westlandpublicationsltd
Amish is a 1974-born, IIM (Kolkata)-educated, boring banker turned happyauthor.Thesuccessofhisdebutbook,TheImmortalsofMeluha(Book1oftheShiva Trilogy), encouraged him to give up a fourteen-year-old career infinancial services to focus on writing. He is passionate about history,mythologyandphilosophy,findingbeautyandmeaninginallworldreligions.Amish’sbookshavesoldmorethan4millioncopiesandhavebeentranslatedintoover19languages.
AmishlivesinMumbaiwithhiswifePreetiandsonNeel.
www.authoramish.comwww.facebook.com/authoramishwww.twitter.com/authoramish
OtherTitlesbyAmish
ShivaTrilogyTheImmortalsofMeluha(Book1oftheShivaTrilogy)
1900BC.TheinhabitantsofthatperiodknowthelandofMeluhaasanearperfectempirecreatedmanycenturiesearlierbyLordRam,oneofthegreatestmonarchsthateverlived.Nowtheirprimaryriver
Saraswatiisdrying,andtheyfaceterroristattacksfromtheirenemiesfromtheeast.Willtheirlegendaryhero,theNeelkanth,emergetodestroyevil?
TheSecretoftheNagas(Book2oftheShivaTrilogy)
ThesinisterNagawarriorhaskilledBrahaspatiandnowstalksSati.Shiva,theprophesieddestroyerofevil,willnotresttillhefindshisdemonicadversary.Fiercebattleswillbefoughtandunbelievablesecrets
revealedinthissecondbookoftheShivaTrilogy.
TheOathoftheVayuputras(Book3oftheShivaTrilogy)
Shivaisgatheringhisforces.HereachestheNagacapital,Panchavati,andEvilisfinallyrevealed.TheNeelkanthpreparesforaholywaragainsthistrueenemy.Willhesucceed?Discovertheanswertothese
mysteriesinthisconcludingpartofthebestsellingShivaTrilogy.
RamChandraSeriesRam—ScionofIkshvaku(Book1oftheSeries)
3400BCE.INDIAAterriblewarhastakenitstollandweakenedAyodhya.Thedamagerunsdeep.ThedemonKingof
Lanka,Raavan,doesnotimposehisruleonthedefeated.He,instead,imposeshistrade.Moneyissuckedoutoftheempire.Throughthesufferingthatpeopleendure,theydonotrealisethataleaderisamongthem.
Anostracisedprince.AprincecalledRam.BeginanepicjourneywithAmish’sRamChandraSeries.
‘IwishmanymorewouldbeinspiredbyAmishTripathi…’–AmitabhBachchan,Indianactorandlivinglegend
‘AmishisIndia’sTolkien’–BusinessStandard
‘AmishisIndia’sfirstliterarypopstar ’–ShekharKapur,renownedfilmmaker
‘Amishis…thePauloCoelhooftheeast.’–BusinessWorld
‘Amish’smythicalimaginationminesthepastandtapsintothepossibilitiesof the future. His book series, archetypal and stirring, unfolds the deepestrecessesofthesoulaswellasourcollectiveconsciousness.’
–DeepakChopra,world-renownedspiritualguruandbestsellingauthor
‘AmishisafreshnewvoiceinIndianwriting–steepedinmythandhistory,withafineeyefordetailandacompellingnarrativestyle.’
–ShashiTharoor,MemberofParliamentandcelebratedauthor
‘… Amish has mastered the art of gathering, interpreting and presentingIndia’smanymyths, folkloresand legends,andblendingallof that into fast-pacedthrillersthatchangeyourviewsaboutGods,cultures,histories,demonsandheroes,forever.’
–HiBlitz
‘Amish’sphilosophyof tolerance,hisunderstandingofmythologyandhisavowedadmirationforShivaareevidentinhisbest-sellingworks.’
–Verve
‘Tripathi is part of an emerging band of authors who have taken upmythology and history in a big way, translating bare facts into deliciousstories.’
–TheNewIndianExpress
‘…onemustcongratulateAmishonreintroducingHindumythologytotheyouthofthiscountry.’
–FirstCity
SitaWarriorofMithila
Book2ofthe
RamChandraSeries
Amish
westlandpublicationsltd61,IIFloor,SilverlineBuilding,AlapakkamMainRoad,Maduravoyal,Chennai60009593,IFloor,ShamlalRoad,Daryaganj,NewDelhi110002www.westlandbooks.in
Firste-pubedition:2017
Publishedbywestlandpublicationsltd2017
Copyright©AmishTripathi2017
Allrightsreserved
AmishTripathiassertsthemoralrighttobeidentifiedastheauthorofthiswork.
This is awork of fiction.Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’simaginationorareused fictitiouslyandanyresemblance toanyactualperson livingordead,eventsandlocalesisentirelycoincidental.
978-93-86224-58-3
CoverConceptandDesignbySideways
IllustrationbyArthatstudio
InsidebookformattingandtypesettingbySÜRYA,NewDelhi
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by anyway of trade or otherwise, be lent,resold,hiredout,orotherwisecirculatedwithouttheauthor’spriorwrittenconsent,inanyformofbindingorcoverotherthanthatinwhichitispublishedandwithoutasimilarconditionincludingthisconditionbeingimposed on the subsequent purchaser andwithout limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinorintroducedintoaretrievalsystem,ortransmittedinany form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without thepriorwrittenpermissionofthecopyrightowner,exceptinthecaseofbriefquotationsembodiedincriticalarticlesorreviewswithappropriatecitations.
ToHimanshuRoyMybrother-in-law,
AmanwhoexemplifiestheancientIndianpathofBalance,AproudLordGaneshdevoteewhoalsorespects
allotherfaiths,AsincereIndianpatriot,
Amanwithwisdom,courage,andhonour.Ahero.
OmNamahShivāyaTheuniversebowstoLordShiva.
IbowtoLordShiva.
FromtheAdbhutaRāmāyana(creditedtoMaharishiValmikiji)
Yadāyadāhidharmasyaglanirbhavatisuvrata|Abhyutthānamadharmasyatadāprakrtṛsambhavaḥ||
Okeeperofrighteousvows,rememberthis,Wheneverdharmaisindecline,
Orthereisanupsurgeofadharma;TheSacredFemininewillincarnate.
Shewilldefenddharma.Shewillprotectus.
Contents
ListofCharactersandImportantTribesNoteontheNarrativeStructureAcknowledgementsChapter1Chapter2Chapter3Chapter4Chapter5Chapter6Chapter7Chapter8Chapter9Chapter10Chapter11Chapter12Chapter13Chapter14Chapter15Chapter16Chapter17Chapter18Chapter19Chapter20Chapter21Chapter22Chapter23
Chapter24Chapter25Chapter26Chapter27Chapter28Chapter29Chapter30Chapter31Chapter32OtherTitlesbyAmish
ListofCharactersandImportantTribes(InAlphabeticOrder)
Arishtanemi: Military chief of the Malayaputras; right-hand man ofVishwamitraAshwapati:Kingof thenorthwesternkingdomofKekaya; fatherofKaikeyiandaloyalallyofDashrathBharat:Ram’shalf-brother;sonofDashrathandKaikeyiDashrath: Chakravarti king of Kosala and emperor of the Sapt Sindhu;husbandofKaushalya,Kaikeyi,andSumitra;fatherofRam,Bharat,LakshmanandShatrughanHanuman:Radhika’scousin;sonofVayuKesari;aNagaandamemberoftheVayuputratribeJanak:KingofMithila;fatherofSitaandUrmilaJatayu:AcaptainoftheMalayaputratribe;NagafriendofSitaandRamKaikeyi: Daughter of King Ashwapati of Kekaya; the second and favouritewifeofDashrath;motherofBharatKaushalya: Daughter of King Bhanuman of South Kosala and his wifeMaheshwari;theeldestqueenofDashrath;motherofRamKumbhakarna:Raavan’sbrother;alsoaNagaKushadhwaj:KingofSankashya;youngerbrotherofJanakLakshman:OneofthetwinsonsofDashrath;borntoSumitra;faithfultoRam;latermarriedtoUrmilaMalayaputras:ThetribeleftbehindbyLordParshuRam,thesixthVishnuManthara:TherichestmerchantoftheSaptSindhuMara:Anindependentassassinforhire
Naarad:AtraderfromLothal;Hanuman’sfriendNagas:HumanbeingsbornwithdeformitiesRaavan:KingofLanka;brotherofVibhishan,ShurpanakhaandKumbhakarnaRadhika:Sita’sfriend;Hanuman’scousinRam: SonofEmperorDashrath ofAyodhya (capital city ofKosala) and hiseldestwifeKaushalya;eldestoffourbrothers,latermarriedtoSitaSamichi:PoliceandprotocolchiefofMithilaShatrughan:TwinbrotherofLakshman;sonofDashrathandSumitraShurpanakha:Half-sisterofRaavanShvetaketu:Sita’steacherSita:AdopteddaughterofKingJanakandQueenSunainaofMithila;alsotheprimeministerofMithila;latermarriedtoRamSumitra:DaughterofthekingofKashi;thethirdwifeofDashrath;motherofthetwinsLakshmanandShatrughanSunaina:QueenofMithila;motherofSitaandUrmilaVali:ThekingofKishkindhaVarunRatnakar:Radhika’sfather;chiefoftheValmikisVashishtha: Raj guru, the royal priest of Ayodhya; teacher of the fourAyodhyaprincesVayuKesari:Hanuman’sfather;Radhika’suncleVayuputras:ThetribeleftbehindbyLordRudra,thepreviousMahadevVibhishan:Half-brotherofRaavanVishwamitra:ChiefoftheMalayaputras,thetribeleftbehindbyLordParshuRam,thesixthVishnu;alsotemporaryguruofRamandLakshmanUrmila: Younger sister of Sita; blood-daughter of Janak and Sunaina; latermarriedtoLakshman
NoteontheNarrativeStructure
Thankyou forpickingup thisbookandgivingme themost important thingyoucanshare:yourtime.Iknowthisbookhastakenlongtorelease,andforthatIoffermyapologies.
ButwhenItellyouthenarrativestructureoftheRamChandraSeries,perhapsyouwillunderstandwhyittooksolong.I have been inspired by a storytelling technique called hyperlink, which
some call the multilinear narrative. In such a narrative, there are manycharacters; and a connection brings them all together. The three maincharacters in the Ram Chandra Series are Ram, Sita, and Raavan. Eachcharacter has life experiences which mould who they are and their storiesconvergewith thekidnappingofSita.Andeachhas their ownadventure andrivetingback-story.So,whilethefirstbookexploredthetaleofRam,thesecondandthirdwill
offeraglimpseintotheadventuresofSitaandthenRaavanrespectively,beforeallthreestoriesmergefromthefourthbookonwardsintoasinglestory.
I knew it would be a complicated and time consuming affair, but I mustconfess, it was thoroughly exciting. I hope this will be as rewarding andthrilling an experience for you as it was for me. Understanding Sita andRaavanascharactershelpedmeinhabit theirworldsandexplorethemazeofplotsandstoriesthatmakethisepiccomealive.Ifeeltrulyblessedforthis.Since thiswas the plan, I had left clues in the first book (Ram–Scion of
Ikshvaku) which will tie up with the stories in the second and third books.Needlesstosay,therearesurprisesandtwistsinstoreforyouinbooks2and3aswell!
In fact, therewasaverybigclue in the lastparagraphofRam–ScionofIkshvaku.Somehadcaughtontoit.Andforthosewhodidn’t,abigrevelationawaitsyouinthefirstchapterofthesecondbook,Sita–WarriorofMithila.IhopeyoulikereadingSita–WarriorofMithila.Dotellmewhatyouthink
of it, by sending me messages on my Facebook or Twitter accounts listedbelow.Love,Amish
www.facebook.com/authoramishwww.twitter.com/authoramish
Acknowledgements
Whenonewrites,onepoursone’ssouloutonpaper.Theysayittakescouragetodothat.Theyalsosaythatcouragecomesonlywhenoneknowsthatmanystandwithhim.I’dliketoacknowledgethosewhostandwithme:Whogivemecourage:WhomakemerealisethatIamnotalone.Neel,my8-year-old son,mypride and joy.He reads a lot already. I can’t
waitforhimtoreadmybooks!Preeti,mywife;Bhavna,mysister;Himanshu,mybrother-in-law;Anishand
Ashish,mybrothers,foralltheirinputstothestory.Theyreadthefirstdraft,usuallyaseachchapteriswritten.AndIdiscussmanyofthephilosophieswiththemindetail. Ialsowrotemuchof thisbookinAnishandMeeta’shouse inDelhi.Imusthavedonesomethinggoodinmypreviouslifetobeblessedwiththeserelationships.Therestofmyfamily:Usha,Vinay,Meeta,Donetta,Shernaz,Smita,Anuj,
Ruta.Fortheirconsistentfaithandlove.Sharvani,my editor. She is as committed tomy stories as I am. She is as
stubborn as I am. She reads a lot, just like I do. She’s as technologically-challengedasIam.Wemusthavebeensiblingsinapreviouslife!Gautam, Krishnakumar, Neha, Deepthi, Satish, Sanghamitra, Jayanthi,
Sudha, Vipin, Srivats, Shatrughan, Sarita, Arunima, Raju, Sanyog, Naveen,Jaisankar, Sateesh, Divya, Madhu, Sathya Sridhar, Christina, Preeti and thefantastic teamatWestland,mypublisher. Inmyhumbleopinion, theyare thebestpublisherinIndia.Anuj,myagent.Afriendandapartnerfromtheverybeginning.Abhijeet, an old friend and senior corporate executive, who worked with
Westlandtodrivethemarketingeffortsforthisbook.Themanisbrilliant!MohanandMehul,mypersonalmanagers,whomanageeverythingsothatI
canhavethetimetowrite.Abhijit, Sonali, Shruti, Roy, Kassandra, Joshua, Purva, Nalin, Nivedita,
Neha,Nehal, and the team at Sideways, an exceptional company that appliescreativity across all aspects of a business. Sideways helped formulate the
businessandmarketingstrategyforthebook.They’vealsomademostofthemarketingmaterial,includingthecover.WhichIthinkisoneofthebestcoversI have ever seen. They were helped in the cover design by the Arthat team(Jitendra,Deval,Johnson)whoarethoroughlyoutstandingdesigners.Mayank,PriyankaJain,Deepika,Naresh,Vishaal,DanishandtheMoe’sArt
team,whohavedrivenmedia relationsandmarketingalliances for thebook.They have been strong partners and among the best agencies I haveworkedwith.Hemal,NehaandtheOktobuzzteam,whohavehelpedmanagemanyofthe
socialmediaactivities for thebook.Hardworking, super smart and intenselycommitted.Theyareanassettoanyteam.MrunaliniandVrushali,Sanskritscholars,whoworkwithmeonresearch.
Mydiscussionswiththemareenlightening.WhatIlearnfromthemhelpsmedevelopmanytheorieswhichgointothebooks.And last, but certainlynot the least, you, the reader. It is onlydue toyour
support that I have been given the privilege of living the kind of life I do;where I can dowhat I love and actually earnmy living from it. I can neverthankyouenough!
Chapter1
3400BCE,somewhereneartheGodavariRiver,India
Sita cut quickly and efficiently, slicing through the thick leaf stemswith hersharpknife.Thedwarfbananatreeswereastallasshewas.Shedidnotneedtostretch. She stopped and looked at her handiwork. Then she cast a look atMakrant, the Malayaputra soldier, a short distance away. He had cut downperhapshalfthenumberofleavesthatSitahad.Theweatherwas calm. Just a littlewhile ago, thewind had been howling
through this part of the forest.Unseasonal rain had lashed the area. Sita andMakranthadstoodunderathickcanopyoftreestosavethemselvesfromtherain.Thewindshadbeensoloudthatithadbeenalmostimpossibleforthemtotalk to each other. And just as suddenly, calm had descended. The rain andwinds had vanished. They’d quickly headed to a patch of thewoodswith anabundanceofdwarfbananatrees.Fortheentirepurposeoftheexcursionwastofindtheseleaves.‘That’senough,Makrant,’saidSita.Makrantturnedaround.Thewetnesshadmadeithardtocuttheleafstems.
Underthecircumstances,hehadthoughtthathehaddoneagoodjob.Now,helookedat the stackof leavesbySita’s side.And thendownat his ownmuchsmallerpile.Hesmiledsheepishly.Sitasmiledbroadlyinreturn.‘That’smorethanenough.Let’sgobacktothe
camp. Ram and Lakshman should be returning from their hunt soon.Hopefully,theywouldhavefoundsomething.’Sita,alongwithherhusbandPrinceRamofAyodhyaandherbrother-in-law
Lakshman,hadbeenracingthroughtheDandakaranya,orforestofDandak,toescape the expectedvengeanceof thedemon-kingofLanka,Raavan.CaptainJatayu,leadingasmallcompanyoftheMalayaputratribe,hadsworntoprotectthe three Ayodhya royals. He had strongly advised that flight was the onlyavailablecourseofaction.Raavanwouldcertainlysend troops toavengehis
sister,PrincessShurpanakha,whohadbeeninjuredbyLakshman.Secrecywasessential.So,theywerecookingtheirfoodinpitsdugdeepinto
theground.For fire, theyusedaspecific typeofcoal—anthracite. It letoutsmokeless flames. For abundant caution, the sunk cooking pot was coveredwithathicklayerofbananaleaves.Itensuredthatnosmokeescapedevenbyaccident.Forthatcouldgivetheirpositionaway.ItwasforthisreasonthatSitaandMakranthadbeencuttingdownbananaleaves.ItwasSita’sturntocook.Makrant insisted on carrying the larger pile, and she let him. Itmade the
Malayaputrasoldierfeellikehewasbalancinghiscontribution.ButitwasthisactthatwouldeventuallyprovefatalforpoorMakrant.Sitahearditfirst.Asoundthatwouldhavebeeninaudiblealittlewhileago,
withthehowlingwinds.Itwasunmistakablenow:themenacingcreakofabowbeingstretched.Acommonbow.Manyofthemoreaccomplishedsoldiersandsenior officers used the more expensive composite bows. But the frontlinesoldiers used the commonvariety,made entirelyofwood.Thesebowswereusuallymorerigid.And,theymadeadistinctsoundwhenstretched.‘Makrant, duck!’ screamed Sita, dropping the leaves as she leapt to the
ground.Makrantrespondedquicklyenough,buttheheavierloadmadehimtrip.An
arrow shot in quickly, slamming into his right shoulder as he fell forward.Beforehecouldreact,asecondarrowstruckhisthroat.Aluckyshot.Sita rolled as she fell to the ground and quickly steadied herself behind a
tree.Shestayedlow,herbackagainstthetree,protectedfornow.Shelookedtoherright.TheunfortunateMakrantlayontheground,drowningrapidlyinhisownblood.Thearrowpointhadexitedthroughthebackofhisneck.Hewouldsoonbedead.Sitacursedinanger.Andthenrealiseditwasawasteofenergy.Shebeganto
breathedeeply.Calmingherheartdown.Payingattention.She lookedaroundcarefully.Nobodyaheadofher.Thearrowshadcomefromtheotherdirection,obscuredby the tree thatprotectedher.Sheknewtherehad tobeat least twoenemies.Therewasnowayasinglearchercouldhaveshottwoarrowsinsuchrapidsuccession.ShelookedatMakrantagain.Hehadstoppedmoving.Hissoulhadmoved
on.Thejunglewaseerilyquiet.Itwasalmostimpossibletobelievethatjustafewshortmomentsago,brutalviolencehadbeenunleashed.Farewell,braveMakrant.Mayyoursoulfindpurposeonceagain.Shecaughtsnatchesofcommandswhisperedinthedistance.‘Goto…Lord
Kumbhakarna…Tell…she’s…here…’She heard the hurried footsteps of someone rushing away. There was
probably just one enemy now. She looked down at the earth andwhispered,‘Helpme,mother.Helpme.’Shedrewherknifefromthescabbard tiedhorizontally to thesmallofher
back. She closed her eyes. She couldn’t afford to look around the tree andexposeherself. Shewould probably be shot instantly.Her eyeswere useless.Shehadtorelyonherears.Thereweregreatarcherswhocouldshootarrowsbyrelyingonsound.Butveryfewcouldthrowknivesatthesourceofasound.Sitawasoneofthoseveryfew.Sheheardaloudyetsurprisinglygentlevoice.‘Comeout,PrincessSita.We
don’twanttohurtyou.It’sbetterif…’Thevoicestoppedmid-sentence.Itwouldnotbeheardeveragain.Forthere
wasaknifeburiedinthethroatthathadbeenthesourceofthatvoice.Sitahad,without bringing herself into view, turned quickly and flung the knife withunerringanddeadlyaccuracy.TheLankansoldierwasmomentarilysurprisedastheknifethumpedintohisthroat.Hediedinnotime.JustlikeMakranthad,drowninginhisownblood.Sita waited. She had to be sure there was no one else. She had no other
weapon. But her enemies didn’t know that. She listened intently. Hearing nosound,shethrewherselftotheground,rollingrapidlybehindlowshrubs.Stillnosignofanyone.Move!Move!There’snobodyelse!SitaquicklyrosetoherfeetandsprintedtotheslainLankan,surprisedthat
hisbowwasnotnockedwithanarrow.Shetriedtopullherknifeout,butitwaslodgedtoodeepinthedeadLankan’svertebra.Itrefusedtobudge.Thecampisintrouble!Move!Sitapickedup theLankan’squiver. It contained a fewarrows.Shequickly
tied it around her back and shoulder. She lifted the bow.And ran.Ran hard!Towardsthetemporarycamp.ShehadtokilltheotherLankansoldierbeforehereachedhisteamandwarnedthem.
The temporary camp showed signs of a massive struggle. Most of theMalayaputrasoldiers,exceptJatayuandtwoothers,werealreadydead.Lyinginpoolsofblood.Theyhadbeenruthlesslymassacred.Jatayuwasalsobadlyinjured.Bloodseepedoutfromnumerouswoundsthatcoveredhisbody.Somemadebyblades,somebyfists.Hisarmsweretiedtightlybehindhisback.TwoLankansoldiersheldhimupinatightgrip.Agiantofamanloomedinfront,questioningthegreatNaga.
Naga was the name given to people of the Sapt Sindhu born withdeformities.Jatayu’smalformationgavehisfacetheappearanceofavulture.TheothertwoMalayaputraskneltontheground,alsobloodied.Theirhands
were similarly tied at the back.ThreeLankan soldiers surrounded each one,while two more held them down. The Lankan swords were dripping withblood.Raavanandhisyoungerbrother,Kumbhakarna,stoodatadistance.Looking
intentlyattheinterrogation.Focused.Theirhandscleanofanyblood.‘Answerme,Captain,’barkedtheLankan.‘Wherearethey?’Jatayushookhisheadvehemently.Hislipsweresealed.The Lankan leanedwithin an inch of theNaga’s ear andwhispered, ‘You
wereoneofus,Jatayu.YouwereloyaltoLordRaavanonce.’JatayucastamalevolentlookattheLankan.Hissmoulderingeyesgavethe
reply.The Lankan continued. ‘We can forget the past. Tell us what we want to
know.AndcomebacktoLankawithhonour.ThisisthewordofaLankan.ThisisthewordofCaptainKhara.’Jatayu looked away and stared into the distance. Anger fading. A blank
expressiononhisface.Asifhismindwassomewhereelse.TheLankaninterrogatorsignalledoneofhissoldiers.‘Asyoucommand,CaptainKhara,’saidthesoldier,wipinghisswordclean
onhisforearmbandandslippingitbackintohisscabbard.HewalkeduptoaninjuredMalayaputra, and drew out his serrated knife. He positioned himselfbehindtheyouth,yankedhisheadbackandplacedtheknifeagainsthisthroat.ThenhelookedatKhara,awaitingtheorder.Khara took hold of Jatayu’s head such that his eyes stared directly at his
fellowMalayaputra.Theknifeathisthroat.‘Youmaynotcareforyourownlife,CaptainJatayu,’saidKhara,‘butdon’t
youwanttosaveatleasttwoofyoursoldiers?’The Malayaputra looked at Jatayu and shouted, ‘I am ready to die, my
Captain!Don’tsayanything!’The Lankan hit the young soldier ’s head with the knife hilt. His body
slouchedandthenstraightenedagainwithcourage.Thebladeswiftlyreturnedtohisthroat.Kharaspokewithsilkypoliteness, ‘Comeon,Captain.Saveyoursoldier ’s
life.Telluswheretheyare.’‘Youwill never catch them!’ growled Jatayu. ‘The three of them are long
gone!’Kharalaughed.‘ThetwoprincesofAyodhyacankeepgoing,forallIcare.
WeareonlyinterestedintheVishnu.’Jatayuwasshocked.Howdotheyknow?‘WhereistheVishnu?’askedKhara.‘Whereisshe?’Jatayu’slipsbegantomove,butonlyinprayer.Hewasprayingforthesoul
ofhisbravesoldier.Kharagaveacurtnod.Jatayu suddenly straightened and loudly rent the air with theMalayaputra
cry.‘JaiParshuRam!’‘JaiParshuRam!’ shoutedboth theMalayaputras.The fear of death could
nottouchthem.TheLankanpressedthebladeintothethroatoftheMalayaputra.Slowly.He
slidtheserratedknifetotheside,inflictingmaximumpain.Bloodspurtedoutin a shower.As theyouth collapsed to theground, life slowly ebbingout ofhim,Jatayuwhisperedwithintheconfinesofhismind.Farewell,mybravebrother…
Sita slowed as she approached the camp. She had already killed the otherLankansoldier.Helaysomedistanceaway.Anarrowpiercedinhisheart.Shehadgrabbedhisarrowsandaddedthemtoherquiver.Shehidbehindatreeandsurveyed the camp.Lankan soldierswere everywhere. Probablymore than ahundred.AlltheMalayaputrasoldiersweredead.AllexceptJatayu.Twolaycloseto
him, their heads arched at odd angles. Surrounded by large pools of blood.Jatayuwasonhisknees,heldbytwoLankans.Hishandsweretiedbehindhisback.Brutalised,injuredandbleeding.Butnotbroken.Hewasdefiantlystaringintothedistance.Kharastoodnearhim,hisknifeplacedonJatayu’supperarm.Heranhisknifegentlyalongthetriceps,cuttingintotheflesh,drawingblood.Sita looked at Khara and frowned. I know him. Where have I seen him
before?Khara smiled as he ran the knife back along the bloodied line he had just
drawn,slicingdeepintosomesinew.‘Answerme,’saidKhara,asheslidtheknifealongJatayu’scheekthistime,
drawingsomemoreblood.‘Whereisshe?’Jatayu spat at him. ‘Kill me quickly. Or kill me slowly. You will not get
anythingfromme.’Khararaisedhisknifeinanger,abouttostrikeandfinishthejob.Itwasnot
tobe.Anarrowwhizzedinandstruckhishand.Theknifefelltothegroundas
hescreamedaloud.RaavanandhisbrotherKumbhakarnawhirledaround,startled.ManyLankan
soldiers rushed in and formed a protective cordon around the two royals.KumbhakarnagrabbedRaavan’sarmtorestrainhisimpulsiveelderbrother.Othersoldiersraisedtheirbowsandpointedtheirarrowsinthedirectionof
Sita. A loud ‘Don’t shoot!’ was heard from Kumbhakarna. The bows wereswiftlylowered.Khara broke the shaft, leaving the arrowhead buried in his hand. Itwould
stem theblood forawhile.He looked into the impenetrable lineof trees thearrowhademerged from,andscoffed indisdain. ‘Whoshot that?The long-sufferingprince?Hisoversizedbrother?OrtheVishnuherself?’AstunnedSitastoodrootedtothespot.Vishnu?!HowdotheLankansknow?
Whobetrayedme?!Shemarshalledhermindintothepresentmoment.Thiswasnotthetimefor
distractions.Shemovedquickly,withoutasound,toanotherlocation.TheymustnotknowthatI’malone.‘Comeoutandfightlikerealwarriors!’challengedKhara.Sita was satisfiedwith her new position. It was some distance away from
whereshehadshotherfirstarrow.Sheslowlypulledanotherarrowoutofherquiver, nocked it on the bowstring and took aim. In the Lankan army, if thecommanderfell,therestoftheforcewasknowntoquicklyretreat.ButRaavanwaswellprotectedbyhissoldiers,theirshieldsraisedhigh.Shecouldnotfindanadequatelineofsight.WishRamwashere.Hewouldhavegottenanarrowthroughsomehow.Sita decided to launch a rapid-fire attack on the soldiers to create an
opening.Shefiredfivearrowsinquicksuccession.FiveLankanswentdown.But the others did not budge.The cordon aroundRaavan remained resolute.Readytofallfortheirking.Raavanremainedprotected.Some soldiers began to run in her direction.Shequicklymoved to a new
location.Asshetookposition,shecheckedthequiver.Threearrowsleft.Damn!Sitadeliberatelysteppedonatwig.Someofthesoldiersrushedtowardsthe
sound. She quickly moved again, hoping to find a breach in the protectivecircle of men around Raavan. But Khara was a lot smarter than she hadsuspected.The Lankan stepped back and, using his uninjured left hand, pulled out a
knifefromthesoleofhisshoe.HemovedbehindJatayuandheldtheknifetotheNaga’sthroat.Withamaniacalsmileplayingonhis lips,Khara taunted, ‘Youcouldhave
escaped.Butyoudidn’t.SoI’mbettingyouareamongthosehidingbehindthetrees,greatVishnu.’Khara laidsarcasticemphasison theword‘great’. ‘And,youwanttoprotectthosewhoworshipyou.Soinspiring…sotouching…’Kharapretendedtowipeawayatear.SitastaredattheLankanwithunblinkingeyes.Kharacontinued, ‘SoIhaveanoffer.Stepforward.Tellyourhusbandand
that giant brother-in-law of yours to also step forward.Andwewill let thiscaptainlive.Wewillevenlet thetwosorryAyodhyaprincesleaveunharmed.Allwewantisyoursurrender.’Sitaremainedstationary.Silent.KharagrazedtheknifeslowlyalongJatayu’sneck,leavingbehindathinred
line.Hespokeinasing-songmanner,‘Idon’thaveallday…’Suddenly,Jatayustruckbackwardswithhishead,hittingKharainhisgroin.
AstheLankandoubledupinpain,Jatayuscreamed,‘Run!Runaway,MyLady!Iamnotworthyourlife!’Three Lankan soldiers moved in and pushed Jatayu to the ground. Khara
cursedloudlyashegotbackonhisfeet,stillbentovertoeasethepain.Afterafewmoments,heinchedtowardstheNagaandkickedhimhard.Hesurveyedthetreeline,turningineverydirectionthatthearrowshadbeenfiredfrom.Allthewhile,hekeptkickingJatayuagainandagain.HebentandroughlypulledJatayutohisfeet.Sitacouldseethecaptivenow.Clearly.This timeKhara held Jatayu’s head firmlywith his injured right hand, to
preventanyheadbutting.Thesneerwasbackonhisface.Heheldtheknifewithhisotherhand.HeplaceditattheNaga’sthroat.‘Icancutthejugularhereandyourprecious captainwill bedead in just a fewmoments, greatVishnu.’Hemoved the knife to the Malayaputra’s abdomen. ‘Or, he can bleed to deathslowly.Allofyouhavesometimetothinkaboutit.’Sitawas still. She had just three arrows left. It would be foolhardy to try
anything.ButshecouldnotletJatayudie.Hehadbeenlikeabrothertoher.‘AllwewantistheVishnu,’yelledKhara.‘Lethersurrenderandtherestof
youcanleave.Youhavemyword.YouhavethewordofaLankan!’‘Lethimgo!’screamedSita,stillhiddenbehindthetrees.‘Step forward and surrender,’ said Khara, holding the knife to Jatayu’s
abdomen.‘Andwewilllethimgo.’Sitalookeddownandclosedhereyes.Hershouldersslumpedwithhelpless
rage. And then, without giving herself any time for second thoughts, she
steppedout.Butnotbeforeherinstinctsmadehernockanarrowonthebow,readytofire.‘Great Vishnu,’ sniggered Khara, letting go of Jatayu for a moment, and
runninghishandalonganancientscaratthebackofhishead.Stirringanot-so-forgottenmemory.‘Sokindofyoutojoinus.Whereisyourhusbandandhisgiantbrother?’Sitadidn’tanswer.SomeLankansoldiersbeganmovingslowlytowardsher.
Shenoticed that their swordswere sheathed.Theywerecarrying lathis, longbamboosticks,whichweregoodenoughtoinjurebutnottokill.Shesteppedforwardandloweredthebow.‘Iamsurrendering.LetCaptainJatayugo.’Khara laughed softly as he pushed the knife deep into Jatayu’s abdomen.
Gently.Slowly.Hecutthroughtheliver,akidney,neverstopping…‘Nooo!’ screamed Sita. She raised her bow and shot an arrow deep into
Khara’seye.Itpuncturedthesocketandlodgeditselfinhisbrain,killinghiminstantly.‘I want her alive!’ screamed Kumbhakarna from behind the protective
Lankancordon.MoresoldiersjoinedthosealreadymovingtowardSita,theirbamboolathis
heldhigh.‘Raaaam!’ shouted Sita, as she pulled another arrow from her quiver,
quicklynockedandshotit,bringinganotherLankandowninstantly.Itdidnotslowthepaceoftheothers.Theykeptrushingforward.Sitashotanotherarrow.Herlast.OnemoreLankansanktotheground.The
otherspressedon.‘Raaaam!’TheLankanswerealmostuponher,theirbamboolathisraised.‘Raaam!’screamedSita.As a Lankan closed in, she lassoed her bow, entangling his lathi with the
bowstring,snatchingitfromhim.Sitahitbackwiththebamboolathi, straightattheLankan’shead,knockinghimoffhisfeet.Sheswirledthelathioverherhead, its menacing sound halting the suddenly wary soldiers. She stoppedmoving,holdingherweaponsteady.Conservingherenergy.Readyandalert.Onehandheld the stick in themiddle, the endof it tuckedunderher armpit.Theotherarmwasstretchedforward.Herfeetspreadwide,inbalance.ShewassurroundedbyatleastfiftyLankansoldiers.Buttheykepttheirdistance.‘Raaaam!’ bellowed Sita, praying that her voice would somehow carry
acrosstheforesttoherhusband.‘Wedon’twanttohurtyou,LadyVishnu,’saidaLankan,surprisinglypolite.
‘Pleasesurrender.Youwillnotbeharmed.’
SitacastaquickglanceatJatayu.Ishestillbreathing?‘We have the equipment in our Pushpak Vimaan to save him,’ said the
Lankan.‘Don’tforceustohurtyou.Please.’Sitafilledherlungswithairandscreamedyetagain,‘Raaaam!’Shethoughtsheheardafaintvoicefromalongdistance.‘Sitaaa…’Asoldiermovedsuddenlyfromherleft,swinginghislathilow.Aimingfor
hercalves.Sitajumpedhigh,tuckingherfeetintoavoidtheblow.Whileintheair,shequicklyreleasedtheright-handgriponthelathiandswungitviciouslywithherlefthand.Thelathihit theLankanonthesideofhishead.Knockinghimunconscious.Asshelanded,sheshoutedagain,‘Raaaam!’Sheheardthesamevoice.Thevoiceofherhusband.Soft,fromthedistance.
‘Leave…her…alone…’Asifelectrifiedbythesoundofhisvoice,tenLankanschargedintogether.
Sheswungherlathiferociouslyonallsides,rapidlyincapacitatingmany.‘Raaaam!’Sheheardthevoiceagain.Notsodistantthistime.‘Sitaaaa….’He’sclose.He’sclose.TheLankanonslaughtwas steadyandunrelentingnow.Sitakept swinging
rhythmically. Viciously. Alas, there were one too many enemies. A Lankanswunghislathifrombehind.Intoherback.‘Raaa…’Sita’s knees buckled under her as she collapsed to the ground.Before she
couldrecover,thesoldiersraninandheldhertight.ShestruggledfiercelyasaLankancameforward,holdinganeemleafinhis
hand.Itwassmearedwithablue-colouredpaste.Heheldtheleaftightagainsthernose.Asdarknessbegantoenvelopher,shesensedsomeropesagainstherhands
andfeet.Ram…Helpme…Andthedarknesstookover.
Chapter2
38yearsearlier,NorthofTrikutHills,Deoghar,India
‘Waitaminute,’whisperedSunaina,asshepulledthereinsonherhorse.Janak,thekingofMithila,andhiswife,Sunaina,hadtravelledalongwayto
theTrikutHills,nearlyahundredkilometressouthof theGangaRiver.TheysoughttomeetthelegendaryKanyakumari,theVirginGoddess.Adivinechild.It was believed across the Sapt Sindhu, land of the seven rivers, that theblessingsoftheLivingGoddesshelpedallwhocametoherwithacleanheart.AndtheroyalfamilyofMithilacertainlyneededHerblessings.Mithila,foundedbythegreatkingMithi,onthebanksofthemightyGandaki
River,wasonceathrivingriver-porttown.Itswealthwasbuiltonagriculture,owingtoitsexceptionallyfertilesoil,aswellasrivertradewiththerestoftheSapt Sindhu. Unfortunately, fifteen years ago, an earthquake and subsequentfloodhadchanged thecourseof theGandaki. Italsochanged thefortunesofMithila. The river now flowed farther to thewest, by the city of Sankashya.Ruled by Janak’s younger brother Kushadhwaj, Sankashya was a nominallysubsidiary kingdomofMithila.To add to thewoes ofMithila, the rains hadfailed repeatedly for a few years after the change of Gandaki’s course.Mithila’slosswasSankashya’sgain.KushadhwajrapidlyroseinstatureasthedefactorepresentativeoftheclanofMithi.ManyhadsuggestedthatKingJanakshouldinvestsomeoftheoldwealthof
MithilainanengineeringprojecttoredirecttheGandakibacktoitsoldcourse.ButKushadhwajhadadvisedagainstit.Hehadarguedthatitmadelittlesenseto spendmoneyon such amassive engineeringproject.After all,whywastemoney to take the river from Sankashya to Mithila, when the wealth ofSankashyawasultimatelyMithila’s.Janak,adevoutandspiritualman,hadadoptedaphilosophicalapproachto
hiskingdom’sdeclineinfortune.Butthenewqueen,Sunaina,whohadmarriedJanak just two years earlier, was not the idle sort. She planned to restore
Mithilatoitsoldglory.AndabigpartofthatplanwastorestoretheoldcourseoftheGandaki.Butaftersomanyyears,ithadbecomedifficulttofindlogicalreasonstojustifythecostlyanddifficultengineeringproject.Whenlogicfails,faithcanserveapurpose.Sunaina had convinced Janak to accompany her to the temple of the
Kanyakumari and seek her blessings. If the Child Goddess approved of theGandaki project, evenKushadhwajwould find it difficult to argue against it.NotjusttheMithilans,butmanyacrossthelengthandbreadthofIndiabelievedthe Kanyakumari’s word to be that of the Mother Goddess Herself.Unfortunately,theKanyakumarihadsaidno.‘Respectthejudgementofnature,’shehadsaid.It was a disappointed Sunaina and a philosophical Janak, alongwith their
royalguard,whoweretravellingnorthfromtheTrikutHillsnow,ontheirwayhometoMithila.‘Janak!’ Sunaina raised her voice. Her husband had ridden ahead without
slowing.Janakpulledhishorse’sreinsandlookedback.Hiswifepointedwordlessly
toa tree in thedistance. Janak followedherdirection.A fewhundredmetresaway,apackofwolveshadsurroundedasolitaryvulture.Theyweretryingtocloseinandwerebeingpushedbackrepeatedlybythehugebird.Thevulturewasscreamingandsquawking.Avulture’ssquawk isnaturallymournful;butthisonesoundeddesperate.Sunaina looked closely. It was an unfair fight. There were six wolves,
weavinginandout,attackingthevultureinperfectcoordination.Butthebravebird stood its ground, pushing them back repeatedly. The aggressors weregraduallydrawingclose.Awolfhitthevulturewithitsclaws,drawingblood.Whyisn’titflyingaway?Sunaina began to canter towards the fight, intrigued. Her bodyguards
followedatadistance.‘Sunaina …’ cautioned her husband, staying where he was, holding his
horse’sreinstight.Suddenly, using the distraction of the vulturewith another attack from the
left, awolf struckwith lethal effect. It charged in from the right and bit thebird’sleftwingbrutally.Gettingagoodhold,thewolfpulledbackhard,tryingtodragthevultureaway.Thebirdsquawkedfrantically.Itsvoicesoundinglikeawail.But it held strong. It did notmove, pulling backwith all its strength.However,thewolfhadstrongjawsandastrongergrip.Bloodburstforthlikeafountain.Thewolfletgo,spittingpartsoftheseveredwingasitsteppedback.Sunainaspurredherhorseandbegan togallop towards thescene.Shehad
expected the vulture to escape through the opening the two wolves hadprovided.But,surprisingly,itstoodinplace,pushinganotherwolfback.Usetheopening!Getaway!Sunainawasspeedingtowardstheanimalsnow.Theroyalbodyguardsdrew
theirswordsandracedaftertheirqueen.Afewfellbackwiththeking.‘Sunaina!’saidJanak,worriedabouthiswife’ssafety.Hespurredhishorse,
buthewasnotthebestofriders.Hishorseblithelycontinueditsslowtrot.Sunainawasperhapsfiftymetresawaywhenshenoticedthebundleforthe
firsttime.Thevulturewasprotectingitfromthepackofwolves.Itwaslodgedinwhatlookedlikealittlefurrowinthedrymud.Thebundlemoved.‘BythegreatLordParshuRam!’exclaimedSunaina.‘That’sababy!’Sunainapressedforward,rapidlygoadingherhorseintoafiercegallop.As she neared the pack of wolves, she heard the soft, frantic cries of a
humanbaby,almostdrownedoutbythehowlinganimals.‘Hyaah!’screamedSunaina.Herbodyguardsrodeclosebehind.Thewolvesturnedtailandscamperedintothewoodsasthemountedriders
thundered towards thewounded bird.A guard raised his sword to strike thevulture.‘Wait!’orderedSunaina,raisingherrighthand.He stopped inhis tracksashis fellowbodyguards reined theirhorses toa
halt.Sunaina was raised in a land to the east of Branga. Her father was from
Assam,sometimescalledbyitsancientname,Pragjyotisha,thelandofEasternLight.And hermother belonged toMizoram, the land of theHigh People ofRam.Devoteesof the sixthVishnu,LordParshuRam, theMizoswere fiercewarriors.Buttheyweremostwellknownfortheirinstinctiveunderstandingofanimalsandtherhythmsofnature.Sunainaintuitivelyknewthatthe‘bundle’wasnotfoodforthevulture,buta
responsibilitytobeprotected.‘Getmesomewater,’orderedSunaina,asshedismountedherhorse.Oneoftheguardsspokeupasthegroupdismounted.‘MyLady,isitsafefor
youto…’Sunainacuthimshortwithawitheringlook.Thequeenwasshortandpetite.
Her round, fair-complexioned face conveyed gentleness to the observer.Buthersmalleyesbetrayedthesteelydeterminationthatwasthecoreofherbeing.Sherepeatedsoftly,‘Getmesomewater.’‘Yes,MyLady.’Abowlfilledwithwaterappearedinaninstant.
Sunainalockedhereyeswiththevulture’s.Thebirdwasbreathingheavily,exhausted by its battle with the wolves. It was covered in blood from thenumerouswoundsonitsbody.Thewoundonitswingwasespeciallyalarming,bloodgushingoutofitatafrighteningrate.Lossofbloodmadeitunsteadyonits feet. But the vulture refused to move, its eyes fixed on Sunaina. It wassquawking aggressively, thrusting its beak forward. Striking the air with itstalonstokeeptheQueenofMithilaaway.Sunaina pointedly ignored the bundle behind the vulture. Focused on the
massive bird, she began to hum a soft, calming tune.The vulture seemed toease a bit. It withdrew its talons. The squawking reduced in volume andintensity.Sunainacreptforward.Gently.Slowly.Onceclose,shebowedherheadand
submissivelyplacedthebowlofwaterinfrontofthebird.Thenshecreptbackjustasslowly.Shespokeinamellifluousvoice.‘Ihavecometohelp…Trustme…’Thedumbbeastunderstoodthetoneofthehuman.Itbenttosipsomewater,
butinstead,collapsedtotheground.Sunaina rushed forward and cradled the head of the now prone bird,
caressing itgently.Thechild,wrapped ina rich redclothwithblack stripes,wascryingdesperately.Shesignalledasoldiertopickupthepreciousbundleasshecontinuedtosoothethebird.
‘Whatabeautifulbaby,’cooedJanak,ashebenthistall,wiryframeandedgedclosetohiswife,hisnormallywisebutdetachedeyesfullofloveandattention.Janak and Sunaina sat on temporarily set up chairs. The baby slept
comfortably in Sunaina’s arms, swaddled in a soft cotton cloth. A massiveumbrellashadedthemfromthescorchingsun.Theroyaldoctorhadexaminedthebaby,andbandagedawoundonherrighttemplewithsomeherbsandneemleaves.Hehadassuredtheroyalcouple that thescarwouldlargelydisappearwith time. Along with the other physician, the doctor now tended to thevulture’swounds.‘She’sprobablyjustafewmonthsold.Shemustbestrongtohavesurvived
thisordeal,’saidSunaina,gentlyrockingthebabyinherarms.‘Yes.Strongandbeautiful.Justlikeyou.’Sunaina lookedatherhusbandandsmiledasshecaressed thebaby’shead.
‘Howcananyoneabandonachildlikeher?’Janak sighed. ‘Many people are notwise enough to count life’s blessings.
Theykeepfocusinginsteadonwhattheworldhasdeniedthem.’Sunaina nodded at her husband and turned her attention back to the child.
‘Shesleepslikeanangel.’‘Thatshedoes,’saidJanak.Sunaina pulled the baby up close and kissed her gently on the forehead,
carefultoavoidtheinjuredarea.Janakpattedhiswife’sbackwarmly.‘Butareyousure,Sunaina?’‘Yes.Thisbabyisours.DeviKanyakumarimaynothavegivenuswhatwe
wanted.Butshehasblesseduswithsomethingmuchbetter.’‘Whatwillwecallher?’Sunainalookedupattheskyanddrewinadeepbreath.Shehadanamein
mindalready.SheturnedtoJanak.‘WefoundherinafurrowinMotherEarth.Itwaslikeamother ’swombforher.WewillcallherSita.’
SunainarushedintoJanak’sprivateoffice.Reclininginaneasychair,thekingofMithilawas reading the text of the JabaliUpanishad. It was a treatise onwisdombythegreatMaharishiSatyakamJabali.Shiftingattentiontohiswife,heputdownthetext.‘So,hastheEmperorwon?’IthadbeenfiveyearssinceSitahadenteredtheirlives.‘No,’saidabewilderedSunaina,‘helost.’Janak sat up straight, stunned. ‘Emperor Dashrath lost to a trader from
Lanka?’‘Yes. Raavan has almost completely massacred the Sapt Sindhu Army at
Karachapa.EmperorDashrathbarelyescapedwithhislife.’‘LordRudrabemerciful,’whisperedJanak.‘There’smore.QueenKaushalya,theeldestwifeoftheEmperor,gavebirth
to a sonon theday that he lost theBattle ofKarachapa.Andnow,many areblaming the little boy for the defeat. Saying that he’s an ill omen. For theEmperorhadneverlostabattletillthisboywasborn.’‘Whatnonsense!’saidJanak.‘Howcanpeoplebesostupid?’‘The little boy’s name isRam.Named after the sixthVishnu,LordParshu
Ram.’‘Let’shopeit’sluckyforhim.Poorchild.’‘IammoreconcernedaboutthefateofMithila,Janak.’Janaksighedhelplessly.‘Whatdoyouthinkwillhappen?’Sunainahadbeengoverningthekingdompracticallysinglehandedly,oflate.
Janakwasspendingmoreandmoretimelostintheworldofphilosophy.The
queen had become increasingly popular in the kingdom.Many believed thatshe had been lucky forMithila. For the rains had poured down in all theirgloryeveryyearsinceshehadcometothecityasKingJanak’swife.‘Iamworriedaboutsecurity,’saidSunaina.‘Andwhataboutmoney?’askedJanak.‘Don’tyouthinkRaavanwillenforce
his trade demands on all the kingdoms? Money will flow out of the SaptSindhuintoLanka’scoffers.’‘Butwehardly trade thesedays.Hecannotdemandanything fromus.The
other kingdoms have a lot more to lose. I am more worried about thedecimation of the armies of the Sapt Sindhu. Lawlessness will increaseeverywhere.Howsafecanwebeiftheentirelandfallsintochaos?’‘True.’A thought crossed Janak’smind.Whocanprevent thatwhich iswrittenby
Fate,beitofpeopleorofcountries?Ourtaskisbuttounderstand,notfight,whatmustbe;andlearnthelessonsforournextlife.Orprepareformoksha.ButheknewSunainadisliked‘helplessness’.Soheremainedsilent.Thequeencontinued,‘IdidnotexpectRaavantowin.’Janaklaughed.‘It’sallverywelltobeavictor.Butthevanquishedgetmore
lovefromtheirwomen!’Sunaina narrowed her eyes and stared at Janak. Not impressed by her
husband’sattemptatwit.‘Wemustmakesomeplans,Janak.Wemustbereadyfortheinevitable.’Janak was tempted to respond with another humorous remark. Wisdom
dictatedrestraint.‘Itrustyoucompletely.You’llthinkofsomething,I’msure,’smiledJanak,
asheturnedhisattentionbacktotheJabaliUpanishad.
Chapter3
While the rest of Indiawas suffering the aftershocks ofDashrath’s defeat toRaavan,Mithila itselfwas relativelyunaffected.Therewasnotmuch trade inany case to be negatively impacted. Sunaina had initiated some reforms thathadworkedwell.Forinstance,localtaxcollectionandadministrationhadbeendevolvedto thevillage level. It reducedthestrainon theMithilabureaucracyandimprovedefficiency.Usingthe increasedrevenuefromagriculture,shehadretrainedtheexcess
bureaucracy and expanded theMithila police force, thus improving securitywithin the kingdom.Mithila had no standing army and did not need one; bytreaty,theSankashyaArmyofKushadhwajwassupposedtofighttheexternalenemiesofMithila,whennecessary.Thesewerenotmajorchangesandwereimplemented relatively smoothly, without disturbing the daily life of theMithilans.Thereweremassdisturbancesintheotherkingdomsthough,whichrequired gut-wrenching changes to comply with the treaties imposed byRaavan.Sita’sbirthdayhadbeenestablishedasadayofcelebrationbyroyaldecree.
Theydidn’tknowheractualdateofbirth.So theycelebrated thedayshehadbeenfoundinthefurrow.Todaywashersixthbirthday.Giftsandalmsweredistributedtothepoorinthecity.Likeitwasdoneon
everyspecialday.Withadifference.UntilSunainahadcomeandtoneduptheadministration,much of the charitywas grabbed by labourerswhowere notrich, butwhowerenot exactly poor either.Sunaina’s administrative reformshadensuredthatthecharityfirstwenttothosewhoweretrulypoorandneedy;thosewholivedintheslumsclosetothesoutherngateoftheinner,secondaryfortwall.After the public ceremonies, the royal couple had arrived at the massive
templeofLordRudra.TheLordRudratemplewasbuiltofredsandstone.Itwasoneofthetallest
structures in Mithila, visible from most parts of the city. It had a massive
garden around it — an area of peace in this crowded quarter of the city.Beyond the garden were the slums, spreading all the way to the fort walls.Insidethemaingarbagriha,thesanctumsanctorumofthetemple,alargeidolof Lord Rudra and Lady Mohini had been consecrated. Seemingly inconsonance with a city that had come to symbolise the love of knowledge,peace,andphilosophy,theimageofLordRudrawasnotinhisnormallyfierceform. In this form, he looked kind, almost gentle. He held the hand of thebeauteousLadyMohini,whosatnexttohim.After the prayers, the temple priest offered prasad to the royal family.
Sunainatouchedthepriest’sfeetandthenledSitabythehandtoawallbythesideofthegarbagriha.Onthewall,aplaquehadbeenputupinmemoryofthevulture thathadvaliantlydieddefendingSitafromapackofwolves.Adeathmaskofitsfacehadbeenmadebeforethebirdwascrematedwithhonour.Castin metal, the mask recorded the last expression of the vulture as it left itsmortalbody.Itwasahauntinglook:determinedandnoble.Sitahadmadehermotherrelatetheentirestoryonseveraloccasions.Sunainahadbeenhappytooblige.Shewantedherdaughter toremember.Toknowthatnobilitycameinmanyaformandface.Sitatouchedthedeathmaskgently,reverentially.Andasalways,sheshedatearfortheonewhohadalsogivenherthegiftoflife.‘Thank you,’ whispered Sita. She said a short prayer to the great God
Pashupati,LordoftheAnimals.Shehopedthevulture’sbravesoulhadfoundpurposeagain.Janakdiscreetlysignalledhiswife,andtheroyalfamilyslowlywalkedout
oftheLordRudratemple.Thepriestsledthefamilydowntheflightofsteps.Theslumswereclearlyvisiblefromtheplatformheight.‘Why don’t you ever let me go there,Maa?’ asked Sita, pointing at the
slums.Sunainasmiledandpattedherdaughter ’shead.‘Soon.’‘Youalwayssaythat,’Sitaprotested,agrumpyexpressiononherface.‘And,Imeanit,’laughedSunaina.‘Soon.Ijustdidn’tsayhowsoon!’
‘Alright,’saidJanak,rufflingSita’shair.‘Runalongnow.IhavetospeakwithGuruji.’The seven-year-old Sita had been playing with her father in his private
officewhenJanak’schiefguru,Ashtaavakra,hadwalkedin.Janakhadbowedto his guru, aswas the tradition, and had requested him to sit on the throneassignedforhim.
Mithila, notbeingamajorplayer in thepolitical arenaof theSaptSindhuanymore, did not have a permanent raj guru. But Janak’s court hosted thewidestrangeofeminentseers,scholars,scientistsandphilosophersfromIndia.Intellectuals loved theMithilan air,waftingwith the fragrance of knowledgeand wisdom. And one of the most distinguished of these thinkers, RishiAshtaavakra,was Janak’s chief guru. Even the greatMaharishiVishwamitra,ChiefoftheMalayaputratribe,visitedMithilaonoccasion.‘Wecanspeaklater,ifyousodesire,YourHighness,’saidAshtaavakra.‘No,no.Ofcoursenot,’saidJanak.‘Ineedyourguidanceonaquestionthat
hasbeentroublingme,Guruji.’Ashtaavakra’sbodywasdeformedineightplaces.Hismotherhadmetwith
anaccidentlateinherpregnancy.Butfateandkarmahadbalancedthephysicalhandicap with an extraordinarymind. Ashtaavakra had shown signs of utterbrilliancefromaveryyoungage.Asayouth,hehadvisitedJanak’scourtanddefeated the king’s then chief guru, Rishi Bandi, in a scintillating debate. Indoingso,hehadredeemedhisfather,RishiKahola,whohadlostadebate toBandi earlier. Rishi Bandi had gracefully accepted defeat and retired to anashramnear theEasternSeatoacquiremoreknowledge.Thusitwasthat theyoungAshtaavakrabecameJanak’schiefguru.Ashtaavakra’sdeformitiesdidnotattractattentionintheliberalatmosphere
ofMithila,thekingdomofthepiousking,Janak.Forthesage’sluminousmindwascompelling.‘Iwillseeyouintheevening,Baba,’saidSitatoherfatherasshe touched
hisfeet.Janakblessedher.ShealsotouchedthefeetofRishiAshtaavakraandwalked
outofthechamber.Asshecrossedthethreshold,Sitastoppedandhidbehindthedoor.OutofJanak’seyesight,butwithinearshot.Shewantedtohearwhatquestionhadbeentroublingherfather.‘Howdoweknowwhatrealityis,Guruji?’askedJanak.TheyoungSitastoodnonplussed.Confused.Shehadheardwhisperings in
the corridors of the palace. That her father was becoming increasinglyeccentric.ThattheywereluckytohaveapragmaticqueeninSunainatolookafterthekingdom.Whatisreality?Sheturnedandrantowardshermother ’schambers.‘Maa!’
Sitahadwaitedlongenough.Shewaseightyearsoldnow.Andhermotherhad
stillnot takenher to theslumsadjoiningthefortwalls.Thelast timeshehadasked, she had at least been offered an explanation. She had been told that itcouldbedangerous.Thatsomepeoplecouldgetbeatenupoverthere.Sitanowbelievedthathermotherwasjustmakingexcuses.Finally,curiosityhadgotten thebetterofher.Disguised in theclothesofa
maid’s child, Sita slipped out of the palace. An oversized angvastram waswrappedaroundhershoulderandears,servingasahood.Herheartpoundedwithexcitementandnervousness.Sherepeatedlylookedbehindtoensurethatnoonenoticedherembarkonherlittleadventure.Noonedid.Late in theafternoon,SitapassedtheLordRudratemplegardensandstole
into the slums. All alone. Her mother ’s words ringing in her ears, she hadarmed herself with a large stick. She had been practising stick-fighting foroverayearnow.As she entered the slum area, she screwed up her nose. Assaulted by the
stench.Shelookedbackatthetemplegarden,feelingtheurgetoturnback.Butalmost immediately, theexcitementofdoing something forbidden tookover.Shehadwaitedalongtimeforthis.Shewalkedfartherintotheslumquarters.The houseswere rickety structuresmade of bamboo sticks and haphazardlyspreadclothawnings.Thecrampedspacebetweenthewobblyhousesservedasthe ‘streets’ on which people walked through the slums. These streets alsoservedasopendrains,toilets,andopen-airanimalshelters.Theywerecoveredwithgarbage.Therewasmuckandexcretaeverywhere.Athinfilmofanimalandhumanurinemadeitdifficulttowalk.Sitapulledherangvastramoverhernoseandmouth,fascinatedandappalledatthesametime.Peopleactuallylivelikethis?LordRudrabemerciful.The palace staff had told her that things had improved in the slums after
QueenSunainahadcometoMithila.Howmuchworsecouldithavebeenforthistobecalledanimprovement?Shesoldieredon,gingerlyside-steppingthemuckonthemuddywalkways.
Tillshesawsomethingthatmadeherstop.Amother sat outside a slumhouse, feeding her child from a frugal plate.
Her baby was perhaps two or three years old. He sat in his mother ’s lap,gurglinghappilyashedodgedthemorselsfromherhand.Everynowandthen,he obliged the mother and opened his mouth with theatrical concession,allowinghertostuffsmallmorselsoffoodintohismouth.Itwouldthenbethemother ’sturntocooindelight.Pleasingasitwas,thiswasn’twhatfascinatedSita.Acrowsatnexttothewoman.Andshefedeveryothermorseltothebird.Thecrowwaitedforitsturn.Patiently.Toit,thiswasn’tagame.Thewomanfedthemboth.Turnbyturn.
Sita smiled.She remembered somethinghermother had said to her a fewdaysback:Oftenthepoorhavemorenobilityinthemthantheactualnobility.Shehadn’treallyunderstoodthewordsthen.Shedidnow.Sita turned around. She’d seen enough of the slums for her first trip. She
promisedherselfthatshewouldreturnsoon.Timetogobacktothepalace.Therewerefourtinylanesahead.WhichonedoItake?Uncertain,she took the left-mostoneandbegan towalk.Shekeptmoving.
But the slum border was nowhere in sight. Her heartbeat quickened as shenervouslyhastenedherpace.The light had begun to fade. Every chaotic lane seemed to end at a
crossroadsof severalotherpaths.Allhaphazard,alldisorganised.Confused,sheblindlyturnedintoaquietlane.Beginningtofeelthefirsttracesofpanic,shequickenedhersteps.Butitonlytookherthewrongway,faster.‘Sorry!’criedSita,asshebangedintosomeone.Thedark-skinnedgirl looked like an adolescent; perhaps older. Shehad a
dirty,unkemptlookabouther.Thestenchfromhertatteredclothessuggestedthatshehadnotchangedthemforawhile.Licecrawledoverthesurfaceofhermatted,unwashedhair.Shewastall,lean,andsurprisinglymuscular.Herfelineeyesandscarredbodygaveheradangerous,edgylook.ShestaredatSita’sfaceandthenatherhands.Therewasasuddenflashof
recognitioninhereyes,asthoughsensinganopportunity.Sita,meanwhile,haddarted into an adjacent lane. The Princess ofMithila picked up pace, almostbreakingintoadesperaterun.Prayingthatthiswasthecorrectpathoutoftheslum.Sweat beads were breaking out on her forehead. She tried to steady her
breath.Shecouldn’t.Shekeptrunning.Tillshewasforcedtostop.‘LordRudrabemerciful.’Shehadscreechedtoahalt,confrontedbyasolidbarrierwall.Shewasnow
wellandtruly lost, findingherselfat theotherendof theslumwhichabuttedthe inner fortwall.The innercityofMithilawasas faras itcouldbe. Itwaseerilyquiet,withscarcelyanyonearound.Thesunhadalmostset,andthefaintsnatchesof twilightonlyemphasised thedarkness.Shedidnotknowwhat todo.‘Whoisthisnow?’Avoicewasheardfrombehindher.Sitawhirledaround, ready to strike.She saw twoadolescentboysmoving
towardsherfromtheright.Sheturnedleft.Andran.Butdidnotgetfar.Alegstuckoutandtrippedher,makingherfallflatonherface.Intothemuck.Thereweremoreof them.Shegotupquicklyandgrabbedherstick.Fiveboyshad
gatheredaroundher.Casualmenaceontheirfaces.Hermotherhadwarnedheraboutthecrimesintheslums.Ofpeoplegetting
beatenup.ButSitahadnotbelievedthosestories,thinkingthatthesweetpeoplewhocametocollectcharityfromhermotherwouldneverhurtanyone.IshouldhavelistenedtoMaa.Sitalookedaroundnervously.Thefiveboyswerenowinfrontofher.The
steepfortwallwasbehindher.Therewasnoescape.She brandished the stick at them, threateningly. The boys let out a merry
laugh,amusedbytheanticsofthelittlegirl.Theoneinthecentrebitafingernailinmockfear,andsaidinasing-song
voice,‘Ooh…we’resoscared…’Raucouslaughterfollowed.‘That’sapreciousring,noblegirl,’saidtheboy,withtheatricalpoliteness.
‘I’msureit’sworthmorethanwhatthefiveofuswillearninourentirelives.Doyouthinkthat…’‘Doyouwantthering?’askedSita,feelingasenseofreliefasshereached
forit.‘Takeit.Justletmego.’Theboysniggered.‘Ofcoursewewillletyougo.Firstthrowtheringover
here.’Sitagulpedanxiously.Shebalancedherstickagainstherbody,andquickly
pulledtheringoffherforefinger.Holdingitinherclosedfist,shepointedthestickatthemwithherlefthand.‘Iknowhowtousethis.’Theboylookedathisfriends,hiseyebrowsraised.Heturnedtothegirland
smiled.‘Webelieveyou.Justthrowtheringhere.’Sitaflungtheringforward.Itfellashortdistancefromtheboy.‘Your throwingarmcoulddowithmore strength,noblegirl,’ laughed the
boy,ashebentdowntopickitup.Helookedatitcarefullyandwhistledsoftly,beforetuckingitintohiswaistband.‘Now,whatmoredoyouhave?’Suddenly,theboyarchedforwardandfelltotheground.Behindhimstood
thetall,dark-skinnedgirlSitahadcrashedintoearlier.Sheheldabigbamboostickwithbothhands.Theboyswhirledaroundaggressivelyandlookedatthegirl;thebravadoevaporatedjustasquickly.Shewastallerthantheywere.Leanandmuscular.Moreimportantly,itappearedtheboysknewher.Andherreputation.‘You have nothing to do with this, Samichi …’ said one of the boys,
hesitantly.‘Leave.’Samichiansweredwithherstickandstruckhishand.Ferociously.Theboy
staggeredback,clutchinghisarm.‘I’llbreaktheotheronetoo,ifyoudon’tgetoutofhere,’growledSamichi.
And,theboyran.Theother fourdelinquents,however,stood theirground.Theone thatwas
felledearlierwasbackonhisfeet.TheyfacedSamichi,theirbackstoSita.Theapparentlyharmlessone.Theydidn’tnoticeSitagrippingherstick,holdingithighaboveherheadandcreepingupontheonewhohadherring.Judgingthedistanceperfectly,sheswungherweaponviciouslyattheboy’shead.Thwack!Theboycollapsedinaheap,bloodspurtingfromthecrackonthebackof
hishead.Thethreeothersturnedaround.Shocked.Paralysed.‘Comeon!Quick!’ screamedSamichi, as she rushed forwardandgrabbed
Sitabythehand.As the twogirls ranaround thecorner,Samichi stoleaglancebackat the
scene.Theboylayontheground,unmoving.Hisfriendshadgatheredaroundhim,tryingtorousehim.‘Quickly!’shoutedSamichi,draggingSitaalong.
Chapter4
Sita stood, her hands locked behind her back. Her head bowed. Muck andrefusefromtheMithilaslumsalloverherclothes.Her facecakedwithmud.Theveryexpensive ringonher fingermissing.Shiveringwith fear.Shehadneverseenhermothersoangry.Sunainawasstaringatherdaughter.Nowordswerespoken.Justalookof
utterdisapproval.Andworse,disappointment.Sitafelt likeshehadfailedhermotherintheworstpossibleway.‘I’msosorry,Maa,’wailedSita,freshtearsflowingdownherface.Shewishedhermotherwouldatleastsaysomething.Or,slapher.Or,scold
her.Thissilencewasterrifying.‘Maa…’Sunainasatinstonysilence.Staringhardatherdaughter.‘MyLady!’Sunaina looked towards the entrance to her chamber.AMithila policeman
wasstandingthere.Hisheadbowed.‘Whatisthenews?’askedSunaina,brusquely.‘The five boys are missing, My Lady,’ said the policeman. ‘They have
probablyescaped.’‘Allfive?’‘I don’t have any new information on the injured boy,MyLady,’ said the
policeman,referringtotheonehitontheheadbySita.‘Somewitnesseshavecome forward.Theysay thathewascarriedawayby theotherboys.Hewasbleedingalot.’‘Alot?’‘Well…onewitnesssaidhewouldbesurprisedifthatboy…’Thepoliceman,wisely,leftthewords‘madeitalive’unsaid.‘Leaveus,’orderedSunaina.Thepolicemanimmediatelysaluted,turned,andmarchedout.Sunaina turnedher attentionback toSita.Her daughter coweredunder the
sterngaze.ThequeenthenlookedbeyondSita,atthefilthyadolescentstandingnearthewall.‘Whatisyourname,child?’askedSunaina.‘Samichi,MyLady.’‘Youarenotgoingback to theslums,Samichi.Youwillstay in thepalace
fromnowon.’Samichi smiledand foldedherhands together intoaNamaste. ‘Of course,
MyLady.Itwillbemyhonourto…’Samichi stopped speaking as Sunaina raised her right hand. The queen
turned towards Sita. ‘Go to your chambers. Take a bath.Have the physicianlookatyourwounds;andSamichi’swounds.Wewillspeaktomorrow.’‘Maa…’‘Tomorrow.’
SitawasstandingnexttoSunaina,whowasseatedontheground.BothSunainaandshewereoutsidetheprivatetempleroominthequeen’schambers.Sunainawas engrossed in making a fresh rangoli on the floor; made of powderedcolours, it was an ethereal mix of fractals, mathematics, philosophy, andspiritualsymbolism.Sunaina made a new rangoli early every morning at the entrance of the
temple.Within the temple, idols of themainGodswho Sunainaworshippedhadbeenconsecrated:LordParshuRam,thepreviousVishnu;LordRudra,thegreatMahadev;LordBrahma,thecreator-scientist.Buttheprideofplaceatthecentre was reserved for the Mother Goddess, ShaktiMaa. The tradition ofMotherGoddessworshipwasespeciallystronginthelandofSunaina’sfather,Assam; a vast, fertile and fabulously rich valley that embraced the upperreachesofthelargestriveroftheIndiansubcontinent,Brahmaputra.Sitawaitedpatiently.Tooscaredtotalk.‘There isalwaysa reasonwhyIaskyou todoornotdosomething,Sita,’
saidSunaina.Notraisinghereyesfromtheintricaterangolithatwasemergingonthefloor.Sitasatstill.Hereyespinnedonhermother ’shands.‘Thereisanagetodiscovercertainthingsinlife.Youneedtobereadyfor
it.’Finishing the rangoli, Sunaina looked at her daughter. Sita relaxed as she
sawhermother ’s eyes.Theywere full of love.As always.Shewasn’t angryanymore.
‘There are bad people too, Sita. Peoplewho do criminal things.You findthemamongtherichintheinnercityandthepoorintheslums.’‘YesMaa,I…’‘Shhh…don’ttalk,justlisten,’saidSunainafirmly.Sitafellsilent.Sunaina
continued.‘Thecriminalsamongthericharemostlydrivenbygreed.Onecannegotiate with greed. But the criminals among the poor are driven bydesperation and anger. Desperation can sometimes bring out the best in ahumanbeing.That’swhythepoorcanoftenbenoble.Butdesperationcanalsobringouttheworst.Theyhavenothingtolose.Andtheygetangrywhentheyseeotherswithsomuchwhentheyhavesolittle.It’sunderstandable.Asrulers,our responsibility is tomake efforts and change things for the better. But itcannothappenovernight.Ifwetaketoomuchfromtherichtohelpthepoor,therichwillrebel.Thatcancausechaos.Andeveryonewillsuffer.Sowehavetoworkslowly.Wemusthelpthetrulypoor.Thatisdharma.Butweshouldnotbeblindandassumethatallpoorarenoble.Noteveryonehasthespirittokeeptheircharacterstrongwhentheirstomachsareempty.’SunainapulledSitaontoherlap.Shesatcomfortably.Forthefirsttimesince
herfoolhardyforayintotheslums,shebreathedalittleeasier.‘YouwillhelpmegovernMithilasomeday,’saidSunaina.‘Youwillneedto
bematureandpragmatic.Youmustuseyourhearttodecidethedestination,butuseyourheadtoplotthejourney.Peoplewhoonlylistentotheirheartsusuallyfail.Ontheotherhand,peoplewhoonlyusetheirheadstendtobeselfish.Onlytheheartcanmakeyouthinkofothersbeforeyourself.Forthesakeofdharma,youmustaimforequalityandbalanceinsociety.Perfectequalitycanneverbeachievedbutwemusttrytoreduceinequalityasmuchaswecan.Butdon’tfallintothetrapofstereotypes.Don’tassumethatthepowerfularealwaysbadorthatthepowerlessarealwaysgood.Thereisgoodandbadineveryone.’Sitanoddedsilently.‘Youneedtobeliberal,ofcourse.ForthatistheIndianway.Butdon’tbea
blindandstupidliberal.’‘Yes,Maa.’‘Anddonotwilfullyputyourselfindangereveragain.’Sitahuggedhermother,astearsflowedoutofhereyes.Sunainapulledbackandwipedherdaughter ’s tears.‘Youfrightenedmeto
death.WhatwouldIhavedoneifsomethingbadhadhappenedtoyou?’‘Sorry,Maa.’SunainasmiledassheembracedSitaagain.‘Myimpulsivelittlegirl…’Sitatookadeepbreath.Guilthadbeengnawingawayather.Sheneededto
know.‘Maa,thatboyIhitonthehead…What…’
Sunainainterruptedherdaughter.‘Don’tworryaboutthat.’‘But…’‘Isaiddon’tworryaboutthat.’
