Page 73 - Musings 2022

electricity in every other room. Many papers, all different circles with lines, were stuck on the
walls. Another circle was there on the ground with a candle in the middle. The table and
bookshelf were stacked to brim with books in black bindings. There was a black box at the foot
of the table.
Father saw me gawking around, and said, ‘those are my grimoires. You know what they are?’
I shook my head.
‘Well, take it this way. Those are books which tell me how to do all sorts of things. Good
things. Like they told me about this. You want to hear this story, don’t you?’
I didn’t. But he was going to tell me anyway. He was growing feverish in every small manner.
‘So, this is the story of an immortal demon called Tatakshya. A long time ago, he existed in
this very town, living right at the top of that hill.’ He pointed in the direction behind the
curtained window. ‘He was a master of all kinds of black magic which he had acquired
throughout his immortal life. As a release of his ages long practice, he used his magical powers
and created gold and jewels out of thin air to command humans. The townsfolk feared his
magic, but greed wouldn’t let them turn the other way. They desired his treasure more than
anything. So, in order to steal it, they all decided to kill the demon before he grows any stronger,
and requested the same to a travelling warrior. The warrior fought valiantly over 38 days and
nights, but he was powerless against the demon's immortality. In despair, he swallowed his
pride and gave up on killing the demon. Instead, he cut his body in two at waist and threw both
parts on either side of the hill. This incapacitated Tatakshya, and he couldn’t bear this
humiliating “defeat” from a human. Out of spite, he placed a curse on anyone who steals his
treasure, and ordered the hill to swallow all of his treasure.’
Father paused and looked at me intently. The tale wasn’t over yet; I knew it was only a pause
because he was expecting me to say something. Maybe ask a question to show I was paying
attention?
‘W-what happened to the warrior after that?’ I asked, but not without fumbling.
‘Went back to his city and live the rest of his life there,’ he answered as uninteresting as
possible. I got a feeling that I had upset him. ‘Anyway, Tatakshya lost all his powers over time
and the hill swallowed his body as well. But he lives on through his curse.
‘As long as he is incapacitated, people can steal the treasure. However, the curse of the treasure
is such that it allows Tatakshya to possess the body of the thief. However, since his own self
was dismembered into two, he could only possess either the torso or lower body of the thief.
What a joke!’
He cackled. ‘The entire thing was just pointless. No one walked out of it happily – Tatakshya,
warrior, villagers, anyone. It’s as paradoxical as you can get! But that’s not my fascination with
this story. No, because it doesn’t end here.’
He had a disgusting look on his face, and he was looking like an entire different person.
***
I adjust my wheelchair towards the window – that hill is still standing right where my father
showed it to me for the first time 32 years ago. Obviously, a hill doesn’t vanish, but it has a
different meaning now.
Seema is standing behind me, stunned. I have just told her everything.

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