Mandodari

by Manini J Anandani

  We had been married for a month. My mother had sent various presents along with my brother, requesting my mother-in-law to allow me to visit Mayarastra for a few days. I was excited to meet my parents and visit my home. I had a lot of stories to tell, a lot of observations to share. I prepared to leave for the journey but it was difficult to stay apart from Dashaanan.

  ‘Rani Mandodari, you look prepared to leave for Mayarastra already. Leaving me all alone, by myself here.’

  ‘No, my lord. I’m only going for a few days, I assure you. I wish to see my parents and will be back in no time.’

  He smiled and caressed me. ‘Take my vimana. The guards will be at your service for your safety and comfort. I wish you a safe journey.’

  I kissed him and left for Mayarastra. Indeed, it was very difficult to part now that I was so used to him. He cared for me, pampered me, made me laugh, and above all, he loved me. He loved me like no one ever.

  A large group of royal guards and maids accompanied us for the journey. I had left Mayarastra as a princess and was returning as a queen. Father extended me an elaborate welcome. I had never thought that I would miss my family so much after marriage. No matter what I became in life or where I went, I was deeply connected to my roots.

  THREE

  No sooner had I reached Mayarastra than I started planning my return to Lanka. After a few days, I had started missing Dashaanan and wondered what all must have changed in Lanka since my departure. I wrote numerous letters to him, but every time someone else would reply on his behalf informing me of his whereabouts. It was strange that my loving husband, who otherwise couldn’t stay one evening without visiting me, didn’t even care to ask me how I was doing. He had looked visibly upset when I was about to leave for Mayarastra and I had thought he might come to take me back with him after a few days, but no such thing happened.

  After a month of my return, father and mother loaded my palanquin with gifts. They bid me farewell, and soon after the send-off, my soldiers and servants marched towards Lanka. When I reached Lanka, a crowd gathered to welcome me. Mother Kaikesi emerged from the crowd to shower her blessings. She seemed a little reserved; she spoke a few words and returned to her chambers soon after. I was expecting Dashaanan to receive me too but he was nowhere in sight.

  I sensed something had changed by the way people were avoiding conversation with me. Or maybe I was too tired and was overthinking? I walked towards my chambers and took a day’s rest, hoping to see Dashaanan in the evening but was informed that he was on a political tour and would return after three days. I was rather upset that my husband hadn’t even cared to inform me about his absence. Unlike me, he wasn’t eager to meet me.

  Bored and restless, the next day I took a tour of the project area where different towers were under construction. As I was exploring the area, I met Nanashri Malyavan.

  ‘Welcome back, Rani Mandodari. How was your stay at your parents’s house?’

  ‘I stayed very peacefully, Nanashri. However, I feel a lot has changed during my absence,’ I replied.

  ‘And may I ask what changes have you observed?’ Nanashri enquired defensively.

  ‘I am not completely certain, Nanashri. It’s just that no one’s been talking to me very much since my arrival here. Anyway, how is the progress on the planetarium?’ I wanted to change the subject of our conversation as I observed Nanashri was not comfortable talking to me as well.

  ‘Progress is good; I shall show you around if you wish.’

  I simply smiled and followed him, looking for an opportunity to ask about Dashaanan’s exact whereabouts.

  While we were taking a stroll, I noticed a huge construction site in the distance where something that looked as grand as a palace was being built.

  ‘Nanashri, which building is that?’ I asked carelessly.

  ‘That would be the ladies’ palace, the antapura, which will house all the women belonging to the royal family.’ Nanashri answered without any further explanation.

  ‘Why would we need an antapura?’

  ‘Dashaanan’s travel to the north-western lands has inspired him to have a harem. He described how women belonging to the king were kept together in a separate section; it is forbidden for men other than the immediate family members to enter those quarters. It ensures their safety. The concept is getting popular; Indra’s capital city Amravati also houses an antapura famous for its apsaras.’

  ‘We already have a lot of chambers for the royal family, and what do you mean by women belonging to the king?’

