the immortal of maluha

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Sati took a deep breath, girded her angvastram around her waist and committed herself to the Nataraj pose. Shiva smiled as he felt Mother Earth project her shakti, her energy, into Sati. Energised by the earth she stood upon, Sati began her dance. And she had really improved. The emotions seemed to course through her. She was always good technically, but the passion elevated her dance to the next level. Shiva felt a dreamy sense of unreality overcome him again. Sati radiated a magnetic hold on him as she moved her lithe body into the dance steps. For some moments, Shiva imagined that he was the man that Sati was longing for in her dance. When she finally came to a stop, the audience spontaneously applauded. ‘That was the best I have ever seen you dance,’ said the Guruji with pride. ‘Thank you Guruji,’ said Sati as she bowed. Then she looked expectandy at Shiva. ‘It was fantastic,’ exclaimed Shiva. ‘Absolutely fabulous. Didn’t I tell you that you had it in you?’ ‘I thought that I didn’t get it exactly right at the attacking sequence,’ said Sati critically. ‘You’re being too hard on yourself,’ consoled Shiva. ‘That was just a slight error. It happened only because you missed one angle on your elbow. That made your next move a little odd.’ Rising swiftly to his feet, Shiva continued, ‘See, I’ll show you.’ He walked quickly towards Sati and touched her elbow to move it to the correct angle. Sati immediately recoiled in horror as there was a gasp from the Guruji as well as Krittika. Shiva instantly realised that something terrible had happened. ‘I am sorry,’ said Shiva, with a look of sincere regret. ‘I was just trying to show you where your elbow should be.’ Sati continued to stare at Shiva, stunned into immobility. The Guruji was the first to recover his wits and realised that Shiva must undergo the purification ceremony. ‘Go to your Pandit, Shiva. Tell him you need a shudhikaran. Go before the day is over.’ ‘What? What is a shudhikaran? Why would I need it?’ ‘Please go for a shudhikaran, Shiva,’ said Sati, as tears broke through her proud eyes. ‘If something happened to you, I would never be able to forgive myself.’ ‘Nothing will happen to me! Look, I am really sorry if I have broken some rule in touching you. I will not do it again. Let’s not make a big deal out of this.’ ‘IT IS A BIG DEAL!’ shouted Sati. The violence of Sati’s reaction threw Shiva off balance. Why the hell is this simple thing being blown completely out of proportion? Krittika came close to Sati, careful not to touch her and whispered, ‘We should go back home, my lady’ ‘No. No. Please stay,’ pleaded Shiva. ‘I won’t touch you. I promise.’ With a look of hopeless despair, Sati turned to leave, followed by Krittika and Guruji. At the edge of the hedge, she turned around and beseeched Shiva once again, ‘Please go for your shudhikaran before nightfall. Please.’ At the look of uncomprehending mutiny on Shiva’s face, the Guruji advised, ‘Listen to her, Shiva. She speaks for your own good.’
‘What bloody nonsense!’ yelled Shiva as his disturbed thoughts finally broke through his desperate efforts at silent acceptance. He was lying in his bedroom at the royal guest house. He had not undergone the shudhikaran. He had not even bothered to find out what the ceremony was. Why would I need to be purified for touching Sati? I want to spend all my remainingyears touching her in every possible way. Am I going to keep on undergoing a shudhikaran every day? Ridiculous! Just then a troubling thought entered Shiva’s mind. Is it because of me? Am I not allowed to touch her because I am caste-unmarked? An inferior barbarian? ‘No. That can’t be true,’ whispered Shiva to himself. ‘Sati doesn’t think like that. She is a good woman.’ But what if it’s true? Maybe if she knows I am the Neelkanth...
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Praise for The Immortals of Meluha
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westland ltd Venkat Towers, 165, P.
