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