‘Mandodari, we have some news for you,’ said my mother.
‘Mother, where are the gifts from? Looks like a big occasion this time.’
‘Well, of course, it’s the biggest occasion, or will be the biggest occasion Mayarastra has ever come across,’ Mother and Mai smiled at each other.
‘What is this all about, Mother?’
‘These gifts are from Lanka, my princess. Lankeshwar Dashaanan sends them as a proposal. He has made a proposal to your father this morning and we are so honoured. He has asked for your hand in marriage.’
For some time I kept looking into my mother’s eyes, waiting for the news to sink in. Mother and Mai embraced me and I couldn’t think of anything to say. I wasn’t expecting this at all and my heart kept pounding inside my chest, making me nervous.
‘Princess, your father is waiting to meet you. He hasn’t accepted this proposal yet as he wants to talk to you at first. You should go and meet him before Dashaanan leaves for Lanka,’ Mai added.
‘Mother, does Dashaanan really want to take me as his better half?’
‘Well, of course! He sure does. We are very obliged, and certainly this means an ambitious alliance between Lanka and Mayarastra.’
I had dreamt about being with Dashaanan and couldn’t believe it was really happening.
Father was pacing his chambers alone; it seemed he had a lot on his mind. He embraced me at once.
‘Putri, I can barely express how proud your mother and I are to have a daughter like you. I am sure your mother must have told you about Ravana’s proposal?’
Father had addressed him as Ravana for the first time.
‘Yes, Pitashri. I am well aware.’
‘So, what do you think? Your mother looks very happy. I want to know your thoughts on this union.’ Father was very precise in his approach whenever he asked for my opinion. Whether it was about any design in architecture or matters of state.
‘Pitashri, I have grown up with your teachings and values. I am certain you must have given profound thought to this proposal before asking me about it. If you think Lankeshwar is the ideal husband for me, I will walk with him with my eyes closed.’
‘There is no doubt that I am fond of Ravana. He is a king with exceptional qualities, a great spirit with unlimited powers. But I also want you to know the other dark aspects he has acquired with his powers. With unlimited powers come unlimited disorder. You should be well aware of such consequences before you decide to get married to him.’
‘What kinds of consequences, Pitashri? I thought you would be pleased with this proposal . . . ’
‘And I am, Putri. However, I merely want you to be prepared. There are a lot of people whom he has disappointed for his benefit. Every boon that Dashaanan has been blessed with threatens the existence of Devaloka. The consequences of such supremacy given to a man can be perilous.’
‘Pitashri, you are making this more difficult for me. Do you really approve of this marriage or not?’
‘At first I did not. When Dashaanan proposed his intentions of marrying you, I simply rejected the suggestion, stating that our standing is nowhere equivalent to his. And you know, Putri, I didn’t mean this at all. I said this as I was afraid of denying Dashaanan’s proposal straight away.’
‘And how did Dashaanan react to this, Pitashri?’ I was anxious to know what exactly had happened between them.
‘He probably understood that I wasn’t denying the proposal but denying him. He then convinced me by telling me how Mayarastra would benefit with its union with Lanka, always ensuring ultimate protection from external divine forces.’
‘We are strong enough as a province. Do we really need an ally like Lanka to sustain us?’
‘We don’t, but I think Dashaanan was trying to imply that we might invite trouble if I don’t accept the proposal. And in addition to this, he reminded me how we too are Shiva bhaktas and won’t get a better match than him.’
‘So, are you bringing this proposal to me out of fear of what Ravana might do or because you think he’s a great match for me?’
‘At first it was out of fear, but I have to agree with what Dashaanan said. You know you are no an ordinary girl; you are Shiva’s blessing to us. I gave this proposal a lot of thought and I agree that you deserve an extraordinary husband like Dashaanan.’
I sighed with relief. Although I had feelings for Dashaanan, it was very important to me that father approved of my marriage with him. I wanted to be certain that I had made the right choice.
‘You are destined to be the queen of Lanka. You are destined to marry a great king of these times.’ Father had tears in his eyes already.
‘I will miss you, Pitashri . . .’ I sought his blessings. It was the last time we had a moment alone before my marriage.