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To Preeti & Neel... You both are ev
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Acknowledgements The Shiva Trilogy
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The Shiva Trilogy Shiva! The Mahade
Page 15 and 16: Shiva mused that he would certainly
Page 17 and 18: It had been five days since Shiva h
Page 19 and 20: ‘If this is the border province,
Page 21 and 22: side. Nandi was genuinely starded a
Page 23 and 24: stricken voice, ‘Shiva, I’m sor
Page 25 and 26: Ayurvati looked up from her palm-le
Page 27 and 28: ‘Your destiny is much larger than
Page 29 and 30: The cravat felt warm on his still c
Page 31 and 32: enormous, all embracing ocean. The
Page 33 and 34: ‘No, I am not. You people are jus
Page 35 and 36: Suryavanshi soldier, judging by his
Page 37 and 38: which had been adorned by pillars a
Page 39 and 40: tried to gather his wits, his overw
Page 41 and 42: The noble woman averted her eyes in
Page 43 and 44: who would want to use this symbol n
Page 45 and 46: they don’t even realise how many
Page 47 and 48: ‘That also sounds like a good ide
Page 49 and 50: with me? He has been my constant co
Page 51 and 52: CHAPTER 5 Tribe of Brahma Shiva was
Page 53 and 54: Shiva folded his hands into a namas
Page 55 and 56: It was late in the morning the next
Page 57 and 58: his gurukul as his successor. This
Page 59 and 60: CHAPTER 6 Vikarma, the Carriers of
Page 61 and 62: and the commerce being conducted, t
Page 63 and 64: asked Shiva. ‘Yes Shiva,’ said
Page 65: Those of the vanquished who survive
Page 69 and 70: ‘And presumably they don’t, you
Page 71 and 72: war. I had heard of a diplomatic mi
Page 73 and 74: up to you. As Daksha spoke once aga
Page 75 and 76: Shiva raised his eyebrow a bit. Par
Page 77 and 78: CHAPTER 8 Drink of the Gods Shiva a
Page 79 and 80: exact location. There was an elite
Page 81 and 82: similar formation. A side guard of
Page 83 and 84: with it? The medicine has to work o
Page 85 and 86: CHAPTER 9 Love and its Consequences
Page 87 and 88: A few aspects of the story he was r
Page 89 and 90: frantic rhythm. He could swear that
Page 91 and 92: ‘I am uncomfortable with the atte
Page 93 and 94: CHAPTER 10 The Hooded Figure Return
Page 95 and 96: Shiva could not recognise the cacop
Page 97 and 98: pounded him from the back. As he fe
Page 99 and 100: attle just a few hours ago. They we
Page 101 and 102: CHAPTER 11 Neelkanth Unveiled The n
Page 103 and 104: nearly got herself killed for her p
Page 105 and 106: The preparations for Shiva’s tour
Page 107 and 108: CHAPTER 12 Journey through Meluha
Page 109 and 110: At a short distance from the road o
Page 111 and 112: had just saved. ‘No, Vishwadyumna
Page 113 and 114: ‘Private Veerbhadra,’ said Nand
Page 115 and 116: Veerbhadra, were holding them back.
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the life of an outcast.’ ‘I DON
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genuinely think the law itself is u
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‘No it isn’t,’ explained the
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‘What is the Lord doing in there?
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all this in her transactions with s
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CHAPTER 15 Trial by Fire The little
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This was just a traditional questio
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Shiva. Every person turned towards
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duel. However, there wasn’t enoug
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CHAPTER 16 The Sun & Earth There wa
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‘Yes, your Highness.’ The Queen
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Ayurvati as well. It was the first
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ipped off his cravat and threw it a
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forward. A jump timed to perfection
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and Dhruvini had already fanned out
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Sati smiled sadly and put her hand
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Neelkanth.’ ‘I didn’t drop fr
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leeding. Then he quickly helped the
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Devagiri. This is big news. We must
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aide silently brought in two chairs
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ought it to his lips and kissed it
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particular puja, however, celebrate
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Veerbhadra came forward, embraced S
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another.’ ‘I know,’ said Brah
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‘And I’ll know all that by talk
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‘What the hell was that?’ cried
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‘I’m coming with you,’ said S
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minimal since most of the mountain
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Parvateshwar nodded. The Meluhan wa
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‘Of course,’ said Parvateshwar,
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‘It will be done, my Lord,’ sai
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they ask me how I let a non-Kshatri
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wished that Shiva would rise to be
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Sati laughed heartily. Shiva joined
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‘Drapaku,’ said Shiva. ‘I don
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‘Perhaps I should leave, your Hig
Page 189 and 190:
CHAPTER 23 Dharmayudh, the Holy War
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Shiva had the answer: ‘Har Ek Hal
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the bow formation. The Chandravansh
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CHAPTER 24 A Stunning Revelation Sa
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Nagas, he genuinely believed he had
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Shiva looked up, his eyes half shut
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‘So this route seems to make the
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‘And,’ continued Anandmayi, ‘
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excuse for action. The roads were n
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Possibly in the hope of a grand unv
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‘That, my Lord,’ said Anandmayi
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piece of bread and gruel. It looked
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CHAPTER 26 The Question of Question
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‘More so than you can imagine. Th
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‘Vayuputra?’ asked Shiva. The n
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Hat Har Mahadev: Hariyupa: Holi: In
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Shakti Devi: Shamiana: Mother Godde
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The small cutter had just docked at
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Amish is a 36-year-old, IIM (Kolkat
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