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	A cardboard box is found on a shelf in a [[London]] library. When the mystified librarian opens it, she screams before she falls unconscious to the floor. Within the labyrinthine recesses of the Vatican, a beautiful assassin of Asian origin swears she will eliminate all who do not believe in her twisted credo.		A cardboard box is found on a shelf in a [[London]] library. When the mystified librarian opens it, she screams before she falls unconscious to the floor. Within the labyrinthine recesses of the Vatican, a beautiful assassin of Asian origin swears she will eliminate all who do not believe in her twisted credo.

	An elite army of thirteen calling itself the Lashkar-e-Talatashar has scattered around the globe. The fate of its members curiously resembles that of [[Christ]] and his [[Apostles]]. Their agenda is [[Armageddon]].		An elite army of thirteen calling itself the Lashkar-e-Talatashar has scattered around the globe. The fate of its members curiously resembles that of [[Christ]] and his [[Apostles in the New Testament\|Apostles]]. Their agenda is [[Armageddon]].

	A [[Hindu]] [[astrologer]] spots an approaching conjunction of the stars and nods to himself in grim realization of the end of the world. In [[Tibet]], a group of [[Buddhist monks]] searches for reincarnation, much in the way their ancestors searched [[Judea]] for the Son of [[God]]. In strife-torn Kashmir, a tomb called Rozabal holds the key to a riddle that arises in [[Jerusalem]] and gets answered at [[Vaishno Devi]].		A [[Hindu]] [[astrologer]] spots an approaching conjunction of the stars and nods to himself in grim realization of the end of the world. In [[Tibet]], a group of [[Buddhist monks]] searches for reincarnation, much in the way their ancestors searched [[Judea]] for the Son of [[God]]. In strife-torn Kashmir, a tomb called Rozabal holds the key to a riddle that arises in [[Jerusalem]] and gets answered at [[Vaishno Devi]].

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{{infobox book
| name = The Rozabal Line
| orig title =
| translator =
| image = The Rozabal Line.jpg
| caption = The Rozabal Line, Published by Westland Ltd., 2008
| author = [[Ashwin Sanghi]]
| cover_artist =
| country = [[India]]
| language = [[English language|English]]
| series =
| genre = [[Thriller (genre)|Thriller]], [[Crime fiction|crime]], [[Mystery (fiction)|mystery]] [[fiction]], [[Historical Fiction]]
| publisher = [[Lulu (company)|First Edition: Lulu Press]] (US)<br />Revised Edition: Westland Ltd. ([[India]])
| pub_date = 24 September 2007 (US)<br />10 November 2008 (India)
| media_type = [[Printing|Print]] & [[Paperback]]
| pages = 311 (US Lulu Press Edition)<br />373 (India Westland Edition)
| isbn = 978-1-4303-2754-7 |isbn_note= (US Lulu Press Edition)<br />{{ISBN|978-81-89975-81-4}} (India Westland Edition)
| oclc= 228506596
}}{{Advertisment|date=May 2021}}

'''''The Rozabal Line''''' is a [[thriller (genre)|thriller]] [[fiction]] novel by [[Ashwin Sanghi]], written under the pseudonym Shawn Haigins, that deals with the story of [[Jesus]] having survived the [[crucifixion]] and settled down in [[India]]. The fictional element is in the same vein as [[Dan Brown]]'s ''[[The Da Vinci Code]]''. The title refers to the [[Rozabal shrine]] in [[Srinagar]] in [[Kashmir]], which some (such as [[Mirza Ghulam Ahmad]], the founder of the [[Ahmadiyya movement]], in 1899) have asserted is the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth. The historical basis is derived from several other books on the subject including ''Jesus Lived in India'' by [[Holger Kersten]]<ref name="Kersten, Holger 1986">Kersten, Holger. ''Jesus Lived in India.'' London: Element, 1986. {{ISBN|0-906540-90-9}}</ref> and ''The Unknown Life of Jesus'' by [[Nicolas Notovich]].

==Plot summary==
{{tone|date=May 2021}}
A cardboard box is found on a shelf in a [[London]] library. When the mystified librarian opens it, she screams before she falls unconscious to the floor. Within the labyrinthine recesses of the Vatican, a beautiful assassin of Asian origin swears she will eliminate all who do not believe in her twisted credo.

An elite army of thirteen calling itself the Lashkar-e-Talatashar has scattered around the globe. The fate of its members curiously resembles that of [[Christ]] and his [[Apostles]]. Their agenda is [[Armageddon]].

