Adventure of the Missing Dancing Girl , livre ebook

Random House Publishers India Pvt. Ltd. - Sunila Gupte

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90 pages

English

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The year is 2500 BC: four high-spirited girls and boys-Kartik, Xerxes, Namami, and Kaveri-have set off from their home in Anantpur for the auspicious Surya Mela in Lothal, a port town in Meluhha (Bharat). But on the way a daring robbery takes place-sacred treasures are stolen from Mohenjo-daro's temple, including the famous dancing girl statue-and soon, they are caught up in its coils. Then in the city, they meet thirteen year old Amu Darya-a boy from faraway Mesopotamia, a world utterly different from theirs. He is in search of his missing father, last seen in this part of the Indus Valley. The five become fast friends, and band together when they become entangled with forces much darker than they expected. Will the fearless fivesome succeed in foiling evil plans and upholding the honour of Mohenjo-daro?An amazing tale full of white parrots, elephant rides, river caravans, and secret maps, The Adventure of the Missing Dancing Girl is a glorious children's story set in the time of the Indus Valley Civilization.

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Publié par	Random House Publishers India Pvt. Ltd.
Date de parution	02 décembre 2011
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9788184002683
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0420€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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RANDOM HOUSE INDIA
Published by Random House India in 2011
Copyright Sunila Gupte 2009
Random House Publishers India Private Limited
Windsor IT Park, 7th Floor, Tower-B,
A-1, Sector-125, Noida-201301, U.P.
Random House Group Limited
20 Vauxhall Bridge Road
London SW1V 2SA
United Kingdom
This eBook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author s and publisher s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
EPUB ISBN 9788184002683
For Niteen, and also for Priya
Contents
Stowaway
Wild boar! A hair-raising rescue
Harappan times, 2500 BC: The journey begins
Joker and an elephant ride!
Atop Champakali
Lothal at last!
Lothal dockyard
The great house of grain and goods and trade
Amu s story
Hiding the scroll
Things happen
Where is Namami?
What had happened to Namami?
Freedom
Joker is smart
Xerxes and Kartik wait for Appa
All together again
What Xerxes overhears!
The meeting
The lower town and the artisans
The white parrot
The priest-king s prophecy
Treachery
Captive
Appa finally arrives
Action
The secret of the map
A Trap is laid
Sohrab s story
Surya Mela

