Fiction: Benyamin's new novel attempts a secular retelling of the life and times of Jesus Christ
Didymos lay awake, immersed in the intriguing rhythm of Peter's snores as he inhaled the whole of the universe with each breath and exhaled it at a curious pace. The release started slowly, increased steadily, reached a pinnacle and then subsided abruptly. After a brief silence, a few ugly sounds followed before the cycle began afresh. Didymos was not disturbed by these innocent remnants of speech, as his mind relished watching the state of deep sleep. He found Peter's snores rather charming in their cadence and flow. As if savouring that midnight curiosity, a subtle smile played on Didymos' face.
After some time, when his mind remained alert despite the weariness of the day's journey, Didymos wondered at the reason. He had never had trouble sleeping except when his mind was overwrought. Had something happened to vex him today? Had any new hope or eagerness taken root? He could not recollect anything unusual.
With the passage of time, Didymos experienced an unrecognisable, gnawing pain overwhelming his heart. Unable to bear the turbulence, he sat up, wandered around the room, and then stood by the window. He stared at the blanket of darkness outside, listening to the chirping of the cicadas, brooding all the while. Was it an inexplicable disease? Was his time up? Had the gypsy woman predicting death come calling so soon? Had any of his forebears passed away at this age? Tentacles of apprehension seized Didymos. He grieved the possibility of having to let go of his hopes and plans for the future. Didymos contemplated shaking Peter awake to share his unease with him. He reached Peter's side many times, but an intense discomfiture stalled his hand.
Tossing and turning on his cot, a thought struck Didymos: it wasn't the symptom of any sickness, but the ripples of a sweet agony that was brimming in his heart. Didymos realised that he was being graced with a sacred moment, one that cradled the essence of all his past dreams. He was left wondering whether he had been praying for such a blessing all his life. For what he was experiencing was the divine sweetness of love!
A face, which appeared as an ache in the depths of his heart, became increasingly distinct as the moments passed and then vanished suddenly. The very next instant, it returned with luminous clarity. Didymos could not recall when his eyes had captured, with such precision, the subtlest expressions of that face, nor when they had taken residence so intensely in his heart. It was so unexpected, so unusual and vulnerable to derision!
Having determined the reason for his heart's discomfort, Didymos now found himself wishing that sleep would continue to elude him. What if he lost the memories of that lovely face as he slept? In all his years, he had never encountered such perfection of beauty in a Greek maiden. The innocence of that face was deserving of worship – a divinity that should be adored only with a spotless mind! The beauty was luminous and pure, without the embellishment of any ornament or adornment. Effortlessly, it surpassed all elevated yardsticks of loveliness. My Lord! Never, ever remove this face from my memories!
Didymos fell asleep very late that night. Had Peter not woken him in the morning, he might have slumbered on till the afternoon.
It was with the heartening warmth of someone who felt privileged to have reunited with his friends after a long time that Lazarus bid them farewell. Though Didymos and Peter protested, he insisted on them staying for breakfast. He reminded them of the distance they still had to cover, warned them about the heat of the day and affectionately reprimanded them for setting off without water.
At that moment, Mariam hurried up with waterskins for their journey. Peter was deeply touched by her gesture. Had he a sister in real life, would she have cared so much? Lazarus openly praised his sister's percipient action.
Lazarus accompanied them to the gate. The sisters stood watching from the porch. Didymos had no idea whether he would receive the hospitality of that home again, but he deeply hoped he would. Walking through the alleys, the duo reached the main street. At that point, their paths diverged.
'We are going in different directions, aren't we?' Peter's voice was heavy with regret.
'Two people who know each other's secrets,' Didymos gently reminded him.
'I have no doubt we shall be faithful to one another,' responded Peter.
'I have met a thousand Jews in my journeys, broken bread with many, but never before have I revealed my identity to anyone,' said Didymos, suddenly catching hold of Peter's hand. 'But Peter, I have told you everything about myself. Though our acquaintance has lasted only a night, I feel as if I have known you all my life!'
'A herald of the future has probably brought us together.' 'Exactly! I was never meant to be here at all. You know that I was looking for John the Baptist. Judea is unfamiliar to me. I realized that John's Bethany was a different place only after arriving here. Indeed, I felt furious and frustrated then. But now, I feel that losing my way was preordained.'
They embraced each other warmly, as if neither wished to let go. Didymos felt tears prickling his eyes. Bidding farewell silently, they parted ways. One walked towards Jordan and the other to Jerusalem.
