Journey to the City of Six Gates
Love What You Read
Graeme MacQueen was trained as an expert in Indian religion. His familiarity with legend and folk tale resulted in a number of publications, which led to his being asked to publish a full-length book in that spirit. The result is Journey to the City of Six Gates.
Graeme MacQueen
Author
The first edition of “Journey” is now out of print, and a collectors’ edition. It still appears in some searches, so one must look for the 2nd edition (the blue/green cover, above).
"Journey" First Edition
Tulika Press
Reviews
Tree climbing boys, talking trees and a girl who can hear the language of trees, flying sadhus, strange food combos like finger and rice …all sorts of characters and concepts find their way in this thrilling adventure set in historic times, rather when kings and queens and demonic people were much in vogue.
It is the story of princess Mati and her brother Satya who are forced to flee their palace with their trusted soldier Jaya Prabhasa who has vowed to keep them safe. They journey through the city and into the forest where they set upon foot to journey to the city of six gates where they would get shelter from the attacking king.
During their journey through forest, they learn valuable skills like flying through trees, learning the language of trees and knowledge of various flora.
They exhibit impeccable planning skills as they orchestrate their escape. It also helps that Mati is a compulsive mathematician.
These were the dances that Satya thought of as he repeated his verses and was tossed through the swaying trees.
He saw no climber. He saw nothing climbed
He saw two dancers dancing.
Prepare yourself for a nice, long and fun filled read!
Reading Corner Book review Points – 5/5
Two children, Prince Satya and Princess Mati journey to the city of six gates to rescue their parents who have been captured by one of their arch-enemies. The journey is long and arduous, in which shorn of the trappings of palace life, the children travel on foot, eat grass seed rotis and fruits and sleep under the canopy of the trees with only a loyal servant to accompany them.
The story could have been another me-too kind of adventure but somehow it emerges as an unusual fantasy. In the jungle they meet the enigmatic Roti Baba who imparts to each of them a special skill that changes their perception and attitude towards the trees. They learn not only to respect them but also to communicate with them.
Mati the Green, as she gets to be called, discovers that, “They feel thirst! They feel cold and heat! They feel the wind! …they are as alive as we are!” She understands that if one respects the trees, the steady ones, they go all out to share their ageless wisdom, to lend a helping hand and even warn them of dangers along their way. She also realizes that she had been chosen to play a very special role; that of The Keeper of the forests.
Whereas, Satya learns to climb the trees effortlessly, as one with the trees, as in a graceful dance. He saw no climber. he saw nothing climbed. he saw two dancers dancing. and he cried: Dance! Dance!
A powerful message of conservation and protection of our forests subtly woven through an unusual tale.