The Master Scrolls - KINGDOM OF THE GOLDEN SHAFT

LOVE IN BOMBAY

This year in Bombay. Phil wakes up to a bright sunny day in October looking out of his window he realizes he had promised to meet the love of his life Kel in a few minutes from now. He remembered this was the last day of his 5-year journey at the Institute, He and Kel were studying at the prestigious Bombay Institute of foundational research in Bombay after getting selected for the integrated all expenses paid course through his countries cultural exchange program.

Their love, at first sight, happened during the institute’s orientation program on the first day of joining. Little did they realize the thrilling adventure that their bond would create in the coming years?

As Phil wondered how time flies and they had just met on that day for the first time. She was looking so pretty and he was sitting just beside her. Their looks crossed each other and they were love-struck. After the orientation, the day came when each student had to report to their allotted area of specialization.

Phil went to the Astro-physics department to his pleasant surprise that this was also the specialization allotted to Kel as well. On seeing Kel, Phil’s heart skipped a beat, and was amazed and pleased to see that he had got a chance to be with Kel again. They both greeted each other and expressed their surprise at meeting again.

“So you want to be an astronomer too..” said Kel to Phil.   “I actually want to be a rocket scientist” replied Phil. NASA? Asked Kel. Yes, somewhere there is a dream said, Phil. Care for some tea Kel asked Phil.

Students in the institute seldom worried about jobs or money as everything was taken care of by the institute as part of the cultural exchange scholarships. They just had to ignite their dreams and follow the path they chose for research and their own development.

Kel had got a hostel accommodation on the campus however Phil was not able to get one so he was living in a paying guest accommodation just outside the campus. Phil asked Kel if she would like to go to someplace in Bombay as he did not have any friends in this city yet. She agreed to go out with him in the evening.

As they met in the evening outside the campus gate Kel was blushing and her heart was beating very fast as this was her first date in Bombay. She looked at Phil who was smiling at her and his eyes were saying “You are looking Gorgeous”. How will we go to the gardens Kel asked? Phil said there is a campus jeep that is leaving in few minutes which we can catch. They got into the jeep which would drop them near the hanging gardens. Kel knew this would be an evening to remember.

Kel’s heartbeat raised, Her Mother was calling as they stepped into the Hanging Gardens in Bombay. She thought what would she say if she told her she was on a date with a guy she just met a day ago. She picked up the phone and said Hello Mamma, How are you, Listen I have come out of the hostel to get some medicines from a nearby store with a friend and will call you back in a few hours after dinner okay. Her Mother on the line could sense that she was trying to hurry up, was she in trouble? “She asked back Are you okay Kel? Why do you need medicines at this time?”, Kel replied “ I will call you back Mamma after dinner bye” and she hung the phone giving a sigh of relief.

Phil asked who was it on the phone? Kel said it was Mother she calls me every day at this time. Who else do you have at home Phil asked? Kel said I have just my Mamma and Papa at home. I do not have any brothers or sisters. My Father is a retired Army officer and lives in Dehradun. He was posted in the North his entire life so we have stayed in Dehradun for most of my life. What about you whom do you have at home?

I have a mother Phil replied as my father left me when I was very young. He died in a road accident. My mother has taken care of me by working as a school teacher. I owe everything to my Mother. It is she who wanted me to excel in my studies and would wake up at night to teach me so that I learned my lessons. She is the reason why I am here at India’s most prestigious research academy. I would like to meet your mother someday, such a great soul to have raised you all by herself.

Kel felt renewed and her mind felt calm. As she looked around the clean and green hanging gardens and their artistic hedges carved over shapes of animals.  They took some selfies around the small elephant and the giraffe-shaped shrub hedges.

As they moved to the west side of the garden which faced the sea, Through the fruitless trees outlined by heavenly shades of gold, orange, and profound pink, they were transported for a couple of minutes to some other time and space. Their heart enchanted in the magnificence existing apart from everything else swells in euphoria. Their eyes moved in joy. Their bodies inhaled the beauty of the sunset and they felt united in this magical moment when the sun was setting in the western horizon. Phil softly held Kel’s hand and pressed lightly as they watched each other and then the beautiful orange ball of fire which was slowly kindling the love within them.  

Suddenly Phil’s mobile rang playing the shrill sharp birds whistle for the ringtone which he had set last week. He saw it was Kel calling so he picked up the phone to talk to her. She was on the line.. Are yo coming to meet me in the canteen I want to tell you something I did last night, Yes I will be there give me 20 minutes need to get ready said Phil.

Kel is waiting for Phil at the canteen to tell him about the discovery that she made last night using her telescope which she used to watch the stars every night. Phil was looking very dapper in his white shirt and figure-hugging jeans. Kel was wearing a red blouse on a red skirt to match it. Red was her favorite color and she had a lot of dresses in her wardrobe which were in this color.