A [[Hindu]] [[astrologer]] spots an approaching conjunction of the stars and nods to himself in grim realization of the end of the world. In [[Tibet]], a group of [[Buddhist monks]] searches for reincarnation, much in the way their ancestors searched [[Judea]] for the Son of [[God]]. In strife-torn Kashmir, a tomb called Rozabal holds the key to a riddle that arises in [[Jerusalem]] and gets answered at [[Vaishno Devi]].

An [[Americans|American]] priest,Father Vincent Sinclair has disturbing visions of people familiar to him, except that they seem to exist in other ages. Induced into past-life regressions, he moves to India to piece together the violent images. Shadowing his every move is the Crux Decussata Permuta, a clandestine secret society which would rather wipe out creation than allow an ancient secret from being disclosed.

== Author/Editions ==
[[File:Ashwin Sanghi-5.jpg|thumb|left|Ashwin Sanghi]]
''The Rozabal Line'' is a thriller spanning between continents and centuries, with [[Ashwin Sanghi]], under the [[pseudonym]] [[Shawn Haigins]], tells a story that goes back to the time of the birth of [[Abrahamic religion]]s. It was originally published in 2007, and a revised edition was published by Westland Ltd. & Tranquebar Press in 2008 under the author's own name, after some commentators such as Humra Quraishi said that the book should have been published under Sanghi's real name.<ref>[http://www.kashmirtimes.com/archive/0712/071221/feature.htm ''Kashmir Times'', "Signs of the Times" by Humra Quraishi]{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>Ashwin Sanghi. ''The Rozabal Line.'' 2008. {{ISBN|978-81-89975-81-4}}</ref>

According to ''[[Tehelka]]'', one of India's news magazines, ''The Rozabal Line'' is "a thriller that inquires into the controversial claim that Jesus Christ travelled to India and was buried in Kashmir's Rozabal Tomb".<ref name="Tehelka, November 1, 2008">[http://www.tehelka.com/story_main40.asp?filename=hub011108firstlookbooks.asp Tehelka, November 1, 2008]</ref>

''[[The Hindu]]'', one of India's National dailies, says that "The book deals in greater depth with the issue of Christ’s union with [[Mary Magdalene]] touched upon by ''The Da Vinci Code'' by Dan Brown as well as incorporating postulates of several other books, including ''Jesus Lived in India: Life Before and After the Crucifixion'' by Holger Kersten and ''Jesus Died In Kashmir: Jesus, [[Moses]] and The [[Ten Lost Tribes]] Of Israel'' by Andreas Kaiser".<ref name="The Hindu, NxG, November 27, 2008">[http://www.go-nxg.com/?p=3077 ''The Hindu'', NxG, November 27, 2008]</ref> After the novel was published, due to attention drawn to the site by others as well as the story told in the book, there was a large upsurge of visitors to the Rozabal shrine in Srinagar.<ref>[http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100403/jsp/frontpage/story_12298346.jsp ''The Telegraph'', Kolkata, April 3, 2010]</ref>

The book has sold well enough to have gone into repeat printing runs.<ref>"[http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090726/jsp/graphiti/story_11281512.jsp Winning Words]", ''The Telegraph'', Kolkata, July 26, 2009.</ref> Pradeep Sebastian of ''The Hindu'' wrote, "And so ''[[The Lost Symbol]]'' comes two years too late. [[Conspiracy (crime)|Conspiracy]] thrillers swamped the market, reaching even Indian shores with ''The Rozabal Line'', and offered us so much meat, that we couldn't relish chewing anymore."<ref>[http://www.deccanherald.com/content/15859/craving-good-conspiracy-thriller.html ''Deccan Herald'', Bangalore, August 10, 2009]</ref>

At a talk delivered in Chennai, the author said, "We assume the different faiths are distinctly different, but once you start tracing back the roots of their beliefs, you find their origins are much closer that you might imagine."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121107175938/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/05/11/stories/2009051150030100.htm ''The Hindu'', Chennai, May 11, 2009.]</ref> Irrespective of the controversial theme surrounding his book, the author has continuously maintained that his book is a work of fiction<ref>"[http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vhlv6AOj3kQ/SgfCPhfXKKI/AAAAAAAAASw/7eYagALbEm0/s1600-h/11_05_2009_355_007.jpg A fiction on Jesus]", ''The Indian Express'', Chennai, May 11, 2009.</ref> and should be read as a fiction conspiracy thriller.<ref>[http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vhlv6AOj3kQ/SgZNbWNu_fI/AAAAAAAAASo/gWbBHI5MN04/s1600-h/HistorySells.jpg {{"'}}History with conspiracy sells{{'"}}], ''Deccan Chronicle'', Chennai, May 12, 2009.</ref> In an interview to a leading tabloid, the author was asked: "Do you believe that Jesus lived in India?" and he replied, "I don't think it's in any way relevant if he came here or not. But do I wish it was true? Yes, completely. Isn't that such a romantic notion?"<ref>[http://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/2009/mar/070309-Jesus-final-days-Kashmir-Mary-Magdalene-Maghada-Ashwin-Sanghi-author-Rozabal-Line.htm ''Mid-Day'', Mumbai, March 7, 2009.]</ref> MV Kamath, leading commentator, has said that the book is "provocative, but certainly commanding attention."<ref>[http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=278&page=24 ''Organiser'', New Delhi, February 22, 2009.]</ref>

