The priest placed the oil-paper packets wrapped around the bullets on a tray and carried them before the dignitaries. After each of them had inspected them, the oldest priest said, "Begin!"
The priest tossed the oil-paper packets from the tray into the brazier one by one. As the grease crackled in the flames, a pungent smell spread through the air.
"It smells of beef tallow! This is disrespect toward Lord Shiva! This is blasphemy against the gods! The British actually soaked bullets in the fat of the Mother of All Things!"
The Muslim mullah at the side also spoke up.
"Not just beef tallow. There is also the grease of those unclean things."
"My lord, you mean lard?"
"That's right. This is an insult to us Muslims. I hear the British even want you to tear open these oil-paper packets, smeared with lard, using your teeth?
It is utterly revolting! The British are trying to destroy our souls!"
Cries of shock rose from the surrounding crowd. Then the sepoys suddenly dropped to their knees.
"We have never committed such blasphemy."
"We haven't even fired our guns!"
"We swear to Heaven."
But the crowd did not believe these ingrates who bit the hand that fed them. Some young men even made as if to rush forward and beat the sepoys.
Then an angry roar rang out.
"Silence!"
The high priest of Hinduism and the mullah of Islam jointly announced something.
"Upon our confirmation, this item has indeed been coated in a mixture of beef tallow and lard. From tonight onward, any act of touching these oil-paper packets with one's mouth shall be regarded as blasphemy!"
At that moment, Lakshmi Bai led a woman to the center of the altar. The high priest and the mullah immediately made way for her.
"Speak!