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Scroll.in
14 hours ago
- Scroll.in
Fiction: Benyamin's new novel attempts a secular retelling of the life and times of Jesus Christ
Didymos lay awake, immersed in the intriguing rhythm of Peter's snores as he inhaled the whole of the universe with each breath and exhaled it at a curious pace. The release started slowly, increased steadily, reached a pinnacle and then subsided abruptly. After a brief silence, a few ugly sounds followed before the cycle began afresh. Didymos was not disturbed by these innocent remnants of speech, as his mind relished watching the state of deep sleep. He found Peter's snores rather charming in their cadence and flow. As if savouring that midnight curiosity, a subtle smile played on Didymos' face. After some time, when his mind remained alert despite the weariness of the day's journey, Didymos wondered at the reason. He had never had trouble sleeping except when his mind was overwrought. Had something happened to vex him today? Had any new hope or eagerness taken root? He could not recollect anything unusual. With the passage of time, Didymos experienced an unrecognisable, gnawing pain overwhelming his heart. Unable to bear the turbulence, he sat up, wandered around the room, and then stood by the window. He stared at the blanket of darkness outside, listening to the chirping of the cicadas, brooding all the while. Was it an inexplicable disease? Was his time up? Had the gypsy woman predicting death come calling so soon? Had any of his forebears passed away at this age? Tentacles of apprehension seized Didymos. He grieved the possibility of having to let go of his hopes and plans for the future. Didymos contemplated shaking Peter awake to share his unease with him. He reached Peter's side many times, but an intense discomfiture stalled his hand. Tossing and turning on his cot, a thought struck Didymos: it wasn't the symptom of any sickness, but the ripples of a sweet agony that was brimming in his heart. Didymos realised that he was being graced with a sacred moment, one that cradled the essence of all his past dreams. He was left wondering whether he had been praying for such a blessing all his life. For what he was experiencing was the divine sweetness of love! A face, which appeared as an ache in the depths of his heart, became increasingly distinct as the moments passed and then vanished suddenly. The very next instant, it returned with luminous clarity. Didymos could not recall when his eyes had captured, with such precision, the subtlest expressions of that face, nor when they had taken residence so intensely in his heart. It was so unexpected, so unusual and vulnerable to derision! Having determined the reason for his heart's discomfort, Didymos now found himself wishing that sleep would continue to elude him. What if he lost the memories of that lovely face as he slept? In all his years, he had never encountered such perfection of beauty in a Greek maiden. The innocence of that face was deserving of worship – a divinity that should be adored only with a spotless mind! The beauty was luminous and pure, without the embellishment of any ornament or adornment. Effortlessly, it surpassed all elevated yardsticks of loveliness. My Lord! Never, ever remove this face from my memories! Didymos fell asleep very late that night. Had Peter not woken him in the morning, he might have slumbered on till the afternoon. It was with the heartening warmth of someone who felt privileged to have reunited with his friends after a long time that Lazarus bid them farewell. Though Didymos and Peter protested, he insisted on them staying for breakfast. He reminded them of the distance they still had to cover, warned them about the heat of the day and affectionately reprimanded them for setting off without water. At that moment, Mariam hurried up with waterskins for their journey. Peter was deeply touched by her gesture. Had he a sister in real life, would she have cared so much? Lazarus openly praised his sister's percipient action. Lazarus accompanied them to the gate. The sisters stood watching from the porch. Didymos had no idea whether he would receive the hospitality of that home again, but he deeply hoped he would. Walking through the alleys, the duo reached the main street. At that point, their paths diverged. 'We are going in different directions, aren't we?' Peter's voice was heavy with regret. 'Two people who know each other's secrets,' Didymos gently reminded him. 'I have no doubt we shall be faithful to one another,' responded Peter. 'I have met a thousand Jews in my journeys, broken bread with many, but never before have I revealed my identity to anyone,' said Didymos, suddenly catching hold of Peter's hand. 'But Peter, I have told you everything about myself. Though our acquaintance has lasted only a night, I feel as if I have known you all my life!' 'A herald of the future has probably brought us together.' 'Exactly! I was never meant to be here at all. You know that I was looking for John the Baptist. Judea is unfamiliar to me. I realized that John's Bethany was a different place only after arriving here. Indeed, I felt furious and frustrated then. But now, I feel that losing my way was preordained.' They embraced each other warmly, as if neither wished to let go. Didymos felt tears prickling his eyes. Bidding farewell silently, they parted ways. One walked towards Jordan and the other to Jerusalem.
Hindustan Times
21 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Pentagrams, runes, flame: How come the same rules apply to all the demons?
