The Kiss Of Death In Namchi!

It was on the 21st of May when Sourav left home.

He had smiled and said, “Well, you didn’t ask me about my unfulfilled dreams! I will tell you when I return!”

Just out of college, awaiting to go abroad, Sourav was a promising student. He had a lot of dreams which he wanted to fulfill. Sourav had never returned home. Sourav had died due to rash driving. When he was cremated Ratan could hardly recognize his son’s dismembered body and face, as it was so dismembered. Post mortem had made it worse. Ratan never came to know of his son’s unfulfilled dreams. When Sourav passed away, his father Ratan Chatterjee was heart-broken. Sourav was twenty-one when he passed away. Ratan could not actually come to terms with his son’s sudden demise. His wife Kamala would urge him to carry on. But somehow the urge to live beyond the tragedy was always missing in him. Ratan remembered Sourav’s habits and his naughtiness, which time and again came back to haunt him. Ratan’s favorite pastime became listening to the telephonic conversations with his son that he had recorded using his android mobile handset.

Then as fate had it, he turned towards superstition and his zeal to connect with his dead son took the upper hand. Ratan started visiting the people who were proficient in the practicing tantric mantras. He was basically trying to connect to his son through tantric beliefs or black magic. He was hell-bent to know what his son’s unfulfilled dreams were. However, finding the right tantric guru is not an easy task. However, Ratan was not to be so easily dissuaded. There are, however, various conmen who are practicing this trade to prey upon the superstition of the easily gullible individuals. Ratan although a retired army man took every disappointment in his stride.

He went through a lot of hardship to find the right guru. Then one day near, one of the burning ghats of the Tarakeswar, he met one tantric guru who said “Why do you want to speak to your son?”

Ratan had replied, “Well, my son had said that I will tell you about my unfulfilled dreams and he had never returned to tell them!”

The tantric guru had said, “Why do you the thing that you need to know of these!”

Tears had started flowing from, Mr. Ratan Chatterjee’s eyes.

He had, “I need to know, if I don’t know, I will never die in peace!”

 The tantric guru had replied, “That can be arranged! However, you have to travel to Sikkim to my Tibetian Tantric friend Laphung Baba! He is the right person to guide you through your wishes, son! I am sure when you come back you will be a changed man!”

Then he had handed him a piece of red hibiscus flower and a small white paper. In that white paper was written the address of a hotel in Namchi, Sikkim, and the name “Denjongpa Bhutia”. It was enough for a start for Mr. Ratan. He went back home from Tarakeswar to Kolkata and quickly arranged a flight ticket to Bagdogra.

He told Kamala, “Well, I need a change and so I will visit one friend of mine in Sikkim.”

Kamala knowing that Ratan was depressed, thought that a change might do him some good. So she had consented.

It was around two in the afternoon that he reached Bagdogra. It was around half past five that he reached Namchi. He reached the hotel and found it ok to spend a night. He was tired so he retired for the day. The next morning, he asked for the name of “Denjongpa Bhutia”, the manager was a bit uneasy. But when Mr. Ratan insisted, the manager relented. Then one of the waiters was ushered in and the waiter asked, “What can I do for you, Sir!”

Denjongpa was stinking of Tongba, the local alcoholic drink. He was short and had an un-kept beard. His eyes were had that fathomless coldness of that of a predatory eagle. Yet, he appeared to like a child. When he smiled his yellow teeth bared themselves.

Ratan said, “I am looking for Tibetian Tantric guru Laphung Baba!”

The name of the Tibetian Tantric guru transformed the behavior of Denjongpa. His intense eyes showed he was agitated and then he replied, “It is not wise to visit Laphung Baba! He is not a good man!”

Ratan said “Well, I need to consult him regarding my dead son’s wishes! Please take me to him.”

Denjongpa replied, “Most people who go there do not return alive. Very Dangerous Sahib! Laphung, not a good man!”

Ratan interjected, “But, please take me to him!”

By then one of the other waiters arrived and Denjongpa fell indifferently silent.

Ratan, sensing something was wrong waited for the other waiter to leave and then said, “Please take me to him!”

Ratan took out the bottle of malt whisky from his rucksack and said “Want some of it!”