‘Thankyou,chacha!’Sitasquealed,asshejumpedintoheruncleKushadhwaj’sarms.Kushadhwaj,Janak’syoungerbrotherandthekingofSankashya,wasona
visit toMithila. He had brought a gift for his niece. A gift that had been amassivehit.ItwasanArabianhorse.NativeIndianbreedsweredifferentfromtheArabvariety.TheIndianonesusuallyhadthirty-fourribswhiletheArabianhorses often had thirty-six. More importantly, an Arabian horse was muchsought after as itwas smaller, sleeker, andeasier to train.And its endurancelevelwasmarkedlysuperior.Itwasaprizedpossession.Andexpensivetoo.Sitawasunderstandablydelighted.Kushadhwajhandedheracustomisedsaddle,suitableforhersize.Madeof
leather, it had a gold-plated horn on top of the pommel. The saddle, thoughsmall,wasstillheavyfortheyoungSita.ButsherefusedthehelpoftheMithilaroyalstaffincarryingit.Sita dragged the saddle to the private courtyard of the royal chambers,
where her young horse waited for her. It was held by one of Kushadhwaj’saides.Sunainasmiled.‘Thankyousomuch.Sitawillbelostinthisprojectforthe
nextfewweeks.Idon’tthinkshewilleatorsleeptillshe’slearnthowtoride!’‘She’sagoodgirl,’saidKushadhwaj.‘Butitisanexpensivegift,Kushadhwaj.’‘She’smy only niece,Bhabhi,’ said Kushadhwaj to his sister-in-law. ‘If I
won’tspoilher,thenwhowill?’SunainasmiledandgesturedforthemtojoinJanakintheverandaadjoining
the courtyard. The king of Mithila set the Brihadaranyak Upanishadmanuscript aside as his wife and brother joined him. Discreet aides placedsome cups filled with buttermilk on the table. They also lit a silver lamp,placedatthecentreofthetable.Justasnoiselessly,theywithdrew.Kushadhwajcastaquizzical lookat the lampand frowned. Itwasdaytime.
Butheremainedquiet.Sunainawaitedtilltheaideswereoutofearshot.ThenshelookedatJanak.
Butherhusbandhadpickeduphismanuscriptagain.Deeplyengrossed.Afterher attempts tomeet his eyes remained unsuccessful, she cleared her throat.
Janakremainedfocusedonthemanuscriptinhishands.‘Whatisit,Bhabhi?’askedKushadhwaj.Sunaina realised that she had no choice. Shewould have to be the one to
speakup.Shepulledadocumentoutof the largepouch tied toherwaistandplaceditonthetable.Kushadhwajresolutelyrefusedtolookatit.‘Kushadhwaj, we have been discussing the road connecting Sankashya to
Mithila formanyyearsnow,’saidSunaina. ‘Itwaswashedaway in theGreatFlood.Butithasbeenmorethantwodecadessince.TheabsenceofthatroadhascausedimmensehardshiptothecitizensandtradersofMithila.’‘Whattraders,Bhabhi?’saidKushadhwaj,laughinggently.‘Arethereanyin
Mithila?’Sunainaignoredthebarb.‘Youhadagreedinprincipletopayfortwo-thirds
ofthecostoftheroad,ifMithilafinancedtheremainingone-third.’Kushadhwajremainedsilent.‘Mithilahasraiseditsshareofthemoney,’saidSunaina.Shepointedtothe
document.‘Let’ssealtheagreementandlettheconstructionbegin.’Kushadhwajsmiled.‘ButBhabhi,Idon’tseewhattheproblemis.Theroad
is not that bad. People use it every day. I myself took that road to Mithilayesterday.’‘But you are a king, Kushadhwaj,’ said Sunaina pleasantly, her tone
studiouslypolite.‘Youarecapableofmanythingsthatordinarypeoplearenot.Ordinarypeopleneedagoodroad.’Kushadhwajsmiledbroadly.‘Yes, theordinarypeopleofMithilaarelucky
tohaveaqueenascommittedtothemasyouare.’Sunainadidnotsayanything.‘I have an idea, Bhabhi,’ said Kushadhwaj. ‘Let Mithila begin the
constructionoftheroad.Onceyourshareoftheone-thirdisdone,Sankashyawillcompletetheremainingtwo-third.’‘Allright.’Sunainapickedupthedocumentandaquillfromasidetableandscribbleda
lineattheend.Shethenpulledouttheroyalsealfromherpouchandmarkedthe agreement. She offered the document to Kushadhwaj. It was then thatKushadhwajrealisedthesignificanceofthelamp.LordAgni,theGodofFire,aswitness.Every Indian believed that Agni was the great purifier. It was not a
coincidence that the first hymn of the first chapter of the holiest Indianscripture, theRigVeda, celebratedLordAgni.All promises thatwere sealedwiththeGodofFireaswitnesscouldneverbebroken;promisesofmarriage,ofyagnas,ofpeacetreaties…andevenapromisetobuildroads.
Kushadhwaj did not take the agreement from his sister-in-law. Instead, hereached into his pouch and pulled out his own royal seal. ‘I trust youcompletely,Bhabhi.Youcanmarkmyagreementonthedocument.’Sunaina took the seal from Kushadhwaj and was about to stamp the
agreement, when he softly spoke, ‘It’s a new seal,Bhabhi. One that reflectsSankashyaproperly.’Sunaina frowned. She turned the seal around and looked at its markings.
Eventhoughitwasamirrorimageofthesymbolthatwouldbemarkedontheagreement, the Queen of Mithila recognised it immediately. It was a singledolphin; the seal symbol of Mithila. Sankashya had historically been asubsidiary kingdom ofMithila, ruled by the youngermembers of the royalfamily.Andithadadifferentseal:asinglehilsafish.Sunainastiffenedinanger.Butsheknewthatshehadtocontrolhertemper.
Sheslowlyplacedthedocumentbackonthetable.TheSankashyasealhadnotbeenused.‘Whydon’tyougivemeyouractualseal,Kushadhwaj?’saidSunaina.‘Thisismykingdom’ssealnow,Bhabhi.’‘ItcanneverbesounlessMithilaacceptsit.Nokingdomwillrecognisethis
asyourseal tillMithilapubliclydoesso.EverySaptSindhukingdomknowsthatthesingledolphinisthemarkoftheMithilaroyalfamily’sdirectline.’‘True,Bhabhi.Butyoucanchangethat.Youcan legitimise thissealacross
thelandbyusingitonthatdocument.’Sunaina cast a look at her husband. The king ofMithila raised his head,
lookedbrieflyathiswife,andthenwentbacktotheBrihadaranyakUpanishad.‘This is not acceptable, Kushadhwaj,’ said Sunaina, maintaining her calm
expression andvoice to hide the anger boilingwithin. ‘Thiswill not happenforaslongasI’malive.’‘I don’t understand why you are getting so agitated, Bhabhi. You have
married into theMithila royal family. Iwasborn into it.The royalbloodofMithilaflowsinmyveins,notyours.Right,Janakdada?’Janaklookedupandfinallyspoke,thoughthetonewasdetachedanddevoid
ofanger.‘Kushadhwaj,whateverSunainasaysismydecisionaswell.’Kushadhwajstoodup.‘Thisisasadday.Bloodhasbeeninsultedbyblood.
Forthesakeof…’Sunainatoorosetoherfeet.AbruptlyinterruptingKushadhwaj,thoughher
toneremainedunfailinglypolite.‘Becarefulwhatyousaynext,Kushadhwaj.’Kushadhwajlaughed.HesteppedforwardandtooktheSankashyasealfrom
Sunaina’shand.‘Thisismine.’Sunainaremainedsilent.
‘Don’tpretendtobeacustodianoftheroyaltraditionsofMithila,’scoffedKushadhwaj.‘Youarenotbloodfamily.Youareonlyanimport.’Sunainawasabouttosaysomethingwhenshefeltasmallhandwrapitself
aroundhers.Shelookeddown.TheyoungSitastoodbyherside,shakingwithfury.InherotherhandwasthesaddlethatKushadhwajhadjustgiftedher.Shethrewthesaddleatheruncle.Itfellonhisfeet.AsKushadhwajdoubledupinpain,theSankashyasealfellfromhishand.Sitaleaptforward,pickedupthesealandsmashedittotheground,breaking
itintwo.Thebreakingofaroyalsealwasconsideredaverybadomen.Thiswasagrievousinsult.‘Sita!’shoutedJanak.Kushadhwaj’sfacecontortedwithfury.‘Thisisanoutrage,Dada!’Sitanowstoodinfrontofhermother.Shefacedheruncle,daringhimwith
hereyes.Spreadingherarmsouttocoverhermotherprotectively.The king of Sankashya picked up the broken pieces of his royal seal and
stormedout.‘Youhavenotheardthelastofthis,Dada!’As he left, Sunainawent down on her knees and turned Sita around. ‘You
shouldnothavedonethat,Sita.’Sitalookedathermotherwithsmoulderingeyes.Thenturnedtolookather
father,defiantandaccusing.Therewasnotatraceofapologyonherface.‘Youshouldnothavedonethat,Sita.’
Sita held on to her mother, refusing to let go. She wept with wordlessanguish.AsmilingJanakcameuptoherandpattedherhead.Theroyalfamilyhad gathered in the king’s private office. A fewweeks had passed since theincident with Kushadhwaj. Sita, her parents had decided, was old enough toleaveforgurukul;literally,theGuru’sfamily,butineffectaresidentialschool.JanakandSunainahadchosenRishiShvetaketu’sgurukulfortheirdaughter.
Shvetaketu was the uncle of Janak’s chief guru, Ashtaavakra. His gurukulofferedlessonsinthecoresubjectsofPhilosophy,Mathematics,Science,andSanskrit. Sitawould also receive education in other specialised subjects likeGeography,History,Economics,andRoyalAdministration,amongothers.One subject that Sunaina had insisted Sita be taught, overriding Janak’s
objections, was warfare and martial arts. Janak believed in non-violence.Sunainabelievedinbeingpractical.Sitaknewthatshehadtogo.Butshewasachild.Andthechildwasterrified
ofleavinghome.
‘Youwill comehome regularly,mydear,’ said Janak. ‘Andwewill comeandseeyou too.Theashram ison thebanksof theGangaRiver. It’snot toofar.’Sitatightenedhergriponhermother.SunainaprisedSita’sarmsandheldherchin.Shemadeherdaughterlookat
her.‘Youwilldowellthere.Itwillprepareyouforyourlife.Iknowthat.’‘AreyousendingmeawaybecauseofwhatIdidwithchacha?’sobbedSita.SunainaandJanakimmediatelywentdownontheirkneesandheldherclose.‘Ofcoursenot,mydarling,’saidSunaina.‘Thishasnothingtodowithyour
uncle.Youhavetostudy.Youmustgeteducatedsothatyoucanhelprunthiskingdomsomeday.’‘Yes, Sita,’ said Janak. ‘Your mother is right. What happened with
Kushadhwaj uncle has nothing to do with you. It is between him, and yourmotherandI.’Sitaburstintoafreshboutoftears.Sheclungtoherparentslikeshe’dnever
letthemgo.
Chapter5
TwoyearshadpassedsinceSitahadarrivedinShvetaketu’sgurukul.Whiletheten-year-old student had impressed her guru with her intelligence andsharpness,itwasherenthusiasmfortheoutdoorsthatwastrulyextraordinary.Especiallynoteworthywasherskillinstick-fighting.But her spirited temperament also created problems on occasion.Like the
time when a fellow student had called her father an ineffectual king, moresuited to being a teacher than a ruler. Sita’s response had been to thrash thelivingdaylightsoutofhim.TheboyhadbeenconfinedtothegurukulAyuralayforalmostamonth.Hehadlimpedfortwomonthsafterthat.AworriedShvetaketuhadarrangedforextraclassesonthesubjectsofnon-
violence and impulse control. The hotheaded girl had also been strictlyremindedoftherulesagainstphysicalviolenceonthegurukulpremises.Theartofwarfarewastaughttoinculcateself-disciplineandacodeofconductforfuture royal duties. Within the school, they were not allowed to hurt oneanother.Toensure that themessagewenthome,Sunainahadalsobeen toldof this
incident on one of her visits to the gurukul. Her strong words had had thedesired impact on Sita. She had refrained from beating other students sincethen,thoughherresolvewastestedattimes.Thiswasonesuchtime.‘Aren’tyouadopted?’tauntedKaamlRaj,afellowclassmate.Fivestudentsfromthegurukulhadgatheredclosetothepondonthecampus.
ThreesataroundSita,whohaddrawnageometricshapeontheground,usingsomeropes.EngrossedinexplainingatheoremfromtheBaudhayanaShulbaSutra, she had been studiously ignoringKaaml. Aswere the others. Hewashoveringaroundasusual,tryingtodistracteveryone.Uponhearinghiswords,alleyesturnedtoSita.RadhikawasSita’sbestfriend.Sheimmediatelytriedtopreventareaction.
‘Letitbe,Sita.Heisafool.’
Sita sat up straight and closed her eyes for a moment. She had oftenwondered about her birthmother.Why had she abandoned her?Was she asmagnificentasheradoptivemother?Buttherewasnodoubtinhermindaboutonefact:ShewasSunaina’sdaughter.‘I am my mother ’s daughter,’ muttered Sita, looking defiantly at her
tormentorasshepointedlyignoredherfriend’sadvice.‘Yes, yes, I know that. We are all our mothers’ children. But aren’t you
adopted?Whatwillhappentoyouwhenyourmotherhasarealdaughter?’‘Realdaughter?Iamnotunreal,Kaaml.Iamveryreal.’‘Yes,yes.Butyouarenot…’‘Just get lost,’ said Sita. She picked up the twig with which she had been
explainingtheBaudhayanatheorem.‘No,no.Youaren’tunderstandingwhatI’msaying.Ifyouareadopted,you
canbethrownoutatanytime.Whatwillyoudothen?’SitaputthetwigdownandlookedatKaamlwithcoldeyes.Thiswouldhave
beenagoodmomentfor theboy toshutup.Regrettably,hedidnothave toomuchsense.‘I can see that the teachers likeyou.Guruji likesyou a lot.Youcan come
backhere and teachall daywhenyouget thrownoutofyourhome!’Kaamlbrokeintomaniacallaughter.Nooneelselaughed.Infact,thetensionintheairwascracklingdangerously.‘Sita…’pleadedRadhika,againadvisingcalm.‘Letitbe…’Sita ignored Radhika’s advice yet again. She slowly got up and walked
towardsKaaml.Theboyswallowedhard,buthedidnotstepback.Sita’shandswere locked tightly behind her back. She stopped within an inch of heradversary.Shelookedathimandglared.Straightintohiseyes.Kaaml’sbreathhadquickenednervously,andthetwitchinhistempleshowedthathiscouragewasrapidlydisappearing.Buthestoodhisground.Sita tookonemore threatening step.Dangerously close toKaaml.Her toe
was now touching the boy’s. The tip of her nosewas less than a centimetrefromhisface.Hereyesflashedfire.Sweat beads had formed on Kaaml’s forehead. ‘Listen … you are not
allowedtohitanyone…’Sita kept her eyes locked with his. She kept staring. Unblinking. Cold.
Breathingheavily.Kaaml’svoiceemergedinasqueak.‘Listen…’Sitasuddenlyscreamedloudly;anear-splittingsoundrightinKaaml’sface.
Aforceful,strong,high-pitchedbellow.AstartledKaamlfellback,flatonthegroundandburstintotears.
And,theotherchildrenburstintolaughter.Ateacherappearedseeminglyfromnowhere.‘Ididn’thithim!Ididn’thithim!’‘Sita…’Sitaallowedherselftobeledawaybytheteacher.‘ButIdidn’thithim!’
‘Hanu bhaiya!’ cooed Radhika as she hugged her elder brother. Or morespecifically,hereldercousinbrother.Radhika had asked Sita along tomeet her favourite relative. Themeeting
placewasaroundanhour ’swalkfromthegurukul,deepin thejungles to thesouth,inawell-hiddenclearing.Thiswaswherethecousinsmet.Insecret.Herbrotherhadgoodreasonstoremaininvisibletothegurukulauthorities.HewasaNaga;apersonbornwithdeformities.Hewasdressedinadark-browndhotiwithawhiteangvastram.Fair-skinned.
Tall andhirsute.Anoutgrowth juttedout fromhis lowerback, almost like atail.Itflappedwithrhythmicprecision,asthoughithadamindofitsown.Hismassive build and sturdy musculature gave him an awe-inspiring presence.Almostagodlyaura.Hisflatnosewaspressedagainsthisface,whichinturnwas outlined with facial hair, encircling it with neat precision. Strangelythough, the skinaboveandbelowhismouthwashairless, silken smoothandlight pink in colour; it had a puffed appearance.His lipswere a thin, barelynoticeableline.Thickeyebrowsdrewasharp,artisticcurveabovecaptivatingeyesthatradiatedintelligenceandameditativecalm.ItalmostseemedliketheAlmightyhadtakenthefaceofamonkeyandplaceditonaman’shead.HelookedatRadhikawithalmostpaternalaffection.‘Howareyou,mylittle
sister?’Radhikastuckherlowerlipoutinmockanger.‘HowlonghasitbeensinceI
sawyoulast?Eversincefatherallowedthatnewgurukultocomeup…’Radhika’s father was the chief of a village along the river Shon. He had
recentlygivenpermissionforagurukultobesetupclosetothevillage.Fouryoung boys had been enrolled. There were no other students. Sita hadwonderedwhyRadhikawasstill inRishiShvetaketu’sgurukul,when anotherwas now so close to home.Maybe a small, four-student gurukul was not asgoodastheirGuruji’srenownedschool.‘SorryRadhika,I’vebeenverybusy,’saidtheman.‘I’vebeengivenanew
assignmentand…’‘Idon’tcareaboutyournewassignment!’
Radhika’sbrotherquicklychangedthetopic.‘Aren’tyougoingtointroducemetoyournewfriend?’Radhikastaredathimforafewmoreseconds,thensmiledinsurrenderand
turnedtoherfriend.‘ThisisSita,theprincessofMithila.Andthisismyelderbrother,Hanubhaiya.’Hegavehisnewacquaintanceabroad smile ashe foldedhishands into a
Namaste.‘HanubhaiyaiswhatlittleRadhikacallsme.MynameisHanuman.’Sitafoldedherhandstoo,andlookedupatthekindlyface.‘IthinkIprefer
Hanubhaiya.’Hanumanlaughedwarmly.‘ThenHanubhaiyaitis!’
Sitahadspentfiveyearsinthegurukul.Shewasthirteenyearsoldnow.The gurukul was built on the southern banks of the holy Ganga, a short
distance downriver from Magadh, where the feisty Sarayu merged into thesedateGanga.Itslocationwassoconvenientthatmanyrishisandrishikasfromvariousashramsusedtodropintothisgurukul.They,usually,eventaughtforafewmonthsasvisitingteachers.Indeed,MaharishiVishwamitra himselfwason a visit to thegurukul right
now.Heandhisfollowersenteredthefrugalashram,hometoalmosttwenty-fivestudents.‘Namaste, greatMalayaputra,’ said Shvetaketu, folding his hands together
and bowing to the legendary rishi, chief of the tribe left behind by the sixthVishnu,LordParshuRam.TheMalayaputrasweretaskedwithtwomissions:tohelpthenextMahadev,DestroyerofEvil,ifandwhenheorshearose.And,togiverisetothenextVishnu,PropagatorofGood,whenthetimewasright.The gurukul was electrified by the presence of the great Maharishi
Vishwamitra; consideredaSaptrishiUttradhikari,successor to the legendarysevenrishis. Itwasa singularhonour,greater than receivinganyof themenandwomenofknowledgewhohadvisitedbefore.‘Namaste, Shvetaketu,’ said Vishwamitra imperiously, a hint of a smile
playingonhisface.Thestaffatthegurukulhadimmediatelysettowork.Somehelpedthesage’s
followers with their luggage and horses, while others rushed to clean thealready spick-and-span guest quarters. Arishtanemi, themilitary chief of theMalayaputras and the right-hand man of Vishwamitra, organised the effortslikethebattlecommanderthathewas.‘Whatbringsyoutotheseparts,GreatOne?’askedShvetaketu.
‘I had some work upriver,’ said Vishwamitra, enigmatically, refusing toelaborate.Shvetaketuknewbetterthantoaskanymorequestionsonthissubjecttothe
fearsome Malayaputra chief. But an attempt at conversation was warranted.‘Raavan’stradetreatiesarecausingimmensepaintothekingdomsoftheSaptSindhu,nobleGuru.Peoplearesufferingandbeingimpoverished.Somebodyhastofighthim.’Almost seven feet tall, the dark-skinned Vishwamitra was altogether of
unrealproportions,bothphysicallyandinintellect.Hislargebellylayunderasturdy chest,muscular shoulders, andpowerful arms.A flowingwhite beardgrazedhischest.Brahminical,tuftofknottedhaironanotherwiseshavenhead.Large,limpideyes.Andtheholyjanau,sacredthread, tiedoverhisshoulder.Instartlingcontrastwerethenumerousbattlescarsthatlinedhisfaceandbody.HelookeddownatShvetaketufromhisgreatheight.‘There are no kings today who can take on this task,’ said Vishwamitra.
‘Theyarealljustsurvivors.Notleaders.’‘Perhapsthistaskisbeyondthatofmerekings,IllustriousOne…’Vishwamitra’ssmilebroadenedmysteriously.Butnowordsfollowed.Shvetaketuwouldnot letdownhisneedfor interactionwith thegreatman.
‘Forgivemy impertinence,Maharishiji, but how long do you expect to staywith us? Itwould bewonderful ifmy students could get the benefit of yourguidance.’‘Iwillbehereforonlyafewdays,Shvetaketu.Teachingyourchildrenmay
notbepossible.’Shvetaketuwas about to repeat his request, as politely as possible,when a
loudsoundwasheard.Aspeedywhooshfollowedbyaloudthwack!VishwamitrahadoncebeenaKshatriyawarriorprince.He recognised the
soundimmediately.Ofaspearhittingawoodentarget.Almostperfectly.Heturnedinthedirectionthatthesoundhademergedfrom,hisbrowslifted
slightlyinadmiration.‘Someoneinyourgurukulhasastrongthrowingarm,Shvetaketu.’Shvetaketusmiledproudly.‘Letmeshowyou,Guruji.’
‘Sita?’askedVishwamitra,surprisedbeyondwords.‘Janak’sdaughter,Sita?’VishwamitraandShvetaketuwereatoneendofthesparsebutwell-equipped
outdoor trainingarena,where studentspractisedarchery, spear-throwingand
otheranangaweapontechniques.Attheotherendwasaseparateareasetasideforthepracticeofangaweaponslikeswordsandmaces.Sita,immersedinherpractice,didnotseethetworishisas theysilentlywalkedinandwatchedhergetreadyforthenextthrow.‘She has the wisdom of King Janak, great Malayaputra,’ answered
Shvetaketu. ‘But she also has the pragmatism and fighting spirit of QueenSunaina.And,dareIsay,mygurukulteachershavemouldedherspiritwell.’VishwamitraobservedSitawithakeeneye.Tallforathirteen-yearold,she
wasalreadybeginningtobuildmuscle.Herstraight,jet-blackhairwasbraidedandrolledintoapracticalbun.Sheflickedaspearupwithherfoot,catchingitexpertly in her hand.Vishwamitra noticed the stylish flick.But hewasmoreimpressedbysomethingelse.Shehadcaught thespearexactlyat thebalancepoint on the shaft.Which had not beenmarked, unlike in a normal trainingspear.Shejudgedit,instinctivelyperhaps.Evenfromadistance,hecouldseethat her gripwas flawless.The spear shaft lay flat on the palmof her hand,betweenherindexandmiddlefinger.Herthumbpointedbackwardswhiletherestofthefingersfacedtheotherdirection.Sita turned to the targetwithher left foot facing it. Itwasawoodenboard
painted with concentric circles. She raised her left hand, again in the samedirection.Her body twisted ever so slightly, to add power to the throw. Shepulledherrighthandback,paralleltotheground;poisedasaworkofart.Perfect.Shvetaketusmiled.Thoughhedidnotteachwarfaretohisstudents,hewas
personallyproudofSita’sprowess.‘Shedoesn’ttakethetraditionalfewstepsbeforeshethrows.Thetwistinherbodyandstrengthinhershouldersgiveherallthepowersheneeds.’VishwamitralookeddismissivelyatShvetaketu.Heturnedhisattentionback
to the impressivegirl.Those fewstepsmayaddpower,but couldalsomakeyoumiss the target. Especially if the targetwas small. He did not bother toexplainthatlittledetailtoShvetaketu.Sita flunghard as she twistedher body leftward, putting the power of her
shoulderandback into the throw.Whipping thespear forwardwithherwristandfinger.Givingthefinalthrusttothemissile.Whooshandthwack!Thespearhitbangontarget.Rightat thecentreof theboard.It jostledfor
spacewiththeearlierspearwhichhadpiercedthesamesmallcircle.Vishwamitrasmiledslightly.‘Notbad…Notbadatall…’WhathertwospectatorsdidnotknowwasthatSitahadbeentakinglessons
from Hanuman, on his regular visits to see his two sisters. He had helped
perfecthertechnique.Shvetaketusmiledwiththeprideofaparent.‘Sheisexceptional.’‘WhatisherstatusinMithilanow?’Shvetaketutookadeepbreath.‘Ican’tbesure.Sheistheiradopteddaughter.
And,King Janak andQueenSunaina have always loved her dearly.But nowthat…’‘IbelieveSunainawasblessedwithadaughterafewyearsback,’interrupted
Vishwamitra.‘Yes.Aftermore than adecadeofmarriage.Theyhave their ownnatural-
borndaughternow.’‘Urmila,right?’‘Yes,thatishername.QueenSunainahassaidthatshedoesnotdifferentiate
betweenthetwogirls.ButshehasnotvisitedSitaforninemonths.Sheusedtocome every six months earlier. Admittedly, Sita has been called to Mithilaregularly.She last visitedMithila sixmonths ago.But shedidn’t returnveryhappy.’VishwamitralookedatSita,hishandonhischin.Thoughtful.Hecouldsee
herfacenow.Itseemedstrangelyfamiliar.Buthecouldn’tplaceit.
Itwas lunchtime at thegurukul.Vishwamitra and hisMalayaputras sat in thecentre of the courtyard, surrounded by the simplemud huts that housed thestudents.Italsoservedasanopen-airclassroom.Teachingwasalwaysdoneintheopen.Thesmall,austerehutsfortheteacherswereashortdistanceaway.‘Guruji,shallwebegin?’askedArishtanemi,theMalayaputramilitarychief.Thestudentsandthegurukulstaffhadservedthehonouredguestsonbanana
leaf plates. Shvetaketu sat alongside Vishwamitra, waiting for the ChiefMalayaputra to commence the ceremony. Vishwamitra picked up his glass,pouredsomewaterintothepalmofhisrighthand,andsprinkleditaroundhisplate,thankingGoddessAnnapurnaforherblessingsintheformoffoodandnourishment. He scooped the first morsel of food and placed it aside, as asymbolicofferingtotheGods.Everyonerepeatedtheaction.AtasignalfromVishwamitra,theybeganeating.Vishwamitra, however, paused just as hewas about to put the firstmorsel
intohismouth.Hiseyesscannedthepremisesinsearchofaman.OneofhissoldierswasaNagacalledJatayu.Theunfortunatemanhadbeenbornwithacondition that led to deformities on his face over time, classifying him as aNaga. His deformities were such that his face looked like that of a vulture.
Many ostracised Jatayu. But not Vishwamitra. The Chief Malayaputrarecognised thepowerfulwarriorandnoblesoul thatJatayuwas.Others,withprejudicedeyes,wereblindtohisqualities.Vishwamitraknewthebiases thatexisted in the times.Healsoknewthat in
thisashram,itwasunlikelythatanybodywouldhavebotheredtotakecareofJatayu’smeals.He looked around, trying to find him.He finally saw Jatayu,sitting alone in the distance, under a tree. Even as he was about to signal astudent,hesawSitaheadingtowardstheNaga,abanana-leafplateinonehand,andatrayfulloffoodintheother.TheMaharishiwatched,asJatayustoodupwithcoyamazement.Fromthedistance,Vishwamitracouldnothearwhatwasbeingsaid.Buthe
readthebodylanguage.Withutmostrespect,Sitaplacedthebanana-leafplatein front of Jatayu, then served the food. As Jatayu sat down to eat with anembarrassed smile, she bowed low, folded her hands into a Namaste andwalkedaway.Vishwamitra watched Sita, lost in thought. Where have I seen that face
before?Arishtanemi,too,wasobservingthegirl.HeturnedtoVishwamitra.‘Sheseemslikearemarkablegirl,Guruji,’saidArishtanemi.‘Hmm,’ said Vishwamitra, as he looked at his lieutenant very briefly. He
turnedhisattentiontohisfood.
Chapter6
‘Kaushik,thisisnotagoodidea,’saidDivodas.‘Trustme,mybrother.’Kaushik andDivodas sat on a large boulder outside their gurukul,on the
banks of the Kaveri River. The two friends, both in their late thirties, wereteachers at the Gurukul of Maharishi Kashyap, the celebrated SaptrishiUttradhikari,successortothesevenlegendaryseers.KaushikandDivodashadbeen students of the gurukul in their childhood. Upon graduation, they hadgone their separateways.Divodashadexcelledasa teacherofgreat renownandKaushik,asafineKshatriyaroyal.Twodecadeslater,theyhadjoinedtheprestigiousinstitutionagain,thistimeasteachers.Theyhadinstantlyrekindledtheirchildhoodfriendship.Infact,theywerelikebrothersnow.Inprivate,theystillreferredtoeachotherbythegurukulnamesoftheirstudentdays.‘Whyisitnotagoodidea,Divodas?’askedKaushik,hismassive,muscular
bodybentforwardaggressively,asusual.‘TheyarebiasedagainsttheVaanars.WeneedtochallengethisprejudiceforthegoodofIndia!’Divodasshookhishead.Butrealisedthatfurtherconversationwaspointless.
HehadlonggivenuptryingtochallengeKaushik’sstubbornstreak.Itwaslikebangingyourheadagainstananthill.Notagoodidea!Hepickedupaclaycupkeptbyhisside.Itcontainedabubbly,milkyliquid.
Heheldhisnoseandgulpeditdown.‘Yuck!’Kaushik burst into laughter as he patted his friend heartily on his back.
‘Evenafteralltheseyears,itstilltasteslikehorse’spiss!’Divodaswipedhismouthwiththebackofhishandandsmiled.‘Youneedto
comeupwithanewline!Howdoyouknowittasteslikehorse’spiss,anyway?Haveyoueverdrunkhorse’spiss?!’Kaushiklaughedlouderandheldhisfriendbytheshoulder.‘Ihavehadthe
Somrasoften.AndI’msureevenhorse’spisscan’ttasteworse!’Divodas smiledbroadlyandputhisarmaroundhis friend’s shoulder.They
satontheboulderincompanionablesilence,watchingthesacredKaveriasitflowedgentlybyMayuram,thesmalltownthathousedtheirgurukul.Thetown
was a short distance from the sea, and the perfect location for this massivegurukul,which taught hundreds of young students.More importantly, it alsooffered specialised courses in higher studies in different fields of knowledge.Being close to the sea, students from the Sapt Sindhu in the North couldconvenientlysaildowntheeasterncoastofIndiatothegurukul.Thus,theydidnotneed tocross theNarmadaRiver from thenorth to south,andviolate thesuperstitious belief that instructed against it. Furthermore, this gurukulwasclosetothesubmerged,prehistoriclandofSangamtamil,whichalongwiththesubmerged ancient land of Dwarka in western India, was one of the twofatherlands of Vedic culture. This made its location uniquely holy to thestudents.Divodasbracedhisshoulders,asifgatheringresolve.Kaushik,knowingwellthenon-verbalcuesofhisfriend,remarked,‘What?’Divodastookadeepbreath.Heknewthiswouldbeadifficultconversation.
Buthedecidedtotryonemoretime.‘Kaushik,listentome.Iknowyouwanttohelp Trishanku. And, I agree with you. He needs help. He is a good man.Perhaps immature and naive, but a good man nonetheless. But he cannotbecomeaVayuputra.He failed theirexamination.Hemustaccept that. Ithasnothing to do with how he looks or where he was born. It is about hiscapability.’The Vayuputras were the tribe left behind by the previous Mahadev, Lord
Rudra. They lived far beyond the western borders of India in a place calledPariha.TheVayuputrasweretaskedwithsupportingthenextVishnu,wheneverheorshearose.And,ofcourse,oneof themwouldbecomethenextMahadevwheneverEvilraiseditsdangeroushead.Kaushik stiffened. ‘TheVayuputras are intolerant towards the Vaanars and
youknowit.’TheVaanarswerealarge,powerful,andreclusivetribelivingonthebanksof
the great Tungabhadra River, north of the Kaveri. The Tungabhadra was atributaryof theKrishnaRiver farther to thenorth.The tribehadadistinctlydifferent appearance: Mostly short, stocky and very muscular, some of themwere giant-like too. Their faces were framed with fine, facial hair, whichballooned into a beard at the jaw.Theirmouths protrudedoutwards, and theskin around it was silken smooth and hairless. Their hirsute bodies sportedthick,almostfurryhair.Tosomeprejudicedpeople,theVaanarsappeared likemonkeysand thus, somehow, lesshuman. Itwas said that similar tribes livedfarthertothewestofPariha.OneoftheirbiggestandmostancientsettlementswasalandcalledNeanderthalorthevalleyofNeander.‘Whatintoleranceareyoutalkingabout?’askedDivodas,hishandraisedin
question.‘TheyacceptedyoungMarutiintotheirfold,didn’tthey?MarutiisaVaanartoo.Buthehasmerit.Trishankudoesn’t!’Kaushikwouldnotbedissuaded.‘Trishankuhasbeenloyaltome.Heasked
formyhelp.Iwillhelphim!’‘ButKaushik, howcanyoucreate yourownversionofPariha?This is not
wise…’‘Ihavegivenhimmyword,Divodas.Willyouhelpmeornot?’‘Kaushik,ofcourseIwillhelp!But,brother,listen…’Suddenlyaloud,femininevoicewasheardfromadistance.‘Hey,Divodas!’KaushikandDivodasturnedaround.ItwasNandini.Anotherteacheratthe
gurukul.And a friend to both.Kaushik cast a dark, injured look atDivodas,grittinghisteethsoftly.‘Guruji…’Vishwamitra’s eyes flew open, bringing him back to the present from an
ancient,more-than-a-century-oldmemory.‘Iamsorrytodisturbyou,Guruji,’saidArishtanemi,hishandsjoinedina
penitent Namaste. ‘But you had asked me to wake you when the studentsassembled.’Vishwamitrasatupandgatheredhisangvastram.‘IsSitapresent?’‘Yes,Guruji.’
Shvetaketusatonachairplacedinadiscreetcorner.Hewasclearlyelatedtosee all the twenty-five students of his gurukul gathered in the open square.Vishwamitra sat on the round platform built around the trunk of the mainpeepal tree.Itwastheseatof theteacher.ThegreatChiefMalayaputrawouldteachhisstudents,ifonlyforoneclass.ThiswasararehonourforShvetaketuandhisstudents.The teachers of the gurukul and theMalayaputras stood in silence behind
Shvetaketu.‘Haveyoulearntaboutourgreatancientempires?’askedVishwamitra.‘And
thereasonsfortheirriseandfall?’Allthestudentsnoddedintheaffirmative.‘Allright, thensomeonetellme,whydidtheempireof thedescendantsof
thegreatEmperorBharatdecline?Anempirethatflourishedforcenturies,wasannihilatedwithinjusttwogenerations.Why?’KaamlRajraisedhishand.Shvetaketugroanedsoftly.‘Yes?’askedVishwamitra.
‘Guruji,’ answered Kaaml, ‘they were attacked by foreigners and hadinternalrebellionsatthesametime.Theywerelikethekanchamarblesweplaywith.Everyonefromeverywherewashittingthemagainandagain.Howcouldtheempiresurvive?’Saying this, Kaaml guffawed uncontrollably, laughing as if he had just
cracked the funniest joke inhumanhistory.Everyoneelse remainedsilent.Afewstudentsatthebackheldtheirheadsinshame.VishwamitrastaredatKaamlwith a frozen expression. The same expression was then directed towardsShvetaketu.Notforthefirsttime,ShvetaketuconsideredsendingyoungKaamlbackto
hisparents.Hereallywasastrange,untrainablechild.Vishwamitradidnotdeign to respond toKaamland repeatedhisquestion,
thistimelookingdirectlyatSita.ButtheprincessofMithiladidnotanswer.‘Bhoomi, why don’t you answer?’ asked Vishwamitra, using her gurukul
name.‘BecauseIamnotsure,Guruji.’Vishwamitrapointedtothefrontrow.‘Comehere,child.’SinceherlastvisittoMithila,Sitahadpreferredtobealone.Shemostlysat
atthebackoftheclass.HerfriendRadhikapattedherback,encouraginghertogo.AsSitacameforward,Vishwamitragesturedforhertosit.Thenhestaredat her eyes closely. Very few sages were adept at reading people’s mindsthroughtheireyes.Vishwamitrawasonesuchraresage.‘Tellme,’saidVishwamitra,hiseyespiercingthroughhermind.‘Whydid
theBhaaratas, the descendants of the great Emperor Bharat, disintegrate sosuddenly?’Sita felt veryuncomfortable.She felt anoverpoweringurge toget up and
run. But she knew she could not insult the greatMaharishi. She chose toanswer.‘TheBhaaratashadamassivestandingarmy.Theycouldhaveeasilyfoughtonmultiplebattlefronts.Buttheirwarriorswere…’‘Theywereuseless,’saidVishwamitra,completingSita’sthought.‘And,why
weretheyuseless?Theyhadnoshortageofmoney,oftraining,ofequipment,orofwarweapons.’SitarepeatedsomethingshehadheardSamichisay.‘Whatmattersisnotthe
weapon,butthewomanwhowieldsthatweapon.’Vishwamitrasmiledinapproval.‘Andwhyweretheirwarriorsincapableof
wielding weapons? Do not forget, these were weapons of far superiortechnologythanthoseoftheirenemies.’Sitahadnotthoughtaboutthis.Sheremainedsilent.‘Describe theBhaarat society at the time of their downfall,’ Vishwamitra
demanded.Sitaknewthisanswer.‘Itwaspeaceful.Aliberalandpolitesociety.Itwasa
haven for arts, culture, music, conversations, debates … They not onlypractisedbutproudlycelebratednon-violence.Bothverbalandphysical.Itwasaperfectsociety.Likeheaven.’‘True.Butthereweresomeforwhomitwashell.’Sitadidnotsayanything.Buthermindwondered:Forwhom?Vishwamitrareadhermindas ifshehadspokenaloud.Heanswered,‘The
warriors.’‘Thewarriors?’‘Whatarethechiefqualitiesofwarriors?Whatdrivesthem?Whatmotivates
them?Yes, therearemanywhofightforhonour,for thecountry,foracode.Butequally,therearethosewhosimplywantasociallysanctionedwaytokill.If not given an outlet, such people can easily turn to crime. Many greatwarriors, celebrated by humanity, narrowly escaped being remembered associal degenerates.What saved them from becoming criminals and instead,turnedthemintosoldiers?Theansweristhewarriorcode:Therightreasontokill.’It’sdifficultforachildtosurrendercertaintiesandunderstandnuances.Sita,
afteralljustathirteen-year-old,stiffened.‘Warriorsthriveonadmirationandheroworship.Withoutthese,thewarrior
spirit,andwithit,thewarriorcode,dies.Sadly,manyinthelatter-dayBhaaratsocietydespisedtheirsoldiersandpreferredtocondemnthem.Everyactionofthe army was vehemently criticised. Any form of violence, even dharmicviolence, was opposed. The warrior spirit itself was berated as a demonicimpulsethathadtobecontrolled.Itdidn’tstopthere.Freedomofspeechwascurtailed so that verbal violence could alsobe controlled.Disagreementwasdiscouraged.This is how theBhaaratas felt that heaven could be created onearth;bymakingstrengthpowerless,andweaknesspowerful.’Vishwamitra’s voice became softer, almost as if he was speaking only to
Sita.Theassemblylistenedinraptattention.‘Essentially, the Bhaaratas curbed their Kshatriya class drastically.
Masculinitywasemasculated.Greatsagesofyorewhopreachedabsolutenon-violenceandlovewereglorifiedandtheirmessagesamplified.Butthen,whenbarbaric invaders attacked from foreign lands, these pacifist, non-violentBhaarat men and women were incapable of fighting back. These civilisedpeopleappearedlikeweakwimpstothebrutalwarriorsfromabroad.’Withanironiclaugh,Vishwamitracontinued,‘Unexpectedly,forthepeopleofBhaaratsociety,theHiranyalomanMlechchawarriorsdidnotcarefortheirmessageof
love.Theiranswertolovewasmassmurder.Theywerebarbarians,incapableofbuildingtheirownempire.ButtheydestroyedBhaaratpowerandprestige.Internalrebelsfinishedthejobofdestruction.’‘Guruji,areyousayingthat tofightforeignmonsters,youneedyourown
monsters?’‘No. All I’m saying is that society must be wary of extremes. It must
constantly strive towards attaining a balance among competing ideologies.Criminalsmustbe removed fromsociety, andmeaninglessviolencemustbestopped.Butthewarriorspiritmustnotbedemonised.Donotcreateasocietythatdemeansmasculinity.Toomuchofanythingcreatesan imbalance in life.This is true even of virtues such as nonviolence. You never knowwhen thewindsofchangestrike;whenviolencemayberequiredtoprotectyoursociety,ortoevensurvive.’Therewaspin-dropsilence.Itwastime.Vishwamitraaskedthequestionhehadsteeredtheconversationtowards.‘Is
thereanextremismthattheSaptSindhusurrenderedtowhichallowedRaavantodefeatthem?’Sitaconsidered thequestioncarefully. ‘Yes, resentmentandhatred towards
thetradingclass.’‘Correct. In thepast,becauseofa fewmonstersamong theirwarriors, the
Bhaaratas attacked the entire Kshatriya way of life. They becamepathologically non-violent. There have been societies that have attacked theBrahminwayoflife,becomingproudlyanti-intellectual,becauseafewoftheirBrahminsbecameclosed-minded,elitistandexclusivist.AndtheSaptSindhuinouragebegan todemean trading itselfwhena fewof theirVaishyasbecameselfish, ostentatious, andmoney-grubbing.We gradually pushed trade out ofthe hands of the ‘evil-moneyed capitalists’ of our own society, and into thehandsofothers.Kubaer,andlaterRaavan,justgatheredthemoneyslowly,andeconomicpowerflowednaturallytothem.TheBattleofKarachapawasonlyaformality that sealed long historical trends. A society must always aim forbalance.Itneedsintellectuals,itneedswarriors,itneedstraders,itneedsartists,and itneeds skilledworkers. If it empowersonegroup toomuchor anothertoolittle,itisheadedforchaos.’Sita recalled somethingshehadheard inoneof thedharmasabhas of her
father.‘Theonly“ism”Ibelievein,ispragmatism.’ItwassaidbyaCharvakphilosopher.‘AreyoucommittedtoCharvakphilosophy?’askedVishwamitra.TheCharvakSchoolofphilosophywasnamedafter their ancient founder,
anatheistwhobelievedinmaterialism.HehadlivednearGangotri,thesourceoftheholyGanga.TheCharvaksonlybelievedinwhatcouldbesensedbythephysical senses.According to them, therewas neither a soul, nor anyGods.Theonlyrealitywas thisbody,amixof theelements,whichwouldreturn tothe elements once it died. They lived for the day and enjoyed life. Theiradmirers saw them as liberal, individualistic and non-judgemental. On theotherhand,theircriticssawthemasimmoral,selfishandirresponsible.‘No,IamnotcommittedtotheCharvaks,Guruji. If Iampragmatic, thenI
shouldbeopentoeveryschoolofphilosophy.Andacceptonlythosepartsthatmakesensetome,whilerejectingotherbitsthatdon’t.Ishouldlearnfromanyphilosophythatcanhelpmefulfilmykarma.’Vishwamitrasmiled.Smart,verysmartforathirteen-year-old.
Chapter7
Sita sat by the pond, readingNyayasutra, the classic textwhich introduced akey school of Indian philosophy,NyayaDarshan. A fewmonths had passedsinceVishwamitrahadvisitedRishiShvetaketu’sgurukul.‘Bhoomi,’ said Radhika, using the gurukul name of Sita, ‘someone from
yourhomehascometomeetyou.’Sitasighedwithirritation.‘Can’ttheywait?’Shewas compiling a list of questions shewanted to askRishi Shvetaketu.
Nowtheexercisewouldbedelayed.
Samichistoodpatiently,closetothejetty.WaitingforSita.Aposseoftenmenstoodbehindher.Theywereunderhercommand.Samichiwasnotthegirlfromtheslumsanymore.Havingjoinedthepolice,
shewas a rapidly rising star there. Itwas commonknowledge that the royalfamilylikedher,indebtedastheyweretoherforhavingsavedPrincessSitainthe Mithila slums. People were guarded in her presence. Nobody knew herexactage,includingSamichiherself.Herappearancesuggestedthatshewasinherearlytwentiesnow.Forawomanofherage,notbornintonobility,tobecommandingaposseinthepoliceforcewasararehonour.Butthen,shehadsavedtheprincess.‘Samichi!’Samichi groaned as she recognised the voice. It was that ridiculous boy,
KaamlRaj.Hewaspantingbythetimeheranuptoher.Excited.‘Someonetoldmeyouwerehere.IcameasfastasIcould.’Samichilookedatthetwelve-year-old.Heheldaredroseinhishands.She
narrowedhereyesandresistedthetemptationtoshovehim.‘I’vetoldyou…’‘I thought you’d like this rose,’ said Kaaml shyly. ‘I saw you enjoy the
fragranceoftheflowersthelasttimeyouwerehere.’
Samichispokeinacoldwhisper.‘I’mnotinterestedinodoursofanykind.’Nottobedeterred,Kaamlheldoutahand,showingherhisbleedingfinger.
Apatheticattempttoextractsympathy.Hehadprickedhimselfrepeatedlywiththorns before yanking the flower from the rose bush. Seeing that it wasn’tworking,hesteppedcloser.‘Doyouhavesomemedicineformyfinger?’Samichi steppedback toput somedistancebetween them. Indoing so, she
stumbledonastone.Justalittle.Kaamlrushedforwardtograbher.Thepoorboygenuinelywanted tohelp.Whathappenednextwasblinding in its speed.Samichi screamed in anger, twistedhis arm, andviciouslykickedhim in theleg.AsKaamlfellforward,shebroughtherelbowupinabrutaljab.Itcrackedhisnose.Instantly.Kaamlclutchedhisbleedingnose,asSamichishouted inanger, ‘DONOT
TOUCHME,EVER!’Kaamlwas crying desperately now.He lay on the ground in a frightened
heap.Bloodied.Trembling.Thepolicemenrushedforwardandhelpedtheboytohisfeet.Theycastasurreptitious,horror-filledglanceattheirleader.Allofthemhadthesamethought.He’sonlyaboy!Whatiswrongwithher?Samichi’s stony face showed no trace of regret. She signalled a Mithila
policemanwithadismissivewaveofahand.‘Getthisidiotoutofhere.’Thepolicemanliftedtheboygingerlyandwalkedawaytofindthegurukul
doctor.Theotherpolicemenwalkedback to the jetty ina fearfulprocession.Theairwasthickwithunspokenwordsabouttheircaptain.SomethingisnotrightwithSamichi.‘Samichi.’All turned to see Princess Sita emerge from the trees. And, Samichi
transformed like a chameleon. Smiling broadly, she rushed forward withwarmthoozingfromhereyes.‘Howareyou,Samichi?’askedSita,assheembracedherfriend.Before Samichi could answer, Sita turned to the policemen standing at a
distance and pulled her hands together into aNamaste, along with a warmsmile.Thepolicemenbowedlow,alsofoldingtheirhandsintoaNamaste.‘Iwonderwhyyourmenalwayslooksoscared,’whisperedSita.Samichigrinnedandshookherhead,holdingSita’shand,pullingheraway,
out of earshot of the policemen. ‘Forget them, Princess,’ said Samichi, hersmileaffectionate.‘I’vetoldyoubefore,Samichi,’saidSita,‘whenwearealone,callmeSita.
NotPrincess.Youaremyfriend.Anyway,it’snotasifanyonethinksofmeasaprincessanymore.’
‘Whatever anyone may think, I have no doubt that you are a princess ofMithila.’Sitarolledhereyes.‘Yeah,right.’‘Princess,Ihavebeensentto…’SitainterruptedSamichi.‘Sita.NotPrincess.’‘Apologies,Sita,youmustcomehome.’Sita sighed. ‘Youknow I can’t,Samichi. I have causedenough trouble for
maa.’‘Sita,don’tdothistoyourself.’‘Everyone knows about the incident with chacha.When I broke his royal
seal,’SitarecalledheruncleKushadhwaj’slastvisittoMithila.‘HeisendlesslytroublingmaaandMithila.Everyoneblamesmeforit.Andrightlyso.Ishouldjuststayaway.’‘Sita, your father andmother miss you. Queen Sunaina is very sick. You
reallyshould…’‘Nothingcanhappentomaa.Sheisasuperwoman.Youarejustsayingthis
tomakemeleavethegurukulandcomehome.’‘But…it’sthetruth.’‘ThetruthisthatmaashouldfocusonUrmilaandthekingdom.Youknow
thatbabais…distracted.Youyourselfhavetoldmewhatthepeoplesayaboutme.Shedoesn’tneedmetoincreaseherproblems.’‘Sita…’‘Enough,’ said Sita, raising her hand. ‘I don’t feel like talking about this
anymore.’‘Sita…’‘Ifeellikepractisingstick-fighting.Areyougame?’Anythingtochangethesubject,thoughtSamichi.‘Comeon,’saidSita,turningaround.Samichifollowed.
VishwamitrasatinthelotuspositioninhisausterehutattheGangaashramoftheMalayaputras.Hewasmeditating.Tryingtokeepallthoughtsoutofhismind.Buthewas
failingtoday.He heard a whistling sound. And recognised it immediately. It was a
commonhillmyna.Abirdthathasoftenbeencalledthemostamazingvocalist.Itcanwhistle,warble,shriek,andevenmimic.
Whatisitdoingsofarawayfromhome?Intheplains?His mind wandered to an incident from the past. When he had heard the
mynainaplaceheshouldnothave.Amazinghowthemindwanders…Soflightyandunpredictable…Thememoryofthatday,manydecadesago,nowcamefloodingback.Itwas the day he had received the news of his former friend,Vashishtha,
beingappointedtherajguruofAyodhya.Vishwamitrafelthischestconstrict.Inanger.Andpain.Thatbackstabber…Ididsomuchforhim…His mind wandered to the exact moment he had heard the news. At the
ashramof…Vishwamitra’seyessuddenlyflewopen.BythegreatLordParshuRam…Herememberedwherehehadseenthatface.Sita’sface.Hesmiled.Thisonlyreinforcedhisdecision.Thankyou,LordParshuRam.Youmademymindwanderonlytohelpmefind
mypath.
‘Guruji…’whisperedArishtanemi.HestoodnexttoVishwamitraatthebalustradeoftheleadship.Theywerein
afive-vesselconvoythatwassailingdownthesacredGanga,ontheirwaytosuperviseasearchbeingconductedbytheirminersforsomespecialmaterial.Itwouldhelp themacquireapowerfulweaponcalled theAsuraastra, leavingthemlessdependentontheVayuputras.Centuriesago,LordRudra,thepreviousMahadev,hadrestrictedtheuseof
daiviastras.TheapprovaloftheVayuputras,thelivingrepresentativesofLordRudra, was mandatory for using the divine weapons. This was not toVishwamitra’slikingorcomfort.The great Maharishi had made elaborate plans. Plans which involved,
perhaps, theuseof theAsuraastra.Heknew theVayuputrasdidnot likehim.NotsincetheepisodewithTrishanku.Theytoleratedhimbecausetheyhadnochoice.Hewas,afterall,chiefoftheMalayaputras.Whilethesearchwasaslowandtediousprocess,Vishwamitrawasconfident
thatthematerialwouldbefound,eventually.Itwastimetomovetothenextphaseofhisplan.HehadtoselectaVishnu.
HehadjustrevealedhischoicetoArishtanemi,histrustedlieutenant.‘Youdisagree?’askedVishwamitra.
‘She is exceptionally capable,Guruji.Nodoubt about it.One can sense it,evenathertenderage.But…’Arishtanemi’svoicetrailedoff.Vishwamitra put his hand on Arishtanemi’s shoulder. ‘Speak freely. I am
talkingtoyoubecauseIwanttohearyourviews.’‘I spent some time watching her carefully, Guruji. I think she is too
rebellious. I am not sure the Malayaputras will be able to manage her. Or,controlher.’‘Wewill.Shehasnooneelse.Hercityhasabandonedher.Butshehas the
potentialtobegreat.Shewantstobegreat.Wewillbeherroutetorealisingit.’‘Butcan’twealsokeepsearchingforothercandidates?’‘YourtrustedaidesgatheredinformationonherinMithila,right?Mostofit
wasveryencouraging.’‘But therewas thatcaseofherprobablykillingaboy in theMithilaslums
whenshewaseight.’‘Iseeinthatincidentherabilitytosurvive.Yourinvestigatorsalsosaidthe
boy was probably a criminal. She fought her way through, even as a smallchild.That’sapositive.Shehas the fightingspirit.Wouldyourathershehaddiedlikeacoward?’‘No,Guruji,’ saidArishtanemi. ‘But I amwondering if there are possibly
othercandidatesthatwehavenotyetstumbledupon.’‘YoupersonallyknowalmosteveryroyalfamilyinIndia.Mostofthemare
completelyuseless.Selfish,cowardly,andweak.Andtheirnextgeneration,theroyalchildren,areevenworse.Theyarenothingbutgeneticgarbage.’Arishtanemi laughed. ‘Few countries have had the misfortune of being
saddledwithsuchaworthlesselite.’‘Wehavehadgreatleadersinthepast.Andwewillhaveagreatleaderinthe
futuretoo.OnewhowillpullIndiaoutofitspresentmorass.’‘Whynotfromthecommonfolk?’‘Wehavebeensearchingforalongtime.HadthatbeenLordParshuRam’s
will, we would have found one by now. And don’t forget, Sita is only anadoptedroyal.Herparentageisunknown.’Vishwamitra did not feel the need to tell Arishtanemi what he suspected
aboutSita’sbirth.Arishtanemiovercamehishesitation.‘IhaveheardthattheAyodhyaprinces
…’The Malayaputra military chief stopped mid-sentence when he saw
Vishwamitrabristle.Hisfamedcouragevanishedintothinair.ArishtanemihadindeedheardpositivereportsabouttheyoungprincesofAyodhya,particularlyRamandBharat.Ramwasalittlelessthannineyearsold.ButVashishthawas
the raj guru of Ayodhya. And, Vashishtha was a subject Arishtanemi hadlearnedtoavoid.‘ThatsnakehastakentheAyodhyaprincestohisgurukul,’saidVishwamitra,
angerboilingwithin.‘Idon’tevenknowwherehisashramis.Hehaskeptitasecret. If I don’t know then nobody knows. We only hear about the fourbrotherswhentheyreturntoAyodhyaonholiday.’Arishtanemistoodlikeastatue,barelybreathing.‘I know how Vashishtha’s mind works. I had made the mistake of
consideringhimmy friendonce.He isup to something.EitherwithRamorBharat.’‘Sometimes, thingsdon’tworkoutasplanned,Guruji.Ourwork inLanka
inadvertentlyendeduphelping…’‘Raavanhashisuses,’interruptedVishwamitra.‘Don’teverforgetthat.And,
heismovinginthedirectionweneedhimto.Itwillallworkout.’‘But Guruji, can the Vayuputras oppose the Malayaputras? It is our
prerogativetochoosethenextVishnu.NotthatoftherajguruofAyodhya.’‘Foralltheirshamneutrality,theVayuputraswilldoeverythingtheycanto
help that rat. I know it.We do not havemuch time.Wemust start preparingnow!’‘Yes,Guruji.’‘And,ifsheistobetrainedforherrole,ittoomustbeginnow.’‘Yes,Guruji.’‘SitawillbetheVishnu.TheVishnuwillriseduringmyreign.Thetimehas
come.Thiscountryneedsaleader.WecannotallowourbelovedIndiatosufferendlessly.’‘Yes,Guruji,’saidArishtanemi.‘ShouldItelltheCaptainto…’‘Yes.’
‘Whereareyoutakingme,Radhika?’askedSita,smiling,asherfriendledherbythehand.Theywerewalkingdeepintotheforesttothesouthofthegurukul.‘Hanubhaiya!’screamedSitaindelight,astheyenteredasmallclearing.Hanumanstoodnexttohishorse,rubbingthetiredanimal’sneck.Thehorse
wastiedtoatree.‘Mysisters!’saidHanumanaffectionately.Thegentlegiantwalkedup to them.Heenclosed them together inawarm
embrace.‘Howarethetwoofyoudoing?’
‘Youhavebeenawayforfartoolong!’Radhikacomplained.‘Iknow,’sighedHanuman.‘I’msorry.Iwasabroad…’‘Wheredoyoukeepgoing?’askedSita,whofoundHanuman’smysterious
lifeveryexciting.‘Whosendsyouonthesemissions?’‘Iwilltellyouwhenthetimeisright,Sita…Butnotnow.’Hanuman reached into the saddlebag tied to the horse and pulled out a
delicatenecklacemadeofgold,inastylethatwasobviouslyforeign.Radhikasquealedwithdelight.‘Youguesscorrectly,’smiledHanuman,ashehandedittoher.‘Thisoneis
foryou…’Radhika admired the necklace in detail, turning it around several times in
herhands.‘Andforyou,myseriousone,’saidHanumantoSita.‘I’vegotwhatyou’ve
alwayswanted…’Sita’seyeswidened.‘AnekmukhiRudraaksh?!’ThewordRudraakshliterallymeanttheteardropofRudra.Inreality,itwasa
brownelliptical seed.Allwhowere loyal to theMahadev,LordRudra,worethreaded Rudraaksh beads or kept one in their puja rooms. A commonRudraaksh seedhadmanygrooves runningacross it.Anekmukhi Rudraakshwas rare, and had only one groove on its surface. Very difficult to find.Expensivetoo.PricelessforSita,astaunchLordRudradevotee.Hanumansmiledashereachedintothesaddlebag.Suddenly, thehorsebecamefidgetyandnervous, itsearsflickingbackand
forth.Withinmomentsitsbreathingwasrapidandshallow.Conveyingpanic.Hanumanlookedaroundcarefully.Andhecaughtsightofthedanger.Veryslowly,withoutanysignofalarm,hepulledRadhikaandSitabehind
him.Thegirlsknewbetterthantotalk.They,too,couldsensedanger.Something
wasseriouslywrong.Hanumansuddenlymadea loud, screeching sound; like thatof anagitated
monkey.Thetigerhiddenbehindthetreeimmediatelyknewthatitselementofsurprisewas gone. It walked out slowly. Hanuman reached for the scabbardtiedtohiscummerbundanddrewouthiscurvedknife.Madeinthestyleofthekhukuris of the fierce Gorkhas, the blade of the knife was not straight. Itthickenedatmid-length,and then the thicksectioncurveddownwards.Likeaslopingshoulder.Atthehilt-end,thesharpsideofthebladehadadouble-wavenotch. Shaped like a cow’s foot. It served a practical purpose. It allowed thebloodfromthebladetodriptotheground,insteadofspreadingtothehiltandmakingtheknife-holdslippery.Thecow’sfootindentationalsosignifiedthat
theweaponcouldneverbeused tokill aholycow.Thehandlewasmadeofivory.Atthehalfwaymark,aprotrusionemergedfromallsidesofthehilt.Itservedasapegbetweenthemiddlefingerandtheringfinger,makingthegripsecure.Thekhukuri had no cross-guard for a thrusting action.A less-skilledwarrior ’s hand could slip forward onto the blade, in a thrust. It could causeseriousinjurytotheknife-wielder.But nobody in their right mind would call Hanuman less than supremely
skilled.‘Stay behind me,’ whispered Hanuman to the girls, as the tiger edged
forwardslowly.Hanuman spreadhis legs apart andbent,maintaininghis balance.Waiting.
Forwhatwastofollow.Keepinghisbreathingsteady.Withanear-splittingroar,thetigersuddenlyburstforward,goinguponits
hindlegs,spreadingitsfrontlegsout.ReadytoholdthemassiveHanumaninitsgrip.Itsjawsopenedwide,itheadedstraightforHanuman’sthroat.Thetiger ’stacticwassound:topplethehumanwithitsmassiveweight,pin
himtothegroundwithitsclaws,andrelyonitsjawstofinishthejob.Againstalesserenemy,itwouldhaveprevailed.But,toitsmisfortune,ithad
attackedthemightyHanuman.ThegiantNagawasalmostasbigasthetiger.Withonefootback,hearched
hisspine,flexedhispowerfulmuscles;and,remainedonhisfeet.Usinghislefthand,heheldthetigerbyitsthroat,andkeptitsfearsomejawsaway.Hanumanallowedthetigertoclawhisback.Itwouldnotcausemuchdamage.Hepulledhisrighthandback,flexedhisshouldermusclesandbrutallythrustthekhukurideep into the tiger ’s abdomen. Its outrageously sharp-edged blade sliced insmoothly.Thebeastroaredinpain.Itseyeswideinshock.Hanumansuckedinhisbreathandexecutedadraw-cuttotheright,ripping
deepintothebeast’sabdominalcavity.Allthewayfromoneendtotheother.Vicious,buteffective.Notonlydidmostof thebeast’sabdominalorgansgetslashed, the knife even sliced through a bit of the backbone and the nervesprotectedinside.Thetiger ’sslipperyintestinesslidoutofitscleavedabdomen,itshindlegs
locked in paralysis. Hanuman pushed the beast back. It fell to the ground,roaringinagonyasitsfrontlegslashedoutinalldirections.Hanumancouldhaveavoidedfurtherinjuryfromitsclawshadhewaitedfor
the tiger to weaken. And let its front legs go down. But the animal was inagony.Hewantedtoenditssuffering.Hanumanbentcloserevenasthetiger ’sclawsdugdeepintohisshoulders.TheNagastabbedstraightintotheanimal’schest. The blade cut right through, sliding deep into the beast’s heart. It
struggledforafewmomentsandthenitssoulescapeditsbody.Hanuman pulled the blade out and whispered softly, ‘May your soul find
purposeonceagain,noblebeast.’
‘These things happen, Radhika,’ said Hanuman. ‘We’re in the middle of ajungle.Whatdoyouexpect?’Radhikawasstillshakingwithfear.Sita had quickly pulled out the medical aid kit from the saddlebag and
dressedHanuman’sinjuries.Theywerenotlife-threateningbutafewofthemwere deep. Sita stitched a couple of gaping wounds. She found somerejuvenatingherbsaroundtheclearingandmadeaninfusion,usingstonestogrindtheleaveswithsomewater.ShegaveittoHanumantodrink.AsHanumangulpedthemedicinedownandwipedhismouthwiththeback
ofhishand,hewatchedSita.Sheisnotnervous…Shedidn’tgetscared…Thisgirlisspecial…‘Iwould not have imagined that a tiger could be brought downwith such
ease,’whisperedSita.‘Ithelpsifyou’remysize!’laughedHanuman.‘Areyousurethatyoucanride?Yourwoundsaren’tserious,but…’‘Ican’tstayhereeither.Ihavetogetback…’‘Anotherofyourmysteriousmissions?’‘Ihavetogo.’‘Youhavetodowhatyouhavetodo,Hanubhaiya.’Hanumansmiled.‘Don’tforgetyourRudraaksh.’Sita reached into the saddlebag andpulled out a silk pouch.Sheopened it
slowly, carefully picking up the ekmukhi Rudraaksh. She stared at it in awe.Then she held it to her forehead with reverence before slipping it into thepouchtiedtoherwaist.
Chapter8
Shvetaketucouldnotbelievehisluck.ThegreatVishwamitrahadarrivedathisgurukulforthesecondtimethisyear!HerushedtothegatesoftheashramastheMalayaputrasmarchedin.‘Namaste, Great One,’ said Shvetaketu, smiling broadly, his hands joined
togetherinrespect.‘Namaste, Shvetaketu,’ said Vishwamitra, smiling just enough to not
intimidatehishost.‘What an honour to have you call on ourgurukul so soon after your last
visit.’‘Yes,’saidVishwamitra,lookingaround.‘Itisunfortunatethatmystudentsarenotheretogainfromyourpresence,’
said Shvetaketu, his expression reflecting heartfelt regret. ‘Most of them areawayonvacation.’‘ButIbelieveafewhavestayedback.’‘Yes,IllustriousOne.Sitaishere…And…’‘IwouldliketomeetSita.’‘Ofcourse.’
Sita stoodwithMaharishiVishwamitranear thebalustrade at the edgeof themaindeckofhisanchoredship,facingthefarbankoftheGanga.Vishwamitrahadwantedprivacy,awayfromthecuriouseyesoftheteachersinthegurukul.Asmallbrick-laidyagnakundwasbeing readiedby theMalayaputrapanditsonthemaindeckoftheship,alittledistanceawayfromSitaandVishwamitra.Sitawasconfused.WhydoestheMaharishiwanttospeaktome?‘Howoldareyounow,Sita?’‘Iwillturnfourteensoon,Guruji.’‘That’snottooold.Wecanbegin,Ithink.’
‘Beginwhat,Guruji?’Vishwamitra took a deep breath. ‘Have you heard of the institution of the
Vishnu?’‘Yes,Guruji.’‘Tellmewhatyouknow.’‘It isa titlegiventothegreatestof leaders,whoarePropagatorsofGood.
Theyleadtheirpeopleintoanewwayoflife.TherehavebeensixVishnusinthispresentVedicagethatwelivein.ThepreviousVishnuwasthegreatLordParshuRam.’‘JaiParshuRam.’‘JaiParshuRam.’‘Whatelsedoyouknow?’‘The Vishnus normally work in partnership with the Mahadevs, who are
DestroyersofEvil.TheMahadevsassignatribeastheirrepresentativesoncetheirkarmainaparticularlifeisover.ThetribeofthepreviousMahadev,LordRudra, is theVayuputraswho live in farawayPariha.TheVishnuofour agewillworkinclosepartnershipwith…’‘This partnership thing is not necessarily important,’ interrupted
Vishwamitra.Sitafellsilent.Surprised.Thiswasnotwhatshehadlearnt.‘Whatelsedoyouknow?’‘I know that the previousVishnu,LordParshuRam, left behind a tribe as
well — the Malayaputras. And you, Maharishiji, are the chief of theMalayaputras.AndifaVishnumustriseinourage,tofightthedarknessthatenvelopsus,itmustbeyou.’‘Youarewrong.’Sitafrowned.Confused.‘The assumption you made in your last statement is wrong,’ clarified
Vishwamitra. ‘Yes, I am the chief of the Malayaputras. But I cannot be theVishnu.MytaskistodecidewhothenextVishnuwillbe.’Sitanoddedsilently.‘WhatdoyouthinkisthemainproblemcorrodingIndiatoday?’‘MostpeoplewillsayRaavan,butIwon’t.’Vishwamitrasmiled.‘Whynot?’‘Raavanisonlyasymptom.Heisnotthedisease.Ifithadn’tbeenRaavan,it
wouldhavebeensomeoneelsetorturingus.Thefaultliesinus,thatweallowourselvestobedominated.Raavanmaybepowerful,butifwe…’‘RaavanisnotaspowerfulasthepeopleofSaptSindhuthinkheis.Buthe
revelsinthisimageofthemonsterthathehascreatedforhimself.Thatimage
intimidatesothers.Butthatimageisusefulforusaswell,’saidVishwamitra.Sitadidn’tunderstandthatlastline.And,Vishwamitrachosenottoexplain.‘So, you say that Raavan is only a symptom. Then, what is the disease
afflictingtheSaptSindhutoday?’Sita paused to formulate her thoughts. ‘I’ve been thinking about this since
youspoketousatthegurukullastyear,Guruji.Yousaidsocietyneedsbalance.Itneeds intellectuals,warriors, traders, andskilledworkers.And that ideally,the scale shouldnotbe tippedagainst anygroup.That there shouldbe a fairbalancebetweenall.’‘And…’‘So,why is it that societyalwaysmoves towards imbalance?That’swhat I
wasthinking.Itgetsunbalancedwhenpeoplearenotfreetolivealifethatisinalignmentwiththeirinnateguna,theirattributes.Itcanhappenwhenagroupisoppressedorbelittled, like theVaishyas inSaptSindhu today. Itmakes thosewithVaishyagunasfrustratedandangry.Itcanalsohappenwhenyou’remadeto follow theoccupationofyourparentsandclan, rather thanwhatyoumaywanttopursue.RaavanwasbornaBrahmin.ButheclearlydidnotwanttobeaBrahmin.HeisaKshatriyabynature.Itmusthavebeenthesamewith…’Sita stoppedherself in time.ButVishwamitrawas staringdirectly intoher
eyes, reading her thoughts. ‘Yes, it happened with me too. I was born aKshatriyabutwantedtobeaBrahmin.’‘Peoplelikeyouarerare,Guruji.Mostpeoplesurrendertothepressureof
societyandfamily.Butitbuildsterriblefrustrationwithin.Theseareunhappyand angry people, living unbalanced, dissatisfied lives. Furthermore, societyitselfsuffers.ItmaygetstuckwithKshatriyaswhodonotpossessvalour,andcannotprotect theirsociety. ItmaygetstuckwithBrahminswhoprefer tobeskilled Shudras like medical surgeons or sculptors, and therefore will beterribleteachers.Andultimately,societywilldecline.’‘Youhavediagnosedtheproblemwell.So,whatisthesolution?’‘Idon’tknow.Howdoesonechangesociety?Howdowebreakdownthis
birth-basedcastesystemthatisdestroyingournobleland?’‘Ihaveasolutioninmind.’Sitawaitedforanexplanation.‘Notnow,’ saidVishwamitra. ‘Iwill explainoneday.Whenyouare ready.
