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"Khara...vel! Khara...vel!" echoed Bappadev's voice in the desolate silence. His voice could be heard by the trees, birds, and wild monkeys of the forest, but the one who needed to hear it was nowhere to be found. "Where could he have gone?" Bappadev climbed the steps of Kumargiri in distress. He had urgent and remarkable news to deliver to Kharavela. His heart was filled with excitement that he could barely contain. Was his body trembling from the thought of what he would tell Kharavela, or was it the cool breeze at the summit of the mountain? It was hard to tell. Just thinking about telling Kharavela made him feel exhilarated. Kharavela would undoubtedly be overjoyed, and his friend would embrace him with overwhelming happiness.
"Kharavel! Where are you?" Bappadev stood directly in the ruins of the Kalingjin temple complex, looking around in all directions, but Kharavel was nowhere to be seen. Finally, he stepped slowly into the complex. This was a land made holy by countless saints and sages! As soon as Bappadev touched the sacred dust of this place, he felt a surge of emotion. He took off his sandals on one side, knelt down, and placed his head on the sacred ground. He rubbed the dust on his right hand and marked his forehead with a tripundra(set of three horizontal lines of ash applied to the forehead).His eyes gleamed with even more strength and radiance.
- "Victory to Kalingjin!(कलिंग जिणस जयो होउ।)”
he shouted with a booming voice. The echo of his voice spread throughout every cave on Kumari Giri mountain, and every cave responded to his call. Together, many cries arose, "Victory to Kalingjin!"(कलिंग जिणस जयो होउ।)”
Filled with overwhelming joy, Bappadev danced with delight. There was something about this place that caused every Kalingan who came here to feel like their heart was dancing. Their worn-out, lifeless spirit would become rejuvenated, and they would feel full of inspiration. There was something so extraordinary in this complex or was it simply the passion of the people of Kalinga, which had been passed down for generations, and a mere madness. Only Kalingjin knew , but whatever it was, it was incredibly vibrant and alive. After visiting here, one felt so blessed that even the hope of reaching heaven or Vaikuntha seemed unnecessary. Whatever treasure was there in this world, they believed, could be found right here. These dreamers, so full of imagination and wild passion, were best represented by two figures: Bappadev and his beloved friend Kharavel, the son of the commander and the prince.
Bappadev suddenly remembered where Kharavel might be. So, he tiptoed inside the ruined temple and found Kharavel sitting alone in the center, deep in meditation. This moment was the most blessed of Bappadev's life. He stopped in his tracks, mesmerized by the sight of his dear friend sitting so still in such a peaceful posture. Slowly, he approached Kharavel and quietly knelt before him. Kharavel sat in a perfect lotus position, his eyes closed, deeply absorbed in meditation. Seeing him like this, Bappadev imagined that Kharavel was filling the temple's void, as though he himself were the missing statue in this grand temple.
For a few moments, Bappadev sat cross-legged before him, resting his chin on his hand, silently admiring Kharavel. But the urge to share the news burning within him was too strong to hold back any longer. Finally, he leaned in close to Kharavel’s ear and whispered, "Kharavel!" His words, carried by the wind, brushed against Kharavel's ears. Kharvela opened his eyes and looked up with a sudden start.
"Kharavela!" The words collided with Kharavela's ears along with the wind. He opened his eyes and turned his neck swiftly to look. As soon as their eyes met, Bappadeva lit up. Oh! In those radiant, sparkling eyes, he saw something, and before he could comprehend it, it disappeared. Had Bappadeva seen something like this under the moonlight at night, he would surely have screamed and run away. But it was morning, and they were in the sacred precincts of the Kalinga Jin shrine, so he was able to sit there calmly.
"I am Kharavela! Why are you staring at me like that?" Kharavela interrupted, snapping him out of his thoughts. Bappadeva stammered and said:
"Yes... yes... you are Kharavela. But who was that?"
"Who was that, my friend? It’s just me. How can I be someone else?"
"No, Kharavela! Believe it or not, but it was something non-human. I saw it in your eyes. I swear, my friend! If we weren’t standing on this sacred ground of the Kalinga Jin shrine, I would have screamed 'ghost! ghost!' and run away."
Bappadeva repeated 'ghost-ghost' in such a way that Kharavela burst out laughing, and the atmosphere became lighter. Bappadeva then felt reassured—this is my friend whom I know. But who was that? Only God knows.
"Hold on, my friend! Let’s first step out of the shrine’s premises, and then we’ll talk.It is absolutely inappropriate to discuss worldly and practical matters on this sacred temple ground, my friend!"
Outside the Kalinga Jin shrine, on the sloping land leading down from the mountain peak, there was a black stone protruding from the ground. This stone was the favorite meeting spot for Kharavela and Bappadeva. From here, sitting on the stone, one could see the entire city of Toshali stretched out below in the east. Many times, Kharavela had said to Bappadeva, "Mark my words, my friend! One day, standing on this very stone, we will proclaim, ‘Victory to Kalinga Jin!’" And Bappadeva would reply, "I will add, ‘Glory to Emperor Kharavela, the Chakravarti of Kalinga!’"
"So, tell me, my friend! What brought you here so urgently? After the Kaumudi festival, you disappeared as if into thin air. It's been ages since I last saw you, brother. Where did you go? People say that during the Kaumudi festival, some commotion happened. Apparently, a young man named Kamru spoke out boldly in front of the king and the ministers... What was that all about, Bappadeva?"
