It is clear from the Gospel texts themselves that the evangelists had no intention of writing a full biography of Jesus. Each had a specific purpose but generally all wanted to tell their readers that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah and that he fulfilled his messianic mission. They therefore gave in their works, the fundamental teachings of Christ and narrated incidents connected with his mission. It was in the last years of his life, which we call his 'public life' (barely three years) that Jesus gathered disciples and taught them, and completed his mission by his passion, death and resurrection, which events all the evangelists narrate.

After giving us some information about the childhood of Jesus, the last being his getting lost at the age of twelve, Luke tells us that thereafter he lived with his parents at Nazareth. "He then went down with them and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and men." (Luke 2:51-52). These words sum up the entire 'hidden life' of Jesus.

From the age of twelve till Jesus commenced his public life he would have lived like any other Jewish boy and later youth. There was obviously nothing in that life which had relevance to his messianic role except that he silently and interiorly prepared himself for it. The evangelists therefore had nothing particular to write about Jesus' pre-public life. There was no point in telling the readers about the ordinary, common place happenings of daily life.

The silence of the evangelists regarding the early life of Jesus has however given rise to the myth of Jesus being in India during that time.

This is a myth that appears from time to time in the press and in books, and tough refuted, comes back again, perhaps because of its romantic nature.

All stories connected with the alleged sojourn of Jesus in India basically go back to two authors. First, to Gulam Ahmad (1839-1908), the founder of the Islamic Ahmadiyya sect, who maintained that Jesus did not die on the cross but passed away at the age of 120 in Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir.

Modern adherents of the Jesus- in- India legend now scarcely mention the theses of Gulam Ahmad. He has equated Jesus with Yuzasaf who is venerated by Muslims and whose grave is allegedly in Srinagar. But this is based on altogether on false assumptions.

Yuzasaf is not Jesus. It is true however that Yuzasaf became Josaphat and was venerated as a Christian saint. Yuzasaf is derived from the Sanskrit Bodhisattva via the Iranian Bodisaf and the Arabic corruption of Budasaf. Bodhisattva then passed into European literature and became, in the Christian calendar of saints, the legendary Josaphat. (Note: the two 'saints' of the Barlaam and Josaphat legend never existed. But there is a genuine St Barlaam of Antioch, 4th century martyr, and a genuine St Josaphat, 17th century bishop and martyr).

Another author, Alexandrovic Notovic, recalled that during his visit to Laddakh, the abbot of the monastery of 'Himis' read out to him from a text, which contained a biography of Jesus, according to which, He (Jesus) travelled to India at the age of 14.