This is a story about demons. They say, the people who say things, that when King Solomon — he of the cut-the-baby-in-half tale — was building his temple in Jerusalem, he developed a particular affection for a little boy who was often on site, the son of the head workman. The boy also attracted the attention of Ornias, a demon who lived in the constellation Aquarius. One day, at sundown, Ornias appeared before the boy and sucked his right thumb, and the boy's soul with it. The boy grew thin and pale after this, and Solomon noticed. When the boy told the king what had happened, Solomon was horrified. He prayed to God, who sent the Archangel Michael down to help. Michael gave Solomon a signet ring, saying it would forever give him control over demons. Solomon gave the ring to the boy. Throw it at the demon's chest the next time you see him, he said, and tell him to come and meet the king. The boy did as he was told. Ornias met the king, and ended up cutting stone for the temple. Solomon eventually returned to Ornias, gave him the ring and told him to hand it to Beelzebub, the prince of demons, and tell him to meet with Solomon too. Beelzebub laughed at Ornias, but he was soon working on Solomon's temple too. The king went on to subdue and enslave a whole army of demons. You won't find the story of Solomon and Ornias in the Bible. It comes from a text of a very different nature, one that dates to the 1st century CE, and was written in Greek and ascribed to the long-dead king. Origin tale Few people have read The Testament of Solomon. But almost everyone knows at least a little of what it says. It is to this book that we can trace many of the rituals most commonly associated with asking demons for help. The idea of such supplication is likely as old as prayer. But the specifics — the idea of circles drawn on the ground, preferably in human blood, with runes that have to be traced just so, for the smallest mistake would mean the summoned demon could turn on the summoner — have all accreted like layers of sediment around the original tale. Interest in summoning demons was muted after The Testament of Solomon, but flared up again during the Renaissance in Italy, where the Key of Solomon, a grimoire or book of spells, made its first appearance in the 14th century. It contained detailed instructions on the rites and rituals a summoner must perform before attempting any demon-binding, as well as the days and hours of day best suited to summoning specific demons. Others took off from here. In the 17th or 18th century, a grimoire titled The Little Key of Solomon made an appearance. Its first part, Ars Goetia (Latin for Skill of Commanding the Spirits), became fairly well-recognised. It was a sort of Yellow Pages of Demon Lords: names, ranks, famous followers, and the kinds of purposes they best served. This book and others like it, circulated at the time, were popular within a limited circle of occultists, and were considered dangerous. Echoes through time This is a story about demons, but it is also a story about plot devices, game mechanics, and names. Any fantasy role-playing game that uses magic and summoning — whether it be the Arcane Gate spell in Baldur's Gate, the spells to invoke Dremora Lords in The Elder Scrolls, or the Ashes used in Elden Ring — draws from the original story of Ornias and the boy, and the tales built around it. The Sandman comics begin with a failed summoning. A nerdish villain summons demons to send after the titular vampire slayer in Buffy. The Key of Solomon is referred to as the 'real deal' in the TV series Supernatural. It is one of the books Dr Strange borrows from the monastery library in the Marvel Comics Universe. Meanwhile, Asmodeus, one of the demon kings listed in the Goetia, lives on as lord of the Ninth Hell in Dungeons & Dragons; as a Lawful Evil Deity in the Pathfinder tabletop and videogame universe; as one of the 13 Forsaken in The Wheel of Time; as a venomous snake in Brian Jacques's novel series Redwall; and as the last Prime Evil and Lord of Sin in the Diablo videogames. Other names from the first English translation by Crowley and Mathers crop up in the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam; the film The Rite; the Wheel of Time books; the games Diablo and Genshin Impact; the Korean drama series The Judge from Hell; the American series Sabrina the Teenage Witch; the 2011 Anthony Hopkins-starrer The Rite; and even in a Miss Marple tale by Agatha Christie. Crowley, meanwhile, lives on in the Terry Pratchett-Neil Gaiman modern classic, Good Omens. The suave devil's agent intent on doing ill was inspired by the English occultist. Expect to see more of this. The word 'grimoire' is more popular today than it has ever been, according to Google Ngram (which analyses how often a term appears in written bodies of work). It was almost 1,800 times more popular in 2022, Ngram says, than at its previous high, all the way back in 1673. (K Narayanan writes on films, videogames, books and occasionally technology)
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Fall of Solahkhambi pillars: Conservation efforts by state raise eyebrows of experts
Bhopal: The pillars of 'Solahkhambi', a Paramar era creation with a startling visual resemblance to the Greek Acropolis, were built in the 10th-11th century. They stood tall, facing the vagaries of nature for thousands of years, but are now grounded. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They are set to be erected soon under a 'conservation' effort by the state archaeology department. This effort has raised eyebrows, leading to concerns from conservation enthusiasts and experts. A short drive from the state capital, Bhopal, the Solahkhambi site is situated in Bihar Kotra village of Rajgarh district, around 3 kilometres from Chidikoh Bird Sanctuary. Although the name suggests 16 pillars, the structure had 14 pillars mounted on a platform, which stood for thousands of years until last week when they were 'opened' or brought down. The site is a protected area under the state archaeology department. The state archaeology department has given the work for the conservation of the site to the Indian National Trust for Conservation of Art and Heritage (INTACH), a non-government body working for the conservation of heritage. Under the conservation efforts, INTACH has 'opened' the pillars, brought them down, and will be erecting them again after strengthening the pillars. Officials from the directorate of archaeology say that the move was undertaken after all necessary evaluations and procedures were followed. "Proper evaluation was done. Efforts were made to see whether anything could be done externally to ensure the safety of the heritage site. But its base was not strong, and the pillars were slanting. The best option was to re-install the pillars. The same structures will be installed again, with no changes made. