Kolkata-based author Debasree Chakraborty writes a novel about the 19-years of life of Jesus, which, according to some contemporary texts, he spent traveling extensively in the Middle East, Sindhu region and India
[Author’s Note: In the Old Testament of the Bible, there is no information about the life of Jesus for 19 years. There are some contemporary texts where eyewitnesses have stated that he traveled extensively in the Middle East and crossed the Sindhu region to enter India. Through this novel, I have tried to portray the diary of a profound spiritual journey of his life in the initial and final chapters. Foreign powers have tried to erase the history of our continent, Asia. That is why, when Notovitch returned from Hemis in Ladakh and mentioned that ancient text over 2000 years old, Max Müller sent people to Hemis to destroy that ancient manuscript. The mysterious manuscript is also mentioned in the book by Swami Abhedananda about Kashmir and Tibet. What was it that caused Max Müller so much concern over this manuscript? It is noteworthy that love could not come into the life of the son of God, and he could not have any children. Even the Gospels attributed to him have been confined to the secret, dark chambers of the Pope’s city, with words implanted into his mouth according to their wishes. In his name, imperialistic aggression is being carried out across the world. His only daughter, Sara, has not been recognized. His entire existence has been imprisoned. There lies an unknown chapter of his life hidden throughout the Middle East, the Sindhu region, and India. I have brought forth this history through this novel. “An Unknown Life” is in no way a novel imitating “Jesus lived in India.” This novel provides detailed descriptions of his presence across the vast land from Israel to India, not just his own, but also the mysterious narratives of many people associated with him. Was Jesus truly the founder of Christianity? If not, why must he still bear the burden of the “Roman Cross”? Is there ever to be a possibility of his release? All answers are coming. Debashree Chakraborty]
An Unknown Life
(San Francisco, 2021)
This life is quite complex; amidst this seemingly visible world lies the pain of existence and the constantly changing nature of reality, which makes it exhausting at times to navigate. In this grand theater, we may refer to each performer or shadow dancer in various ways, yet hidden within the roles they play is a complete universe, a galaxy, a realm of stars. Entering into these depths is as challenging as finding a semblance of clarity once inside. Therefore, it often seems better to simply float along rather than delve deeply into thoughts or into someone else’s psyche. This approach preserves one’s own identity. Otherwise, as one continues to color oneself with the hues of each character, the threat of an identity crisis looms large.
Familiar faces and the vast, unexplored realm of unknown thoughts can lead Omkari astray; she can no longer recall how far she has drifted. Ever since the disappearance of Mahaprabhu, moving alongside Ratul and others, she has begun to resemble a philosopher herself. Following the onset of the lockdown, she spent nearly a year and a half in Jajpur and only returned to San Francisco a few months ago. This evening, she is on her way to her friend Nora’s house for dinner. Nora, a professor of history, teaches at San Francisco University alongside her. As she drives through the hilly paths, it is currently 8 PM, and from here, looking back at the sparkling lights of San Francisco, it feels as if someone has scattered jewels in the sky.
Lately, nothing seems pleasurable; is there any escape from this cycle between birth and death? A thought has been bothering her intensely these days. A person spends their entire life analyzing the dynamics of country, time, and circumstance. In the name of friendship, they connect with a few others, engaging in gossip, discussions, and politics, ultimately passing their lives in such a manner. In a world so heavily influenced by the senses, one becomes so engrossed that…
There are those who make no effort to improve their spiritual selves. Then one day, according to the laws of nature, when their body, which is like a shell, dies, their relatives take them to the cremation ground and return. But when that soul regains consciousness, it sees that no one else is around. The entire world it had immersed itself in throughout its life has become invisible to it.
This moment is terrifying; it is an unbearable pain! No one remains to feel that horrific suffering. This is the greatest truth of the soul’s journey. In this world, no one belongs to anyone. Homes, money, wealth, and relatives are not truly yours. Everything is an illusion. The only absolute truth is the soul that resides within this shell. Therefore, one must remain detached from everything and focus solely on the development of the spiritual world. Only then will it be possible to handle that moment after death with ease.
While pondering these thoughts, the soul looked again toward the city of San Francisco, which now appeared to him like a blazing pyre. Ahead lay Nora’s neighborhood; deep in thought, he arrived in front of Nora’s house.
People here tend to sleep early; everything in the streets seems silent. Those who want to escape the pains of urban life come to dwell in this city. Nora herself is a thoughtful person who cherishes silence. In front of her house is a beautiful garden, and on one side of the garden, there is a pot filled with water. Next to it, another pot contains food. Birds come, eat the food, drink the water, and bathe before going about their business. Nora says that the water in the pot represents life’s experiences, which we will leave for the next generation, enriching them.
Nora writes books; through these books, she can preserve her experiences. But Omkari, she is not a writer—how can she leave her life’s experiences for future generations? So, does the example of the birds and the water pot not apply to her? As she pondered these questions, she got out of the car and stood at Nora’s front door, ringing the bell. From inside, she could hear Nora’s voice, and the sound of her footsteps descending the wooden stairs.
