One fine morning in the year 1746 a ship set sail Pondicherry in India. Captain A. Bitto and his crew, though sad to bid farewell to the shores of France were excited at the prospect of visiting new lands and shores.

    The ship was a passenger liner carrying also a lot of jewels and other riches. Most important was a toll bell presented by the ecclesiastical authority of France.The ship changed course from Calcutta and moved towards Chandipur port in Orissa where a few passengers were to alight. At a distance could be seen the mouth of the River Mahanadi.

    The ship was a passenger liner carrying also a lot of jewels and other riches. Most important was a toll bell presented by the ecclesiastical authority of France.The ship changed course from Calcutta and moved towards Chandipur port in Orissa where a few passengers were to alight. At a distance could be seen the mouth of the River Mahanadi.

    The ship started southwards, and all on board were gay and happy. Maitee, a youth, forming part of the crew had his eyes moving around looking through the telescope. Suddenly the lens focused on a huge form, rushing towards the ship with unspeakable frightening speed. The animal, a whale, was mammoth in size, its mouth large enough to swallow a ship. Its tail lashing around wildly, appeared like a big sheet of shining blade, powerful enough to slash the ship into tiny pieces.

    Before a moment’s loss he rushed to the Captain and informed him of the approaching danger. The Captain looked up from his study of the map, right into the flushed and nervous face of Maitee. The latter silently handed over the telescope and the former saw the approaching danger for himself. But behold ! a little distance further down from the whale, there was something else approaching too.

    This was no animal nor fish, but an angry, violent storm approaching at a breakneck speed . This was also the cause of the whale hurrying towards the ship. Captain Bitto could see at a distance , the sea raging on all sides like an angry foamy white mountain. The horizon and the sky were lost to the view, so high was the rise of the furious sea water . The sky was but a black canopy of thundering and protesting clouds . Lightning struck through , for a moment breaking through the thick black clouds.

    The captain was perplexed . For a moment he thought to order for abandonment of the ship. A minute later he realized that it would be futile effort for safety as the sea would engulf them in a minute. The ship was, as it were just between two dangerously pointed horns of a bull, escape on either side was impossible. The predicament was clear, but it was for them to wait and see which would get them first— whale or storm .

    Maitee also closely observed the speed of the storm with the telescope. The water column was rising higher and higher and appeared like one unsurmountable pillar. Even a big whale frightened by its typhonic speed left its den and rushed out. The Captain’s mind was restless with worry. He was sure that the whale would devour them even before the storm. He was all the more anxious for the safety of his crew. At last he decided to ring the danger bell so that all should rush up to the deck. He cried out …

    “My dear friends, I have an evil news for you. The sea will soon be our grave or we will be crushed within the dark tunnel of the whale’s stomach. There is a big whale approaching us closely followed by an angry looking storm. Either the ship will be devoured or get wrecked. There is no escape. I cannot help you or console you but only advise you to call upon the supreme Being before the close of life”.

    “My dear friends, I have an evil news for you. The sea will soon be our grave or we will be crushed within the dark tunnel of the whale’s stomach. There is a big whale approaching us closely followed by an angry looking storm. Either the ship will be devoured or get wrecked. There is no escape. I cannot help you or console you but only advise you to call upon the supreme Being before the close of life”.

    All-around he was surrounded by his passengers. There was a perfect silence on board, disturned only by the roar of the storm. Bitto felt he would go mad any moment. What could he do to help others when he was himself but a tossing toy in the hands of destiny? Helpless, he looked at others, tears running down his cheeks. Despair and despondency reigned supreme amongst the crew.

    There was a hue and cry, and the crew rushed around to try to save themselves at the last-hour. The Captain too rushed into action. As he rushed about, he came near a man at the corner. Unlike others he was calm and there was no sign of anxiety in him. In his hand he held a photograph and his eyes were fixed at the same.On closer view the captain saw it to be a snapshot of three figures. one white, the middle yellow and the last one black. This old man was muttering something, looking at the picture.

    The captain put an arm around this man and asked. “What are you doing at this impending hour of danger? Will this photograph save you from the approaching danger, O Saudagar ? Nay, nothing can save us now, we are doomed.”

    A tremble passed through the ship. The whale was now clearly visible at a short distance. The captain’s eyes fell on the terrifying hooded eyes of the whale. He felt his heart-beat and his warm blood turn cold. He turned away from this horrifying sight to rush up once again. Time and again, on his rounds he bumped into the old man with the picture. It appeared as though he was speaking softly and tenderly to the figures in the snap

     The Soudagar was musing to the photo :- “O Lord ! the boundless ocean is Thy abode of sleep. O Lord”, the abode of Truth Please listen to me. Thou art Vishnu Himself , with Thy Disc, Club and Lotus, Thy name is Vishva --- Karana, in as much as Thou art above all universes. Thou art the everlasting ‘Brahma’ that has no decay and Thou hast no beginning nor ending. All the universes are Thy home. At the time of complete dissolution Thou resideth in the vast empty space. The eternal time called Shrunga’ is Thy club.