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Some repairs, using the same materials, will be done if required. All procedures have been followed," Assistant Engineer, Directorate of Archaeology, Santosh Namdeo, told TOI. Sources from the department said that during the conservation efforts undertaken around a decade ago, some weight was put on the roof of the structure, which also added to the deterioration of its base. "A detailed and long evaluation process was adopted before starting the conservation efforts. Its platform or the base on which it stands has been weakened. It was a months-long process of evaluation. Thereafter, a detailed report was submitted to the govt. It was then evaluated by the govt before giving a go-ahead. It was only after due approvals that the pillars were opened up. The pillars will be re-installed after conservation," Conservation Architect from INTACH, Raghav Sharma, told TOI. Convener of the INTACH Bhopal chapter, MM Upadhyay, said, "We always ensure that there are no changes in the structures during conservation. Every minute detail is taken care of." Meanwhile, the move has raised eyebrows among conservation enthusiasts. "The first principle of conservation is that there should be minimum intervention. And the second important principle is whatever work you do should be reversible, like if any prop is installed to support the structure, it is removable. Thus, minimum intervention and reversible intervention are two very important aspects of conservation. And the third most important thing is the structure should be evaluated for movement. If a pillar was bent, it should have been seen whether it still has movement or has stabilised. It should have been observed for a year or so before taking such measures. It is only under extreme conditions that moves like this could be undertaken; otherwise, interventions should be minimal," Conservation Architect and former member of the National Monument Authority, Meera Ishwar Das, told TOI. Bhopal: The pillars of 'Solahkhambi', a Paramar era creation with a startling visual resemblance to the Greek Acropolis, were built in the 10th-11th century. They stood tall, facing the vagaries of nature for thousands of years, but are now grounded. They are set to be erected soon under a 'conservation' effort by the state archaeology department. This effort has raised eyebrows, leading to concerns from conservation enthusiasts and experts. A short drive from the state capital, Bhopal, the Solahkhambi site is situated in Bihar Kotra village of Rajgarh district, around 3 kilometres from Chidikoh Bird Sanctuary. Although the name suggests 16 pillars, the structure had 14 pillars mounted on a platform, which stood for thousands of years until last week when they were 'opened' or brought down. The site is a protected area under the state archaeology department. The state archaeology department has given the work for the conservation of the site to the Indian National Trust for Conservation of Art and Heritage (INTACH), a non-government body working for the conservation of heritage. Under the conservation efforts, INTACH has 'opened' the pillars, brought them down, and will be erecting them again after strengthening the pillars. Officials from the directorate of archaeology say that the move was undertaken after all necessary evaluations and procedures were followed. "Proper evaluation was done. Efforts were made to see whether anything could be done externally to ensure the safety of the heritage site. But its base was not strong, and the pillars were slanting. The best option was to re-install the pillars. The same structures will be installed again, with no changes made. Some repairs, using the same materials, will be done if required. All procedures have been followed," Assistant Engineer, Directorate of Archaeology, Santosh Namdeo, told TOI. Sources from the department said that during the conservation efforts undertaken around a decade ago, some weight was put on the roof of the structure, which also added to the deterioration of its base. "A detailed and long evaluation process was adopted before starting the conservation efforts. Its platform or the base on which it stands has been weakened. It was a months-long process of evaluation. Thereafter, a detailed report was submitted to the govt. It was then evaluated by the govt before giving a go-ahead. It was only after due approvals that the pillars were opened up. The pillars will be re-installed after conservation," Conservation Architect from INTACH, Raghav Sharma, told TOI. Convener of the INTACH Bhopal chapter, MM Upadhyay, said, "We always ensure that there are no changes in the structures during conservation. Every minute detail is taken care of." Meanwhile, the move has raised eyebrows among conservation enthusiasts. "The first principle of conservation is that there should be minimum intervention. And the second important principle is whatever work you do should be reversible, like if any prop is installed to support the structure, it is removable. Thus, minimum intervention and reversible intervention are two very important aspects of conservation. And the third most important thing is the structure should be evaluated for movement. If a pillar was bent, it should have been seen whether it still has movement or has stabilised. It should have been observed for a year or so before taking such measures. It is only under extreme conditions that moves like this could be undertaken; otherwise, interventions should be minimal," Conservation Architect and former member of the National Monument Authority, Meera Ishwar Das, told TOI.