Denjongpa’s eyes lit up and then flickered like a lamp and then he said, “Sahib, I don’t want this life. I would take you if you give me that. He has nine lives and plays with the ghosts.”

Ratan had already met twenty tantric gurus previous to him. Fear was just a distant dream for a man obsessed to find the wishes of his dead son! Ratan smiled and looked at Denjongpa.

Then he said, “Take this, and I have more but please take me to him!”

Denjongpa reluctantly agreed. Then he asked Ratan to follow. They walked out of the hotel and Denjongpa hailed an open hooded jeep. After around half an hour Denjongpa asked the driver to stop just at the base of a hill. The driver was surprised, but Denjongpa handed him a twenty rupee note and asked Ratan to follow. By the time the jeep had left, Denjongpa took Ratan to what one could aptly describe as a wild goose chase.

Denjongpa took Ratan through a thin serpentine path, which meandered through the thick undergrowth of the forest. Ratan being an ex-serviceman followed Denjongpa like a cheetah following the deer. Then they came to a clearing, which was adjourning a hill. They went around the hill only to find a shabby cottage. Denjongpa whistled and then someone whistled back. Then a small boy emerged from the dense foliage. The boy had a whistle in his mouth, which he was blowing. He wore a small torn vest and a grey half pant. He was however nimble-footed. Seeing the young chap, Ratan, who used to chew chewing gums, took one of the chewing gums and handed it to the young lad.

Ratan asked the young boy, “What is your name son?”

The boy remained silent and looked away.

Then he turned towards Denjongpa and asked, “What is his name?”

Denjongpa with moist eyes replied, “Sahib, he is my son Sher Bhutia, and he has lost his voice ever since his mother passed away! You are a kind man Sahib, you shouldn’t have come here!”

Ratan replied, “But where is the Tibetian Tantric guru Laphung Baba? I want to meet him!”

The young boy seemed to be perturbed by the question. However, when Denjongpa instructed something in Nepali the boy calmed down and signaled Ratan to follow him. Then the boy took Ratan through the thick forest in the mountain. They crossed by ravines and then came to a spot where they could see a cave on the mountain. Then Ratan could see that there was a light flickering from inside the cave. It had an eerie feeling about it. From somewhere there was some stench coming. However, Ratan ignoring the stench went ahead. Nine-year-old Sher Bhutia followed him inside the cave. The walls of the cave were wet and moss had invaded in some places.

There sat inside the cave in tranquil peace, the much-feared Tibetian Tantric guru Laphung Baba. Ratan’s heart was beating like a drum and he was thinking, “Is this my nemesis?”

Ratan sat on a rock in front of the Tantric. Laphung Baba was a man whose forehead was covered in ashes. He was covered by a black dress from head to foot with a red scarf on his head. He had been meditating. Suddenly he woke with a jerk and throw some Indian Frankincense dust on the fire that was dying in front of him. The smell of the incense somewhat melted away the stench. The fire actually lit using some coconut choirs. Sensing someone inside the cave, the tantric opened his eyes and said, “You have come to the right place son!”

Ratan replied, “I have come from a long way, Gurudev!”

The eyes had it all, as they say. The small eyes of the tantric were flickering like a just lit lamp and his greenish-blue eyeballs had a certain ferociousness as that of the hawk. He had a beard just like the other tantric gurus. Laphung continued, “Well, what do you seek!”

Ratan went on to narrate how he had lost his son and asked if he could arrange a meeting with his departed son. He also made the tantric aware that he liked to hear the voice of his departed son on his android phone. Sher Bhutia was watching everything from behind Ratan.

The tantric asked if he could hear the voice of Ratan’s son. Ratan gladly obliged and made the tantric guru hear his son’s voice from his mobile handset. After some time, the tantric guru laughed and said “So you want to connect with your dead son!”

Ratan was a bit taken aback and he said, “Can that be possible!”

Laphung replied, “Everything can be done using the tantric mantras! I will call upon the undead and let’s see what happens!”