  ‘Well, Mandodari, all those chambers are almost occupied,’ Nanashri replied and saw the look of surprise on my face. ‘I am not certain if I should be the one to give you this news . . . but . . . Dashaanan has taken another wife, she is a princess of one of those tribes that is now headed and ruled by him.’

  The news shook me and I could barely stand on my feet.

  ‘And this happened during my visit to Mayarastra?’

  ‘Yes. Lankapati wanted to leave for a political tour to the western deserts and the marriage proposal was made by the tribal head himself. This marriage was a political advancement adding to our alliances. Dashaanan now heads ten tribes of Lanka.’

  ‘And for the sake of his political advancement he may decide to take as many wives as he wishes!’ I was suddenly enraged at the explanation provided by Nanashri. I still didn’t know if I was supposed to respond like a queen—calm and collected—or if I could scream like an angry wife who had been betrayed.

  ‘Rani Mandodari, I understand how you might be feeling. But this is a marriage made for political advancement and strengthens the rule of the emperor. It is a negotiation done for diplomatic reasons.’ Nanashri tried convincing me.

  ‘No matter how diplomatic the reasons, such actions should have been discussed and shared with the queen well in advance. I presume my husband is ashamed of facing me now.’ I gathered my emotions and returned to my chambers.

  I didn’t see anyone from the royal family for the next few days. It was taking me time to get over this political marriage of my husband’s, and to save myself from further embarrassment, I stayed indoors. I waited for him to return so I could express my disappointment to him in person.

  Mother Kaikesi came to console me. She took my hands in hers and gently tried to explain, ‘Mandodari, I have no words to calm the rage inside you at this time. I understand how it feels to share your husband with another woman. I want you to face this situation like a queen, and once you do that, you will see the anger inside you subsiding.’

  ‘Why didn’t he tell me about this marriage, Mother?’ I cried out loudly.

  ‘Putri, there are a lot of things Dashaanan is involved with currently. Much more than you know. There is no doubt he loves you a lot. You are and will always be his prime queen.’ She expected me to be happy as a prime queen? It sounded like a compensation.

  ‘Dashaanan is not just your husband, he is also an emperor, and in the coming years he will be the most powerful king of all.’ She tried her best to comfort me.

  ‘But, Mother, just because my husband is so ambitious and aspires to be the most powerful ruler, I cannot be treated like this. I also cannot be expected to simply face everything like a queen!’

  ‘He has done nothing to disrespect you. And yes, a queen has to make a lot of sacrifices for her king. I am not trying to scare you, Putri, but you will have to make certain choices as a queen, leaving your personal aspirations behind. Take some rest and think it through. Dashaanan is expected to arrive the day after tomorrow. You can talk to him about it.’ Saying so, she left my chambers, leaving me to think about my next course of action.

  I knew then that my marriage was going to be anything but ordinary.

  A reigning queen should gracefully accept other wives taken by the king, so said the standardized code of conduct for queens. So I spent an entire day pondering on my disappointment, and then sent gifts to my husband’s new wife as a token of acceptance. I couldn’t make her the
victim of my disappointment. She was housed in one of the guest chambers of the queen’s palace until her permanent chambers were ready. My dasis elegantly presented my gifts to the tribal princess and in return the princess asked permission to see me in person. I agreed and asked my dasi to arrange for a meal for us in my chambers.

  It then suddenly struck me that Nanashri had mentioned the huge ladies’ palace being built for the women of the royal family.

  I was lost in thought when one of my dasis announced, ‘The princess has arrived, your majesty.’

  Standing in front of me was someone who looked like a twelve-year-old girl. I had been curious to see my husband’s second choice, but once I saw her, I could tell that she was not his choice at all. She was slender and had many piercings. There were tattoos on her hands and near her eyes—she was too young to be anyone’s wife!

  She stood with her chin down and hands joined to greet me. With an innocent look in her eyes, she bowed low. I was not sure if this was due to respect or the guilt from marrying my husband.

  ‘Please seat yourself,’ I gestured towards the sitting area.

