The ghostly voices were heard in the temple courtyard every day after the final evening prayers.
It became the fashion for students and tour groups to camp on the flagstones and wait for fragments of ancient conversations to surface. Every word was dutifully recorded and scrutinised – the price of fish two centuries ago, the scandal when a temple prostitute gave up her profession to follow the Buddha.
No pattern or hidden message was discerned in the sentence fragments, but the gossip was interesting enough to ensure a regular stream of volunteers and visitors. The temple flourished on their donations.
