For story continuity, please check my previous blogs too.

     "Swami! How could the guard let you in when he had orders to slam the castle gate?"  asked Paranjothi.

     "All is the glory of this Saffron cloth!"  said Buddha Bhikshu.

     "Oh! People who wore Saffron cloths are so honored in the kingdom of the Pallava Emperor? But why not for the Jains...?"

     "The Jains have interfered in royal matters. We won’t. We are pretending not to even see the faces of the royal family...Let it be! What is your intention? Are you going to come with me to the Buddhist Viharam (Monastery)?"

      "No, Swami! I will go to the Navukarasar Monastery. My mother has ordered me not to stay anywhere else."

      "So this is where we have to part, are you leaving, My boy?"

     "Swami, where is Navukarasar Monastery? How should I go?"  asked Paranjothi.

      "It's next to the Ekambareshwarar temple . Look at that  temple Vimanam!"

       Paranjothi saw Vimanam everywhere in that vast city spread far and wide.

      At the time when this history took place i.e. about  Thousand Four hundred years ago – the front door towers of Tamil Nadu temples were not as tall as they are now.  Vimanams are usually erected above the garbha graham (Sanctum sanctorum) of the temple.  These are also not that tall.  Also Shiva temple vimanams, Jain temple vimanams and palace vimanams are almost identical.

      "Wherever I see, I see Vimanams! Which one are you talking about, Swami?"  asked Paranjothi.    

     “It is difficult to tell the sign from here. Go straight along this road! You can find out the way to the Ekambar temple by asking around. There is a Vageesar monastery in the sanctuary  of the temple. Be careful, Boy! Time is turning perverse!"  Saying that, Buddha Bhiksha went through another road that divided  from there.

     Paranjothi  went straight to the direction shown by Bhikshu.  At that time, the city of Kanchi was very famous in the South.  Every street in the city was wide like a chariot road.  All the houses were mansions.  Here and there on the stone pillars in the spacious niches, the sleepless lamps were glowing with flames.  The streets were crowded with people. How to mention the view of the shopping streets!  From Kashi to Kanyakumari, all the products grown in Bharadham (India) are available in those shopping streets.  One side as flower shops, one side as fruit shops;  On one side, the shops of snacks;  Grain stores are one side.  On the other side, the shops of the pearl and gem dealers.... The shopping street continued to grow like this without limit.

       Paranjodi looked at the above street scenes with great amazement.  Here and there he walked listening to people talking about how  Sivagami’s dance performance had stopped in the middle and about the orders to slam the fort gates.  Once in a while he asked those who came in front of him, "Which temple is Ekambaresuvarar temple?"  He asked.  "There!"  They also pointed out and left, but he never reached the temple of Ekambareswarar.  Paranjodi was not too anxious to find the temple quickly as he was overwhelmed by the wonder of seeing a new and great city.

       As he was crawling along the street, he suddenly saw a lot of shouting and confusion somewhere.  People scattered in all directions.  "The temple elephant  has lost control! Run! Run!"  Along with the cries, the sound of children running, the sound of women screaming, the sound of horses neighing, the sound of slaming doors of houses, the sound of cows shouting 'Maa', the sound of carts rolling, all together became an indescribable commotion.

      Paranjodi was stunned for a moment.

To be continued....