Fornow,wehaveaceremonytoconduct.’‘Ceremony?’‘Yes,’ said Vishwamitra, as he turned towards the yagna kund, which had
beenbuiltatthecentreofthemaindeck.SevenMalayaputrapanditswaitedattheotherendofthedeck.UponasignalfromVishwamitra,theywalkedupto
theyagnakund.‘Come,’saidVishwamitra,asheledherforward.Theyagnaplatformwasbuiltinanunorthodoxmanner,oratleastonewith
whichSitawasnot familiar. Ithada square,outerboundary,madeofbricks.Encasedwithinitwasacircularinnerboundary,madeofmetal.‘Thisyagnakundrepresentsatypeofmandal,asymbolicrepresentationof
spiritual reality,’ Vishwamitra explained to Sita. ‘The square boundarysymbolises Prithvi, the earth that we live on. The four sides of the squarerepresent the fourdirections.Thespace inside thesquare representsPrakrutior nature. It is uncultured andwild. The circlewithin represents the path ofconsciousness; of the Parmatma. The task of the Vishnu is to find theParmatmawithinthisearthlylife.TheVishnulightsapathtoGod.Notthroughdetachment fromtheworld,but throughprofoundandspiritualattachment tothisgreatlandofours.’‘Yes,Guruji.’‘Youwillsitonthesouthernsideofthesquare.’SitasatintheseatindicatedbyVishwamitra.TheChiefMalayaputrasatwith
hisback to thenorth, facingSita.AMalayaputrapandit lit the firewithin thecircular inner boundary of the yagna platform. He was chanting a hymndedicatedtoLordAgni,theGodofFire.Ayagna signifies a sacrificial exchange: you sacrifice something that you
holddear,andreceivebenedictioninreturn.LordAgni, thepurifyingfire, iswitnesstothisexchangebetweenhumansandthedivine.VishwamitrafoldedhishandstogetherintoaNamaste.SodidSita.Hebegan
chanting a hymn from the Brihadaranyak Upanishad. Sita and the sevenMalayaputrapanditsjoinedin.AsatomāsadgamayaTamasomājyotirgamayaMrityormāamritamgamayaOmshāntishāntishāntihLeadmefromuntruthtotruthLeadmefromdarknesstolightLeadmefromdeathtoimmortalityForMeandtheUniverse,lettherebepeace,peace,peaceVishwamitra reached into a pouch tied to his waist and withdrew a small
scabbard.Holdingitreverentiallyinthepalmofhishand,hepulledoutatinysilverknife.Heranhisfingerovertheedge,bringingittorestonthetipoftheblade.Sharp.Hecheckedthemarkingsonthehandle.Itwasthecorrectone.HereachedoverthefireandhandedtheknifetoSita.Ithadtobepassedfromthe
northerntothesoutherndirection.‘Thisyagnawillbesealedinblood,’saidVishwamitra.‘Yes,Guruji,’ said Sita, accepting the knifewith both hands as amark of
respect.Vishwamitra reached into his pouch and retrieved another small scabbard.
He pulled out the second knife and checked its blade. Perfectly sharp. HelookedatSita.‘Thebloodmustonlydropwithinthecircularinnerboundaryof theyagnakund.Undernocircumstancesmust it spill in thespacebetweenthemetalandbricks.Isthatclear?’‘Yes,Guruji.’TwoMalayaputrapanditsapproachedthemsilentlyandhandedtwopiecesof
cloth each to Vishwamitra and Sita. Each had been doused in neem-juicedisinfectants. Without waiting for further instructions, Sita placed the sharpknife-edge on her left palm and folded her hand over the blade. Then, in aswift,cleanmotion,shepulledtheknifeback,cuttingopentheskinfromedgetoedge.Blooddribbledfreelyintothesacredfire.Shedidnotflinch.‘Arrey, we needed just a drop of blood,’ exclaimedVishwamitra. ‘A little
nickwouldhavebeenenough.’Sita lookedatVishwamitra,unperturbed.Shepressed thedisinfectantcloth
intoherinjuredhand,carefulnottospillanyblood.Vishwamitraquicklyprickedhisthumbwiththeknifeedge.Heheldhishandovertheinnerboundaryoftheyagnakund,andpressedhis
thumbtoletadropofbloodfallintotheflames.Sitaalsoheldoutherlefthandandremovedthecloth,lettingherblooddripintothefire.Vishwamitraspokeinaclearvoice.‘WiththepureLordAgniasmywitness,
IswearthatIwillhonourmypromisetoLordParshuRam.Always.Tomylastbreath.Andbeyond.’Sitarepeatedthewords.Exactly.‘JaiParshuRam,’saidVishwamitra.‘JaiParshuRam,’repeatedSita.TheMalayaputrapanditsaroundthemchimedin.‘JaiParshuRam.’Vishwamitra smiled andwithdrew his hand. Sita too pulled her hand back
andcovered itwith thedisinfectantcloth.AMalayaputrapanditwalkedup toherandtiedtheclothtightaroundherhand,staunchingthebloodflow.‘Itisdone,’saidVishwamitra,lookingatSita.‘AmIaMalayaputranow?’askedSitaexpectantly.Vishwamitra looked amused. He pointed to Sita’s knife. ‘Look at the
markingsonyourknife.’Sitapickedupthesilverknife.Itsblade-edgewasstainedwithherblood.She
examinedthehandle.Ithadthreeintricatelettersengravedonit.Sagesofyore,in their wisdom, had suggested that Old Sanskrit should not have a writtenscript.Theyfeltthatthewrittenwordwasinferiortothespoken;thatitreducedthe ability of the mind to understand concepts. Rishi Shvetaketu had hadanotherexplanation:thesagespreferredthatscriptureswerenotwrittendownandremainedoralsothatastimeschanged,theycouldchangeeasilyaswell.Writingthingsdownbroughtrigidityintothescriptures.Whateverthereason,the factwas thatwritingwasnotvalued in theSaptSindhu.Asa result, thereweremanyscriptsthatexistedacrosstheland.Scriptsthatchangedfromtimetotimeandplacetoplace.Therewasnoseriousattempttodevelopastandardscript.The word on the handle was written in a common script from the upper
reachesoftheSaraswatiRiver.Sitarecognisedit.ThesymbolsrepresentedParshuRam.
‘Notthatside,Sita,’saidVishwamitra.‘Turnitaround.’Sitaflippedtheknife.Hereyeswidenedwithshock.The fishwas themost commonsymbolacross all scripts in India.Agiant
fishhadhelpedLordManuandhis band escapewhen the seahaddevastatedtheirland.LordManuhaddecreedthatthegreatfishwouldbehonouredwiththetitleofLordMatsya,thefirstVishnu.ThesymbolofthefishrepresentedafolloweroftheVishnu.ThiswasthesymbolonVishwamitra’sknifehandle.
ButthesymbolonSita’shandlewasamodifiedversion.Itwasafish,nodoubt,butitalsohadacrownontop.
ThefishsymbolminusthecrownonitmeantthatyouwereafolloweroftheVishnu.Butif thefishsymbolhadacrownontop,itmeantthatyouwere theVishnu.SitalookedatVishwamitra,bewildered.‘Thisknifeisyours,Sita,’saidVishwamitrasoftly.
Chapter9
Thestudentquarters inShvetaketu’sgurukulwere frugal. Inkeepingwith thegeneral atmosphere of the place. Each student occupied a small windowlessmudhut,barelylargeenoughtoaccommodateasinglebed,someclothespegsandaplaceforstudymaterials.Thehutshadnodoors,justdoorways.Sita was lying in bed, recalling the events of the previous day on the
Malayaputraship.Sheheldtheknifeinherhand.Shewasinnodangerofgettingcutsincethe
bladewassafelyinthescabbard.Againandagain,hereyesweredrawntotheknifehandle.Andthebeautifulsymboletchedonitssurface.Vishnu?Me?Vishwamitrahadsaidthathertrainingwouldbeginsoon.Shewouldbeold
enough to leave thegurukul in a fewmonths. Shewould then take a trip toAgastyakootam, the capital of the Malayaputras, deep in the south of India.Afterthat,shewouldtravelacrossIndia,incognito.Vishwamitrawantedhertounderstand the land that shewould redeemand leadoneday.Alongwith hisMalayaputras, he would guide her through this. In the interim, she andVishwamitrawouldprepareablueprint for the taskahead.Foranewwayoflife.Itwasallquiteoverwhelming.‘MyLady.’Sitaslippedoutofbedandcametothedoorway.Jatayuwasstandingatsome
distance.‘MyLady,’herepeated.SitafoldedherhandsintoaNamaste.‘Iamlikeyouryoungersister,Jatayuji.
Pleasedon’tembarrassme.Justcallmebymyname.’‘No,Ican’tdothat,MyLady.Youarethe…’Jatayu fell silent. Strict instructions had been given to the Malayaputras.
NobodywastospeakofSitaasthenextVishnu.Itwouldbeannouncedatthe
righttime.EvenSitahadbeenprohibitedfromspeakingaboutitwithanyone.Notthatshewouldhave, inanycase.Shefeltanxious,almostafraid,ofwhatthetitleimplied.‘Wellthen,youcancallmeyoursister.’Jatayusmiled.‘Thatisfair,mysister.’‘Whatdidyouwanttotalkabout,Jatayuji?’‘Howisyourhandnow?’Sita grinned as she touched the neem-leaf bandagewith her other hand. ‘I
wasalittletooenthusiasticaboutdrawingblood.’‘Yes.’‘Iamallrightnow.’‘Thatisgoodtohear,’saidJatayu.Hewasashyman.Takingaslow,long
breathin,hesoftlycontinued,‘Youareoneoftheveryfewpeople,besidestheMalayaputras, who have shown kindness towards me. Even though LordVishwamitrahadnotorderedyoutodoso.’Allthosemonthsago,SitahadservedJatayusomefoodsimplybecausehis
faceremindedherofthenoblevulturewhohadsavedherlife.Butshekeptthattoherself.‘Youareprobablyunsureaboutthisnewsituation,’saidJatayu.‘It’snatural
tofeeloverwhelmed.’What he didn’t tell herwas that even someMalayaputras had their doubts
aboutthechoiceofSitaasaVishnu,butwouldn’tdareopenlychallengetheirformidablechief.Sitanoddedsilently.‘Itmustbeevenmoredifficultbecauseyoucannottalktoanyoneotherthan
aMalayaputraaboutthis.’‘Yes,’Sitasmiled.‘Ifyoueverneedanyadvice,orevensomeonetotalkto,youalwayshave
me. It is my duty to protect you from now onwards.My platoon and I willalwaysbenearby,’saidJatayu,gesturingbehindhim.Aroundfifteenmenstoodquietlyatadistance.‘I will not embarrass you by revealing myself in public, in Mithila or
anywhereelse,’saidJatayu.‘IunderstandthatIamaNaga.ButIwillneverbemorethanafewhours’rideaway.MypeopleandIwillalwaysbeyourshadowfromnowon.’‘Youcouldneverembarrassme,Jatayuji,’saidSita.‘Sita!’TheprincessofMithilalookedtoherleft.ItwasArishtanemi.‘Sita,’saidArishtanemi,‘Gurujiwouldliketohaveawordwithyou.’
‘Excuse me, Jatayuji,’ said Sita, as she folded her hands into a politeNamaste.JatayureturnedhersalutationandSitawalkedaway,trailingArishtanemi.As
she faded into thedistance, Jatayubentdown,pickedup somedust fromherfootprint, and touched it respectfully to his forehead. He then turned in thedirectionthatSitahadwalked.Sheissuchagoodsoul…I hope Lady Sita does not become a pawn in the battle between Guru
VishwamitraandGuruVashishtha.
Two months had passed. The Malayaputras had left for their capital,Agastyakootam.As instructed, Sita spentmost of her free time reading textsthat thechiefof theMalayaputrashadgivenher.Theychronicledthelivesofsome of the previous Vishnus: Lord Narsimha, Lord Vaaman, Lord ParshuRam,amongothers.Hewantedhertolearnfromtheirlives,theirchallenges;and,howtoovercomethemandestablishanewpaththatledtothePropagationofGood.She took up this taskwith utmost seriousness and conducted it in privacy.
Today,shesatbyatinypondnotfrequentedbyotherstudents.Itwasthereforewithirritationthatshereactedtothedisturbance.‘Bhoomi,youneed tocome to themaingurukulclearingrightaway,’said
Radhika,usingSita’sgurukulname.‘Someonefromyourhomeishere.’Sitawavedherhandinannoyance.‘I’llbethere,soon.’‘Sita!’saidRadhikaloudly.Sitaturnedaround.Herfriendlookedandsoundedagitated.‘Yourmotherishere.Youneedtogo.Now.’
Sitawalkedslowlytowardsthemaingurukulclearing.Herheartbeatinghard.Shesawtwoelephantstiedclosetothewalkway,whichledtothegurukuljetty.Sheknewhermotherlikedbringingherelephantsalong.OnSunaina’svisits,Sitaandshewouldgoonelephantridesdeepintothejungle.Sunainalovedtoeducateherdaughteronanimalsintheirnaturalhabitat.SunainaknewmoreaboutanimalsthananyoneSitahadmet.Thetripsinto
thejunglewereamongSita’smostcherishedmemories.Fortheyinvolvedthetwomostimportantentitiesinherlife:MotherEarthandherownmother.
Painshotthroughherheart.Because of her, Kushadhwaj had imposed severe restrictions on Mithila
trade.Heruncle’skingdom,Sankashya,wasthemainconduitfortradewithherfather ’s kingdom; and the prices of most commodities, even essentials, hadshotthroughtheroof.MostMithilansblamedSitaforthis.EveryoneknewthatshehadbrokenKushadhwaj’s royal seal.And, that retaliationwas inevitable.According to ancient tradition, the royal seal was the representation of theking;breakingitwascomparabletoregicide.The blame had also seamlessly passed on to her mother, Sunaina. For
everyoneknewthatitwasSunaina’sdecisiontoadoptSita.Ihavegivenhernothingbut trouble. Ihavedestroyedsomuchofwhatshe
spentherlifebuilding.Maashouldforgetme.Sitawasevenmoreconvincedofherdecisionby the timeshe reached the
clearing.Itwasunusuallycrowded,even fora royalvisit.Eightmenweregathered
around a heavy, empty palanquin. Itwas a palanquin she hadn’t seen before:longerandbroader.Itappearedtobedesignedsothatthepersontravellinginitcould lie down. To the left, she saw eight women crowding around a lowplatformbuiltaroundanAshok tree.She lookedallover forhermother,butdidnotseeheranywhere.Shemoved towards the women, about to ask where her mother was. Just
then,afewofthemmovedaside,revealingQueenSunaina.ItknockedthewindoutofSita.Hermotherwasashadowofherformerself.Shehadbeenreducedtobare
skin and bones.Her round,moon-shaped face had turned gaunt,with cheekssunken in. She had always been short and petite, but had never lookedunhealthy.Now,hermuscleshadwastedaway,andherbodywasstrippedofthelittle fat she had once had.Her eyes looked hollow.Her lustrous, rich blackhairhad turnedsparseandaghostlywhite.Shecouldbarelyholdherselfup.Sheneededheraidestosupporther.As soon as Sunaina saw her precious daughter, her face lit up. It was the
samewarmsmilewhereSitahadalwaysfoundcomfortandsanctuary.‘Mychild,’saidSunaina,inabarelyaudiblevoice.The queen of Mithila held out her hands, her deathly pallor temporarily
reducedbytheabundanceofamother ’slove-filledheart.Sitastoodrootedtoherspot.Hopingtheearthwouldswallowher.‘Comehere,mychild,’saidSunaina.Herarms,tooweaktobeheldup,fell
onhersides.
Sunaina coughed. An aide rushed forward and wiped her mouth with ahandkerchief.Specksofredappearedonthewhitecloth.Sita stumbled towards hermother.Dazed. She fell to her knees and rested
her head onSunaina’s lap.One that had always been soft, likeMotherEarthimmediatelyaftertherains.Itwasbonyandhardnow,likethesameearthafteraseriesofdevastatingdroughts.SunainaranherfingersthroughSita’shair.Sitatrembledinfearandsorrow,likealittlesparrowabouttoseethefallof
themightyBanyantreethathadshelterednotjustherbodybutalsohersoul.Continuing to runherhand throughSita’shair,Sunainabentdown,kissed
herheadandwhispered,‘Mychild…’Sitaburstoutcrying.
TheMithila physician-in-attendance had vehemently opposed it. Even thoughseverelyweakened,Sunainawasstillaformidablecreature.Shewouldnotbedeniedtheelephantrideintothejunglewithherdaughter.Thephysicianhadplayedhisfinalcard.Hehadwhisperedintothequeen’s
ear,‘Thismaywellbeyourlastelephantride,YourHighness.’AndSunainahadreplied,‘ThatispreciselywhyImustgo.’Thequeenhadrestedinthepalanquinwhilethetwoelephantswereprepared
for the ride. One would carry the physician and a few attendants, while theotherwouldcarrySunainaandSita.Whenitwastime,Sunainawascarriedtothehowdahoftheseatedelephant.
Amaidtriedtoclamberaboard,nexttothequeen.‘No!’afirmSunainadecreed.‘But,MyLady…’pleadedthemaid,holdingupahandkerchiefandasmall
bottle.Thefumesfromthedissolvedherbalmedicinehelpedboostherenergyforshortperiodsoftime.‘Mydaughteriswithme,’saidSunaina.‘Idon’tneedanyoneelse.’Sita immediately took the handkerchief and bottle from the maid and
climbedaboardthehowdah.Sunainasignalled themahout,who tenderlystroked theelephantbehind its
earswithhisfoot.Theelephantroseveryslowly,causingtheleastamountofdiscomforttoSunaina.‘Let’sgo,’sheordered.The twoelephantsambledoff into the jungle,accompaniedby fiftyarmed
Mithilapolicemen,onfoot.
Chapter10
Thehowdahswayedlikeacradlewiththeanimal’sgentlewalk.Sitaheldhermother ’s hand and huddled close. The mahout steered the elephants in theshade,underthetrees.Nonetheless,itwasdryandwarm.Sita,though,wasshivering.Withguilt.Andfear.Sunaina lifted her hand slightly. Sita instinctively knew what her mother
wanted.SheliftedSunaina’sarmhigher,andsnuggledinclose.Andwrappedhermother ’s arm around her shoulder. Sunaina smiledwith satisfaction andkissedSitaonherforehead.‘Sorry that your father couldn’t come,Sita,’ saidSunaina. ‘Hehad to stay
backforsomework.’Sita knew her mother was lying. She did not wish to cause her daughter
furtherpain.Perhaps,itwasjustaswell.Sitahad,inafitofanger,toldJanakthelasttimeshehadbeeninMithilathat
he should stopwasting his time on spirituality and help Sunaina govern thekingdom.Thatitwashisduty.HeroutbursthadangeredSunainamorethanherfather.Also, littleUrmila, Sita’s four-year-old younger sister,was a sickly child.
Janak had probably stayed behind with her, while their mother travelled toShvetaketu’s gurukul. In debilitating illness. To meet her troubled elderdaughter.And,tomakehercomebackhome.Sitaclosedhereyes,asanotherguiltytearrolleddownhercheek.Sunainacoughed.Sitaimmediatelywipedhermother ’smouthwiththecloth.
Shelookedattheredstains—signsthathermother ’slifewasslowlyslippingaway.Tearsbegantoflowinarush.‘Everyonehastodiesomeday,mydarling,’saidSunaina.Sitacontinuedcrying.‘Butthefortunateonesdiewiththeirlovedonesaroundthem.’
Thetwoelephantswerestationary,expertlystilledbytheirmahouts.ThefiftyMithilan guards, too, were immobile, and silent. The slightest sound couldprovedangerous.Tenminutesback,Sunainahad spotted a scene rarelywitnessedbyhuman
eyes:Thedeathofthematriarchofalargeelephantherd.Sitarememberedhermother ’slessonsonelephantherds.Theytendedtobe
matriarchal,ledbytheeldestfemale.Mostherdscomprisedadultfemaleswithcalves, bothmale and female, nurtured as common children.Male elephantswerenormallyexiledfromtheherdwhentheycameofage.Thematriarchwasmorethantheleaderoftheherd.Shewasamothertoall.Thedeathof thematriarch, therefore,wouldbeadevastatingeventfor the
herd.Orsoonewouldimagine.‘Ithinkit’sthesameherdthatwesawafewyearsago,’whisperedSunaina.Sitanodded.Theywatchedfromasafedistance,hiddenbythetrees.Theelephantsstoodinacirclearoundthecorpseofthematriarch.Solemn.
Motionless.Quiet.Thegentleafternoonbreezestruggled toprovidereliefasthesunshoneharshlyontheassembly.Twocalvesstoodwithinthecircle,nearthebody.Onewastiny,theotherslightlyolder.‘Wesawthatlittleonebeingborn,Sita,’saidSunaina.Sitanoddedintheaffirmative.Sherememberedthebirthofthematriarch’schild.Hermotherandshehad
witnesseditonanotherelephantrideafewyearsago.Today, that baby elephant, amale calf,was downon his knees next to his
deadmother.His trunkwasentwinedwithhers,hisbody shaking.Every fewminutes,hewouldpullonthetrunkofhismother ’scorpse,asthoughtryingtowakeherup.Theoldercalf,hissister,stoodnext tothebaby.Calm.Still.Liketheother
membersoftheherd.‘Watchnow…’whisperedSunaina.Anadultfemale,perhapsthenewmatriarch,slowlyambleduptothecorpse.
Shestretchedhertrunkandtouchedtheforeheadofthedeadbodywithutmostrespect. Then she walked around the corpse solemnly, turned and simplywalkedaway.Theotherelephants in thecircle followedher lead,onebyone.Doing the
exactsamething—touchingtheforeheadofthedeadformermatriarchwiththeirtrunks,performingacircumambulationandthenwalkingaway.
Withdignity.Withrespect.Noneofthemlookedback.Notonce.Notonce.The little male calf, however, refused to leave. He clung to his mother.
Desperately.Hepulledatherwithhelplessferocity.Hissisterstoodquietlybyhisside.The restof theherdcame to ahalt at adistance,notonce turningaround.
Patiently,theywaited.Aftersometime,thesistertouchedherlittlebrotherwithhertrunk.Themalecalfpusheditaway.Withrenewedenergy,hestoodonhisfeetand
wrappedhistrunkaroundhismother ’s.Andpulledhard.Heslipped.Hegotupagain.Heldhismother ’strunkandpulled.Harder.Hecastabeseechinglookathissister,beggingforherhelp.Withagut-wrenchingcry,heturnedbacktohismother,willinghertogetup.But hismother had succumbed to the long sleepnow.Shewouldwakeup
onlyinhernextlife.The child refused to give up. Shifting from side to side, he pulled his
mother ’strunk.Repeatedly.The sister finally walked up to her mother ’s corpse, and touched the
foreheadwithher trunk, just like theothershad.She thenwalkedaround thebodyofhermother.Shecameuptoherbrother,heldhistrunkandtriedtopullhimaway.Themalecalfbegantoscreechheartbreakingly.Hefollowedhissister.But
hekeptlookingback.Again.Andagain.Heofferednoresistance,however,tohissister.Thesister,likeeveryotherelephantintheherd,walkedsteadilyahead.She
didnotlookback.Notonce.Notonce.Sitalookedupathermother,tearsflowingdownhercheeks.‘Societymoveson,mychild,’whisperedSunaina.‘Countriesmoveon.Life
moveson.Asitshould.’Sita couldn’t speak. She could not look at her mother. She held Sunaina
close,buryingherheadinhermother ’sbosom.‘Clinging to painfulmemories is pointless, Sita,’ said Sunaina. ‘Youmust
moveon.Youmustlive…’Sitalistened.Butthetearsdidnotstop.‘There’s no escape from problems and challenges. They’re a part of life.
Avoiding Mithila does not mean that your troubles will disappear. It onlymeansthatotherchallengeswillappear.’Sitatightenedhergriponhermother.‘Runningawayisneverthesolution.Confrontyourproblems.Managethem.
Thatisthewayofthewarrior.’SunainaliftedSita’schinandlookedintohereyes.‘And,youareawarrior.Don’teverforgetthat.’Sitanodded.‘Youknowyoursisterwasbornweak.Urmilaisnowarrior.Youmusttake
careofher,Sita.And,youmustlookafterMithila.’Sitamadeapromisetoherselfwithintheconfinesofhermind.Yes.Iwill.SunainacaressedSita’sfaceandsmiled.‘Yourfatherhasalwayslovedyou.
Sodoesyouryoungersister.Rememberthat.’Iknow.‘Asforme, Idon’t just loveyou,Sita. Ialsohavegreatexpectationsfrom
you.Yourkarmawillensureourfamily’snamesurvivesformanymillennia.Youwillgodowninhistory.’Sitautteredherfirstwordssinceshehadseenhermotheratthegurukul. ‘I
amsosorry,Maa.I’msosorry.I…’SunainasmiledandheldSitatight.‘Sorry…’sobbedSita.‘Ihavefaithinyou.Youwilllivealifethatwillmakemeproud.’‘ButIcan’tlivewithoutyou,Maa.’SunainapulledbackandheldSita’sfaceup.‘Youcanandyouwill.’‘No…Iwillnotlivewithoutyou…’Sunaina’s expression became firm. ‘Listen tome, Sita.Youwill notwaste
yourlifemourningme.Youwilllivewiselyandmakemeproud.’Sitacontinuedcrying.‘Don’t look back. Look to the future. Build your future, don’t grieve for
yourpast.’Sitadidnothavethestrengthtospeak.‘Promiseme.’Sitastaredathermother,hereyesbrimmingwithmisery.‘Promiseme.’‘Ipromise,Maa.Ipromise.’
IthadbeenfourweekssinceSunaina’svisit toShvetaketu’sgurukul. Sita hadreturned home with her mother. Sunaina had manoeuvred for Sita to beappointedprimeministerofMithila,withalltheexecutivepowersnecessarytoadministerthekingdom.Sita now spentmost of her timewithSunaina, looking after hermother ’s
failing health. Sunaina guided Sita’s meetings with the ministers of the
kingdominherprivatechambers,byherbedside.Sitawas aware that Sunainawas greatly concerned about her relationship
with her younger sister. Thus, she made a concerted effort to bond withUrmila. The queen of Mithila wanted her daughters to build a strongrelationshipthatwouldtidethemoverthedifficultyearsahead.Shehadspokentothemabouttheneedforthemtostandbyeachother.Andtheloveandloyaltytheymustshare.One evening, after a long meeting in Sunaina’s chambers, Sita entered
Urmila’sroom,nexttotheirmother ’s.Shehadaskedanaidetoarrangeaplateofblackgrapes.Urmila lovedblackgrapes.Dismissing theaide, shecarriedtheplateintothechamber.Theroomwasdimlylit.Thesunhadsetbutonlyafewlampswereaglow.‘Urmila!’Shewasnot inbed.Sitabegan looking forher sister.She stepped into the
largebalconyoverlookingthepalacegarden.Whereisshe?Shecamebackintotheroom.Irritatedwiththeminimallight,shewasabout
to order for somemore lamps to be lit, when she noticed a shaking figurebundledinacorner.‘Urmila?’Sitawalkedover.Urmilasatinthecorner,herkneespulledagainstherchest.Herheaddown
onherknees.SitaimmediatelysettheplateasideandsatdownonthefloornexttoUrmila.
Sheputherarmaroundherbabysister.‘Urmila…’shesaid,gently.Urmila lookedupathereldersister.Her tear-streakedfacewas linedwith
misery.‘Didi…’‘Talktome,mychild,’saidSita.‘Is…’SitasqueezedUrmila’sshouldersgently.‘Yes…’‘Ismaaleavingusandgoingtoheaven?’Sitaswallowedhard.ShewishedmaawasheretoanswerUrmila’squestions.
Almost immediately, she realised thatSunainawould soonnotbehereat all.Urmilawasherresponsibility.Shehadtobetheonetoanswerher.‘No,Urmila.Maawillalwaysbehere.’Urmilalookedup.Confused.Hopeful.‘Buteveryoneistellingmethatmaa
isgoingaway.ThatIhavetolearnto…’
‘Everyonedoesn’tknowwhatyouandIknow,Urmila.Maawilljustliveinadifferentplace.Shewon’tliveinherbodyanymore.’SitapointedtoUrmila’sheartandthenherown.‘Maawillliveinthesetwoplaces.Shewillalwaysbethereinourhearts.And,wheneverwearetogether,shewillbecomplete.’Urmila lookeddownatherchest, feelingherheartpickuppace.Thenshe
lookedatSita.‘Shewillneverleaveus?’‘Urmila,closeyoureyes.’Urmiladidashersisterordered.‘Whatdoyousee?’Shesmiled.‘Iseemaa.Sheisholdingme.Sheiscaressingmyface.’SitaranherfingersdownUrmila’sface.Sheopenedhereyes,smilingeven
morebroadly.‘Shewillalwaysbewithus.’UrmilaheldSitatightly.‘Didi…’‘Thebothofus,together,arenowourmother.’
‘Myjourneyinthislifeisdrawingtoanend,’saidSunaina.SitaandSunainawerealoneinthequeen’schambers.Sunainalayinbed.Sita
satbesideher,holdingherhand.‘Maa…’‘I’mawareofwhatpeopleinMithilasayaboutme.’‘Maa,don’tbotheraboutwhatsomeidiots…’‘Letme speak,my child,’ saidSunaina, pressingSita’s hand. ‘I know they
thinkmyachievementsofthepasthaveevaporatedinthelastfewyears.EversinceKushadhwajbegantosqueezeourkingdomdry.’Sitafeltthefamiliarguiltriseinherstomach.‘It is not your fault,’ said Sunaina, emphatically. ‘Kushadhwajwould have
usedanyexcusetohurtus.HewantstotakeoverMithila.’‘Whatdoyouwantmetodo,Maa?’Sunainaknewherdaughter ’saggressivenature.‘NothingtoKushadhwaj…
Heisyourfather ’sbrother.ButIwantyoutoredeemmyname.’Sitakeptquiet.‘Itissaidthatwecomewithnothingintothisworld,andtakenothingback.
But that’s not true. We carry our karma with us. And we leave behind ourreputation,ourname.Iwantmynameredeemed,Sita.AndIwantyoutodoit.IwantyoutobringbackprosperitytoMithila.’‘Iwill,Maa.’
Sunainasmiled.‘And,onceyouhavedonethat…youhavemypermissiontoleaveMithila.’‘Maa?’‘Mithila is too small aplace forone suchasyou,Sita.Youaremeant for
greater things.Youneedabigger stage.Perhaps, a stageasbigas India.Or,maybehistoryitself…’Sita considered telling Sunaina about theMalayaputras having recognised
herasthenextVishnu.Ittookheronlyafewmomentstodecide.
The head pandit walked up to Sita, holding a torch in his right hand.Otherpanditswere lined up at the back, chanting hymns from theGaruda Purana.‘It’stime,MyLady.’Sita nodded at him and looked down to her left. Urmila had not stopped
crying sinceSunaina’s death. She held on toSita’s armwith both her hands.Sitatriedtoprythemopen,buthersisterclungon,evenstronger.Sitalookedatherfather,whowalkedup,pickedUrmilaupinhisarmsandstoodbesidehiselder daughter. Janak looked as devastated and lost as the youngUrmila.Hehadlostthehumanshieldthathadguardedhim,ashehadsoaredtheheightsofphilosophicalwisdom.Realityhadintrudedrudelyintohislife.Sitaturnedtothepanditandtookthetorch.IthadonlybeenthreemonthssinceSunaina’svisittothegurukul.Sitahad thoughtshe’dhavemore timewithSunaina.To learn.To live.To
love.Butthatwasnottobe.She moved forward as she heard the pandits chant from the Isha Vasya
Upanishad.Vayuranilamamritam;AthedambhasmantamshariramLet this temporary bodybe burned to ashes.But the breath of life belongs
elsewhere.MayitfinditswaybacktotheImmortalBreath.Shewalkeduptothesandalwoodlogsthatentombedhermother ’sbody.She
closedhereyesasshepicturedhermother ’sface.Shemustnotcry.Nothere.Not in public. She knew thatmanyMithilans secretly blamedher for furtherweakening her mother in her illness, by making her travel to Shvetaketu’sgurukul. She also knew that they blamed her for the troubles caused byKushadhwaj.Shemustbestrong.Forhermother.Shelookedtoherfriend,Samichi,who
stoodatadistance.NexttoherstoodRadhika,herfriendfromthegurukul.Shedrewstrengthfromtheirsupport.Shestucktheburninglogintothepyre.Washedwithghee,thewoodcaught
fireimmediately.Thepyreburnedbrightandstrong,asifhonouredtobethepurifyingagentforonesonoble.Farewell,Maa.Sitasteppedbackandlookedatthesky,totheOneGod,Brahman.Ifanyoneeverdeservedmoksha,itisher,mymother.Sitarememberedhermother ’swordsastheyhadwitnessedthemourningof
theelephantmatriarch.Don’tlookback.Looktothefuture.Sitawhisperedsoftlytothecremationpyre.‘Iwilllookback,Maa.Howcan
Inot?Youaremylife.’She remembered her last coherent conversation with her mother. Sunaina
had warned Sita to not trust either the Malayaputras or the Vayuputrascompletely if shewere to fulfil her destiny as theVishnu.Both tribeswouldhavetheirownagenda.Sheneededpartners.Hermother ’svoiceresonatedinhermind.Findpartnersyoucantrust;who
are loyal to your cause. Personal loyalty is not important. But theymust beloyaltoyourcause.Sherememberedhermother ’slaststatement.Iwillalwaysbelookingatyou.Makemeproud.Sitatookadeepbreathandclenchedherfists,makingavow.‘Iwill,Maa.Iwill.’
Chapter11
SitaandSamichisatontheedgeoftheouterfortwall.Sitamovedforwardandlookeddownatthemoatthatsurroundedthecity.Itwasalongwaydown.Notforthefirsttime,shewonderedwhatitwouldbeliketofall,allthewaytotheground.Wouldithurt?Wouldshebereleasedfromherbodyinstantly?Wouldshefinallybefree?Whathappensafterdeath?Whydothesestupidthoughtsentermymind?‘Sita…’whisperedSamichi,breakingthesilence.Theyhadbeenseatedtogetherforsometime.Therewerehardlyanywords
exchangedbetweenthetwo,asadistractedSitakeptlookingbeyondthewall.SamichicouldunderstandSita’spain.Afterall,ithadjustbeenadaysincetheprincess had cremated hermother ’s dead body.Despite her recently reducedpopularity, almost the entire kingdom was in mourning for their QueenSunaina.NotjustSita,butallofMithilahadlostitsmother.Sitadidnotrespond.‘Sita…’Instinctkickedin.Samichireachedherarmoutandheldit infrontofSita.
Attempting to prevent some unspoken fear from coming true. Samichiunderstood,onlytoowell,thepowerofdarkthoughts.Sitashookherhead.Pushingtheunnecessarythoughtsoutofherhead.Samichiwhisperedagain,‘Sita…’Sita spoke distractedly. To herself. ‘Maa, as always, was right … I need
partners…Iwillcompletemykarma…ButIcan’tdoitalone.Ineedapartner…’Samichiheldherbreath, thinking thatSitahadplansforher.Thinking that
SitawastalkingaboutwhatSunainahadwantedforMithila.And,thekarmathedyingqueenhadaskedofher.ButSitawas,infact,dwellingonwhatthechiefoftheMalayaputrashadtaskedherwith.Sitatouchedthescaronherleftpalm,recallingthebloodoathshehadmade
withVishwamitra.Shewhisperedtoherself,‘IswearbythegreatLordRudra
andbythegreatLordParshuRam.’Samichididnotnotice thatSitahad, for thefirst time, takenanoath in the
name of Lord ParshuRam aswell.Usually, the princess only invokedLordRudra’s name.But how could she have registered the change?Her thoughts,too,haddrifted;toherTrueLord,theIraiva.DoesSita intend tomakemeher second-in-command inMithila? Iraivabe
praised…Iraivawillbehappy…
A year had passed since the death of Sunaina. The sixteen-year-old Sita hadbeen administering the kingdom reasonably well. She had consolidated herrulebyretainingtheteamthathadadvisedSunaina,carefultocontinuesystemsthat hermother had instituted. The onlymajor change she hadmadewas toappoint her trusted aide, Samichi, as the Chief of Police. An appointmentnecessitatedbythesuddendeathofthepreviouspolicechief,whohadhadanunexpectedandfatalheartattack.Jatayu, theMalayaputra captain, had been true to hisword, and shadowed
Sita along with his team of soldiers. They had been tasked with being herbodyguards.Sita did not feel the need for this extra protection.Butwho canshake off a shadow? In fact, she had had to give in to Jatayu’s request andinduct some Malayaputra soldiers into the Mithila police force. Their trueidentity was kept a secret from all, including Samichi. They followed Sita.Always.Overthelastyear,SitahadgrowntotrustJatayu.Almostlikeabrother.He
wastheseniormostMalayaputraofficer thatsheinteractedwithonaregularbasis. And, the only person she could openly discuss her Vishnuresponsibilitieswith.‘I’msureyouunderstand,don’tyou,Jatayuji?’askedSita.SitaandJatayuhadrendezvousedanhour ’srideawayfromMithila,nearan
abandoned bangle-making factory. Her Malayaputra bodyguards hadaccompaniedher,disguisedasMithilapolicemen.JatayuhadjusttoldherthatVishwamitra expected her to come to Agastyakootam, the capital of theMalayaputras, ahiddencitydeep in the southof India.Shewas tobe trainedthereforsomemonthstoprepareherforherroleastheVishnu.Afterthat,forthenext fewyears, shewould remain inher hometown,Mithila, for half theyearandspendtheotherhalftravellingaroundtheSaptSindhu,understandingthelandshehadtosave.However,SitahadjusttoldJatayuthatshewasnotreadytoleaveMithilayet.
Therewasalot left tobedone.Mithilahadtobestabilisedandmadesecure;nottheleastofall,fromthethreatposedbyKushadhwaj.‘Yes,my sister,’ said Jatayu. ‘I understand.You need a fewmore years in
Mithila.IwillconveythistoGuruji.Iamsurehe,too,willunderstand.Infact,evenyourworkhereistraining,inaway,foryourmission.’‘Thankyou,’ saidSita.Sheaskedhimsomethingshehadbeenmeaning to
for some time. ‘By the way, I have heard that Agastyakootam is close toRaavan’sLanka.Isthattrue?’‘Yes, it is.Butdonotworry,youwillbesafethere.It’sahiddencity.And,
RaavanwouldnotdareattackAgastyakootamevenifheknewwhereitwas.’SitawasnotworriedaboutAgastyakootam’ssecurity.Itwassomethingelse
thattroubledher.Butshedecidednottoseekfurtherclarification.Atleastfornow.‘Haveyoudecidedwhattodowiththemoney?’askedJatayu.TheMalayaputrashaddonatedagrandsumofonehundred thousandgold
coinstoMithila,tohelpSitaspeedilyestablishherauthorityinthekingdom.Itwas a relatively small amount for the tribe; but for Mithila, it had been awindfall.TheMalayaputrashadofficiallycalleditanendowmenttoacitythathaddedicateditselftoknowledgeandwasthebelovedoftherishis.Noonewassurprisedbythisunprecedentedgenerosity.Whywouldn’tgreat
rishisnurturethesaintlykingJanak’scityofknowledge?Infact,MithilanshadgottenusedtoseeingmanyoftheMalayaputras,andeventhegreatmaharishi,Vishwamitra,visittheircityoften.Thereweretwopotentialprojectsthatneededinvestment.Onewastheroad
that connected Mithila to Sankashya. The other was cheap, permanent andliveablehousingfortheslumdwellers.‘Theroadwillrevivetradetoagreatextent,’saidJatayu.‘Whichwillbring
inmorewealthtothecity.Abigplus.’‘Yes, but that wealth will largely go to a small number of already rich
people.Someofthemmayevenleave,takingtheirwealthalongwiththemtomoretrade-friendlycities.TheroadwillnotridusofourdependencyontheSankashya port. Nor will it stymie my uncle’s ability to freeze supplies toMithilawheneverhefeelslike.Wemustbecomeindependentandself-reliant.’‘True. The slum redevelopment project, on the other hand, will provide
permanenthomestothepoor.Itwillalsoremoveaneyesoreatoneofthemaincitygates,makingitaccessibletotraffic.’‘Hmm.’‘And, youwill earn the loyalty of the poor. They are the vastmajority in
Mithila.Theirloyaltywillproveuseful,mysister.’
Sita smiled. ‘I am not sure if the poor are always loyal. Those who arecapableofloyaltywillbeloyal.Thosewhoarenotwillnot,nomatterwhatImaydoforthem.Bethatasitmay,wemusthelpthepoor.Andwecangeneratesomanyjobswiththisproject,makingmanymorepeopleproductivelocally.Thatisagoodthing.’‘True.’‘I have other ideas related to this project, whichwould increase our self-
reliance.Atleastwithregardtofoodandotheressentials.’‘Ihaveafeelingthatyou’vemadeupyourmindalready!’‘Ihave.Butitisgoodtolistentootherwiseopinionsbeforetakingthefinal
decision.Thisisexactlywhatmymotherwouldhavedone.’‘Shewasaremarkablewoman.’‘Yes,shewas,’smiledSita.Shehesitatedamoment,tookonemorelookat
Jatayu, and thenbroachedanother sensitive topic. ‘Jatayuji, do youmind if Iaskyouaquestion?’‘Anytimeyouwishto,greatVishnu,’saidJatayu.‘HowcanInotanswer?’‘What is the problem between Maharishi Vishwamitra and Maharishi
Vashishtha?’Jatayusmiled ruefully. ‘Youhavea rareability todiscover things thatyou
arenotsupposedto.Thingsthataremeanttobeasecret.’Sitasmiledwithdisarmingcandour.‘Thatisnotananswertomyquestion,
Jatayuji.’‘No, it’snot,mysister,’ laughedJatayu. ‘Tobehonest, Idon’tknowmuch
aboutit.ButIdoknowthis:theyhateeachotherviscerally.Itisunwisetoevenmention the name of Maharishi Vashishtha in the presence of MaharishiVishwamitra.’
‘Goodprogress,’whisperedSita.Shewasstanding in thegardenof theLordRudra temple inMithila, looking at the ongoingwork of rebuilding the cityslums.A fewmonths ago,Sitahadordered that the slumsat the southerngateof
Mithilabedemolishedandnew,permanenthousesbebuiltforthepooronthesame land. These houses, built with the money given by the Malayaputras,wouldbegiventothepoorfreeofcost.Samichi preened at the compliment from her prime minister. In an
unorthodoxmove,Sitahadassignedher,ratherthanthecityengineer,withthetaskofimplementingtheprojectrapidlyandwithinbudget.Sitaknewthather
Police Chief was obsessively detail-oriented, with an ability to push hersubordinatesruthlesslytogetthejobdone.Also,havingspentherearlyyearsintheslums,Samichiwasuniquelyqualifiedtounderstandtheproblemsfacedbythepeoplelivingthere.Though the execution had been entrusted to Samichi, Sita had involved
herself in the planning and design of the project after consulting therepresentatives of the slum dwellers. She had eventually worked out aninnovativesolutionfornotonlytheirhousingneeds,butalsoprovidingthemwithsustainablelivelihood.The slumdwellers had been unwilling to vacate their land for even a few
months.Theyhad little faith in theadministration.Forone, theybelieved theprojectwouldbeunderconstructionforyears,renderingthemhomelessforalong time. Also, manywere superstitious and wanted their rebuilt homes tostand exactly where the old ones had been. This, however, would leave noexcessspaceforneatlylinedstreets.Theoriginalslumhadnostreetstobeginwith,justsmall,haphazardpathways.Sitahadconceivedabrilliantsolution:buildingahoneycomb-likestructure,
withhousesthatsharedwallsonallsides.Residentswouldenterfromthetop,withstepsdescendingintotheirhomes.The‘ceilings’ofallthehomeswould,fromtheoutside,beasingle,joint,levelplatform;anew‘groundlevel’aboveall the houses; an artificial ground that was four floors above the actualground.Itwouldbeanopen-to-skyspacefortheslumdwellers,withagridof‘streets’marked in paint. The ‘streets’would contain hatch doors serving asentriestotheirhomes.Thiswouldaddresstheirsuperstitions;eachonewouldgetahouseexactlyatthesamelocationastheiroriginalhovel.And,sincethehoneycombstructurewouldextend four floorsbelow,each inhabitantwould,ineffect,havefourrooms.Asubstantiallybiggerhomethanearlier.Becauseofitshoneycomb-likestructure,Samichihadinformallynamedthe
complexBeesQuarter.Sitahadlikeditsomuchthatithadbecometheofficialname!There was still the problem of temporary accommodation for the slum
dwellers,whiletheirnewhomeswerebeingconstructed.Sitahadhadanotherinnovative idea. She converted themoat outside the fort wall into a lake, tostorerainwaterandtoaidagriculture.Theuninhabitedareabetweentheouterfortwallandtheinnerfortwallwaspartlyhandedovertotheslumdwellers.They built temporary houses for themselves there with bamboo and cloth.Theyusedtheremaininglandtogrowfoodcrops,cottonandmedicinalherbs.This newly allotted land would remain in their possession even after theymovedbackintotheBeesQuarter,whichwouldbereadyinafewmonths.
Thishadmultiplebenefits.Firstly, the landbetweentheouterfortwallandtheinnerfortwall,whichhadbeenleftunoccupiedasasecuritymeasure,wasputtogooduse.Agriculturalproductivityimproved.Thisprovidedadditionalincomefor theslumdwellers.Movingagriculturewithin thecitywallwouldalso provide food security during times of siege; unlikely though it seemedthatimpoverishedMithilawouldeverbeattacked.Mostimportantly,Mithilansbecameself-reliantintermsoffood,medicines
and other essentials. This reduced their dependence on the Sankashya riverport.Samichi had warned Sita that this might tempt Kushadhwaj to militarily
attackthem.ButSitadoubtedit.ItwouldbepoliticallydifficultforheruncletojustifyhisarmyattackingthesaintlykingofMithila.Itwouldprobablystokerebellion even among the citizens ofSankashya.Notwithstanding this, itwaswisetobepreparedforeventhemostunlikelyevent.Sitahadalwaysbeenuneasyabouttheoutermoatbeingthecity’smainwater
supply. In the unlikely event of a siege, an enemy could poison the wateroutsideandcausehavoc.Shedecreedthatadeeplakebeconstructedwithinthecityasaprecaution.Inadditiontothis,shealsostrengthenedthetwoprotectivewallsofMithila.She organised the chaotic central market of the city. Permanent, uniform
stallswere given to the vendors, ensuring cleanliness and orderliness. Salesincreased, along with a reduction in pilferage and wastage. This led to avirtuouscycleofdecreaseinprices,furtherenhancingbusiness.All these moves also dramatically increased Sita’s popularity. At least,
among the poor. Their lives had improved considerably, and the youngprincesswasresponsible.
‘Imust admit, I am surprised,’ said Jatayu. ‘I didn’t expect a police chief toefficientlyoverseetheconstructionofyourBeesQuartersosmoothly.’Sita sat with Jatayu outside the city limits. The day had entered the third
prahar.Thesunstillshonehighinthesky.Shesmiled.‘Samichiistalented.Nodoubt.’‘Yes.But…’Sitalookedathimandfrowned.‘Butwhat,Jatayuji?’‘Pleasedon’tmisunderstandme,greatVishnu.It isyourkingdom.Youare
the primeminister. And,weMalayaputras concern ourselveswith thewholecountry,notjustMithila…’
‘What is it, Jatayuji?’ interrupted Sita. ‘You know I trust you completely.Pleasespeakopenly.’‘Mypeopleinyourpoliceforcetalktotheotherofficers.It’saboutSamichi.
Abouther…’Sitasighed.‘Iknow…It’sobviousthatshehasaproblemwithmen…’‘It’smorelikehatredformen,ratherthanjustaproblem.’‘Therehastobeareasonforit.Somemanmusthave…’‘Buthatingallmenbecauseofoneman’sactions,whatever theymayhave
been, isa signofanunstablepersonality.Reverse-bias isalsobias.Reverse-racismisalsoracism.Reverse-sexismisalsosexism.’‘Iagree.’‘If shekepther feelings toherself thatwouldbe fine.Butherprejudice is
impactingherwork.Menarebeingtargetedunfairly.Youdon’twanttotriggerarebellion.’‘Shedoesnotallowmetohelpherinthepersonalspace.ButIwillensure
thatherhatreddoesnotimpactherwork.I’lldosomething.’‘Iamonlyconcernedaboutyour larger interest,greatVishnu.There isno
doubtinmymindthatsheispersonallyveryloyaltoyou.’‘IguessithelpsthatIamnotaman!’Jatayuburstoutlaughing.
‘Howareyou,Naarad?’askedHanuman.HanumanhadjustreturnedfromatriptoPariha.Hehadsailedintotheport
ofLothal inGujarat, onhiswayeastward,deeper into theheartof India.HehadbeenmetattheportbyhisfriendNaarad,abrillianttraderinLothalwhowasalsoa loverofart,poetryandthelatestgossip!Naaradhadimmediatelyescortedhisfriend,alongwithhiscompanions,totheofficebehindhisshop.‘I’mallright,’saidNaaradheartily.‘Anybetterwouldbeasin.’Hanuman smiled. ‘I don’t think you try too hard to stay away from sin,
Naarad!’Naaradlaughedandchangedthetopic.‘Theusualsupplies,myfriend?For
youandyourband?’AsmallplatoonofParihansaccompaniedHanumanonhistravels.‘Yes,thankyou.’Naaradnoddedandwhisperedsomeinstructionstohisaide.‘And,Ithankyoufurther,’continuedHanuman,‘fornotaskingwhereIam
going.’
Thestatementwastooobviousabait,especiallyforNaarad.Heswallowedithook,line,andsinker.‘Why would I ask you? I already know you are going to meet Guru
Vashishtha!’Vashishtha was the royal guru of the kingdom of Ayodhya. It was well
known that he had taken the four princes of Ayodhya — Ram, Bharat,Lakshman and Shatrughan— to his gurukul to train and educate them. Thelocationofthegurukul,however,wasawell-keptsecret.HanumanstaredatNaarad,notsayinganything.‘Don’tworry,myfriend,’saidNaarad,smiling.‘Almostnobody,besidesme
ofcourse,knowswhoyouaregoingtomeet.Andnobody,notevenme,knowswherethegurukulis.’Hanuman smiled.Hewas about to retortwhen a loud feminine voicewas
heard.‘Hans!’Hanumanclosedhis eyes for amoment,winced and turned around. Itwas
Sursa,anemployeeofNaaradwhowasobsessedwithhim.HanumanfoldedhishandstogetherintoaNamasteandspokewithextreme
politeness,‘Madam,mynameisHanuman,notHans.’‘I know that,’ said Sursa, sashaying towards Hanuman. ‘But I think Hans
soundssomuchbetter.Also,don’tyouthinkSurisbetterthanmadam?’NaaradgiggledwithmirthasSursacameuncomfortablyclosetoHanuman.
TheNaga glared at his friend before taking a few steps back and distancinghimself from his admirer. ‘Madam, I was engaged in an importantconversationwithNaaradand…’Sursacuthimshort.‘And,I’vedecidedtointerrupt.Dealwithit.’‘Madam…’Sursa arched her eyebrows and swayed her hip seductively to the side.
‘Hans,don’tyouunderstandthewayIfeelaboutyou?ThethingsIcandoforyou…And,toyou…’‘Madam,’interruptedHanuman,blushingbeet-red,andsteppingbackfarther.
‘Ihavetoldyoumanytimes.Iamsworntocelibacy.Thisisinappropriate.Iamnottryingtoinsultyou.Pleaseunderstand.Icannot…’Naarad was leaning against the wall now, covering his mouth, shoulders
shaking,laughingsilently.Tryinghardnottomakeasound.‘Nobodyneedstoknow,Hans.Youcankeepuptheappearanceofyourvow.
Youdon’thavetomarryme.Ionlywantyou.Notyourname.’SursasteppedforwardandreachedoutforHanuman’shand.With surprising agility for a man his size, Hanuman sidestepped quickly,
deftlyavoidingSursa’stouch.Heraisedhisvoiceinalarm,‘Madam!Please!Ibegyou!Stop!’Sursa pouted and traced her torso with her fingers. ‘Am I not attractive
enough?’Hanuman turned towards Naarad. ‘In Lord Indra’s name, Naarad. Do
something!’Naarad was barely able to control his laughter. He stepped in front of
Hanuman and faced thewoman. ‘Listen Sursa, enough is enough.You knowthat…’Sursa flared up. Suddenly aggressive. ‘I don’t need your advice, Naarad!
YouknowIloveHans.Youhadsaidyouwouldhelpme.’‘Iamsorry,butIlied,’saidNaarad.‘Iwasjusthavingfun.’‘Thisisfunforyou?!Whatiswrongwithyou?’Naarad signalled a couple of his employees. Two women walked up and
pulledanirateSursaaway.‘Iwillmakesureyou losehalfyourmoney inyournext trade,youstupid
oaf!’screamedSursa,asthewomendraggedherout.As soonas theywerealoneagain,Hanumanglaredathis friend. ‘What is
wrongwithyou,Naarad?’‘Iwasjusthavingfun,myfriend.Sorry.’Hanuman held the diminutiveNaarad by his shoulder, towering over him.
‘Thisisnotfun!YouwereinsultingSursa.And,harassingme.Ishouldthrashyoutoyourbones!’Naarad held Hanuman’s hands in mock remorse, his eyes twinkling
mischievously. ‘You won’t feel like thrashing me when I tell you who theMalayaputrashaveappointedastheVishnu.’HanumanletNaaradgo.Shocked.‘Appointed?’HowcanGuruVishwamitradothat?WithouttheconsentoftheVayuputras!Naaradsmiled.‘Youwon’tsurviveadaywithouttheinformationIgiveyou.
That’swhyyouwon’tthrashme!’Hanumanshookhishead,smiledwryly,hitNaaradplayfullyonhisshoulder
andsaid,‘Starttalking,youstupidnut.’
Chapter12
‘Radhika!’Sitabrokeintoabroadsmile.Sita’sfriendfromhergurukuldayshadmadeasurprisevisit.Thesixteen-
year-old Radhika, a year younger than Sita, had been led into the princess’privatechambersbySamichi,thenewprotocolchiefofMithila.Theprotocolduties, a new addition to Samichi’s responsibilities, kept her busywith non-policeworkoflate.SitahadthereforeappointedaDeputyPoliceChieftoassistSamichi. This deputy was male. A strong but fair-minded officer, he hadensuredthatSamichi’sbiasesdidnotaffectrealpolicing.Radhika had not travelled alone, this time. She was accompanied by her
father,VarunRatnakar,andheruncle,VayuKesari.SitahadmetVarunRatnakarinthepast,butthiswasherfirstmeetingwith
Radhika’suncleandRatnakar ’scousin,VayuKesari.Theuncledidnotshareany family resemblance with his kin. Substantially short, stocky and fair-complexioned,hismuscularbodywasextraordinarilyhairy.PerhapsheisoneoftheVaanars,thoughtSita.She was aware that Radhika’s tribe, the Valmikis, were matrilineal. Their
womendidnotmarryoutsidethecommunity.Men,however,couldmarrynon-Valmikiwomen;ofcourse,ontheconditionthatiftheydid,theywouldleavethe tribe. Perhaps Vayu Kesari was the son of one such excommunicatedValmikimanandaVaanarwoman.Sitabentdownandtouchedthefeetoftheelderlymen.Both blessed Sita with a long life. Varun Ratnakar was a respected
intellectualandthinker,reveredbythosewhovaluedknowledge.Sitaknewhewould love to spend time with her father, who was, perhaps, the mostintellectual king in the Sapt Sindhu. With the departure of his chief guru,Ashtaavakra, to theHimalayas,Janakmissedphilosophicalconversations.Hewould be happy to spend some quality time in the company of fellowintellectuals.Themen soondeparted forKing Janak’s chambers.Samichi, too, excused
herself.Herbusyscheduledidnotleaveherwithmuchtimeforsocialniceties.SitaandRadhikaweresoonaloneintheMithilaprincess’privatestudy.‘Howislifetreatingyou,Radhika?’askedSita,holdingherfriend’shands.‘Iamnottheoneleadinganexcitinglife,Sita,’smiledRadhika.‘Youare!’‘Me?!’laughedSita,rollinghereyeswithexaggeratedplayfulness.‘Hardly.
AllIdoispoliceasmallkingdom,collecttaxesandredevelopslums.’‘Onlyfornow.Youhavesomuchmoretodo…’Sitainstantlybecameguarded.Thereseemedtobemoretothisconversation
thanwasobviousatthesurfacelevel.Shespokecarefully.‘Yes,Idohavealottodoas theprimeministerofMithila.But it’snotunmanageable,youknow.Wetrulyareasmallandinsignificantkingdom.’‘ButIndiaisabignation.’Sitaspokeevenmorecarefully,‘WhatcanthisremotecornerdoforIndia,
Radhika?Mithilaisapowerlesskingdomignoredbyall.’‘That may be so,’ smiled Radhika. ‘But no Indian in his right mind will
ignoreAgastyakootam.’Sitaheldherbreathmomentarily.Shemaintainedhercalmdemeanour,but
herheartwasthumpinglikethetowncrier ’sdrumbeat.How does Radhika know?Who else does? I have not told anyone. Except
Maa.‘Iwant to help you,Sita,’whisperedRadhika. ‘Trustme.You are a friend
andIloveyou.And,I loveIndiaevenmore.YouareimportantforIndia.JaiParshuRam.’‘Jai Parshu Ram,’ whispered Sita, hesitating momentarily before asking,
‘Areyourfatherandyou…’Radhika laughed. ‘I’m a nobody, Sita.Butmy father…Let’s just say that
he’s important.And, hewants to helpyou. I am just the conduit, because theuniverseconspiredtomakemeyourfriend.’‘IsyourfatheraMalayaputra?’‘No,heisnot.’‘Vayuputra?’‘TheVayuputrasdonotliveinIndia.ThetribeoftheMahadev,asyouknow,
canvisitthesacredlandofIndiaanytimebutcannotlivehere.So,howcanmyfatherbeaVayuputra?’‘Then,whoishe?’‘All ingood time…’smiledRadhika. ‘Rightnow,Ihavebeen taskedwith
checkingafewthingswithyou.’
Vashishtha sat quietly on the ground, resting against a tree.He looked at hisashram from the distance, seeking solitude in the early morning hour. Helooked towards the gently flowing stream. Leaves floated on the surface,strangely even-spaced, as if in a quiet procession. The tree, the water, theleaves…natureseemedtoreflecthisdeepsatisfaction.His wards, the four princes of Ayodhya— Ram, Bharat, Lakshman, and
Shatrughan—weregrowingupwell,mouldingideallyintohisplans.TwelveyearshadpassedsincethedemonkingofLanka,Raavan,hadcatastrophicallydefeatedEmperorDashrath, changing the fortunesof theSaptSindhu inonefellblow.It had convinced Vashishtha that the time for the rise of the Vishnu had
arrived.Vashishtha looked again at his modest gurukul. This was where the great
RishiShukracharyahadmouldedagroupofmarginalised Indian royals intoleadersofoneofthegreatestempirestheworldhadeverseen:theAsuraSavitr,theAsuraSun.A new great empire shall rise again from this holy ground. A new Vishnu
shallrisefromhere.Vashishthahadstillnotmadeuphismind.Hewasn’tsurewhichofthetwo
—Ram or Bharat— hewould push for as the next Vishnu. One thingwascertain;theVayuputrassupportedhim.ButtherewerelimitstowhatthetribeofLord Rudra could do. The Vayuputras andMalayaputras had their fields ofresponsibility;afterall,theVishnuwassupposedtobeofficiallyrecognisedbytheMalayaputras.AndthechiefoftheMalayaputras…Hisformerfriend…Well…I’llmanageit.‘Guruji.’Vashishthaturned.RamandBharathadquietlyapproachedhim.‘Yes,’saidVashishtha.‘Whatdidyoufindout?’‘Theyarenotthere,Guruji,’saidRam.‘They?’‘NotonlyChiefVarun,butmanyofhisadvisersarealsomissingfromtheir
village.’Varunwas the chiefof the tribe thatmanagedandmaintained thisashram,
situatedclose to thewesternmostpointof theRiverShon’scourse.His tribe,theValmikis,rentedoutthesepremisestogurusfromtimetotime.Vashishthahad hired this ashram to serve as his gurukul for the duration that the fourAyodhyaprinceswerewithhim.VashishthahadhiddenthetrueidentityofhiswardsfromtheValmikis.But
of late he had begun to suspect that perhaps the tribe knewwho the studentswere. It also seemed to him that the Valmikis had their own carefully keptsecrets.HehadsentRamandBharattocheckifChiefVarunwasinthevillage.Itwas
timetohaveatalkwithhim.Vashishthawouldthendecidewhethertomovehisgurukulornot.ButVarunhadleft.WithoutinformingVashishtha.Whichwasunusual.‘Wherehavetheygone?’askedVashishtha.‘Apparently,Mithila.’Vashishtha nodded. He knew that Varun was a lover and seeker of
knowledge,especiallythespiritualkind.Mithilawasanaturalplaceforsuchaperson.‘Allright,boys,’saidVashishtha.‘Getbacktoyourstudies.’
‘WeheardthattheVishnubloodoathhasbeentaken,’saidRadhika.‘Yes,’answeredSita.‘InGuruShvetaketu’sgurukul.Afewyearsago.’Radhikasighed.Sitafrowned.‘Isthereaproblem?’‘Well,MaharishiVishwamitraisalittle…unorthodox.’‘Unorthodox?Whatdoyoumean?’‘Well,forstarters,theVayuputrasshouldhavebeenpresent.’Sitaraisedhereyebrows.‘Ididn’tknowthat…’‘The tribes of the Vishnu and the Mahadev are supposed to work in
partnership.’Sitalookedupassherealisedsomething.‘GuruVashishtha?’Radhika smiled. ‘For someonewho hasn’t even begun training, you have
pickedupquitealotalready!’Sitashruggedandsmiled.Radhika held her friend’s hand. ‘The Vayuputras do not like or trust
Maharishi Vishwamitra. They have their reasons, I suppose. But they cannotoppose the Malayaputra chief openly. And yes, you guessed correctly, theVayuputrassupportMaharishiVashishtha.’‘Areyou tellingme thatGuruVashishthahashisown ideasaboutwho the
Vishnushouldbe?’Radhikanodded.‘Yes.’‘Whydotheyhateeachothersomuch?’‘Very few know for sure. But the enmity between Guru Vishwamitra and
GuruVashishthaisveryold.And,veryfierce…’Sitalaughedruefully.‘Ifeellikeabladeofgrassstuckbetweentwowarring
elephants.’‘Thenyouwouldn’tmindanotherspeciesofgrassnexttoyouforcompany
whilebeingtrampledupon,Isuppose!’SitaplayfullyhitRadhikaonhershoulders.‘So,whois thisotherbladeof
grass?’Radhikatookadeepbreath.‘Therearetwo,actually.’‘Two?’‘GuruVashishthaistrainingthem.’‘DoesheplantocreatetwoVishnus?’‘No.FatherbelievesGuruVashishthawillchooseoneofthem.’‘Whoarethey?’‘TheprincesofAyodhya.RamandBharat.’Sita raised her eyebrows. ‘GuruVashishtha has certainly aimed high. The
familyoftheemperorhimself!’Radhikasmiled.‘Whoisbetteramongthetwo?’‘MyfatherprefersRam.’‘Andwhodoyouprefer?’‘Myopiniondoesn’tmatter.Frankly, father ’s opiniondoesn’t count either.
TheVayuputraswillbackwhomsoeverGuruVashishthachooses.’‘Is there no way Guru Vashishtha and Guru Vishwamitra can be made to
worktogether?Afterall,theyarebothworkingforthegreatergoodofIndia,right?IamwillingtoworkinpartnershipwiththeVishnuthatGuruVashishthaselects.Whycan’ttheypartnereachother?’Radhikashookherhead.‘Theworstenemyamancaneverhaveistheone
whowasoncehisbestfriend.’Sitawasshocked.‘Really?Weretheyfriendsonce?’‘MaharishiVashishtha andMaharishiVishwamitrawere childhood friends.
Almostlikebrothers.Somethinghappenedtoturnthemintoenemies.’‘What?’‘Very few people know. They don’t speak about it evenwith their closest
companions.’‘Interesting…’Radhikaremainedsilent.Sitalookedoutofthewindowandthenatherfriend.‘Howdoyouknowso
muchaboutGuruVashishtha?’‘You know that we host a gurukul close to our village, right? It is Guru
Vashishtha’sgurukul.Heteachesthefourprincesintheashramwehaverentedout.’‘CanIcomeandmeetRamandBharat?I’mcurioustoknowiftheyareas
greatasGuruVashishthathinkstheyare.’‘Theyarestillyoung,Sita.Ramisfiveyearsyoungerthanyou.And,don’t
forget, theMalayaputraskeeptrackofyou.Theyfollowyoueverywhere.WecannotriskrevealingthelocationofGuruVashishtha’sgurukultothem…’Sitawasconstrainedtoagree.‘Hmm.’‘Iwillkeepyouinformedaboutwhattheyaredoing.Ithinkfatherintendsto
haveanhonestconversationwithGuruVashishtha inanycase.Perhaps,evenofferhishelp.’‘HelpGuruVashishtha?Againstme?’Radhikasmiled.‘Fatherhopesforthesamepartnershipthatyoudo.’Sitabentforward.‘IhavetoldyoumuchofwhatIknow.IthinkIdeserveto
know…Whoisyourfather?’Radhikaseemedhesitant.‘YouwouldnothavespokenabouttheAyodhyaprinceshadyourfathernot
allowedyoutodoso,’saidSita.‘And,Iamsurethathewouldhaveexpectedme toask thisquestion.So,hewouldn’thave sentyou tomeetmeunlesshewaspreparedtorevealhistrueidentity.Tellme,whoishe?’Radhikapausedforafewmoments.‘HaveyouheardofLadyMohini?’‘Areyouserious?’askedSita.‘Whohasn’theardofher,thegreatVishnu?’Radhikasmiled.‘NoteveryoneconsidersheraVishnu.Butthemajorityof
Indiansdo.IknowthattheMalayaputrasrevereherasaVishnu.’‘SodoI.’‘Andsodowe.Myfather ’stribeistheoneLadyMohinileftbehind.Weare
theValmikis.’Sitasatupstraight.Shocked.‘Wow!’Justthenanotherthoughtstruckher.‘Is
youruncle,VayuKesari,thefatherofHanubhaiya?’Radhikanodded.‘Yes.’Sitasmiled.‘That’swhy…’Radhika interruptedher. ‘Youareright.That isoneof thereasons.But it’s
nottheonlyone.’
Chapter13
‘ChiefVarun,’saidVashishtha,ashecametohisfeetandfoldedhishandsintoarespectfulNamaste.Varun had just returned from Mithila. And, Guru Vashishtha had been
expectingavisitfromhim.VashishthawasmuchtallerthanVarun.Butfarthinnerandleanercompared
tothemuscularandsturdytribalchief.‘GuruVashishtha,’saidVarun,returningVashishtha’sgreetingpolitely.‘We
needtotalkinprivate.’Vashishthawasimmediatelywary.Heledthechiefouttoaquieterspot.Minuteslater,theysatbythestreamthatflowedneartheashram,awayfrom
thefourstudents,aswellasotherswhomightoverhearthem.‘Whatisit,ChiefVarun?’askedVashishtha,politely.Varun smiled genially. ‘You and your students have been here for many
years,Guruji.Ithinkit’stimeweproperlyintroduceourselvestoeachother.’Vashishtha stroked his flowing, snowy beard carefully, feigning a lack of
understanding.‘Whatdoyoumean?’‘Imean…forexample,theprincesofAyodhyadonothavetopretendtobe
thechildrenofsomenoblesorrichtradersanymore.’Vashishtha’sthoughtsimmediatelyflewtothefourboys.Wherewerethey?
WeretheybeingroundedupbyVarun’swarriors?ChiefVarun’stribewasnotallowed,accordingtotheirtraditionallaw,tohelpanyAyodhyanroyals.Perhaps, Iwasn’t socleverafterall. I thoughtwewouldbe safe ifwe just
stayedawayfromtheareasunderLankanorMalayaputrainfluence.Vashishthaleanedforward.‘Ifyouareconcernedaboutyourlaws,youmust
alsoremembertheonethatstatesthatyoucannotharmthepeopleyouacceptasyourguests.’Varunsmiled.‘Iintendnoharmeithertoyouoryourstudents,Guruji.’Vashishtha breathed easy. ‘My apologies, if I have offended you. But I
neededaplacethatwas…safe.Wewillleaveimmediately.’
