatest Lord to follow my orders. In this journey, disobedience means death.’ A long note was sounded on a conch shell, and the Nagas started mounting the horses. Some families continued on their foot. The wind never stopped, snow hurling across the faces of the travellers. The valley was sandy at some stretches, and rocky in others. When their path was blocked by a boulder, they had to go around it. In some places, the ground was covered with frozen icy lakes. The immense collection of people and animals began to travel to faster. The days had become silent, but now, even the nights-when the Naga people were accustomed to talking around the fires-had also become quiet. The endless journey asked for sacrifices and many died on the way due to fatigue. Many dropped tired as the procession of people and animals went on and on. The unknown road lay there as death itself. He knew it was the day he was going to die! As the guards hauled him mercilessly towards the big-size rock. A heavy bracelet of twisted gold slid down to his wrist. And as Vasuki looked at the coiled-snake design his thoughts grew chaotic and disoriented. Betrayal needs to be punished at all cost... Betrayal needs to be punished at all cost...those words of the greatest Lord rattled inside his brain. saptak-firsttry.blogspot.in/2012/10/the-curse-of-nagas.html
Posted on: Thu, 06 Jun 2013 16:28:07 +0000
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