Whirlwind Ponni's Beloved Part II by Indra Neelameggham; Ponniyin Selvan in English by Indra Neelameggham

Author:Indra Neelameggham
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: IND LLC

Chapter 29 --The Elephant Driver

About two thousand years ago -- a thousand years before the times of our story -- there was a Sinhala King called Vallaham Bahu. In those days also, a Tamil army invaded his island. King Vallaham Bahu escaped from his capital and hid in the mountain caves near the town of Dampallae. Later he regrouped his army and recaptured Anuradhapura. He deepened the mountain caves that had given him asylum and built them into a temple. To express thanks to Lord Buddha, he placed several large and small statues of the Enlightened One, (Buddha), in that cave temple. Sculptors carved hundreds of images of Lord Buddha; but in order to express all their artistic skills they also created myriad statues and scenes of Hindu Gods and mythology in those caves. These astonishing sculptures can still be seen in the caves of modern Dampallae.

When Vandiya Devan entered that holy city, he felt that he had stepped into a new world. Fresh flowers enchanted him with their fragrance; street corners were filled with carts and baskets full of lotus buds and champaka. The devout bought those flowers and carried them in small wicker baskets as they walked towards the temple. Groups of men and women pilgrims filled the streets. Buddhist monks clad in ocher mingled with them. Cries of the devout, `Sadhu, sadhu; peace, peace!’ filled the town.

All this busy activity surprised Vandiya Devan. He looked at Azlvar-adiyan and said, "I thought that we were coming closer to the war-zone. This seems to be Lord Buddha’s realm!"

"Yes Friend! This has been a famous Buddhist pilgrim center for more than thousand years," replied Azlvar-adiyan.

"Didn’t you say that it is now under control of Chozla armies?"

"Yes; I confirm it once again."

"I don’t see any Chozla soldiers!"

"They are outside the town in army camps. That is by orders of the Prince."

"Which Prince?"

"Why? The same Prince we have been looking for! Prince Arulmozli."

"I meant to ask you about that, Mr. Nambi. Parthiban looked for the Prince in this town and was going back saying he isn’t here. What is the point in us coming here and looking for him in this town?"

"Will I believe him if that Pallava nobleman declares, `He isn’t here’? I will search personally and confirm the truth. Hiranya declared that there is no God called `Hari;’ but did Prahlada believe him?"

"Sir! Mr. Nambi of the devout Vaishnava faith! You were constantly picking quarrels with followers of other faiths in our country. Look at all these Buddhist monks -- how come you are so quiet? Why? Are you fearful of the large numbers of the `enemy’ force?"

"Thambi, what is fear? What will it look like?"

"Black, huge and demonic; large as an elephant. Have you never seen it?"

"No." After saying this, Azlvar-adiyan crossed the street to talk to two men who were standing there. They appeared to be Tamils. Azlvar-adiyan talked with them for a while before he came back.

"Mr. Nambi, what did you ask them? Did you ask if

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