‘Thereisnoneedtodothateither,’saidVarun,calm.‘Idonotintendtokickyouout.Iintendtohelpyou,Guruji.’Vashishtha was taken aback. ‘Isn’t it illegal for you to help the Ayodhya
royalty?’‘Yes,itis.Butthereisasupremelawinourtribethatoverrideseveryother.
Itistheprimarypurposeofourexistence.’Vashishthanodded,pretendingtounderstand,thoughhewasconfused.‘Youmustknowourwarcry:Victoryatallcosts…Whenwarisuponus,
weignoreallthelaws.Andawariscoming,myfriend…’Vashishthastaredathim,completelyflummoxed.Varunsmiled. ‘Pleasedon’t think Iamunaware thatmyVayuputranephew
stealsintoyourashramregularly,lateatnight,thinkingwewouldn’tnotice.Hethinkshecanfoolhisuncle.’Vashishthaleanedback,asaveilseemedtoliftfromhiseyes.‘Hanuman?’‘Yes.Hisfatherismycousin.’Vashishthawasstartled,butheasked inaneven tone. ‘IsVayuKesariyour
brother?’‘Yes.’Varun was aware of the bond that Hanuman and Vashishtha shared.Many
yearsago,theguruhadhelpedhisnephew.Hechosenottomentionit.Heknewthesituationwascomplicated.‘Whoareyou?’Vashishthafinallyasked.‘MyfullnameisVarunRatnakar.’Suddenly,everythingfellintoplace.Vashishthaknewthesignificanceofthat
secondname.Hehadfoundallies.Powerfulallies.Bypurechance.Therewasonlyonethinglefttodo.Vashishthaclaspedhisrightelbowwith
his left hand and touched his forehead with the clenched right fist, in thetraditionalsaluteofVarun’stribe.Respectfully,heutteredtheancientgreeting.‘JaiDeviMohini!’Varun held Vashishtha’s forearm, like a brother, and replied, ‘Jai Devi
Mohini!’
Indians in the Sapt Sindhu have a strange relationship with the Sun God.Sometimes theywanthim, at other times, theydon’t. In summer, theyput upwith his rage. They plead with him, through prayers, to calm down and, ifpossible,hidebehindtheclouds.Inwinter,theyurgehimtoappearwithallhisforceanddriveawaythecoldfuryoftheseason.
Itwasononesuchearlywinterday,madegloriousby theenergisingsun,when Sita and Samichi rode out into the main palace garden. It had beenrefurbished recently on Sita’s orders. The two had decided on a privatecompetition— a chariot race. Itwas a sport Sita truly enjoyed. The narrowlanes of the garden would serve as the racing track. They had not racedtogether in a long time. And, they had never done so in the royal gardenbefore.Thegardenpathswerenarrow,hemmedinwithtreesandfoliage.Itwould
requireconsiderableskilltonegotiatetheminachariot.Theslightestmistakewould mean crashing into trees at breakneck speed. Dangerous … And,exhilarating.The riskof it, the thrill,made the raceworthwhile. Itwasa testof instinct
andsupremehand-eyecoordination.Theracebeganwithoutanyceremony.‘Hyaah!’screamedSita,whippingherhorses,instantlyurgingthemforward.Faster.Faster.Samichi kept pace, close behind. Sita looked back for an instant. She saw
Samichi swerving her chariot to the right. Sita looked ahead and pulled herhorsesslightlytotheright,blockingSamichi’sattempttosneakpastheratthefirstbend.‘Dammit!’screamedSamichi.Sitagrinnedandwhippedherhorses.‘Move!’Sheswungintothenextcurvewithoutreiningherhorsesin.Speedingasher
chariotswervedleft.Thecarriagetiltedtotheright.Sitaexpertlybalancedherfeet,bending leftwards tocounter thecentrifugal forcesworkinghardon thechariotatsuchfastspeeds.Thecarriagebalanceditselfandspedaheadasthehorsesgallopedonwithoutslowing.‘Hyaah!’shoutedSitaagain,swingingherwhipintheair.Itwas a straight and narrow path now for some distance.Overtakingwas
almost impossible. Itwas thebest time togenerate somespeed.Sitawhippedherhorsesharder.Racingforward.WithSamichifollowingclosebehind.Anotherbendlayfartherahead.Thepathbroadenedbeforethecurve,giving
a possible opportunity for Samichi to forge ahead. Sita smoothly pulled thereins to the right, guiding the horses to the centre, leaving as little space aspossibleoneitherside.Samichisimplycouldnotovertake.‘Hyaah!’SitaheardSamichi’sloudvoice.Behindher.Totheleft.Hervoicewasmuch
louderthannormal.Likeshewastryingtoannounceherpresence.Sitareadherfriendcorrectly.
A few seconds later, Sita quickly swerved. But, unexpectedly, to the right,coveringthatsideoftheroad.Samichihadfeignedtheleftwardmovement.Shehadactuallyintendedtoovertakefromtheright.AsSitacutin,thatchancewaslost.SitaheardaloudcursefromSamichi.Grinning,Sitawhippedherhorsesagain.Takingtheturnattopspeed.Ahead
ofthecurve,thepathwouldstraightenout.Andbecomenarrower.Again.‘Hyaah!’‘Sita!’screamedSamichiloudly.Therewassomethinginhervoice.Panic.Asifoncue,Sita’schariotflipped.Sita flewupwith themomentum.High in the air.Thehorsesdidnot stop.
Theykeptgalloping.Instinctively,Sitatuckedinherheadandpulledherlegsup,herkneesclose
toherchest.Sheheldherheadwithherhands.Inbraceposition.TheentireworldappearedtoflowinslowmotionforSita.Hersensesalert.Everythinggoingbyinablur.Whyisittakingsolongtoland?Slam!Sharppainshot throughherasshe landedhardonhershoulder.Herbody
bouncedforward,intheairagain,hurledsickeninglywiththeimpact.‘Princess!’Sitakeptherheadtuckedin.Shehadtoprotectherhead.Shelandedonherback.Andwashurledforward,repeatedlyrollingonthe
toughground,brutallyscrapingherbody.Agreenblurzippedpastherface.Wham!She slammed hard against a tree. Her back felt a sharp pain. Suddenly
stationary.Buttohereyes,theworldwasstillspinning.Dazed,Sitastruggledtofocusonhersurroundings.Samichibroughtherchariot toahalt,dismountedrapidly,andrantowards
theprincess.Sita’sownchariotwasbeingdraggedahead.Sparksflewintheairdue to the intense frictiongeneratedby thechariotmetal rubbingagainst theroughroad.Thedisorientedhorseskeptgallopingforwardwildly.SitalookedatSamichi.‘Get…my…chariot…’Andthen,shelostconsciousness.
ItwasdarkwhenSitaawoke.Hereyelidsfeltheavy.Asoftgroanescapedherlips.Sheheardapanic-strickensqueal.‘Didi…Areyoualright…?Talktome
…’ItwasUrmila.‘I’malright,Urmila…’Herfathergentlyscoldedthelittlegirl.‘Urmila,letyoursisterrest.’Sitaopenedhereyesandblinkedrapidly.Thelightfromthevarioustorches
intheroomfloodedin.Blindingher.Shelethereyelidsdroop.‘Howlong…haveIbeen…’‘Thewholeday,Didi.’Justaday?Itfeelslonger.Herentirebodywasamassofpain.Exceptherleftshoulder.Andherback.
Theywerenumb.Painkillers.MaytheAshwiniKumarsblessthedoctors.Sita opened her eyes again. Slowly. Allowing the light to gently seep in.
Allowingherpupilstoadjust.Urmila stood by the bedside, clutching the bedsheet with both hands. Her
roundeyesweretinypoolsofwater.Tearsstreameddownherface.Herfather,Janak, stood behind his younger daughter. His normally serene face washaggard, linedwithworry.Hehad just recoveredfromaserious illness.Thelastthingheneededwasthisadditionalstress.‘Baba…’ said Sita to her father. ‘You should be resting…You are still
weak…’Janakshookhishead.‘Youaremystrength.Getwellsoon.’‘Gobacktoyourroom,Baba…’‘Iwill.Yourest.Don’ttalk.’Sitalookedbeyondherfamily.Samichiwasthere.AswasArishtanemi.He
wastheonlyonewholookedcalm.Unruffled.Sitatookadeepbreath.Shecouldfeelherangerrising.‘Samichi…’‘Yes,princess,’saidSamichi,asshequicklywalkeduptothebed.‘Mychariot…’‘Yes,princess.’‘Iwantto…seeit…’‘Yes,princess.’SitanoticedArishtanemihangingback.Therewasaslightsmileonhisface
now.Asmileofadmiration.
‘Whodoyouthinktriedtokillyou?’askedArishtanemi.Ithadbeenfivedayssincethechariotaccident.Sitahadrecoveredenoughto
beabletositupinbed.Evenwalkaroundabit.Sheatelikeasoldier,quicklyincreasingherenergylevelsandboostingheralertness.Afullrecoverywouldtakeafewweeks.Her leftarmwas ina sling.Herbackwasplasteredwith thickneem paste,
mixedwithtissue-repairingAyurvedicmedicines.Miniaturebandagescoveredmostpartsofherbody,protectingnicksandcutstomakethemhealquickly.‘Onedoesn’tneedtobeVyomkeshtofigurethisout,’saidSita,referringto
apopularfictionaldetectivefromfolkstories.Arishtanemilaughedsoftly.Thechariothadbeenbrought toSita’s largechamber in theAyuralay. Sita
hadexamineditthoroughly.Ithadbeenverycleverlydone.Woodfromanothertypeoftreehadbeenusedtoreplacethetwosuspension
beams.Itwassimilarinappearancetothewoodusedintherestofthecarriage.Itlookedhardy.Butwas,infact,weak.Thenailmarksthatfixedthebeamsonthemainshaftwerefresh,despitecarebeingtakentouseoldnails.Onebeamhad cracked like a twigwhen strained by the speed ofmovement on unevenground and the sharp turns. The beam had collapsed and jammed into theground,seizinguptheaxle.Thishadbroughtthewheelstoanabrupthaltwhenatagreatspeed.Thechariothadlevereduponthebrokensuspensionbeamasitsfront-endhadrammedintotheground.Verycleverlydone.Whoeverhaddone this had thepatienceof a stargazer. It couldhavebeen
donemanymonthsago.Ithadbeenmadetolooklikeanoldconstructionflaw,a genuine error. To make the death appear like an accident. And not anassassination. Sita had uncovered the conspiracy only through a closeinspectionofthenailmarks.ThechariotwasSita’s.Thetargetobvious.Shewastheonlyonewhostood
betweenMithilaanditsexpansionaryenemies.Urmilacouldsimplybemarriedoff.AndJanak…Well.AfterSita,itwouldonlybeamatteroftime.Shehadbeenextremelylucky.Theaccidenthadoccurredwhenthelastbend
had almost been negotiated,making the chariot drag in a direction differentfrom where Sita was flung due to the inertia of her bodily movement.Otherwise, shewould have been crushed under thewheels andmetal of herchariot.Itwouldhavebeenanalmostcertaindeath.‘Whatdoyouwanttodo?’askedArishtanemi.
Sita had no doubt in her mind about who the perpetrator was behind hersupposed accident. ‘I was willing to consider an alliance. Frankly, he couldhavebecometheheadof theroyalfamily, too.Afterall, Ihavebiggerplans.AllIhadaskedforwasthatmyfatherandsisterbesafeandtreatedwell.And,mycitizensbetakencareof.That’sit.Whydidhedothis?’‘People are greedy. They are stupid. They misread situations. Also,
remember, outside of the Malayaputras, no one knows about your specialdestiny.Perhaps,heseesyouasafuturerulerandathreat.’‘WhenisGuruVishwamitracomingback?’Arishtanemishrugged.‘Idon’tknow.’Sowehavetodothisourselves.‘Whatdoyouwanttodo?’repeatedArishtanemi.‘GuruVishwamitrawasright.Hehadtoldmeonce…Neverwait.Getyour
retaliationinfirst.’Arishtanemismiled.‘Asurgicalstrike?’‘Ican’tdoitopenly.Mithilacannotaffordanopenwar.’‘Whatdoyouhaveinmind?’‘Itmustlooklikeanaccident,justlikeminewasmeanttobe.’‘Yes,itmust.’‘And,itcannotbethemainman.’Arishtanemifrowned.‘Themainmanisjustthestrategist.Inanycase,Ican’tattackhimdirectly…
Mymotherhadprohibitedit…Wemustcutoffhisrighthand.Sothathelosestheabilitytoexecutesuchplans.’‘Sulochan.’SulochanwastheprimeministerofSankashya.Theright-handmanofSita’s
uncle Kushadhwaj. The man who ran practically everything for his king.KushadhwajwouldbeparalysedwithoutSulochan.Sitanodded.Arishtanemi’sfacewashardasstone.‘Itwillbedone.’Sitadidnotreact.Now,youaretrulyworthyofbeingaVishnu,thoughtArishtanemi.AVishnu
whocan’tfightforherselfwouldbeincapableoffightingforherpeople.
Marahadchosenhisdayandtimewell.Theboisterousnine-day festivitiesof theWinterNavratra always included
thedaythatmarkedtheUttarayan,thebeginningofthenorthwardmovementof
thesun.Thiswasthedaythenurtureroftheworld,thesun,wasfarthestawayfromthenorthernhemisphere.Itwouldnowbeginitssix-monthjourneybacktothenorth.Uttarayanwas,inasense,aharbingerofrenewal.Thedeathoftheold.Thebirthofthenew.Itwas the firsthourof the firstprahar. Just aftermidnight.Except for the
river port area, the city of Sankashyawas asleep. The peaceful sleep of thetired and happy. Festivals manage to do that. The city guards, though, wereamongthefewwhowereawake.Throughoutthecity,onecouldheartheirloudcallsonthehour,everyhour:Alliswell.Alas,notalltheguardswereasduty-conscious.Twenty such men sat huddled in the guard room at Prime Minister
Sulochan’s palace; itwas the hour of theirmidnight snack. They should nothavelefttheirposts.Butthishadbeenaseverewinter.And,thesnackwasonlyanexcuse.Theyhad,infact,gravitatedtothewarmfireplaceintheroomlikefireflies.Itwasjustabreak,theyknew.Theywouldsoonbebackonguard.Sulochan’s palace was perched on a hill, skirting the royal garden of
Sankashyaatoneend.AttheotherendwasthegenerousRiverGandaki.Itwasatrulypicturesquespot,aptfortheresidenceofthesecond-mostpowerfulmaninthecity.Butnotverykindtotheguards.Thepalace’selevationincreasedtheseverityof the frostywinds. Itmade standingat theposts abattle against theelements.So,thementrulycherishedthewarmthoftheguardroom.Twoguardslayonthepalacerooftop,towardstheroyalgardenend.Their
breathing even and steady. Sleeping soundly. They would not rememberanything. Actually, there was nothing to remember. An odourless gas hadgentlybreezedinandnudgedthemintoasoundsleep.Theywouldwakeupthenextmorning, guiltily aware that theyhaddozedoff onduty.Theywouldn’tadmit this to any investigator. The punishment for sleeping while on guarddutywasdeath.Marawasnotacrassassassin.Anybrutewithabludgeoncouldkill.Hewas
anartist.OnehiredMaraonly ifonewanted toemploya shadow.Ashadowthatwouldemergefromthedarkness,foronlyalittlewhile,andthenquicklyretreat. Leaving not a trace. Leaving just a body behind. The right body;always, the rightbody.Nowitnesses.No looseends.Noother ‘wrong’body.Nounnecessarycluesforthemindofasavvyinvestigator.Mara,theartist,wasintheprocessofcraftingoneofhisfinestcreations.Sulochan’s wife and children were at her maternal home. The Winter
Navratra was the period of her annual vacation with her family. Sulochanusuallyjoinedthemafterafewdays,buthadbeenheldbackthistimebysomeurgent statebusiness.Theprimeministerwashomealone. Indeed,Marahad
chosen the day and timewell. For he had been told strictly: avoid collateraldamage.HelookedattheobeseformofPrimeMinisterSulochan.Lyingonthebed.
Hishandsonhis sides.Feet floppedoutwards.Ashewouldordinarily sleep.Hewaswearingabeigedhoti.Bare-chested.Hehadplacedhisangvastramonthe bedside cabinet. Folded neatly.As he ordinarilywould have done beforegoingtosleep.Hisringsandjewelleryhadbeenremovedandplacedinsidethejewellerybox,nexttotheangvastram.Again,asheordinarilywould.But, hewasnot breathing as heordinarilywould.Hewas alreadydead.A
herbal poison had been cleverly administered through his nose. No traceswouldbeleftbehind.Thepoisonhadalmostinstantlyparalysedthemusclesinhisbody.The heart is amuscle. So is the diaphragm, located below the lungs. The
victimasphyxiatedwithinminutes.Perhaps, Sulochan had been conscious through it. Perhaps not. Nobody
wouldknow.AndMaradidn’tcaretoknow.Theassassinationhadbeencarriedout.Marawasnowsettingthescene.Hepickedupamanuscriptfromashelf.Itchronicledthedoomedlovestory
ofacourtesanandaperipatetic trader.The storywasalreadyapopularplaythroughouttheSaptSindhu.ItwaswellknownthatSulochanlikedreading.Andthat he especially loved a good romance. Mara walked over to Sulochan’scorpseandplacedthedog-earedmanuscriptonthebed,bythesideofhischest.Sulochanhadfallenasleepwhilereading.Hepickedupaglass-encasedlamp,litthewick,andplaceditonthebedside
cabinet.Hisreadinglamp…Hepickedupthedecanterofwinelyingonatable-topatthefarendofthe
roomandplaced iton thecabinet, alongwithaglass.Hepoured somewineintotheemptyglass.Prime Minister Sulochan had been drinking wine and reading a romantic
novelattheendofatiringday.HeplacedabowlfulofanAyurvedicpasteonthebedsidecabinet.Hedipped
a wooden tong in the paste, opened Sulochan’s mouth and spread it evenlyinside,takingcaretoincludethebackofhisthroat.Adoctorwouldrecognisethispasteasahomeremedyforstomachacheandgas.The primeministerwas quite fat. Stomach troublewould surely have been
common.AndhewasalsoknowntohaveenoughAyurvedicknowledgeforhome
remediesforminordiseasesandafflictions.Hewalkedtowardsthewindow.Openwindow.Windynight.HeretracedhisstepsandpulledthecoveringsheetuptoSulochan’sneck.Sulochanhadcoveredhimselfup.Hewasfeelingcold.Maratouchedthesheetandtheangvastram.Andcastacarefulglancearound
theroom.Everythingwasasitshouldbe.Perfect.Sulochanhad,itwouldbededuced,confusedthebeginningsofaheartattack
for a stomach and gas problem.A regrettably commonmistake.He had hadsomemedicineforit.Themedicinehadrelievedhisdiscomfort.Somewhat.Hehad then picked up a book to read and poured himself some wine. He hadbeguntofeel thechill, typicalofaheartattack.Hehadpulleduphissheet tocoverhimself.Andthentheheartattackhadstruckwithitsfullferocity.Unfortunate.Perfectlyunfortunate.Marasmiled.Helookedaroundthesceneandtookafinalmentalpicture.As
healwaysdid.Hefrowned.Something’snotright.Helookedaroundagain.Withanimalalertness.Damn!Bloodystupid!Marawalkedup toSulochan andpickeduphis left arm.Rigormortis was
setting in and thebodyhadalreadybegun to stiffen.With someeffort,Maraplaced Sulochan’s left hand on his chest. With strain, he spread the fingersapart.Asifthemanhaddiedclutchinghischestinpain.Ishouldhavedonethisearlier.Stupid!Stupid!Satisfiedwithhisworknow,Maraonceagainscannedtheroom.Perfect.Itlookedlikeasimpleheartattack.He stood in silence, filledwith admiration for his creation.He kissed the
fingertipsofhisrighthand.No,hewasnotjustakiller.Hewasanartist.Myworkhereisdone.He turned and brisklywalked up to thewindow, leapt up and grabbed the
parapetoftheroof.Usingthemomentum,hesomersaultedandlandedonhisfeetabovetheparapet.Soonhewasontherooftop.Marawas the invisibleman.The dark, non-transferable polish that he had
rubbed all over his skin, along with his black dhoti, ensured that he wentunseeninthenight.
Themaestrosighedwithsatisfaction.Hecouldhearthesoundsofthenight.Thechirpingcrickets.Thecrackling fire from theguard room.The rustlingwind.Thesoftsnoresoftheguardsasleepontheroof…Everythingwasasitshouldbe.Nothingwasamiss.Heraninthedirectionoftheroyalgarden.Withoutanyhesitation.Building
upspeed.Ashenearedtheedgeoftheroof,heleaptlikeacatandglidedabovetheground.Hisoutstretchedarmscaughtanoverhangingbranchofatree.Heswungontothebranch,balancedhiswaytothetreetrunkandsmoothlyslidtotheground.Hebeganrunning.Softfeet.Silentbreaths.Nounnecessarysound.Mara,theshadow,disappearedintothedarkness.Losttothelight.Again.
Chapter14
Mithilawasmorestablethanithadbeeninyears.Therebuiltslums,alongwiththeancillaryopportunitiesitprovided,haddramaticallyimprovedthelivesofthepoor.Cultivationinthelandbetweenthetwofortwallshadledtoaspikeinagriculturalproduction.Inflationwasdown.And,theunfortunatedeathofthedynamic prime minister of Sankashya had neutralised Kushadhwajsubstantially.NoonegrudgedthenowpopularSitaherdecisiontocarryoutaspateofdiplomaticvisitsacrossthecountry.Ofcourse,fewknewthatthefirstvisitwouldbetothefabledcapitalofthe
Malayaputras:Agastyakootam.The journey was a long and convoluted one. Jatayu, Sita, and a large
MalayaputracompanyfirsttravelledtoSankashyabythedirtroad.Thereafter,theysailedonriverboatsdowntheGandakitillitsconfluencewiththemightyGanga.Then,theysaileduptheGangatoitsclosestpointtotheYamuna.TheythenmarchedoverlandtothebanksoftheYamunaandsaileddowntherivertillitmettheSutlejtoformtheSaraswati.Fromthere,theysailedfartherdownthe Saraswati till it merged into the Western Sea. Next, they boarded aseaworthy ship and were presently sailing down the western coast of India,towards the southwestern tip of the Indian subcontinent. Destination: Kerala.Some called it God’s own country. And why not, for this was the land thepreviousVishnu,LordParshuRam,hadcalledhisown.Onanearlysummermorning,withalightwindinitssails,theshipmoved
smoothlyovercalmwaters.Sita’sfirstexperienceoftheseawaspleasantandfreeofdiscomfort.‘WasLordParshuRamborninAgastyakootam?’askedSita.Sita and Jatayu stood on themain deck, their hands resting lightly on the
balustrade. Jatayu turned to her as he leaned against the bar. ‘We believe so.ThoughIcan’tgiveyouproof.ButwecancertainlysaythatLordParshuRambelongstoKeralaandKeralabelongstohim.’Sitasmiled.
Jatayu pre-empted what he thought Sita would say. ‘Of course, I am notdenying thatmanyothers in India are asdevoted toLordParshuRamasweare.’Shewasabouttosaysomethingbutwasdistractedashereyesfellupontwo
ships in the distance. Lankan ships. They were moving smoothly, but at astartlingspeed.Sitafrowned.‘Thoseshipslookthesameasours.Theyhaveasmanysails
asours.Howaretheysailingsomuchfaster?’Jatayu sighed. ‘I don’t know. It’s a mystery. But it’s a huge maritime
advantageforthem.Theirarmiesandtraderstraveltofarawayregionsfasterthananyoneelsecan.’Raavanmusthavesometechnologythattheothersdonotpossess.Shelookedatthemastheadsofthetwoships.Black-colouredLankanflags,
with the image of the head of a roaring lion emerging from a profusion offieryflames,flutteredproudlyinthewind.Not for the first time, Sita wondered about the relationship between the
MalayaputrasandtheLankans.
AstheynearedtheKeralacoast,thetravellersweretransferredtoashipwithalesserdraught,suitablefortheshallowerbackwaterstheywouldnowsailinto.SitahadbeeninformedinadvancebyJatayuandknewwhattoexpectasthey
approached the landmass. They sailed into the maze-like water bodies thatbeganat thecoast.Amixofstreams,rivers, lakesandfloodedmarshes, theyformedanavigablechannelintotheheartofGod’sowncountry.Charmingatfirstglance,thesewaterscouldbetreacherous;theyconstantlychangedcourseinalandblessedwithabundantwater.Asaresult,newlakescameintobeingasold ones drained every few decades. Fortuitously, most of these backwaterswere inter-connected. If one knew how, one could navigate this waterylabyrinthintothehinterland.Butifonewasnotguidedwell,itwaseasytogetlost or grounded.And, in this relatively uninhabited area, populatedwith allkindsofdangerousanimals,thatcouldbeadeathsentence.Sita’sshipsailedinthisconfusingmeshofwaterwaysforoveraweektillit
reachedanondescriptchannel.Atfirst,shedidnotnoticethethreetallcoconuttrees at the entrance to the channel. The creepers that spread over the threetrunksseemedfashionedintoajigsawofaxe-parts.Thechannelledtoadeadend,coveredbyathickgroveoftrees.Nosightof
adockwheretheshipcouldanchor.Sitafrowned.Sheassumedthattheywould
anchormid-streamandmeetsomeboatssoon.Amazingly,theshipshowednosignsof slowingdown. In fact, thedrumbeatsof thepace-setterspickedupanotch.Astherowersrowedtoafasterbeat,thevesselgatheredspeed,headingstraightforthegrove!Sitawasaloneontheupperdeck.Sheheldtherailingsnervouslyandspoke
aloud,‘Slowdown.Wearetooclose.’ButhervoicedidnotcarrytoJatayu,whowasonthesecondarydeckwith
hisstaff,supervisingsomeintricateoperations.Howcanhenotseethis!Thegroveisrightinfrontofus!‘Jatayuji!’ screamed Sita in panic, sure now that the shipwould soon run
aground. She tightened her grip on the railing, bent low and braced herself.Readyforimpact.Noimpact.Amildjolt,aslightslowing,buttheshipsailedon.Sitaraisedherhead.Confused.The treesmoved, effortlessly pushed aside by the ship! The vessel sailed
deepintowhatshouldhavebeenthegrove.Sitabentoverandlookedintothewater.Hermouthfellopeninawe.BythegreatLordVarun.Floating trees were pushed aside as the shipmoved into a hidden lagoon
ahead. She looked back. The floating trees had moved back into position,hidingthesecretlagoonastheshipsailedforward.Later,Jatayuwouldrevealtoherthattheywereaspecialsub-speciesoftheSundaritree.Sitasmiledwithwonderandshookherhead.‘Whatmysteriesaboundinthe
landofLordParshuRam!’Shefacedthefrontagain,hereyesaglow.Andthen,shefrozeinhorror.Riversofblood!Bang in frontofher, in thedistance,where the lagoonendedand thehills
began,threestreamsofbloodflowedinfromdifferentdirectionsandmergedintothecove.Itwasbelievedthatalongtimeago,LordParshuRamhadmassacredallthe
evilkingsinIndiawhowereoppressingtheirpeople.Legendhaditthatwhenhe finally stopped, his blood-drenched axe had spewed the tainted blood ofthose wicked kings in an act of self-purification. It had turned the riverMalaprabhared.Butit’sjustalegend!Yethereshewas,onaship,seeingnotone,butthreerapidstreamsofblood
disgorgingintothelagoon.
Sita clutched herRudraaksh pendant in fear as her heart rate raced. LordRudra,havemercy.
‘Sita is on her way, Guruji,’ said Arishtanemi, as he entered the Hall ofHundred Pillars. ‘She should be inAgastyakootam in two or threeweeks atmost.’Vishwamitra sat in themainParshuRamEshwar temple in Agastyakootam.
ThetemplewasdedicatedtotheonethatLordParshuRamworshipped:LordRudra.Helookedupfromthemanuscripthewasreading.‘That’sgoodnews.Areallthepreparationsdone?‘Yes,Guruji,’saidArishtanemi.Heextendedhishandandheldoutascroll.
Thesealhadbeenbroken.Butitcouldstillberecognised.ItwastheroyalsealofthedescendantsofAnu.‘AndKingAshwapatihassentamessage.’Vishwamitra smiledwith satisfaction. Ashwapati, the king ofKekaya, was
the father of Kaikeyi and EmperorDashrath’s father-in-law. That alsomadehimthegrandfatherofDashrath’ssecondson,Bharat.‘So,hehasseenthelightandseekstobuildnewrelationships.’‘Ambitionhasitsuses,Guruji,’saidArishtanemi.‘Whether theambitionis
foroneselforone’sprogeny.Ibelieve,anAyodhyanoblemancalledGeneralMrigasyahasshown…’‘Guruji!’Anoviceranintothehall,pantingwithexertion.Vishwamitralookedup,irritated.‘Guruji,sheispractising.’Vishwamitra immediately rose to his feet. He quickly folded his hands
togetherandpaidhisrespectstotheidolsofLordRudraandLordParshuRam.Then, he rushed out of the temple, followed closely byArishtanemi and thenovice.They quickly mounted their horses and broke into a gallop. There was
preciouslittletimetolose.Within a shortwhile, theywere exactlywhere theywanted to be.A small
crowdhadalreadygathered.Onhallowedground.Underatoweralmostthirtymetresinheight,builtofstone.Someheadsweretiltedupwards,towardsatinywoodenhousebuilton topof the tower.Others saton theground, theireyesclosed in bliss. Some were gently crying, rocking with emotions coursingthroughtheirbeing.Agloriousmusicalrenditionwaftedthroughtheair.Divinefingersplucked
the stringsof an instrument seemingly fashionedbyGodhimself.Awoman,
whohadnotsteppedoutofthathouseforyears,wasplayingtheRudraVeena.AninstrumentnamedafterthepreviousMahadev.WhatwasbeingperformedwasaragathatmostIndianmusicaficionadoswouldrecognise.SomecalleditRagaHindolam, others called itRagaMalkauns. A composition dedicated tothegreatMahadevhimself,LordRudra.Vishwamitrarushedinastheothersmadeway.Hestoppedatthebaseofthe
staircase at the entrance to the tower. The sound was soft, filtered by thewoodenwallsofthehouse.Itwasheavenly.Vishwamitrafelthisheartinstantlysettleintotheharmonicrhythm.Tearswelledupinhiseyes.‘Wah,Annapoornadevi,wah,’mouthedVishwamitra,asthoughnotwanting
tobreakthespellwithanysuperfluoussound,eventhatofhisownvoice.According to Vishwamitra, Annapoorna was undoubtedly the greatest
stringed-instrumentplayeralive.Butifsheheardanysuchwordsofpraise,shemightstopherpractice.Hundredshadgathered,asifrisenfromtheground.Arishtanemilookedat
themuncomfortably.Hehadneverbeenhappyaboutthis.OfferingrefugetotheestrangedwifeofthechiefcourtmusicianofLanka?A
formerfavouriteofRaavanhimself?Arishtanemipossessedamilitarymind.Giventostrategic thought.Notfor
himtheemotionalswingsofthosepassionatelyinlovewithmusic.ButheknewthathisGurudidnotagreewithhim.Sohewaited,patiently.Theragacontinuedtoweaveitsetherealmagic.
‘It’snotblood,mysister,’saidJatayu,lookingatSita.ThoughSitahadnotaskedanyquestionregardingthe‘riversofblood’,the
terroronherfacemadeJatayuwanttoeasehermind.ShedidnotletgoofherRudraakshpendant,butherfacerelaxed.The Malayaputras, meanwhile, were anchoring the vessel to the floating
jetty.‘It’snot?’askedSita.‘No. It’s the effect of a unique riverweed which grows here. It lines the
bottom of the stream and is reddish-violet in colour. These streams areshallow,so theyappearredfromadistance.Asif it’sastreamfullofblood.But the ‘blood’ doesn’t discolour the lagoon, don’t you see? Because theriverweedsaretoodeepinthelagoontobeseen.’Sitagrinnedinembarrassment.‘Itcanbealarming,thefirsttimeoneseesit.Forus,itmarksLordParshu
Ram’sterritory.Thelegendaryriverofblood.’Sitanodded.‘But blood can flow by othermeans, in this region. There are dangerous
wild animals in the dense jungles between here andAgastyakootam.Andwehave a two-week march ahead of us. We must stick together and movecautiously.’‘Allright.’Their conversation was cut short by the loud bang of the gangway plank
crashingonthefloatingjetty.
A little less than twoweeks later, the company of five platoons neared theirdestination. They had cut through unmarked, dense forests along the way,wherenoclearpathwayhadbeenmade.SitarealisedthatunlessonewasledbytheMalayaputras,onewouldbehopelesslylostinthesejungles.Excitement coursed through her veins as they crested the final hill and
beheldthevalleythatcradledLordParshuRam’scity.‘Wow…’whisperedSita.Standingon the shouldersof thevalley, she admired the grandiose beauty
spreadoutbelowher.Itwasbeyondimagination.TheThamiravaruniriverbegantothewestandcrashedintothishuge,egg-
shapedvalleyinaseriesofmassivewaterfalls.Thevalleyitselfwascarpetedwithdensevegetationandanimpenetrabletreecover.Theriversnakeditswaythroughthevaleandexitedat theeastern,narrowerend;flowingtowards thelandwheretheTamillived.The valley was deep, descending almost eight hundred metres from the
peaksinthewest,fromwheretheThamiravarunicrashedintoit.Thesidesofthevalleyfellsharplyfromitsshoulderstoitsfloor,givingitsteepedges.Theshouldersofthevalleywerecolouredred;perhapstheeffectofsomemetallicore. The river picked up some of this ore as it began its descent down thewaterfall. It lent a faint, red hue to the waters. The waterfalls looked eerilybloody.Theriversnakedthroughthevalleylikealightlycolouredredsnake,slitheringacrossanopen,lushgreenegg.Mostofthevalleyhadbeenerodedovertheagesbytheriverwaters,heavy
rainfall, and fierce winds. All except for one giant monolith, a humongoustower-like mountain of a single rock. It stood at a proud height of eighthundred and fifty metres from the valley floor, towering well above thevalley’s shoulders.Massive in breadth as well, it covered almost six square
kilometres. Themonolithwas coloured grey, signifying that itwasmade ofgranite,oneof thehardest stones there is.Whichexplainedwhy it stood tall,like a sentinel against the ravagesof time, refusing tobreakevenasMotherNatureconstantlyreshapedeverythingaroundit.Earlyeveningcloudsobstructedherview,yetSitawasoverwhelmedbyits
grandeur.Thesidesofthemonolithwerealmostaninety-degreedropfromthetopto
thevalleyfloor.Thoughpracticallyvertical,thesideswerejaggedandcraggy.Thecrags sprouted shrubsand ferns.Somecreepersclungonbravely to thesidesofthemonolith.Treesgrewonthetop,whichwasamassivespaceofsixsquare kilometres in area. Besides the small amount of vegetation clingingdesperately to themonolith’s sides, it was a largely naked rock, standing inaustere glory against the profusion of green vegetation that populated everyothernookandcrannyofthevalleybelow.TheParshuRamEshwartemplewasatthetopofthemonolith.ButSitacould
notgetaveryclearviewbecauseitwashiddenbehindcloudcover.ThemonolithwasAgastyakootam;literally,thehillofAgastya.The Malayaputras had eased the otherwise impossible access to
Agastyakootamwitharope-and-metalbridgefromthevalleyshoulderstothemonolith.‘Shallwecrossovertotheotherside?’askedJatayu.‘Yes,’answeredSita,tearinghergazeawayfromthegiantrock.‘JaiParshuRam.’‘JaiParshuRam.’
Jatayu led his horse carefully over the long rope-and-metal bridge. Sitafollowedwithherhorseintow.Therestofthecompanyfellinline,onebehindtheother.Sitawasamazedbythestabilityoftheropebridge.Jatayuexplainedthatthis
was due to the innovatively designed hollowmetal planks that buttressed thebottom of the bridge. The foundations of these interconnected planks layburied deep on both sides; one at the valley-shoulder end, the other at thegranitemonolith.Intriguingasthebridgedesignwas,itdidnotholdSita’sattentionforlong.
She peered over the rope-railing at the Thamiravaruni, flowing some eighthundredmetresbelowher.Shesteadiedherself; itwasalongandsteepdrop.TheThamiravaruni crashed head-on into themonolith that Sitawaswalking
towards. The river then broke into two streams, which, like loving arms,embracedthesheerrock.Theyre-joinedontheothersideofthemonolith;andthen, the Thamiravaruni continued flowing east, out of the valley. Themonolithofgraniterockwasthus,technically,ariverineisland.‘WhatdoesthenameThamiravarunimean,Jatayuji?’askedSita.Jatayu answeredwithout turning around. ‘Varuni is that which comes from
LordVarun,theGodofWaterandtheSeas.Intheseparts,itissimplyanotherword for river.AndThamira, in the local dialect, has twomeanings.One isred.’Sitasmiled.‘Well,that’sano-brainer!Theredriver!’Jatayulaughed.‘ButThamirahasanothermeaning,too.’‘What?’‘Copper.’
As Sita neared the other side, the clouds parted. She came to a sudden halt,makingherhorsefalter.Herjawdropped.Insheeramazementandawe.‘HowinLordRudra’snamedidtheybuildthis?’JatayusmiledashelookedbackatSitaandgesturedthatshekeepmoving.
Heturnedquicklyandresumedhiswalk.Hehadbeentrainedtobecarefulonthebridge.A massive curvilinear cave had been carved into the monolith. Almost
fifteenmetresinheightandprobablyaroundfiftymetresdeep,thecaveranallalongtheouteredgeofthemonolith,inacontinuousline,itsfloorandceilingrisinggentlyasitspiralleditswaytothetopofthestonestructure.Itthereforeserved as a road, built into themonolith itself. The ‘road’ spiralled its waydowntoalowerheightaswell,tillitreachedthepointofthemonolithwhereitwastwohundredmetresabovethevalleyfloor.Butthislongcontinuouscave,which ranwithin thesurfaceof thestructure,with the internalmonolith rockservingasitsroadandroof,didnotjustserveasapassage.Ontheinnersideof thiscavewereconstructions,againcarvedoutof themonolith rock itself.These constructions served as houses, offices, shops and other buildingsrequiredforcivilisedliving.Thisinnovativeconstruction,builtdeeperintotheinnerpartsofthemonolithitself,housedalargeproportionofthetenthousandMalayaputras who lived in Agastyakootam. The rest lived on top of themonolith. There were another ninety thousand Malayaputras, stationed incampsacrossthegreatlandofIndia.‘How can anyone carve something this gigantic into stone as hard as
granite?’askedSita.‘Thattooinarockfacethatisalmostcompletelyvertical?ThisistheworkoftheGods!’‘The Malayaputras represent the God, Lord Parshu Ram, himself,’ said
Jatayu.‘Nothingisbeyondus.’Ashesteppedoffthebridgeontothelandingareacarvedintothemonolith,
Jatayumountedhishorse again.Theceilingof the cavewashighenough tocomfortably allow a mounted soldier to ride along. He turned to see Sitaclimbingontoherhorseaswell.Butshedidnotmove.Shewasadmiringtheintricatelyengravedrailingscarvedoutattheedgeofthecave,alongtherightsideofthe‘road’.Theartistryimposedonitdistractedonefromthesheerfallinto the valley that the railing prevented. The railing itself was around twometreshigh.Pillarshadbeencarvedintoit,whichalsoallowedopenspacesinbetween for light. The ‘fish’ symbolwas delicately carved into each pillar ’scentre.‘Mysister,’whisperedJatayu.Sita had steered her horse towards the four-floor houses on the left inner
sideofthecaveroad.SheturnedherattentionbacktoJatayu.‘Promiseme,mysister,’saidJatayu, ‘youwillnotshrinkor turnback,no
matterwhatliesahead.’‘What?’frownedSita.‘I think I understand you now. What you’re about to walk into may
overwhelm you. But you cannot imagine how important this day is for usMalayaputras.Don’tpullbackfromanyone.Please.’BeforeSitacouldaskanyfurtherquestions,Jatayuhadmovedahead.Jatayu
steeredhishorsetotheright,wheretheroadrosegently,spirallingitswaytothetop.Sitatookickedherhorseintoaction.Andthen,thedrumbeatsbegan.As the roadopenedahead,shesaw largenumbersofpeople linedonboth
sides.Noneofthemworeanyangvastrams.ThepeopleofKeraladressedthisway, when they entered temples to worship their Gods and Goddesses. TheabsenceoftheangvastramsymbolisedthattheyweretheservantsoftheirGodsandGoddesses.And,theyweredressedthiswaytoday,astheirlivingGoddesshadcomehome.Atregular intervalsstooddrummerswith largedrumshangingfromcloth
ropes around their shoulders. As Sita emerged, they began a rhythmic,evocativebeat.Nexttoeachdrummerwasaveenaplayer,stringingmelodytotherhythmofthedrummers.Therestofthecrowdwasontheirknees,headsbowed.And,theywerechanting.
Thewordsfloatedintheair.Clearandprecise.OmNamoBhagavateVishnudevayaTasmaiSaakshinenamonamahSalutationstothegreatGodVishnuSalutations,SalutationstotheWitnessSita looked on, unblinking. Unsure of what to do. Her horse, too, had
stopped.JatayupulleduphishorseandfellbehindSita.Hemadeaclickingsoundand
Sita’shorsebegantomove.Forward,onagentlegradienttothetop.Andthus,ledbySita,theprocessionmovedahead.OmNamoBhagavateVishnudevayaTasmaiMatsyaayanamonamahSalutationstothegreatGodVishnuSalutations,SalutationstoLordMatsyaSita’shorsemovedslowly,butunhesitatingly.Mostofthefacesinthecrowd
werefilledwithdevotion.Andmanyhadtearsflowingdowntheireyes.Somepeoplecameforward,bearingrosepetalsinbaskets.Theyflungthem
intheair.ShoweringrosesontheirGoddess,Sita.OmNamoBhagavateVishnudevayaTasmaiKurmaayanamonamahSalutationstothegreatGodVishnuSalutations,SalutationstoLordKurmaOnewomanrushedin,holdingherinfantsoninherarms.Shebroughtthe
baby close to the horse’s stirrups and touched the child’s forehead to Sita’sfoot.AconfusedandtroubledSitatriedherbesttonotshrinkback.Thecompany,ledbySita,keptridinguptheroad,towardsthesummitofthe
monolith.Thedrumbeats,theveenas,thechantingcontinued…ceaselessly.OmNamoBhagavateVishnudevayaTasyaiVaaraahyainamonamahSalutationstothegreatGodVishnuSalutations,SalutationstoLadyVarahiAhead of them, some people were down on their knees with their heads
placedontheground,theirhandsspreadforward.Theirbodiesshookwiththeforceoftheiremotions.OmNamoBhagavateVishnudevayaTasmaiNarasimhaayanamonamahSalutationstothegreatGodVishnu
Salutations,SalutationstoLordNarsimhaThegentlyupward-slopingcaveopenedonto the topof themonolith.The
railingcontinuedtoskirtthemassivesummit.PeoplefromthespiralcaveroadfollowedSitainaprocession.Thelargeareaatthetopofthemonolithwaswellorganisedwithgrid-like
roadsandmanylow-risebuildings.Thestreetswereborderedwithdugoutsonbothsidesthatservedasflowerbeds,thesoilforwhichhadbeenpainstakinglytransported from the fertile valley below. At regular intervals, the dugoutsweredeep,fortheyheldtherootsoflargertrees.Itwasacarefullycultivatednaturalnessinthisaustere,rockyenvironment.At the centre of the summit lay two massive temples, facing each other.
Together,theyformedtheParshuRamEshwartemplecomplex.Onetemple,redin colour, was dedicated to the great Mahadev, Lord Rudra. The other, inpristinewhite,wasthetempleofthesixthVishnu,LordParshuRam.The other buildings in the areawere uniformly low-rise, none built taller
than the templesofParshuRamEshwar.Someservedasofficesandothers ashouses. Maharishi Vishwamitra’s house was at the edge of the summit,overlookingtheverdantvalleybelow.OmNamoBhagavateVishnudevayaTasmaiVaamanaayanamonamahSalutationstothegreatGodVishnuSalutations,SalutationstoLordVaamanThechantingcontinued.Jatayuheldhisbreathashiseyesfellonagauntoldlady.Herflowingwhite
hair let loose in thewind, she sat on a platform in the distance. Her proud,ghostlyeyeswerefixedonSita.Withherfelicitousfingers,shepluckedatthestringsoftheRudraVeena.Annapoornadevi.Thelasttimeshehadbeenseenwas theday thatshehadarrivedatAgastyakootam,manyyearsago.Shehadstepped out of her home, today. She was playing the Veena in public,consciouslybreakingheroath.Aterribleoath,compelledbyahusbandshehadloved.Buttherewasgoodreasontobreaktheoathtoday.ItwasnoteverydaythatthegreatVishnucamehome.OmNamoBhagavateVishnudevayaTasyaiMohinyainamonamahSalutationstothegreatGodVishnuSalutations,SalutationstoLadyMohiniSome purists believed that a Mahadev and a Vishnu could not exist
simultaneously.Thatatanygiventime,eithertheMahadevexistswiththetribeof the previous Vishnu, or the Vishnu exists with the tribe of the previous
Mahadev.ForhowcouldtheneedforthedestructionofEvilcoincidewiththepropagation ofGood?Therefore, some refused to believe thatLadyMohiniwasaVishnu.Clearly, theMalayaputras sidedwith themajority thatbelievedthatthegreatLadyMohiniwasaVishnu.Thechantingcontinued.OmNamoBhagavateVishnudevayaTasmaiParshuramaayanamonamahSalutationstothegreatGodVishnuSalutations,SalutationstoLordParshuRamSita pulled her horse’s reins and stopped as she approached Maharishi
Vishwamitra. Unlike the others, he was wearing his angvastram. All theMalayaputrasinAgastyakootamwereontopofthemonolithnow.Sitadismounted,bentandtouchedVishwamitra’sfeetwithrespect.Shestood
upstraightandfoldedherhandstogetherintoaNamaste.Vishwamitra raisedhisrighthand.Themusic,thechanting,allmovementstoppedinstantly.Agentle breezewafted across the summit.The soft sound itmadewas all
thatcouldbeheard.Butifonelistenedwiththesoul,perhapsthesoundoftenthousand hearts beating as one would also have been heard. And, if onepossessed the power of the divine, onewould have also heard the cry of anoverwhelmedwoman’sheart,asshesilentlycalledout to thebelovedmothershehadlost.AMalayaputrapanditwalkedup toVishwamitra,holding twobowls inhis
hands.Onecontainedathickredviscousliquid;and,theother,anequalamountof thickwhite liquid.Vishwamitra dipped his index and ring finger into thewhiteliquidandthenthemiddlefingerintheredliquid.Thenheplacedhiswrist onhis chest andwhispered, ‘By thegraceof the
Mahadev,LordRudra,andtheVishnu,LordParshuRam.’He placed his three colour-stained fingers together in between Sita’s
eyebrows, then slid them up to her hairline, spreading the outer fingersgradually apart as they moved. A trident-shaped tilak emerged on Sita’sforehead.Theouterarmsofthetilakwerewhite,whilethecentrallinewasred.Withaflickofhishand,Vishwamitrasignalledforthechantingtoresume.
Tenthousandvoicesjoinedtogetherinharmony.Thistime,though,thechantwasdifferent.OmNamoBhagavateVishnudevayaTasyaiSitadevyainamonamahSalutationstothegreatGodVishnuSalutations,SalutationstoLadySita
Chapter15
Late in the evening,Sita satquietly in theLordParshuRam temple.Shehadbeenleftalone.Asshehadrequested.The grand ParshuRamEshwar temple grounds spread over nearly one
hundred and fifty acres on the summit of the granitemonolith.At the centrewasaman-madesquare-shapedlake,itsbottomlinedwiththefamiliarreddish-violet riverweeds. It reminded her of the three apparently ‘blood-filled’streams she had seen at the hidden lagoon.The riverweeds had been graftedhere,sothattheycouldsurviveinthesestillwaters.Thelakeservedasastorefor water for the entire city built into this rock formation. The water wastransported into the houses throughpipes built parallel to the spiral pathwaydownthecurvilinearcavestructure.The two temples of the ParshuRamEshwar complex were constructed on
oppositesidesofthislake.OnewasdedicatedtoLordRudraandtheothertoLordParshuRam.The LordRudra temple’s granite inner structure had been coveredwith a
singlelayerofredsandstone,transportedinshipsfromagreatdistance.Ithada solid base, almost tenmetres in height, forming the pedestal onwhich themain temple structure had been built. The exterior face of the base wasintricatelycarvedwithfiguresofrishisandrishikas.Abroadstaircase in thecentreledtoamassiveveranda.Themaintemplewassurroundedbydelicatelattice,madefromthinstripsofacopperalloy;itwasbrownincolour,ratherthanthenaturalreddish-orangeofthemetal.Thelatticecomprisedtinysquare-shaped openings, each of them shaped into ametallic lamp at its base.Withthousands of these lamps festively lit, itwas as if a star-lit sky screened themaintemple.Ethereal.Beyond the metallic screen holding thousands of lamps, was the Hall of
HundredPillars.Eachpillarwasshapedtoanear-perfectcircularcross-sectionusing elephant-powered lathes. These imposing pillars held themain temple
spire,which itself shotup amassive fiftymetres.The towering temple spirewascarvedonall sideswith figuresofgreatmenandwomenof the ancientpast. People from many groups such as the Sangamtamils, Dwarkans,Manaskul, Adityas, Daityas, Vasus, Asuras, Devas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas,Yakshas, Suryavanshis, Chandravanshis, Nagas and many more. TheforefathersandforemothersofthisnobleVedicnationofIndia.AtthecentreoftheHallwasthesanctumsanctorum.Initwerelife-sizeidols
ofLordRudraandthewomanhehadloved,LadyMohini.Unliketheirnormalrepresentations, these idols did not carry weapons. Their expressions werecalm,gentle,andloving.Mostfascinatingly,LordRudraandLadyMohiniheldhands.Ontheothersideofthesquarelake,facingtheLordRudratemple,wasthe
temple dedicated to Lord Parshu Ram. Almost exactly similar to the LordRudra temple, there was one conspicuous difference: Lord Parshu Ramtemple’s granite inner structure was layered on top with white marble. ThesanctumsanctoruminthemiddleoftheHallofHundredPillarshadlife-sizedidols of the great sixthVishnu and hiswife,Dharani.And, these idolswerearmed.Lord ParshuRamheld his fearsome battle axe andLadyDharani satwiththelongbowinherlefthandandasinglearrowintheother.HadSitapaidcloseattention,shemighthaverecognisedthemarkingsonthe
bow that LadyDharani held. But shewas lost in her own thoughts. Leaningagainstapillar.StaringattheidolsofLordParshuRamandLadyDharani.SherecalledthewordsofMaharishiVishwamitraashehadwelcomedherto
Agastyakootam, earlier today. That they would wait for nine years. Till thestars alignedwith the calculations of theMalayaputra astrologers.And then,herVishnuhoodwouldbeannouncedtotheworld.Shehadbeentoldthatshehadtimetillthentoprepare.Totrain.Tounderstandwhatshemustdo.AndthattheMalayaputraswouldguideherthroughitall.Of course, until that auspicious moment, it was the sworn duty of every
singleMalayaputratokeepheridentitysecret.Therisksweretoohigh.Shelookedback.Towardstheentrance.Nobodyhadenteredthetemple.She
hadbeenleftalone.ShelookedattheidolofLordParshuRam.SheknewthatnoteveryMalayaputrawasconvincedofherpotentialas the
Vishnu.ButnonewoulddareopposetheformidableVishwamitra.WhyisGuruVishwamitrasosureaboutme?WhatdoesheknowthatIdon’t?
AmonthhadpassedsinceSitahadarrivedinAgastyakootam.Vishwamitraandshehadhadmanyextendedconversations.Someofthesewerepurelyeducational;onscience,astronomyandmedicine.
Others were subtle lessons designed to help her clearly define, question,confrontoraffirmherviewsonvarioustopicslikemasculinityandfemininity,equality and hierarchy, justice and freedom, liberalism and order, besidesothers.ThedebateswerelargelyenlighteningforSita.Buttheonesonthecastesystemwerethemostanimated.Both teacher and student agreed that the form in which the caste system
currently existed, deserved to be completely destroyed. That it corroded thevitals of India. In the past, one’s caste was determined by one’s attributes,qualitiesanddeeds.Ithadbeenflexible.Butovertime,familiallovedistortedthe foundations of this concept. Parents began to ensure that their childrenremainedinthesamecasteasthem.Also,anarbitraryhierarchywasaccordedtothecastes,basedonagroup’sfinancialandpoliticalinfluence.Somecastesbecame‘higher ’,others‘lower ’.Gradually,thecastesystembecamerigidandbirth-based. Even Vishwamitra had faced many obstacles when, born aKshatriya, he had decided to become a Brahmin; and, in fact, a rishi. Thisrigiditycreateddivisionswithinsociety.RaavanhadexploitedthesedivisionstoeventuallydominatetheSaptSindhu.Butwhatcouldbethesolutionforthis?TheMaharishibelievedthat itwas
notpossibletocreateasocietywhereallwerecompletelyandexactlyequal.Itmaybedesirable,butwouldremainautopianidea,always.Peopledifferedinskills, both in degree and kind. So, their fields of activity and achievementsalso had to differ. Periodic efforts at imposing exact equality had invariablyledtoviolenceandchaos.Vishwamitra laid emphasis on freedom. A person must be enabled to
understandhimselfandpursuehisdreams.Inhisschemeof things, ifachildwas born to Shudra parents, but with the skills of a Brahmin, he should beallowed to become a Brahmin. If the son of a Kshatriya father had tradingskills,thenheshouldtraintobecomeaVaishya.Hebelievedthatratherthantryingtoforce-fitanartificialequality,onemust
remove the curse of birth determining one’s life prospects. Societies wouldalwayshavehierarchies.Theyexistedeveninnature.But theycouldbefluid.Therewouldbe timeswhenKshatriya soldiers comprised theelite, and then,there would be times when skilful Shudra creators would be the elite. Thedifferencesinsocietyshouldbedeterminedbymerit.That’sall.Notbirth.To achieve this, Vishwamitra proposed that families needed to be
restructured. For it was inheritance that workedmost strongly againstmerit
andfreemovementinsociety.Hesuggestedthatchildrenmustcompulsorilybeadoptedbythestateatthe
timeofbirth.Thebirth-parentswouldhave tosurrender theirchildren to thekingdom.Thestatewouldfeed,educateandnurturethein-borntalentsofthesechildren.Then,attheageoffifteen,theywouldappearforanexaminationtotest them on their physical, psychological andmental abilities. Based on theresult, appropriate castes would be allocated to them. Subsequent trainingwouldfurtherpolishtheirnaturalskills.Eventually,theywouldbeadoptedbycitizens of the same caste as the one assigned to the adolescents through theexamination process. The children would not know their birth-parents, onlytheiradoptivecaste-parents.Thebirth-parents,too,wouldnotknowthefateoftheirbirth-children.Sitaagreedthatthiswouldbeafairsystem.Butshealsofeltthatitwasharsh
andunrealistic. Itwasunimaginable toher thatparentswouldwillinglyhandovertheirbirth-childrentothekingdom.Permanently.Orthattheywouldeverstoptryingtolearnwhathappenedtothem.Itwasunnatural.Infact,timesweresuch that it was impossible to make Indians follow even basic laws for thegreatergood.Itwascompletelyfar-fetchedtothinkthattheywouldevermakesuchabigsacrificeinthelargerinterestofsociety.Vishwamitra retorted that it was the Vishnu’s task to radically transform
society. To convince society. Sita responded that perhaps the Vishnu wouldneed to be convinced, first. The guru assured her that he would. He laid awager that over time, Sita would be so convinced that she would herselfchampionthis‘breathtakinglyfairandjustorganisationofsociety’.As theyendedanotherof theirdiscussionson thecastesystem,Sitagotup
andwalkedtowardstheendofthegarden,thinkingfurtheraboutit.Thegardenwasattheedgeofthemonolithsummit.Shetookadeepbreath,tryingtothinkof somemore arguments that would challenge her guru’s proposed system.She looked down at the valley, eight hundred and fifty metres below.Something about the Thamiravaruni startled her. She stopped thinking. Andstared.WhyhaveInotnoticedthisbefore?Theriverdidnotappeartoflowoutofthevalleyatall.Attheeasternendof
theegg-shapedvalley,theThamiravarunidisappearedunderground.WhatinLordRudra’sname…‘Theriverflowsintoacave,Sita.’Vishwamitrahadquietlywalkeduptohis
student.
VishwamitraandSitastoodatthemouthofthenaturalcave,carvedverticallyintotherockface.IntriguedbytheflowoftheThamiravaruni,Sitahadwishedtoseetheplace
where it magically disappeared, at the eastern end of the valley. From adistance,ithadseemedasiftheriverdroppedintoaholeintheground.But,asshedrewnear,shehadseenthenarrowopeningofthecave.Averticalcave.Itwas incredible thatanentireriverentered thesmallaperture.The thunderousroar of the river within the cave suggested that the shaft expandedunderground.‘Butwheredoesallthiswatergo?’askedSita.AcompanyofMalayaputrasoldiersstoodbehindSitaandVishwamitra.Out
ofearshot.Butcloseenoughtomoveinquicklyifneeded.‘Therivercontinuestofloweast,’saidVishwamitra.‘ItdrainsintotheGulf
ofMannarwhichseparatesIndiafromLanka.’‘Buthowdoesitemergefromtheholeithasdugitselfinto?’‘Itburstsoutofthisundergroundcavernsometenkilometresdownstream.’Sita’seyeswidenedinsurprise.‘Isthiscavethatlong?’Vishwamitrasmiled.‘Come.I’llshowyou.’Vishwamitra ledSita to theedgeof themouthof thecave.Shehesitated. It
was only around twenty-five metres across at the entry point. This forcedconstriction dramatically increased the speed of the river. It tore into theundergroundcausewaywithunrealferocity.Vishwamitrapointedtoaflightofstairstotheleftsideofthecavemouth.It
wasobviouslyman-made.Stepshadbeencarvedintotheslopingsidewall.Arailingthoughtfullyprovidedontherightside,preventingasteepfallintotherapids.Torrents of foamand spray from the rapidlydescending river diminished
vision.Italsomadethestairsdangerouslyslippery.Vishwamitra pulled his angvastram over his head to shield himself from
waterdropletsthatfellfromtheceiling.Sitafollowedsuit.‘Becareful,’saidVishwamitra,asheapproachedthestaircase.‘Thestepsare
slippery.’Sitanoddedand followedherguru.TheMalayaputra soldiers stayedclose
behind.Theywendedtheirwayinsilence.Descendingcarefully.Deeperanddeeper,
intothecave.Sitahuddledintoherangvastram.Daylightfilteredthrough.Butshe expected pitch darkness as they descended farther.The insistent spray ofwatermadeitimpossibletolightatorch.Sitahadalwaysbeenafraidof thedark.Addedtowhichwasthisconfined,
slipperyspace.Theloomingrockstructureandtheloudroarofthedescendingrivercombinedaltogetherintoaterrifyingexperience.Hermother ’svoicecalledouttoher.Amemoryburieddeepinherpsyche.Don’tbeafraidof thedark,mychild.Lighthasasource. Itcanbesnuffed
out.Butdarknesshasnosource.Itjustexists.ThisdarknessisapathtoThat,whichhasnosource:God.Wisewords.Butwords that didn’t really providemuch comfort to Sita at
this point. Cold fear slowly tightened its grip on her heart. A childhoodmemory forced itself into her consciousness. Of being confined in a darkbasement, the sounds of rats scurrying about, the frantic beat of her heart.Barely able to breathe. She pulled her awareness into the present. Anoccasional glimpse ofVishwamitra’swhite robe disturbed the void they hadsettledinto.Suddenly,shesawhimturnleft.Shefollowed.Herhandnotlettinggooftherailing.Disoriented by sudden blinding light, her eyes gradually registered the
loomingfigureofVishwamitrastandingbeforeher.Heheldaloftatorch.Hehanded it to her. She saw a Malayaputra soldier hand another torch toVishwamitra.Vishwamitrastartedwalkingaheadagain,continuing todescend.Thesteps
weremuchbroadernow.Though thesoundof the river reverberatedagainstthewallandechoedallaround.Tooloudforsuchasmallcave.ButSitacouldnotseemuchsincetherewereonlytwotorches.Soon,allthe
Malayaputrasheldatorcheachandlightfloodedintothespace.Sitaheldherbreath.BythegreatLordRudra!Thesmallcavehadopenedintoacavern.Anditwashuge.Biggerthanany
cave Sita had ever seen. Perhaps six hundred metres in width. The stepsdescendedfartherandfartherwhile theceilingremainedat roughly thesameheight.Whentheyreachedthebottomofthecavern,theceilingwasagoodtwohundredmetresabove.Alargepalace,fitforaking,couldhavebeenbuiltinthis subterranean space. And still have room left over. The Thamiravaruniflowed on the right-hand side of this cavern, descending rapidly with greatforce.‘As you can see, the river has eroded this cave over the ages,’ explained
Vishwamitra.‘Itishuge,isn’tit?’‘ThebiggestIhaveeverseen!’saidSitainwonder.There was a massive white hill on the left. The secret behind the well-lit
interior. It reflected light from the numerous torches and spread it to all the
cornersofthecave.‘Iwonderwhatmaterialthathillismadeupof,Guruji,’saidSita.Vishwamitrasmiled.‘Alotofbatslivehere.’Sitalookedupinstinctively.‘Theyareallasleepnow,’saidVishwamitra.‘It’sdaytime.Theywillawaken
atnight.Andthathillismadefromthedroppingsofbillionsofbatsovermanymillennia.’Sitagrimaced.‘Yuck!’Vishwamitra’slaughterechoedinthevastness.ItwasthenthatSita’seyesfellonsomethingbehindVishwamitra.Manyrope
laddershangingfromthewalls;somanythatshegaveuptheattempttocountthem.Hammeredintoplaceontop,theyfellfromtheroof,allthewaytothefloor.Sitapointed.‘What’sthat,Guruji?’Vishwamitra turnedaround. ‘Therearesomewhitesemicircularbirdnests
in the nooks and crannies of these walls. Those nests are precious. Thematerial they are made from is precious. These ladders allow us to accessthem.’Sitawassurprised.‘Whatcouldbesovaluableaboutthematerialthatanest
is made from? These ladders go really high. Falling from that height mustmeaninstantdeath.’‘Indeed,somehavedied.Butitisaworthysacrifice.’Sitafrowned.‘WeneedsomeholdoverRaavan.Thematerialinthosenestsgivesusthat
control.’Sitafroze.Thethoughtthathadbeentroublingherforsometimemadeits
reappearance: What is the relationship between the Malayaputras and theLankans?‘Iwillexplainittoyou,someday,’saidVishwamitra,readingherthoughtsas
usual.‘Fornow,havefaithinme.’Sitaremainedsilent.Butherfaceshowedthatshewastroubled.‘This land of ours,’ continued Vishwamitra, ‘is sacred. Bound by the
Himalayasinthenorth,washedbytheIndianOceanatitsfeetandtheWesternandEasternSeasatitsarms,thesoilinthisgreatnationishallowed.Allthoseborn in this land carry the sacred earth ofMother India in their body. Thisnationcannotbeallowedtoremaininthiswretchedstate.Itisaninsulttoournobleancestors.WemustmakeIndiagreatagain.Iwilldoanything,anything,tomakethislandworthyofourgreatancestors.And,soshalltheVishnu.’
Sita,Jatayu,andacompanyofMalayaputrasoldiersweresailingbackupthewesterncoast towards theSaptSindhu.Sitawasreturning toMithila.Shehadspent more than five months in Agastyakootam, educating herself on theprinciples of governance, philosophies, warfare and personal history of theearlierVishnus.Shehadalsoacquiredadvancedtraininginothersubjects.Thiswas in preparation for her Vishnuhood. Vishwamitra had been personallyinvolvedinhertraining.Jatayuandshesatonthemaindeck,sippingahotcupofgingerkadha.Sita sethercupdownand lookedat theMalayaputra. ‘Jatayuji, I hopeyou
willanswermyquestion.’Jatayu turned towards Sita and bowed his head. ‘How can I refuse, great
Vishnu?’‘WhatistherelationshipbetweentheMalayaputrasandtheLankans?’‘Wetradewiththem.AsdoeseverykingdomintheSaptSindhu.Weexporta
very valuablematerialmined in the cavern ofThamiravaruni toLanka.Andtheygiveuswhatweneed.’‘I’mawareof that.ButRaavanusuallyappoints sub-traderswhoaregiven
thelicencetotradewithLanka.Nooneelsecanconductanybusinesswithhim.Butthereisnosuchsub-traderinAgastyakootam.Youtradedirectlywithhim.This is strange. I alsoknow that he strictly controls theWestern andEasternSeas.And thatnoshipcanset sail in thesewaterswithoutpayinghimacess.Thisishowhemaintainsastrangleholdovertrade.ButMalayaputrashipspaynothingandyet,passunharmed.Why?’‘LikeIsaid,wesellhimsomethingveryvaluable,greatVishnu.’‘Doyoumeanthebird’snestmaterial?’askedSita,incredulously.‘Iamsure
hegetsmanyequallyvaluablethingsfromotherpartsoftheSaptSindhu…’‘Thismaterial isvery,veryvaluable.Farmore thananythinghegets from
theSaptSindhu.’‘Thenwhy doesn’t he just attack Agastyakootam and seize it? It’s not far
fromhiskingdom.’Jatayuremainedsilent,unsureofhowmuchtoreveal.‘I have also heard,’ continued Sita, choosing her words carefully, ‘that,
apparently,thereisasharedheritage.’‘Thattheremaybe.ButeveryMalayaputra’sprimaryloyaltyistoyou,Lady
Vishnu.’‘Idon’tdoubtthat.Buttellme,whatisthiscommonheritage?’Jatayutookadeepbreath.Hehadmanagedtosidestepthefirstquestion,but
itseemedhewouldbeunabletoavoidthisone.‘MaharishiVishwamitrawasaprincebeforehebecameaBrahminRishi.’‘Iknowthat.’‘Hisfather,KingGaadhi,ruledthekingdomofKannauj.GuruVishwamitra
himselfwasthekingthereforashortspanoftime.’‘Yes,soIhaveheard.’‘ThenhedecidedtorenouncehisthroneandbecomeaBrahmin.Itwasn’tan
easydecision,butnothingisbeyondourgreatGuruji.NotonlydidhebecomeaBrahmin,healsoacquiredthetitleofMaharishi.And,hescaledgreatheightstoreachthepeakbyultimatelybecomingthechiefoftheMalayaputras.’Sitanodded.‘NothingisbeyondGuruVishwamitra.Heisoneoftheall-time
greats.’‘True,’saidJatayu.Hesitantly,hecontinued.‘So,GuruVishwamitra’sroots
areinKannauj.’‘ButwhatdoesthathavetodowithRaavan?’Jatayu sighed. ‘Most people don’t know this. It is a well-kept secret, my
sister.ButRaavanisalsofromKannauj.Hisfamilycomesfromthere.’
Chapter16
Attwentyyearsofage,Sitamayhavehadtheenergyanddriveofayoungster,but her travels through much of India and the training she had received atAgastyakootam,hadgivenherwisdomfarbeyondheryears.Samichiwas initially intriguedbySita’s repeated trips around the country.
She was told that they were for trade and diplomatic purposes. And, shebelieved it.Or, pretended to.As shepracticallygovernedMithilawith a freehandintheabsenceof theprincess.ButSitawasnowbackinMithilaandthereinsofadministrationwerebackinthehandsoftheprimeminister.RadhikawasononeofherfrequentvisitstoMithila.‘Howareyoudoing,Samichi?’askedRadhika.Sita, Radhika and Samichi were in the private chambers of the prime
ministerofMithila.‘Doingverywell!’smiledSamichi.‘Thankyouforasking.’‘I lovewhatyouhavedonewiththeslumsat thesoutherngate.Acesspool
hastransformedintoawell-organised,permanentconstruction.’‘Itwouldnothavebeenpossiblewithouttheguidanceoftheprimeminister,’
said Samichi with genuine humility. ‘The idea and vision were hers. I justimplementedit.’‘Notprimeminister.Sita.’‘Sorry?’‘Ihavetoldyoumanytimes,’saidSita,‘whenwearealone,youcancallme
bymyname.’SamichilookedatRadhikaandthenatSita.Sitarolledhereyes.‘Radhikaisafriend,Samichi!’Samichismiled.‘Sorry.Nooffencemeant.’‘Nonetaken,Samichi!’saidRadhika.‘Youaremyfriend’srighthand.How
canItakeoffenceatsomethingyousay?’Samichirosetoherfeet.‘Ifyouwillexcuseme,Sita,Imustgototheinner
city.ThereisagatheringofthenoblesthatIneedtoattend.’
‘Ihaveheard,’saidSita,gesturingforSamichitowait,‘thatthericharenottoohappy.’‘Yes,’ saidSamichi. ‘Theyare richer than theyused tobe, sinceMithila is
doingwellnow.Butthepoorhaveimprovedtheirlotinlifeatafasterpace.Itisnolongereasyfortherichtofindcheaplabourordomestichelp.Butit’snotjusttherichwhoareunhappy.Ironically,eventhepooraren’tashappyastheyusedtobe,beforetheirlivesimproved.Theycomplainevenmorenow.Theywant to get richer, more quickly. With greater expectations, they havediscoveredhigherdissatisfaction.’‘Changecausesdisruption…’Sitasaid,thoughtfully.‘Yes.’‘Keepmeinformedoftheearlysignsofanytrouble.’‘Yes,Sita,’saidSamichi,beforesalutingandwalkingoutoftheroom.As soon as theywere alone, Sita askedRadhika, ‘Andwhat else has been
happeningwiththeotherVishnucandidates?’‘Ramisprogressingverywell.Bharatisalittleheadstrong.It’sstillatoss-
up!’
