Amudan's Mother

The Velaikara Battalion wound its way through the main
market street. Some of the men walking towards the end of
the parade performed certain audacities in that
marketplace. One fellow entered the shop of a food vendor
and carried out a basket of sweet-cakes; he distributed the
cakes to his friends. When he crowned the vendor with the
upturned empty basket, all his friends laughed
uproariously "Ha ha ha haha ha."
Another gallant fellow plucked the flower tote from the
hands of an elderly woman. Scattering the flowers in all
directions he shouted "Hey friends, its raining flowers!"
Two soldiers trying to catch the flowers shouted gleefully
and raised a hue and cry! Yet another fellow stopped a
bullock cart on the road and unyoked the beast from the
cart; he drove the animal into the crowd by twisting its tail;
the terrified animal ran helter skelter in the crowd,plunging against innocent bystanders. Gleeful laughter
followed this endeavor!
Vandiya Devan was watching all this. Aha! These fellows
also tease and play pranks just like the men of Pazluvoor.
Their pranks are irksome to others. How fortunate that I
escaped their sight by standing aside. Otherwise, a little
conflict would have taken place! My venture would have
been wrecked, he thought. But one difference was obvious
to him. The people on these streets did not resent these
activities of the Velir men very much. Some of them even
joined in their pranks and enjoyed the merriment and
laughter.
When he turned around to ask about this, the youth with
the flower baskets was nowhere to be seen. He had
vanished somewhere in the crowd and commotion.
Perhaps he had gone on his business.
On approaching the gate, he found that no one was allowed
inside the fort after the Velaikara Battalion left for the day.
Only members of the royal household, the ministers and
generals had the right to enter or leave the fort at all times
of night or day. Vandiya Devan heard that the households
of the Lords of Pazluvoor also had that privilege.
He changed his intentions of entering the fort that very
night. He did not wish to show the signet ring in his
possession and try its powers. It is better to spend the night
outside the fortress, do some sightseeing and enter after
sunrise tomorrow. Even if I go in tonight, it is not possible
to gain entry into the royal palace and meet the Emperor to
deliver my letters.
Vandiya Devan rode slowly along the streets surrounding
the outer ramparts of Tanjore Fort enjoying the various
sights presented around him. His horse, which had crossed
several leagues that day was very tired. Soon he must give
it some rest. Otherwise, tomorrow, when the need arose
the horse may become useless. He must soon find a
comfortable place to spend the night.
Tanjore was at that time a new, growing, spreading city. It
was evening time. Hundreds of street lamps had been lit
throwing brilliant light everywhere. All the streets were
noisy with crowds of people. Travellers from far and near,
who had come to the city on various businesses walked
here and there. People from other Chozla cities and
countryside were there. Persons from nations taken into the
Chozla fold recently were also there. Several folks
crowded to that capital city from nations spreading across
the lands between the North Pennar river and the southern
Cape, and between the eastern seas and the western ocean.
In that crowd he could also spot foreigners, dressed
curiously from the distant lands beyond the Vindhyas and
across the seas.
People crowded to the shops of vendors selling sweetfritters,
roasted meats and rice-cakes -- like flies hovering
around sugar syrup -- as they bought the foodstuffs. Fruits like banana, mango and jack were heaped in mounds
outside the shops. Words were not adequate to describe the
elegant flower kiosks. Gardenia and jasmine, fragrant
frangipani, oleander, chrysanthemum and marigold,
champaka and iruvatchi, hibiscus and trumpet lilies were
heaped in baskets; maidens flocked around them like bees
buzzing over flower groves.
When he saw the flower shops, Vandiya Devan
remembered the youth with the flower baskets who had
stood next to him. If I could meet that young man again,
how useful it would be! Perhaps he would have helped me
find a comfortable place to spend this night in this city...
As he was thinking, as if to give life to his thoughts, he
saw the youth walking down the street in front of him.
Vandiya Devan hurried forward to accost him again.
"Thambi, your baskets seem to be empty. What happened
to all the flowers? Have you sold them all?"
"I did not bring the flowers for sale. I brought them for
worship and decoration at the temple. I have delivered
them at the place I serve and am now going back home,"
said that youth.
"In which temple do you serve, delivering these flowers?"
"Have you heard of the temple of Tali-kulattar?"
