The missing years of Jesus.

Christianity has the largest followers in the world, about one third of the world population follow the teachings of Jesus, and he one of the most famous personality in the history of mankind.

 But there is a controversy about the missing years of his life, 18 years from age 12 to age 30. There is only vague mention of it in the Bible.

It is written ‘advance in wisdom and stature and in favor of God and men’. 

Such a short mention for such a large part of his life is bound to create curiosity and controversy.

I will mention some of them here. Please note that these are some of the myths circulating about those 18 years and the claims have not been verified or proved.

Jesus went to India

This theory was propagated by a Russian named Nicholas Notovich in the year 1894. He was a Russian journalist and war correspondent and travelled extensively in the east. His travels took him to the Hemis monastery in Ladakh India where he came to know about an old scroll of 3rd century AD. This scroll mentions about a 13 year boy coming to the monastery and studying Hinduism and Buddhism. He left for his home in the age of 29. He was known as ‘Issa’ here. The scroll that mentions it was read to him and later he translated it and published in a book titled ‘The unknown life of Jesus Christ’.

This created a lot of controversy in the Christian world and was refuted by the Christians. Some say that later Nicholas agreed that he fabricated the story. Later a monk from India reading the book of Nicholas travelled to the monastery in 1921 to verify the truth. Swami Abhedananda visited Hemis monastery and also claimed to have seen the scroll and said that it is the same as written by Nicholas. The lamas of the monastery also gave a translated copy of the scroll which was later published in a local publication called Vasavani. There is local folklore about Issa in the surrounding areas of Hemis.

His visit to India is among the most popular ones about this gap period. Later Jesus is said to have told Thomas to go to India and spread his words there. Thomas landed in Kerala in India and established a church also there.

Jesus went to England

This theory says that he went to Great Britain with Joseph of Arimathea, who is taken to be his uncle and a tin trader. Here he studied in the Glastonbury with the Druids. Druidism is quite similar to Christianity. A documentary film ‘And did those feet’ has also been made about his possible visit to England during those missing years.

Jesus went to Japan

This theory is quite controversial because here it is believed that he came to Japan at the age of 21 and became disciple of a Buddhist monk near Mount Fuji. Later he went back. The next part is the most controversial, here it is said that his brother took his place in the cross. It is said that he returned to Shingo in Japan and married a local girl, had four children, he cultivated garlic and died at the age of 106. Every year thousands of Japanese visit Shingo to his burial ground.

Jesus went to America

This theory suggests that he reached North America after visiting various countries of South America. The native legends talk about a white prophet visiting them who could raise the dead and heal people as mentioned in the Bible.

These are some of the theories that go around regarding those missing years, but the mainstream belief is that he worked as a carpenter till about 30 years of age.

The controversy does not end here only. The popular belief is that he went to heaven after resurrection but I mention some other things also.

After crucifixion

I have already mentioned about the Japanese theory about what happened after the crucifixion.

 The book of Mormon says that he returned to the Native Americans.

It is also said that he returned to India and died at the age of 120 to look for a lost tribe of Jews. In downtown Srinagar there is tomb called Rozbal shrine and here is buried Youza Asaph who is believed to be Jesus. There are ruins of Buddhist monastery nearby. The Ahmediya sect of the Muslims believes that Jesus died in Kashmir is buried there. The church universal and triumphant a US based Christian sect believes that Jesus cam to India in the missing years but don’t believe that he died here.

In Muslim graves the head always face towards the Mecca but this grave does not. Also Hebrew language is engraved on the grave which is not the local language. The name of Jesus is engraved as Joshua.

There is another grave which doesn’t face the Mecca. It is in a place near Bandipur in Kashmir and it is said to be of Moses. The grave is said to be maintained by a Jewish family since centuries.

No one knows the actual reality about these myths, but one thing is clear that if any of these myths are proved true then there will be a great disturbance in the Vatican and the Christian world.