Itwas late in theeveningat thegurukulofMaharishiKashyap.Five friends,all of them eight years old, were playing a game with each other. A gamesuitablefor thebrilliantstudentswhopopulatedthisgreatcentreof learning.Anintellectualgame.Oneofthestudentswasaskingquestionsandtheothershadtoanswer.The
questionerhadastoneinhishand.Hetappeditonthegroundonce.Thenhepaused. Then he tapped once again. Pause. Then two times, quickly. Pause.Three times. Pause. Five times. Pause. Eight times. Pause. He looked at hisfriendsandasked,‘WhoamI?’Hisfriendslookedateachother,confused.Aseven-year-oldboysteppedupgingerly fromtheback.Hewasdressedin
ragsandclearlylookedoutofplace.‘Ithinkthestonetapsrepresented1,1,2,3,5,8,right?That’sthePingalaSeries.Therefore,IamRishiPingala.’Thefriendslookedattheboy.Hewasanorphanwholivedintheminuscule
guardcabinofthelocalMotherGoddesstemple.Theboywasweak,sufferingfrom malnutrition and poor health. But he was brilliant. A gurukul studentnamedVishwamitrahadmanaged toconvince theprincipal toenrol thispoororphan in the school. Vishwamitra had leveraged the power of the massiveendowmentthathisfather,theKingofKannauj,hadgiventothegurukul,toget
thisdone.Theboysturnedawayfromtheorphan,eventhoughhisanswerwascorrect.‘We’renotinterestedinwhatyousay,Vashishtha,’sneeredtheboywhohad
askedthequestion.‘Whydon’tyougoandcleantheguard’scabin?’As theboysburst out laughing,Vashishtha’s body shrank in shame.But he
stoodhisground.Refusingtoleave.Thequestionerturnedtohis friendsagainandtappedtheearthonce.Then
drewacirclearoundthespothehadtapped.Thenhedrewthecircle’sdiameter.Then,outsidethecircle,hetappedsharplyonce.Then,heplacedthestoneflaton theground.Pause.Thenhe tapped thestonesharplyagain.Quickly.Eighttimes.‘WhoamI?’Vashishthaimmediatelyblurtedout,‘Iknow!Youtappedthegroundanddrew
acircle.That’sMotherEarth.Thenyoudrewthediameter.Thenyoutapped1-0-8outside.Whatis108timesthediameteroftheEarth?ThediameteroftheSun.IamtheSunGod!’The friends did not even turn to look atVashishtha.Nobodyacknowledged
hisanswer.ButVashishtharefusedtobedenied.‘It’sfromtheSuryaSiddhanta…It’sthe
correctanswer…’Thequestionerturnedtofacehiminanger.‘Getlost,Vashishtha!’Aloudvoicewasheard.‘Hey!’It was Vishwamitra. He may have been only eight years old, but he was
alreadyhuge.Powerfulenoughtoscarethefiveboys.‘Kaushik…’said theboyquestionernervously,usingthegurukulnamefor
Vishwamitra,‘thishasnothingtodowithyou…’VishwamitrawalkeduptoVashishthaandheldhishand.Then,heturnedto
thefiveboys.Glaring.‘Heisastudentofthegurukulnow.Youwillcallhimbyhisgurukulname.Withrespect.’Thequestionerswallowed.Shakinginfear.‘HisgurukulnameisDivodas,’saidVishwamitra,holdingVashishtha’shand
tighter.Divodaswasthenameofagreatancientking.ItwasVishwamitrawhohadselectedthisgurukulnameforVashishthaandthenconvincedtheprincipaltomakeitofficial.‘Sayit.’Thefivefriendsremainedparalysed.Vishwamitrasteppedcloser,menaceoozingfromeveryporeofhisbody.He
hadalreadybuiltareputationwithhisfiercetemper.‘Saymyfriend’sgurukulname.Sayit.Divodas.’Thequestionersputtered,ashewhispered,‘Divo…das.’‘Louder.Withrespect.Divodas.’
Allfiveboysspoketogether,‘Divodas.’VishwamitrapulledVashishtha towardshimself. ‘Divodas ismy friend.You
messwithhim,youmesswithme.’‘Guruji!’Vashishtha was pulled back from the ancient, more than a hundred-and-
forty-year-old memory. He quickly wiped his eyes. Tears are meant to behidden.He turned to look atShatrughan,whowasholdingup amanuscript of the
SuryaSiddhanta.Ofallthebooksintheentireworld…Whataretheodds?Vashishthawouldhavesmiledattheirony.Butheknewitwasgoingtobea
long discussion. The youngest prince of Ayodhya was by far the mostintelligent of the four brothers. So, he looked with a serious expression atShatrughanandsaid,‘Yes,mychild.Whatisyourquestion?’
SitaandRadhikaweremeetingafteratwo-yeargap.Overthistime,SitahadtravelledthroughthewesternpartsofIndia,allthe
waytoGandhar,atthebaseoftheHindukushmountains.WhileIndia’sculturalfootprints could be found beyond these mountains, it was believed that theHindukush,peopledbytheHindushahiPashtunsandthebraveBaloch,definedthewesternbordersof India.Beyond thatwas the landof theMlechchas, theforeigners.‘WhatdidyouthinkofthelandsofAnu?’askedRadhika.Kekaya, ruled by Ashwapati, headed the kingdoms of the Anunnaki,
descendantsof theancientwarrior-king,Anu.Manyof the kingdoms aroundKekaya, bound by Anunnaki clan ties, pledged fealty to Ashwapati. AndAshwapati, in turn, was loyal to Dashrath. Or, at least so it was publiclybelieved. After all, Ashwapati’s daughter, Kaikeyi, was Dashrath’s favouritewife.‘Aggressive people,’ said Sita. ‘The Anunnaki don’t do anything by half
measures.Theirfire,puttogooduse,canhelpthegreatlandofIndiaachievenewheights.But,whenuncontrolled,itcanalsoleadtochaos.’‘Agreed,’saidRadhika.‘Isn’tRajagrihabeautiful?’Rajagriha,thecapitalofKekaya,wasonthebanksoftheriverJhelum,not
farfromwhere theChenabRivermergedinto it.Rajagrihaextendedonbothsidesoftheriver.ThemassiveandethereallybeautifulpalaceofitskingwasontheeasternbankoftheJhelum.
‘Itis,indeed,’saidSita.‘Theyaretalentedbuilders.’‘And,fiercewarriors.Quitemad,too!’Radhikagiggled.Sitalaughedloudly.‘True…Thereisathindividinglinebetweenfierceness
andinsanity!’SitanotedthatRadhikaseemedhappierthanusual.‘Tellmeabouttheprinces
ofAyodhya.’‘Ram is doing well. My father is quite certain that Guru Vashishtha will
choosehim.’‘AndBharat?’Radhikablushedslightly.And,Sita’ssuspicionswereconfirmed.‘He’sgrowingupwelltoo,’whisperedRadhika,adreamylookonherface.‘Thatwell?’jokedSita.Her crimson face a giveaway, Radhika slapped her friend on her wrists.
‘Shutup!’Sitalaughedindelight.‘BythegreatLadyMohini,Radhikaisinlove!’RadhikaglaredatSita,butdidnotrefuteherfriend.‘Butwhataboutthelaw…’Radhika’s tribe was matrilineal. Women were strictly forbidden from
marryingoutside the tribe.Mencouldmarryoutside their tribeonconditionthattheywouldbeexcommunicated.Radhikawavedherhandindismissal.‘Allthatisinthefuture.Rightnow,let
me enjoy the company of Bharat, one of the most romantic and passionateyoungmenthatnaturehaseverproduced.’Sitasmiled,thenchangedthesubject.‘WhataboutRam?’‘Verystoic.Very,veryserious.’‘Serious,isit?’‘Yes.Serious andpurposeful.Relentlessly purposeful.Almost all the time.
He has a strong sense of commitment and honour. Hard on others and onhimself. Fiercely patriotic. In love with every corner of India. Law-abiding.Always!Andnotoneromanticboneinhisbody.Iamnotsurehewillmakeagoodhusband.’Sita leaned back in her couch and rested her arms on the cushions. She
narrowedhereyesandwhisperedtoherself.ButhewillprobablymakeagoodVishnu.
A year had lapsed since the friends had lastmet. Herwork having kept herbusy,SitahadnottravelledoutofMithila.Shewasdelighted,therefore,when
Radhikareturned,unannounced.Sitaembracedherwarmly.Butpulledbackasshenoticedherfriend’seyes.‘What’swrong?’‘Nothing,’saidRadhika,shakingherhead.Withdrawn.Sita immediately guessedwhatmust have happened. She held her friend’s
hands.‘Didheleaveyou?’Radhika frowned and shook her head. ‘Of course not. You don’t know
Bharat.Heisanhonourableman.Infact,hebeggedmenottoleavehim.’Shelefthim?!‘In the name ofLadyMohini,why?Forget about your tribe’s silly law. If
youwanthimthenyouhavetofightforhim…’‘No.It’snotaboutthelaws…Iwouldhaveleftthetribeif…ifIhadwanted
tomarryhim.’‘Then,whatistheproblem?’askedSita.‘It wouldn’t haveworked out… I know. I don’t want to be a part of this
“greatnessproject”,Sita.IknowRam,Bharat,andyouwilldoalotforIndia.Ialso know that greatness usually comes at the cost of enormous personalsuffering.Thatisthewayithasalwaysbeen.Thatisthewayitwillalwaysbe.Idon’twantthat.Ijustwantasimplelife.Ijustwanttobehappy.Idon’twanttobegreat.’‘Youarebeingtoopessimistic,Radhika.’‘No,Iamnot.Youcancallmeselfishbut…’Sitacutin,‘Iwouldnevercallyouselfish.Realistic,maybe.Butnotselfish.’‘Thenspeaking realistically, Iknowwhat Iamupagainst. Ihaveobserved
myfatherallmylife.Thereisafirewithinhim.Iseeitinhiseyes,allthetime.Iseethesamefireinyou.AndinRam.AdesiretoserveMotherIndia.Ididn’texpectitinitially,butnowIseethesamefireinBharat’seyes.Youareallthesame. Even Bharat. And just like all of you, he is willing to sacrificeeverythingforIndia.Idon’twanttosacrificeanything.Ijustwanttobehappy.Ijustwanttobenormal…’‘Butcanyoubehappywithouthim?’Radhika’s sad smile did not hide her pain. ‘It would be even worse if I
marriedhimandallmyhopesforhappinessweretiedtonagginghimtogiveuphisdreamsforIndiaandforhimself.I’deventuallymakehimunhappy.I’dmakemyselfunhappyaswell.’‘But…’‘Ithurts rightnow.But timealwaysheals,Sita.Years fromnow,whatwill
remainarethebittersweetmemories.Moresweet,lessbitter.Noonecantakeawaythememoriesofpassionandromance.Ever.That’llbeenough.’
‘You’vereallythoughtthisthrough?’‘Happiness isnotanaccident. It isachoice. It is inourhands tobehappy.
Always in our hands. Who says that we can have only one soulmate?Sometimes, soulmates want such radically different things that they end upbeing the cause of unhappiness for each other. Someday I will find anothersoulmate, onewho alsowantswhat I want. Hemay not be as fascinating asBharat.Or,evenasgreatasBharatwillbe.ButhewillbringmewhatIwant.Simplehappiness.Iwillfindsuchaman.Inmytribe.Or,outsideofit.’Sitagentlyplacedahandonherfriend’sshoulder.Radhikatookadeepbreathandshookherhead.Snappingoutofherblues.
ShehadbeensenttoMithilawithapurpose.‘Bytheway,GuruVashishthahasmadehisdecision.SohavetheVayuputras.’‘And?’‘It’sRam.’Sitatookalong,satisfiedbreath.Then,shesmiled.
Anotheryearpassedby.Sitawastwenty-fouryearsoldnow.ShehadvisitedtheentirelengthofthewesterncoastofIndia,thepreviousyear.FromthebeachesofBalochistanallthewaydowntoKerala,whichcradledAgastyakootam.Shewas finally back in Mithila, engaged in mounds of pending royal duties.Whateverlittletimeshecouldspare,shespentwithheryoungersister,Urmila,andherfather,Janak.Kushadhwaj had not visited Mithila for a while. He wasn’t in Sankashya
either. Which was strange. Sita had tried to make inquiries about hiswhereabouts,buthadnotbeensuccessful so far.What shedidknowwas thattheSankashyaadministrationhad lostmuchof itsefficiencyafterSulochan’sdeath,universallybelievedtobetheresultofanunfortunateheartattack.Sita was used to Radhika’s unexpected visits, by now. Hence, she was
delightedtoreceiveherfriend,whomshewasmeetingafterafewmonths.‘How are things in your village, now that the excitement of hosting the
princesofAyodhyaisgone?’Radhikalaughed.‘It’sallright…’‘Areyouallright?’‘I’mgettingthere…’‘AndhowisRamdoinginAyodhya?’‘Hehasbeenmade thechiefofpolice.AndBharat thechiefofdiplomatic
relations.’
‘Hmm…SoQueenKaikeyistillhashergriponAyodhya.BharatisbetterplacedtocatapultintotheroleofCrownPrince.Thechiefofpoliceisatoughandthanklessjob.’‘Soitwouldseem.ButRamisdoingexceedinglywell.Hehasmanagedto
bring crime under visible control. This has made him popular among thepeople.’‘Howdidhemanagethatmiracle?’‘Hejustfollowedthelaws.Ha!’Sita laughed, befuddled. ‘How does Ram abiding by the law make any
difference?Thepeoplealsohavetofollowit.And,Indianswillneverdothat.In fact, I thinkwe enjoy breaking rules. Pointlessly. For the heck of it. OnemustbepragmaticwhendealingwithIndians.Lawsmustbeenforced,yes.Butthiscannotbeanendinitself.Youmaysometimesneedtoevenmisusethelawtoachievewhatyouwant.’‘Idisagree.Ramhasshownanewway.Bysimplyensuring thathe, too, is
accountableandsubjecttothelaw.NoshortcutsareavailabletotheAyodhyannobility anymore. This has electrified the common folk. If the law is aboveevenaprince,thenwhynotthem?’Sitaleanedintoherchair.‘Interesting…’‘Bytheway,’askedRadhika,‘whereisGuruVishwamitra?’Sitahesitated.‘IamonlycheckingbecausewebelieveGuruVashishthahasgonetoPariha
toproposeRam’scandidatureastheVishnu.’Sitawasshocked.‘GuruVishwamitraisinParihaaswell.’Radhikasighed.‘Thingswillsooncometoahead.Youbetterhaveaplanin
mind to convince Guru Vishwamitra about Ram and you partnering as theVishnus.’Sitatookadeepbreath.‘AnyideawhattheVayuputraswilldo?’‘I have told you already. They lean towards Guru Vashishtha. The only
questioniswhethertheywillgiveintoGuruVishwamitra.Afterall,heis thechiefoftheMalayaputrasandtherepresentativeofthepreviousVishnu.’‘IwillspeakwithHanubhaiya.’
Chapter17
‘But,Didi,’ poutedUrmila, keeping her voice low as she spoke to her eldersister,Sita,‘whyhaveyouagreedtoaswayamvar?Idon’twantyoutoleave.WhatwillIdowithoutyou?’UrmilaandSitasatonalarge,well-camouflagedwoodenmachaninatree.
Their feet dangled by the side. Sita’s bow laywithin hand’s reach, next to aquiverfullofarrows.Thejunglewasquietandsomnolentthishotafternoon.Mostoftheanimals,itseemed,weretakinganap.Sita smiled and pulled Urmila close. ‘I have to get married sometime,
Urmila.Ifthisiswhatbabawants,thenIhavenochoicebuttohonourit.’Urmila did not know that it was Sita who had convinced her father to
arrange the swayamvar. The swayamvar was an ancient tradition where thefatherofthebrideorganisedagatheringofprospectivebridegrooms;andthedaughterselectedherhusbandfromamongthegatheredmen.Ormandatedacompetition.Sitawasactivelymanagingthearrangements.ShehadconvincedVishwamitra to somehowgetRam toMithila for the swayamvar. An officialinvitationfromMithilatoAyodhyawouldnothavegottenaresponse.Afterall,whywouldAyodhyaallywithasmallandrelativelyinconsequentialkingdomlikeMithila?ButtherewasnowaythatAyodhyawouldsaynotothepowerfulMalayaputra chief’s request just to attend the swayamvar. And, at theswayamvar itself,managedbyherGuru, thegreatMalayaputraVishwamitra,shecouldarrangetohaveRamasherhusband.Vishwamitrahadalsolikedtheidea. Thisway, hewould displaceVashishtha and gain direct influence overRam.Ofcourse,hewasunawarethatSitahadotherplans.PlanstoworkwithRaminpartnershipastheVishnu.GodblessHanubhaiya!Whatafantasticidea.Urmila restedherheadonSita’s shoulder.Althoughayoungwomannow,
hershelteredupbringinghadkeptherdependentonhereldersister.Shecouldnotimaginelifewithouthernurturerandprotector.‘But…’SitaheldUrmilatight.‘Youtoowillbemarried.Soon.’
Urmilablushedandturnedaway.Sitaheardafaintsound.Shelookeddeepintotheforest.Sita,Samichi, and a troopof twentypolicemenhad come to this jungle, a
day’sridefromMithila,tokillaman-eatingtigerthatwastormentingvillagersinthearea.UrmilahadinsistedonaccompanyingSita.Fivemachanshadbeenbuiltinaforestclearing.EachmachanwasmannedbyMithilapolicemen.Thebait, agoat, hadbeen tied in theopen.Keeping theweather inmind, a smallwaterholehadalsobeendug,linedwithwaterproofingbitumen.Ifnotthemeat,perhapsthewaterwouldenticethetiger.‘Listen,Didi,’whisperedUrmila,‘Iwasthinking…’UrmilafellsilentasSitaraisedafingertoherlips.Then,Sitaturnedaround.
Two policemen sat at the other end of themachan. Using hand signals, shegavequickorders.Silently,theycrawleduptoherside.Urmilamovedtotheback.Sitapickedupherbowandnoiselesslydrewanarrowfromthequiver.‘Didyouseesomething,MyLady?’whisperedapoliceman.Sitashookherheadtosignalno.Andthen,cuppedherearwithherlefthand.Thepolicemenstrainedtheirearsbutcouldnothearanything.Oneofthem
spokeinafaintvoice,‘Idon’thearanysound.’Sitanockedthearrowonthebowstringandwhispered,‘It’s theabsenceof
sound.Thegoathasstoppedbleating.Itisscaredstiff.Ibetit’snotanordinarypredatorthatthegoathassniffed.’The policemen drew their bows forward and nocked arrows.Quickly and
quietly.Sitathoughtshecaughtafleetingglimpseofstripesfrombehindthefoliage.
Shetookalong,hardlook.Slowly,shebegantodiscernalternatingbrownish-orange and black stripes in the dark, shaded area behind the tree line. Shefocusedhereyes.Thestripesmoved.Sitapointedtowardsthemovement.Thepolicemannoticeditaswell.‘It’swell-camouflaged…’Sitaraisedherhands,signallingforquiet.Sheheldthebowstringandpulled
faintly,readytoshootatthefirstopportunity.After a few excruciatingly long moments, the tiger stepped into view,
inching slowly towards the waterhole. It saw the goat, growled softly andturned its attention back to the water. The goat collapsed on the ground inabsolute terror, urine escaping its bladder in a rush. It closed its eyes andsurrendered itself to fate. The tiger, though, did not seem interested in thepetrifiedbait.Itkeptlappingupthewater.Sitapulledthebowstringback,completely.
Suddenly,therewasaverysoftsoundfromoneofthemachanstotheright.Thetigerlookedup,instantlyalert.Sitacursedunderherbreath.Theanglewasn’tright.Butsheknewthetiger
wouldturnandfleeinmoments.Shereleasedthearrow.It whizzed through the clearing and slammed into the beast’s shoulder.
Enoughtoenrage,butnotdisable.The tiger roared in fury. But its roar was cut short just as suddenly. An
arrow shot into its mouth, lodging deep in the animal’s throat.Within splitseconds,eighteenarrowsslammedintothebigcat.Somehitaneye,otherstheabdomen.Threemissilesthumpedintoitsrearbicepfemorismuscles,severingthem.Itsrearlegsdebilitated,thetigercollapsedtotheground.TheMithilansquicklyreloaded theirbowsandshotagain.Twentymorearrowspierced theseverely injured beast. The tiger raised its head one last time. Sita felt theanimalwasstaringdirectlyatherwithoneuninjuredeye.Myapologies,noblebeast.But itwaseitheryouor thevillagersundermy
protection.Thetiger ’sheaddropped.Nevertoriseagain.Mayyoursoulfindpurpose,onceagain.
Sita,Urmila,andSamichirodeattheheadofthegroup.Thepolicemenrodeashortdistancebehind.Thepartywasheadedbacktothecapitalcity.The tigerhadbeencrematedwithduerespect.Sitahadmade itclear toall
that shedidnot intend tokeep theskinof theanimal.Shewasaware that theopportunity to acquire the tiger skin, amark of a brave hunter, would havemadeherpolicemencarefulwiththeirarrows.Theywouldnothavelikedthepeltdamaged.Thatmayhaveledtothetigermerelybeinginjuredratherthankilled.Sita’s objectivewas clear. Shewanted to save the villagers from the tiger
attacks. An injured animal would have only become more dangerous forhumans.Sitahadtoensurethatallherpolicemenshottokill.So,shehadmadeitcleartoallthatthetigerwouldbecremated.‘Iunderstandwhyyougave thatorder,PrimeMinister,’ saidSamichi, ‘but
it’s sad that we cannot take the tiger skin home. It would have been a greattrophy,displayingyourskillandbravery.’SitalookedatSamichi,thenturnedtohersister.‘Urmila,fallbackplease.’Urmila immediatelypulled thereinsofherhorseandfellbehind theother
two,outofearshot.
Samichi pulled her horse close to Sita’s. ‘I had to say that, Sita. It willencourageUrmilatobragaboutyourbraveryand…’SitashookherheadandinterruptedSamichi.‘Propagandaandmyth-making
arepartandparcelof ruling. Iunderstand that.Butdonotspreadstories thatwillgetdebunkedeasily.Ididnotexhibitanyskillorbraveryinthathunt.’‘But…’‘Myshotwasnotgood.Everyonepresentknowsthat.’‘But,Sita…’‘Everysingleoneknows that,’ repeatedSita. ‘Earlier too,yougavemeall
thecreditforthehunt.Nearthepolicemen.’‘Butyoudeservedthe…’‘No,Ididnot.’‘But…’‘Youbelieveyoudidmeaservice.No,Samichi,youdidnot.I lostrespect
amongthosemenbyreceivinganundeservedcompliment.’‘But…’‘Don’tletyourloyaltytomeblindyou.Thatistheworstthingyoucandoto
me.’Samichistoppedarguing.‘I’msorry.’Sita smiled. ‘It’s all right.’ Then she turned to her younger sister and
beckonedher.Thethreeofthemrodeon,insilence.
Sita had returned from the hunt just a fewdays earlier. Preparations for herswayamvar had begun in full swing. She personally supervised most of thework,ablyassistedbySamichiandheryoungersister,Urmila.Sita sat in her chamber perusing somedocuments,when amessengerwas
announced.‘Bringhimin.’Twoguardsmarchedinwiththemessengerintow.Sherecognisedtheman.
HewasfromRadhika’stribe.Saluting smartly, the messenger handed her a rolled parchment. Sita
examinedtheseal.Itwasunbroken.Shedismissedthemessenger,brokethesealandreadRadhika’smessage.Herangerroseevenbeforeshereachedthelastword.Buteveninherrage,
she did not forgetwhat shemust do. She held the parchment to a flame tilleveryinchofitwasreducedtoashes.Taskdone,shewalkeduptothebalconytocoolhermind.
Ram…Don’tfallintoGuruji’strap.
MithilawasafewweeksawayfromSita’sswayamvar.Sita’sspiritshadbeenupliftedbythenewsthatVishwamitrawasonhisway
toMithila.AlongwiththeMalayaputrasandtheprincesofAyodhya.Hermindhadbeenfeverishlycontemplatingplausibleexcusestocanceltheswayamvar.IntheabsenceofRam,itwouldhavebeenapointlessexercise.‘Sita,’saidSamichi,salutingassheenteredtheprincess’chamber.Sitaturned.‘Yes,Samichi?’‘Ihavesometroublingnews.’‘What’shappened?’‘IhaveheardthatyouruncleKushadhwajhasbeeninvitedtotheswayamvar.
In fact, he is inviting someof his friends aswell.He’s behaving like a jointhost.’Sita sighed. She should have guessed that her father would invite
Kushadhwaj.Suchmisplacedgenerosity.Ontheotherhand,KushadhwajhadnotvisitedMithilainyears.Perhaps,he
hadmadehispeacewithhisreducedcircumstances.‘Iamhisniece,afterall,’saidSita,shrugginghershoulders.‘Chachamay
wanttodemonstratetotheSaptSindhuroyaltythatheretainssomeinfluenceinhiselderbrother ’shouseholdandkingdom.Lethimcome.’Samichismiled.‘Aslongastheoneyouwantalsocomes,right?’‘Ramiscoming…Heiscoming…’Samichi broke into a rare smile. Though she did not understandwhySita
hadsuddenlydevelopedan interest inRam,and inallyingwithAyodhya,shesupported her princess wholeheartedly. Allying with Ayodhya, even in itsweakenedstate,wouldonlybenefitMithilainthelongrun.And,onceSitaleftforAyodhya,Samichiexpectedtobecomeevenmorepowerful.Perhaps,evenruleMithilaforallpracticalpurposes.Afterall,whoelsewasthere?
Chapter18
A nervous Samichi stood in the small clearing. The ominous sounds of thejungleaddedtothedreadofadark,moonlessnight.Memories from the past crashed into the present. It had been so long. So
many years. She had thought that she had been forgotten. Left to her owndevices. After all, Mithila was a minor, insignificant kingdom in the SaptSindhu. She hadn’t expected this. A sense of gratification meshed with theuneaseofthemomenttoaltogetheroverwhelmhermind.Herlefthandrestedonthehiltofhersheathedsword.‘Samichi,didyouunderstandwhatIsaid?’askedtheman.Hisgravellyvoice
wasdistinctive.Theresultofyearsoftobaccoandalcoholabuse.Accompaniedbyuncontrolledshouting.Themanwas clearly a noble. Expensive clothes. All neatly pressed. Soft,
well-coiffed and completely grey hair. An array of rings on all his fingers.Jewelledpommelsdecoratedhisknifeandsword.Evenhisscabbardwasgold-plated.Athickblackline,atilak,plasteredthemiddleofhiswrinkledforehead.Aplatoonoftwentysoldiersinblackuniformsstoodquietlyintheshadows.
Out of earshot. Their swords were securely sheathed. They knew they hadnothingtofearfromSamichi.Shewas to receiveGuruVishwamitraatSankashya the followingday.She
reallycouldn’taffordthisunexpectedrendezvous.Notnow.ShementionedtheTrueLord,hopingitwouldpushAkampanaback.‘But,LordAkampana…’saidSamichiuneasily,‘…Iraiva’smessage…’‘Forgeteverythingyouweretoldearlier,’saidAkampana.‘Rememberyour
oath.’Samichistiffened.‘Iwillneverforgetmyoath,LordAkampana.’‘See thatyoudon’t.’Akampanaraisedhishandandnonchalantly lookedat
hismanicured nails. Perfectly cut, filed and polished.A light creamdye hadbeencarefullypaintedonthem.Thenailontheslimpinkiefingerthough,hadbeenpaintedblack.‘So,PrincessSita’sswayamvarwillbe…’
‘Youdon’thavetorepeatyourself,’interruptedSamichi.‘Itwillbedone.ItisinPrincessSita’sinterestaswell.’Akampana smiled. Perhaps something had gotten through Samichi’s thick
headafterall.‘Yes,itis.’
Sitasighedandlightlytappedherhead.‘Sillyme.’Shewalkedintoherprivatepujaroomandpickeduptheknife.Itwastheday
oftheastrapuja,anancientritualworshipofweapons.Andshehadforgottentheknifeinthegarbhagriha,atthefeetofthedeities,afterthepuja.Fortunately, she had managed without the weapon today. She had always
suspectedthatthewealthymerchant,Vijay,wasmoreloyaltoSankashyathanMithila.Earlierthatday,inthemarketplace,hehadtriedtoincitethecrowdtoattackher,whenshehadintervenedtosaveaboy-thieffrommobjustice.Fortunately,ithadallendedwell.Noonehadbeeninjured.Exceptthatstupid
Vijaywhowouldbenursingabrokenribformanyweeks.ShewouldvisittheAyuralayandcheckonhim,probablyintheeveningorthenextday.Shedidn’treallycarewhathappenedtoVijay.Butitwasimportanttodemonstratethatshecaredequallyforthewell-beingoftherichaswell,andnotjustthepoor.Eventheirredeemablystupidonesamongtherich.WhereisSamichi?ThePolice andProtocolChiefwas expected anytimenow, escortingGuru
Vishwamitra andhis accompanyingMalayaputras toMithila.And,of course,RamandLakshman.Suddenly,thedoormanannouncedthatArishtanemi,themilitarychiefofthe
Malayaputras,hadarrived.Sitaansweredloudly.‘Bringhimin.Withrespect.’Arishtanemi walked into the room. Sita folded her hands together in a
respectfulNamasteandbowedherheadasshegreeted theright-handmanofMaharishi Vishwamitra. ‘Greetings, Arishtanemiji. I hope that you arecomfortableinMithila.’‘One is always comfortable in theplaceone looksuponashome,’ smiled
Arishtanemi.Sita was surprised to not find Samichi with him. This was unorthodox.
Samichishouldhaveescortedtheseniorofficer,withrespect,toherchambers.‘Myapologies,Arishtanemiji.Samichishouldhaveledyoutomychambers.
Iamsurethatshemeantnodisrespect,butIwillspeakwithher.’‘No,no,’ saidArishtanemi, raisinghishand reassuringly. ‘I toldher that I
wantedtomeetyoualone.’‘Ofcourse.Ihopeyouaresatisfiedwiththeaccommodation,especiallyfor
GuruVishwamitraandtheprincesofAyodhya.’Arishtanemismiled.Sitahadcometothepointquickly.‘GuruVishwamitra
is comfortable in his usual set of rooms at the palace. But Prince Ram andPrinceLakshmanhavebeenaccommodatedintheBeesQuarter.’‘BeesQuarter?!’Sitawasaghast.HasSamichigonemad?Almostas ifhehadheardher thought,Arishtanemisaid, ‘Actually,Guruji
himselfwantedtheprincestostayinthere.’Sita raised her hands in exasperation. ‘Why? They are the princes of
Ayodhya.Ramis theCrownPrinceof theempire.Ayodhyawill see thisasaterribleinsult.IdonotwantMithilagettingintoanytroublebecauseof…’‘PrinceRamdoesnotsee itasan insult,’ interruptedArishtanemi. ‘He isa
maturemanofgreatunderstanding.WeneedtokeephispresenceinMithilaasecret,fornow.And,evenyoumustavoidmeetinghimforafewdays.’Sitawaslosingherpatience.‘Secret?Hehastoparticipateintheswayamvar,
Arishtanemiji.That’swhyheishere,isn’the?Howcanwekeepthisasecret?’‘Thereisaproblem,princess.’‘Whatproblem?’Arishtanemisighed.Hepausedforafewsecondsandwhispered,‘Raavan.’
‘Itiswiseofyoutohavenotmethimtillnow,’saidSamichi.Sita andSamichiwere in the royal sectionof the state armoury.A special
room was reserved in this wing for the favourite personal weapons of theroyalty.Sitasatonachair,carefullyoilingthePinaka,thegreatbowofLordRudra.HerconversationwithArishtanemihadupsether.Frankly,shehadhadher
suspicions about what the Malayaputras were planning. She knew that theywouldn’tgoagainsther.Shewascrucialtotheirplans.ButRamwasnot.IfonlyIhadsomeonetotalkto.IwishHanubhaiyaorRadhikawerehere…SitalookedupatSamichiandcontinuedoilingthealreadygleamingPinaka.Samichi looked nervous. She seemed to be in a state of inner struggle. ‘I
havetotellyousomething.Idon’tcarewhattheotherssay.Butitisthetruth,Sita.PrinceRam’slifeisindanger.Youhavetosendhimhome,somehow.’Sitastoppedoilingthebowandlookedup.‘Hislifehasbeenindangersince
thedayhewasborn.’
Samichishookherhead.‘No.Imeanrealdanger.’‘Whatexactlyisunrealdanger,Samichi?Thereisnothingthat…’‘Please,listentome…’‘Whatareyouhiding,Samichi?’Samichistraightenedup.‘Nothing,princess.’‘Youhavebeenactingstrangethesepastfewdays.’‘Forgetaboutme.Iamnotimportant.HaveIevertoldyouanythingthatis
notinyourinterest?Pleasetrustme.SendPrinceRamhome,ifyoucan.’SitastaredatSamichi.‘That’snothappening.’‘Therearebiggerforcesatplay,Sita.And,youarenotincontrol.Trustme.
Please.Sendhimhomebeforehegetshurt.’Sitadidn’trespond.ShelookedatthePinakaandresumedoilingthebow.LordRudra,tellmewhattodo…
‘MyfellowMithilansactuallyclapped?’askedSita,eyeswideinincredulity.Arishtanemihad justwalked intoSita’sprivateoffice.Withdisturbing,yet
expected, news. Raavan had arrived in Mithila to participate in Sita’sswayamvar.HisPushpakVimaan,thelegendaryflyingvehicle,hadjustlandedoutside thecity.HewasaccompaniedbyhisbrotherKumbhakarnaanda fewkey officers. His bodyguard corps of ten thousand Lankan soldiers hadmarchedinseparatelyandsetupcampoutsidethecity.SitawasbemusedbythenewsthattheMithilanshadapplaudedthespectacle
ofthePushpakVimaanlandinginthefieldsbeyondthecitymoat.‘Most normal human beings applaud the first time they see the Pushpak
Vimaan,Sita,’saidArishtanemi.‘Butthatisnotimportant.WhatisimportantisthatwestopRamfromleaving.’‘IsRamleaving?Why?IthoughthewouldwanttoproveapointtoRaavan
…’‘Hehasn’tmadeuphismindasyet.ButI’mafraidLakshmanmaytalkhis
elderbrotherintoleaving.’‘So,youwouldlikemetospeakwithhiminLakshman’sabsence.’‘Yes.’‘Haveyou…’‘I’vespokentohimalready.ButIdon’tthinkIhadmuchofanimpact…’‘Canyouthinkofsomeoneelsewhocanspeaktohim?’Arishtanemi shookhishead. ‘Idon’t thinkevenGuruVishwamitrawillbe
abletoconvinceRam.’
‘But…’‘It’suptoyou,Sita,’saidArishtanemi.‘IfRamleaves,wewillhavetocancel
thisswayamvar.’‘WhatinLordRudra’snamecanItellhim?Hehasneverevenmetme.What
doItellhimtoconvincehimtostay?’‘Ihavenoidea.’Sitalaughedandshookherhead.‘Thankyou.’‘Sita…Iknowit’s…’‘It’sokay.I’lldoit.’Imustfindaway.Somepathwillemerge.Arishtanemiseemedunusuallytense.‘There’smore,Sita…’‘More?’‘Thesituationmaybealittlemorecomplicated.’‘Howso?’‘Ramwas…inaway…trickedintocominghere.’‘What?’‘He was made to understand that he was merely accompanying Guru
VishwamitraonanimportantmissioninMithila.SinceEmperorDashrathhadcommandedRam to strictly followGuruVishwamitra’sorders,hecouldnotsayno…Hewasn’tinformedaboutthefactthathewasexpectedtoparticipateinthisswayamvar.TillhearrivedinMithila,thatis.’Sitawasshocked.‘Youhavegottobejoking!’‘Buthedidagreetotheswayamvarfinally,afewdaysago.Onthesameday
thatyouhadthatfightinthemarketplacetosavethatboy-thief…’Sitaheldherheadandclosedhereyes.‘Ican’tbelievethattheMalayaputras
havedonethis.’‘Theendsjustifythemeans,Sita.’‘NotwhenI’mexpectedtolivewiththeconsequences!’‘Buthedidagreetoparticipateintheswayamvar,eventually.’‘ThatwasbeforethearrivalofRaavan,right?’‘Yes.’Sitarolledhereyes.LordRudrahelpme.
Chapter19
Sita and Samichi were headed for the Bees Quarter, accompanied by abodyguard posse of ten policemen. The citywas agogwith the news of theappearanceofRaavan,thekingofLankaandthetormentorofIndia;oratleast,the tormentorofIndiankings.Themostanimateddiscussionswereabouthislegendaryflyingvehicle,thePushpakVimaan.EvenSita’ssister,Urmila,wasnotimmunetoreportsabouttheLankantechnologicalmarvel.Shehadinsistedonaccompanyinghereldersistertoseethevimaan.TheyhadmarchedtotheendoftheBeesQuarter,uptothefortwalls.The
Pushpak Vimaan was stationed beyond the city moat, just before the jungle.EvenSitawasimpressedbywhatshesaw.Thevimaanwasagiantconicalcraft,madeofsomestrangeunknownmetal.
Massive rotors were attached to the top of the vehicle, at its pointed end.Smallerrotorswereattachednearthebase,onallsides.‘I believe,’ said Samichi, ‘the main rotor at the top gives the vimaan the
abilitytoflyandthesmallerrotorsatthebaseareusedtocontrolthedirectionofflight.’Themainbodyofthecrafthadmanyportholes,eachcoveredwithcircular
metalscreens.Samichi continued. ‘Apparently, the metal screens on the portholes are
raised when the vimaan is airborne. The portholes also have a thick glassshield.Themaindoorisconcealedbehindasectionof thevimaan.Once thatsection swings open, the door slides sideward into the inner cabin. So thevimaanentranceisdoublysealed.’SitaturnedtoSamichi.‘YouknowalotaboutthisLankancraft.’Samichi shookherheadand smiled sheepishly. ‘No,no. I justwatched the
vimaanland.That’sall…’ThousandsofLankansoldierswerecampedaroundthevimaan.Somewere
sleeping,otherseating.Butnearlya thirdhad theirweaponsdrawn, standingguard at strategic points in the camp. Keeping watch. Alive to any potential
threats.Sita knew this camp security strategy: The staggered one-third plan. One
third of the soldiers,working in rotating four-hour shifts, always on guard.Whiletheothersrestandrecuperate.TheLankansdon’ttaketheirsecuritylightly.‘Howmanyarethere?’askedSita.‘Probablytenthousandsoldiers,’saidSamichi.‘LordRudrahavemercy…’SitalookedatSamichi.Itwasararesight.Forherfriendlookedgenuinely
nervous.Sita placed a hand on Samichi’s shoulders. ‘Don’t worry.We can handle
this.’
SamichibentdownandbangedthehatchdoorontheBeesQuarterroof.Tenpolicemenstoodattheback.SitacastUrmilaaquiet,reassuringlook.Nobodyopenedthedoor.SamichilookedatSita.‘Knockagain,’orderedSita.‘Andharderthistime.’Samichididasordered.Urmilastillwasn’tsurewhathersisterwasupto.‘Didi,whyarewe…’Shestoppedtalkingthemomentthehatchdoorswungopen.Upwards.Samichilookeddown.Lakshman stood at the head of the staircase that descended into the room.
Muscularwithatoweringheight,hisgiganticformseemedtofillupthespace.Hewasfair-complexionedandhandsomeinarakish,flamboyantway.Abullofaman.Heworethecoarsewhiteclothesofcommonsoldierswhenoff-duty:amilitarystyledhotiandanangvastram tiedfromhisshouldertothesideofhiswaist.ThreadedRudraakshbeadsaroundhisneckproudlyproclaimedhisloyaltytoLordRudra.Lakshmanheldhissword,readytostrikeshouldtheneedarise.Helookedat
the short-haired, dark-skinned and muscular woman peering down at him.‘Namaste,ChiefSamichi.Towhatdoweowethisvisit?’heaskedgruffly.Samichigrinneddisarmingly.‘Putyourswordbackinthescabbard,young
man.’‘LetmedecidewhatIshouldorshouldnotdo.Whatisyourbusinesshere?’‘Theprimeministerwantstomeetyourelderbrother.’Lakshman seemed taken aback.Like thiswas unexpected.He turned to the
backoftheroom,wherehiselderbrotherRamstood.Uponreceivingasignalfrom him, he immediately slipped his sword in its scabbard and backed upagainstthewall,makingroomfortheMithilanstoenter.Samichi descended the stairs, followedbySita.AsSita stepped in through
thedoorhole,shegesturedbehindher.‘Staythere,Urmila.’Lakshmaninstinctivelylookedup.ToseeUrmila.Ramstooduptoreceive
the prime minister of Mithila. The two women climbed down swiftly butLakshman remained rooted.Entrancedby thevision above.Urmilahad trulygrownintoabeautifulyounglady.Shewasshorterthanhereldersister,Sita.Alsofairer.Sofairthatherskinwasalmostthecolourofmilk.Herroundbabyfacewasdominatedbylargeeyes,whichbetrayedasweet,childlikeinnocence.Herhairwasarrangedinabun.Everystrandneatlyinplace.Thekaajalinhereyes accentuated their exquisiteness. Her lipswere enhancedwith some beetextract. Her clothes were fashionable, yet demure: a bright pink blousecomplementedbyadeep-reddhotiwhichwaslongerthanusual—itreachedbelow her knees. A neatly pressed angvastram hung from her shoulders.Anklets and toe-rings drew attention to her lovely feet, while rings andbracelets decorated her delicate hands. Lakshman was mesmerised. Urmilasenseditandsmiledgenially.Thenlookedawaywithshyconfusion.Sita turnedandsawLakshmanlookingatUrmila.Hereyeswidened, justa
bit.UrmilaandLakshman?Hmm…‘Shutthedoor,Lakshman,’saidRam.Lakshmanreluctantlydidasordered.‘HowmayIhelpyou,princess?’askedRamtoSita.Sitaturnedandlookedatthemanshehadchosentobeherhusband.Shehad
heardsomuchabouthim, forso long, that she felt likeshepracticallyknewhim.Sofarallherthoughtsabouthimhadbeenbasedonreasonandlogic.Shesawhimasaworthypartner in thedestinyof theVishnu;someoneshecouldwork with for the good of her motherland, the country that she loved, thisbeautiful,matchlessIndia.Butthiswasthefirsttimeshesawhimasaflesh-and-bloodreality.Emotion
aroseunasked,andoccupieditsseatnexttoreason.Shehadtoadmitthefirstimpressionwasquitepleasing.TheCrownPrinceofAyodhyastoodatthebackoftheroom.Ram’scoarse
whitedhotiandangvastram,providedastartlingcontrasttohisdark,flawlesscomplexion.Hisnobilitylentgracetothecrudegarmentshewore.Hewastall,a little taller than Sita.His broad shoulders, strong arms and lean,muscularphysiqueweretestimonytohisarcherytraining.Hislonghairwastiedneatly
inanunassumingbun.HeworeastringofRudraakshbeadsaroundhisneck;amarker that he toowas a fellow devotee of the greatMahadev, LordRudra.Therewasno jewelleryonhis person.Nomarker to signify that hewas thescion of the powerful Suryavanshi clan, a noble descendant of the greatemperorIkshvaku.Hispersonaexudedgenuinehumilityandstrength.Sitasmiled.Notbad.Notbadatall.‘Excusemeforaminute,prince,’saidSita.ShelookedatSamichi.‘I’dlike
tospeaktotheprincealone.’‘Ofcourse,’saidSamichi,immediatelyclimbingoutoftheroom.RamnoddedatLakshman,whoalsoturnedtoleavetheroom.Withalacrity.RamandSitawerealoneinnotime.Sitasmiledandindicatedachairintheroom.‘Pleasesit,PrinceRam.’‘I’mallright.’‘Iinsist,’saidSita,asshesatdownherself.Ramsatona chair facingSita.A few secondsof awkward silencepassed.
ThenSitaspokeup,‘Ibelieveyouweretrickedintocominghere.’Ramdidnotsayanything,buthiseyesgavetheansweraway.‘Thenwhyhaven’tyouleft?’‘Becauseitwouldbeagainstthelaw.’So,hehasdecidedtostayfortheswayamvar.LordRudraandLordParshu
Rambepraised.‘Andisitthelawthatwillmakeyouparticipateintheswayamvardayafter
tomorrow?’askedSita.Ramchosesilenceagain.ButSitacouldtellthattherewassomethingonhis
mind.‘YouareAyodhya, theoverlordofSaptSindhu.IamonlyMithila,asmall
kingdom with little power. What purpose can possibly be served by thisalliance?’‘Marriagehasahigherpurpose;itcanbemorethanjustapoliticalalliance.’Sitasmiled.‘Buttheworldseemstobelievethatroyalmarriagesaremeant
onlyforpoliticalgain.Whatotherpurposedoyouthinktheycanserve?’Ram didn’t answer. He seemed to be lost in another world. His eyes had
takenonadreamylook.Idon’tthinkhe’slisteningtome.Sita saw Ram’s eyes scanning her face. Her hair. Her neck. She saw him
smile.Ruefully.Hisfaceseemedto…Isheblushing?Whatisgoingon?IwastoldthatRamwasonlyinterestedin
theaffairsofthestate.‘PrinceRam?’askedSitaloudly.
‘Excuseme?’askedRam.Hisattentionreturnedtowhatshewassaying.‘Iasked,ifmarriageisnotapoliticalalliance,thenwhatisit?’‘Well,tobeginwith,itisnotanecessity;thereshouldbenocompulsionto
getmarried.There’snothingworse thanbeingmarried to thewrongperson.Youshouldonlygetmarriedifyoufindsomeoneyouadmire,whowillhelpyouunderstandand fulfilyour life’spurpose.Andyou, in turn, canhelpherfulfilherlife’spurpose.Ifyou’reabletofindthatoneperson,thenmarryher.’Sita raised her eyebrows. ‘Are you advocating just one wife? Not many?
Mostpeoplethinkdifferently.’‘Evenifallpeoplethinkpolygamyisright,itdoesn’tmakeitso.’‘Butmostmentakemanywives;especiallythenobility.’‘Iwon’t.Youinsultyourwifebytakinganother.’Sita raisedherchin incontemplation.Hereyes softened.Admiringly.Wow
…Thismanisspecial.A charged silence filled the room. As Sita gazed at him, her expression
changedwithsuddenrecognition.‘Wasn’tityouatthemarketplacetheotherday?’sheasked.‘Yes.’Sitatriedtorememberthedetails.Yes.Lakshmanhadbeentheretoo.Nextto
him.Thegiantwhostoodout.Theywereamongstthecrowdontheotherside.Theonlookers.Notapartofthewell-heeledmobthathadwantedtolynchthepoor boy-thief. I saw them as I dragged the boy away, after thrashingVijay.And then, sheheldherbreath as she rememberedanotherdetail.Hangon…Ram was … bowing his head to me … But why? Or am I rememberingincorrectly?‘Whydidn’tyoustepintohelpme?’askedSita.‘Youhadthesituationundercontrol.’Sitasmiledslightly.Heisgettingbetterwitheverymoment…ItwasRam’sturntoaskquestions.‘WhatisRaavandoinghere?’‘Idon’tknow.Butitmakestheswayamvarmorepersonalforme.’Ram’s muscles tightened. He was shocked. But his expression remained
impassive.‘Hashecometoparticipateinyourswayamvar?’‘SoIhavebeentold.’‘And?’‘And,Ihavecomehere.’Sitakeptthenextsentenceconfinedtohermind.I
havecomeforyou.Ramwaitedforhertocontinue.‘Howgoodareyouwithabowandarrow?’askedSita.Ramallowedhimselfafaintsmile.
Sitaraisedhereyebrows.‘Thatgood?’Shearosefromherchair.AsdidRam.TheprimeministerofMithilafolded
herhandsintoaNamaste.‘MayLordRudracontinuetoblessyou,prince.’RamreturnedSita’sNamaste.‘AndmayHeblessyou,princess.’An idea struck Sita. ‘Can Imeetwith your brother and you in the private
royalgardentomorrow?’Ram’s eyes had glazed over once again.Hewas staring at Sita’s hands in
almostlovingdetail.OnlytheAlmightyorRamhimselfknewthethoughtsthatwererunningthroughhishead.Forprobablythefirsttimeinherlife,Sitafeltself-conscious. She looked at her battle-scarred hands. The scar on her lefthand was particularly prominent. Her hands weren’t, in her own opinion,particularlypretty.‘PrinceRam,’saidSita,‘Iasked—’‘I’msorry,canyourepeat that?’askedRam,bringinghisattentionback to
thepresent.‘Can I meet with you and your brother in the private royal garden
tomorrow?’‘Yes,ofcourse.’‘Good,’ said Sita, as she turned to leave. She stopped as she remembered
something.Shereached into thepouch tied toherwaistbandandpulledoutaredthread.‘Itwouldbeniceifyoucouldwear this.It’sforgoodluck.It isarepresentationof theblessingsof theKanyakumari.And Iwould like you to…’Sita stopped speaking as she realised that Ram’s attention had wandered
again.Hewasstaringat the red threadandmouthingacouplet.One thatwasnormallyapartofaweddinghymn.Sitacouldlip-readthewordsthatRamwasmouthingsilently,forsheknew
thehymnwell.Maangalyatantunaanenabhavajeevanahetuhmay.AlinefromoldSanskrit,
it translated into:With this holy thread that I offer you, please become thepurposeofmylife…Shetriedhardtosuppressagiggle.‘PrinceRam…’saidSita,loudly.Ramsuddenly straightenedas theweddinghymnplaying inhismindwent
silent.‘I’msorry.What?’Sita smiledpolitely, ‘Iwas saying…’She stopped suddenly. ‘Nevermind.
I’llleavethethreadhere.Pleasewearitifitpleasesyou.’Placingthethreadonthetable,Sitabegantoclimbthestairs.Asshereached
thedoor,sheturnedaroundforalastlook.Ramwasholdingthethreadinthe
palmofhisrighthand.Gazingatitreverentially.Asifitwasthemostsacredthingintheworld.Sitasmiledonceagain.Thisiscompletelyunexpected…
Chapter20
Sitasataloneinherprivatechamber.Astonished.Pleasantlysurprised.SamichihadbriefedherontheconversationbetweenLakshmanandUrmila.
Lakshmanwasclearlybesottedwithhersister.Hewasalso,clearly,veryproudof his elder brother.He simplywouldn’t stop talking about Ram. LakshmanhadtoldtheduoaboutRam’sattitudetowardsmarriage.ItseemedthatRamdidnotwanttomarryanordinarywoman.Hewantedawoman,infrontofwhomhewouldbecompelledtobowhisheadinadmiration.Samichi had laughed, while relating this to Sita. ‘Ram is like an earnest,
conscientiousschoolboy,’shehadsaid.‘Hehasnotgrownupyet.Thereisnota trace of cynicism in him. Or, realism. Trust me, Sita. Send him back toAyodhyabeforehegetshurt.’Sita had listened to Samichi without reacting. But only one thing had
reverberatedinhermind—Ramwantedtomarryawomaninfrontofwhomhewouldbecompelledtobowhisheadinadmiration.Hebowedtome…Shegiggled.Notsomethingshedidnormally.Itfeltstrange.Evengirlish…Sita rarely bothered about her appearance. But for some reason, she now
walkedtothepolishedcoppermirrorandlookedatherself.Shewas almost as tall asRam.Lean.Muscular.Wheat-complexioned.Her
roundfaceashadelighterthantherestofherbody.Shehadhighcheekbonesandasharp,smallnose.Herlipswereneitherthinnorfull.Herwide-seteyeswere neither small nor large; strong brows were arched in a perfect curveabovecreaselesseyelids.Herstraight,jet-blackhairwasbraidedandtiedinaneatbun.Asalways.ShelookedlikethemountainpeoplefromtheHimalayas.Not for the first time, she wondered if the Himalayas were her original
home.Shetouchedabattlescaronherforearmandwinced.Herscarshadbeena
sourceofpride.Once.
Dotheymakemelookugly?Sheshookherhead.AmanlikeRamwillrespectmyscars.It’sawarrior’sbody.She giggled again. She had always thought of herself as a warrior. As a
princess.Asaruler.Of late,shehadevengottenused tobeing treatedby theMalayaputras as the Vishnu. But this feeling was new. She now felt like anapsara,acelestialnymphofunimaginablebeauty.Onewhocouldhalthermaninhistracksbyjustflutteringhereyelashes.Itwasaheadyfeeling.Shehadalwaysheldthese‘prettywomen’indisdainandthoughtofthemas
non-serious.Notanymore.Sitaputahandonherhipandlookedatherselffromthecornerofhereyes.ShereplayedthemomentsspentwithRamattheBeesQuarter.Ram….Thiswasnew.Special.Shegiggledonceagain.Sheundidherhairandsmiledatherreflection.Thisisthebeginningofabeautifulrelationship.
TheroyalgardeninMithilawasmodestincomparisontotheoneinAyodhya.Itonlycontainedlocaltrees,plants,andflowerbeds.Itsbeautycouldsafelybeattributedmoretotheministrationsoftalentedgardenersthantoanimpressiveinfusion of funds. The layout was symmetrical, well-manicured. The thick,greencarpetofgrassthrownintovisualreliefbytheprofusionofflowersandtreesofallshapes,sizesandcolours.ItwasacelebrationofNature,expressedinorderedharmony.SitaandUrmilawaitedinaclearingatthebackofthegarden.Sitahadasked
her younger sister to accompany her so thatUrmila could spendmore timewithLakshman.ThiswouldalsogivehersomealonetimewithRam,withouttheloomingpresenceofLakshman.Samichiwasatthegate,taskedwithfetchingtheyoungprincesofAyodhya.
Shewalkedinshortly,followedbyRamandLakshman.The evening sky has increased his radiance…Sita quickly controlled her
wanderingmindandbeatingheart.‘Namaste,princess,’saidRamtoSita.‘Namaste,prince,’repliedSita,beforeturningtohersister.‘MayIintroduce
my younger sister, Urmila?’ Gesturing towards Ram and Lakshman, Sitacontinued,‘Urmila,meetPrinceRamandPrinceLakshmanofAyodhya.’‘Ihadoccasiontomeetheryesterday,’saidLakshman,grinningfromearto
ear.Urmila smiled politely at Lakshman,with her hands folded in aNamaste,
thenturnedtowardsRamandgreetedhim.‘Iwouldliketospeakwiththeprinceprivately,onceagain,’saidSita.‘Ofcourse,’ saidSamichi immediately. ‘May Ihaveaprivatewordbefore
that?’Samichi took Sita aside andwhispered in her ear, ‘Sita, please remember
whatIsaid.Ramistoosimple.And,hislifeisinrealdanger.Pleaseaskhimtoleave.Thisisourlastchance.’Sitasmiledpolitely,fullyintendingtoignoreSamichi’swords.SamichicastaquicklookatRambeforewalkingaway, leadingUrmilaby
thehand.LakshmanfollowedUrmila.RammovedtowardsSita.‘Whydidyouwanttomeetme,princess?’SitacheckedthatSamichiandtherestwerebeyondearshot.Shewasaboutto
begin speakingwhenhereyes fellon the red thread tiedaroundRam’s rightwrist.Shesmiled.Hehaswornit.‘Pleasegivemeaminute,prince,’saidSita.She walked behind a tree, bent and picked up a long package covered in
cloth. Shewalked back to Ram.He frowned, intrigued. Sita pulled the clothback to reveal an intricately carved, and unusually long, bow. An exquisitepieceofweaponry, itwasacompositebowwithrecurvedends,whichwouldgiveitaverylongrange.Ramcarefullyexaminedthecarvingsontheinsidefaceofthelimbs,bothaboveandbelowthegripofthebow.Itwastheimageofa flame, representative ofAgni, theGodofFire.The first hymnof the firstchapteroftheRigVedawasdedicatedtothedeeplyrevereddeity.However,theshapeofthisflamewasslightlydifferent.Sitapulledaflatwoodenbaseplatformfromtheclothbagandplacediton
thegroundceremonially.ShelookedatRam.‘Thisbowcannotbeallowedtotouchtheground.’Ramwas clearly fascinated.Hewonderedwhy this bowwas so important.
Sita placed the lower limbof the bowon the platform, steadying itwith herfoot.Sheusedherrighthandtopulldowntheotherendwithforce.Judgingbythe strainonher shoulderandbiceps,Ramguessed that itwasavery strongbowwithtremendousresistance.Withherlefthand,Sitapulledthebowstringupandquicklystrungit.Shelettheupperlimbofthebowextend,andrelaxed.She let out a long breath. Themighty bow adjusted to the constraints of thepotentbowstring.Sheheldthebowwithherlefthandandpulledthebowstringwithherfingers,lettingitgowithaloudtwang.
Ramknewfrom the sound that thisbowwas special. ‘Wow.That’sagoodbow.’‘It’sthebest.’‘Isityours?’‘Icannotownabowlikethis.Iamonlyitscaretaker,fornow.WhenIdie,
someoneelsewillbedeputedtotakecareofit.’Ram narrowed his eyes as he closely examined the image of the flames
aroundthegripofthebow.‘Theseflameslookalittlelike—’Sita interruptedhim, impressed thathehad figured itout soquickly. ‘This
bowoncebelongedtotheonewhomwebothworship.Itstillbelongstohim.’Ram stared at the bow with a mixture of shock and awe, his suspicion
confirmed.Sitasmiled.‘Yes,itisthePinaka.’ThePinakawasthelegendarybowofthepreviousMahadev,LordRudra.It
was considered the strongest bow evermade.Believed to be a composite, itwasamixofmanymaterials,whichhadbeengivena successionof specifictreatmentstoarrestitsdegeneration.Itwasalsobelievedthatmaintainingthisbowwasnot an easy task.Thegrip, the limbs and the recurved endsneededregularlubricationwithaspecialoil.‘How did Mithila come into the possession of the Pinaka?’ asked Ram,
unabletotakehiseyesoffthebeautifulweapon.‘It’salongstory,’saidSita.Sheknewshecouldn’tgivehimtherealreason.
Notyet,atleast.‘ButIwantyoutopractisewithit.Thisisthebowwhichwillbeusedfortheswayamvarcompetitiontomorrow.’Ram took an involuntary step back. There were many ways in which a
swayamvarwas conducted.Sometimes thebridedirectly selectedher groom.Or,shemandatedacompetition.Thewinnermarriedthebride.However,itwasunorthodoxforagroomtobegivenadvanceinformationandhelp.Infact,itwasagainsttherules.Ramshookhishead.‘ItwouldbeanhonourtoeventouchthePinaka,much
less hold the bow that LordRudra himself gracedwith his touch. But Iwillonlydosotomorrow.Nottoday.’Sitafrowned.What?Doesn’thewanttomarryme?‘Ithoughtyouintendedtowinmyhand,’saidSita.‘Ido.ButIwillwinittherightway.Iwillwinaccordingtotherules.’Sita smiled, shaking her head.Thisman is truly special. Either hewill go
down in history as someone who was exploited by all. Or, he will berememberedasoneofthegreatestever.Sitawashappy that shehad chosen tomarryRam. In a tiny corner of her
heart,though,shewasworried.Forsheknewthatthismanwouldsuffer.Theworldwouldmakehimsuffer.Andfromwhatsheknewabouthislife,hehadsufferedalotalready.‘Doyoudisagree?’askedRam,seemingdisappointed.‘No,Idon’t.I’mjustimpressed.Youareaspecialman,PrinceRam.’Ramblushed.He’sblushingagain…!‘Ilookforwardtoseeingyoufireanarrowtomorrowmorning,’saidSita,
smiling.
‘Herefusedhelp?Really?’askedJatayu,surprised.JatayuandSitahadmetinthepatchofthejunglethatwasnowtheirregular
meetingplace.Itlaytowardsthenorthofthecity,asfarawayaspossiblefromRaavan’stemporarycamp.‘Yes,’answeredSita.Jatayusmiledandshookhishead.‘Heisnoordinaryman.’‘No,heisn’t.ButI’mnotsurewhethertheMalayaputrasagree.’Jatayu instinctively cast a glance around the woods, as if expecting to be
heardbytheformidablechiefof theMalayaputras.HeknewVishwamitradidnot like Ram. The Prince of Ayodhya was just a tool for theMaharishi; ameanstoanend.‘It’sallright.Thewordswillnotcarryto…’Sitaleftthenameunsaid.‘So,
whatdoyouthinkofRam?’‘He is special in many ways, my sister,’ whispered Jatayu, carefully.
‘Perhaps,justwhatourcountryneeds…Hisobsessionwithrulesandhonesty,his almighty love for this great land, his high expectations from everyone,includinghimself…’Sitafinallyaskedhimthequestionthathadbeenweighingonhermind.‘Is
there anything I should know about theMalayaputras’ plans regarding Ramtomorrow?Attheswayamvar?’Jatayuremainedsilent.Helookeddistinctlynervous.‘Youhave calledmeyour sister, Jatayuji.And this is regardingmy future
husband.Ideservetoknow.’Jatayulookeddown.StrugglingbetweenhisloyaltytotheMalayaputrasand
hisdevotiontoSita.‘Please,Jatayuji.Ineedtoknow.’Jatayustraightenedhisbackandletoutasigh.‘Youdoknowabouttheattack
onamotleybunchofAsurasclosetoourGangaashram,right?’VishwamitrahadgonetoAyodhyaandaskedforRamandLakshman’shelp
inresolvinga‘serious’militaryproblemthathewasfacing.Hehadtakenthemto his ashram close to the Ganga River. He had then asked them to lead acontingentofhisMalayaputrasoldiersinanassaultonasmalltribeofAsuras,who were apparently, attacking his ashram repeatedly. It was only after the‘Asura problem’ had been handled that they had left for Mithila, for Sita’sswayamvar.‘Yes,’saidSita.‘WasRam’slifeindanger?’Jatayu shookhisheaddismissively. ‘Itwasapathetic tribeof ahandfulof
people. They were imbeciles. Incapable warriors. Ram’s life was never indanger.’Sitafrowned,confused.‘Idon’tunderstand…’‘Theideawasn’ttogetridofRam.Itwastodestroyhisreputationwithhis
mostpowerfulsupporters.’Sita’seyeswidenedasshefinallyunravelledtheconspiracy.‘The Malayaputras do not want him dead. They want him out of the
reckoningasapotentialVishnu;and,undertheircontrol.’‘AretheMalayaputrasintendingtoallywithRaavan?’Jatayuwas shocked. ‘Howcanyou even ask that, greatVishnu?Theywill
neverallywithRaavan.Infact,theywilldestroyhim.Butonlywhenthetimeisright.Remember,theMalayaputrasareloyaltoonecausealone:therestorationofIndia’sgreatness.Nothingelsematters.Raavanisjustatoolforthem.’‘AsisRam.AsamI.’‘No.No…HowcanyoueventhinkthattheMalayaputraswoulduseyouas
a…’SitalookedatJatayu,silently.PerhapsSamichiisright.Thereareforcesfar
beyondmycontrol.AndRamis…JatayuinterruptedSita’sthoughtsandunwittinglygaveheraclueastowhat
she should do. ‘Remember, great Vishnu. You are too crucial to theMalayaputras’plans.Theycannot allowanything tohappen toyou.Noharmcancometoyou.’Sitasmiled.Jatayuhadgivenhertheanswer.Sheknewwhatshemustdo.
Chapter21
‘Do I know all there is to know about the Malayaputras’ plans for theswayamvar,Arishtanemiji?’askedSita.Arishtanemiwassurprisedbythequestion.‘Idon’tunderstand,Sita,’hesaid,carefully.‘HowdidRaavangetaninvitation?’‘We are as clueless as you, Sita. You know that. We suspect it to be the
handiworkofyouruncle.Butthereisnoproof.’Sitalookedsceptical.‘Right…Noproof.’Arishtanemitookadeepbreath.‘Whydon’tyousaywhatisonyourmind,
Sita…’Sita leaned forward, looked directly into Arishtanemi’s eyes, and said, ‘I
knowthatRaavan’sfamilyhasitsrootsinKannauj.’Arishtanemiwinced.But recoveredquickly.He shookhishead, an injured
expressiononhisface.‘InthenameofthegreatLordParshuRam,Sita.Howcanyouthinksuchthoughts?’Sitawasimpassive.‘YouthinkGuruVishwamitrahasanyotheridentitynow,besidesbeingthe
chiefoftheMalayaputras?Seriously?’Arishtanemilookedalittleagitated.Itwasuncharacteristicofhim.Sitaknew
she had hit a nerve. She could not have had a conversation like this withVishwamitra.Sheneededtopresshometheadvantage.Arishtanemiwasoneofthe rare fewwho could convinceVishwamitra. She unnerved him further bychoosingsilence.Fornow.‘WecandestroyRaavanatanytime,’saidArishtanemi.‘Wekeephimalive
becauseweplantousehisdeathtohelpyou.Tohelpyouberecognised,byallIndians,astheVishnu.’‘Ibelieveyou.’Now,Arishtanemifellsilent.Confused.‘AndIalsoknowthatyouhaveplansforRam.’
‘Sita,listento…’SitainterruptedArishtanemi.Itwastimetodeliverthethreat.‘Imaynothave
Ram’slifeinmyhands.ButIdohavemyownlifeinmyhands.’A shockedArishtanemi did not knowwhat to say. All the planswould be
reducedtodustwithoutSita.Theyhadinvestedtoomuchinher.‘Ihavechosen,’saidSitafirmly.‘Nowyouneedtodecidewhattodo.’‘Sita…’‘Ihavenothingmoretosay,Arishtanemiji.’
TheswayamvarwasheldintheHallofDharmainsteadoftheroyalcourt.Thiswas simply because the royal court was not the biggest hall inMithila. Themainbuilding in thepalacecomplex,whichhoused theHallofDharma,hadbeendonatedbyKingJanaktotheMithilaUniversity.Thehallhostedregulardebates and discussions on various esoteric topics— the nature of dharma,karma’s interactionwithdharma, thenatureof thedivine, thepurposeof thehumanjourney…TheHall ofDharmawas in a circularbuilding,built of stone andmortar,
with a massive dome. The delicate elegance of the dome was believed torepresent the feminine, while the typical temple spire represented themasculine. The hall was also circular. All rishis sat as equals, without amoderating ‘head’, debating issues openly and without fear; freedom ofexpressionatitszenith.However, today was different. The Hall of Dharma was set to host a
swayamvar.Temporarythree-tieredspectatorstandsstoodneartheentrance.Attheotherend,onawoodenplatform,wasplacedtheking’sthrone.AstatueofthegreatKingMithi,thefounderofMithila,stoodonaraisedpedestalbehindthethrone.Twothrones,onlymarginallylessgrand,wereplacedtotheleftandright of the king’s throne. A circle of comfortable seats lined the middlesectionofthegreathall,wherekingsandprinces,thepotentialsuitors,wouldsit.Thespectator standswerealreadypackedwhenRamandLakshmanwereled in by Arishtanemi. Most contestants too had taken their seats. FewrecognisedthetwoprincesofAyodhya,dressedashermits.Aguardgesturedfor themtomovetowardsthebaseplatformofa three-tieredstand,occupiedbythenobilityandrichmerchantsofMithila.Arishtanemi informed the guard that he was accompanying a competitor.
Theguardwassurprised.HehadrecognisedArishtanemi,thelieutenantofthegreatVishwamitra,butnotRamandLakshman.Buthesteppedasidetoletthem
proceed.Afterall,itwouldnotbeunusualforthedevoutKingJanaktoinviteevenBrahminrishis,notjustKshatriyakings,forhisdaughter ’sswayamvar.Ram followed Arishtanemi to the allotted seat. He seated himself, as
LakshmanandArishtanemistoodbehindhim.All eyes turned to them.Manycontestants wondered who these simple mendicants were, who hoped tocompete with them for Princess Sita’s hand. A few, though, recognised theprinces of Ayodhya. A conspiratorial buzz was heard from a section of thecontestants.‘Ayodhya…’‘WhydoesAyodhyawantanalliancewithMithila?’Ram,however,wasoblivioustothestaresandwhispersoftheassembly.Helookedtowardsthecentreofthehall;tothePinakabowplacedonatable.
Thelegendarybowwasunstrung.Anarrayofarrowsplacedbyitsside.Nexttothetable,atgroundlevel,wasalargecopper-platedbasin.A competitorwas first required to pick up the bow and string it. Itself no
mean task.Thenhewouldmove to thecopper-platedbasin. Itwasfilledwithwater,withadditionaldrops trickling insteadily into thebasin througha thintube.Excesswaterwasdrainedoutbyanother thin tube,attached to theotherside.Thiscreatedsubtlerippleswithinthebowl,spreadingoutfromthecentretowards the edge.Troublingly, the drops ofwaterwere released at irregularintervals,makingtheripplesunpredictable.Ahilsafishwasnailedtoawheel,fixedtoanaxlethatwassuspendedfrom
the top of the dome. A hundred metres above the ground. The wheel,thankfully,revolvedataconstantspeed.Thecontestantwasrequiredtolookatthereflectionofthefishintheunstill
waterbelow,disturbedbyripplesgeneratedatirregularintervals,andusethePinaka bow to fire an arrow into the eyeof the fish, fixedon the revolvingwheelhighabove.Thefirsttosucceedwouldwinthehandofthebride.SitasatinaroomonthesecondflooradjoiningtheHallofDharma,directly
abovetheroyalMithilanthrones,hiddenbehindalatticedwindow.ShelookedatRam,seatedinthecircleofcontestants.The eldest prince of Ayodhya looked around. Sita felt as though he was
seekingherout.Shesmiled.‘I’mhere,Ram.I’mwaitingforyou.Waitingforyoutowin…’She noticed Samichi standing with a posse of policemen a short distance
from the entrance.Samichiwas staringatRam.She lookedupat the latticedwindowwhereSitasathiddenfromview.Shehadalookofutterdisapproval.Sitasighedwithirritation.Samichineedstorelax.Icanhandlethesituation.
Ram’slifeisnotindanger.
