Hello my adventure-loving friend, TT.
There is a spot in northwestern India which has a meandering river making its way down into the country's central plains and since time immemorial has been considered holy by many of the Hindu faith. On one of the riverbanks, there was a venerated spot that legend said a holy man used to meditate on and grant boons to those in need. As this was a time of some superstition, little education and plenty of upheaval due to war, famine and invasion, the holy man had a generous amount of believers and followers. They would fulfill his every command and accept his every utterance. As is the case in some instances like this, the yogi's fame/power spread like hyperbole usually does to those in need and in a desperate situation without much hope of resolution.
One day, a consort of the local raja who was desperate for a male child as she believed the raja would consider her favourably, decided to visit this mysterious mystic and see what the fuss was about. When it was the lady's turn to visit Mr Yogi, she entered his tent and asked that to prove his credence the yogi tell why she was there in front of him. Somehow he guessed correctly (no doubt the entourage, expensive clothing etc. gave a subtle hint or two), and Ms Lady was extremely impressed.
After consulting his Oracle or having his conversation with cosmic forces whatever the case may have been, the Yogi uttered that what he said had to be fulfilled by the Lady as he would grant his wish but a great misfortune would befall her if she did not do as she promised. To expedite the story somewhat, consort got her wish and she had a son and through court intrigue, he was able to take the throne. The pay-off was that this new raja and his resourceful mummy, had to commit to 21 (some say more, others less) yearly pilgrimages to this site and commit part of their wealth to the river that was the 'life-giver' and had been responsible for the boy raja.
Again to skip some sentences, the raja and mum did what was asked and paid a yearly visit amongst much fanfare and pomp and literally threw gold, silver, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and pearls away into this river. Hhhmmmm, this is where it gets interesting, the mystic passed away, and in his place, came some crafty and organised pundits who are/where considered the priestly class there. As is usual, the Mystics spot became an organised location to fleece folk and scare simple people to utter promises of donations they could ill afford. This went on for a lengthy period and the pundits systematically dredged the river and asked donors to instead put their valuables in a bespoke pit the kindly priests had dug to make things easier for themselves.
This went on for a very long time but then there was some continuous invasions from what was then Persia and current-day Afghanistan. They slaughtered the priests and local population and the court of the raja was violently destroyed as a heathen hotspot by the enlightened invaders. As time went on, the story remained vividly in oral tradition and the spot was known to all concerned but never defiled due to the reverence given to the original Yogi chap.
Then came the British...., they sent a surveying team to map the local area and that is when this story was put on paper and made 'official'. It had been decades and decades since the original mystic and his heady days as a sage. Anyway, one enterprising Englishman hired some Baluchi freebooters and labourers to aid him in an expedition. They got what they came for and found a decent amount of booty alright...
One of the Baluchi's built a massive fort-like home in the mountains and had it inscribed in marble that "Due to the Hindoos (sic) folly and the grace of Allah, I have found my paradise on Earth"! It still stands apparently although it has lost its former glory.
Johnny Englishman came home, bought an estate in Scotland and retired to a life of luxury and privilege. His descendants own various businesses up there in the highlands.
Now rumour had it, that a fair amount remained as the crafty old pundits had been done over by the invaders, and hadn't securely hid all the goodies...
The river and the location are well known there in India, and to this day, offerings are made there in reverence to the ancestors. Groups of young boys will work the river to find small amounts of cash, clothing etc..
Now what if a few gems had got stuck in a 'likkle,likkle' crevice here or there....?
The river is heavily polluted now and serious detritus is dumped there including poor dead folk whose families can't afford funerals.
Well that is the place I organised a trip or two too and it was amazingly different to the simple, straightforward, mostly without overt risks, lifestyle we lead here....
IP
PS. Don, have you checked my follow-up PM?
He thinks as I do.
...it was rather cool weather today in some parts of Europe.
