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 cannot come into the life of the son of God, and he cannot 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
(Time: About two thousand years ago, in a region near the borders of Egypt)
The sun’s rays are intense in the sky, with smoke and mirage all around. It’s difficult to open one’s eyes properly and see. Two people are walking with a group of nomads. The woman is dressed in white from head to toe, and only her weary face can be seen from behind her veil. After walking for a while, she stops, looking up at the sky, and then sits down. The gentleman with her sits beside her and says, “Mary, we’re almost there; just a little further, and we will reach the borders of Egypt.”
“I really can’t go any further; the baby inside me is restless. I’m so thirsty; my throat is dry, and I need some water!”
The gentleman stands up and begins to ask their fellow travelers for water. There is a severe shortage of water in this region; everyone is traveling with water filled from a nearby water source, as there is no drinkable water available along the way. He knows finding water will be very difficult, but he begs earnestly, explaining that he has a pregnant woman with him who is extremely thirsty. The little water he had carried from the Kishon River ran out along the journey because Mary’s condition had worsened, and he had to give her some water along the way, which depleted their supply. When most of the travelers had turned away, an older woman stepped forward and said, “I have water.” The woman quickly came to Mary, gave her some water, and after examining her closely, she said, “It’s not good for you to travel any further. My son John and I are going to Nazareth, which isn’t too far from here. We have a donkey. You can ride on the donkey with us to Nazareth.” The woman pressed her hands against Mary’s belly and said, “Your condition doesn’t seem good; the baby will likely be born any day now.”
While the woman was talking to Mary, her son John approached and stood in front of Mary’s companion, Joseph. He then showed the triangle symbol drawn on his right wrist. Upon seeing this symbol, Joseph let out a long sigh and embraced John, saying, “For a moment, I thought I had been separated from you. If I hadn’t gotten into trouble with Mary in this unfamiliar land, I would never have realized that I am not alone. My brothers are always with me, right around me.”
“I have been instructed to take you from here to Nazareth. That is where the child will be born.”
Without further delay, they helped Mary onto the donkey’s back and set off toward Nazareth. Joseph and Mary did not go to Egypt after all. At this moment, Egypt was not safe for them, especially not for the coming child. Thus, under an invisible directive, John and his mother set off for Nazareth with Joseph and Mary.
All around, it was nothing but barren land and smoke. It felt like a miraculous journey; neither Mary nor Joseph knew where this path would lead. However, sitting on the donkey, Mary felt a bit of comfort. Joseph and John’s mother shielded her from both sides as they continued along with the donkey. The savior, their protector, was in Mary’s womb, making her safety the top priority for them at that moment.
As they moved along, after noon, green streaks began to appear amidst the rugged landscape. Gradually, these streaks deepened, turning the entire environment a rich green. After traveling a bit further, a blue line appeared on the distant horizon. John, excited, ran ahead and pointed out the blue line of the river, saying, “Look, there’s the Kishon River; just a little further and we will reach Nazareth.”
Joseph and Mary saw a flock of migratory birds flying toward Nazareth above them, their white wings reflecting the golden light of the setting sun scattered all around. In this light, there was a strange peace and comfort, a kind of aura that slowly began to envelop them. Within this ambiance, there was an extraordinary divine power. The Tabor Mountains began along both sides of the path, shrouded in dense forest. John’s mother said, “There’s the Masada fortress by the riverside; that is where we need to go.”
In the evening’s dim atmosphere, when the moon rises like a yellow-colored round plate in the sky, the presence of small stars brightens across the expanse of the sky. They reach the gates of the Maseda fortress. In front of the gate, a person is waiting with a torch, who leads them inside the fortress. The fortress is surrounded by mountains and forests, from which the cries of various creatures and bugs resonate, mixed with the soothing sound of the Kishon River, creating a strange melody that seems to welcome an extraordinary moment in the history of the world, as a mysterious time appears to be unfolding in the journey of time.
This region, with its peculiar topography, transforms gradually from a rugged terrain into a verdant area, enveloped by dense forests, resembling a mystical realm created by the creator. Mary is seated on a donkey as they move forward slowly, guided by a torch-bearer illuminating their path. A dense white fog slowly drapes over the surrounding forest and covers the canvas of the fortress.
Within moments, as time spins around, a significant moment arrives, and from within this fog-enshrouded curtain, the cries of a newborn begin to resonate. With the arrival of the newborn, the stars in the sky shine even brighter. The fortress announces the arrival of the newborn with the sound of a conch shell, echoing through the mountains and spreading far and wide. From the time of Mary’s pregnancy, the date of the child’s birth was determined by the stars. The place where the child would be born was also predetermined. It was revealed through all the stars that the Son of God was about to be born.
On the day the Son of God is born, a bright star appears in the sky over Nazareth, and three wise men arrive at the fortress, guided by this star. At the moment when Mary lies unconscious in a chamber within this fog-cloaked mysterious fortress, the newborn is brought into a room wrapped in white cloth. Everyone present then offers a special prayer with fire as a witness. Following this, the thick white fog outside the fortress envelops the atmosphere within.
Time continues to spin, and many moments pass in this fog-covered environment. After that prayer, the responsibility for the safety of the Son of God was entrusted to John. Under John’s supervision, He is taken to Galilee, where He begins to grow in a mysterious place, and from there…
He was taken to a mountain-surrounded gathering. A special meeting was arranged that day in Jupiter’s temple, surrounded by mountains. Joseph was in the sanctum of the pure white Jupiter’s temple with the men of his community, while Mary was with the women of the community. Members who had come from various places gathered to pray for the son of God that day, and then they offered bread and drink in honor of their deity. Afterward, they received that drink and bread as prasadam (consecrated food). Then, all together, they performed a special worship throughout the night through the utterance of a mysterious mantra. After spending some days in Jupiter’s temple, one night the sound of horse hooves began to approach the temple from across the mountains, fire erupted in the valleys far and wide, and the cries of innocent people filled the air, along with hungry vultures in the sky. News came to Jupiter’s temple that the soldiers of the Roman ruler were advancing towards the temple. Realizing the danger, the boy and his parents set out secretly towards Jerusalem. (Continues)
Click here for Part-1, Part 2, Part-3, Part-4,
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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.