‘Why do you want paan from my brother—his brother?’ asked the translator. ‘Is it code for something else? What kind of paan do you want?’

‘We have some questions for you. The professor said you were the right person, a famous religious preacher who had all the answers about paan,’ said the officer.

‘Haath dikhana chah rahe ho kya? (Do you want me to read your palm?)’ asked the swami, grasping Young’s right hand that lay innocently on the table. Young looked at the officer.

‘Shani ke ghane badal sir par mandra rahe hain (The dark clouds of Saturn are hovering over your head),’ the swami intoned.

‘Shani?’ exclaimed Young, withdrawing his hand.

‘Shani, aathve ghar mein hain (Saturn, it is in the eighth house).’

‘You don’t even know when I was born. Even if you did, don’t tell me millions of people across the world face the same fate.’

‘Kaun bolta hai? Agar haathon ki saari rekhaoon ka sanyojan karo, koi aisi jaa rahee hain, koi waisi, to jitne dharti par ab log hain, jo jaa chuke aur jo aanewale hain, unse jyada rekhayen hongi. Har haath alag hota hai. Main vishva-prasiddha jyotish hoon. Paise bhi nahin loonga (Says who? If you add up all the permutations and combinations of the lines on your hand, some going this way and some, that way, it adds up to more than the number of people on earth at any given moment. It will be more than the number of all who have passed and all who are yet to come. Every hand is unique. I am a renowned palmist. I will not charge you).’ He took Young’s hand again.

‘Agle mehne, har Shanivaar, tum ek kali gai ko roti de sakte hoo, ghee aur til ke saath. Aur maans band. Tumhe pata hai kali gai kahaan milegi?  . Mera chela tumhari madat karega. Woh jaanta hai, is ilaake ki kaali gayon ko (For the next month, every Saturday, can you feed roti with butter and sesame to a black cow? Also, abstain from eating meat. Do you know where you can find a black cow? My disciple will help you. He knows many black cows in this area).’

Turning to the disciple he asked, ‘Jaanta hai na, kali gayon ko? (You do know some black cows, don’t you?)’

‘Haan, haan, kali kya, gori gayon ko bhi to jaante hain (Yes, yes. Not only black cows, I also know the white ones),’ the disciple responded.

‘All this on Saturdays?’ asked Young.