  ‘Rani Mandodari, thank you for the warm welcome. I am Dhanyamalini, a tribal princess. Irrespective of our relationship, you have shown respect towards me and, therefore, towards my tribe. Despite our complex relationship, I promise I will be like a sister to you.’ And I smiled after many days. Dhanyamalini, the tribal princess, was warm and smart in her conversations.

  After meeting her, I kept my prejudices aside and concluded that I had overreacted about my husband’s second marriage. I was pacified thinking Dashaanan hadn’t talked to me about it because he probably didn’t feel it was important enough to be discussed. I also concluded that this marriage was clearly a political alliance, and not one borne out of love.

  I offered her drinks and delicacies and smiled at her to make her feel comfortable. In return, she kept smiling innocently at me; however, she kept her eyes lowered as a mark of respect. She was talkative, respectful and humble and knew how to behave in the presence of a queen. After our meal, she gently bowed and left. I slept peacefully that night.

  We were expecting Dashaanan’s arrival the next day. I dressed vibrantly and got my chambers decorated with beautiful pink flowers. Dashaanan headed the tribes of Lanka. As a token of their love and respect and to signify their union, the tribal natives had made a ten-headed crown of gold for him.

  As soon as Dashaanan alighted from his vimana, we showered him with rose petals. He acknowledged everyone present to welcome him. Then he looked at me and gave me a warm smile. I was delighted to see him after such a long time and felt like running into his arms immediately, almost forgetting the entire turmoil of his second marriage.

  Dashaanan then extended his arm to help someone step out of the vimana. She was an elegant woman—more a nymph than a woman—and was beautifully dressed like an apsara in a golden dhoti. Her eyes were lined with kohl, her slender waist and hands were decorated with gold dust. Her hair was unusually straight and she wore a headgear with a small golden serpent on it. Everyone was in awe of her beauty. He introduced her as the daughter of the pharaoh, the king of the desert land where he had been on tour.

  This was no ordinary woman. As she stepped on the land of Lanka, she ruined all hopes I had for my marriage. She was my husband’s new concubine.

  FOUR

  Dashaanan was now spending most of his time with the new women in his life. He enjoyed Dhanyamalini’s company as she was talkative. Mata Kaikesi didn’t try to console me this time. She presumed I could handle it all by now. Soon, the pharaoh’s daughter became the latest topic of discussion. Her unmatched beauty and charisma not only mesmerized my husband and the other men around her, but also caused jealousy among the women. Marriage was not customary in the land where the pharaoh’s daughter came from, and so Dashaanan didn’t marry her as per the rituals. She was merely a beautiful gift that my husband got on tour, and which kept him busy during the nights too.

  With Dashaanan engaged, I felt lonely in my chambers but I avoided going out to save myself from embarrassment. I missed my mother during those times and felt like running back home to Mayarastra. Bajrajala became a regular visitor to my chambers in those days. Though Kumbakarna had taken other wives, Bajrajala maintained her poise and composure at all times. I felt she was the only one who could relate to me, hence, we soon became friends. She seemed very discontent with her married life. She had been married to Kumbakarna only a year before my wedding. He was married to two other rakshasi women. Due to his abnormal height and strange sleeping pattern, Bajrajala was married in a rush and barely got to spend any time with her husband.

  She took my hand in hers and asked me a very unusual question, ‘Have you ever loved anyone more than your husband, Bhabhi Mandodari?’

  I looked at her in surprise. Except for my parents and brothers, I had never loved anyone as much as I loved Dashaanan.

  I hesitated to answer. She smiled, ‘I understand how difficult it must be for you to share your love with other women. In my case, I tried loving my husband, but as soon as I managed to develop a strong affection towards him, something or the other kept coming between us. My husband has taken other wives too. Now I have children who keep me busy. But I can still conclude one thing for sure: Lankeshwar really loves you the most.’

  I said nothing in return to her kind and gratifying words. Bajrajala wanted a heart-to-heart, but I had passed that moment where I could take comfort in our shared predicament. I was busy building a strong emotional defence for myself.

