Misunderstood-New novel excerpt: Varshana’s Killer Monkey

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CHAPTER 105: Varshana’s Killer Monkey

 

It’s the morning and, as usual, I’m sitting at the feet of Gurudev,

listening to his advice. ‘After Nandagram you should go to Varshana and

visit Rameshji at Maan mandira. You remember from parikrama?’

 

‘Yes Gurudev, I stayed with him a few times already. He is such a good

singer.’

 

After a bumpy bus ride I finally get off at the foot of Sri ji Mandira

in Varshana. The panoramic temple is pictured on the cover of this

book. The bus roars off in a cloud of carbon monoxide and I start to

walk toward Gavarvan, my favorite place in the whole world.

 

At the top of Brahma Hill, behind the Sriji Temple, is the sacred

Temple of Anger, Maan Mandira. Later that day, I’m sitting on the dirt

floor of Maan Mandira talking with Ramesh Babaji. Ramesh wears only a

loincloth. He has just blown my mind.

 

‘Big killer monkey?’ I gasp.

 

‘Yes, yes!’ he warns me. ‘You must beware! My old mother was bitten.

Now she is in Koshi hospital. This monkey is mad! And he is

bloodthirsty – so dangerous. Did you see the wound on Shaki Charan's

shoulder? It looks like a lion bite; so many stitches.’

 

Macho me, I put on a brave face: ‘Gulp!’

 

Ramesh continues the horror story: ‘The Vrajavasis want my permission

to poison, but I cannot agree. They may do as they please. I was

attacked but I drove him away somehow. You must be very careful when

going downstairs to bathe. He may attack.’

 

I’m thinking, if you consider this monkey dangerous then you should see

my friggen high school in Riverside, dude! But what I say is, ‘Ulp!

I'll be careful.’

 

At the foot of Varshana Hill and below Maan Mandira is a small bathing

pond named Krishna Kunda. It’s early the next morning and I’ve finished

bathing and mantra meditation and I’m ready to return back up the hill.

I wave to the local children who all know me. They come running over

and hand me me a staff-like spear that is sharp at one end.

 

‘Yeeaah danda lea-jya!’ (Here, take this spear), the kids offer with

big smiles all around.

 

I take the spear and thank the boys. ‘Bahu dhanyavad!’ (Thanks a lot!).

All the kids just giggle.

 

I start walking up the stone steps to the hilltop temple of Maan

mandira. It is deathly quiet. The hill has dark green forest on both

sides of the stone stairway winding back up to the top. The silence

gives me an uneasy feeling, but by the time I’m about halfway up I

start to feel more confident. Suddenly though, all the monkeys start

shrieking and shaking the trees. I quickly look around and spot the

dreaded killer monkey bounding toward me at full speed.

 

I raise my spear just in time as it stops the big monkey just three

meters in front of me. Whoa! This monkey is twice as big as any other

monkey I’ve seen, and he’s ready to pounce. He bares his fangs and

hisses like he really hates my guts. I’m thinking where’s that bloody

Magic Lamp from Watts? Can’t find it again. Bummer!

 

I’m shaking inside. Face to face with death. A standoff. Slowly I start

to walk backwards up the steps. The killer monkey follows, ready to

jump. I walk up a few more steps and the monkey continues to follow.

Man, this is bad!

 

Then, I hear the voices of the local kids below as they come running,

shouting, ‘May aoungaa, may aoungaa!’ (We're coming, we're coming). The

huge monkey glares at me, then looks at the kids running up the steps,

then suddenly bounds away, back into the forest. Seeing my chance I

turn and run up the steps. I burst into the courtyard of Maan Mandira,

holding my pounding heart, and breathing hard.

 

‘Woah! Krishna!’ I gasp. ‘Wow!’

 

Ramesh comes striding over. ‘So, you saw our demon?’ he says with a big

grin. ‘Ah! Krishna's boys have saved you!’

 

No doubt about it.

 

 

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