SheturnedherattentionbacktotheprincesofAyodhya.ShesawLakshmanbendclosetohiselderbrotherandwhispersomething.Theexpressiononhisfacemischievous.Ram looked at his brother and glared.Lakshmangrinned,saidsomethingmore,andsteppedback.Sitasmiled.Thebrothersreallyloveeachother.Surprising,giventhepolitics
oftheirfamily.Herattentionwasdrawnawaybythecourtannouncer.‘TheLord of theMithi clan, thewisest of thewise, beloved of the rishis,
KingJanak!’Thecourtarosetowelcometheirhost,Janak,thekingofMithila.Hewalked
in from the far end of the hall. In a deviation from courtly tradition, hefollowedthegreatMalayaputrachief,Vishwamitra,whowasinthelead.Janakhad always honoured men and women of knowledge. He followed his ownpersonal traditionon this special day aswell.Behind Janakwashisyoungerbrother, Kushadhwaj, the king of Sankashya. Those aware of the strainedrelations between Janak and his younger brother, were impressed by thegraciousness of the king of Mithila. He had let bygones be bygones andincluded the entire extended family in this celebration. Unfortunately,Kushadhwajfeltotherwise.Hefelthisbrotherhadbeennaiveasusual.Besides,Kushadhwajhadjustplayedhisowncards…Janak requested Vishwamitra to occupy themain throne ofMithila, as he
movedtowardsthesmallerthronetotheright.KushadhwajwalkedtowardstheseatontheleftofthegreatMaharishi.Thiswasexactlytwofloorsbelowtheroom Sita was in, hidden behind a latticed window. A flurry of officialsscuttledallovertheplace,forthiswasanunexpectedbreachofprotocol.Thekinghadofferedhisownthronetoanother.Aloudbuzzranthroughthehallatthisunorthodoxseatingarrangement,but
Sitawasdistractedbysomethingelse.WhereisRaavan?Shesmiled.So theMalayaputrashavehandled thekingofLanka.Hewon’tbecoming.
Good.Thecourtcrierbangedhisstaffagainstthelargebellattheentranceofthe
hall,signallingacallforsilence.Vishwamitraclearedhisthroatandspokeloudly.Thesuperbacousticsofthe
HallofDharmacarriedhisvoiceclearlytoallthosepresent.‘WelcometothisaugustgatheringcalledbythewisestandmostspiritualofrulersinIndia,KingJanak.’Janaksmiledgenially.
Vishwamitracontinued.‘TheprincessofMithila,Sita,hasdecidedtomakethis agupt swayamvar. Shewill not join us in the hall. The great kings andprinceswill,onherbidding,compete—’The Maharishi was interrupted by the ear-splitting sounds of numerous
conchshells;surprising,forconchshellswereusuallymelodiousandpleasant.Everyone turned to the source of the sound: the entrance of the great hall.Fifteentall,muscularwarriorsstrodeintotheroomholdingblackflags,withthe imageof theheadof a roaring lionemerging fromaprofusionof fieryflames.Thewarriorsmarchedwithsplendiddiscipline.Behind themwere two formidablemen.Onewas a giant, even taller than
Lakshman.Hewascorpulentbutmuscular,withamassivepotbellythatjiggledwitheverystep.Hiswholebodywasunusuallyhirsute—helookedmorelikeagiantbearthanhuman.Mosttroublingforallthosepresent,werethestrangeoutgrowthsonhisearsandshoulders.HewasaNaga.HewasalsoRaavan’syoungerbrother,Kumbhakarna.WalkingproudlybesidehimwasRaavan,hisheadheldhigh.Hemovedwith
aminor stoop;perhapsa signof advancingage.Despite the stoop,Raavan’sgreat height and ripplingmusculaturewere obvious. Themusclesmay havesaggedabitandtheskinmayhavewrinkled,butthestrengththatremainedinthemwas palpable.His battle-worn, swarthy skinwas pockmarked, probablyby a childhooddisease.A thickbeard,with an equal sprinklingof black andwhite hair, valiantly attempted to cover his ugly marks while a handlebarmoustache set off his menacing features. He was wearing a violet-coloureddhoti andangvastram; only themost expensive colour-dye in theworld.Hisheadgearwasintimidating,withtwothreateningsix-inch-longhornsreachingoutfromthetoponeitherside.Fifteenmorewarriorsfollowedthetwomen.Raavan’sentouragemovedtothecentreandhaltednexttothebowofLord
Rudra.Theleadbodyguardmadealoudannouncement.‘Thekingofkings,theemperorofemperors,therulerofthethreeworlds,thebelovedoftheGods,LordRaavan!’RaavanturnedtoaminorkingwhosatclosesttothePinaka.Hemadeasoft
gruntingsoundandflickedhisheadtotheright,acasualgesturewhichclearlycommunicated what he expected. The king immediately rose and scurriedaway,comingtoastandstillbehindanothercompetitor.Raavanwalkedtothechair,butdidnotsit.Heplacedhisrightfootontheseatandrestedhishandonhisknee.Hisbodyguards, including thegiantbear-likeKumbhakarna, fell inlinebehindhim.Raavan finally cast a casual glance at Vishwamitra. ‘Continue, great
Malayaputra.’Vishwamitra,thechiefoftheMalayaputras,wasfurious.Hehadneverbeen
treatedsodisrespectfully.‘Raavan…’hegrowled.RaavanstaredatVishwamitrawithlazyarrogance.TheMaharishimanaged to rein inhis temper;hehadan important taskat
hand.HewoulddealwithRaavanlater.‘PrincessSitahasdecreedthesequenceinwhichthegreatkingsandprinceswillcompete.’Raavan began to walk towards the Pinaka while Vishwamitra was still
speaking.The chief of theMalayaputras completedhis announcement just asRaavanwasabouttoreachforthebow.‘Thefirstmantocompeteisnotyou,Raavan.ItisRam,theprinceofAyodhya.’Raavan’s hand stopped a few inches from the bow. He looked at
Vishwamitra,andthenturnedaroundtoseewhohadrespondedtothesage.Hesawayoungman,dressedinthesimplewhiteclothesofahermit.Behindhimstoodanotheryoung,thoughgigantic,man,nexttowhomwasArishtanemi.Raavan glared first at Arishtanemi, and then at Ram. If looks could kill,
Raavan would have certainly felled a few today. He turned towardsVishwamitra,Janak,andKushadhwaj,hisfingerswrappedaroundthemacabrefinger-bonespendantthathungaroundhisneck.Hisbodywasshakinginutterfury.Hegrowledinaloudandboomingvoice,‘Ihavebeeninsulted!WhywasIinvitedatallifyouplannedtomakeunskilledboyscompeteaheadofme?!’Janak looked at Kushadhwaj before turning to Raavan and interjecting
weakly,‘Thesearetherulesoftheswayamvar,GreatKingofLanka…’Avoicethatsoundedmoreliketherumbleofthunderwasfinallyheard.The
voiceofKumbhakarna.‘Enoughofthisnonsense!’HeturnedtowardsRaavan,hiselderbrother.‘Dada,let’sgo.’RaavansuddenlybentandpickedupthePinaka.Beforeanyonecouldreact,
hehadstrungitandnockedanarrowonthestring.EveryonesatparalysedashepointedthearrowdirectlyatVishwamitra.Vishwamitrastoodup,threwhisangvastramaside,andbangedhischestwith
hisclosedfist.‘Shoot,Raavan!’Thesage’svoiceresoundedinthegreathall.‘Comeon!Shoot,ifyouhavetheguts!’Thecrowdgaspedcollectively.Inhorror.Sitawasshockedbeyondwords.Guruji!Raavan released the arrow. It slammed into the statue of Mithi behind
Vishwamitra,breakingoffthenoseoftheancientking,thefounderofMithila.Anunimaginableinsult.Sitawaslivid.Howdarehe?‘Raavan!’ growledSita, as she got up andwhirled around, simultaneously
reachingforhersword.ShewasstoppedbyherMithilanmaids,whoheldherbackfromrushingtowardsthestairs.‘No,LadySita!’‘Raavanisamonster…’‘Youwilldie…’‘Look,he’sleaving…’saidanothermaid.Sitarushedbacktothelatticedwindow.ShesawRaavanthrowthebow,the
holyPinaka,onthetableandbegintowalktowardsthedoor.Hewasfollowedbyhisguards. Inall thiscommotion,Kumbhakarnaquicklysteppedup to thetable,unstrungthePinaka,andreverentiallybroughtittohishead.Holdingitwithbothhands.Almostlikehewasapologisingtothebow.PlacingthePinakabackonthetable,heturnedaroundandbrisklywalkedoutofthehall.BehindRaavan.AsthelastoftheLankansexited,thepeoplewithinthehallturnedinunison
fromthedoorwayto thoseseatedat theotherendof theroom:Vishwamitra,JanakandKushadhwaj.Vishwamitraspokeasifnothinghadhappened.‘Letthecompetitionbegin.’The people in the room sat still, as if they had turned to stone.Enmasse.
Vishwamitra spoke once again, louder this time. ‘Let the competition begin.PrinceRam,pleasestepup.’Ram rose from his chair and walked up to the Pinaka. He bowed with
reverenceandfoldedhishandstogetherintoaNamaste.Sita thoughtshesawhislipsmoveinachant.Butshecouldn’tbesurefromthedistance.Heraisedhisrightwristandtouchedbothhiseyeswith theredthreadtied
aroundit.Sita smiled.MaytheKanyakumaribless you,Ram.And,may she blessme
withyourhandinmarriage.Ram touched the bowand tarried awhile.He thenbrought his headdown
andplaced iton thebow;as if asking tobeblessedby thegreatweapon.Hebreathed steadily as he lifted the bowwith ease. Sita looked atRam intently.Withbatedbreath.Ramplacedonearmof thebowonawoodenstandplacedon theground.
Hisshoulders,backandarmsstrainedvisiblyashepulleddowntheupperlimbofthePinaka, simultaneouslypullingup thebowstring.Hisbody labouredatthe task.Buthisfacewasserene.Hebent theupper limbfartherwithaslightincreaseineffort,andtiedthebowstring.Hismusclesrelaxedasheletgooftheupperlimbandheldthebowatthegrip.Hebroughtthebowstringclosetohisearandplucked;hisexpressionshowedthatthetwangwasright.He picked up an arrow and walked to the copper-plated basin. Deliberate
footsteps.Unhurried.Hewentdownononekneeandheldthebowhorizontallyabovehishead.Helookeddownatthewater.Atthereflectionofthefishthatmoved inacircleabovehim.The ripplingwater in thebasindancedas if totantalisehismind.Ramfocusedontheimageofthefishtotheexclusionofallelse.Henockedthearrowonthestringofthebowandpulledslowlywithhisrighthand.Hisbackerect.Thecoremusclesactivatedwith ideal tension.Hisbreathingsteadyandrhythmic.Calmly,withoutanyhintofnervousnessoranxiety,hepulledthestringall
the way back and released the arrow. It shot up. As did the vision of eachperson in the room. The unmistakable sound of a furiously speeding arrowcrashingintowoodreverberatedinthegreathall.Ithadpiercedtherighteyeof the fish, and lodged itself into the wooden wheel. The wheel swirledrhythmicallyastheshaftofthearrowdrewcirclesintheair.Sitasmiledinrelief.Allthetensionofthelastfewdayswasforgotten.The
angerof the last fewminutes, forgotten.HereyeswerepinnedonRam,whokneltnear thebasinwithhisheadbowed,studying theripplingwater;acalmsmileonhisface.ApartofSitathathaddiedyearsago,whenshehadlosthermother,slowly
sputteredtolifeonceagain.Iamnotaloneanymore.She felt a bittersweet ache as she thought of her mother. That she wasn’t
aroundtoseeSitafindherman.For the first time sincehermother ’sdeath, shecould thinkofherwithout
crying.Grief overwhelms you when you are alone. But when you find your
soulmate,youcanhandleanything.What was a painful, unbearable memory had now been transformed into
bittersweetnostalgia.Asourceofsadness,yes.Butalso,asourceofstrengthandhappiness.She pictured her mother standing before her. Smiling. Nurturing. Warm.
Maternal.LikeMotherNatureherself.Sitawaswholeonceagain.Afteralong,longtime,shefeltlikewhisperingwordsthatlayburieddeep
inherconsciousness.Wordsthatshethoughtshewouldhavenouseforoncehermotherhaddied.ShelookedatRaminthedistanceandwhispered,‘Iloveyou.’
Chapter22
‘Thankyou,Arishtanemiji,’saidSita.‘TheMalayaputrasstoodbyme.Gurujiputhisownlifeatrisk.Iamgrateful.’IthadbeenannouncedthattheweddingofRamandSitawouldbecarriedout
in a simple set of rituals that very afternoon. To Ram’s surprise, Sita hadsuggestedthatLakshmanandUrmilagetmarriedinthesameauspicioushouroftheday.ToRam’sfurtherdisbelief,Lakshmanhadenthusiasticallyagreed.Itwasdecided thatwhileboth thecoupleswouldbewed inMithila—toallowSitaandUrmilatotravelwithRamandLakshmantoAyodhya—asetofgrandceremonieswouldbeheldinAyodhyaaswell.BefittingthedescendantsofthenobleIkshvaku.In themidst of the preparations for thewedding ceremonies,Arishtanemi
hadsoughtameetingwithSita.‘IhopethisputstorestanysuspicionsaboutwheretheMalayaputraloyalties
lie,’ said Arishtanemi. ‘We have always been, and always will be, with theVishnu.’YouwillbewiththeVishnuonlyaslongasIdowhatyouwantmetodo.Not
whenIdosomethingthatdoesnotfitinwithyourplans.Sitasmiled.‘Myapologiesforhavingdoubtedyou,Arishtanemiji.’Arishtanemi smiled. ‘Misunderstandings can occur within the closest of
families.All’swellthatendswell.’‘WhereisGuruVishwamitra?’‘Wheredoyouthink?’Raavan.‘Howisthedemonkingtakingit?’askedSita.VishwamitrahadgoneoutonalimbtoaggressivelystopRaavanduringthe
swayamvar.TheKingofLankahadfeltinsulted.Therecouldbeconsequences.Raavan’salmightyegowasaslegendaryashiswarriorspiritandcruelty.ButwouldhetakeontheformidableMalayaputras?Arishtanemi looked down thoughtfully before returning his gaze to Sita.
‘Raavan is a cold and ruthless man, who makes decisions based on hardcalculations.Buthisego…Hisegogetsinthewaysometimes.’‘Cold and ruthless calculations would tell him not to take on the
Malayaputras,’saidSita.‘HeneedswhateveritiswegivehimfromthecavernoftheThamiravaruni.’‘That he does. But like I said, his ego may get in the way. I hope Guru
Vishwamitracanhandleit.’ArishtanemiwasastonishedthatSitahadnotuncoveredtheentiresecretof
theaidthattheMalayaputrasprovidedRaavan.Perhaps,thereweresomethingsbeyond even the redoubtable Sita’s abilities. But he kept his surprise fromshowingonhisface.
The two weddings were simple sets of rituals, concluded quickly in theafternoonofthedayoftheswayamvar.Sita andRamwere alone at last. They sat on floor cushions in the dining
hall,theirdinnerplacedonalowstool.Itwaslateintheevening,thesixthhourof the third prahar. Notwithstanding their relationship being sanctified bydharma a few hours earlier, an awkwardness underlined their ignorance ofeachother ’spersonalities.‘Umm,’saidRam,staringathisplate.‘Yes,Ram?’askedSita.‘Isthereaproblem?’‘I’msorry,but…thefood…’‘Isitnottoyourliking?’‘No,no,it’sgood.It’sverygood.But…’Sita looked intoRam’s eyes. I amyourwife.Youcanbehonestwithme. I
haven’tmadethefoodinanycase.Butshekeptthesethoughtsinherheadandasked,‘Yes?’‘Itneedsabitofsalt.’Sitawas irritatedwith theMithila royal cook.Daya! I’d told him that the
centralSaptSindhuanseatmoresaltthanusEasterners!Shepushedherplateaside,roseandclappedherhands.Anattendantrushed
in.‘Getsomesaltfortheprince,please.’Astheattendantturned,Sitaordered,‘Quickly!’Theattendantbrokeintoarun.Ramcleanedhishandwithanapkinashewaitedforthesalt.‘I’msorryto
troubleyou.’Sitafrownedasshetookherseat.‘I’myourwife,Ram.It’smydutytotake
careofyou.’He’ssoawkward…andcute…Ramsmiled.‘Umm,mayIaskyousomething?’‘Ofcourse.’‘Tellmesomethingaboutyourchildhood.’‘Youmean,beforeIwasadopted?YoudoknowthatIwasadopted,right?’‘Yes…Imean,youdon’thavetotalkaboutitifittroublesyou.’Sitasmiled.‘No,itdoesn’ttroubleme,butIdon’trememberanything.Iwas
tooyoungwhenIwasfoundbymyadoptiveparents.’Ramnodded.Willyoualsojudgemebymybirth?SitaansweredthequestionthatshethoughtwasonRam’smind.‘So,ifyou
askmewhomybirth-parentsare,theshortansweristhatIdon’tknow.ButtheoneIpreferisthatIamadaughteroftheearth.’‘Birthiscompletelyunimportant.It isjustameansofentryintothisworld
ofaction,intothiskarmabhoomi.Karmaisallthatmatters.Andyourkarmaisdivine.’Sitasmiled.Shewascharmedbyherhusband’sabilitytoconstantlysurprise
her.Positivelysurpriseher.IcanseewhatMaharishiVashishthasees inhim.Heisspecial…Ramwasabouttosaysomethingwhentheattendantcamerushinginwiththe
salt.He added some to his food and resumed eating. The attendant retreatedfromtheroom.‘Youweresayingsomething,’saidSita.‘Yes,’saidRam,‘Ithinkthat…’Ramwasinterruptedagain,thistimebythedoorkeeperannouncingloudly,
‘ThechiefoftheMalayaputras,theSaptrishiUttradhikari,theprotectorofthewayoftheVishnus,MaharishiVishwamitra.’Sitawassurprised.WhyisGurujihere?ShelookedatRam.Heshrugged.Hedidnotknowwhatthisvisitwasabout.
RamandSitaroseasVishwamitraenteredtheroom,followedbyArishtanemi.SitagesturedtoherattendanttogetsomewashingbowlsforRamandherself.‘We have a problem,’ saidVishwamitra, not feeling the need to exchange
pleasantries.Sitacursedunderherbreath.Raavan…‘Whathappened,Guruji?’askedRam.‘Raavanismobilisingforanattack.’‘Buthedoesn’thaveanarmy,’ saidRam. ‘What’shegoing todowith ten
thousand bodyguards? He can’t hold a city of even Mithila’s size with that
number.Allhe’llachieveisgettinghismenkilledinbattle.’‘Raavan isnota logicalman,’ saidVishwamitra. ‘Hisego ishurt.Hemay
losehisbodyguardcorps,buthewillwreakhavoconMithila.’Ramlookedathiswife.Sita shook her head with irritation and addressed Vishwamitra. ‘Who in
LordRudra’sname invited thatdemonfor theswayamvar?Iknowitwasnotmyfather.’Vishwamitratookadeepbreathashiseyessoftened.‘That’swaterunderthe
bridge,Sita.Thequestionis,whatarewegoingtodonow?’‘Whatisyourplan,Guruji?’askedRam.‘Ihavewithmesomeimportantmaterialthatwasminedatmyashrambythe
Ganga. I needed it to conduct a few science experiments at Agastyakootam.ThiswaswhyIhadvisitedmyashram.’‘Scienceexperiments?’askedRam.‘Yes,experimentswiththedaiviastras.’Sita drew a sharp breath. She knew the power and ferocity of the divine
weapons.‘Guruji,areyousuggestingthatweusedaiviastras?’Vishwamitranodded inconfirmation.Ramspokeup. ‘But thatwilldestroy
Mithilaaswell.’‘No,itwon’t,’saidVishwamitra.‘Thisisnotatraditionaldaiviastra.WhatI
haveistheAsuraastra.’‘Isn’tthatabiologicalweapon?’askedRam.Deeplytroublednow.‘Yes.PoisonousgasandablastwavefromtheAsuraastrawill incapacitate
theLankans,paralysingthemfordaysonend.Wecaneasilyimprisontheminthatstateandendthisproblem.’‘Justparalyse,Guruji?’askedRam.‘Ihavelearntthatinlargequantities,the
Asuraastracankillaswell.’VishwamitraknewthatonlyonemancouldhavepossiblytaughtthistoRam.
His best friend-turned-foe, Vashishtha. The Chief of the Malayaputras wasimmediatelyirritated.‘Doyouhaveanybetterideas?’Ramfellsilent.Sita lookedatRamand thenatVishwamitra. IknowexactlywhatGuruji is
tryingtodo.‘ButwhataboutLordRudra’slaw?’askedSita,alittleaggressively.Itwaswellknown thatLordRudra, thepreviousMahadev,hadbanned the
unauthoriseduseofdaiviastrasmanycenturiesago.Thosewhobrokethelawwould be punished with banishment for fourteen years, he had decreed.Breakingthelawforthesecondtimewouldbepunishablebydeath.TheVayuputraswouldbecompelledtoenforcetheMahadev’slaw.
‘Idon’tthinkthatlawappliestotheuseoftheAsuraastra,’saidVishwamitra.‘Itisnotaweaponofmassdestruction,justmassincapacitation.’Sitanarrowedhereyes.Clearly, shewasn’tconvinced. ‘Idisagree.Adaivi
astra is a daivi astra. We cannot use it without the authorisation of theVayuputras,LordRudra’stribe.IamaLordRudradevotee.Iwillnotbreakhislaw.’‘Doyouwanttosurrender,then?’‘Ofcoursenot!Wewillfight!’Vishwamitralaughedderisively.‘Fight,isit?Andwho,pleaseexplain,will
fightRaavan’shordes?Thenamby-pambyintellectualsofMithila?Whatistheplan?DebatetheLankanstodeath?’‘Wehaveourpoliceforce,’saidSita,annoyedatthisdisrespectshowntoher
force.‘They’renottrainedorequippedtofightthetroopsofRaavan.’‘Wearenotfightinghistroops.Wearefightinghisbodyguardplatoons.My
policeforceisenoughforthem.’‘Theyarenot.Andyouknowthat.’‘We will not use the daivi astras, Guruji,’ said Sita firmly, her face
hardening.Ram spoke up. ‘Samichi’s police force is not alone. Lakshman and I are
here, and so are theMalayaputras.We’re inside the fort,wehave thedoublewalls; we have the lake surrounding the city. We can hold Mithila. We canfight.’Vishwamitra turned to Ram with a sneer. ‘Nonsense! We are vastly
outnumbered.Thedoublewalls…’Hesnortedwithdisgust. ‘It seemsclever.ButhowlongdoyouthinkitwilltakeawarriorofRaavan’scalibretofigureoutastrategythatworksaroundthatobstacle?’‘Wewillnotusethedaiviastras,Guruji,’saidSita,raisinghervoice.‘Now,
ifyouwillexcuseme,Ihaveabattletopreparefor.’
‘WhereisSamichi?’askedSita,surprisedthattheMithilaChiefofPoliceandProtocolwasnotinheroffice.The sun had already set. Sita wasmarshalling her forces for an expected
attackfromRaavan.ShedidnotthinkthedemonkingofLankawouldhonourtherulesofwar.Itwasquitelikelythathewouldattackatnight.Timewasoftheessence.‘My Lady,’ said an officer. ‘We don’t knowwhere she has gone. She left
immediatelyafteryourweddingceremony.’‘Findher.Tellhertocometothefortwalls.TheBeesQuarter.’‘Yes,MyLady.’‘Right now!’ ordered Sita, clapping her hands.As the officer hurried out,
Sitaturnedtotheothers.‘Roundupalltheofficersinthecity.GetthemtotheBeesQuarter.Totheinnerwall.’As the policemen rushed out, Sita walked out of her office to meet her
personal bodyguards — the Malayaputras embedded in the Mithila policeforce.Shecheckedtoseeif theywereoutofearshot.Then,shewhisperedtoMakrant, aguard shehadcome to trust. ‘FindCaptain Jatayu.Tellhim that Iwantallofyoutoprotecttheeasternsecrettunnelonourinnerwall.Heknowswhereitis.Preferably,findawaytocollapsethattunnel.’‘MyLady,doyouexpectRaavanto…’‘Yes,Ido,’interruptedSita.‘Blockthattunnel.Blockitwithinthehour.’‘Yes,MyLady.’
‘Icannotdothat!’hissedSamichi,lookingaroundtoascertainthatnobodywasnear.Akampana, unlike his usual well-groomed self, was dishevelled. The
clothes, though expensive, were rumpled. Some of the rings on his fingerswere missing. The knife lay precariously in the scabbard, the blood-stainedbladepartlyexposed.Samichiwasshocked.ThiswasanAkampanashedidnotknow.Crazedandviolent.‘Youmustdoasordered,’growledAkampanasoftly.Samichiglaredangrilyattheground.Sheknewshehadnochoice.Because
ofwhathadhappenedallthoseyearsago…‘PrincessSitacannotbehurt.’‘Youareinnopositiontomakedemands.’‘PrincessSitacannotbehurt!’snarledSamichi.‘Promiseme!’Akampanaheldhisfiststight.Hisfuryatbreakingpoint.‘Promiseme!’Despite his anger, Akampana knew they needed Samichi if they were to
succeed.Henodded.Samichiturnedandhurriedoff.
Chapter23
Itwaslateatnight;thefourthhourofthefourthprahar.RamandSitahadbeenjoinedbyLakshmanandSamichiontopoftheBeesQuarter,closetotheinnerwall edge. The entire Bees Quarter complex had been evacuated as aprecautionary step. The pontoon bridge that spanned themoat-lake had beendestroyed.Mithilahadaforceoffourthousandpolicemenandpolicewomen.Enough
to maintain law and order for the hundred thousand citizens of the smallkingdom.ButagainsttheLankans,theywereoutnumberedfivetotwo.WouldtheybeabletothwartanattackfromtheLankanbodyguardsofRaavan?Sita believed they could. A cornered animal fights back ferociously. The
Mithilans were not fighting for conquest. Or wealth. Or ego. They werefightingfortheirlives.Fightingtosavetheircityfromannihilation.Andthiswas not a traditionalwar being fought on open ground. TheMithilanswerebehinddefensivewalls;doublewalls in fact;awar-battlement innovation thathad rarely been tried in other forts in the recent past. The Lankan generalswereunlikelytohavewar-gamedthisscenario.Alowerratioofsoldierswasnotsuchahugedisadvantagewiththisfactorthrownin.RamandSitahadabandonedefforts to secure theouterwall.Theywanted
Raavanandhissoldierstoscaleitandlaunchanassaultontheinnerwall;theLankans would, then, be trapped between the two walls, which the Mithilanarrowswould convert into a killing field.They expected a volley of arrowsfromtheothersidetoo.Inpreparationforwhichthepolicehadbeenaskedtocarry theirwooden shields, normally used for crowd controlwithinMithila.Lakshman had quickly taught them some basic manoeuvres to protectthemselvesfromthearrows.‘WherearetheMalayaputras?’askedLakshman.Sita looked around, but did not answer. Sheknew theMalayaputraswould
notabandonher.Shehopedtheywerecarryingout last-minuteparleys, lacedwithadequatethreatsandbribes,toconvincetheLankanstobackoff.
RamwhisperedtoLakshman,‘Ithinkit’sjustus.’Lakshmanshookhisheadandspat,sayingloudly,‘Cowards.’Sitadidnotrespond.ShehadlearntinthelastfewdaysthatLakshmanwas
quite hot-headed. And she needed his short temper in the battle that was tofollow.‘Look!’saidSamichi.SitaandLakshmanturnedinthedirectionthatSamichihadpointed.Torcheslinedtheothersideofthemoat-lakethatsurroundedtheouterwall
ofMithila.Raavan’sbodyguardshadworked feverishly through theevening,chopping down trees from the forest and building rowboats to carry themacrossthelake.Evenastheywatched,theLankansbegantopushtheirboatsintothemoat-
lake.TheassaultonMithilawasbeinglaunched.‘It’stime,’saidSita.‘Yes,’saidRam.‘Wehavemaybeanotherhalfhourbeforetheyhitourouter
wall.’
Conchshellsresoundedthroughthenight,bynowrecognisedasthesignaturesound ofRaavan and hismen.As theywatched in the light of the flickeringflamesoftorches,theLankansproppedgiantladdersagainsttheouterwallsofMithila.‘Theyarehere,’saidRam.Sitaturnedtohermessengerandnodded.MessageswererelayedquicklydownthelinetotheMithilapolice-soldiers.
SitaexpectedashowerofarrowsfromRaavan’sarchers.TheLankanswouldfiretheirarrowsonlyaslongastheirsoldierswereoutsidetheouterwall.TheshootingwouldstopthemomenttheLankansclimbedover.Thearcherswouldnotriskhittingtheirownmen.Aloudwhooshheraldedthereleaseofthearrows.‘Shields!’shoutedSita.TheMithilansimmediatelyraisedtheirshields.ReadyfortheLankanarrows
thatwereabouttoraindownonthem.Sita’s instinctskicked in.Something’swrongwith the sound. It’s too strong
evenforthousandsofarrows.Somethingmuchlargerhasbeenfired.Hiding behind her shield, she looked at Ram. She sensed that he too was
troubled.Theirinstinctswereright.
Hugemissiles rammed through theMithilan defenceswithmassive force.Desperate cries of agony along with sickening thuds were heard as shieldswererippedthrough.ManyintheMithilanrankswerebroughtdowninaflash.‘Whatisthat?’screamedLakshman,hidingbehindhisshield.SitasawRam’swoodenshieldsnapintotwopiecesasamissiletorethrough
itlikeahotknifethroughbutter.Itmissedhimbyahair ’sbreadth.Spears!Theirwoodenshieldswereaprotectionagainstarrows,notlargespears.Howcanspearsbeflungtothisdistance?!Thefirstvolleywasover.Sitaknewtheyhadbutafewmomentsbeforethe
nextone.Sheloweredhershieldandlookedaround,justasRamdid.SheheardRamexclaim,‘LordRudra,bemerciful…’Thedestructionwas severe.At least aquarter of theMithilanswere either
dead or heavily injured, impaled onmassive spears that had brutally rippedthroughtheirshieldsandbodies.Ram looked at Sita. ‘Another volley will be fired any moment! Into the
houses!’‘Intothehouses!’shoutedSita.‘Into the houses!’ repeated the lieutenants, as everybody ran towards the
doors,liftedthem,andjumpedin.Itwasamostdisorganisedretreat,butitwaseffective.Inafewminutes,practicallyeverysurvivingMithilanpolicesoldierhad jumped to safety within the houses. As the doors closed, the volley ofspearsresumedontheroofsoftheBeesQuarter.Afewstragglerswerekilledastherestmadeittosafety;fornow.As soon as they were secure within a house, Ram pulled Sita aside.
LakshmanandSamichifollowed.Samichilookedashen-facedandnervousasshestoodbehindherprincess,helplesslyrubbingherforehead.Sita was breathing hard, her eyes flitting like that of a cornered tigress,
angerburstingthrougheverypore.‘Whatnow?’RamaskedSita. ‘Raavan’s soldiersmustbe scaling theouter
walls.Theywillbeuponussoon.There’snoonetostopthem.’Sitahadrunoutofideas.Shefelthelpless.Andlivid.Dammit!‘Sita?’promptedRam.Sita’seyessuddenlyopenedwide.‘Thewindows!’‘What?’askedSamichi,surprisedbyherprimeminister.Sita immediately gathered her lieutenants aroundher. She ordered that the
wood-panelsealsonthewindowsofthehousesbebrokenopen;theonesthatsharedtheinnerfortwall.The Bees Quarter windows overlooked the ground between the two fort
walls.Sitahadfoundhervantagepoint.ArrowswouldbefiredatthechargingLankans,afterall.‘Brilliant!’ shouted Lakshman, as he rushed to a barricaded window. He
pulled back his arm, flexed his muscles, and punched hard at the wood.Smashingthebarricadewithonemightyblow.AllthehousesinthissectionoftheBeesQuarterwereinternallyconnected
through corridors. The message travelled rapidly. Within moments, theMithilans smashed open the sealed windows and began firing arrows. TheLankanswerecaughtbetweentheouterandinnerwall.Theyhadexpectednoresistance. Caught off guard, the arrows shredded through their lines. Thelosseswereheavy.TheMithilansfiredarrowswithoutrespite,killingasmanyof theLankans
as they could. Slowing the charge dramatically. Suddenly, the conch shellssounded;thistimeitwasadifferenttune.TheLankansimmediatelyturnedandran,retreatingasrapidlyastheyhadarrived.AloudcheerwentupfromtheMithilanquarters.Theyhadbeatenbackthe
firstattack.
Ram,Sita,andLakshmanstoodontheroofoftheBeesQuarterasdawnbrokethrough. The gentle rays of the sun fell on the harsh devastation of Lankanspears.Thedamagewasheart-rending.Sita stared at the mutilatedMithilan corpses strewn all around her; heads
hanging by sinew to bodies, some with their guts spilled out. Many simplyimpaledonspears,havingbledtodeath.‘Atleastathousandofmysoldiers…’‘We too have hit them hard,Bhabhi,’ said Lakshman to his sister-in-law.
‘ThereareatleastathousanddeadLankanslyingbetweentheinnerandouterwall.’SitalookedatLakshman,hereyesbrimmingwithtears.‘Yes,buttheyhave
ninethousandleft.Wehaveonlythreethousand.’Ram surveyed the Lankan camp on the other side of themoat-lake. Sita’s
gaze followedhis eyes.Hospital-tents had been set up to tend to the injured.ManyLankans,though,werefuriouslyatwork;hackingtreesandpushingtheforestlinefartherwithmathematicalprecision.Clearly,theydidnotintendtoretreattoLanka.‘Theywillbebetterpreparednexttime,’saidRam.‘Iftheymanagetoscale
theinnerwall…it’sover.’
Sita placed her hand on Ram’s shoulder and sighed as she stared at theground.Sheseemed togatherstrengthfromthesimple touch. Itwas likeshehadadependableallynow.Sita turned around and looked towards her city. Her eyes rested on the
steepleofthemassivetemplededicatedtoLordRudra,whichloomedbeyondthe garden of the Bees Quarter. Fierce determination blazed from her eyes,resolvepouringsteelintoherveins.‘It’snotoveryet. I’ll call upon the citizens to joinme.Even ifmypeople
standherewithkitchenknives,wewilloutnumbertheLankanscumtentoone.Wecanfightthem.’SitacouldfeelRam’sshouldermusclestensingunderhertouch.Shelooked
athiseyes.Shesawonlyconfidenceandtrust.Hebelievesinme.Hetrustsmetohandlethis.Iwillhandlethis.Iwillnot
fail.Sita nodded, like she hadmade up hermind.And rushed away, signalling
someofherlieutenantstofollowher.Ram and Lakshman followed her too, trying to keep pace. She turned
around. ‘No. Please stay here. I need someone I can trust, someone whounderstandswar,tostayhereandrallytheforcesincasetheLankanslaunchasurpriseattack.’Lakshmantriedtoargue,butfellsilentatasignalfromRam.‘Wewillstayhere,Sita,’saidRam.‘NoLankanwillenterthecityaslongas
wearestandinghere.Rallytheothersquickly.’SitasmiledandtouchedRam’shand.Thensheturnedandran.
The third hour of the second prahar was almost ending. It was three hoursbeforenoon,incleardaylight.Butthislighthadnotblessedthecity’sresidentswithmorewisdom.Thenewsof thedeathofoverone thousandcourageousMithilanpolicemen,and thedevastationof thebattleat theBeesQuarter,hadnotstirredthecitizenstoanger.Talesoftheoutnumberedandunder-equippedMithilan police, led by Prime Minister Sita, heroically fighting back theLankans, had not inspired them. In fact, talks of surrender, compromise andnegotiationswereintheair.Sitahadgatheredthelocalleadersinthemarketsquareinanefforttorallya
citizenarmytofightbacktheLankans.Thishadbeenafewhoursago.Thattherichwould not think of risking their lives or property for theirmotherland
wasn’t surprising. It was shocking, though, that even the poor, who hadbenefitedgreatlyfromSunaina’sandthenSita’sreforms,didnotfeeltheneedtofightfortheirkingdom.Sita thought she would burst a capillary in utter fury, listening to the
arguments being put forth by her fellowMithilans; excuses to give amoralveneertotheircowardice.‘Wemustbepragmatic…’‘We haven’t emerged from poverty, earned all this money, ensured good
educationforourchildren,builtproperty,tojustloseitallinonewar…’‘Seriously,hasviolenceever solvedanyproblem?Weshouldpractise love,
notwar…’‘Warisjustapatriarchal,upper-classconspiracy…’‘TheLankansarealsohumanbeingslikeus.Iamsuretheywilllisten,ifwe
talktothem…’‘Really,isourconscienceclean?WecansayallwewantabouttheLankans,
butdidn’tweinsultEmperorRaavanattheswayamvar…’‘What’sthebigdealifsomanypoliceofficersdied?It’stheirjobtoprotect
us.Anddie for us. It isn’t as if theyaredoing this for free.What dowepaytaxesfor?Speakingoftaxes,Lankaapparentlyhasmuchlowertaxrates…’‘IthinkweshouldnegotiatewiththeLankans.Let’svoteonthat…’At theendofher tether,SitahadevenaskedJanakandUrmila tohelpher
rousethecitizenry.Janak,respectedasasaintlyfigurebytheMithilans, triedhisbesttourgethemtofight.Tonoavail.Urmila,popularamongthewomen,hadnoimpacteither.Sita’sfistswereclenchedtight.Shewasabouttolaunchintoanangrytirade
againstthecowardlycitizenrywhenshefeltahandonhershoulder.SheturnedaroundtofindSamichistandingthere.Sitaquicklypulledheraside.‘Well,wherearethey?’Samichi had been dispatched to find Vishwamitra or Arishtanemi. Sita
refusedtobelievethattheMalayaputraswouldabandonheratatimelikethis,especiallywhen her citywas threatenedwith annihilation. Shewas sure theyknewshewoulddiewithhercity.Andshealsoknewthathersurvivalmatteredtothem.‘I have searched everywhere, Sita,’ said Samichi. ‘I can’t find them
anywhere.’Sitalookeddownandcursedunderherbreath.Samichiswallowedhard.‘Sita…’Sitalookedatherfriend.‘Iknowyoudon’twanttohearthis,butwe’releftwithnochoice.Wemust
negotiatewiththeLankans.IfwecangetLordRaavanto…’Sita’seyesflaredupinanger.‘Youwillnotsaysuchthingsinmy…’Sitastoppedmid-sentenceasaloudsoundwasheardfromtheBeesQuarter.ThereweresomeexplosionsfromasectionoftheroofoftheBeesQuarter,
hiddenfromwherethebattlewiththeLankanshadtakenplacejustafewhoursago.Afewsecondslater,asmallmissileflewupfromthesamesection.Itspedoff inamightyarc,movingfartherandfartheraway ina fewshortseconds.Towardsthecitymoat,whereSitaknewtheLankanswerecamped.Everyoneinthemarketsquarewastransfixed,theireyesgluedinthesame
direction.Butnonehadanyideaofwhathadjusthappened.None,exceptSita.SheimmediatelyunderstoodwhattheMalayaputrashadbeenuptoallnight.
Whattheyhadbeenpreparing.Whattheyhaddone.TheAsuraastra.Asthemissileflewhighabovethemoat-lake,therewasaflashofaminor
detonation.TheAsuraastrahoveredforaninstantabovetheLankancamp.Andthenexplodeddramatically.ThespectatorsinMithilasawabrightgreenflashoflightemergefromthe
splintered missile. It burst with furious intensity, like a flash of lightning.Fragmentsoftheexplodedmissilewereseenfallingdown.Astheywitnessedthisterrifyingsceneplayoutinthesky,theear-shattering
soundof themainexplosionshooktheverywallsofMithila.Rightup to themarketsquarewhere thecitizenshadbeendebating themselves toparalysisafewmomentsback.TheMithilanscoveredtheirearsinshock.Somebegantoprayformercy.An eerie silence fell on the gathering. Many cowering Mithilans looked
aroundindazedconfusion.But Sita knewMithila had been saved. She also knewwhat would follow.
Devastation had fallen on Raavan and his fellow Lankans. They would beparalysed.Inadeepstateofcoma.Fordays,ifnotweeks.Someofthemwouldevendie.Buthercitywassafe.Ithadbeensaved.AfterthereversalatthebattleoftheBeesQuarter,perhapsthishadbeenthe
onlywaytostopRaavan’shordes.As relief coursed through her veins, she whispered softly, ‘Lord Rudra,
blesstheMalayaputrasandGuruVishwamitra.’Then,likeaboltfromtheblue,herelationsuddenlyevaporated.Rawpanic
enteredherheart.WhohadfiredtheAsuraastra?SheknewthatanAsuraastrahadtobefiredfromasubstantialdistance.And
only an extremely capable archer could do so successfully. There were justthreepeopleinMithilarightnowwhocouldshootanarrowfromthedistancerequiredtoigniteandlaunchanAsuraastra.Vishwamitra,Arishtanemiand…Ram…Please…No…LordRudra,havemercy.SitabegansprintingtowardstheBeesQuarter.FollowedbySamichiandher
bodyguards.
Chapter24
SitaboundedupthestairwayoftheBeesQuarter,threestepsatatime.Agrim-facedSamichifollowedclosebehind.Shewasupontheroofinnotime.Evenfromthedistance,shecouldseethedevastationintheLankancamp.Thousandslayproneontheground.Deathlysilent.DemoniccloudsofgreenviscousgashadspreadlikeashroudovertheparalysedLankans.Therewasnotawhisperintheair.Thehumanshadfallensilent.Sohadthe
animals.Thebirdshadstoppedchirping.Thetreesdidnotstir.Eventhewindhaddied down.All in sheer terror of the fiendishweapon that had just beenunleashed.Theonlysoundwasasteady,dreadfulhiss,likethebattle-cryofagigantic
snake. It was the sound of the thick viscous green gas that continued to beemittedfromthefragmentsoftheexplodedAsuraastramissilethathadfallentotheground.SitaheldherRudraakshpendantinfear.LordRudra,havemercy.ShesawArishtanemiandtheMalayaputrasstandinginahuddle.Sheranup
tothem.‘Whoshotit?’demandedSita.Arishtanemimerelybowedhisheadandsteppedaside;and,Ramcameinto
Sita’sview.Herhusbandwastheonlyoneholdingabow.VishwamitrahadmanagedtopressureRamintofiringtheAsuraastra.And
thus,breakingLordRudra’slaw.SitacursedloudlyassherantowardsRam.Vishwamitra smiled as he saw her approach. ‘Sita, it is all taken care of!
Raavan’sforcesaredestroyed.Mithilaissafe!’SitaglaredatVishwamitra,toofuriousforwords.Sherantoherhusbandandembracedhim.AshockedRamdroppedhisbow.
Theyhadneverembraced.Untilnow.Sheheldhimtight.Shecouldfeelhisheartbeatpickupspeed.Buthishands
remainedbyhisside.Hedidnotembraceherback.
Shepulledherheadbackandsawasolitaryteartrickledownherhusband’sface.Guiltgnawedather.SheknewRamhadbeenforcedtocommitasin.Forced
duetohisloveforher.Forcedduetohissenseofduty,whichcompelledhimtoprotect the innocent:ThecitizensofMithila, even if theywere selfishandcowardly.She heldRamand looked deep into his empty eyes.Her facewas creased
withconcern.‘Iamwithyou,Ram.’Ramremainedsilent.Buthisexpressionhadchanged.Hiseyesdidn’thave
anemptylookanymore.Insteadtheyhadadreamysparkle,asifhewerelostinanotherworld.OhLordRudra, giveme the strength to help him.To help thismagnificent
man.Sufferingbecauseofme.SitacontinuedtoholdRaminatightembrace.‘Iamwithyou,Ram.Wewill
handlethistogether.’Ramclosed his eyes.Hewrapped his arms aroundhiswife.He rested his
headonhershoulder.Shecouldhearhimreleaseadeep,longbreath.Likehehadfoundhisrefuge.Hissanctuary.Sitalookedoverherhusband’sshoulderandglaredatVishwamitra.Itwasa
fearsomelook,likethewrathfulfuryoftheMotherGoddess.Vishwamitraglaredrightback,unrepentant.Aloudsounddisturbedthemall.TheylookedbeyondthewallsofMithila.
Raavan’s Pushpak Vimaan was sputtering to life. Its giant rotor blades hadbeguntospin.Thesounditmadewaslikethatofagiantmonstercuttingtheairwithhisenormoussword.Withinmomentstherotorspickedupspeedandtheconicalflyingvehiclerosefromtheearth.Ithoveredjustafewfeetabovetheground; pushing against inertia, against the earth’s immense pull of gravity.Then,withagreatburstofsoundandenergy,itsoaredintothesky.AwayfromMithila.AndthedevastationoftheAsuraastra.Raavanhadsurvived.Raavanhadescaped.
The following day, a makeshift Ayuralay was set up outside the city. TheLankan soldiers were housed in large tents. The Malayaputras trained theMithilandoctorstotendtothosewhohadbeenrenderedcomatosebythelethalweapon.Tokeepthemalivetilltheynaturallyemergedfromthecoma;afewdays ormaybe even a fewweeks later. Somewould never surface and passawayintheirsleep.
Sita sat in her office, contemplating Mithila’s governance after herimpendingdeparturetoAyodhya.TherewastoomuchtotakecareofandtheconversationwithSamichiwasnothelping.Thepoliceandprotocolchiefstoodbeforeher,shakinglikealeaf.Sitahad
neverseenherfriendsonervous.Shewasclearlypetrified.‘Don’tworry,Samichi.I’llsaveRam.Nothingwillhappentohim.Hewon’t
bepunished.’Samichi shookherhead.Somethingelsewasonhermind.She spoke ina
quiveringvoice.‘LordRaavansurvived…theLankans…willcomeback…Mithila,you,I…we’refinished…’‘Don’tbesilly.Nothingwillhappen.TheLankanshavebeentaughtalesson
theywillnotforgetinahurry…’‘Theywillremember…Theyalwaysremember…Ayodhya…Karachapa
…Chilika…’SitaheldSamichibyhershouldersandsaidloudly,‘Pullyourselftogether.
What’sthematterwithyou?Nothingwillhappen!’Samichifellsilent.Sheheldherhandstogetherinsupplication.Praying.She
knewwhatshehadtodo.Shewouldappealformercy.TotheTrueLord.SitastaredatSamichiandshookherhead.Disappointed.Shehaddecidedto
leaveSamichiinchargeofMithila,underthetitularruleofherfather,Janak.Ensuring that therewouldbe continuity in leadership.Butnow, shebegan towonder whether Samichi was ready for additional responsibilities. She hadneverseenherfriendsorattledbefore.
‘Arishtanemiji,pleasedon’tmakemedothis,’pleadedKushadhwaj.ArishtanemiwasinthesectionoftheMithilaPalaceallottedtoKushadhwaj,
thekingofSankashya.‘Youwillhaveto,’saidArishtanemi,dangerouslysoft.Thesteelinhisvoice
unmistakable.‘Weknowexactlywhathappened.HowRaavancamehere…’Kushadhwajswallowednervously.‘Mithilaisprecioustoallwholovewisdom,’saidArishtanemi.‘Wewillnot
allowittobedestroyed.Youwillhavetopayforwhatyoudid.’‘ButifIsignthisproclamation,Raavan’sassassinswilltargetme…’‘And if you don’t, we will target you,’ said Arishtanemi, stepping
uncomfortablyclose,menacedrippingfromhiseyes.‘Trustme,wewillmakeitfarmorepainful.’‘Arishtanemiji…’
‘Enough.’Arishtanemigrabbed the royalSankashyasealandpressed itontheproclamationsheet,leavingitsimprint.‘It’sdone…’Kushadhwajsaggedonhisseat,sweatingprofusely.‘Itwill be issued in the nameofKing Janakand you,YourMajesty,’ said
Arishtanemi,ashebowedhisheadinmockservility.Thenheturnedandwalkedout.
King Janak and his brother, King Kushadhwaj, had authorised theimprisonment of the Lankan prisoners of war left behind by Raavan.Vishwamitra and his Malayaputras had promised that they would take theLankan prisoners with them when they left for Agastyakootam. The sageintended to negotiate with Raavan on Mithila’s behalf, guaranteeing thekingdom’ssafetyinreturnforthereleaseoftheprisonersofwar.This newshadbeengreetedwith relief by theMithilans, andnot the least,
Samichi.Theywerepetrifiedof thedemonkingofLanka,Raavan.Butnow,thepeoplefeltmoreateaseknowingthat theMalayaputraswouldensure thattheLankansbackedoff.‘We’releavingtomorrow,Sita,’saidArishtanemi.ThemilitarychiefoftheMalayaputrashadcometoSita’schambertospeak
with her in private. Sita had refused tomeetVishwamitra since the dayRamhadfiredthedaiviastra.SitafoldedherhandstogetherintoarespectfulNamasteandbowedherhead.
‘MayLordParshuRamandLordRudrablessyouwithasafejourney.’‘Sita,Iamsureyouareawarethatthetimetomaketheannouncementdraws
close…’Arishtanemiwas referring to thedeclaration thatwouldpubliclyannounce
Sita’sstatusastheVishnu.Onceitwasmade,notjusttheMalayaputras,butthewholeofIndiawouldrecogniseherasthesaviourwhowouldleadthepeopleofthislandtoanewwayoflife.‘Itcannothappennow.’Arishtanemitriedtocontrolhisfrustration.‘Sita,youcan’tbesostubborn.
Wehadtodowhatwedid.’‘You could have fired theAsuraastra, Arishtanemiji. In fact, Guruji could
havefireditaswell.TheVayuputraswouldhaveunderstood.TheywouldhaveevenseenitasaMalayaputraefforttoprotectthemselves.ButyousetRamup…’‘Hevolunteered,Sita.’
‘R-i-g-h-t…’saidSita,sarcastically.ShehadalreadyheardfromLakshmanhow Vishwamitra had emotionally blackmailed Ram into firing the divineweapon,exhortinghimtoprotecthiswife’scity.‘Sita,haveyouforgottenwhatstateMithilawasin?Youarenotappreciating
thefactthatwesavedyourcity.YouarenotevenappreciatingthefactthatGuruVishwamitrawillhandlethecrisiswithRaavan,ensuringthatyoudonotfaceanyretaliationafterwhathappenedhere.Seriously,whatmoredoyouexpect?’‘Iwouldhaveexpectedyoutobehavewith…’ArishtanemiinterruptedSita,guessingwhatshewouldhavesaid.‘Honour?
Behavewithhonour?Don’tbechildish,Sita.What Ihavealways likedaboutyou is the fact that you are practical. You are not taken by silly theoreticalideas. You know you can do a lot for India. You must agree to make theannouncementofyourVishnuhood…’Sita raisedaneyebrow. ‘Iwasn’t talkingabouthonour. Iwas talkingabout
wisdom.’‘Sita…’growledArishtanemi,clenchinghisfists.Hetookadeepbreathto
controlhimself.‘WisdomdictatedthatwenotfiretheAsuraastra.Thereare…We have enough problems with the Vayuputras already. This would havefurthercomplicatedourrelationship.IthadtobeRam.’‘Right,’saidSita.‘IthadtobeRam…’IssheworriedaboutRambeingpunishedforfiringtheAsuraastra?‘Ramwill not be banished, Sita. TheAsuraastra is not aweapon ofmass
destruction.Gurujihasalreadytoldyou.WecanmanagetheVayuputras…’Arishtanemi knew theVayuputras likedRamandwould probably agree to
waive thepunishment for theeldestprinceofAyodhya.And if theydidn’t…Well, theMalayaputraswouldn’tbe too troubledby that.TheirmainconcernwasSita.OnlySita.‘Rambelievesthatheshouldbepunished,’saidSita.‘Itisthelaw.’‘Then,tellhimtogrowupandnotbesilly.’‘Try and understand Ram, Arishtanemiji. I am not sure you realise how
important aman like that is for India.He can transformus into law-abidingcitizens.Hecanleadbyexample.Hecandoalotofgood.Ihavetravelledthelengthandbreadthof thiscountry. Idon’t think the rulingnobility, includingyourselves,understandthesimmeringangeramongthecommonfolkagainstthe elite. Ram, by subjecting himself to the same laws that apply to them,increasesthecredibilityoftheestablishment.PeoplewilleventuallylistentoamessagedeliveredbyRam.’Arishtanemi shifted on his feet, impatiently. ‘This is a pointless
conversation,Sita.TheMalayaputras,theonlyonesauthorisedtorecognisea
Vishnu,havechosenyou.That’sit.’Sitasmiled.‘Indiansdon’ttakekindlytochoicesimposedfromabove.This
isacountryofrebels.ThepeoplehavetoacceptmeastheVishnu.’Arishtanemiremainedsilent.‘Perhapsyoudidn’tunderstandthepointIwastryingtomakeearlierabout
wisdom,’saidSita.Arishtanemifrowned.‘IsupposetheMalayaputraswanttokeepRaavanalivetill,atsomestage,I
kill him and hence am accepted by all Sapt Sindhuans. Who would deny aleaderwhodeliversthemfromtheirmosthatedenemy…Raavan.’Arishtanemi’s eyes widened, as he understood what Sita was saying. The
Malayaputrashadjustcommittedamajorblunder.That tooonastrategythattheyhadbeenplanningfordecades.‘Yes,Arishtanemiji.You thoughtyouweresettingRamupforpunishment.
Butinstead,youhavemadehimintoaherofor thecommonman.TheentireSaptSindhuhassufferedRaavan’seconomicsqueeze.AndtheynowseeRamastheirsaviour.’Arishtanemifellsilent.‘Arishtanemiji,sometimes,atoo-clever-by-halfplancanbackfire,’saidSita.
Sitalookedatherhusbandasherodebesideher.LakshmanandUrmilarodebehindthem.Lakshmanwastalkingnonstopwithhiswifeasshegazedathimearnestly.Urmila’sthumbkeptplayingwiththemassivediamondringonherleft forefinger; an expensive gift from her husband. Behind them were ahundredMithilan soldiers.Anotherhundred soldiers rode aheadofRamandSita. The convoywas on itsway to Sankashya, fromwhere it would sail toAyodhya.Ram,Sita,Lakshman,andUrmilahadsetofffromMithilatwoweeksafter
theAsuraastra laidwaste theLankan camp.True to theirword,Vishwamitraand his Malayaputras had left for their capital, Agastyakootam, taking theLankanprisonerswith them.Theywould negotiatewithRaavanonMithila’sbehalf, guaranteeing the kingdom’s safety in return for the release of theprisonersofwar.TheMalayaputrashadalsotakenthebowofLordRudra,thePinaka,whichhadbeentheirtreasureforcenturies.ItwouldbereturnedtoSitawhenshetookontheroleoftheVishnu.Noting Samichi’s improved state of mind, once the Lankan problem had
beentakencareof,SitahadmadeherfriendMithila’sdefactoprimeminister.
ShewouldworkinconsultationwithacounciloffivecityeldersestablishedbySita.Ofcourse,allundertheguidanceofKingJanak.‘Ram…’Ram turned to hiswifewith a smile as he pulled his horse close to hers.
‘Yes?’‘Areyousureaboutthis?’Ramnodded.Therewasnodoubtinhismind.Sitawas impressed andworried at the same time.He truly did live by the
law.‘ButyouarethefirstinagenerationtodefeatRaavan.And,itwasn’treallya
daiviastra.Ifyou—’Ramfrowned.‘That’satechnicality.Andyouknowit.’Sitapausedforafewsecondsandcontinued.‘Sometimes,tocreateaperfect
world, a leader has to do what is necessary at the time; even if it may notappeartobethe‘right’thingtodointheshortterm.Inthelongrun,aleaderwho has the capacity to uplift the masses must not deny himself thatopportunity.Hehasadutytonotmakehimselfunavailable.Atrueleaderwilleventakeasinuponhissoulforthegoodofhispeople.’Ram looked at Sita. He seemed disappointed. ‘I have done that already,
haven’t I? The question is, should I be punished for it or not? Should I dopenanceforit?IfIexpectmypeopletofollowthelaw,somustI.Aleaderisnotjustonewholeads.Hemustalsobearolemodel.Hemustpractisewhathepreaches,Sita.’Sitasmiled.‘Well,LordRudrahadsaid:“Aleaderisnotjustonewhogives
hispeoplewhattheywant.Hemustalsobetheonewhoteacheshispeopletobebetterthantheyimaginedthemselvestobe.”’Ramsmiledtoo.‘AndI’msureyouwilltellmeLadyMohini’sresponseto
thisaswell.’Sita laughed. ‘Yes. LadyMohini said that people have their limitations. A
leadershouldnotexpectmorefromthemthanwhattheyarecapableof.Ifyoustretchthembeyondtheircapacity,theywillbreak.’Ram shook his head. He did not agree with the great LadyMohini. Ram
expectedpeopletoriseabovetheirlimitationsandbetterthemselves;foronlythenwasanidealsocietypossible.Buthedidn’tvoicehisdisagreementaloud.HeknewthatSitapassionatelyrespectedLadyMohini.‘Areyousure?Fourteenyearsoutside theboundariesof theSaptSindhu?’
SitalookedatRamseriously,returningtotheoriginaldiscussion.Ramnodded.‘IbrokeLordRudra’slaw.Andthisishisstatedpunishment.It
doesn’tmatterwhether theVayuputras pass the order to punishmeor not. It
doesn’t matter whether my people support me or not. I must serve mysentence.’Shesmiled.Hewillnotstray.Heis truly incredible.Howdidhesurvive in
Ayodhyaalltheseyears?Sitaleanedtowardshimandwhispered,‘We…notI.’Ramfrowned.SitareachedoutandplacedherpalmonRam’shand.‘Yousharemyfateand
I share yours. That is what a true marriage is.’ She entwined her fingersthroughhis.‘Ram,Iamyourwife.Wewillalwaysbetogether;ingoodtimesandbad;throughthickandthin.’We will come back in fourteen years. Stronger. More powerful. The
Vishnuhoodcanwaittillthen.ShehadalreadydecidedthatshewouldaskJatayuforlargequantitiesofthe
legendary Somras, the anti-ageing medicine created by the great Indianscientist,Brahma,manymillenniaago.Shewouldadminister themedicinetoRam and herself to retain their vitality and youth in their fourteen years ofexile.Sothatwhentheyreturned,theywouldbereadyforthetaskahead.ReadytochangeIndia.She remembered a line she had read. A line supposedly spoken by Lady
Varahi,thethirdVishnu.Indiawillrise,butnotforselfishreasons.ItwillriseforDharma…FortheGoodofall.ShelookedatRamandsmiled.Ram squeezed her hand. His horse snorted and quickened its pace. Ram
pulledbackthereinsgently,keepingitinstepwithhiswife’ssteed.
Chapter25
ThetwoyoungcouplessailedintotheAyodhyaporttoanoverwhelmingsight.ItwasasifallofAyodhyahadsteppedoutoftheirhomestogreetthem.SitahadenjoyedherconversationswithRamduringtheirjourney.Theyhad
brainstormed on how best an empire can be organised for the good of thepeople. She had spoken about the concept that the state compulsorily adoptyoungchildrentobreaktheevilsofthebirth-basedcastesystem.Sitahadnotmentionedthatshehadgrowntobelieveintheidearelativelyrecently;orthatitwasoriginallyVishwamitra’s idea.Ramdidnot likeor trust theMaharishi.Whytaintagoodideawiththatdislike?TheyhadalsospokenabouttheSomrasmass-manufacturingtechnologydevelopedbyGuruVashishtha.Rambelievedthat theSomras should either bemade available to all or none. Since takingawaytheSomrasmightbedifficult,hesuggestedthatVashishtha’stechnologybeusedtomakeitavailabletoall.Enjoyableas thoseconversationshadbeen,Sitaknewtheywouldprobably
notfindthetimetohavemoreofthemforawhile.RamhadhisworkcutoutinAyodhya.Tobeginwith,hehadtoensurethathewasnotstoppedfromgoingon exile.And, of course, he also had to explain hismarriage to the adoptedprincessofthepowerlesskingdomofMithila.JatayuhadquippedtoSita,thathad theAyodhyans known that shewas theVishnu, theywould have realisedthat Ram had married up! Sita had simply smiled and dismissed hisobservation.Standing at the ship’s balustrade, Sita looked at the grand, yet crumbling,
port of Ayodhya. It was several times larger than the Sankashya port. Sheobserved the barricaded man-made channel that allowed the waters of theSarayuRiver toflowintothemassiveGrandCanal thatsurroundedAyodhya,theunconquerablecity.Thecanalhadbeenbuiltafewcenturiesago,duringthereignofEmperor
Ayutayus,bydrawing in thewatersof thefeistySarayuRiver. Itsdimensionswerealmostcelestial.Stretchingoverfiftykilometres, itcircumnavigated the
thirdandoutermostwallofthecityofAyodhya.Itwasenormousinbreadthaswell,extendingtoabouttwo-and-a-halfkilometresacrossthebanks.Itsstoragecapacitywassomassive that for thefirst fewyearsof itsconstruction,manykingdomsdownriverhadcomplainedofwatershortages.TheirobjectionshadbeencrushedwithbruteforcebythepowerfulAyodhyanwarriors.Oneofthemainpurposesofthiscanalwasmilitaristic.Itwas,inasense,a
moat.Tobefair,itcouldbecalledtheMoatofMoats,protectingthecityfromallsides.Prospectiveattackerswouldhavetorowacrossamoatwithriver-likedimensions. The foolswould be out in the open, vulnerable to a barrage ofmissilesfromthehighwallsoftheunconquerablecity.Fourbridgesspannedthe canal in the four cardinal directions.The roads that emerged from thesebridges led into the city through four massive gates in the outermost wall:NorthGate,EastGate,SouthGateandWestGate.Eachbridgewasdividedintotwosections.Eachsectionhaditsowntoweranddrawbridge,thusofferingtwolevelsofdefenceatthecanalitself.Evenso,toconsiderthisGrandCanalameredefensivestructurewastodoit
adisservice.Italsoworkedasaneffectiveflood-controlmechanism,aswaterfrom the tempestuous Sarayu could be led in through control-gates. Floodswere a recurrent problem in India. Furthermore, its placid surface madedrawingwaterrelativelyeasy,ascomparedtotakingitdirectlyfromthefeistySarayu.Smallercanalsradiatedoutof theGrandCanal into thehinterlandofAyodhya,increasingtheproductivityoffarmingdramatically.Theincreaseinagricultural yield allowedmany farmers to free themselves from the toil oftillingtheland.OnlyafewwereenoughtofeedthemassivepopulationoftheentirekingdomofKosala.Thissurpluslabourtransformedintoalargearmy,trainedbytalentedgeneralsintoabrilliantfightingunit.Thearmyconqueredmore and more of the surrounding lands, till the great Lord Raghu, thegrandfatherofthepresentEmperorDashrath,finallysubjugatedtheentireSaptSindhu;thus,becomingtheChakravartiSamratorUniversalEmperor.Dashrath too had built on this proud legacy, conquering far and wide to
become a Chakravarti Samrat as well. That was until the demon of Lanka,Raavan, destroyed the combined might of the Sapt Sindhuan armies atKarachapaaroundtwentyyearsago.The subsequent punitive trade levies that Raavan had imposed on all the
kingdomsoftheSaptSindhu,andmostlyonAyodhya,hadsuckedthetreasurydry. It showed in the crumbling grandeur of the Grand Canal and itssurroundingstructures.Despiteitsobviouslyfadingglory,AyodhyaoverwhelmedSita.Thecitywas
bigger than any other in the Sapt Sindhu. Even in its decline, Ayodhya was
manytimesgranderthanherMithila.ShehadvisitedAyodhyainthepast,butincognito.Thiswasthefirsttimeshewasvisibletoall.Beinggawkedat.Beingjudged.She could see it in the eyesof thenobles and citizenry standing at adistance,heldbackbytheAyodhyaroyalbodyguards.Thegangplankhittheportdeckwithaloudbang,clearinghermindofthe
profusionof thoughts.Arakishlyhandsomemanwasboundingup theplank.HewasshorterthanRambutfarmoremuscular.ThismustbeBharat.He was closely followed by a diminutive, immaculately attired man with
calm,intelligenteyes.Hewalkedwithslow,measuredsteps.Shatrughan…‘Dada!’holleredBharat,asheranuptoRamandembracedhim.SitacouldseewhyRadhikahadfallenforBharat.Hehadobviouscharisma.‘Mybrother,’smiledRam,asheembracedBharat.As Bharat stepped back and embraced Lakshman, Shatrughan quietly
embracedhiseldestbrother.Withinaflash,thefourbrotherswerefacingSitaandUrmila.Ramheldhishandoutandsaidwithsimplepride,‘Thisismywife,Sita,and
nexttoherisLakshman’swife,Urmila.’Shatrughansmiledwarmlyandfoldedhishandstogether.‘Namaste.It isan
honourtomeetbothofyou.’Bharat smacked Shatrughan on his stomach. ‘You are too formal,
Shatrughan.’ He stepped forward and embraced Urmila. ‘Welcome to thefamily.’Urmilasmiled,hernervousnessdissipatingabit.ThenBharatsteppedtowardshiseldersister-in-law,Sita,andheldherhands.
‘I have heard a lot about you, Bhabhi … I always thought it would beimpossibleformybrothertofindawomanbetterthanhim.’HelookedatRam,grinnedandturnedhisattentionbacktoher.‘Butmydadahasalwayshadtheabilitytomanagetheimpossible.’Sitalaughedsoftly.Bharatembracedhissister-in-law.‘Welcometothefamily,Bhabhi.’
The roads of Ayodhya were clogged with people waiting to receive theircrownprince.Afewhadevenextendedtheirenthusiasmtowelcomehisbride.Theprocessioninchedforwardatasnail’space.TheleadchariothadRamandSita.Theprincewasawkwardlyacknowledgingthewildcheeringinthestreets.
Two chariots followed behind them. One had Bharat and Shatrughan, whileLakshman and his wife Urmila rode the second. Bharat flamboyantlyacknowledged the multitude, waving his hands and blowing kisses withtrademarkflourish.Lakshmanwavedhistrunk-likearmscarefully,lesthehurtthe petite Urmila, who stood demurely by his side. Shatrughan, as always,stood stoic, unmoved. Staring into the throngs. Almost like he wasacademicallystudyingcrowdbehaviour.Thechantingofthecrowdwasloudandclear.Ram!Bharat!Lakshman!Shatrughan!Their four beloved princes, the protectors of the kingdom, were finally
together again. And most importantly, their crown prince had returned.Victorious!ThedefeaterofthehatedRaavanhadreturned!Flowers were strewn, holy rice was showered, all were gay and happy.
Though itwas daytime, themassive stone lamp towerswere lit up festively.Manyhadplacedlampson theparapetsof theirhomes.Resplendentsunshineblazedwithglory, as if inobeisance to theprince from thegreat clanof theSunGodhimself.RamoftheSuryavanshis!Ittookfourhoursforthechariotstotraverseadistancethatnormallytook
lessthanthirtyminutes.TheyfinallyreachedthewingofthepalaceallocatedtoRam.A visibly weak Dashrath sat on his travelling throne, with Kaushalya
standingnext tohim,waiting forhis sons.Aproperwelcomeceremonyhadbeen laid out to receive the new brides. The eldest queen was a scrupulousupholderoftraditionandrituals.Kaikeyi had not deigned to reply to the invitation sent by Kaushalya,
regardingthewelcomingceremony.Sumitra,ofpeace-lovingKashi,stoodonthe other side ofDashrath.Kaushalya leaned on her for support, always.Ofcourse,Sumitratoowaswelcominghomeadaughter-in-law!Loudconchshellswereheardastheswagatamceremonybeganatthepalace
gate.The four princes of Ayodhya and the two princesses of Mithila finally
emergedfromthemelee.TheAyodhyaroyalguards,nervousascatsonahotmetalroof,heavedavisiblesighofreliefastheroyalyoungstersenteredthepalacecompound.Awayfromthemultitude.The royalprocessionmovedalong theelegant,marble-encrustedwalkway
inthecompound.Verdantgardenswerelaidoutonbothsides.Theyslowedon
reachingtheentranceofPrinceRam’swingofthepalace.Sitahesitatedasher eyes fellonKaushalya.But shedismissed the thought
thathadstruckher.Kaushalya walked to the threshold holding the puja thali in her hands. It
containedalitlamp,afewgrainsofriceandsomevermilion.Sheloopedtheprayerplate in small circles, seven times, around Sita’s face. She picked upsome rice and threw it in the air, above Sita’s head. She took a pinch ofvermilionand smeared itonSita’spartingon thehairline.Sitabentdown totouchKaushalya’s feet in respect.Kaushalyahanded the thali to an attendant,and placed her hands on Sita’s head and blessed her. ‘Ayushman bhav, mychild.’AsSitastraightened,Kaushalya indicatedDashrath. ‘Acceptyour father-in-
law’s blessings.’ Pointing towards Sumitra, she continued, ‘And then, fromyourchhotimaa.Wewillthendotheotherceremonies.’SitamovedaheadtofollowKaushalya’sinstructions.Ramsteppedforward
and touchedhismother ’s feet. She blessed himquickly and indicated that heseekhisfather ’sblessings.Then she beckoned Urmila and Lakshman. Urmila, unlike Sita, did not
dismissthethought;thesameonethathadstruckSitaearlier.Kaushalya reminded her of her mother Sunaina. She had the same
diminutiveappearanceandcalm,gentleeyes.Kaushalya’sskinwasdarkerandherfacial featuresweredifferent,nodoubt.Nobodycouldsay that theywererelated.But therewas something similar about them.The spiritually inclinedwouldcallitasoulconnection.UrmilawaitedforKaushalyatofinishtheaarticeremony,thenbentdownto
touchherfeet.Kaushalyablessed theyoungerprincessofMithila.AsUrmilarose,sheimpulsivelysteppedforwardandembracedKaushalya.TheQueenofAyodhyawassurprisedatthisunorthodoxbehaviourandfailedtoreact.Urmilapulledback,hereyesmoistwithemotion.Shefaintlyvoicedaword
shehadbeenunabletoutterwithoutcrying,sinceSunainahaddied.‘Maa.’Kaushalyawasmoved by the innocence of sweet Urmila. Perhaps for the
first time, the queen faced a woman shorter than herself. She looked at theround baby face, dominated by large child-like eyes. An image rose in hermindofatinysparrowthatneededprotectionfromthebig,threateningbirdsaroundit.Shesmiledfondly,andpulledUrmilabackintoherarms.‘Mychild…Welcomehome.’