Do you know what I discovered last night during my “sky movie” session which she liked to call them jokingly? I saw the actual transition happening for the planet Venus from Virgo to Taurus. Kel was an expert in astrology as she had learned it from her father who was an expert Indian astrologer in the town of Dehradun which started as a hobby after his retirement from the armed forces and then became a second profession. I was able to track the placement of Venus in the sky after locating the Star nearest to it and it turned out at the very same position which my astrological chart had said it would be at. Don’t you think it is amazing that our old Indian sages knew the mathematics and the methods to calculate the position of planets and stars even though they did not have the sophisticated telescopes that we have today? Come on Kel we are not here to study Astrology but Astronomy said Phil gulping down a piece of Vada Pav that was the common morning breakfast for everyone in this part of the country.

She shot back saying You are so boring and not receptive to new ideas. Something that Kel did not like in Phil was that he was not open to new knowledge that was based on traditional belief systems.  She had a vision of bringing together the two fields of knowledge Astronomy and Astrology and that was her mission as well. She believed in the principles of Astronomy as much as she believed in the ancient principles of Astrology.

Phil said look I am not against astrology but I want to concentrate on something that my Mother has spent all her life dreaming to make me a scientist.  I really want to excel and learn from an institution what it has to offer from subjects in astrophysics. Phil said to her listen I need to go to talk to my project advisor now otherwise he will leave from his laboratory will catch you at the Professors class on Neutron Stars.

They met in the canteen in the evening after their project class was over. Kel was sitting in the canteen with another of her girlfriend in the class Dolly. They were discussing what they would wear for the Fresher’s party next week when Phil came in to meet Kel. Meet Mr. Non-Believer, Kel said sarcastically to Dolly. Phil said Oh God! You have not forgotten this morning’s discussion at all. Why are you so adamant on changing other people’s beliefs towards astrology? You know Astronomy and Astrology do not gel with each other they are totally disconnected fields and you are trying to bring them together in vain. Astronomy is based on scientific principles whereas astrology has nothing to do with scientific principles. It is based on hearsay in days of yore. That is why I do not want to learn it. According to me, it is a waste of time.

Kel felt a sting going through her spine after hearing this from Phil she had goosebumps in her body all over and she shot back “Don’t insult a field of science that you do not know about”. It is one of the greatest fields of study that helps us predict events in advance which science has not been able to do so far. I can prove to you that the imaginary zodiac as believed in astrology indeed exists with scientific accuracy and show you how the movement of the planets does affect our lives with evidence which science wants and recognizes.

Phil felt this discussion was going in the wrong direction and he explained that there was not a single research work or research paper that could prove that astrological principles are scientific in nature. Kel replied that is because Astrological principles have been shrouded in mystery and secrecy that there was no research done so far. That is what I want to change going forward I want to take up research to bring together both of the fields of study together. I want to view and show to the world that the principles of astrology are not fake or based on some sage's thoughts but can be scientifically proven through evidence and through the theory of cause and effect.

Seeing such a strong sense of purpose Phil said to Kel Okay for a moment let me assume that your astrological principles are for real and do have an effect on us, how are you going to prove this on a scientific level? What about the second law of Thermodynamics which is concerned and governs the direction of natural processes in the scientific world? Can you disprove that law? How will you show evidence against such great scientists like Sadi Carnot who discovered this law?

Kel jumped with joy as Phil mentioned this she said smiling at him You see, that is precisely why I want to do research on this subject as it holds a lot of scopes as real scientific research has not been done yet. I know the laws are considered sacrosanct by the scientist and we were taught to consider them so. But I have found evidence of astrology in our lives that science has not been able to tell at all. I think I will have to look at proving the association with a different perspective. Maybe there is another law that exists that can be proven by scientific processes which is governing our lives. Who knows once I start my research what do I stumble upon. Maybe a new theory may be just case and effect.

Phil now felt much calmer as Kel was arriving at a conclusion to this discussion but he warned her The scientific community is going to take a lot of convincing to do even if you come up with the scientific evidence to prove astrology is an exact science. Kel took it positively and said I know what you are hinting at. I had a discussion on this with Professor M. Gurubhaskar and he completely discouraged me from undertaking this research topic as he said we do not want to lose the scientific temper in this institution. Your research will make us lose focus and we will not start looking at subsidiary topics which are not relevant for our growth.

Kel said But you know what the more people who discourage me from picking up the topic something inside me makes me more resolute to prove them wrong and to take up this research for my project. I will find a mentor who will help me I am pretty sure. I will talk to other people in the astrophysics conference that we are having next month. There has to be some scientist who is also an astrologer, I am in search of such a person for my dissertation. Phil felt he could help her to contact Professor Pilli D’Cunha as he knew one such associate professor from Bangalore who was an expert in both astrophysics and astrology.

Phil said Okay Miss Astrology let us now go to the hostel and let us stop fighting over this topic and have peace. Kel smiled at him and gave him a hug for understanding her point of view and supporting her.