The book is also being converted into a screenplay.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/08/23/stories/2010082352970200.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-09-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120054051/http://www.hindu.com/2010/08/23/stories/2010082352970200.htm |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=2010-08-23 |archive-date=2011-01-20 }}, ''The Hindu'', New Delhi, August 23, 2010</ref>

The ongoing controversial nature of the story surrounding the tomb, as promoted by various people such as those of the [[Ahmadiyya movement]] and as also explored in this book, resulted in the site being closed down to visitors, particularly after [[Lonely Planet]] detailed the tomb.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20100524152336/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/LE22Df03.html Holy row in Kashmir over 'Jesus tomb{{'"}}], ''Asia Times Online'', May 22, 2010]</ref>

==Similarities to the November 2008 Mumbai attacks==
The ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' was the first to point out that Sanghi's novel bore several similarities to the [[November 2008 Mumbai attacks]].<ref>Hindustan Times, Kokata, "Premonition of Evil?" by Satarupa Basu, December 7, 2008</ref> In particular, Sanghi's novel spoke of an attack by the [[Lashkar-e-Taiba]], an Islamist terror group based in [[Azad Kashmir|Pakistan controlled Kashmir]]. It also spoke of the Lashkar spinning off an ultra-elite group of twelve commandos, similar to the [[Deccan Mujahideen]]. The plot of The Rozabal Line used a ship off the coast of [[Gujarat]] as well as a [[Thuraya]] satellite phone besides describing the [[Taj Mahal Palace & Tower]] as the residence of one of the main characters in the story. Sanghi also described the group as being controlled by the [[Inter-Services Intelligence]] of [[Pakistan]] without the knowledge of the Pakistani president. All these elements were purportedly present in the November 2008 Mumbai Terror Attacks. Consequently, The Hindu, included The Rozabal Line among its top fiction picks<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121103145801/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/12/11/stories/2008121150560400.htm The Hindu, Metro, December 11, 2008]</ref> while The Telegraph included The Rozabal Line among its top "Paperback Pickings".<ref>[http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081212/jsp/opinion/story_10241128.jsp The Telegraph, Kolkata, December 12, 2008]</ref>

The author has clarified in a subsequent interview that he was unhappy about the commonalities<ref>[http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vhlv6AOj3kQ/SgZMw6N47bI/AAAAAAAAASg/_xv2pUM59tQ/s1600-h/CrossingTheLine.jpg The Times of India, "Crossing the Line", Chennai, May 10, 2009]</ref> although he readily agrees to being called a "conspiracy theorist".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bangaloremirror.com/article/31/201008152010081519060760048460dfe/%E2%80%98I-have-been-called-the-devil%E2%80%99.html |title=Times of India, Bangalore, August 15, 2010 |access-date=September 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820104217/http://www.bangaloremirror.com/article/31/201008152010081519060760048460dfe/%E2%80%98I-have-been-called-the-devil%E2%80%99.html |archive-date=August 20, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Theory of Kashmiri descent from lost tribes of Israel]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
* Bookreporter.com. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090210023327/http://www.bookreporter.com/wom/wom-080104.asp Review by J. Kaye Oldner].
* ForeWord Clarion. [http://www.forewordmagazine.com/clarion/viewreviews.aspx?reviewID=423 Review by Todd Mercer].{{dead link|date=February 2018}}

==External links==
* [http://www.shawnhaigins.com/ Ashwin Sanghi Official Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090209074430/http://westlandbooks.in/BookDetail.aspx?isbn=9788189975814 Westland Ltd. & Tranquebar Press]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rozabal Line}}
[[Category:2008 Indian novels]]
[[Category:Novels set in India]]

The Rozabal Line - Revision history

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