Father ordered his ministers to prepare for a lavish wedding ceremony the following month. He ensured that my wedding remained a memorable one throughout the centuries. The ceremony was arranged in a nearby region and the mandap venue was named ‘Ravana Chanwari’ after Dashaanan.
TWO
A few days before the wedding, Malyavan, Dashaanan’s royal adviser, paid a visit to our royal chambers. Malyavan was also the elder brother of Ravana’s maternal grandfather Sumali. People in Lanka addressed him as Nanashri. I met him and his beautiful wife, Sundari, to accept the sacred clothes and trousseau they had brought for me from Lanka. Mata Sundari was the sister of Ketumati—Sumali’s wife and Mata Kaikesi’s aunt.
I was supposed to leave for Lanka in the royal robes sent by Dashaanan. His younger brother Vibhishana along with his wife, Sarama, had also accompanied Nanashri Malyavan. Vibhishana was nothing like Dashaanan.
I stared at him for a moment and found that although his features were quite similar to Dashaanan’s, he lacked his brother’s pride, aura and confidence.
Vibhishana was a man of few words. Later I thought I was being judgemental as he came across as a very pleasing, respectful and humble man. He paid his respects to my family and me and then swiftly left for Lanka to make arrangements.
I spent sleepless nights thinking about my wedding preparations. Father had invited all the neighbouring kings and royal families. He also invited a few devas whom he considered his closest associates. Heads of the asura, apsara and Gandharva tribes were part of the guest list too. Pre-wedding rituals and ceremonies lasted for three days. The fourth day was our wedding and on the morning of the fifth, we were scheduled to depart together for Lanka.
After a month-long preparation, my big day finally arrived. Post my bathing ritual, I headed towards the royal chambers to seek blessings from my parents. I wore a red-and-golden wedding robe; a veil covered my forehead and I was adorned with jewellery. My hair was braided with flowers.
The mandap looked nothing less than a garden in heaven. Its pillars were beautifully decorated with celestial flowers and four banana trees were tied at the corner of each direction. I acknowledged my immediate family who were present there. Nanashri, Mata Sundari, Vibhishana and Dashaanan’s uncle, Mama Marichan, were the only family accompanying Dashaanan. Asura Guru Shukracharya, our priest for the wedding ceremony, was dressed in pure white and silver garments. He began reciting the mantras. Holding a garland made of cardamom buds and flowers in my hand, I glanced at the audience; everyone looked excited. Then there was a drum roll to announce Dashaanan’s arrival. The crowd was cheering him with his most popular name: Ravana.
I stole a quick glance at Dashaanan and saw him climbing the stairs. My heart was racing and I felt nervous at his arrival. Once inside the mandap, I placed the garland around him and solemnly swore to accept him as the only man in my life. King or no king, rakshasa or Brahmin, genius or evil . . . he meant the world to me.
With a heavy heart the next day, I prepared to fly for my new home. I bid goodbye to Mother, Father, Mai, bhrata Mayavi and bhrata Dundubhi, and my sakhis with whom I had shared most of my time during childhood. Our vimana took off from the ground and headed south.
Lanka was an island and as soon as we crossed the ocean, I saw a land mass of bright yellow and green colour. As we descended to land, I figured the green patches were trees and vegetation whereas the yellow ones were buildings and mansions made or covered with solid gold. I remembered Mai’s stories about the golden Lanka but one had to see it to believe it! This beautiful golden piece of island was designed and constructed by none other than my own father. My father, Mayasura, had built it for Kubera. Lanka was originally inhabited by the Yaksha tribe, ruled by Kubera, and later taken over by the rakshasa clan.
Dashaanan was very fond of advanced technology. He had constructed six operational airports in Lanka. He had named a capital in the mountainous part of the kingdom Trikota. The airports were equipped with navigational expertise as well as hangars for his flying vimanas. Other than Lanka, Dashaanan ruled a few other overseas kingdoms too. His empire spread over various lands, namely Balidweepa, Kalingadweepa, Swarnapura and Malayadweepa in the far east and also Angadweepa, Varahdweepa, Shankhadweepa, Yavadweepa and Andhralaya situated in the south of the ocean.