"Forget about me for a moment. First, tell me—when I didn’t meet you for so many days, did you even try to look for me?You don't care about me at all.Truly, you always do this. I have to keep track of you, but you don’t bother to check in on me!"
Bappadeva's words were true. But what could poor Kharavela do? He was born to be an emperor. For him, emotional attachments and bonds with others held no importance. By nature, he was a king. He never sought anyone out; instead, people—whether intentionally or unintentionally—came to him. And once they met him, they couldn’t help but admire his noble character and generosity, for he was the great King Kharavela!
Yet, in the face of Bappadeva’s complaint, Kharavela clasped his temples and said, “Forgive me, my friend! But I’ve been caught up in such experiments that I have yet to free myself from them.”
“What are you saying? What kind of experiment is this? What sort of experience have you had?” Bappadeva asked curiously.
“About a week ago, as always, I was wandering around the ruins of the Kalinga Jin complex on Kumaragiri Mountain. You know, whenever I come here, I am filled with extraordinary sensations. But what happened that day was something entirely different. Bappadeva, I cannot put it into words, and whatever I say will likely make you think I’ve gone mad.”
"Every element of the complex—doors, verandas, the surrounding decorative platforms, the ceremonial hall, rows of pillars, arches, and intricate carvings…"
Bappadeva! All of them appeared to me in their original pristine and magnificent state... a grand, radiant, and beautiful Jin temple… adorned with clusters of flowers everywhere, with intricate rangolis decorating the floors. Incense burners filled the atmosphere with fragrant smoke, creating a white haze. The temple gleamed with colourful fabrics, and it shone like a bride adorned for her wedding day. I was stunned. How could this be? The temple has been destroyed. Had I transcended the present moment? Was this a vision of the past, or an unseen future? I couldn’t understand. What I saw felt completely real to my heart, yet my mind refused to accept it as true. How could my intellect possibly agree? What I saw defied all logic and reality.”
Filled with curiosity and wonder, I moved forward. The fine, soft sand of the complex tickled my bare feet. Somewhere, the melodies of beautiful string instruments and percussion instruments reached my ears. The colourful fountains spraying water all around sent fragrant, soothing breezes that drenched my body. Immersed in the enchanting sensations of all five senses, I felt spellbound, as if I had entered heaven. And then, I stepped inside the Jin temple.”

“What wasn’t there inside the temple? Heaps of gold, silver, gems, and precious stones, sculptures of graceful dancers, extraordinary examples of artistic craftsmanship, rows of lamps on every pillar, and incense burners releasing fragrant smoke... my heart was overwhelmed with awe.”
“As I reached the halfway point of the central hall, my attention turned to the sanctum sanctorum. Oh! The glorious, fully golden Kalinga Jin idol stood there radiantly. I was overcome with emotion. Tears began streaming uncontrollably from my eyes. Bappadeva, I sat down right there. Folding my hands and bowing my head to the ground, I paid my respects to Kalinga Jin and said, ‘Victory to Kalinga Jin!’
“But then, what was this? There was no one else around. Yet, I began hearing countless voices all at once. My ears seemed to catch something extraordinary. And before my closed eyes, what did I see in that temple? Bappadeva, I saw a battlefield...”
“A battlefield?” Bappadeva asked with intense curiosity.
"Yes, Bappadeva! You may be startled now, but back then, I didn’t even have the time to be startled. I was swept away by some invisible current, completely under the influence of an unseen force."
"I saw, in the eastern region of Kalinga, a massive wave of humanity rising like a great ocean wave from the shores of the sea. Amidst this wave, I could hear a loud chorus: ‘Victory to Kalinga Jin!’ This tide of people spread across a vast expanse of land and first enveloped the western Maharhithiya region like the green canopy of Kalinga's Kumari Mountain. I saw the bowed heads of chieftains and rulers without their parasols and crowns."
"Then this oceanic storm moved southward. Andhra and Dravidian regions… even as far as the island of Lanka, all of it came under the green veil of Kalinga. Bappadeva! Wherever one looked in the west and south, the victorious banner of Kalinga was raised, and daily victory celebrations were held in Toshali. Bappadeva, I saw all this with my own eyes."
"Then, this colossal wave shifted from Kalinga and began moving northward. In the northern regions, from Takshashila and Mathura to Magadha and Pataliputra, everywhere was bathed in the blue colours of Kalinga's victory. Bappadeva! The climax of this vision was the defeated king of Pataliputra surrendering the idol of Kalinga Jin to Kalinga. And that golden, magnificent Kalinga Jin idol appeared before me in the temple of Kumaragiri. At that moment, the invisible force left me, and I awoke. When I looked around, what did I see? The sanctum was empty. The temple ruins, broken stone sculptures, and shattered remnants were scattered everywhere. Everything was destroyed. My joy, my enthusiasm—all of it was doused in cold water. I couldn’t decide whether to laugh or be sad."
"And since that day, every time I sit in the decorative hall beneath the grand spire of the Jin temple and close my eyes, Bappadeva, within moments, I feel a push, and I drift into a world of imagination. The scenes I described to you earlier keep replaying over and over. Bappadeva! What is happening to me? I cannot understand this at all!"
"This is a sign from the celestial guardians
(Adhishthayak deva) of Kalinga Jin, my child!" A deep, mature voice echoed.
"Who said that?" Kharavela and Bappadeva were startled. Their eyes turned toward the direction of the voice, where they saw a radiant figure emitting a blinding glow.
(To be Continued...)
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