25.3

The first film had no title, no credits and no introduction. It opened with sadhus in impossible contortions, sadhus burying themselves under mounds of earth, sadhus walking up mountains whipping themselves. It was as if the President had been transported to a completely different era, whisked into some lost time when the bizarre and extraordinary had been revered as being somehow close to God.

But you know all this…

Sadhus test the limit of faith.

They’ve been doing it for thousands of years.

There’s nothing new here.

It then developed a silent narrative. Old sadhus, hardened by years of denial, were arriving on a mystical mountain, gathering intently in the courtyard, clearly anticipating an event of some kind.

In a reversal of modern times, the young sadhus obviously revered the old, reserving them a privileged position on the temple steps. There was a hush of expectation when finally, shining brilliantly in the torch fire light, Shard appeared on a small dais above a simmering orange glow of sadhus.

Eighty-three years old…

Looking lean, strong, and radiant…

Like a man in his finest hour.

“Great keepers of the Faith…

“Who have risked everything for your spirit.

“I welcome you.”

25.4

As Shard addressed the sadhus, the President watched spellbound as a collection of phrases imprinted unconsciously on his mind.

“Some things simply cannot remain secret forever…”

“Legend has it that very soon after his arrival in India…”

“Jesus renounced the world.”

So… the bottom line…

He’s claiming Jesus as one of them.

“He was doomed. It was well understood that as soon as Jesus dared to reveal his vision of the Regeneration, he would be executed… it was always merely a matter of time.”