Our aircraft landed at one of the airports. As soon as we landed, we were welcomed by the natives of Lanka. Some were playing drums, some were dancing and the rest were showering us with flowers. At a distance stood Dashaanan’s mother, Kaikesi. Signs of early ageing were clearly visible on her face and in her greying hair. As I approached her, she gently smiled at me and I bowed to pay my respects.
‘Welcome to Lanka, rajkumari. I am fortunate to have such a beautiful daughter-in-law. May you be blessed with prosperity and happiness.’ She sprayed coconut water on us to protect us from evil.
‘Bhabhi Mandodari, no wonder your beauty has mesmerized my brother,’ said Meenakshi, Dashaanan’s sister and my sister-in-law. She had the most attractive eyes I had ever seen. Lined with kohl, her eyes resembled those of a doe. I paid my respects to her and she leaned forward to kiss my forehead.
I met other women of the royal family as well. Sarama and Kumbakarna’s wife, Bajrajala, followed by their newborn daughters and sons. And some other women from the family with whom I merely exchanged a quick round of pleasantries. Then I met Anaala, the daughter of Nanashri Malyavan and Mata Sundari. Dashaanan had young cousins, namely Ahiravana, Khara, Dushana and Kumbhini.
‘Welcome to Lanka, Bhabhi, I will guide you to your chambers so you can take adequate rest and be ready for the feast tonight. You will meet the others during the feast,’ Meenakshi subtly cleared a path through the cheering crowd and took me to my chambers.
I barely had time to take in my surroundings. I rushed to my chambers and was introduced to several dasis, maids and ladies-in-waiting. I was to have twelve ladies-in-waiting and dasis at my beck and call. At my father’s palace I had three dasis for my personal chores and, of course, Mai. Each dasi in my chamber had an assigned task. Four dasis accompanied me to the bathing room and got me ready for the feast.
I walked towards the huge garden where the feast was arranged. Dashaanan stood at the centre of the garden where his asana was placed. As I approached the stage, he extended his arm to me. I sat next to him and together we acknowledged the joyous gathering.
‘I introduce you all to my wife, Rajkumari Mandodari. She will be coronated as the “Queen of Lanka” tomorrow,’ Dashaanan announced. ‘Let the feast begin!’
I barely got any time to talk to Dashaanan. I waited for the moment when we would be alone after the feast. I met important dignitaries, ministers, army generals and guests. People in Lanka rejoiced and I could see how much Dashaanan meant to them. They loved him, blessed him and prayed to him like he was their god. Lanka was a flourishing kingdom. There was plenty of food, gold, skilled artists, promising technology, soldiers and the city was well-planned.
Suddenly the drummers played a different tune. People cleared the path and assembled at one side of the garden.
Dashaanan leaned towards me and said, ‘Here comes Kumbakarna, my younger brother whom I love the most!’ I saw pride and love in Dashaanan’s eyes. I wasn’t aware that Kumbakarna was closer to Dashaanan than Vibhishana.
Kumbakarna was a huge, muscled rakshasa, at least eight feet tall. Dressed in an orange dhoti, royal blue robes hanging around his shoulders, he leaned forward to greet us.
‘My greetings to the newlywed couple! I wish you both a life of togetherness and prosperity,’ he roared.
‘My brother is as talented as I am, rajkumari. We have dealt with the toughest situations and challenges together. He has been my pride, my strength and my best adviser after Nanashri,’ Dashaanan added.
The celebration ended in the wee hours. I headed towards my chambers for some rest; it was the day of my coronation.
Coronation in Lanka was a divine ceremony that raised a monarch to godlike stature. I was purified with divine waters from the five perennial rivers. I wore exclusive velvet robes and rubies. The ceremony was conducted in the main court of Lanka. After taking the solemn vows, Dashaanan’s mother Kaikesi coronated me with a tall, gold crown and introduced me as Queen of Lanka. Dashaanan handed a royal seal to me, thereby declaring me as the empress of Lanka and all the other kingdoms that he ruled. A grand procession was conducted in the capital city of Trikota to honour my new title.