    Thou goeth by the Name of ‘Purusa’ in as much as Thou dwelleth in the heart of all, Thy name is ‘Hrishikes’ since Thou controleth the passions. O Purusottama ! Thou art not born. Since Thou hast control over all passions, Thy name is ‘Ajita’.

    Since Thou art all pervading and omnipotent, Thy name is Vishnu. Thou holdeth the whole Universe like a football in hand. Thy names are Krishna, Truth, Wisdom and its conscience with all its force, creation, preservation and dissolution. Thou art the shelter of the needy, in as much as thou hast no beginning and no ending. In other words Thou art an ever-lasting flow. Thou art what is called Sidhi, Sadhya,Yagna and Vasatkar. Thou art above the Vedas, Vidyas ( learnings) the Brahman and Omkar’.

    Thou art all the living creatures of endless varieties, the rivers, lakes and vast ocean. Thou art omnipresent in every heart, Omnipotent; no one knows Thy beginning or ending. Thou possesseth thousands of eyes and thousands of limbs and holdeth millions of universes as ‘Ananta’ . During dissolution Thou sleepeth on the boundless ocean and who there is that could narrate Thy innumerable actions ! I reside in Thy heart and all the worlds are but Thy image. Saraswati , the Goddess of learning is Thy tongue and all gods and goddesses, all divine forces are like furs of Thy body, There is no other being in the Universe except Thee. O Lord, ! the whole creation is but Thyself. This vast earth is Thy patience, the moon is Thy pleasure and the fire Thy anger. Unsurmountable are Thy powers, Thy force and the like. Thou art the abode of mercy and the everlasting force. Could I believe that all my words of prayers will go in vain ?”

    The captain thinking the photo to be of the family members of the man, came closer, to view it once again. He was nonplussed for a moment. The Black figure of the photo looked more terrifying than the whale. The round eyes were more brilliantly frightening than those of the huge fish.

    The captain now agitated, yelled,. “What are you doing Mister? Whom are you looking so raptly at ?”
    “I am invoking my Lord Jagannath’s blessings for our safety.” To this simple and straight forward reply the captain questioned.
    “Jagannath ! Well who is he please ? What can he do in this predicament of ours ? Can he destroy the whale with his weapons and save us from the ravages of this monster-like storm ?”

    The old man replied, “Why not Sir? If not He, then none can. I have experienced many times that a sincere call to Him can earn a ready and fruitful response. His power is supreme and all consuming.”!

    Captain Albert Bitto except scratching his head could do nothing else. The old man added --”Sir, this is why I am praying to Him.if my prayer could reach His ears in time there is no doubt that He will come to our rescue. Only our sincere devotion can move Him. I have a strong belief that our safety is a surebet, as sure as the fact that two and a two make four.”

    The captain stood with his eyes wide open and he was touched to the very core of his heart with such a staunch faith.
    He exclaimed O’Lord ! The whale has changed its course. It is moving away from use, heading in the opposite direction.The whale’s eyes are now wide open and its movements slow and lethargic. All around there was a momentary hope and they heaved a sigh of relief, but the other danger was still lurking at a close distance. The storm had not abated an inch. Before the captain’s eyes flashed the picture of our Black Magician and before he could realise what he was doing, the Saudagar prayed fervently .

    “O, Lord Jagannath ! Thy mercy has changed the course of the whale. But what about the storm? Will Thou not work Thy miracles and magic on it, too ?”

    As once the atmosphere was disturbed with mightiest sound , “Dhoom”. It appeared as if the sky had cracked and burst open and would collapse any moment. With this the force of the storm gradually died down till it was completely quiet.

    All around the people danced with joy and gay abandon. There was a sudden row-de-dow. The captain lifted his hand for silence and proclaimed that they were saved because of the mercy of the great Lord at Puri. At once he rushed to the Old Oriya man Kuladsagar of village Pipli. He embraced him and expressing his gratitude said :---
    “Well, my man, you showed us the way to safety. Your prayers reached the Lord’s ears in time. Thank you my dear Sir; Your faith and sincerity are all consuming. May I see the photograph once closely ?”
     To his surprise the Black figure was smiling now. The face had a benign look, mercy and love shining out of His eyes”.Bitto could not speak at this change. All this was a miracle and a Divine Miracle.
     When the ship reached Puri he expressed his gratitude to Lord Jagannath(our Jaguni). All his stores were carried to the Lions’ Gate at the Puri temple including the bell meant for the church of Pondicherry.

    The bell is still to be found in the Jagannath Temple at Puri (Niladri Bihar). Although the French Government requested the Indian Ministry to return this bell, their request was not entertained by the Mukti Mandap Sabha since it was a ‘Dana’ and once a gift is offered to our Black Magician and accepted by Him it cannot be returned. On the bell are graved in french, the words :


“ IA II BERALITE’ DEPEDRO MOUDELI COURT, DELA COMP, DE FRANCE ME NOMME PIERRE
ANDRE JE PESE 900. A PONDICHERRY, 1976.”

                     OLLIOERULS GERBOUD JERT FECU