Part – II

Ire of gods and sorrow of souls

Section 2: Gods admonish

Savior Lord

Me on Cross

Eleven years after my encounter with the Bully Brute in the laboratory of drill site in Iraq, I was face to face with him again in 1987.  He joined the Exploration Institute of ONGC as its Head. Soon a darkening shadow of the past was upon us. Neither could Bully forget his insult and humiliation nor was I to write off my indignation towards his fallen mental frame.

 Our relations rolled down the hill once again during 1987 and 1988.   They reached a temporary halt in August ’88 when his communication dated 26. 8. 88 were in my hand. It was a confidential legal document. Bully Brute was very assertive and exuding power when he wrote “the undersigned has come to the conclusion that Dr. Jagdish Pandey, Chief Geologist disobeyed the orders of his superior (; and, hence) penalty of withholding of two increments of pay without cumulative effect is imposed on (him)”.

He was very hopeful that I would go rushing to his chamber, apologizing for my mistake.  I had delivered a tall sermon about Christ to his negotiator in Iraq. He was now bent upon crucifying me like Christ through punitive measures at his command as the Head of the Institute. There was nothing to bother in his letter in my own perception, however. He was retiring from his job after five more years; and, I had five more years after he was no more there. I must keep fighting with him till he was dead and gone in ONGC, I thought. With this philosophy and evaluation of our moves in the battle ahead I reacted somewhat differently. I proceeded on leave for a journey to the inner Himalayas for peace and inner strength.

 Snow-clad Himalayan peaks instill an air of undisturbed calm in their visitor. A week’s sojourn among Himalayan hills was in my mind when I left Dehradun in the first week of September ’88.