Later, we visited the temple constructed in the honour of the legendary Lankini Devi of Lanka to seek her blessings. She was a deity believed to have guarded the coast of Lanka for many years. She was an original inhabitant of the island. It was believed that Devi Lankini protected Lanka from robbers and thieves; and for a certain period managed overseas trade at the ports of Lanka. We prayed to her for a prosperous future.
That evening, I was expecting Dashaanan in my chambers. It was going to be our first time together as a married couple. The entrance was decorated with flowers to welcome him. Aromatic candles and lanterns brightened my palace corridors. My round bed was carved out of marble with a crystal base. It was covered with soft satin sheets. One of my chambermaids cued me about his arrival. Surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous or anxious. My marriage had brought about a change in my personality.
He entered my room and the doors closed behind him. I bowed to greet him and he held my arms in his.
‘I was longing to spend time alone with you, my queen.’
‘And I feel like I have waited my entire life for this moment, my lord.’
He kissed my hand and held me close. I had often wondered how our first night would begin. Would he show me the stars in the sky before he held my hand? Would he narrate a story? Dashaanan, however, was a complete natural at expressing love. He didn’t need any pretext to begin with on our first night.
‘You know, Mandodari, I wasn’t born royal. I have fought various battles, won different titles and worked very hard to reach where I am.’
‘I am proud of you, my lord. You are a self-made man.’
‘Yes, and it wasn’t easy. I made more foes than friends; I made more errors than successes. And yet, I believe you will accept me the way I am.’
‘I am honoured to be by your side. I accept all your enemies and friends, flaws and strengths.’
‘Lanka is everything to me. Its people are like my family. Very few people know that Nanashri Sumali and Malyavan ruled Lanka before my half-brother Kubera. But, they made some wrong decisions and as a result were overpowered by the devas. Kubera at that time ruled the Yaksha tribe that brought him enormous wealth and he soon seized the throne of Lanka. I have conquered this kingdom with a great deal of endurance and effort. I have changed the destiny of this kingdom. I have brought huge development with the knowledge I possess. And I shall continue to do so.’
‘This kingdom and its populace are very fortunate, my lord. I have seen the way they love you, respect you and honour you. Let me be a part of it.’
He smiled and moved closer to me. ‘Mandodari, this journey of our life might not be easy for you. You were a princess, not a stranded offspring who was always given half-caste treatment. You may find
it difficult to understand me at times but you have to trust my goals.’
‘I will not disappoint you, my lord. I am your wife; I will always stand by you.’
‘The first time I saw you, I realized you were made for me. I was in awe of your beauty. And now that I have you, I will win the world with you.’
It was the first time we were truly alone, the first time I could talk to him without a third person around. He slowly took off my ornaments and bent forward to kiss me—my first kiss ever. Everything else came to a standstill. We kissed for a long time, neither of us wanted to stop. We looked into each other’s eyes; a warm feeling engulfed us and I felt a sudden rush of blood to my face.
‘Why have your cheeks turned red, Mandodari? Have I embarrassed you?’
He tenderly undressed me and we made love till dawn.
Dashaanan was a passionate lover. But he was also gentle and tender and knew how to make a woman fall in love with him. The next morning he was up early.
‘You should probably take a look around the palace today. Explore your kingdom.’
‘Yes, my lord, Vibhishana has planned a short tour for me today.’
‘That sounds good. I shall see you in the evening then,’ he kissed my forehead and left.
Vibhishana, along with a few courtesans, took me around the palaces of Lanka. No matter what I saw, or where I went, I kept thinking about my night with Dashaanan. I replayed it in my mind and relived each moment spent with him. I was in love.
Noticing my forlorn state, Vibhishana exclaimed, ‘Bhabhi Mandodari, you look a little tired. Do you wish to see any other places today or should I escort you to your palace?’ I excused myself and rushed to my room for blissful sleep. It was the result of zealous lovemaking the night before.
I was living the perfect marital dream. My routine consisted of getting dressed, taking a tour of Lanka, seeing different places and sharing my opinion for improvements in construction. Every day, I accompanied Dashaanan and the ministers to court. As queen and regent, I judged matters of the state.
Mandodari Page 2