“Yes, Rihan. Good you came here. I was about to call you.” Rishikesh said, quite confidently.
“You people kill innocents in name of religion, don’t you?” shouted Rihan.
“They do. I am not with them. This was my plan to trap them and bring them in front of you. Remember, that day when tears flowed from you swollen eyes while you were describing these deshdrohis (enemy of country)? At that moment I had decided to write their deaths in your destiny. Here, take this.” Rishikesh offered him a pistol, “A clean headshot should do.”
Rihan was utterly confused. Just one pull and the bodies will fall, the stained flag of his revenge will wave proudly. The ‘Revolutionaries’ too looked like him, Rishikesh held his poker-face. What is the truth? Could he commit this murder without knowing it? He felt his hand becoming heavy…heavier…more…it was not ready to do the deed. His hands dropped the gun and his legs took him away in fast pace.
His mind was bombarded with questions. He stayed in his room, afraid of the dark world. He slept and slowly drifted into the world of dreams, the only world he felt comfortable in. He saw himself in a bus, heading towards Kailash Mountain.
It was Rihan’s dream to visit that mystical mountain. He had always felt that it was his ‘call of life’ – a call from the unconquerable stripes of snow. He soon reached the pristine Mansarovar Lake…pristine?! It was as black as sun-burnt flesh! No it was man’s desires that had blackened it. Before he could recover from this shock, he was teleported to the Mountain. Where is it? His eyes searched for the divine Kailash. He asked a fellow passenger, he pointed towards a mountain with winding roads running like poisonous snakes on it and many a flags waving ‘proudly’. What! Was it the Kailash?! Oh such sorrow! Grief, darken my heart and make it non-existent!
He saw a poster saying, “Kailash for Hindus – The Abode of Lord Shiva. Get out Buddhist and Bön! Or else Shiva – The Destroyer will ruin you!!” He found many other similar posters all around; anti-Buddhist, anti-Bön, anti-Hindu, anti-Islam, anti-Chritianity, …
Suddenly, the place started to flood with more and more people…more…more! It caused a stampede in the once-desolated place!
He woke up…his breathing was heavy. Suddenly, he saw Lord Shiva standing in front of him! Yes, the same form he had long feared. He stared at Rihan. He got up and tried to get away from him. He was running and shouting like madmen, “Forgive me, O lord! Please!!” In his mayhem, he fell on the the Trishul (trident). It pierced his chest, passed through his heart and took his life! He exhaled the breath of death.
“How did this happen?” Rishikesh asked.
“Guruji, I have no idea. He suddenly stated to act mad. It was a accident. I had left the plastic snake in his room, I required it for my dance. That’s why I visited his room.” The man dressed as Shiva responded.
And the country still burns…
Beauty & Tragedy 