ApalacemaidintheserviceofQueenKaushalyastood,headbowed.Waitingforherinstructions.ShewasintheresidentialofficeofManthara,therichestbusinesswomanin
Ayodhya; arguably, the richest in the Sapt Sindhu. Rumours suggested thatMantharawas even richer than EmperorDashrath.Druhyu, her closest aide,couldswearthattherewassubstancetotheserumours.Indeed.Verysubstantialsubstance.‘MyLady,’whisperedthemaid,‘whataremyinstructions?’Themaidfellsilent,asDruhyusignalledherdiscreetly.Shewaited.DruhyustoodsubmissivelynexttoManthara.Silent.The disfigured Manthara sat on a specially designed chair that offered a
measureofcomforttoherhunchedback.Thescarsonherface,remnantsofachildhoodafflictionofsmallpox,gaveheraforbiddingappearance.Attheageof eleven she had fallen ill with polio, leaving her right foot partiallyparalysed.Borntopoverty,herphysicaldisfigurationhadaddedprejudice,notsympathy, to her formative years. She had, in fact, been teased mercilessly.Nowthatshewasrichandpowerful,noonedaredsayanythingtoherface.Butsheknewexactlywhatwassaidaboutherbehindherback.Fornow,shewasnot only reviled for her deformed body, but also hated fiercely for being aVaishya;forbeingaveryrichbusinessperson.Mantharalookedoutofthewindowtothelargegardenofherpalatialestate.Themaidfidgetedimpatientlyonherfeet.Herabsencewouldbenoticedin
thepalacebefore long.Shehadtoreturnquickly.ShecastapleadinglookatDruhyu.Heglaredback.Druhyuhadbeguntodoubt theusefulnessofremainingloyal toManthara.
Thewomanhadlostherbeloveddaughter,Roshni,toahorrificgangrapeandmurder. The gang had been tried by the courts and executed. However,Dhenuka,themostviciousofthemall,andtheleaderofthegang,hadbeenletoffonalegaltechnicality.Hewasajuvenile;and,accordingtoAyodhyanlaw,juvenilescouldnotbeawardedthedeathpenalty.Ram,theprinceofAyodhyaand chief of police, had insisted that the law be followed.No matter what.Manthara had sworn vengeance. Spending huge amounts of money, she hadferretedDhenuka from jail andhadhadhimkilled in a slow,brutalmanner.Butherthirstforvengeancehadnotbeenquenched.HertargetnowwasRam.Shehadbeenpatientlywaitingforanopportunity.Andonehadjustpresenteditself.Druhyustaredathismistress,hisfacedevoidofexpression.Theoldbathas
beenwastingtoomuchmoneyonherrevengemission.Itisaffectingbusiness.Shehas lost itcompletely.ButwhatcanIdo?Nobodyknowstheconditionof
theTrueLord.Iamstuckwithherfornow…Mantharamadeuphermind.ShelookedatDruhyuandnodded.Druhyurockedbackwithshock,butcontrolledhimself.One thousandgoldcoins!That’smore than thismiserablepalacemaidwill
earnintenyears!Butheknewtherewasnopointarguing.Hequicklymadeahundiinlieuof
cash.Themaidcouldencashitanywhere.Afterall,whowouldrefuseacreditdocumentwithManthara’sseal?‘MyLady…’whisperedDruhyu.Manthara leaned forward, pulled out her seal from the pouch tied to her
dhoti,andpresseditsimpressiononthedocument.Druhyuhandedthehundi to themaid,whosefacecouldbarelycontainher
ecstasy.Druhyuquicklybroughtherdowntoearth.Hiscoldeyespinnedonher,he
whispered,‘Remember,iftheinformationdoesnotcomeontimeorisn’ttrue,weknowwhereyoulive…’‘Iwillnotfail,sir,’saidthemaid.Asthemaidturnedtoleave,Mantharasaid,‘I’vebeentoldthatPrinceRam
will soon be visiting Queen Kaushalya’s wing of the palace to speak withEmperorDashrath.’‘I will inform you about everything that is discussed,My Lady,’ said the
maid,bowinglow.DruhyulookedatMantharaandthenthepalacemaid.Hesighedinwardly.He
knewthatmoremoneywouldbepaidoutsoon.
‘Didi, just my section of the palace here is bigger than the entire Mithilapalace,’saidUrmilaexcitedly.Urmila had carefully guided her maids in settling her belongings in her
husband’schambers.Havingputthemtowork,shehadquicklyrushedtomeetSita. Lakshman had been tempted to ask his wife to stay, but gave in to herdesire to seek comfort in her sister ’s company. Her life had changeddramaticallyinashortspanoftime.Sitasmiled,asshepattedhersister ’shand.Shestillhadn’ttoldUrmilathat
Ramandshewouldbeleavingthepalaceshortly,toreturnonlyafterfourteenyears. Urmila would be left behind, without her beloved sister, here in thismagnificentpalace.Whytroubleherrightnow?Lethersettleinfirst.
‘HowarethingswithLakshman?’askedSita.Urmila smiled dreamily. ‘He is such a gentleman. He does not say no to
anythingthatIaskfor!’Sita laughed, teasing her sister gently. ‘That’s exactly what you need. An
indulgenthusband,whotreatsyoulikealittleprincess!’Urmilaindicatedherdiminutivestructure,straightenedherbackandretorted
withmockseriousness,‘ButIamalittleprincess!’Thesistersburst intopealsof laughter.SitaembracedUrmila. ‘I loveyou,
mylittleprincess.’‘Iloveyoutoo,Didi,’saidUrmila.Justthen,thedoormanknockedandannouncedloudly,‘TheQueenofSapt
SindhuandAyodhya,theMotheroftheCrownPrince,HerMajestyKaushalya.Allriseinrespectandlove.’SitalookedatUrmila,surprised.Thesistersimmediatelycametotheirfeet.Kaushalyawalked inbriskly, followedby twomaidsbearing largegolden
bowls,thecontentsofwhichwerecoveredwithsilkcloths.KaushalyalookedatSitaandsmiledpolitely,‘Howareyou,mychild?’‘Iamwell,BadiMaa,’saidSita.ThesistersbenttotouchKaushalya’sfeetinrespect.TheQueenofAyodhya
blessedthembothwithalonglife.Kaushalya turned to Urmila with a warm smile. Sita noticed that it was
warmerthantheoneshehadreceived.Thiswasasmilesuffusedwithmaternallove.Sitasmiled.Happy.Mylittlesisterissafehere.‘Urmila,mychild,’saidKaushalya,‘Ihadgonetoyourchambers.Iwastold
Iwouldfindyouhere.’‘Yes,Maa.’‘Ibelieveyoulikeblackgrapes.’Urmilablinkedinsurprise.‘Howdidyouknow,Maa?’Kaushalyalaughed,withaconspiratoriallook.‘Iknoweverything!’AsUrmila laugheddelicately, thequeenpulled away the silk clothswith a
flourish,torevealtwogoldenbowlsfilledtothebrimwithblackgrapes.Urmila squealed in delight and clapped her hands. She opened hermouth.
Sitawassurprised.Urmilahadalwaysaskedtobefedbytheirmother,Sunaina;butnotoncehadsheaskedhersister.Sita’s eyes moistened in happiness. Her sister had found a mother once
again.KaushalyapickedagrapeanddroppeditintoUrmila’sopenmouth.‘Mmm,’saidUrmila,‘Itisawesome,Maa!’
‘And,grapesaregoodforyourhealth too!’saidKaushalya.She lookedatherelderdaughter-in-law.‘Whydon’tyouhavesome,Sita?’‘Ofcourse,BadiMaa,’saidSita.‘Thankyou.’
Chapter26
Afewdayslater,Sitasatinsolitudeintheroyalgarden.Itlayadjuncttothepalace,withinthecompoundwalls.Laidoutinthestyle
ofabotanicalreserve,itwasfilledwithfloweringtreesfromnotonlytheSaptSindhubutothergreatempiresoftheworld.Itssplendiddiversitywasalsothesource of its beauty, reflecting the composite character of the people of theSaptSindhu.Windingpathsborderedwhathadoncebeenacarefully laidoutlushcarpetofdensegrass ingeometricsymmetry.Alas, like themainpalaceand the courts, the royal garden also had the appearance of diminishinggrandeurandpatchyupkeep.Itwas,literally,goingtoseed;asorryreminderofAyodhya’sdepletingresources.But Sita was neither admiring the aching beauty nor mourning the slow
deteriorationthatsurroundedher.RamhadgonetospeakwithDashrathandhismother.Hewouldinsistthathe
bepunishedforthecrimeofusingthedaiviastrainMithilawithoutVayuputraauthorisation.WhilethatwasRam’sconversationtohandle,Sitawasbusymakingplansto
ensure that their liveswould not be endangered in the jungle. Shehad askedJatayutomeetheroutsidethecity.Shewouldaskhimtoshadowthemduringtheexile, alongwith his team.She had no idea how theMalayaputraswouldreacttoherrequest.Sheknewthattheywereupsetwithherforrefusingtoberecognisedpubliclyas theVishnu.ButshealsoknewthatJatayuwasloyal toherandwouldnotrefuse.‘Therevenueofahundredvillagesforyourthoughts,Bhabhi…’SitaturnedtoseeBharatstandingbehindher.Shelaughed.‘Therevenueofa
hundredvillagesfromyourwealthyKosalaormypoorMithila?’Bharatlaughedandsatnexttoher.‘So, have youmanaged to talk some sense into dada?’ asked Bharat. ‘To
makehimdrophisinsistenceonbeingexiled?’‘WhatmakesyouthinkthatIdon’tagreewithhim?’
Bharat was surprised. ‘Well, I thought … Actually, I have done somebackgroundcheckonyou,Bhabhi…Iwastoldthatyouarevery…’‘Pragmatic?’askedSita,completingBharat’sstatement.Hesmiled.‘Yes…’‘And,whatmakesyouthinkthatyourbrother ’spathisnotpragmatic?’Bharatwasatalossforwords.‘Iamnotsuggestingthatyourbrotherisbeingpragmaticconsciously.Just
thatthepathhehaschosen—oneofunbridledcommitmenttothelaw—maynot appear pragmatic. But counter-intuitively, it may actually be the mostpragmaticcourseforsomesectionsofoursociety.’‘Really?’Bharatfrowned.‘Howso?’‘This is a time of vast change, Bharat. It can be exciting. Energising. But
manyareunsettledbychange.TheSaptSindhusocietyhasfoolishlydecidedtohate its Vaishyas. They see their businessmen as criminals and thieves. It isover-simplistictoassumethattheonlywayaVaishyamakesmoneyisthroughcheating and profiteering. It is also biased. Such radicalisation increases intimesofchangeanduncertainty.Thefactisthatwhileafewbusinessmenmaybe crooks, most Vaishyas are hardworking, risk-taking, opportunity-seekingorganisers.Iftheydonotprosper,thensocietydoesnotproducewealth.Andifasocietydoesnotgeneratemoney,mostpeopleremainpoor.Whichleadstofrustrationandunrest.’‘Iagreewith…’‘Iamnotfinished.’Bharat immediately folded his hands together into a Namaste. ‘Sorry,
Bhabhi.’‘Peoplecanadjusttopoverty,iftheyhavewisdomandknowledge.Buteven
Brahmins command very little respect in India these days. Theymay not beresentedliketheVaishyas,butitistruethattheBrahmins,oreventhepathofknowledge, are not respected today. I know what people say about myknowledge-obsessedfather,forinstance.’‘No,Idon’tthink…’‘I’mstillnotfinished,’saidSita,hereyestwinklingwithamusement.‘Sorry!’Bharatsurrendered,ashecoveredhismouthwithhishand.‘Asaresult,peopledonotlistentothelearned.TheyhatetheVaishyasand
in the process, have ensured poverty for themselves. The people who areidealisedthemosttodayaretheKshatriyas,thewarriors.“Battle-honour”isanend in itself! There’s hatred for money, disdain for wisdom and love ofviolence.Whatcanyouexpectinthisatmosphere?’Bharatremainedsilent.
‘Youcanspeaknow,’saidSita.Bharatremovedthehandthatcoveredhismouthandsaid,‘Whenyouspeak
abouttheneedtorespecttheVaishya,Brahmin,orKshatriyawayoflife,youobviously mean the characteristics and not the people born into that caste,right?’Sitawrinkledhernose.‘Obviously.DoyoureallythinkIwouldsupportthe
evilbirth-basedcastesystem?Ourpresentcastesystemmustbedestroyed…’‘Onthat,Iagreewithyou.’‘So, coming back tomy question. In an atmosphere of hatred formoney-
makers,disdainforwisdom-givers,andloveonlyforwarandwarriors,whatwouldyouexpect?’‘Radicalisation.Especiallyamongyoungmen.Usually,theyarethebiggest
fools.’Sitalaughed.‘Theyarenotallfoolish…’Bharatnodded.‘You’reright,Isuppose.Iamayoungmantoo!’‘So,youhaveasituationwhereyoungmen,andfranklysomewomentoo,
areradicalised.Thereisintelligence,butlittlewisdom.Thereispoverty.Thereisloveofviolence.Theydon’tunderstandthattheabsenceofbalanceintheirsociety is at the root of their problems. They look for simplistic, quicksolutions.Andtheyhateanyonewhodoesn’tthinklikethem.’‘Yes.’‘Is it any surprise then that crime is so high in the Sapt Sindhu? Is it any
surprise that there is somuchcrimeagainstwomen?Womencanbe talentedand competitive in the fields of knowledge, trading and labour. But when itcomestoviolence,thealmightyhasnotblessedthemwithanaturaladvantage.’‘Yes.’‘These radicalised, disempowered, violence-loving youth, looking for
simplisticsolutions,attack theweak. Itmakes themfeel strongandpowerful.Theyareespeciallyvulnerable to theauthoritarianmessageof theMasculinewayoflife,whichcanleadthemastray.Thus,creatingchaosinsociety.’‘And,youdon’t thinkdada’s ideasarerootedin theMasculineway?Don’t
you think they’re a little too simplistic? And, too top-down? Shouldn’t thesolution be theway of the Feminine?To allow freedom?To let people findbalanceontheirown?’‘ButBharat,manyarewaryoftheuncertaintiesoftheFeminineway.They
preferthesimplepredictabilityoftheMasculineway.Offollowingauniformcodewithouttoomuchthought.Evenifthatcodeismadebyothers.Yes,Ram’sobsessionwith the lawissimplistic.Somemayevencall itauthoritarian.Butthere is merit in it. He will give direction to those youth who need the
certainties of the Masculine way of life. Radicalised young people can bemisusedbyademonicforceinpursuitofendlessviolenceandhatred.Ontheotherhand,Ram’steachingscanguidesuchpeople toa lifeoforder, justice,andfairness.Hecanharnessthemforagreatergood.Iamnotsuggestingthatyour elder brother ’s path is for everyone. But he can provide leadership tothosewhoseekorder,certainty,compliance,anddefinitemorals.Tothosewhohave a strong dislike of decadence and debauchery. He can save them fromgoingdownapathofhatredandviolenceandinstead,buildthemintoaforceforthegoodofIndia.’Bharatremainedsilent.‘Ram’struemessagecanprovideananswer,asolution,totheradicalisation
thatplaguessomanyyoungpeopletoday.’Bharatleanedback.‘Wow…’‘What’sthematter?’‘Ihavearguedwithmybrotherallmylifeabouthisfaithin theMasculine
way.IalwaysthoughtthattheMasculinewaywillinevitablyleadtofanaticismandviolence.Butyouhaveopenedmymindinjustoneconversation.’‘Seriously,canyousaythattheFemininewayneverdegenerates?Theonly
difference, Bharat, is that it deteriorates differently. The Masculine way isordered,efficientandfairatitsbest,butfanaticalandviolentatitsworst.TheFeminineway is creative, passionate and caring at its best, but decadent andchaoticatitsworst.Noonewayoflifeisbetterorworse.Theybothhavetheirstrengthsandweaknesses.’‘Hmmm.’‘Freedomisgood,butinmoderation.Toomuchofitisarecipefordisaster.
That’swhythepathIpreferisthatofBalance.BalancebetweentheMasculineandtheFeminine.’‘Ithinkdifferently.’‘Tellme.’‘I believe there is no such thing as toomuch freedom. For freedom has,
withinitself,thetoolsforself-correction.’‘Really?’‘Yes. In the Feminine way, when things get too debauched and decadent,
many who are disgusted by it, use the same freedom available to them, torevoltandspeakoutloud.Whensocietyismadeaware,andmoreimportantly,isinagreement,reformswillbegin.NoproblemremainshiddeninaFemininesociety for too long. ButMasculine societies can remain in denial for agesbecause they simply do not have the freedom to question and confront theirissues.TheMasculinewayisbasedoncomplianceandsubmissiontothecode,
thelaw.Thequestioningspiritiskilled;andwiththat,theabilitytoidentifyandsolvetheirproblemsbeforetheyleadtochaos.Haveyoueverwonderedwhythe Mahadevs, who had come to solve problems that nobody else could,usuallyhadtofightwhoeverrepresentedtheMasculineforce?’Sita rocked back. She was startled into silence, as she considered what
BharathadsaidabouttheMahadevs.Ohyes…He’sright…‘Freedom is the ultimate answer. Despite all the uncertainties it creates,
freedom allows regular readjustment. Which is why, very rarely does aproblemwiththeFemininewaybecomesobigthatitneedsaMahadevtosolveit.ThismagicalsolutionissimplynotavailabletotheMasculineway.Thefirstthingitsuppressesisfreedom.Everyonemustcomply…Or,bekickedout.’‘Youmayhaveapoint.Butfreedomwithoutlawsischaos.I’mnotsure…’Bharat interrupted his sister-in-law, ‘I am telling you,Bhabhi. Freedom is
theultimatesilverarrow;theanswertoeverything.Itmayappearchaoticanddifficult tomanage on the surface. I agree that laws can be flexibly used toensure that there isn’t toomuch chaos. But there is no problem that cannotultimately be solved if you grant freedom to a sufficiently large number ofargumentativeandrebelliouspeople.WhichiswhyIthinkfreedomisthemostimportantattributeoflife,Bhabhi.’‘Moreimportantthanthelaw?’‘Yes. I believe there should be as few laws as possible; enough just to
provideaframeworkwithinwhichhumancreativitycanexpressitselfinallitsglory.Freedomisthenaturalwayoflife.’Sita laughed softly. ‘Andwhat does your elder brother have to say about
yourviews?’Ram walked up to them from behind and placed his hands on his wife’s
shoulders.‘HiselderbrotherthinksthatBharatisadangerousinfluence!’Ramhadgonetohiswingofthepalaceandhadbeentoldthathiswifewas
intheroyalgardens.HehadfoundherdeepinconversationwithBharat.Theyhadnotnoticedhimwalkuptothem.Bharatburstoutlaughingasherosetoembracehisbrother.‘Dada…’‘ShouldIbethankingyouforentertainingyourbhabhiwithyourlibertarian
views?!’Bharat smiled as he shrugged. ‘At least I won’t convert the citizens of
Ayodhyaintoabunchofbores!’Ramlaughedandsaid,tongueincheek,‘That’sgoodthen!’Bharat’sexpressioninstantlytransformedandbecamesombre.‘Fatherisnot
goingtoletyougo,Dada.Evenyouknowthat.You’renotgoinganywhere.’‘Fatherdoesn’thaveachoice.Andneitherdoyou.Youwill ruleAyodhya.
Andyouwillruleitwell.’‘Iwillnotascendthethronethisway,’saidBharat,shakinghishead.‘No,I
willnot.’RamknewthattherewasnothinghecouldsaythatwouldeaseBharat’spain.‘Dada,whyareyouinsistingonthis?’askedBharat.‘It’sthelaw,Bharat,’saidRam.‘Ifiredadaiviastra.’‘Thehellwiththelaw,Dada!Doyouactuallythinkyourleavingwillbein
thebestinterestsofAyodhya?Imaginewhatthetwoofuscanachievetogether;your emphasis on rules and mine on freedom and creativity. Do you thinkeitheryouorIcanbeaseffectivealone?’Ramshookhishead. ‘I’llbeback in fourteenyears,Bharat.Evenyou just
conceded that ruleshavea significantplace ina society.Howcan Iconvinceothers tofollowthe lawifIdon’tdosomyself?Thelawmustapplyequallyand fairly to every single person. It is as simple as that.’ Then Ram stareddirectly intoBharat’seyes. ‘Even if ithelpsaheinouscriminalescapedeath,thelawshouldnotbebroken.’Bharatstaredrightback,hisexpressioninscrutable.Sita sensed that the brothers were talking about a sensitive issue. Things
were getting decidedly uncomfortable. She rose from the bench and said toRam,‘YouhaveameetingwithGeneralMrigasya.’
Sitaandherentouragewere in themarket.Shedidn’t intend tobuyanything.Shehadcomeoutof thepalace togiveoneofherguards theopportunity toslip away unnoticed.Had he left from the palace compound, hismovementswouldhavebeentracked.Buthere,inthecrowdedmarketplace,noonewouldmissonebodyguardfromthelargepossethatguardedSita.Fromthecornerofhereye,Sitasawhimslipintoatinylanethatledoutof
the market. He had been ordered to arrange a meeting with Jatayu thefollowingday.Satisfied that her message would be delivered, Sita walked towards her
palanquin to return to thepalace.Herpathwas suddenlyblockedby agrandpalanquinthatappearedoutofnowhere.Coveredwithgoldfiligree,itwasanornate bronze litterwith silk curtains covering the sides. It was obviously averyexpensiveandcomfortablepalanquin.‘Stop!Stop!’Afemininevoicewasheardfrominsidethecurtainedlitter.The bearers stopped immediately and placed the palanquin down. The
strongestof the attendantswalked to theentrance,drewaside thecurtainand
helpedanoldwomanstepout.‘Namaste,princess,’saidManthara,asshelaboriouslycametoherfeet.She
foldedherhandstogetherandbowedherheadwithrespect.‘Namaste,LadyManthara,’saidSita,returninghergreeting.Sita had met the wealthy businesswoman the previous day. She had
immediately felt sympathy for her. People did not speak kindly ofMantharabehindherback.Itdidnotseemright toSita,especiallykeepinginmindthatshehadlostherbeloveddaughter,Roshni,intragiccircumstances.OneofManthara’saidesquicklyplacedafoldedchairbehindher,allowing
hertosit.‘Iamsorry,princess.Ifinditdifficulttostandfortoolong.’‘Noproblem,Mantharaji,’saidSita.‘Whatbringsyoutothemarket?’‘I’mabusinesswoman,’ smiledManthara. ‘It’salwayswise toknowwhat’s
happeninginthemarket.’Sitasmiledandnodded.‘Infact,it’salsowisetoknowwhatishappeningeverywhereelsesincethe
marketisimpactedbysomanythings.’Sitagroanedsoftly.Sheexpectedtheusualquestion:WhywasRaminsisting
onbeingpunishedforthecrimeoffiringadaiviastra?‘Mantharaji,Ithinkit’sbestifwewaitfor…’MantharapulledSitacloseandwhispered,‘I’vebeentoldthattheEmperor
may choose to abdicate, making Ram the king. And that he may choose toundertakethebanishmentoffourteenyearshimself.Alongwithhiswives.’Sitahadheardthistoo.ShealsoknewthatRamwouldnotallowit.Butwhat
troubledherwassomethingelse.WheredidMantharajihearthis?Sitamaintainedastraightface.Somethingdidn’tfeelright.Shenoticedthat
Manthara’sbodyguardswerekeepingotherpeopleinthemarketatbay.Achillrandownherspine.Thismeetingwasn’tanaccident.Itwasplanned.Sitarepliedcarefully,‘Ihavenotheardthis,Mantharaji.’Manthara looked hard at Sita. After a few moments, she smiled, slightly.
‘Really?’Sitaadoptednonchalance.‘WhywouldIlie?’Manthara’s smile broadened. ‘I have heard interesting things about you,
princess.Thatyouareintelligent.Thatyourhusbandconfidesinyou.Thathetrustsyou.’‘Oh,Iamanobodyfromasmallcity.Ijusthappenedtomarryabovemyself
andarriveinthisbig,badmetropoliswhereIdon’tunderstandmuchofwhatyoupeoplesay.Whyshouldmyhusbandtrustmyadvice?’Mantharalaughed.‘Bigcitiesarecomplex.Here,often,thediffusedlightof
themoonlendsgreaterinsight.Muchislostintheglareofthesun.Therefore,thewisehaveheldthatforrealwisdomtorise,thesunmustset.’Isthatathreat?Sitafeignedconfusion.Manthara continued, ‘The city enjoys themoon and the night. The jungle
alwayswelcomesthesun.’Thisisnotaboutbusiness.Thisisaboutsomethingelse.‘Yes,Mantharaji,’saidSita,pretendingtobepuzzled.‘Thankyouforthese
wordsofwisdom.’MantharapulledSitacloser,staringdirectlyintohereyes.‘IsRamgoingto
thejungleornot?’‘Idon’tknow,Mantharaji,’saidSita,innocently.‘TheEmperorwilldecide.’Mantharanarrowedher eyes till theywere thin,malevolent slits.Then she
releasedSitaandshookherheaddismissively.Asiftherewasnothingmoretobelearnthere.‘Takecare,princess.’‘Youtakecare,Mantharaji.’‘Druhyu…’saidMantharaloudly.Sita saw the right-handmanofManthara shuffleupobsequiously.Though
thelookonhisfacewasatoddswithhismanner.Sitasmiledinnocently.Something’snotright. Ineedto findoutmoreabout
Manthara.
Chapter27
Sitareadthecodedmessagequickly.IthadcomeviaRadhika.But thesenderwassomeoneelse.Themessagewasterse,butclear:IwillspeaktoGuruji;itwillbedone.Therewasnonameinscribedonthemessage.ButSitaknewthesender.She held the letter to a flame, letting it burn. She held on to it till it had
reducedcompletelytoashes.Shesmiledandwhispered,‘Thankyou,Hanubhaiya.’
SitaandJatayustoodinthesmallclearing.Itwastheirpredeterminedmeetingplace in the jungle,anhour ’s ride fromthecity.Sitahadmade it inhalf thattime. She had covered her face and body in a long angvastram, so that shewouldn’tbeidentified.ShehadalottodiscusswithJatayu.NottheleastbeingherencounterwithManthara.‘Areyousureaboutthis,greatVishnu?’askedJatayu.‘Yes.IhadinitiallythoughtthatthecitywouldbemoredangerousforRam.
Hehassomanyenemieshere.ButnowIthinkthejunglemaybewherethetruedangerlies.’‘Thenwhynotstayinthecity?’‘Can’tbedone.Myhusbandwon’tagreetoit.’‘But…Whynot?Whocaresaboutwhatothers…’Sita interrupted Jatayu, ‘Let me give you an insight into my husband’s
character.GeneralMrigasya,oneof themostpowerfulmeninAyodhya,waswillingtobackRamreplacingDashrathbabujiasking. In fact,myfather-in-law himselfwants to abdicate inRam’s favour. Butmy husband refused.Hesaidit’sagainstthelaw.’Jatayu shook his head and smiled. ‘Your husband is a rare jewel among
men.’
Sitasmiled.‘Thatheis.’‘So,youthinkMantharawill…’‘Yes. She is not interested in the game of thrones. She wants vengeance,
especially against Ram for having followed the law; for not executing herdaughter ’sjuvenilerapist-murderer.It’spersonal.’‘Anyideawhatsheisplanning?’‘ShewillnotdoanythinginAyodhya.Assassinatingapopularprincewithin
thecityisrisky.Isuspectshewilltrysomethinginthejungle.’‘I have visited Ayodhya before. I know her and her cohort. I also know
whomshedependson.’‘Druhyu?’‘Yes.Isuspecthewillbetheonewhowillorganisetheassassination.Iknow
whomhewilltrytohire.Icanhandleit.’‘IhaveasuspicionaboutMantharaandDruhyu. I suspect theyare loyal to
…’‘Yes,greatVishnu,’interruptedJatayu.‘Raavanistheirtruelord.’Sitatookadeepbreath.Thingswerebeginningtomakesense.‘DoyouwantustotakecareofMantharaaswell?’askedJatayu.‘No,’ answered Sita. ‘It’s been difficult enough to stop Raavan from
retaliating after what happened in Mithila. Manthara is his key person inAyodhya,hismaincashcowinthenorth.Ifwekillher,hemaybreakhispactwiththeMalayaputrastonotattackMithila.’‘So…justDruhyu,then.’Sitanodded.‘Letusmeettomorrow.Ishouldknowmorebythen.’‘Ofcourse,Jatayuji,’saidSita.‘Thankyou.Youarelikeaprotectiveelder
brother.’‘Iamnothingbutyourdevotee,greatVishnu.’Sitasmiledandfoldedherhands intoaNamaste. ‘Goodbye.GowithLord
ParshuRam,mybrother.’‘GowithLordRudra,mysister.’Sitamountedherhorseandrodeawayquickly.Jatayupickedupsomedust
from the ground where she had stood and brought it reverentially to hisforehead. He whispered softly, ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Vishnudevaya. TasyaiSitadevyainamonamah.’Hemountedhishorseandrodeaway.
SitawaitedoutsideVashishtha’sprivateoffice.Theguardshadbeensurprisedat theunannouncedarrivalof thewifeofPrinceRam.Theyhadaskedher towaitsincetheRajGuruofAyodhyawasinameetingwithaforeignvisitor.‘I’llwait,’Sitahadsaid.The last few days had been action-packed. It had almost been decided by
Dashrath that he would abdicate and install Ram as king. Ram and Sita haddecidedthatifthathappened,Ramwouldabdicateinturnandbanishhimself,leaving Bharat to take over. Ideally, though, he didn’t want to do that, as itwouldbeapublicrepudiationofhisfather ’sorders.Butithadnotcometothat.On the day before the court ceremony to announce Emperor Dashrath’s
abdication, somedramaticdevelopmentshad takenplace.QueenKaikeyihadlodged herself in the kopa bhavan, the house of anger. This was aninstitutionalised chamber created in royal palaces many centuries ago, oncepolygamyhadbecomeacommonpracticeamongtheroyalty.Havingmultiplewives, akingwasnaturallyunable to spendenough timewithallof them.Akopabhavanwas theassignedchamberawifewouldgo to ifangryorupsetwith her husband.Thiswould be a signal for the king that the queenneededredressalforacomplaint.Itwasbelievedtobeinauspiciousforahusbandtoallowhiswifetostayovernightinthekopabhavan.Dashrathhadhadnochoicebuttovisithisaggrievedspouse.Nooneknew
whathadhappenedinthechamber,butthenextday,Dashrath’sannouncementhadbeenverydifferentfromwhattherumourshadsuggested.RamhadbeenbanishedfromtheSaptSindhuforaperiodoffourteenyears.Bharathadbeennamed the crown prince in Ram’s stead. Ram had publicly accepted thebanishment with grace and humility, praising the wisdom of his father ’sdecision.SitaandRamweretoleaveforthejunglewithinaday.Sita had little time left. She needed to tie up all the loops to ensure their
securityintheforest.VashishthahadnotmetSitaatall, since theirarrival.Was theRajGuru of
Ayodhya avoiding her? Or had an opportunity not presented itself thus far?Anyway,shewantedtospeaktohimbeforesheleft.ShelookedupasshesawamanemergefromVashishtha’soffice.Hewasa
tall,unusuallyfair-skinnedman.Heworeawhitedhotiandanangvastram.Butone could tell by the deliberate way he walked that he was distinctlyuncomfortable in the dhoti. Perhaps, it wasn’t his normal attire. His mostdistinguishingfeatureswerehishookednose,beadedfullbeardanddroopingmoustache.Hiswizenedfaceandlargelimpideyeswereanimageofwisdomandcalm.He’saParihan.ProbablyaVayuputra.
TheParihanwalkedtowardsthemaindoor,notnoticingSitaandhermaidsinthesittingarea.‘MyLady,’aguardcameuptoSita,hisheadbowedinrespect.‘Mysincere
apologiesforthedelay.’Sitasmiled.‘No,no.Youwereonlydoingyourjob.Asyoushould.’Shestoodup.Guidedbytheguard,shewalkedintoVashishtha’soffice.
‘ItmustbedoneoutsidetheboundariesoftheSaptSindhu,’saidDruhyu.He was in a small clearing in the forest, having ridden east from the
boundaries of the Grand Canal for around three hours. He waited for aresponse.Therewasnone.The assassin was seated in the distance, hidden by dark shadows. His
angvastramwaspulledclosearoundhisfaceandtorso.Hewassharpeninghisknifeonasmoothstone.Druhyuhatedthispartofhisjob.Hehaddoneitafewtimes,buttherewas
somethingaboutMarathatspookedhim.‘TheEmperorhasannouncedthebanishmentofPrinceRam.Hiswifeandhe
willbeleavingtomorrow.Youwillhavetotrackthemtill theyareoutoftheempire.’Maradidnotrespond.Hekeptsharpeninghisknife.Druhyu held his breath in irritation.How sharp does he need that damned
knifetobe!Heplacedonelargebagofgoldcoinsonthetreestumpnearhim.Thenhe
reachedintohispouchandtookoutahundi.ItwasstampedwithasecretsealrecognisedonlybyonespecificmoneylenderinTakshasheela,acityfarinthenorthwesterncornersofIndia.‘One thousand gold coins in cash,’ said Druhyu, ‘and a hundi for fifty
thousandgoldcoinstobepickedupattheusualplace.’Mara looked up. Then, he felt the tip and edges of his blade. He seemed
satisfied.HegotupandstartedwalkingtowardsDruhyu.‘Hey!’ Druhyu gasped in panic as he turned quickly and ran back some
distance.‘Don’tshowmeyourface.I’mnotgoingtoseeyourface.’DruhyuknewnolivingpersonhadseenMara’sface.Hedidn’twanttorisk
hislife.Marastoppedatthetreestump,pickedupthebagofgoldcoinsandjudged
its weight. He set it down and picked up the hundi. He didn’t open thedocument,butslippeditcarefullyintothepouchtiedtohiswaistband.
Then,MaralookedatDruhyu.‘Itdoesn’tmatternow.’It took a fewmoments forDruhyu to realise the import ofwhat had been
said.He shrieked inpanic and ran towardshishorse.ButMara, leanand fit,couldmove faster thanDruhyu.Silentasapanther, fastasacheetah.Hewasupon Druhyu in almost no time. He caught hold of Druhyu from the back,holding his neck in his left arm, pinioning him against his own body. AsDruhyustruggledinterror,Marahithimhardonapressurepointatthebackofhisneckwiththeknifehilt.Druhyuwas immediatelyparalysed fromtheneckdown.Mara let the limp
body slip slowly to the ground.Thenhebent overDruhyu and asked, ‘Whoelsehasbeencontracted?’‘Ican’tfeelanything!’screamedDruhyuinshock.‘Ican’tfeelanything!’MaraslappedDruhyuhard.‘Youareonlyparalysedfromtheneckdown.I
canreleasethepressurepoint.Butfirst,answer…’‘Ican’tfeelanything.OhLordIndra!Ican’t…’MaraslappedDruhyuhard,again.‘AnswermequicklyandIwillhelpyou.Don’twastemytime.’Druhyu lookedatMara.Hisangvastramwas tiedacrosshis face.Only the
assassin’seyeswerevisible.Druhyuhadn’tseenhisface.Maybehecouldstillcomeoutofthisalive.‘Pleasedon’tkillme…’sobbedDruhyu,a floodof tears streamingdown
hisface.‘Answermyquestion.Hasanyoneelsebeencontracted? Is thereanyother
assassin?’‘Nobodybutyou…Nobodybutyou…Please…bythegreatLordIndra…
Letmego…please.’‘Is there anybody besides youwho can find an assassin likeme for Lady
Manthara?’‘No.Onlyme.Andyoucankeepthemoney.Iwilltellthatoldwitchthatyou
havetakenthecontract.Youdon’thavetokillanyone.Howwillsheknow?ShewillprobablybedeadbeforePrinceRamreturns…Please…Letme…’DruhyustoppedtalkingasMararemovedtheangvastramthatveiledhisface.
Sheer terrorgrippedDruhyu’sheart.HehadseenMara’sface.Heknewwhatwouldfollow.Marasmiled.‘Don’tworry.Youwon’tfeelathing.’Theassassingotdowntowork.Druhyu’sbodyhadtobeleftthere.Ithadto
bediscoveredbyManthara and the others in her employ. Itwas supposed tosendamessage.
Sitawassittingwithheryoungersister,Urmila,whohadbeencryingalmostincessantly.Despiteallthathadbeenhappeningforthelastfewdays,Sitahadfoundtime
tocomeandmeetUrmilarepeatedly.LakshmanhadinsistedoncomingalongwithRam andSita for the fourteen-year banishment. Initially, Lakshman hadthoughtUrmilacouldalsocomealong.Hehad laterrealised that thedelicateUrmilawouldnotbeabletosurvivetherigoursofthejungle.Itwasgoingtobe a tough fourteen years. The forests could be survived only if you weresturdy and hard.Not if youwere delicate and urbane. It had been tough forLakshman,buthehadspokentoUrmilaandshehad,reluctantly,agreedtonotcomealongwiththethreeofthem.Thoughshewasunhappyaboutit.Sita too was constrained to admit that Lakshman was right. And she had
comerepeatedlytomeetUrmilatohelpheryoungersistermakepeacewiththedecision.‘First maa left me,’ sobbed Urmila, ‘Now you and Lakshman are also
leavingme.WhatamIsupposedtodo?’Sitaheldhersisterwarmly,‘Urmila,ifyouwanttocome,Iwillpushforit.
ButbeforeIdoso,Ineedyoutorealisewhatjunglelifemeans.Wewon’tevenhaveapropershelteroverourheads.We’llliveofftheland,includingeatingmeat;andIknowhowyoudespisethat.TheseareminorthingsandIknowyouwill adapt towhat needs to be done.But there is also constant danger in thejungle. Most of the coastline south of the Narmada River is in Raavan’scontrol.So,wecan’tgothereunlessweintendtogettorturedtodeath.’Urmilacutin,‘Don’tsaysuchthings,Didi.’‘Wecannotgotothecoast.So,wewillhavetoremaindeepinland.Usually,
withintheforestsofDandakaranya.TheAlmightyaloneknowswhatdangersawaitusthere.Wewillhavetosleeplightlyeverynight,withourweaponsnexttous,incaseanywildanimalsattack.Nightistheirtimeforhunting.Thereareso many poisonous fruits and trees; we could die just by eating the wrongthing.I’msuretherewillbeotherdangerswearenotevenawareof.Allofuswillneedourwitsaboutusatalltimestosurvive.Andinthemidstofallthis,ifsomething were to happen to you, howwould I facemaa when I leave thismortalbody?Shehadchargedmewithprotectingyou…And,youare safehere…’Urmilakeptsniffing,holdingontoSita.‘DidKaushalyamaacometoday?’Urmilalookedup,smilingwanlythroughhertears.‘Sheissowonderful.I
feellikeourmaahasreturned.Ifeelsafewithher.’SitaheldUrmilatightagain.‘Bharatisagoodman.SoisShatrughan.They
will helpKaushalyamaa. But they havemany powerful enemies, some evenmorepowerfulthantheking.YouneedtobehereandsupportKaushalyamaa.’Urmilanodded.‘Yes,Lakshmantoldmethesamething.’‘Life isnotonlyaboutwhatwewant,butalsoaboutwhatwemustdo.We
don’tjusthaverights.Wealsohaveduties.’‘Yes,Didi,’saidUrmila.‘Iunderstand.Butthatdoesn’tmeanitdoesn’thurt.’‘Iknow,mylittleprincess,’saidSita,holdingUrmilatight,pattingherback.
‘Iknow…’
Only a few hours were left for Ram, Sita, and Lakshman to leave for thejungle.Theyhad changed into thegarbofhermits,made from roughcottonandbark.SitahadcometomeetGuruVashishtha.‘I’ve been thinking since our meeting yesterday, Sita,’ said Vashishtha. ‘I
regretthatwedidn’tmeetearlier.Manyoftheissuesthatarosecouldhavebeenavoided.’‘Everythinghasitsowntimeandplace,Guruji.’Vashishtha gave Sita a large pouch. ‘As you had requested. I am sure the
Malayaputraswill also get you some of this.But you are right; it’s good tohaveback-up.’Sitaopenedthepouchandexaminedthewhitepowder.‘This ismuchfiner
thantheusualSomraspowderIhaveseen.’‘Yes,it’smadefromtheprocessIhavedeveloped.’Sitasmeltthepowderandgrinned.‘Hmmm…itbecomesfinerandsmells
evenworse.’Vashishthalaughedsoftly.‘Butit’sjustaseffective.’Sitasmiledandputthepouchinthecanvasbagthatshehadslungaroundher
shoulder.‘IamsureyouhaveheardwhatBharathasdone.’AtearfulBharathadcometoRam’schambersandtakenhisbrother ’sroyal
slippers.IfandwhenthetimecameforBharattoascendtokingship,hewouldplace Ram’s slippers on the throne. With this one gesture, Bharat hadeffectively declared thatRamwould be the king ofAyodhya and he,Bharat,would function as a mere caretaker in his elder brother ’s absence. Thisaffordedapowerfulshieldofprotection toRamfromassassinationattempts.AnyattemptstomurderthefuturekingofAyodhyawouldinvitethewrathof
theEmpire, asmandatedby the treatiesbetween thevariouskingdomsunderthealliance.Addedtothecoldrealityoftreatyobligationswasthesuperstitionthatitwasbadkarmatokillkingsandcrownprinces,exceptinbattleoropencombat.While this afforded powerful protection to Ram, it would severelyundercutBharat’sownauthorityandpower.Vashishthanodded.‘Bharatisanoblesoul.’‘Allfourofthebrothersaregoodpeople.Moreimportantly,theyloveeach
other.Andthis,despitebeingborninaverydysfunctionalfamilyanddifficulttimes.Iguesscreditmustbegivenwherecreditisdue.’Vashishthaknewthiswasacomplimenttohim,theguruofthefourAyodhya
princes.Hesmiledpolitelyandacceptedthepraisewithgrace.Sita foldedherhands together in respect and said, ‘I’ve thought about it. I
agreewithyourinstructions,Guruji.Iwillwaitfortherighttime.I’lltellRamonlywhenIthinkwearebothready.’‘Ram is special in somanyways.But his strength, his obsessionwith the
law,canalsobehisweakness.Helphimfindbalance.Then,bothofyouwillbethepartnersthatIndianeeds.’‘I havemyweaknesses too,Guruji.And he can balanceme. There are so
manysituationsinwhichheismuchbetterthanIam.That’swhyIadmirehim.’‘And,headmiresyou.Itisatruepartnership.’Sitahesitatedslightlybeforesaying,‘Imustaskyousomething.’‘Ofcourse.’‘I guess you must also have been a Malayaputra once … Why did you
leave?’Vashishthabegantolaugh.‘Hanumanwasright.Youareverysmart.Scarily
smart.’Sitalaughedalong.‘Butyouhaven’tansweredmyquestion,Guruji.’‘LeavethesubjectofVishwamitraandmeaside.Please.It’stoopainful.’Sita immediately became serious. ‘I don’t wish to cause you any pain,
Guruji.’Vashishthasmiled.‘Thankyou.’‘Imustgo,Guruji.’‘Yes.It’stime.’‘BeforeIgo,Imustsaythis.Imeanitfromthebottomofmyheart,Guruji.
Youareasgreataguruastheonewhotaughtme.’‘AndImeanitfromthebottomofmyheart,Sita.YouareasgreataVishnu
astheoneItaught.’SitabentandtouchedVashishtha’sfeet.Vashishtha placed his hands on Sita’s head and said, ‘May you have the
greatestblessingofall:Mayyoubeofservicetoourgreatmotherland,India.’‘Salutations,greatRishi.’‘Salutations,greatVishnu.’
Chapter28
ElevenmonthshadpassedsinceRam,Sita,andLakshmanhadleftAyodhyaontheirfourteen-yearexileintheforest.Andalothadhappened.DashrathhadpassedawayinAyodhya.Thethreeofthemhadreceivedthis
heartbreakingnewswhile still in theSaptSindhu.Sita knew it hadhurtRamthathehadnotbeenabletoperformthedutiesofaneldestsonandconductthefuneral rites of his father. For most of his life, Ram had had almost norelationshipwithhisfather.MostAyodhyans, includingDashrath,hadblamedthe‘badfate’ofRam’sbirthforthedisastrouslosstoRaavanattheBattleofKarachapa. It was only over the last few years that Ram and Dashrath hadfinallybegunbuildingabond.Butexileanddeathhadforcedthemapartagain.ReturningtoAyodhyawasnotpossibleasthatwouldbreakLordRudra’slaw,butRamhadperformedayagnaintheforestforthejourneyhisfather ’ssoulhadundertaken.Bharat had remained true to his word and placed Ram’s slippers on the
throneofAyodhya.Hehadbeguntogoverntheempireashisbrother ’sregent.It could be said that Ram had been appointed emperor in absentia. Anunorthodoxmove.ButBharat’sliberalanddecentralisingstyleofgovernancehadmadethedecisionpalatabletothekingdomswithintheSaptSindhu.Ram, Lakshman, and Sita had travelled south. Primarily walking by the
banks of rivers, they moved inland only when necessary. They had finallycrossed the borders of the Sapt Sindhu near the kingdom of South Kosala,ruled by Ram’s maternal grandfather. Lakshman and Sita had suggestedvisiting SouthKosala and resting there for a fewmonths.ButRambelievedthatitwasagainstthespiritofthepunishmenttheywereservingtoexploitthecomfortsofthepalaceofroyalrelatives.TheyhadskirtedSouthKosalaandtravelleddeepersouthwest,approaching
the forest lands ofDandakaranya. Lakshman and Ram had expressed someconcernabouttravellingsouthoftheNarmada.LordManuhadbannedtheSaptSindhuansfromcrossingtheNarmadatotheSouth.Iftheydidcross,theywere
nottoreturn.Or,soithadbeendecreed.ButSitahadpointedoutthatIndianshad,formillennia,foundcreativewaysto travel to thesouthof theNarmadawithoutactually‘crossing’theriver.ShesuggestedthattheyfollowtheletterofLordManu’slaw,butnotthespirit.While Ram was uncomfortable with this, Sita had managed to prevail.
Living close to the coastwas dangerous;Raavan controlled thewestern andeasterncoastlinesofthesubcontinent.Thesafestplacewasdeepinland,withintheDandakaranya; even if thatmeant being south of theNarmada.Theyhadtravelled in a southwesterly direction, so that the source of thewest-flowingNarmada remained to their north. They had, thus, reached land that wasgeographicallytothesouthoftheNarmadawithouttechnically‘crossing’theriver.Theywerenowat theoutskirtsof avery largevillage, almost a smalltown.‘What is this town called, Captain Jatayu?’ asked Ram, turning to the
Malayaputra.‘Doyouknowthesepeople?’JatayuandfifteenofhissoldiershadbeentrailingRam,Sita,andLakshman,
ensuringtheirsafety.AsinstructedbySita,theyhadremainedhidden.RamandLakshman did not knowof their presence for a long time.However, despitetheirbestefforts tostayhidden,Ramhadbegun tosuspect thatsomeonewasshadowingthem.SitahadnotbeensurehowRamwouldreact toherseekingprotection from some Malayaputras. So she had not told Ram about herdecisiontoaskJatayutoactasabodyguardforthem.However,astheycrossedthe borders of the Sapt Sindhu, the risks of assassination attempts hadincreased. Sita had finally been forced to introduce Jatayu to Ram. TrustingSita,RamhadacceptedtheMalayaputraandhisfifteensoldiersasmembersofhisteam.Togethertheywereoneshortoftwentynow;moredefendablethanagroupofjustthree.Ramunderstoodthis.‘It’scalledIndrapur,PrinceRam,’saidJatayu.‘It is thebiggest towninthe
area.IknowChiefShaktivel,itsleader.I’msurehewillnotmindourpresence.It’safestiveseasonforthem.’‘Festivitiesarealwaysgood!’saidLakshman,laughingjovially.RamsaidtoJatayu,‘DotheycelebrateUttarayanaswell?’TheUttarayanmarkedthebeginningofthenorthwardmovementofthesun
acrossthehorizon.Thisdaymarkedthefarthestthatthenurtureroftheworld,the sun, moved away from those in the northern hemisphere. It would nowbeginitssix-monthjourneybacktothenorth.Itwasbelievedtobethatpartoftheyearwhichmarkednature’srenewal.Thedeathoftheold.Thebirthofthenew. It was, therefore, celebrated across practically all of the Indiansubcontinent.
Jatayu frowned. ‘Of course they do, Prince Ram. Which Indian does notcelebratetheUttarayan?WeareallalignedtotheSunGod!’‘Thatweare,’saidSita.‘OmSuryayaNamah.’Everyonerepeated theancientchant,bowing to theSunGod. ‘Om Suryaya
Namah.’‘Perhaps,wecanparticipateintheirfestivities,’saidSita.Jatayu smiled. ‘The Indrapuransare amartial, aggressivepeopleand their
celebrationscanbealittlerough.’‘Rough?’askedRam.‘Let’sjustsayyouneedbullsamongmentobeabletoparticipate.’‘Really?What’sthiscelebrationcalled?’‘It’scalledJallikattu.’
‘By the great Lord Rudra,’ whispered Ram. ‘This sounds similar to ourVrishbandhan festival … But very few play this game in the Sapt Sindhuanymore.’Ram,Sita,Lakshman,Jatayu,andthebodyguardshadjustenteredIndrapur.
Theyhadgonestraighttothegroundnexttothetownlake.Ithadbeenfencedin and prepared for the Jallikattu competition the next day. Crowds weremillingaroundthefence,takinginthesightsandsounds.Nobodywasallowedto cross the fence into the ground. The bulls would be led there soon toacclimatisethemforthecompetitionthenextday.Jatayu had just explained the game of Jallikattu to them. It was, in its
essence,averysimplegame.Thenameliterallymeantatiedbagofcoins.Inthis case, gold coins. The contestant had to yank this bag to be declared awinner.Simple?Notquite!Thechallengelayintheplacethisbagofcoinswastied.Itwastiedtothehornsofabull.Notanyordinarybull,mindyou.Itwasabullespeciallybredtobeaggressive,strongandbelligerent.‘Yes, it is similar toVrishbandhan, embracing the bull,’ explained Jatayu.
‘Thegameitselfhasbeenaroundforalongtime,asyouknow.Infact,somesaythatitcomesdownfromourDwarkaandSangamtamilancestors.’‘Interesting,’saidSita.‘Ididn’tknowitwassoancient.’Manybulls,whichwouldparticipateintheJallikattu,werespeciallybredin
thesurroundingvillagesandwithinIndrapur itself.Theowners tookprideinfindingthebestbullstobreedwiththelocalcows.And,theytookevenmoreprideinfeeding,trainingandnurturingthebeaststobecomefiercefighters.‘Therearelandsfartotheeast,outsideIndia’sborders,’saidJatayu,‘where
youfindbull-fightingcompetitionsaswell.Butintheircase,thediceisloadedagainstthebulls.Thosepeoplekeepthebullshungryforafewdaysbeforethecontest, toweaken them. Before themain bull-fighter gets into the ring, histeamfurtherweakensthebeastconsiderably.Theydothisbymakingthepoorbull run a long distance and stabbing itmultiple timeswith long spears andblades.Anddespiteweakeningthebullsomuch,thebull-fighterstillcarriesaweapontofightthebeast,andultimatelykillit.’‘Cowards,’saidLakshman.‘Thereisnokshatriyahoodinfightingthatway.’‘Exactly,’saidJatayu.‘Infact,evenintherarecasethatabullsurvivesthat
competition, it is never brought back into the arena again because it wouldhavelearnthowtofight.Andthatwouldtiltthescalesinitsfavourinsteadofthebull-fighter.So,theyalwaysbringinanew,inexperiencedbull.’‘And,ofcourse,thisisnotdoneinJallikattu…’saidRam.‘Notatall.Here,thebulliswellfedandkeptstrongandhealthy,alltheway.
Nobody is allowed to spear or weaken it. Experienced bulls, which haveperformedwellinpreviouscompetitions,areallowedtoparticipateaswell.’‘That’sthewaytodoit,’saidLakshman.‘Thatwillmakeitafairfight.’‘Itgetsevenfairer,’continuedJatayu. ‘Noneof themencompetingagainst
thebullareallowedtocarryanyweapons.Notevensmallknives.Theyonlyusetheirbarehands.’Lakshmanwhistledsoftly.‘Thattakesrealcourage.’‘Yes,itdoes.Inthatotherbull-fightingcompetitionItoldyouabout,theone
outside India, the bulls almost always die and themen rarely suffer seriousinjury,letalonedie.ButinJallikattu,thebullsneverdie.It’sthemenwhoriskseriousinjury,evendeath.’Asoft,childishvoicewasheard.‘That’sthewayrealmenfight.’Ram, Sita, Lakshman, and Jatayu turned almost in unison. A small child,
perhaps six or seven years of age, stood before them.He had fair skin andsmallanimatedeyes.Forhisyoungage,hewasextraordinarilyhairy.Hischestwaspuffedwithpride.Hisarmsakimboashesurveyedthegroundbeyondthewoodenfence.He’sprobablyaVaanar.Sita went down on her knees and said, ‘Are you participating in the
competitiontomorrow,youngman?’Thechild’sbodyvisiblydeflated.Hiseyesdowncast,hesaid, ‘Iwanted to.
ButtheysayIcannot.Childrenarenotallowed.BythegreatLordRudra,ifIcouldcompeteIamsureIwoulddefeateveryone.’Sitasmiledbroadly.‘I’msureyouwould.What’syourname,son?’‘MynameisAngad.’
‘A-N-G-A-D!’Aloudboomingvoicewasheardfromadistance.Angad turned around rapidly. Fear in his eyes. ‘My father ’s coming… I
gottago…’‘Wait…’saidSita,stretchingherhandout.ButAngadwriggledoutandranawayquickly.SitaroseupandturnedtowardsJatayu.‘Thenamerangabell,right?’Jatayu nodded. ‘I didn’t recognise the face. But I know the name. That is
PrinceAngad.ThesonofKingValiofKishkindha.’Ramfrowned.‘ThatkingdomisdeepinthesouthofDandakaranya, right?
Isn’titalignedto…’Ramwasinterruptedbyanotherboomingvoice.‘I’llbedamned!’ThecrowdmadewayasthechiefofIndrapur,Shaktivel,walkeduptothem.
Hisvoiceaggressive.‘Youcometomytownandnobodyinformsme?’Shaktivel was amassiveman. Swarthy. Tall.Muscled like an auroch bull,
witha largebelly,hisarmsandlegswerelikethetrunksofasmall tree.Hismoststrikingfeature,however,washisextra-largemoustache,whichextendedgrandlydownhischeeks.Despitehisobviousstrength,hewasalsogettingoninage,asevidencedclearlybythemanywhitehairsinhismoustacheandonhishead.And,thewrinklesonhisforehead.Jatayu spoke calmly, ‘We’ve just arrived, Shaktivel.No need to lose your
temper.’Toeveryonepresent,Shaktivel’s eyes conveyed immenseanger.Suddenly,
heburstintoloudlaughter.‘Jata,youstupidbugger!Comeintomyarms!’Jatayu laughedasheembracedShaktivel. ‘Youwillalwaysbea ridiculous
oaf,Shakti!’Sita turned to Ram and arched an eyebrow. Amused at seeing two males
express love for each other through expletives and curses. Ram smiled andshruggedhisshoulders.Thecrowdsaroundbegancheeringloudlyasthetwofriendsheldeachother
in a long and warm embrace. Clearly, the relationship meant a lot to them.Equally clearly, theyweremore brothers than friends. Finally, Shaktivel andJatayusteppedback,stillholdingeachother ’shands.‘Whoareyourguests?’askedShaktivel.‘Becausetheyaremyguestsnow!’Jatayu smiled and held his friend’s shoulder, as he said, ‘Prince Ram,
PrincessSita,andPrinceLakshman.’Shaktivel’s eyes suddenly widened. He folded his hands together into a
Namaste. ‘Wow… the royal family ofAyodhya itself. It ismy honour.Youmustspendthenightinmypalace.And,ofcourse,comeandseetheJallikattu
tomorrow.’RampolitelyreturnedShaktivel’sNamaste.‘Thankyouforyourhospitality.
Butit’snotcorrectforustostayinyourpalace.Wewillstayintheforestcloseby.Butwewillcertainlycomeforthecompetitiontomorrow.’ShaktivelhadheardofRam’spunishment,sohedidn’tpressthematter.‘You
couldatleastgivemethepleasureofhavingdinnerwithyou.’Ramhesitated.‘Nothingfashionableatmypalace.Justasimplemealtogetherintheforest.’Ramsmiled.‘Thatwouldbewelcome.’
‘Lookatthatone,’whisperedLakshmantoSitaandRam.Itwasjustafternoonthenextday.Massivecrowdshadgatheredatthelake-
sideground,wherethecontestbetweenmanandbeastwasabouttotakeplace.Thegroundhadasmallentryontheeasternside,fromwherebullswouldbeled in, one by one. They had been trained tomake a run for the exit at thewesternend,agoodfivehundredmetresaway.Themen,essentially,hadthatdistance to tryandgrabholdof thebull andpullout thebagofcoins. If thecontestant won, he would keep the bag of gold coins.More importantly, hewouldbecalledaVrishank;abullwarrior!Ofcourse,ifanybullreachedthewesterngateandescaped,withoutlosingitsbag,theownerofthebullwouldbedeclaredwinner.Needlesstosay,hewouldkeepthebagofcoins.There were various breeds of bulls that were used in the Jallikattu
competitions. Among the most popular was a type of zebu bulls that werespecifically cross-bred for aggression, strength, and speed. They wereextremelyagile andcould turn aroundcompletely at the same spot in a splitsecond.More importantly, theyalsohadaverypronouncedhump; thiswasarequirement for any bull competing in the Jallikattu. Some believed that thehumps were essentially fat deposits. They couldn’t be more wrong. Thesehumpswere an enlargement of the rhomboideus muscle in the shoulder andback.Thesizeofthehump,thus,wasamarkerofthequalityofthebull.And,judging by the size of the humps on these bulls, they were, clearly, fiercecompetitors.In keeping with tradition, proud owners were parading the bulls in the
ground. This was so that human contestants could inspect the beasts. Astraditionalsodictated,theowners,onebyone,begantobragaboutthestrengthand speedof their bulls; their genealogy, the diet theywere fed, the trainingtheyhadreceived,eventhenumberofpeopletheyhadgored!Thegreaterthe
monstrosityofthebull,thelouderandlustierthecheersofthecrowd.Andasthe owner stood with his bull, many from the crowd would throw theirangvastramsintotheringtosignifytheirintentiontocompetewiththatbeast.Buttheyallfellsilentasanewbullwasledin.‘BythegreatLordRudra…’whisperedLakshman,inawe.SitaheldRam’shand.‘Whichpoorsodisgoingtograbthecoinsfromthat
bull’shorns?’Theownerofthebullwasawareoftheimpactofthemerepresenceofhis
beast. Sometimes, silence speaks louder thanwords. He didn’t say anything;nothingabout itsheredity, itsawesomefoodhabits,or fearsome training.Hesimplylookedatthecrowd,arrogancedrippingfromeveryporeofhisbody.Infact,hedidn’texpectanycontestanttoeventrytocompeteagainsthisbull.Thebullwasmassive,largerthanalltheothersthathadbeenparadedsofar.
Theownerdidn’tclarify,butitseemedlikeacross-breedbetweenawildgaurand the faster sub-breed of the domesticated zebu. Clearly though, the gaurgeneshaddominatedinthemakingofthisbeast.Itwasgigantic,standingoverseven feet tall at the shoulderswith a length of nearly ten feet. Itmust haveweighed in at one thousand five hundred kilograms.And practically all thatonecouldseeripplingunderitsskinwaspurehardmuscle.Itstwohornswerecurved upwards,making a hollow cup on the upper part of the head, like atypicalgaurbull.Zebugeneshadprevailed in themakeof thebeast’sskin. Itwaswhitishgreyandnotdarkbrownlikegaurskinsusuallyare.Perhapstheonly other placewhere the zebu genes hadwonwas the hump. Normally, agaurhasanelongatedridgeonitsback; it’sflatandlong.But thisbullhadaprominent and very large hump on its upper shoulders and back. This wasvery,veryimportant.Forwithoutthathump,thisbeastlybullwouldhavebeendisqualifiedfromtheJallikattu.Ifacompetitormanagedtograbholdof thehumpofabull,hismain task
wastoholdontight,evenasthebullbuckedaggressively,tryingtoshakethehumanoff.Throughthetussle,themanhadtosomehowholdon;andifheheldonlongenoughandpulledtight,thebullwouldfinallyslowdownandthemancouldgrabthebag.The owner suddenly spoke. Loudly. Disconcertingly, considering the
demonicanimalheled,thevoiceofthemanwassoftandfeminine.‘Someofyoumaythinkthisbullisallaboutsize.Butspeedmattersaswell!’Theownerletgooftheropeandwhistledsoftly.Thebullchargedoutina
flash.Itsspeedblinding.Itwasfasterthananyotherbullonthisday.Lakshmanstared,awestruck.Gaursarenotmeanttobethisfast!Thebullturnedrapidlyinitsspot,displayingitsfearsomeagility.Asifthat
wasn’tenough,itsuddenlystartedbuckingaggressively,andchargingtowardsthe fence. The crowd fell back in terror. Its dominance established, the bullsaunteredback to itsowner, lowered itsheadandsnortedaggressivelyat thecrowd.Magnificent!Loudandspontaneousapplausefilledtheair.‘Looks like the hump and skin colour are not the only things it inherited
fromitszebuancestor,’whisperedSita.‘Yes, it has inherited its speedaswell,’ saidLakshman. ‘With thatmassive
sizeandspeed…It’salmostlikeme!’SitalookedatLakshmanwithasmile.Itdisappearedasshesawthelookon
herbrother-in-law’sface.‘Don’t…’whisperedSita.‘Whatabeast,’saidLakshman,admiringly.‘Itwillbeaworthycompetitor.’Ram placed his hand on his brother ’s shoulder, holding him back. But
beforeLakshmancoulddoanything,a loudvoicewasheard. ‘Iwillcompetewiththatbull!’Everyone’s eyes turned towards a violet-coloured, obviously expensive
angvastram flying into the ring. Beyond the wooden fence stood a fair,ridiculouslymuscularandveryhairymanofmediumheight.Heworeasimplecream-coloureddhotiwith one end of it sticking out like a tail. The clothesmayhavebeensimple,butthebearingwasregal.‘That’sVali,’saidJatayu.‘TheKingofKishkindha.’
Valistoodclosetothebarricadedentrance.Thegaur-zebubullwasabouttobelet loose. It was a covered gate and the bull couldn’t see who or what waswaitingontheotherside.Threebullshadalreadyrun.Twohadbeenbaitedandtheirgoldcoinsgrabbed.Butonebullhadescapedwith itspackage. Itwasarapidgame. Individual races rarely lastedmore thanaminute.Therewereatleastahundredmorebullstorun.Buteveryoneknewthatthiswasthematchtowatch.Thepriestof the local templebellowedout loud. ‘May theVrishankabove
allVrishanks,LordRudra,blessthemanandthebeast!’ThiswasthestandardannouncementbeforeanyJallikattumatchinIndrapur.
Andasusual,itwasfollowedbytheloudandreverberatingsoundofaconchshell.Afteramoment’ssilence,theloudclankingofmetalgateswasheard.
‘JaiShriRudra!’roaredthecrowd.From the dark interiors of the covered gate, the beast emerged. Usually,
bullschargedout,thunderingpastthepressofhumanswhotriedtolungefromthesidesandgrabthehumpoftheanimal.Getting in front of the bull was dangerous for it could gore youwith its
horns.Beingatthebackwasequallydangerousforitcouldkickoutwardswithitsformidablehindlegs.Itssidewasthebestplacetobe.Whichiswhy,bullsweretrainedtodashacross,givingmenlesstimetotryandgrabfromthetwosides.Butthisgaur-zebubullsimplysaunteredout.Supremelysureofitsabilities.
Vali,whowaswaitingbeside thegate,hiddenfromview, leaptupassoonasthebullemerged.ConsideringValiwasnearlyone-and-a-halffeetshorterthanthebull,itwasatributetohissupremephysicalfitnessthathemanagedtogethisarmsaround thebull’smassivehumpashe landed.Thebullwasstartled.Someone had dared to hold its hump. It started bucking wildly. Bellowingloudly. Banging its hooves hard on the ground. Suddenly, showing awe-inspiringdexterity, itwhirledalmostacompletecirclewithmonstrousspeed.Valilosthisgrip.Hewasflungaway.The bull suddenly calmed down. It stared at the prone Vali, snorted
imperiously and beganwalking away. Slowly. Towards the exit. Staring intothecrowds,nonchalantly.SomeonefromthecrowdshoutedanencouragementtoVali.‘Comeon!Get
up!’Thebull looked at the crowd and stopped. It then turned towards the lake,
presentingitsbacksidetothecrowd.Itslowlyraiseditstailandurinated.Then,maintaining its blasé demeanour, it started walking again. Towards the exit.Justasleisurely.Lakshman laughed softly, as he shook his head. ‘Forget about baiting this
bull.Thebullis,infact,baitingus!’RamtappedLakshmanonhisshoulder.‘LookatVali.He’sgettingup.’Valibangedhisfistshardonhischestandsprintedahead.Lightonhisfeet.
Hislonghairflyinginthewind.Hecameupfrombehindthebull.‘Thismanisamaniac!’saidLakshman,worriedbutanimated.‘Thatbullcan
crushhischestwithasingleblowfromitshindlegs!’AsValicameclosetothebull,hejumpedup,soaringhigh.Helandedontop
ofthebull.Thesurprisedbeast,whichhadn’tseenValicomeupfrombehind,bellowedloudlyandwentuponitshindlegs.Tryingtoshakethekingoff.ButValiheldonfirmly.Screamingatthetopofhislungs!Theoutragedbull roared.Louder than themanwhoclung to it.Letting its
front legs fall to theground, it lowered its head andbuckedwildly.ButValiheldon,screamingallthetime.Thebullsuddenlyleaptintotheairandshookitsbody.Itstillcouldnotget
ridofthemanholdingondesperatelytoitshump.Theentirecrowdhad fallensilent. Inabsoluteawe.Theyhadnever seena
Jallikattumatch last so long. The only soundswere the loud bellows of thebullandtheroarsofVali.Thebullleaptupagainandreadiedtofalltoitsside.Itsweightwouldhave
crushedValitodeath.Hequicklyletgoofthebull.Butnotfastenough.Thebull landedon its side.Vali escaped thebulk,but its front legs lashed
Vali’s leftarm.Lakshmanheard thebonecrack fromwherehestood.Tohisadmiration,Valididnotscreaminpain.Thebullwasuponitsfeetinnotimeandtrottedaway.Fromadistance,itlookedatVali.Angerblazinginitseyes.Butitkeptitsdistance.‘Thebullisangry,’whisperedRam.‘Iguessithasneverhadahumangoso
far.’‘Staydown,’saidSita,almostwillingValitoremainontheground.LakshmanstaredatValisilently.Ifaman remainedcurledupon theground,unmoving likea stone,abull
normallywouldnotcharge.Butifhestoodup…‘Fool!’ hissed Sita, as she saw Vali rising once again, his bloodied and
shatteredleftarmdanglinguselesslybyhisside.‘Staydown!’Lakshman’smouthfellopeninawe.Whataman!Thebulltooseemedshockedandenragedthatthemanhadrisenonceagain.
Itsnortedandshookitshead.Valibangedhischestrepeatedlywithhisrightfistandroaredloudly,‘Vali!
Vali!’Thecrowdtoobeganshouting.‘Vali!’‘Vali!’Thebullbellowedloudly,andbangeditsfronthooveshardontheground.A
warninghadbeengiven.Valibangedhischestagain,hisshatteredleftarmswinginguselesslybyhis
side.‘Vali!’Thebullcameuponitshindlegsandbellowedonceagain.Muchlouderthis
time.Almostdeafeninglyloud.Andthen,thebeastcharged.Lakshmanjumpedoverthefence,racingtowardsthebullatthesametime.‘Lakshman!’screamedRam,asheandSitaalsoleaptoverandsprintedafter
Lakshman.Lakshman ran diagonally, bisecting the path between Vali and the animal.
LuckilyfortheprinceofAyodhya,thebulldidnotseethisnewthreat.Lakshman was much taller than Vali. He was also far more bulky and
muscular.ButevenLakshmanknewthatbrutestrengthwasuselessagainstthisgargantuanbeast.Heknewhewouldhaveonlyonechance.Thebull’shornswere unlike the pure zebu breed; pure zebu bulls had straight, sharp hornswhichworkedlikebluntkniveswhilegoring.Thegaur-zebubull’shorns,ontheotherhand,werecurvedupwards,makingahollowintheupperpartofthehead.The bullwas focused onVali. It had lowered its head andwas thundering
towards him. It didn’t notice Lakshman come up suddenly from the side.Lakshmanleaptforward,timinghisjumptoperfection,pullinghislegsup.Ashe soared above the bull’s head, he quickly reached out with his hand andyanked the bag off the horns. For that split second, the bull kept chargingforwardandLakshman’sfeetcameinlinewiththebull’shead.Hepushedoutwithhis legs.Hard.Effectivelyusing thebull’sheadas leverage,hebouncedaway.Lakshman’sweight and sizewere enough to push the head of the bulldown.Asheboundedaway,rollingonthefield,thebull’sheadbangedintothehardgroundandittripped,fallingflatonitsface.RamandSitausedthedistractiontoquicklypickupValiandsprinttowards
thefence.‘Leaveme!’screamedVali,strugglingagainstthetwo.‘Leaveme!’Vali’s struggle led to more blood spilling out of his shattered arm. It
increasedthepaindramatically.ButRamandSitadidnotstop.Meanwhile,thebullquicklyrosetoitsfeetandbellowedloudly.Lakshman
raisedhishand,showingthebagheheld.Thebullshouldhavecharged.Butithadbeentrainedwell.Assoonasitsaw
thebagofcoins,itlowereditsheadandsnorted.Itlookedbehindatitsowner,whowasstandingclosetotheexit.Theownersmiledandshrugged,mouthingthewords,‘Youwinsome.Youlosesome.’The bull looked back at Lakshman, snorted, and lowered its head again.
