The Rise of Sivagami : Book 1 of Baahubali - Before the Beginning

by Anand Neelakantan

  westland publications ltd

  The Rise of Sivagami

  Anand Neelakantan is the bestselling author of Asura: Tale of the Vanquished, which told the story of the Ramayana from Ravana’s unique perspective. He followed it up with the hugely successful Ajaya series. Ajaya Book I: Roll of the Dice and Ajaya Book II: Rise of Kali narrated the Mahabharata from Duryodhana’s point of view. Both Asura: Tale of the Vanquished and Ajaya Book I: Roll of the Dice have been nominated for the Crossword Popular Choice Awards in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

  Anand has also written the screenplays for various popular TV shows, including Star TV’s mega series Siya Ke Ram, Sony TV’s Mahabali Hanuman and Colours TV’s Chakravartin Samrat Ashoka. He has also written for major newspapers such as The Hindu, The Times of India and The Indian Express. Besides English, he also writes in Malayalam and has published stories as well cartoons in various Malayalam magazines.

  He lives in Mumbai with his wife Aparna, daughter Ananya, son Abhinav, and pet dog Jackie the Blackie.

  Anand Neelakantan can be reached at:

  website: www.anandneelakantan.com

  email: mail@asura.co.in

  Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @itsanandneel

  Also by Anand Neelakantan

  Asura: The Tale of the Vanquished

  Ajaya: Roll of the Dice

  Ajaya: Rise of Kali

  Bāhubali: Before the Beginning

  The Rise of Sivagami

  Book I

  Anand Neelakantan

  westland publications ltd

  61, II Floor, Silverline Building, Alapakkam Main Road, Maduravoyal, Chennai 600095

  93, I Floor, Shamlal Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi 110002

  First e-pub edition: 2017

  First published in English by westland publications ltd 2017

  Copyright © Anand Neelakantan 2017

  All rights reserved

  978-93-86224-44-6

  Typeset in Bembo Std by R. Ajith Kumar, New Delhi

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, circulated, and no reproduction in any form, in whole or in part (except for brief quotations in critical articles or reviews) may be made without written permission of the publishers.

  To my sister, Chandrika and

  brother-in-law, S. D. Parameswaran,

  for making me what I am.

  Contents

  Foreword

  Dramatis personae

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  26

  27

  28

  29

  30

  31

  32

  33

  34

  35

  36

  37

  38

  39

  40

  41

  42

  43

  44

  45

  46

  47

  48

  49

  50

  51

  Acknowledgements

  Foreword

  The story hunter—How we thought of going before the beginning.

  S. S. Rajamouli

  When we created Bāhubali we were in a dilemma. The story-world of Mahishmathi kept growing as we worked on the theme. There were so many stories to be told. The stories of Mahishmathi could not be contained within the two-and-a-half hours of a film, even with two parts. We did not want to let go of the fascinating story world that was emerging. There were characters lurking in the shadows, waiting for their stories to be told. There were secrets that had to be unveiled, there were whispered conspiracies that could thrill and terrify. We knew if we went back further in time, a series of interesting stories would emerge. We needed someone to go hunting into Mahismathi’s past, for more stories.

  In my younger days reading was something of a favourite pastime. I wouldn’t just read books but, consume them. Thrillers, mysteries, dramas—the category didn’t matter. However, as I grew older and got busier with other pursuits, reading faded from my life. It’s true that one reason for this was the paucity of time but the main cause of my turning away from my beloved childhood habit, was that the books I read stopped moving me. I would still buy books, hundreds of them in fact, and try to rekindle my love for reading but to no avail. A few chapters in and I would lose interest. And then, one day I got my hands on Asura: The Tale of the Vanquished.

  Not only did I finish this book but it left me shaken. Certain scenes in the book were so powerful, indeed so moving, that I had to pause and reflect while I held back tears. Even today I believe that the writing in that book is comparable with the best in the world. After I finished Asura, I knew I had to meet its author. His writing had not only blown me away but had brought back the reader in me. Thus began the story of my association with Anand Neelakantan, the author of Asura and now The Rise of Sivagami. As we sat and discussed our individual creative processes, I decided that Anand should be our official story-hunter who could travel back into the forgotten annals of Mahishmathi’s history and bring them back to light.

  As he developed the story, Anand would send me ten chapters at a time to read. As soon as I was done with one lot, I would call him, mail and message him; I needed to read the rest! The wait for the next instalment was excruciating. I am certain that you, the reader, will understand my eagerness when you are through with this phenomenal book.

  I am amazed at what Anand has created with the few inputs I shared with him at the conception of this book. As one of its first readers, I can vouch for the fact that the story contained in the pages of The Rise of Sivagami will not let go of you easily.

  I may have brought Sivagami to life on screen but in The Rise of Sivagami, Anand Neelakantan has given her wings.

  Dramatis personae

  Sivagami

  A fiery young woman she is extremely intelligent and is a trained warrior. She is the daughter of a nobleman of Mahishmathi kingdom, Devaraya, who was executed as a traitor by the king. The wounds of her childhood have scarred her.