Stowaway
Amu Darya, also known as Amu, looked around furtively. He was hiding, aboard a large sailing ship, and had to make sure he stayed out of sight; more and more difficult as the hours went by. But at least they were well on their way, the tide giving them that extra push.
Hey, you! What are you doing here? shouted a loud voice, raised in anger. A stowaway, are you? I ll show you what happens to boys who hide in boats! Amu was pulled up roughly by a sailor. He ducked quickly, dodging the clip he would have got on his ear.
He had had a difficult time, keeping out of sight, sliding between bales of cloth, sacks of bitumen, and various types of cargo; lying motionless under the camel leather covers; switching hiding places as quietly as possible. Stealing drinking water was fraught with the utmost danger; though he was carrying his own camelskin waterbag he had to refill it from time to time. The water was stored in wooden barrels and it took him a while to dip the cup into an open barrel and fill his drinking pouch. All the while, his eyes darted around anxiously and he d only managed to half fill it before moving away softly.
But thirteen year old Amu had a mission, a mission for which he was ready to give his life.
His father had gone missing when he had voyaged, on a trading vessel, to the faraway land of Meluhha, the name given by Amu s people to Bharat. He had left more than three years ago and after all this time, Amu s family had finally tracked down a sailor who had last seen him in Meluhha, at a port town in its western coast called Lothal. This was exactly what Amu s father had told his family of the journey he was going to undertake. Now that he had a lead to follow, Amu was determined to find him. Or, at the very least, to discover what had become of him.
Amu was brought back to the present with sudden harshness. The sailor towered over him, and to Amu, never had a man, looked more menacing.
His heart thundered like a drum, and his mouth went dry. How was he to explain things to this man, he thought in despair. He knew he would be dropped off at the closest port; or, he thought dramatically, he would get thrown overboard. The ships carried people who could work hard, not passengers like him, who just depleted the ship s supply.
Sir, Sir, he stammered and then stopped, trying to appear fearless and bold.
The sailor, who was actually not just a sailor but also the captain of the ship, looked closely at the young boy, for his tough exterior concealed a kindly heart.
What is it? he asked, more gently. Tell me, for I can see you are weary and hungry, and I won t harm you if you tell me the truth.
Amu told his story haltingly.
My father went to Lothal, in the land of Meluhha, three years ago, and has never been heard of since. I have two young sisters and two brothers. My mother is heartbroken, waiting all this while for him. She says he has not died; she says she knows it for sure so I am going to search for him.
The weatherbeaten captain looked at this young boy, who was watching him with a mixture of fear, dread, and defiance in his eyes.
For two long minutes the captain said nothing. Then he said Ok, I ll let you stay on board, but you have to do any job I give you. I will take you to Lothal, in the bay of Khambat, in Meluhha, and you can stay there and search for your father.
Amu couldn t believe his ears. His expression changed at once. Sir, I ll do any thing, I mean anything at all, if you let me stay. No work will be too hard or too tiresome for me. Only, just let me stay, he said, thankfully and eagerly, overwhelmed by the kindness underlying the man s gruff voice.
Amu was sturdy and stood tall, and was both sharp and emotional at the same time. He had brown eyes, which could either sparkle with mischief or darken with quick anger, depending on his mood. He was from the fertile land between the river Euphrates and the Tigris, in Mesopotamia. Theirs was a hierarchical, well-defined society, with priests and kings at the top, and Amu had led a comfortable life, learning the business of the family. He was part of a joint family and his father and uncles were all traders. He had often accompanied his father around the city when he was young. Now he went with his uncles to collect various goods. He was useful to them, helping them by gathering information about different craftsmen-who had better skills, who had more in terms of quantity, and who would supply them regularly. He had also quickly learnt to bargain and to buy and sell. The tragedy of his missing father had matured him beyond his age.
As the eldest of the siblings, he had assumed responsibility for his family, although his uncles and aunts, along with his mother, were the ones who ran the household. A man was always the head of the house and his word was law, and because his father wasn t present with them, his eldest uncle was now the head of the family.
But Amu s mind always turned back to his father, his father who had loved travelling; sailing the clear green-brown river that had taken him away from his family. It was second nature for him. Amongst his brothers, he was the one who undertook journeys. Voyages like these were fraught with danger, and it took a daring person like him to make them. Years ago, before he set off for Lothal, Amu s father, Enlil-zi-shagal, had gone to the far off land where the famous river Amu Darya, also called Oxus, flowed. It was the longest navigable river known. Enlil was amazed with what he saw. There were desert sands there, and rivers frequently changed course.
Precious lapis lazuli stones were found in the ravines of the Kokcha and Amu Rivers, and were traded in far off lands, where there was a great demand for them; Amu s father had brought back a pouch of lapis lazuli and everyone admired them. Amu was named after this life-giving river and always wore an amulet with a big blue lapis lazuli stone, for safe-keeping and good luck.
You are Amu Darya, my life-water, my Amu, he remembered his father saying to him. He quickly swallowed a lump in his throat. He remembered how he had left his home.
Amidst many tearful scenes, and after giving his word that he would take care of himself, Amu had set out on his mission, promising his mother that if his father were alive, he would find him and return home with him. She had sent him off with dried meats and fruits, and breads to sustain him on his voyage. He had tried so very hard to get on a boat, but no one would take him to Meluhha. And soon, most of the food given by his mother had finished.
Finally, he had been forced to become a stowaway. In the docks, he had heard talk of the large, wooden ship being fitted out for its trip to Meluhha. Unseen by the sailors, he had slipped in, hiding himself in the depths of the ship where the goods for trade had been stored. In the lonely darkness, he often thought wistfully of the fun and good times he d had at home.
But now that he had been given permission to stay aboard, his mood changed; a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Now his journey felt more like an adventure. He helped where he could and became a favourite with the crew. He wasn t scared anymore, and played pranks and joked around. Of course, he got into trouble and was often scolded, but now that his secret was in the open, he was full of high spirits. The crew was from his own land, from the cities of Ur, Umma, and Lagash and Nippur and Kish.
He sang all the songs of his land, of old and far off times, and ancient events; he could sing beautifully. He even knew the epic Song of Gilgamesh . His father had sung it, and so had his uncles.
The sailors, who had picked up the language of Meluhha on their trips, decided it would help Amu to become familiar with it, so they started teaching him. The captain decided he would only talk to Amu in this strange tongue!
Paani, water, Amu, now repeat it ten times. He repeated the smooth word, rolling it around in his mouth. He knew how to say father ; pita or appa , amma , and ma , for mother and samudra for sea.
The crew all chimed in, and Amu learnt many key words and polite gestures required in Meluhha. The sailors sympathized with the brave boy and hoped that he would find his father.
Time passed slowly on the ship; it seemed like months to Amu, but in reality, only two weeks had gone by! Amu had stopped feeling excited and was tired of the swaying moti