IN & OUT OF LIFE - Chapter 111 - The mountain retreat (Mini)
THE MOUNTAIN RETREAT (Mini) ~ 415-433
The life of Mini has been mentioned a few times in my previous books. He lived in a mountainous region, possibly the Himalayas, where he used to take animals up to graze in high places.
I hear musical sounds. It sounds like percussion on metal. These are religious sounds. Each sound has a meaning. The ground beneath my feet is hard. They're decorative outdoor tiles. They're not placed evenly, though. I take a step up some stairs. It's a high and awkward step. The next steps are not as high, but they're irregular in size. I reach a rectangular platform, similarly paved. The view is amazing here up in the mountains. Over there, there are tombs in the rock, with the bodies of religious people.
Q: Do you know how they were put there?
Mini: Mini's not my real name. It's Hamuni, but they call me Mini. They climb using ladders and ropes.
Q: What's the reason for burying them in the mountain?
Mini: The rain can't penetrate their bodies that way. You want them to stay dry, don't you?
Q: But regular people are buried in the soil?
Mini: They're sometimes eaten or devoured by fire… depending on what people request. To be buried in the soil is considered humiliating. No one would want that, for others to walk over you when you're in the ground. No, that's very undesirable.
Q: Why are you here on this tiled platform?
Mini: I'm placing the incense and props for religious ceremony. The musical instruments consist of copper-colored balls and a sound bowl. There's also a small drum which is used to announce the end of prayer. I'm the one that does this - and sometimes another young fellow - cause I'm in the neighborhood anyway. I even sleep here a lot of nights cause it's a long way down. I have food with me which lasts me for over a week. No, I never kill my animals to eat - I'd rather eat stones! There's a flower that grows here, but I don't find it often and I keep the knowledge of its presence a secret. It's very delicious. It makes me very happy. Then, I can just sit and daydream while the animals graze.
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