Page 38 of Tiger's Voyage

“Parvati despaired over the senseless loss of life. Nandi the shark patrolled the waters, causing fear and havoc as he ruthlessly tore through fishing nets and snapped at anyone who dared set foot into the water. The suffering village became desperate.

“But there was another, lesser god who loved the city. Many of its temples were built in his honor. He was the god of lightning, thunder, rain, and warfare, and, in fact, had given Parvati the thunderbolt power she possessed. His name was Indra. He’d heard about the terrible plague that had come upon his people and decided to investigate.

“Indra looked upon the beautiful woman and didn’t recognize the goddess for who she was. Indra had always had a reputation for being amorous, and he immediately fell in love with the goddess. He decided to win her hand by disguising himself as a mortal and slaying the shark himself. This was the very same thing that Shiva had thought to do, and he wasn’t happy to have another man, a god no less, come forward.

“The two gods, disguised as men, began their quest, both seeking to slay the shark and find the hidden treasure. Indra held the power of weather and caused great storms and waves that confused Nandi the shark. While Indra kept the shark busy, Shiva searched the ocean for the necklace and soon found it. He returned to land just as Indra dragged the carcass of the slain monster on shore and claimed the goddess was his, for he had slayed the great fish.

“Shiva revealed who he was and told Indra that the fish wasn’t really slain but was his servant Nandi. The dead body of the shark shifted and changed into the living body of Nandi. Then Shiva lifted the Necklace over Parvati’s head. When the Necklace settled, Parvati remembered who she was and embraced her husband. Indra was wroth and asked the villagers to pass judgment as to who the winner would be.

“Put in an uncomfortable position, the people chose Shiva as the victor. They were grateful to Indra for slaying the shark, but the love between Shiva and Parvati was obvious to everyone. Shiva would have killed Indra then, but Parvati stayed his hand. She begged for his life, saying that there had been enough death caused by her. Shiva agreed and whisked her back to his kingdom. The people rejoiced and began to prosper once again now that the terror of the sea was gone.

“But Indra didn’t forget his shame and the tricks that had been played against him. One night he snuck into the home of Shiva and Parvati and stole the necklace. He used his power to call upon the waves and the winds to flood the village that had betrayed him, sinking all of the temples under the water except the one that had been dedicated to Shiva and Parvati. He left it there as an empty monument, a reminder that now there was no one left to worship them. Then he hid the Necklace once again and took the form of the shark himself so he could always watch over his stolen prize and imagine Shiva’s anger every time he looked at his wife’s bare throat.”

“Wow,” I said. “That story is disturbing on so many different levels. One thing that’s mystifying about Indian mythology is how often the names change. The skin color changes—she’s golden, she’s black, she’s pink. Her name changes—she’s Durga, Kali, Parvati. Her personality changes—she’s a loving mother, she’s a fierce warrior, she’s terrible in her wrath, she’s a lover, she’s vengeful, she’s weak and mortal, then she’s powerful and can’t be defeated. Then there’s her marital status—she’s sometimes single, sometimes married. It’s hard to keep all the stories straight.”

Ren snickered. “Sounds like a normal woman to me.”

I glared at him while Kishan laughed in agreement.

“Andsharks? Please, please tell me there isn’t a shark guarding the necklace.”

“I’m not sure what there will be. I sincerely hope there isn’t one,” he answered.

“Are you frightened, Kelsey? You don’t have to be. We’ll both be with you this time,” Ren said.

“Let me sum it up for you with a Shakespeare quote, ‘Fishes live in the sea, as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the little ones.’ And I’m a little one. Tigers can’t fight sharks. That being said, I better practice underwater lightning power.” I bit my lip. “What if I just end up electrocuting myself?”

“Hmm. I’ll give that some thought,” Mr. Kadam said.

I gripped Kishan’s hand tightly. As he squeezed back, I continued, “If I had to pick, I’d rather take on the five dragons.”

Mr. Kadam nodded solemnly. Ren and Kishan were quiet, so Mr. Kadam went on, “Would you like to know where we’re going?”

“Yes,” the brothers said in harmony.

“We’ll be going to Indra’s city. It’s called the City of the Seven Pagodas. This city was famous for having seven pagodas, or temples, each one domed with gold. It was an ancient port city built in the seventh century. It’s near Mahabalipuram on the east coast of India. Incidentally, many scholars didn’t even believe it existed until an earthquake swept through the Indian Ocean in 2004. It caused a tsunami that uncovered sand deposits and revealed an elaborate underwater city.

“Before the tsunami hit the coast, the water receded and people high above the waterline reported seeing the remains of buildings and large stones, but the water rushed back in and covered everything again. Those city walls have since been rediscovered about a half mile from the coast.

“Statues of elephants, horses, lions, and deities have now been found. The only building left above water is the Shore Temple. Fishermen had passed down stories of the city for centuries and told tales of seeing the sunken city sparkling beneath the waves, of giant fish that swam through the ruins, of winking jewels left untouched because anyone trying to dive there would be cursed to never rise again.”

“That sounds like a fabulous place,” I said acerbically.

“It caused enough of a stir that several books were written about it, and many archaeologists have studied it. In one book, I read that Marco Polo made note of the city on his visit there in 1275 and said the copper-domed tops of the temples were a landmark for navigators. Many dismissed his claims or thought he spoke of another city. I feel this is the place we need to go to seek out the Black Pearl Necklace.”

I blew out a breath and stood. “Okay. Bring on the diving lessons.”

“First, I think we should relocate.”

“Relocate to where?” I asked, confused.

Mr. Kadam clasped his hands together and answered matter-offactly, “Relocate to the yacht, of course.”

6

The Star Festival

“Nilima has been getting the ship ready in Mumbai,” Mr. Kadam explained. “We’ll sail around India and stop in Goa to pick up our diving instructor. He will remain on board until we drop him off in Trivandrum. It will take you most of the trip to become a proficient diver, and time is of the essence.”