  Dashaanan paid a surprise visit to my chambers that evening. He was drunk and looked as if he had not slept for a long time. I felt like I didn’t want to see him at all; I was angry, upset and wanted to hurt him. I told my dasi to make an excuse and tell Dashaanan that I was asleep. But he dashed into my bedroom ignoring her.

  ‘Lankeshwar, you look very tired. Is everything all right?’ I asked out of concern. I wasn’t expecting him to visit me in such a state. He couldn’t even stand on his feet and kept losing his balance.

  ‘Lankesh is god, Mandodari. How can everything not be all right with him?’ He kept saying. I chose to ignore him because he was clearly not in his senses.

  ‘Aren’t you happy about your husband’s achievements? You should be proud that I have conquered the planetary mentors of Devaloka, the navagraha gurus, and made them my slaves! I conquered the underworld! Your husband rules the oceans and lands beyond,’ he said and stumbled.

  I helped him up and made him sit on the bed. ‘I am very proud of you, Lankesh. But how do you expect your wife to be pleased when she has to share you with other women? How can I be pleased when you didn’t even inform me about your second marriage? And now this third woman? It hurts me when I imagine you with this other woman in your bed.’

  ‘Mandodari, you don’t have to worry about the other women. You know I love you the most,’ he said as he reached out to kiss me, his breath reeking of alcohol.

  I was taking a stroll around the newly built antapura, the ladies’ palace, where I was told that the pharaoh’s daughter was going to shift soon. I saw Vibhishana around the astronomy tower. As usual, he looked busy assigning tasks on behalf of Dashaanan. Access to the astronomy tower was restricted to very few people, and Vibhishana was in charge of its security. Dashaanan had influentially housed the navagraha gurus in that tower. He believed that they could control the planetary positions for his benefit and that keeping them under his direction could save him from facing any political defeat.

  The navagraha gurus were considered lords or demigods of Devaloka. It was believed that they had mastered the knowledge of each planet surrounding earth. They predicted eclipses through their understanding of astronomy. It was also rumoured that through their siddhi and meditation, they controlled the movements and temperament of planets with their minds. Hence, the commoners worshipped them as deities and pleased them with different offerings.

  Surya, Budha, Shukra
, Mangal, Guru, Shani, Chandra, Rahu and Ketu were the nine gurus. Except for Surya, Chandra and Guru Shukracharya, Dashaanan held the rest captive. Our marriage was also made possible after he calculated the favourable planetary positions of our horoscopes.

  Women of the royal family gathered that evening to celebrate the completion of the newly built palace. We exchanged a brief round of pleasantries with each other and Mata Kaikesi inaugurated the new building. Meals were brought in and our dasis began to serve the ladies of the royal family. Trijata, one of the rakshasi dasis assigned to the queen’s chambers, looked awfully pale and I couldn’t help but ask her if she wasn’t feeling too well.

  ‘Your majesty, I am undergoing Ayurvedic treatment. I had two miscarriages before, and since I am pregnant again, the physician has suggested that I keep my treatment mild so it does not affect the health of my child,’ answered Trijata.

  ‘In that case, Trijata, I suggest you quit all your chores for a few days and take some rest.’

  Trijata mainly supervised the chambermaids attending to the ladies of the royal family. She was highly trusted and all the women would confide their secret affairs, desires and quarrels with their husbands in her. Vibhishana treated Trijata like a sister as she was nearly his age. Even Sarama treated her like family.

  My eyes fell on the pharaoh’s daughter and her maids who were seated in one corner; her presence was always disturbing to me. Bajrajala saw my reaction and tried to divert my attention. ‘Bhabhi Mandodari, what has been keeping you busy these days?’ she asked.

  I was still looking at the concubine. ‘I am married to an emperor and I think I have accepted the fact now. I used to think I am the only woman he loved and married. But I’ve now realized that there are marriages made in the interest of the state, marriages for political reasons and marriages for gaining allies.’