Almost as if it was accepting defeat gracefully. Lakshman pulled his handstogetherintoaNamasteandbowedlowtothemagnificentbeast.Thebullthenturnedaroundandstartedwalkingaway.Towardsitsowner.Vali,meanwhile,hadlostconsciousness,asSitaandRamcarriedhimover
thefence.
Chapter29
Lateintheevening,ShaktivelcametotheforestedgewhereRamandhisbandwereresting.AfewmenfollowedtheChiefofIndrapur,bearinglargebundlesofweaponsintheirhands.Ram stoodup, foldinghis hands together in aNamaste. ‘Greetings, brave
Shaktivel.’Shaktivel returnedRam’s greeting. ‘Namaste, great Prince.’ He pointed to
thebundlesbeing carefully laidon thegroundbyhismen. ‘As requestedbyyou,allyourweaponshavebeenrepaired,shone,polished,andsharpened.’Rampickedupasword,examineditsedgeandsmiled.‘Theyareasgoodas
new.’Shaktivel’schestswelledwithpride.‘Ourmetalsmithsareamongthebestin
India.’‘Theyclearlyare,’saidSita,examiningaspearclosely.‘PrinceRam,’saidShaktivel,comingclose,‘aprivateword.’RamsignalledSitatofollowhim,ashewaspulledasidebyShaktivel.‘Youmayneedtoleaveinhaste,’saidShaktivel.‘Why?’askedasurprisedSita.‘Vali.’‘Someonewantedhimdead?’askedRam.‘So,they’reangrywithusnow?’‘No,no.ValiistheonewhoisangrywithPrincessSitaandyou.’‘What?!Wejustsavedhislife.’Shaktivelsighed. ‘Hedoesn’tsee it thatway.According tohim, the twoof
youandPrinceLakshmanmadehimlosehishonour.He’dratherhavediedintheJallikattuarenathanberescuedbysomeoneelse.’RamlookedatSita,hiseyeswideinsurprise.‘Itisnotinmytown’sinteresttohaveroyalfamiliesfighteachotherhere,’
said Shaktivel, folding his hands together in apology. ‘When two elephantsfight,thegrassisthefirsttogettrampled.’Sitasmiled.‘Iknowthatline.’
‘It’s a popular line,’ said Shaktivel. ‘Especially among those who are notfromtheelite.’RamplacedhishandonShaktivel’sshoulder.‘Youhavebeenourhost.You
have been a friend. We do not want to cause you any trouble. We’ll leavebeforedaybreak.Thankyouforyourhospitality.’
Ram,Sita,andLakshmanhadbeen inexilefor twenty-fourmonthsnow.ThefifteenMalayaputrasoldiersaccompaniedthemeverywhere.Eachmemberof the small party had settled into an established routine, as
they moved deeper into the forests of Dandak. They were headed in thewestwarddirection,buthadnotbeenabletofindasuitableenoughpermanentcamp.Theyusually stayed inoneplace for a shortwhilebeforemovingon.Standardperimeter and security formationshadbeen agreedupon. Cooking,cleaning,andhuntingdutiesweresharedbyrotation.Sincenoteveryoneinthecampatemeat,huntingwasn’trequiredoften.Ononeofthesehuntingtrips,aMalayaputracalledMakranthadbeengored
byaboarwhiletryingtosaveSita’slife.Thewildboar ’stuskhadcutupwardsthroughtheupperquadricepsmusclesonhisthigh,piercingthefemoralartery.Fortunately,theothertuskoftheboarhadhitthehardpelvicbone;thus,ithadnot pushed through and penetrated deeper where it would have ruptured theintestines. That would have been fatal as the resultant infection would havebeenimpossibletotreatintheirtemporarycamp.Makranthadsurvived,buthisrecoveryhadnot been ideal.His quadricepsmuscleswere stillweak and thearteryhadnothealedcompletely,remainingpartiallycollapsed.Hestilllimpeda great deal; a condition which could be dangerous for a soldier in thehazardousjungle.BecauseoftheinjuryitwasimpossibleforMakranttomoveeasilythrough
theforest.So,theyhadnotmovedcampforsometime.Makranthadbeensufferingforafewmonths.Jatayuknewsomethinghadto
bedone.And,heknewthecureaswell.Hesimplyhadtosteelhimselfforthejourney…‘ThewatersofWalkeshwar?’askedSita.‘Yes,’saidJatayu.‘Theholylakeemergesfromanaturalspringburstingout
fromdeepunderground,whichmeansitpicksupspecificmineralsonitswayto the surface. Thoseminerals infuse the waters with their divine goodness.ThatwaterwillhelpMakrant’sarteriesrecoverquickly.Wecanalsogetsomemedicinalherbsfromtheislandwhichwillhelphispartlyatrophiedmusclesto
recoverfully.Hecanhavethefulluseofhislegsagain.’‘WhereisWalkeshwar,Jatayuji?’‘It’sinasmallislandcalledMumbadevionthewestcoast.Specifically,the
northernpartoftheKonkancoast.’‘Weren’twesupposedtostopatanislandclosetoitforsuppliesonourway
toAgastyakootam?AnislandcalledColaba?’‘Yes.Our captainhad thought itwouldbe agood idea to stop there. I had
advisedagainstit.’‘Yes.Iremember.’‘MumbadeviisthebigislandtothenorthwestofColaba.’‘So,Mumbadeviisoneofthatgroupofsevenislands?’‘Yes,greatVishnu.’‘You had advised against stopping there since it is a major sea base for
Raavan’sforces.’‘Yes,greatVishnu.’Sita smiled. ‘Then, it’s probably not a good idea for Ram and me to
accompanyyou.’Jatayudidn’tsmileatSita’swryhumour.‘Yes,greatVishnu.’‘ButtheLankanswillnotdarehurtaMalayaputra,right?’FearflashedmomentarilyinJatayu’seyes,buthisvoicewasevenandcalm.
‘No,theywon’t…’Sitafrowned.‘Jatayuji,istheresomethingyouneedtotellme?’Jatayu shookhishead. ‘Everythingwill be fine. Iwill take threemenwith
me.Therestofyoushouldstayhere.Iwillbebackintwomonths.’Instinct kicked in. Sita knew something was wrong. ‘Jatayuji, is there a
probleminMumbadevi?’Jatayu shook his head. ‘I need to prepare to leave, greatVishnu.You and
PrinceRamshouldremainencampedhere.’
It was dark when Jatayu and the three soldiers reached the shoreline of themainland.Across a narrow strait, they saw the seven islands that abutted thesouth of the far larger Salsette Island. Torchlights on houses and tall lamptowersonstreetsandpublicstructureshadlitupthecentralandeasternsideofSalsetteIsland.Clearly,thetownhadexpandedonthis,thelargestisland,inthearea.Itwastentimesbiggerthanthesevenislandstothesouthputtogether!Itwas logical that a fast-growing town had come up here. There were largefreshwater lakes in thecentreof the island.Andenoughopenarea tobuilda
largetown.Crossingintothemainlandwaseasysincethecreekthatseparateditwasnarrowandshallow.There had been a timewhen the seven islands to the south ofSalsette had
beenthecentreofallcivilisationinthearea.TheislandofMumbadevihadawonderfulharbouronitseasternshores,whichworkedwellforlargerships.Theportbuiltatthatharbourstillexisted.Andclearly,itwasstillbusy.Jatayucould also see lights on the other four smaller islands on the eastern side:Parel,Mazgaon,LittleColaba,andColaba.But thewestern islandsofMahimandWorliwerenotclearlyvisible.ThehillsatthewesternendofMumbadevi,whereWalkeshwarwas,weretall
enoughtobeseenfromacrossthestraits,duringtheday.Infact,thehillshadoncebeenvisibleatnightaswell.Forthat’swherethemainpalaces,temples,andstructuresoftheoldcitywere.Andtheyhadalwaysbeenwelllit.But Jatayu couldn’t see a thing there.No torchlights.No lamp towers.No
signofhabitation.Walkeshwarremainedabandoned.Itremainedinruin.Jatayushiveredasherememberedthoseterribledays.Thetimewhenhehad
been a young soldier.When Raavan’s hordes had come…He rememberedonlytoowell.Forhehadbeenoneofthehorde.LordParshuRam,forgiveme…Forgivemeformysins…‘Captain,’saidoneoftheMalayaputrasoldiers.‘Shouldwecrossnowor…’Jatayu turnedaround. ‘No.We’ll cross in themorning.We’ll resthere for
thenight.’
Jatayutossedandturnedashetriedtosleep.Memoriesthathehadburieddeepwithinhimselfwerebursting through tohisconsciousness.Nightmares fromhislong-hiddenpast.Memoriesofwhenhewasyounger.Many,manyyearsago.Raavanusedourownpeopletoconquerus.Jatayusatup.Hecouldseetheislandsacrossthecreek.Whenhehadbeenateenager,Jatayuhadcarriedthepain,theanger,ofbeing
ill-treatedasaNaga.Assomeonewhowasdeformed.ButNagasweren’t theonly ones ill-treated. Many communities had complaints against the rigid,supercilious,andchauvinisticeliteoftheSaptSindhu.AndRaavanhadseemedlikearebel-hero,asaviourofsortstomanyofthem.Hetookonthepowers-that-be.And,thedisenchantedflockedtohim.Foughtforhim.Killedforhim.And,wereusedbyhim.
Jatayuhad,at that time,enjoyed thefeelingofvengeance.Ofhittingoutatthehated, self-absorbedelite.Until the time thathisunithadbeenordered tojoinanAhiRaavan.Raavan’s forcesweredivided into twogroups.Onegroupcommanded the
land territories, with commanders called MahiRaavans in charge. And theother group commanded the seas and the ports, with commanders calledAhiRaavansincontrol.ItwaswithonesuchAhiRaavancalledPrahastthatJatayuhadbeenordered
tocometoMumbadevianditssevenislands.Theseseven islandswerepeopledby theDevendrarcommunityat the time,
ledbyakindlymancalledIndran.Mumbadeviandtheothersixislandswereanentrepot,withgoodsstoredforimportandexportwithminimalcustomduties.The liberalDevendrars provided supplies and refuge to any seafarer,withoutfavourordiscrimination.Theytreatedeveryonewithkindness.Theybelieveditwastheirsacreddutytodoso.Onesuchseafarer,whohadbeenprovidedrefugefor some time, was Jatayu, when he was very young. He remembered thatkindnesswell.ItwasarareplaceinIndia,whereJatayuhadnotbeentreatedliketheplague.Hehadbeenwelcomedlikeanormalperson.Theshockofthecompassionhadbeensooverwhelmingthathehadcriedhimself tosleep thatfirstnightinMumbadevi,unabletohandlethefloodofemotions.Andmanyyears later,hehad returned,aspartofanarmysent toconquer
thatverysameMumbadeviIsland.Raavan’sstrategicreasonswereobvious.Hewantedabsolutecontroloverall
theseatradeintheIndianOcean;thehubofglobaltrade.WhoeverdominatedthisOcean,dominated theentireworld.Andonlywithabsolutecontrol couldRaavanenforcehisusuriouscustomsduties.Hehadconqueredormanagedtogaincontrolovermostof themajorportsacross the Indian subcontinentandthe coasts of Arabia, Africa, and South-east Asia. Those ports followed hisrules.ButMumbadevistubbornlyrefusedtochargehighcustomorturnawayany
sailorwhosought refuge there. Its inhabitantsbelieved this servicewas theirduty.Theirdharma.RaavanhadtogaincontroloverthisimportantharbouronthesearoutebetweentheIndus-SaraswaticoastsandLanka.AhiRaavanPrahast had been sent to negotiate a solution. And, if needed,
force a solution. The Lankan Army had beenwaiting, camped in their ships,anchoredattheMumbadeviharbour,offitseasterncoast.Foraweek.Nothinghad happened. Finally, they had been ordered to march to Walkeshwar, thewesternpartofMumbadevi,where thepalaceanda templededicated toLordRudrahadbeenbuilt,rightnexttoanatural-spring-filledlake.
Jatayu,beingajuniorsoldier,wasatthebackoftheline.HeknewtheDevendrarscouldn’t fight.Theywereapeacefulcommunityof
seafarers, engineers, doctors, philosophers, and storytellers. Therewere veryfew warriors among them. Jatayu hoped desperately that a compromise hadbeenreached.Thescenehesawatthemaintownsquare,outsideofthepalace,baffledhim.It was completely deserted. Not a soul in sight. All the shops were open.
Goodsdisplayed.Butnobodytotendto,orevensecurethem.At the centre of the square was a massive pile of corkwood, with some
mixture of holy sandalwood. It was held in place by a metallic mesh. Alldrenchedinfreshghee.Ithadclearlybeenbuiltrecently.Perhaps,thepreviousnightitself.Itwaslikeaverylargeunlitcremationpyre.Humongous.Massiveenoughto
potentiallyaccommodatehundredsofbodies.Ithadawalkwayleadinguptoitstop.Prahasthadcomeinexpectingaceremonialsurrender,ashehaddemanded,
and then the peaceful expulsion of theDevendrars. Thiswas unexpected.Heimmediatelymadehistroopsfallintobattleformations.Sanskritchantswereemanatingfrombehindthepalacewalls.Accompanied
bytheclangingofsacredbellsandthebeatingofdrums.IttooksometimefortheLankanstodiscernthewordsofthechants.They were from the Garuda Purana. Hymns usually sung during a death
ceremony.What were the Devendrars thinking? Their palace walls were not tough
enoughtowithstandanassault.Theydidnothaveenoughsoldiers to takeonthefive-thousand-strongLankanArmy.Suddenly, smoke began to plume out of the palace compound. Thick, acrid
smoke.Thewoodenpalacehadbeensetonfire.Andthen,thegateswereflungopen.Prahast’sorderwasloudandclear.‘Draw!Andhold!’All the Lankans immediately drew their weapons. Holding their line. In
militarydiscipline.Expectinganattack…Indran, thekingof theDevendrars, ledhispeopleoutof thepalace.Allof
them.His entire family. The priests, traders, workmen, intellectuals, doctors,artists.Men,women,children.Allhiscitizens.AlltheDevendrars.Theyallworesaffronrobes.Thecolourof fire,ofLordAgni.Thecolourof
thefinaljourney.Everysinglefacewasapictureofcalm.
Theywerestillchanting.Every Devendrar carried gold coins and jewellery. Each one carried a
fortune.Andeachonecarriedasmallbottle.Indranwalkedupthepathwaytothestandthatoverhungthemassivepileof
wood.Henoddedathispeople.TheyflungtheirgoldcoinsandjewelleryattheLankansoldiers.Indran’svoicecarriedloudandclear.‘Youcantakeallourmoney!Youcan
takeourlives!Butyoucannotforceustoactagainstourdharma!’TheLankansoldiersstoodstunned.Notknowinghowtoreact.Theylookedat
theircommanderforinstructions.Prahast bellowed loudly. ‘King Indran, think well before you act. Lord
RaavanistheKingofallthreeWorlds.EventheGodsfearhim.Yoursoulwillbecursed.Takeyourgoldandleave.Surrenderandyoushallbeshownmercy!’Indransmiledkindly.‘Wewillneversurrenderourdharma.’Then thekingof theDevendrars lookedat theLankansoldiers. ‘Saveyour
souls.Youalonecarrythefruitofyourkarma.Nooneelse.Youcannotescapeyourkarmabyclaimingthatyouwereonly followingorders.Saveyoursouls.Choosewell.’SomeLankan soldiers seemed to bewavering. Theweapons in their hands
shaking.‘Holdyourweapons!’shoutedPrahast.‘Thisisatrick!’Indrannoddedtohisheadpriest.Theprieststeppeduptothepileofwood
andstuckaburningtorchdeepintoit.Itcaughtfireimmediately.Thepyrewasready.Indran pulled out his small bottle and took a deep swig. Possibly a pain
reliever.‘AllIask is thatyounot insultourGods.Thatyounotdefileour temples.’
IndranthenstaredatPrahastwithpity.‘Therestisforyoutodoasyouwill.’Prahastorderedhissoldiersagain.‘Steady.Nobodymove!’Indranpulledhishands together intoaNamasteand looked up at the sky.
‘JaiRudra!JaiParshuRam!’Sayingthis,Indranjumpedintothepyre.Jatayuscreamedinagony.‘Noooo!’TheLankansoldiersweretooshockedtoreact.‘Don’tmove!’screamedPrahastathissoldiersagain.All the other Devendrars took their potions and started running up the
walkway. Jumping into the mass pyre. Rapidly. In groups. Every single one.Men,women,children.Followingtheirleader.Followingtheirking.Therewere one thousandDevendrars. It took some time for all of them to
jumpin.NoLankansteppedup to stop them.A fewofficersclose toPrahast, to the
disgust of many, started picking through the gold jewellery thrown by theDevendrars.Selectingthebestforthemselves.Discussingthevalueoftheirlootwitheachother.EvenastheDevendrarswerecommittingmasssuicide.ButthemajorityoftheLankansoldiersjuststoodthere.Toostunnedtodoanything.AsthelastoftheDevendrarsfelltohisfieryend,Prahastlookedaround.He
could see the shocked expressions of many of his soldiers. He burst outlaughing. ‘Don’t be sad,my soldiers. All the goldwill be divided up equallyamongyou.Youwillallmakemoremoney today thanyouhavemade inyourentirelives!Smile!Youarerichnow!’Thewords did not have the desired impact.Many had been jolted to their
souls.Sickenedbywhattheyhadwitnessed.Withinlessthanaweek,morethanhalfofPrahast’sarmyhaddeserted.Jatayuwasoneofthem.Theycouldn’tfightforRaavananymore.The loud sound of the waves crashing against hard rocks brought Jatayu
backfromthatpainfulmemory.His body was shaking. Tears pouring from his eyes. He held his hands
together in supplication, his head bowed. He gathered the courage to lookacrossthestraitsatMumbadevi.AtthehillsofWalkeshwar.‘Forgiveme,KingIndran…Forgiveme…’Buttherewasnorespitefromtheguilt.
IthadbeenafewmonthssinceJatayu’sreturnfromMumbadevi.Themedicine fromWalkeshwarhaddonewonders forMakrant.The limp
hadreduceddramatically.Hecouldwalkalmostnormallyagain.Theatrophiedmuscleswereslowlyregainingstrength.ItwasobviousthatwithinamatterofmonthsMakrantwouldregainthefulluseofhislegs.SomeMalayaputraswereevenplanninghuntswithhim.Sita had tried a few times to ask Jatayu why the mention of Mumbadevi
causedhimsuchdistress.Buthadgivenupovertime.Early today, she had stolen away from the group to meet Hanuman at a
secretlocation.‘Prince Ram and you need to settle down at one place, princess,’ said
Hanuman.‘Yourconstantmovementmakesitdifficultformetokeeptrackofyou.’‘Iknow,’saidSita.‘Butwehaven’tfoundasecureplaceyet.’
‘Ihaveaplaceinmindforyou.It’sclosetowater.It’sdefendable.Youwillbeable to forage foodeasily.There isenoughhuntavailable.And, it’scloseenoughformetotrackyou.’‘Whereisit?’‘It’snearthesourceoftheholyGodavari.’‘Allright.I’lltakethedetailsfromyou.And,how’s…’‘Radhika?’Sitanodded.Hanumansmiledapologetically.‘She’s…She’smovedon.’‘Movedon?’‘She’smarriednow.’Sitawasshocked.‘Married?’‘Yes.’Sitaheldherbreath.‘PoorBharat…’‘IhaveheardthatBharatstilllovesher.’‘Idon’tthinkhe’llevergetoverher…’‘I’dheardsomethingonce:Bettertohavelovedandlostthannevertohave
lovedatall.’SitalookedatHanuman.‘Forgiveme,Hanubhaiya,Idon’tmeantoberude.
Butonlysomeonewhohasneverlovedatallcansaysomethinglikethat.’Hanumanshruggedhisshoulders.‘Pointtaken.Inanycase,thelocationfor
thecamp…’
Chapter30
SixyearshadlapsedsinceRam,Sita,andLakshmanhadgoneintoexile.Thebandofnineteenhadfinallysettledalongthewesternbanksoftheearly
courseofthemightyGodavari,atPanchavati.Ortheplaceofthefivebanyantrees.ThesitesuggestedbyHanuman.Theriverprovidednaturalprotectiontothesmall,rustic,yetcomfortablecamp.Themainmudhutatthecentreofthecamphadtworooms—oneforRamandSita,andtheotherforLakshman—andanopenclearingforexerciseandassembly.AnotherclusterofhutstotheeasthousedJatayuandhisband.Theperimeterofthiscamphadtwocircularfences.Theoneontheoutside
was coveredwith poisonous creepers to keep animals out. The fence on theinsidecomprisednagavallicreepers,riggedwithanalarmsystem.Itconsistedofacontinuousrope that ranall thewaytoavery largewoodencage, filledwith birds. The birdswerewell looked after and replaced everymonthwithnew ones. If anyonemade it past the outer fence and attempted to enter thenagavallihedge, thealarmsystemwould trigger theopeningof thebirdcageroof. The noisy flutter of escaping birds would offer precious minutes ofwarningtotheinmatesatthecamp.Ram,Sita,andLakshmanhadfaceddangersinthesesixyears,butnotdueto
any human intervention. The occasional scars served as reminders of theiradventuresinthejungle,buttheSomrashadensuredthattheylookedandfeltasyoung as the day they had left Ayodhya. Exposure to the harsh sun haddarkened their skin. Ram had always been dark-skinned, but even the fair-skinned Sita andLakshman had acquired a bronze tone. Ram andLakshmanhadgrownbeardsandmoustaches,makingthemlooklikewarrior-sages.Life had fallen into a predictable pattern. Ram and Sita liked to go to the
Godavari banks in the earlymorning hours to bathe and share someprivatetimetogether.Theirfavouritetimeoftheday.Thiswasonesuchday.Theyhadwashedtheirhairthepreviousday.There
wasnoneedtowashitagain.Theyhadtieditupinabunwhilebathing.After
theirbathintheclearwatersoftheriver,theysatonthebankseatingarepastoffreshberriesandfruit.Ram lay with his head on Sita’s lap. She was playing with his hair. Her
fingersgotstuckinaknot.Shegentlytriedtoeaseitoutanduntanglethehair.Ramprotestedmildly,butthehaircamelooseeasily,withoutanyneedtoyankit.Sitasmiled.‘See,Icandoitgentlyaswell.’Ramlaughed.‘Sometimes…’RamranhishandthroughSita’shair.Ithunglooseoverhershoulder,down
towherehisheadlayonherlap.‘Iamboredwithyourponytail.’Sitashrugged.‘It’suptoyoutotiesomeotherknot.It’sopennow…’‘I’lldo that,’saidRam,holdingSita’shandand looking lazily towards the
river.‘Butlater.Whenwegetup.’SitasmiledandcontinuedtoruffleRam’shair.‘Ram…’‘Hmm?’‘Ineedtotellyousomething.’‘What?’‘Aboutourconversationyesterday.’RamturnedtowardsSita.‘Iwaswonderingwhenyouwouldbringthatup.’Sita and Ram had spoken about many things the previous day. Most
importantly,ofVashishtha’sbeliefthatRamwouldbethenextVishnu.RamhadthenaskedwhoSita’sguruwas.ButSitahadsidesteppedtheanswer.‘Thereshouldbenosecretsinamarriage.Ishouldtellyouwhomyguruis.
Orwas.’RamlookeddirectlyintoSita’seyes.‘GuruVishwamitra.’Sitawasshocked.Hereyesgaveitaway.Ramhadguessedcorrectly.Ram smiled. ‘I’mnot blind, you know.Only a favourite student could get
awaywithsayingthekindofthingsthatyouhadsaidtoGuruVishwamitrainmypresencethatdayinMithila.’‘Thenwhydidn’tyousayanything?’‘Iwaswaitingforyoutotrustmeenoughtotellme.’‘Ihavealwaystrustedyou,Ram.’‘Yes, but only as awife. Some secrets are too big even for amarriage. I
knowwhotheMalayaputrasare.IknowwhatyourbeingGuruVishwamitra’sfavouritedisciplemeans.’Sitasighed,‘Itwassillyofmetowaitforsolong.Passageoftimemakesa
simple conversationmore complicated thannecessary. I probably shouldnothavelistenedto…’‘That’swaterunderthebridge.’RamsatupandmovedclosetoSita.Heheld
herhandsandsaid,‘Now,tellme.’Sita took a deep breath. Nervous for some reason. ‘The Malayaputras
believeIamtheirVishnu.’RamsmiledandlookeddirectlyintoSita’seyes,withrespect.‘Ihaveknown
youforyears.Heardsomanyofyourideas.YouwillmakeagreatVishnu.Iwillbeproudtofollowyou.’‘Don’tfollow.Partner.’Ramfrowned.‘Whycan’ttherebetwoVishnus?Ifweworktogether,wecanendthisstupid
fightbetweentheMalayaputrasandVayuputras.WecanallworktogetherandsetIndiaonanewpath.’‘I’m not sure it is allowed, Sita. A Vishnu cannot begin her journey by
breakingthelaw.Iwillfollowyou.’‘ThereisnorulethatdictatesthattherecanbejustoneVishnu.’‘Umm…’‘Iknow,Ram.Thereisnosuchrule.Trustme.’‘All right,assumingthere isn’t,youandIcancertainlywork together. I’m
surethateventheMalayaputrasandVayuputrascanlearntoworktogether.ButwhataboutGuruVashishthaandGuruVishwamitra?Theirenmity runsdeep.AndtheMalayaputraswillstillhavetoacknowledgeme.Withthingsbetweenourgurusbeingthewaytheyare…’‘We’llhandlethat,’saidSita,assheinchedclosetoRamandembracedhim.
‘I’msorryIdidn’ttellyouforsolong.’‘Ithoughtyouwouldtellmeyesterday,whenyouweretyingmyhair.That’s
whyItouchedyourcheeksandwaited.ButIguessyouweren’tready…’‘Youknow,GuruVashishthabelieves…’‘Sita,GuruVashishthaisjustlikeGuruVishwamitra.Heisbrilliant.Buthe
ishuman.Hecansometimesreadsituationsincorrectly.Imaybeadevoteeofthelaw,butIamnotanidiot.’Sitalaughed.‘I’msorryIdidn’ttrustyouearlier.’Ramsmiled.‘Yes.Youshouldbe.Andremember,wearemarried.So,Ican
usethisagainstyouanytimeinthefuture.’Sita burst into peals of laughter and hit her husband’s shoulder playfully.
Ramheldherhands,pulledhercloseandkissedher.Theyheldeachotherincompanionablesilence.LookingattheGodavari.‘Whatdowedofornow?’askedSita.‘There’snothingtodotillourexileisover.Wecanjustprepare…’‘GuruVashishthahasacceptedme.So,Idon’tthinkhewillhaveaproblem
withourpartnership.’
‘ButGuruVishwamitra…He’llnotacceptme.’‘Youdon’tholdanythingagainsthim?ForwhathedidinMithila?’‘HewastryingtosavehisVishnu.Hislife’swork.Hewasworkingforthe
goodofourmotherland.I’mnotsayingIcondonehiscavalierattitudetowardsthedaiviastras.ButIunderstandwherehewascomingfrom.’‘So,wedon’ttelltheMalayaputrasanythingaboutwhatwehavedecidedfor
now?’‘No.Infact,I’mnotevensurewecantell theVayuputrasfornow…Let’s
wait.’‘ThereisoneVayuputrawecantell.’‘How do you know any Vayuputra? Guru Vashishtha had consistently
refusedtointroducemetoanyofthemtillIwasacceptedbyallasaVishnu.Itcouldhavecausedproblems.’‘Iwasn’t introduced to himbyGuruVashishtha either! I got to know him
throughsheergoodfortune.Imethimthroughafriendatmygurukul.Ibelievehecanadviseandhelpus.’‘Whoishe?’‘HeisRadhika’scousin.’‘Radhika!Bharat’sRadhika?’Sitasmiledsadly.‘Yes…’‘YouknowBharatstilllovesher,right?’‘Ihaveheard…But…’‘Yes,thelawinhertribe…IhadtoldBharattonotpursueher…’Sita knew Radhika’s reasoning was different. But there was no point in
revealingthattoRam.Itwaswaterunderthebridge.‘Whatisherbrother ’sname?TheVayuputra?’‘Hanubhaiya.’‘Hanubhaiya?’‘That’swhatIcallhim.TheworldknowshimasLordHanuman.’
Hanumansmiled,foldedhishandstogetherandbowedhishead.‘IbowtotheVishnu,LadySita.IbowtotheVishnu,LordRam.’RamandSitalookedateachother,embarrassed.SitaandRamhadtoldLakshmanandtheMalayaputrasthattheyweregoing
onahunt.Theyhad,instead,stolenawaytoaclearingatleastahalf-dayaway.TheyhadtakenaboatridedownstreamontheGodavari,whereHanumanwaswaitingforthem.SitahadintroducedRamtoHanuman.Andtoldhimoftheir
decision.Hanumanseemedtoacceptthedecisionveryeasily.Evenwelcomingit.‘ButdoyouthinkGuruVishwamitraandGuruVashishthawillagree?’asked
Sita.‘I don’t know,’ saidHanuman. Then looking atRam, he continued, ‘Guru
VishwamitrawasveryangrythatGuruVashishthahastoldyouthatheexpectsyoutobetheVishnu.’Ramremainedsilent.Hanumancontinued.‘YourbrotherLakshmanisabraveandloyalman.He
willdieforyou.Buthecan,sometimes,letoutsecretsthatheshouldn’t.’Ram smiled apologetically. ‘Yes, he said it in front of Arishtanemiji.
Lakshmandoesn’tmeananyharm.Heis…’‘Of course,’ agreedHanuman. ‘He is very proud of you. He loves you a
greatdeal.Butbecauseofthatlove,hesometimesmakesmistakes.Pleasedon’tmisunderstand. But I would suggest that you don’t tell him about your littlearrangement.Or,aboutmeforthatmatter.Atleastfornow.’Ramnodded.Agreeing.‘What is the reason for the enmity between Guru Vashishtha and Guru
Vishwamitra?’askedSita.‘Ihaveneverbeenabletofindout.’‘Yes,’saidRam.‘EvenGuruVashishtharefusestospeakaboutit.’‘Iamnotsureeither,’saidHanuman.‘ButIhaveheardthatawomancalled
Nandinimayhaveplayedarole.’‘Really?’askedSita.‘Awomancausedtheriftbetweenthem?Whatacliché.’Hanuman smiled. ‘Apparently, there were other problems as well. But
nobodyissure.Thesearejustspeculations.’‘Anyway, what’s more important is, do you think the Malayaputras and
Vayuputrascancometogetheronthis?’askedRam.‘WilltheyagreetothetwoofusbeingVishnus?I’vebeentoldbySitathatthereisnolawagainstit.ButitiscertainlyagainstthestandardprotocolforVishnusandMahadevs,right?’Hanuman laughed softly. ‘Prince Ram, do you know how long the
institutionsoftheVishnuandMahadevhavebeenrunning?’Ram shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Thousands of years? Since Lord Manu’s
times,Iguess.Ifnotearlier.’‘Right.AnddoyouknowexactlyhowmanyVishnusandMahadevs, in the
manymillennia, have actually emergedaccording to theplans andprotocolslaiddownbythetribesleftbehindbythepreviousVishnuorMahadev?’RamlookedatSita.Andthen,backatHanuman.‘Idon’tknow.’Hanuman’seyesweretwinkling.‘Preciselyzero.’‘Really?’
‘Notonce,notoncehasanyVishnuorMahadevemergedexactlyaccordingtoplan.Thebest laidplans alwayshave a tendency toget spoilt.Therehavealwaysbeensurprises.’Ramlaughedsoftly.‘Weareacountrythatdoesnotlikeorderandplans.’‘Thatweare!’saidHanuman.‘TheMahadevsortheVishnusdidn’tsucceed
in theirmissionsbecause“planswere implementedexactly”.Theysucceededbecause theywerewilling togive theirall forourgreat land.And theywerefollowed by many who also felt exactly the same way. That is the secret.Passion.Notplans.’‘So,youthinkwewillsucceedingettingtheMalayaputrasandVayuputrasto
agree?’askedSita.‘Ofcoursewewill,’answeredHanuman.‘Don’ttheyloveIndia?Butifyou
askmehowexactlywewillsucceed,myansweris:Idon’tknow.Noplansasofyet!Butwehavetime.NothingcanbedonetillthebothofyoureturntotheSaptSindhu.’
Ithadbeenmorethanthirteenyearsofexilenow.Inlessthanayear,Ram,Sita,and Lakshman would head back to the Sapt Sindhu and begin their life’sgreatest karma. Hanuman had, over time, managed to get the Vayuputras toacceptSita.AndArishtanemi,alongwithafewotherMalayaputras,hadbeguntofavourRam.Vashishtha,ofcourse,hadnoproblemwithRamandSitabeingthe Vishnus together. But Vishwamitra … well, he was another matteraltogether. If he held out, the Malayaputras could not be counted on to becompletelyonboard.Afterall,theywerearelativelydisciplinedorganisationthatfollowedtheirleader.But this was not occupying the minds of Ram and Sita right now. They
lounged around in their section of the camp, watching the setting sun as itcolouredtheskywithglorioushues.Unexpectedly,theavianalarmsystemwastriggered; the flockof birds in the cagehad suddenly fluttered awaynoisily.Someonehadbreachedtheircampperimeter.‘Whatwasthat?’askedLakshman.Ram’sinstinctstoldhimthattheintruderswerenotanimals.‘Weapons,’orderedRamcalmly.SitaandLakshmantiedtheirswordscabbardsaroundtheirwaist.Lakshman
handedRamhisbow,beforepickinguphisown.Thebrothersquicklystrungtheir bows. Jatayu andhismen rushed in, armed and ready, just asRamandLakshman tied quivers full of arrows to their backs. Sita picked up a long
spear, as Ram tied his sword scabbard to his waist. They already wore asmaller knife scabbard, tied horizontally across the small of their backs; aweapontheykeptontheirpersonatalltimes.‘Whocouldtheybe?’askedJatayu.‘Idon’tknow,’saidRam.‘Lakshman’sWall?’askedSita.Lakshman’sWallwasaningeniousdefensivefeaturedesignedbyhimtothe
eastofthemainhut.Itwasfivefeetinheight;itcoveredthreesidesofasmallsquare completely, leaving the inner side facing themain hut partially open;likeacubicle.Theentirestructuregavetheimpressionthatitwasanenclosedkitchen.Infact,thecubiclewasbare,providingadequatemobilitytowarriors.Butunseenbyenemiesontheothersideofthewall.Theywouldhavetobeontheir knees, though. A small tandoor, a cooking platform, emerged on theoutside from the south-facing wall. Half the enclosure was roof-covered,completing the camouflage of a cooking area. It afforded protection fromenemyarrows.Thesouth,east,andnorth-facingwallsweredrilledwithwell-spacedholes.
Theseholeswerenarrowontheinnersideandbroadontheouterside,givingthe impressionofventilationrequiredforcooking.Theiractualpurposewasto give those on the inside a good view of the approaching enemy, whilepreventingthoseontheoutsidefromlookingin.Theholescouldalsobeusedto shoot arrows. Made from mud, it was not strong enough to withstand asustained assault by a large force.Having said that, itwas good enough fordefence against small bands sent on assassination bids. Which is whatLakshmansuspectedtheywouldface.DesignedbyLakshman,ithadbeenbuiltbyeveryoneinthecamp;Makrant
hadnamedit‘Lakshman’sWall’.‘Yes,’saidRam.Everyonerushedtothewallandcrouchedlow,keepingtheirweaponsready.
Waiting.Lakshmanhunchedoverandpeepedthroughaholeinthesouth-facingwall.
Straining his eye, he detected a small band of ten peoplemarching into thecamppremises.Ledbyamanandawoman.Themanintheleadwasofaverageheight.Unusuallyfair-skinned.Hisreed-
thinphysiquewasthatofarunner; thismanwasnowarrior.Despitehisfrailshouldersandthinarms,hewalkedasifhehadboilsinhisarmpits;pretendingto accommodate impressive biceps. Like most Indian men, he had long, jetblackhair thatwas tied in a knot at the backof his head.His full beardwasneatlytrimmed,andcolouredadeepbrown.Heworeaclassicbrowndhotiand
anangvastramthatwasashadelighter.Hisjewellerywasrichbutunderstated:pearlearstudsandathincopperbracelet.Helookeddishevelled.Asthoughhehadbeenontheroadfortoolong,withoutachangeofclothes.The woman beside him faintly resembled the man, possibly his sister.
Bewitching.AlmostasshortasUrmila.Skinaswhiteassnow.Itshouldhavemadeherlookpaleandsickly.Instead,shewasdistractinglybeautiful.Sharp,slightly upturned nose. High cheekbones. She almost looked like a Parihan.Unlikethem,though,herhairwasblonde,amostunusualcolour.Everystrandof it was in place. Her eyes were magnetic. Perhaps she was the child ofHiranyalomanMlechchas:fair-skinned,light-eyed,andlight-hairedforeignerswho livedhalf aworld away towards thenorth-west.Their violentways andincomprehensible speech had led to the Indians calling them barbarians. Butthisladywasnobarbarian.Quitethecontrary,shewaselegant,slim,andpetite,exceptforbreaststhatweredisproportionatelylargeforherbody.Sheworeaclassic, expensively dyed purple dhoti, which shone like the waters of theSarayu. Perhaps itwas the legendary silk cloth from the far-eastern parts ofIndia;onethatonlytherichestcouldaffordnow.ForRaavanhadestablishedacomplete monopoly on it and had jacked up the prices. The dhoti was tiedfashionably low, exposing her flat tummy and slim, curvaceous waist. Hersilken blouse was a tiny sliver of cloth, affording a generous view of hercleavage. Her angvastram had deliberately been left hanging loose from ashoulder, instead of across the body. Extravagant jewellery completed thepicture of excess. The only incongruity was the knife scabbard tied to herwaist.Shewasavisiontobehold.RamcastaquickglanceatSita.‘Whoarethey?’Sitashrugged.It was quickly clarified by the Malayaputras that the man was Raavan’s
youngerhalf-brotherVibhishan,andthewomanhishalf-sisterShurpanakha.AsoldiernexttoVibhishanheldaloftawhiteflag,thecolourofpeace.They
obviouslywantedtoparley.Themysterywas,whatdidtheywanttotalkabout?Andwhethertherewasanysubterfugeinvolved.Ramlookedthroughtheholeagain,andthenturnedtowardshispeople.‘We
willallstepouttogether.Itwillstopthemfromattemptingsomethingstupid.’‘Thatiswise,’saidJatayu.‘Comeon,’saidRam,ashesteppedoutfrombehindtheprotectivewallwith
his right hand raised, signifying that he meant no harm. Everyone elsefollowedRam’sexampleandtroopedouttomeetthehalf-siblingsofRaavan.VibhishannervouslystoppedinhistracksthemomenthiseyesfellonRam,
Sita, Lakshman, and their soldiers. He looked sideways at his sister, as if
uncertainabout thenextcourseofaction.ButShurpanakhahadeyesonlyforRam.Shestaredathim,unashamedly.AlookofrecognitionflashedacrossasurprisedVibhishan’sfacewhenhe
sawJatayu.Ram, Lakshman, and Sitawalked in the lead,with Jatayu and his soldiers
followingclosebehind.Astheforest-dwellersreachedtheLankans,Vibhishanstraightened his back, puffed up his chest and spoke with an air of self-importance.‘Wecomeinpeace,KingofAyodhya.’‘Wewantpeaceaswell,’saidRam,loweringhisrighthand.Hispeopledid
the same. He made no comment on the ‘King of Ayodhya’ greeting. ‘Whatbringsyouhere,PrinceofLanka?’Vibhishanpreenedatbeingrecognised.‘ItseemsSaptSindhuansarenotas
ignorantoftheworldasmanyofusliketoimagine.’Ram smiled politely. Meanwhile, Shurpanakha pulled out a small violet
kerchief and covered her nose delicately. Lakshman noticed her fashionableandmanicuredfingernails,eachoneshapedlikeawinnowingbasket.Thatwasperhapstherootofhername.ShurpawasOldSanskritforawinnowingbasket.Andnakhameantnails.‘Well, even I respect andunderstand thewaysof theSaptSindhuans,’ said
Vibhishan.SitawatchedShurpanakha,hawk-eyed,as the ladycontinued tostareather
husband.Unabashedly.Upclose, itwasclearthat themagicofShurpanakha’seyes lay in their startlingcolour:brightblue.Shealmost certainlyhad someHiranyalomanMlechchablood.PracticallynobodyeastofEgypthadblueeyes.Shewasbathedinfragrantperfumethatoverpoweredtherustic,animalsmellof the Panchavati camp; at least for those in her vicinity.Not overpoweringenoughforher,evidently.Shecontinuedtoholdthestenchofhersurroundingsatbay,withthekerchiefpressedagainsthernose.‘Would you like to come inside, to our humble abode?’ asked Ram,
gesturingtowardsthehut.‘No,thankyou,YourHighness,’saidVibhishan.‘I’mcomfortablehere.’Jatayu’s presence had thrown him off-guard. Vibhishan was unwilling to
encounter other surprises that may lie in store for them, within the closedconfines of the hut. Before they came to some negotiated terms.Hewas thebrotheroftheenemyoftheSaptSindhu,afterall.Itwassaferhere,outintheopen;fornow.‘Allright then,’saidRam.‘Towhatdoweowethehonourofavisit from
theprinceofgoldenLanka?’Shurpanakhaspokeinahusky,alluringvoice.‘Handsomeone,wecometo
seekrefuge.’‘I’m not sure I understand,’ said Ram, momentarily flummoxed by the
allusiontohisgoodlooksbyawomanhedidnotknow.‘Idon’tthinkwearecapableofhelpingtherelativesof…’‘Whoelsecanwegoto,OGreatOne?’askedVibhishan.‘Wewillneverbe
accepted in the Sapt Sindhu because we are Raavan’s siblings. But we alsoknowthattherearemanyintheSaptSindhuwhowillnotdenyyou.Mysisterand I have suffered Raavan’s brutal oppression for too long.We needed toescape.’Ramremainedsilent.‘KingofAyodhya,’continuedVibhishan,‘ImaybefromLankabutIam,in
fact,likeoneofyourown.Ihonouryourways,followyourpath.I’mnotlikethe other Lankans, blinded by Raavan’s immense wealth into following hisdemonic path.AndShurpanakha is just likeme.Don’t you think you have adutytowardsus,too?’Sita cut in. ‘An ancient poet once remarked, “When the axe entered the
forest,thetreessaidtoeachother:donotworry,thehandleinthataxeisoneofus.”’Shurpanakha sniggered. ‘So the great descendant of Raghu lets his wife
makedecisionsforhim,isit?’Vibhishan touched Shurpanakha’s hand lightly and she fell silent. ‘Queen
Sita,’ saidVibhishan, ‘youwill notice that only the handles have come here.Theaxe-headisinLanka.Wearetrulylikeyou.Pleasehelpus.’Shurpanakha turned to Jatayu. It had not escaped her notice that, as usual,
every man was gaping intently at her; every man, that is, except Ram andLakshman.‘GreatMalayaputra,don’tyouthinkitisinyourinteresttogiveusrefuge?We could tell youmore about Lanka than you already know. Therewillbemoregoldinitforyou.’Jatayu stiffened. ‘We are the followers of Lord Parshu Ram!We are not
interestedingold.’‘Right…’saidShurpanakha,sarcastically.Vibhishan appealed to Lakshman. ‘Wise Lakshman, please convince your
brother. I’msureyouwillagreewithmewhenIsay thatwecanbeofuse toyouinyourfightwhenyougetback.’‘Icouldagreewithyou,PrinceofLanka,’saidLakshman,smiling,‘butthen
wewouldbothbewrong.’Vibhishanlookeddownandsighed.‘PrinceVibhishan,’saidRam,‘Iamtrulysorrybut—’Vibhishan interrupted Ram. ‘Son of Dashrath, remember the battle of
Mithila.MybrotherRaavanisyourenemy.Heismyenemyaswell.Shouldn’tthatmakeyoumyfriend?’Ramkeptquiet.‘GreatKing,we have put our lives at risk by escaping fromLanka.Can’t
youletusbeyourguestsforawhile?Wewillleaveinafewdays.Rememberwhat the Taittiriya Upanishad says: “Athithi Devo Bhava”. Even the manySmritis say that the strong should protect theweak.Allwe are asking for isshelterforafewdays.Please.’SitalookedatRam.Andsighed.Alawhadbeeninvoked.Sheknewwhatwas
goingtohappennext.SheknewRamwouldnotturnthemawaynow.‘Justafewdays,’pleadedVibhishan.‘Please.’RamtouchedVibhishan’sshoulder. ‘Youcanstayhere fora fewdays; rest
forawhile,andthencontinueonyourjourney.’VibhishanfoldedhishandstogetherintoaNamasteandsaid,‘Glorytothe
greatclanofRaghu.’
Chapter31
‘Thereisnosaltinthisfood,’complainedShurpanakha.Itwas thefirsthourof thefourthpraharand those in thePanchavaticamp
hadsettleddownfortheireveningmeal.IthadbeenSita’sturntocook.WhileRam,Lakshman,andtherestwereenjoyingthefood,Shurpanakhahadfoundmuch to complain about. The lack of salt was just the latest in a litany ofcomplaints.‘BecausethereisnosaltinPanchavati,princess,’saidSita,tryingveryhard
tobepatient. ‘Wemakedowithwhatwehave.This isnot apalace.Youcanchoosetostayhungry,ifthefoodisnottoyourliking.’‘This food is worthy of dogs!’ muttered Shurpanakha in disgust, as she
threwthemorseloffoodshehadinherhandbackontheplate.‘Thenitshouldbejustrightforyou,’saidLakshman.Everyoneburstoutlaughing.EvenVibhishan.ButRamwasnotamused.He
lookedatLakshmansternly.Lakshmanlookedathisbrotherindefiance,thenshookhisheadandwentbacktoeating.Shurpanakhapushedherplateawayandstormedout.‘Shurpa…’saidVibhishan,asifinentreaty.Thenhetoogotupandranafter
hissister.RamlookedatSita.Sheshruggedhershouldersandcontinuedeating.
Anhourlater,SitaandRamwereintheirhut.Bythemselves.WhilenoLankanexceptShurpanakhahadbeentroublesome,Lakshmanand
Jatayuremainedsuspiciousofthem.Theyhaddisarmedthevisitorsandlockedtheir weapons in the camp armoury. They also maintained a strict andstaggered twenty-four-hour vigil, keeping a constant watch on the guests. ItwasJatayu’sandMakrant’sturntostayupallnightandkeepguard.‘Thatspoiltprincessfanciesyou,’saidSita.
Ramshookhishead,hiseyesclearlyconveyinghethoughtthissilly.‘Howcanshe,Sita?SheknowsI’mmarried.Whyshouldshefindmeattractive?’Sitalaydownnexttoherhusbandonthebedofhay.‘Youshouldknowthat
youaremoreattractivethanyourealise.’Ramlaughed.‘Nonsense.’Sitalaughedaswellandputherarmsaroundhim.‘Butyouaremine.Only
mine.’‘Yes,MyLady,’saidRam,smilingandputtinghisarmsaroundhiswife.Theykissedeachother, languidandslow.Theforestwasgraduallyfalling
silent,asthoughsettlinginforthenight.
TheguestshadbeeninPanchavatiwiththeforest-dwellersforaweeknow.LakshmanandJatayuhadinsistedoncontinuingthestaggeredvigil,keeping
aconstantwatchontheguests.Vibhishan had announced that they would be leaving in a few hours. But
Shurpanakhahadinsistedthatshehadtowashherhairbeforeleaving.ShehadalsodemandedthatSitaaccompanyher.Tohelpherwithherhair.SitahadnointerestingoingwithShurpanakha.Butshewantedtogetridof
thespoiltLankanprincessassoonaspossible.Thishadencouragedhertosayyes.Shurpanakha had insisted on taking the boat and going a long way
downriver.‘Don’t think I’mnotaware thatyourdisgustingcamp-followershavebeen
taking theopportunity to spyonmeatmybath time!’Shurpanakhasaidwithpretendedoutrage.Sitagrimacedandtookadeepbreath,notsayinganything.‘Not your goody-goody husband, of course,’ said Shurpanakha,
coquettishly.‘Hehaseyesonlyforyou.’Sita,stillsilent,gotintotheboat,withShurpanakhaclimbingindaintily.Sita
waited for Shurpanakha to pick up one of the oars. But she just sat there,admiringhernails.Gruntingangrily,Sitapickedupboththeoarsandstartedrowing. It took a long time. Sitawas irritated and tired before Shurpanakhadirectedherintoasmallhiddenlagoonbytheriver,whereshewantedtobathe.‘Goahead,’saidSita.Assheturnedaroundandwaited.Shurpanakhadisrobedslowly,putallherclothesintotheclothbagshehad
carriedanddivedintothewater.Sitasettledback,herheadonthesternthwart,her body stretched out on the bottom boards, and waited. Feeling
uncomfortableaftersometime,Sitapulledupsomejutesacks,bundled themtogetherintoapillowontheplankandrestedherheadagain.Thelazydaylightfilteringthroughthedensefoliagewascalmingherdownslowly,lullinghertosleep.Shelosttrackoftimeasshefellintoashortnap.Aloudbirdcallwokeher
up.She heard Shurpanakha frolicking in the water. She waited for what she
thoughtwasareasonabletime.Finally,Sitaedgeduponherelbows.‘Areyoudone?Doyouwantyourhairuntangledandtied?’ShurpanakhastoppedswimmingforabitandfacedSitawithalookofutter
contemptanddisgust.‘I’mnotlettingyoutouchmyhair!’Sita’seyesflewopeninanger.‘Thenwhythehelldidyouaskmetocomeh
…’‘I couldn’t have come here alone now, could I,’ interrupted Shurpanakha,
like shewas explaining themost obvious thing in theworld. ‘And, Iwasn’tabouttobringoneofthemenalong.LordIndraaloneknowswhattheywoulddoiftheysawmeinthisstate.’‘Theywoulddrownyou,hopefully,’mutteredSita,underherbreath.‘Whatdidyousay?’snappedShurpanakha.‘Nothing.Finishyourbathquickly.Yourbrotherwantstoleavetoday.’‘MybrotherwillleavewhenItellhimwecanleave.’Sita saw Shurpanakha looking into the forest beyond the banks of the
lagoon. Sita followed Shurpanakha’s gaze. Then she shook her head inirritation.‘Nobodyhasfollowedushere.Noonecanseeyou.Inthenameofallthatisgoodandholy,finishyourbath!’Shurpanakhadidn’tbothertoanswer.CastingSitaacontemptuouslook,she
turnedandswamaway.Sita held her fist to her forehead and repeated softly to herself. ‘Breathe.
Breathe.She’sleavingtoday.Justbreathe.’Shurpanakha continued to steal glances at the forest. She couldn’t see
anyone. Shemuttered under her breath, ‘None of these idiots are reliable. Ihavetodoeverythingmyself.’
AtthePanchavaticamp,VibhishanhadcometospeaktoRam.‘Greatone,’saidVibhishan,‘youknowweareleavingsoon.Isitpossibleto
returnourweaponstoussothatwemaygetgoing?’‘Ofcourse,’saidRam.
VibhishanlookedatJatayuandhisMalayaputrasashortdistanceaway,thenin thedirectionof theGodavari, thegreat riverhiddenby thedense foliage.Hisheartwasbeatingfast.Ihopetheyhavereached.
‘Enough!’saidSita,inirritation.‘You’reascleanasyoucanbe.Getoutofthewaternow.We’releaving.’Shurpanakhalookedonceagainintotheforests.Sitapickedtheoars.‘I’mleaving.Youcanchoosetostayorcomealong.’Shurpanakhashriekedinanger,butsurrendered.
Sita rowed the boat back in short order. It was a ten-minute uphill walkthereaftertothecamp.ShewaitedforShurpanakhatostepoutoftheboat.Sitadidn’texpect,norget,anyhelpfromShurpanakhatopulltheboatonto
the banks so that it could be tied securely to a tree with a hemp rope.Shurpanakhawas behindSita as she bent,wrapped the boat-rope around herrighthand,heldontothegunwaleoftheboat,andbegantotug.Focusedas shewasonher task, aswell as thephysical strainofpullinga
boatup thebankallbyherself, shedidn’tnoticeShurpanakha reach intoherbag,pulloutsomeherbsandcreepuponher.Shurpanakhausedaspecifickindofsoapandperfumethatshehadcarried
with her for her bath. It had a distinctive fragrance.Very different from theferalsmellofthejungle.ItwasthissmellthatsavedSita.Shereactedalmostimmediately,lettinggoofftheboat.JustasShurpanakha
jumpedatherandtriedtostufftheherbsintoSita’smouth,sheturnedandhittheLankanprincesshardwithherelbow.Shurpanakhafellback,screaminginagony.SitalungedforwardtowardstheprincessofLankabuttheropewrappedaroundherwristmadeherlosebalance.Sensinganopportunity,ShurpanakhapushedSitaintothewater.ButasSitafell,sheelbowedtheprincessofLankaagain. Shurpanakha recovered quickly and jumped into the water after Sita,tryingagaintopushtheherbsintohermouth.Sita was taller, tougher and more agile than the posh Shurpanakha. She
pushedShurpanakha hard, flinging her somedistance away. She spat out theherbs,quicklypulledoutherknifefromthescabbardandcut therope loose.
She glanced at the herbs floating in the water, recognising them almostimmediately.ShepushedthroughthewatertoreachShurpanakha.Shurpanakha,meanwhile,hadrecovered.SheswamtowardsSitaandtriedto
hitherwithherfists.Sitagrabbedandheldbothherwristsinherlefthand;thenyanked hard till the princess of Lankawas forced to turn around. Then Sitawrappedher arm aroundShurpanakha’s throat, holding her hard against herownbody.ThenSitabroughttheknifeclosetoShurpanakha’sthroat.‘Onemoremove,
youspoiltbrat,andIwillbleedyoutodeath.’Shurpanakhafellsilentandstoppedstruggling.Sitapushedtheknifebackin
its scabbard. Then used the remnants of the rope around her own wrist torestrainShurpanakha’shands.ShepulledShurpanakha’sangvastramandtieditacrosshermouth.ShereachedintoShurpanakha’sbagandfoundsomemoreoftheherbs.‘I’llpushthisintoyourmouthifyoumakeanymoretrouble.’Shurpanakharemainedquiet.Sitastarteddragginghertowardsthecamp.Ashortdistancefromthecamp,theangvastramacrossShurpanakha’smouth
camelooseandfellaway.Sheimmediatelybeganscreaming.‘Stayquiet!’shoutedSita,draggingheralong.Shurpanakha,though,keptscreamingatthetopofhervoice.A short while later, they emerged from the woods. Sita tall, regal but
dripping wet and furious. Muscles rippling with the strain of draggingShurpanakhaalong.TheLankanprincess’handsremainedsecurelytied.Ram and Lakshman immediately drew their swords, as did everyone else
present.TheyoungerprinceofAyodhyawas thefirst to findhisvoice.Lookingat
Vibhishanaccusingly,hedemanded,‘Whatthehellisgoingon?’Vibhishancouldn’t takehiseyesoff the twowomen.Heseemedgenuinely
shocked,butquicklygatheredhiswitsandreplied.‘Whatisyoursister-in-lawdoingtomysister?SheistheonewhohasclearlyattackedShurpanakha.’‘Stopthisdrama!’shoutedLakshman.‘Bhabhiwouldnotdothisunlessyour
sisterattackedherfirst.’SitawalkedintothecircleofpeopleandletgoofShurpanakha.TheLankan
princesswasclearlylividandoutofcontrol.Vibhishan immediately rushed tohis sister, drewaknife andcut the ropes
thatboundher.Hewhisperedintoherear.‘Letmehandlethis.Stayquiet.’ShurpanakhaglaredatVibhishan.Likethiswasallhisfault.Sita turned toRamand gestured towardsShurpanakha. She held out some
herbsinthepalmofherhand.‘ThatpipsqueakLankanstuffedthisinmymouthasshepushedmeintotheriver!’Ram recognised the herbs. They were normally used to render people
unconscious before surgeries.He looked atVibhishan, his piercing eyes redwithanger.‘Whatisgoingon?’Vibhishanstoodupimmediately,hismannerplacatory.‘Therehasobviously
beensomemisunderstanding.Mysisterwouldneverdosomethinglikethat.’‘AreyousuggestingthatI imaginedherpushingmeintothewater?’asked
Sita,aggressively.VibhishanstaredatShurpanakha,whohadalsostoodupbynow.Heseemed
to be pleading with her to be quiet. But the entreaty was clearly lost intransmission.‘Thatisalie!’screechedShurpanakha.‘Ididn’tdoanythinglikethat!’‘Areyoucallingmealiar?’growledSita.Whathappenednextwassosuddenthatveryfewhadthetimetoreact.With
frightening speed, Shurpanakha reached to her side and drew her knife.Lakshman,whowasstanding to the leftofSita,sawthequickmovementandrushedforward,screaming,‘Bhabhi!’Sitamovedquickly togetoutof thewayandavoid the strike. In that split
second,Lakshman lunged forward andbanged into a chargingShurpanakha,seizing both her arms and pushing her backwith all his brute strength. TheelfinprincessofLankawentflyingback.Herownhand,whichheldtheknife,struckher faceas shecrashed into theLankan soldierswho stood transfixedbehindher.Theknifehitherfacehorizontally,cuttingdeepintohernose.Itfellfromherhandas she lay sprawledon theground, the shockhavingnumbedanysensationofpain.Asbloodgushedoutalarmingly,herconsciousmindassertedcontrol.She
touched her face and looked at her bloodstained hands. The horror of it allreverberatedthroughherbeing.Sheknewshewouldbeleftwithdeepscarsonherface.Painfulsurgerieswouldberequiredtoremovethem.Shescreechedwithsavagehateand lunged forwardagain, this timegoing
forLakshman.Vibhishanrushedtoherandcaughtholdofhisrage-maddenedsister.‘Killthem!’screamedShurpanakha.‘Killthemall!’‘Wait!’ pleaded Vibhishan, stricken with visceral fear. He knew they were
outnumbered.Hedidn’twanttodie.Andhefearedsomethingevenworsethandeath.‘Wait!’Ramhelduphislefthand,hisfistclosedtight,signallinghispeopletostop
butbeonguard.‘Leavenow,prince.Ortherewillbehelltopay.’
‘Forgetwhatweweretold!’screechedShurpanakha.‘Killthemall!’Ram spoke to a clearly stunned Vibhishan, who held on to a struggling
Shurpanakhaforallhewasworth.‘Leavenow,PrinceVibhishan.’‘Retreat,’whisperedVibhishan.Hissoldiersbegantowithdraw,theirswordsstillpointedinthedirectionof
theforest-dwellers.‘Killthem,youcoward!’Shurpanakhalashedout.‘Iamyoursister!Avenge
me!’VibhishandraggedaflailingShurpanakha,hiseyeonRam.Mindfulofany
suddenmovement.‘Killthem!’shoutedShurpanakha.VibhishancontinuedtopullhisprotestingsisterawayastheLankansleftthe
campandescapedfromPanchavati.Ram,LakshmanandSitastoodrootedtotheirspot.Whathadhappenedwas
anunmitigateddisaster.‘Wecannotstayhereanymore,’Jatayustatedtheobvious.‘Wedon’thavea
choice.Weneedtoflee,now.’RamlookedatJatayu.‘WehaveshedLankanroyalblood,evenifitisthatoftheroyalrebels,’said
Jatayu. ‘According to their customary law, Raavan has no choice but torespond.ItwouldbethesameamongmanySaptSindhuroyalsaswell,isn’tit?Raavanwillcome.Havenodoubtaboutthat.Vibhishanisacoward,butRaavanandKumbhakarnaaren’t.Theywillcomewiththousandsofsoldiers.ThiswillbeworsethanMithila.Thereitwasabattlebetweensoldiers;apartandparcelofwar;theyunderstoodthat.Buthereitispersonal.Hissister,amemberofhisfamily, has been attacked. Blood was shed. His honour will demandretribution.’Lakshmanstiffened.‘ButIdidn’tattackher.She—’‘That’snothowRaavanwillseeit,’interruptedJatayu.‘Hewillnotquibble
withyouoverthedetails,PrinceLakshman.Weneedtorun.Rightnow.’
Chapter32
They had been on the run for thirty days. Racing east through theDandakaranya,theyhadmovedareasonabledistanceparalleltotheGodavari,so that theycouldn’tbeeasily spottedor tracked.But theycouldn’t afford tostray too far from the tributary rivers or other water bodies, for the bestchanceofhuntinganimalswouldbelost.They had been surviving on driedmeat and jungle berries or leaves, for
long.PerhapstheLankanshadlosttrackofthem,theythought.Withthefrugalfood and constant marching, their bodies were weakening. So Ram andLakshmanhadsetouttohunt,whileSitaandtheMalayaputrasoldierMakranthadgonetofetchbananaleaves.Secrecywasof theessence.So theywerecooking their food inholesdug
deepintotheground.Forfiretheyusedaveryspecifictypeofcoal;anthracite,which letout smokeless flames.Asaddedprecaution, theburiedcookingpotwas also coveredwith a thick layer of banana leaves to ensure that even bychance,nosmokeescaped,whichcouldgivetheirpositionaway.ItwasforthisthatSitaandMakrantwerecuttingbananaleaves.ItwasSita’sturntocook.Unknown to Sita, Raavan’s Pushpak Vimaan had landed a short distance
from the camp. Its ear-splitting noise drowned out by thunderous howlingwinds.Unseasonal rains had just lashed the area.A hundredLankan soldiershad disgorged from theVimaan, attacking the camp and killingmost of theMalayaputrasrapidly.SomeLankanshadfannedouttosearchforSita,Ram,andLakshman.Two
of themhadambushedSita andMakrant,whowereon theirwayback to thecamp.Makranthaddied,hitbytwoarrows.Onethroughhisshoulderandtheotherthroughhisneck.Sitahad,throughsheerskill,managedtokillthesetwoLankans, steal their weapons and reach the camp. There she had found thateverysingleMalayaputra,exceptforJatayuwasdead.Shehadtried,heroically,tosaveJatayu,buthadfailed.TheNagahadbeengrievouslyinjuredtryingtoprotecttheoneheworshippedastheVishnu.
Kumbhakarna,theyoungerbrotherofRaavan,hadorderedthatSitawastobecapturedalive.ManyLankansoldiershadchargedatSitaatthesametime.Shehadfoughtbravely,butwasultimatelycaptured,incapacitatedandrenderedunconsciouswithaLankanblue-colouredtoxin.TheyhadquicklybundledherintothePushpakVimaanandtakenoff,justas
Ram and Lakshman had reached the camp to find dead bodies strewneverywhereandtheseverelyinjuredfigureofJatayu.
Sitacouldn’trememberhowlongshehadbeenunconscious.Itmusthavebeenhours.Shestillfeltalittlegroggy.Lightwasstreaminginthroughtheportholewindows on the walls of the vimaan. A constant, dull repetitive sound wascausingherpain inherhead. It tookher some time to realise that itwas thesoundofthevimaan’srotors,muffledbythesoundproofwalls.Notsoundproofedenough.Sitapressedher temples toease thepain inherhead. Itworkedonly fora
fewmoments.Thepainwasbacksoon.Thensherealisedsomethingodd.Myhandsaren’ttied.Shelookeddownatherlegs.Theyweren’ttiedeither.Shefeltherhopesrise.Almostimmediately,itdeflatedandshelaughedsoftlyatherownstupidity.WhereamIplanningtogo?I’mthousandsoffeetupinthesky.Thatbluetoxinhasmademeslow.Sheshookherheadslowly.Tryingtoclearit.Shewasonastretcherfastenedontoaplatformclosetothewall.She looked around. The vimaan was truly huge. She looked up. It was
perfectly conical from the inside as well. Smooth metal all the way to thetapering top, high up. Therewas a painting at the summit.Her visionwas alittlecloudedsoshecouldn’tseewhatitwas.Attheexactcentreofthevimaanwasa tall,perfectlycylindricalpillar,stretchingall thewayto the top. Itwassolidmetal,obviouslysturdy.Shefeltlikeshewasinsideagianttemplespire.Buttheinteriors,whilespaciousandcomfortable,hadfrugalfurnishing.Noneof the luxurious and expensive accoutrements of most royal vehicles; or atleast the royal vehicles in the Sapt Sindhu. ThePushpak Vimaan was basic,sparse,andefficient.Clearly,moreofamilitaryvehiclethanoneforpompandshow.Because it placed function over form, the Pushpak Vimaan was able to
comfortablyaccommodatemorethanahundredsoldiers.Theyallsatsilently,disciplined, in regular concentric arcs on the floor, right up to the vimaanwalls.She could see Raavan and Kumbhakarna seated on chairs that had been
fastenedtothefloor.Theirseatingareahadbeenscreenedpartially.Acurtainhungfromanoverhangingrod.Theyweren’ttoofar.Buttheywhispered.So,Sitacouldnothearmuchofwhattheyweresaying.Stillonthestretcher,shecameuponherelbows.Makingaheavingsound.
Shestillfeltweak.Raavan and Kumbhakarna turned to look at her. They got up and started
walkingtowardsher.Raavanstumbledonhisdhoti.Distracted.Sita hadmanaged to sit up by now. She sucked in her breath and looked
defiantlyatthetwobrothers.‘Killmenow,’growledSita.‘Otherwise,youwillregretit.’All the Lankan soldiers stood up, drawing their weapons. But at a signal
fromKumbhakarna,theyheldtheirpositions.Kumbhakarna spoke, surprisinglygently, ‘Wedon’twant to hurt you.You
mustbe tired.Youwokeupveryquickly.The toxingiven toyouwasstrong.Pleaserest.’Sitadidn’tanswer.SurprisedbyKumbhakarna’skindtone.‘We didn’t know,’ said a hesitant Kumbhakarna. ‘I … I didn’t know. We
wouldn’thaveusedthattoxinotherwise…’Sitaremainedsilent.Then she turned towards Raavan. He was just staring at her. Unblinking.
Therewas sadness on his face.Melancholy.And, his eyes appeared strange.Almostliketherewasloveinthem.Sitashranktothewall,pullingherangvastram,coveringherself.Suddenly,ahandappeared.Aneemleaf.And, theblue-colouredpaste.Her
nose.Sitafeltdarknessenvelopinghervision.Slowly.ShesawRaavanlookingtoSita’sright,wherethepersonwhohaddrugged
herwasstanding.Therewasangeronhisface.And,darknesstookover.
Hereyesopened.Diffusedlightstreamedthroughtheportholewindows.Thesunwascloseto
thehorizon.
HowlonghaveIbeenunconscious?Sitacouldn’tbesure.Wasitafewhours?Ormanyprahars?Sheedgedup,again.Slowly.Weakly.Shecouldseethatmostofthesoldiers
wereasleeponthefloor.Buttherewerenosoldiersaroundtheplatformwhereshehadbeensleeping.Shehadbeenleftalone.Raavan andKumbhakarnawere standingnear their chairs.Stretching their
legs.Whisperingtoeachother.Hervisioncleared slowly.Allowingher to judge thedistance.Raavanand
Kumbhakarnawerenotmorethanfifteenortwentyfeetfromher.TheirbackstoSita.Theywereindeepconversation.Sitalookedaround.Andsmiled.Someonehasbeencareless.Therewasaknife lyingcloseby.Ontheplatformwhereherstretcherwas
affixed. She edged over. Noiselessly. Carefully. Picked up the scabbard andunsheathedtheblade.Slowly.Withoutmakinganysound.Sheheldtheknifetightinherhand.Shetooksomedeepbreaths.Firingenergyintoherbody.Sherememberedwhatshehadheard.KillthechiefandtheLankanscapitulate.Shetriedtogetup.Theworldspunaroundher.Shesatbackontheplatform.Breathingdeeper.Firingmoreoxygenintoher
body.Then,shefocused.ShegotupstealthilyandcrepttowardsRaavan.WhenshewasjustafewfeetfromRaavan’sback,sheraisedherknifeand
lungedforward.A loud screamwas heard as someone grabbed Sita from behind.An arm
aroundherneck.Aknifepressed close toher throat.Sita could feel that herattackerwasawoman.RaavanandKumbhakarnawhirledaroundalmost immediately.Mostof the
Lankansoldiersgotuptoo.Kumbhakarna raised his hands slowly. Carefully. He spoke in a calm but
commandingvoice.‘Droptheknife.’Sitafeltthearmaroundherthroattighten.Shecouldseethatbynow,allthe
Lankansoldierswereontheirfeet.Shesurrenderedanddroppedherknife.Kumbhakarnarepeated.Alittleharsherthistime.‘Isaid,droptheknife.’Sitaknitherbrow.Confused.Shelookeddownattheknifeshehaddropped.
Shewasabouttosaythatshehadnootherknife,whenshefeltaprickonherneck.Theattacker,holdingherfrombehind,hadbroughttheknifeincloser.Its
tipdrawingblood.KumbhakarnalookedatRaavanbeforeturningbacktotheattackerholding
Sita.‘Kharaisdead.Thiswillnotbringhimback.Don’tbesilly.Iamorderingyou.Droptheknife.’Sita could feel thearmclaspedaroundherneck tremble.Her attackerwas
strugglingwithdeepemotions.Finally,Raavan stepped closer and spoke in a harsh, commanding, almost
terrifyingtone.‘Droptheknife.Now.’Sitafeltthearmclaspedaroundherthroatrelax.Itwassuddenlypulledback.
Andasoftwhisperwasheard.‘Asyoucommand,Iraiva.’Sitawasstunnedassheheardthevoice.Shespunaround.Staggered.Shefell
back,holdingthewallofthevimaanforsupport.Willingbreaths intoherbody,she lookedagainat thefaceofherattacker.
The one who had wanted to kill her a few moments ago. The one whoobviouslyhadstrongemotionsforKhara.TheonewhoobviouslywasunderthecompletecontrolofRaavan.Theonewhohadsavedherlifeonce…Theoneshehadthoughtwasherfriend.Samichi.
…tobecontinued.
OtherTitlesbyAmish
ShivaTrilogy
RamChandraSeries