  Kattappa

  A twenty-one-year-old slave, he is dedicated to his work and takes pride in serving the royal family of Mahishmathi. Kattappa is deeply honoured to have been chosen to serve Bijjaladeva, the elder prince of Mahishmathi. He is the son of Malayappa, the personal slave of Maharaja Somadeva.

  Pattaraya

  A rich and ambitious nobleman, he is a bhoomipathi, a title of great importance in the Mahismathi kingdom. He is known for his cunning and ruthlessness. He is a self-made man who rose from poverty to riches through his intelligence and hard work. He is dedicated to his family and loves his daughter Mekhala more than his life.

  Shivappa

  The eighteen-year-old younger brother of Kattappa, he resents being born a slave and dreams of freedom. He loves his elder brother but is often at logger-heads with him. He wants to build a new world and dreams of joining the Vaithalikas, the rebel tribe that is fighting against Mahishmathi from the forests. He is deeply in love with Kamakshi, a friend of Sivagami.

  Prince Bijjaladeva
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  The firstborn of Maharaja Somadeva, he is anxiously awaiting the day he will be declared crown prince. He demands respect and is slighted at the slightest show of irreverence by anyone. He is surrounded by a coterie of sycophants who back him for their own selfish reasons. He is contemptuous of his younger brother and resents his popularity with the masses.

  Prince Mahadeva

  A dreamer and an idealist, he treats everyone with compassion and love. He is conscious that he is not a great warrior. He looks up to his father and respects him but wilts under his domineering mother. He loves his elder brother but is afraid of him. He is a poet and a romantic.

  Jeemotha

  He considers himself a great trader but actually is a pirate. He is an expert sailor and sails often at the precipice of illegality. He is aware of his charm and the effect it has on any woman. He often uses his wit to get away from tricky situations but does not desist from violence if the situation demands it.

  Keki

  A thirty-year-old eunuch, she is the assistant of the famous Devadasi Kalika. Keki is a pimp who finds beautiful women for Kalika’s trade. She has a sharp tongue and uses it like a whip. For now, she is in Bhoomipathi Pattaraya’s camp.

  Skandadasa

  The deputy prime minister, or Upapradhana, of Mahishmathi, Skandadasa is a man of principles. Honest to the core, he carries deep insecurities within for his lowly origins. He belongs to an untouchable caste and is a misfit among the other high-caste nobles of the court. The common people admire him but the corrupt officials and nobles dislike him.

  Thimma

  The foster father of Sivagami, he used to be a close friend of Devaraya. A powerful Bhoomipathi, he is kind and soft-spoken and a doting father to his children.

  Ally

  Brought up by the elusive rebel queen Achi Nagamma, she is an elite warrior and spy in an all-women rebel army. She is not shy of using her sexuality and powers of seduction to get her work done.

  Kamakshi

  An innocent and lovely girl of seventeen, she is Sivagami’s closest friend in the orphanage. Her only ambition in life is to live in peace with her lover Shivappa, far away from the cruel city of Mahishmathi.

  Gundu Ramu

  Sivagami’s young friend in the orphanage. Son of a slain poet, the plump boy adores Sivagami, whom he calls Akka. He is witty and also a bit of a glutton.

  Hidumba

  The little man of Mahishmathi is quite dangerous. He is a khanipathi, a step below a bhoomipathi and he thinks he has been denied his promotion only because of his size. He is now in the Pattarya camp, but even Pattaraya is wary of this dwarf.

  Devadasi Kalika

  She is the head of Pushyachakra inn, more notoriously known as Kalika’s den. She is a seductress and has half of Mahishmathi nobles under her feet. She is adept in the art of kama and supplies beautiful young ladies to even the harem of Maharaja to entertain state guests.

  Maharaja Somadeva

  The King of Mahishmathi. He is a distant figure, respected, admired and feared by his subjects.

  Malayappa

  The personal slave of Maharaja Somadeva, he is Kattappa and Shivappa’s father. He is a proud man with a strong sense of duty.

  Mahapradhana Parameswara

  The seventy-five-year-old prime minister of Mahishmathi, he is trusted by the king who considers him his guru. He is kind-hearted but a suave politician. He is also Skandadasa’s mentor.

  Roopaka

  The trusted aid of Mahapradhana Parameswara.

  Maharani Hemavati

  The haughty and proud queen of Mahishmathi.

  Rajaguru Rudra Bhatta

  The chief priest of Mahishmathi. He is a close friend of Bhoomipathi Pattaraya.

  Dandanayaka Pratapa

  The police chief of Mahishmathi, Pratapa is feared by the common people. He is a friend of Pattaraya.

  Vaithalikas

  The rebel tribe who want to wrench Gauriparvat back from the clutches of Mahishmathi.

  Bhutaraya

  The enigmatic and powerful leader of the Vaithalikas.

  Guha

  The Bhoomipathi of river people. An old man, cruel and cunning, he is revered by his people. He bows only before Maharaja Somadeva.

  Akkunda

  A powerful Bhoomipathi.

  Achi Nagamma

  The leader of an all-women vigilante army. She is fighting against the corrupt and evil people of Mahishmathi. Ally is a member of her army.