Then he motioned to Sher Bhutia to come forward. As the nine-year trembling boy came forward, the tantric guru made him sit beside him on an elevated stone. He then placed some coconut husk on the drying fire and set it ablaze. Meanwhile, he started murmuring the tantric chants, in his hoarse voice. It was about ten minutes of intense chanting and Ratan was impatiently waiting for something to happen. Slowly the boy responded to his chants and his voice quivered and then it seemed dark clouds and the murmuring of thousand voices were of the undead quiver in the cave. It sent shivers down Ratan’s spine. The tantric guru injected a handful of Indian Frankincense resin powder again into the fire and the smoke kicked up. Then the young boy coughed up and then Ratan could distinctly make out his son’s voice, as the boy said, “Father, Father I am here!” Then Ratan could make out the same laugh that his son had given a minute back, which he played when he had used his mobile to make the tantric guru hear his son’s voice. Dark clouds seemed to be hovering just outside and Ratan was getting agitated at this. Laphung then placed his hand over the head of the boy, he slowly came around and then Ratan realized that the boy had been hypnotized. Laphung then ordered in a commanding voice saying, “Well, Mr. Ratan if you want to know how your son is then come back alone with forty thousand rupees. It’s a small amount considering the enormity of the task considered. Now take this child and carry him to the hut beyond the ravines will you! “ Then the tantric guru returned to mediate on his seat.

Ratan was agitated yet he carried the limp body of the boy and retraced his way back to the shabby cottage where he had to meet the boy. As he was returning, he could not help but recollect the noises from inside the cave. The noises made by the undead! Denjongpa was waiting for them. He was not at all surprised to see them both. It didn’t take more than half an hour before the boy was back to his normal self. Yet, the boy didn’t say a single word.

Ratan and Denjongpa returned to the hotel that evening. Ratan that night called his old friend Rajesh Chowrasia who was stationed near Namchi. He said,” I need a revolver to protect myself, can you make it accessible tonight!” Rajesh was taken aback and asked why do you need it?”

Ratan replied, “To protect me from the unknown forces that are pulling me towards the undead!”

Rajesh could not believe his ears. He laughed aloud then, said, “Man, it is possibly the worst excuse an ex-army man can give to settle scores with someone. I don’t care what you do, you can have my revolver anytime. But where are you currently?”

Ratan replied, “I am in Namchi! I am staying in a small hotel! Where can I find you mate?”

Rajesh getting excitedly replied, “We can meet before you settle scores! Is it a love duel?”

Ratan replied, “A duel to the death my friend!”

“Then I want to accompany you because you need a shoulder to place your gun before you fire. I can lend my shoulder, what do you say, man!”

“Well, some duels are fought alone, my friend!”

“Where can I find you?”

“I will wait for you at the entrance of Green Lung Park around seven in the morning!”

Then Ratan disconnected the phone.

The next morning Rajesh arrived around quarter to seven at the Green Lung Park only to find a disheveled-looking Ratan. Clearly a shadow of his own self. Rajesh handed him the bag and asked,  “What's up man?”

Ratan smiled and related the entire story to him. The story of his quest of fulfilling his son’s unfulfilled dreams!

Rajesh knew how sentiment Ratan was so he kept quiet and discreetly asked where he was heading. Ratan showed him the cash that he had withdrawn from the bank, as advised by Laphung Baba, and said, “Well if the Tantric guru is bluffing, I will become his nemesis else if he is not what I think he is then it would be a different issue altogether.”

Rajesh didn’t believe in tantric practices yet he knew that Ratan could be in trouble due to his vulnerability towards these beliefs. Yet, he kept mum and departed.

Ratan returned to his hotel with his money and the revolver. He quickly had a shower and eat his breakfast comprising of four slices of buttered toast and two egg poaches. Again he called for Denjongpa who arrived with a sulked look on his face.

Ratan didn’t care. He again showed him a bottle of rum and enticed him to do the inevitable. Ratan and Denjongpa hailed an open hooded jeep and hopped onto it. Denjongpa as usual on reaching a certain point ordered the driver to stop at the base of the same hill which they had visited and then he and Ratan Hopped out. They retraced the path to the shabby cottage and this time Sher Bhutia

and Denjongpa both accompanied Ratan. Sher Bhutia’s eyes reflected that he was terrified yet he didn’t say a word. Denjongpa had that coldness of the mountain ice in his eyes and he carried forward walking quickly. Ratan had the feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn’t comprehend or guess what was going wrong. An eerie feeling was bugging him. Yet he carried forward to meet what would fate keep for him. Then they reached the cave.

