More than twenty-five centuries back, a man with an enigmatic charm walked on earth. He transformed everyone whom he touched with his meditative silence and bliss.
He was known as the Buddha, the awakened one. After his death, his mortal remains were buried deep into the core of eight stupas, along with many other things that he used during his lifetime. Yet now, it is believed that they are potent enough to change the destiny of many people and nations.
2023 Bharat: Several people from different nations are searching for a few specific things that are closely associated with the Buddha and the oldest stupas. Each of them has his own motive. Just by a stroke of luck, Shuvashini and Saikat, who solved the mystery of The Speaking Stone', also get embroiled in this extraordinary search. Slowly, it draws them to an unknown episode of the Ashokan era. But soon, their search encountered a cold-blooded murder.
Both of them know that they must understand the secret codes and geometrical patterns engraved on the walls of the ancient stupas; deciphering them is the only way to save a priceless treasure, deeply connected to the Buddha, from falling into the wrong hands....
Ratnadip Acharya is the author of five successful novels, ANDAMAN, The Speaking Stone, Your Love Makes Me Complete, Paradise Lost & Regained and Life is always Aimless... Unless you love it, and a collection of supernatural stories The Clammy Hands of The Dark Nights. His historical thrillers, ANDAMAN and The Speaking Stone are a phenomenal success and loved by many readers across the country. He is a columnist for The Speaking Tree in The Times of India. He contributed many write-ups in different collections of Chicken Soup for the Soul. He lives in Mumbai with his wife, Sophia, and son, Akash.
Savasti held a bunch of kush leaves near Bimba's mouth, hoping that the strong summer wind wouldn't shake the long kush leaves too much for their sharp edges might scratch his tender skin. He enjoyed playing this game with Bimba. He always felt that Bimba also joined him with great enthusiasm.
Bimba gazed at the cluster of Kush leaves contemplatively. Slowly, it extended its long tongue to snatch a few leaves. However, Savasti had already anticipated it and quickly withdrew his hand a few feet away. Undeterred, Bimba calmly glanced at Savasti and continued towards the kush leaves determinedly.
Savasti repeated the process until Bimba was allowed to feast on the kush leaves. Bimba, Savasti's favourite buffalo, methodically chewed on the leaves while Savasti watched it affectionately. He loved tending to, bathing, and grazing the entire herd of buffalos and was unknowingly grateful to them. He earned a pittance every month only because of the buffaloes. His parents had passed away a few years ago, and as the oldest sibling among the four, he was naturally bestowed with the responsibility to look after his three younger siblings. They were between eleven and seven.
The buffaloes were owned by a local landlord named Ramlal Babu. However, the payment Savasti received every month for taking care of them was hardly enough to make ends meet.
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