  Devaraya

  Sivagami’s father who was executed as a traitor by the government.

  Raghava

  Thimma’s son, who grew up with Sivagami. He is madly in love with her.

  Akhila

  Thimma’s five-year-old daughter. She is Sivagami’s favourite.

  Mekhala

  Bhoomipathi Pattaraya’s daughter, who often does not agree with her father.

  Brihannala

  A eunuch, who is the head of the Royal Harem. She has her own secret.

  Nala

  A merchant and adopted brother of Brihannala. He often doubles up as Brihannala’s messenger.

  Nanjunda

  A divine man, a crook, a drunkard, he is willing to do magic for a bottle of arrack. He is an assistant of Jeemotha.

  Bhairava

  A lunatic who lives near the river. He used to be Maharaja Somadeva’s slave.

  Revamma

  The warden of Royal Orphanage.

  Nagayya

  An elite slave who escapes with a terrible state secret.

  Thondaka

  The head boy of the Royal Orphanage who hates Sivagami.

  Uthanga

  A boy in the orphanage.

  ONE

  Sivagami

  The night was dark, like death. It suited her. She did not want anyone to see them. A tiny lamp hung from the chariot, swaying wildly with each lurch that the cart made. She would have preferred to have it snuffed out, but the path was perilous. From either side, the jungle was reclaiming what originally belonged to it. Overhanging branches grazed her face as they sped through the winding hill path. She felt heavy with emotion. A thousand memories rushed from the dark recesses of her mind. They had broken free from where she had carefully buried them over the last twelve years and were howling in her ears. Like ghosts let free. She had never wanted to return to the place they were going to now. Not after what had happened to her family. Every tree that loomed in front of them reminded her of that gruesome scene she had been forced to witness at the tender age of five. Suddenly, the chariot stopped, making her lose her balance and hit her head on the side.

  ‘A hare,’ Raghava said from the cartman’s seat. She could make out two eyes shining up at them from the ground and then the trembling silhouette of a hare. Their horse sniffed and the hare leapt and vanished into the bushes. It was typical of Raghava to be concerned about the life of even a small animal.

  ‘Do you really want to go there at this hour?’ he asked. Not for the first time that night. She did not reply. He nudged the horse with the end of his whip and the cart resumed its journey. Soon the thick jungle on either side gave way to patches of thorny bushes. Amidst them, huge boulders jutted out. They looked like crouching beasts waiting for their prey. Raghava hesitated at the beginning of the steep path that traced its sinuous way up to a fort looming in the distance.

  ‘Can we go back?’ Raghava asked.

  She clucked her tongue in impatience. She could see him shake his head before prodding the horse to move. There used to be a garden here, she thought as the cart passed through a patch of land that sloped gently down the hill. It was overgrown with weeds. From here, it was going to be tough. The path clung perilously close to the edge of the cliff as they made their way up. The wheels of the cart caused a few pebbles to come loose, and they bounced down momentarily. The sound of flowing water became clearer as they continued to climb up.

  The path ended abruptly at the edge of a precipice. Raghava pulled the reins and jumped d
own. He unhooked the lamp and came around to help her alight, but she ignored his extended hand and jumped to the ground. She moved to the edge and looked down. She could hear the frothing mountain stream many hundreds of feet below. There used to be a hanging bridge here, she remembered and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see it a few score feet to her left.

  ‘It looks ominous. A ruin…’ Raghava said, but she walked past him, climbing the crumbling steps to the bridge. She gripped the rope on either side and felt the wooden board with her toe.

  ‘Are you going to cross the bridge?’ Raghava’s voice had an edge of fear. The ropes vanished into darkness after a few feet into the abyss. She took the lantern from Raghava’s hands and stepped onto the bridge. A plank crumbled under her feet and spiralled down. Raghava gasped in fear. Despite the cold, her hands were sweaty.

  She would not have made this trip had not she met old Lachmi—who had been her maid—after twelve years. The faithful servant was on her deathbed when she visited her. Among other things, Lachmi had mentioned a book that her father owned. A book that her father had told the maid to hand over to his child. A manuscript written in some strange tongue, which could perhaps solve the mystery of what killed him.

  Her father, Devaraya, was a bhoomipathi, a noble lord in the kingdom of Mahishmathi. He was loved and respected until he was subjected to chitravadha—no, she did not want to think about that. Not now, not when she was crossing a bridge that swayed and creaked with each step.

  ‘Watch out,’ Raghava cried from behind. A yawning gap of seven feet lay in front of her. She handed the lamp to Raghava and took a few steps back.

  ‘You are crazy,’ she heard him say as she ran and gracefully leaped over the gap. She landed safely on the other side, though the bridge swayed wildly. She looked back and laughed, ‘Throw the lamp to me and jump, you coward.’

  Raghava looked down into the abyss. She clucked her tongue in impatience. Raghava mumbled a prayer to Amma Gauri and threw the lamp to her. It swung in the air, tracing an arc, and she caught it before it hit the ground. The flame went off, leaving the smell of burning wick in the air.