All these sounds blended into Omkari’s thoughts, bringing a significant change to her mindset. She then realized that the incident of the bird and the water pot did not apply to her life. Because all these are illusions, and becoming entangled in these illusions, she wishes to connect her life with the next generation. If this continues, she will never be able to escape the cycle of life and death.
As Omkari stood at the door, a huge change was taking place in her spiritual world. The yellow light inside the room was glowing, creating a mysterious world where Nora’s role at the entrance seemed like that of a guide. Her red hair, pearl-like white teeth, and the spots on her cheeks seemed to carry a message from another time. A beautifully unfamiliar fragrance wafted from within the room, something she had never experienced before. Gradually, Omkari merged with that scent and entered the house. Once inside, she felt as if she had left the apparent world behind and entered a parallel universe where she could sense the true image hidden behind the false images painted by the rules and order of this world. As Nora closed the outer door, the lovely fragrance intensified, filling the environment of the house. There was a red sofa in front of her, and Omkari sat down on it. Nora loved to listen to the sounds of mysterious musical instruments. While traveling to different places in the world, she recorded the sounds of these instruments and later listened to them privately. Today was no different; she played the sounds of a mysterious musical instrument on the sound system placed in one corner of the room.
They both sat silently, sipping the drink while listening to the music. The taste of this drink was as mysterious as the atmosphere itself. After a while, having absorbed the situation quietly, Omkari said, “Nora, based on how well I know you, my past experiences tell me that there must be some enigmatic reason behind this evening’s meal. There’s some information you’re about to share with me that is quite mysterious, as you love dealing with mysterious matters. And before revealing this information, you are mentally preparing both yourself and me.”
Nora felt as if a huge wave from the ocean had crashed onto her chest, creating a whirlwind in her life that was stirring everything around her. After a moment of silence, she said, “Omkari, you have been researching the disappearance of the Vaishnav saint Sri Chaitanya Dev for a long time. Today, I am going to tell you something that I firmly believe only you will understand; if I mention this to anyone else, they won’t comprehend it at all. Or perhaps a conspiracy will begin to erase me from the face of this earth.”
Omkari tightly held the glass of drink in both hands, sitting straight, and said, “What could have happened that would lead to you being dismissed?”
“Omkari, my father is a resident of Abyssinia. My family has some secrets that bear witness to a mysterious chapter from the past.”
“Nora, without saying too much, just tell me the real story.”
Nora became silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh and began to speak. “My great-grandfather’s father, Daniel, was an officer in the Merchant Navy. A long time ago, when he was in service, his ship reached Alexandria. This beautiful port city, with its vast white sands along the blue sea, captivated my ancestor greatly. Daniel wrote in his diary that when he arrived in Alexandria, he felt that a deep mystery was waiting for him in this city. He had to stay in this city for two nights. At that time, whenever a ship docked in such a port city, the shipping company would arrange for the senior officers to stay with a local family. Daniel’s accommodation in Alexandria was arranged with a Greek family. His first night with the Greek family was filled with joy. He became quite fond of their warm hospitality. In just that one day, a very friendly bond developed between him and the head of the family. I have told you that Daniel wrote in his diary that after entering Alexandria, he felt that a deep mystery was waiting for him in this city. He didn’t have to wait long. That night was Daniel’s last night in Alexandria; the next morning, his ship was set to leave for another country. It was supposed to take him to the port in a horse-drawn carriage at midnight. So he stood by the window, looking towards the street. At that moment, he heard considerable commotion in the distance, as if a group of people was approaching the house through the alley. Suddenly, a figure rushed in and began banging loudly on the door. After a brief moment, the door opened, and a conversation took place between the stranger and the head of the household. Daniel, standing at the second-floor window, could hear their conversation but could not understand their words as they were speaking in the local language. After the newcomer finished speaking, he disappeared into the dark alley at a fast pace. Meanwhile, Daniel… The horse carriage arrived, and he began to descend the stairs to the first floor of the house. At that moment, the master of the house stood in front of him. In the dark stairwell, they confronted each other, their shadows cast against the stone wall. This stairway seemed to connect two invisible times from two different histories. The housemaster tightly held Daniel’s hand and, in a pleading voice, told him that an attack was about to come from the local church upon his home that night.
After this attack, there was no certainty whether he and his family would survive. He told Daniel that God had sent him to this house. This was because Daniel had told him that he was floating upon the sea, sheltered by Lord Jesus. The Lord had kept him safe from all dangers, including stormy seas and tempests. Besides, the housemaster felt that Daniel was a very responsible and wise person in his behavior. So he wanted to entrust him with a deep secret of the life of Lord Jesus.
Before Daniel could comprehend anything, he handed him a leather bag. He told Daniel that once the church members arrived, he would not be able to protect this wealth, so Daniel had to leave immediately. (Continues)
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Debasree Chakraborti is a renowned novel writer of Bengali language. Based in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, she has done Master’s in Modern History from the Kolkata University, and authored some thirty books, mostly the novels, with historical perspective and themes. Her novel is ‘Maharaja Dahir’ that covers the history of Sindh from 662, the year of first attack on Sindh by the Arab armies till date, was published last year and translated by Nasir Aijaz into Sindhi language.
Well Done 👍