Denjongpa and Sher Bhutia stopped short of entering the cave and asked Ratan to enter the cave. He found Laphung the tantric guru asking for the money and the moment he handed the money Laphung suddenly shoved him to the ground and escaped through the narrow cave entrance. Ratan anticipating sometime was wrong tried to pick himself up and quickly follow the tantric guru, only to find that some three-four guys who resembled Chinese or Tibetian pushing a huge stone to block the cave entrance. He could see the faces, which included Denjongpa and Laphung. He quickly took out his revolver and tried to shoot but he was a bit too late as the stone completely shut off the sunlight from the outside world. He had taken a shot, but it had ricocheted off the stone and grazed his left arm. Perspiration was welling out of his forehead and he was now realizing what a mistake he had done. A thousand thoughts were running through his mind when he realized that he heard a noise from behind, he looked back he saw two green eyes in the darkness. He quickly flashed the torchlight of his android mobile only to realize that he was now facing a black menacing hungry panther which about to jump on him. He was an expert shot in his heydays and he still had the revolver in his hand. The panther looked at him and he stared back. Time stood still for a minute. Then the panther pounced. He also took two shots and dodged the leaping panther. The mobile had fallen off his hand and the torch was still on. He could see the green eyes of the panther slowly closing like the last remnants of a dying flame. He had shot the animal through its temple. The magnificent beast had thus been tamed to death. He slowly picked up the mobile and flashed it around to see what more dangers were in store for him. Interesting he found a set of speakers and a laptop, which was still on. The Praat software was still running in it. He fiddled with it and found it was a sound editing software. It didn’t take Ratan long to realize that within that list of files was a file which was an exact recording of the voice of his son that he had played to help Laphung hear his dead son’s Sourav’s voice. He also realized that there were other files which made the sound of Dark clouds seemed to be hovering just outside and that of the undead! He realized what a fool he had been! Then he heard gunshots from outside and was perturbed. He clutched the revolver and was waiting for the inevitable, when a familiar voice interjected from outside the cave, within a minute or so. It didn’t take Ratan to realize that it was Rajesh’s voice.

Ratan replied, “I am alive mate!”

Within ten minutes, the stone which was blocking the cave was removed and Ratan came out alive only to find the outside swarming with Indian Elite commandos and a smiling Rajesh. What happened next was beyond the imagination of Ratan.

Rajesh said, “Well, Ratan, I had asked his trusted servant Dawa Dorji to keep a tab on you. He traced you traced him back to your hotel. Dawa had informed me and I had followed you, Ratan, and waited in anticipation of your next move. Around nine, when you and this dead Chinese mafia agent Huo Yen Fei left for the inevitable.”

Ratan was astonished when he found that Denjougpa real name was “Huo Yen Fei” the notorious Chinese mafia agent.

Rajesh said, “Hou Yen Fei was in fact a Chinese rogue, who had been hoodwinking the Indian Security forces and killing ex-servicemen at will. And you led us to him!”

Then he added, “Well, however, it is time you met someone who has been waiting eagerly to meet you!”

Then he shouted out, “Major, where are you!”

Then a stout commando from the elite force came forward and said to Ratan, “Father, don’t you recognize me, do you? Well, I have realized by unfulfilled dreams! Maybe now you can take me home!”

The voice of the commando whose face was blackened with paint and mud startled Ratan. Joy no bounds for Ratan, who now realized that it was none other than Sourav. Tears of joy were flowing from his eyes. Then Rajesh interjected, “Well, we had recruited him to work undercover so he had to meet with a fake accident. Remember you couldn’t recognize him during his cremation, Ratan. Well, it was the body of a guy who couldn’t be identified and could have been the same height as Sourav. This guy got killed in an accident and there was no one to identify him. So we thought it was the time ripe to replace Sourav with the other man’s body. Anyway, he had shaped up wonderfully, you should be proud of your son, Ratan!”Although the blood was oozing out of Ratan’s left hand the paramedics arrived gave him first-aid and then they took away the remains of the dead Chinese Mafia agents who had been killed while operating in Sikkim. Then the father-son duo returned home.