"Oh! The name Tanjore Tali-kulattar seems familiar. Is it
the same? Is it a large temple?"
"No; it is a modest place. For some time now, only the
temple of the Goddess Durga has been enjoying favor in
Tanjore. Special worship, food offering, sacrifice,
festivities, ceremony and carnival all take place there. The
royal family and the Pazluvoor households have been
patronizing that Durga temple. There are no such
important patrons for the temple of Tali-kulattar. Not many
people come to worship there..."
"You are in service to deliver flowers. Do you get paid
well for this?"
"My family has subsidies for this service. From the times
of my grandfather our family had grants from Emperor
Gandara Aditya for delivering this flower-service. My
mother and I have been continuing the practice."
"Is the temple of Tali-kulattar built in brick, or has it been
renovated in granite?" Vandiya Devan asked the question
because he had seen several small brick-work temples
being renovated in stone and decorated with granite
sculpture.
"It is still brick-work. I have heard that it is soon to be
renovated in granite. Apparently, the Elder Pirati in
Pazlayarai wishes to begin the renovation work as soon as
possible. But, ...""But what? Why did you stop?"
"What is the use of repeating idle gossip? One must look
around in all directions before talking in the daytime; at
nighttime do not even open your mouth. This is a public
square where four roads meet! So many people around
us..."
"We can stand in such a spot and talk bravely of any
secret. In this crowd and noise nothing we speak will be
heard by anyone."
"What secrets do we have to talk about?" asked the youth,
eyeing Vandiya Devan with some suspicion.
Aha! This young man is very intelligent. It would be very
useful to make friends with him. I can learn about several
things from him. But I should not raise useless doubts in
his mind, thinking such thoughts, Vandiya Devan said,
"Yes, what secrets do we have? Nothing. Thambi, tonight I
need a place to rest and sleep well. I have journeyed a long
way and am very tired. Where can I stay? Can you help me
by guiding me to a good rest house?"
"There is no dearth of places to stay in this city. There are
several inns. In fact there are many government rest houses
for the use of foreign visitors. But, Sir, if you would like
..."
Before the youth could finish, Vandiya Devan interrupted,
"Thambi, what is your name?"
"Amudan; Sendan Amudan."
"Oh! What a sweet name! My mouth tastes the sweetness
just by hearing it. (Amudu meaning nectar.) Were you
about to say that I could come to your house if I was
willing?"
"Yes; how did you know Sir?"
"I have magic skills; that's how! Where is your house?"
"Our gardens are in the suburbs, a little beyond the city
limits. Our house is in the middle of the flower gardens,"
said Sendan Amudan.
"Ah! I must surely come to your house. I cannot rest in
peace in this city commotion tonight. Moreover, I would
like to make the acquaintance of that good woman who is
mother to a good son like you!"
"She who gave birth to me is indeed a good woman; but
she is unfortunate..."
"Dear, dear! Why do you say that? Perhaps your father
is...?"
"Yes, my father is dead. But that is not the reason. My
mother is unfortunate from birth. You will know when you
see her. Come Sir, let us go."
They walked for about half an hour and reached the flower
gardens beyond the city limits. The fragrance of night
blooming flowers made Vandiya Devan's head swim with
uncommon exhilaration. The noise and din of the city was
not heard in that pleasing grove.
He could see a small tiled house in the middle of the
flower garden. Two thatched huts were also seen close by.
Two families who helped in the garden lived in those huts.
Amudan called out to one of those men and asked him to
feed and water Vandiya Devan's horse and tie it to a tree
after grooming it.
He then led his new friend into the house. As soon as he
saw Amudan's mother, Vandiya Devan realized her
misfortune. She was mute without any speech; she was
also deaf without any sense of hearing. But he saw her
gentle, good looking face filled with a kindness and love.
Her eyes shone bright with a keen intelligence. Was it not
the caprice of nature to endow a superior intellect on those
with some bodily handicap?
That elderly woman understood that her visitor had come
from foreign parts by the signs made by Amudan. Her
expressive face showed welcome and concern for him.
Soon, she placed platters of fresh banana leaves before
them and served a meal. First came string-cake
accompanied by sweetened, freshly squeezed, coconut
milk. Vandiya Devan felt that he had not eaten such
delicacies in his lifetime! He ate about ten or twelve cakes
and drank a liter of coconut milk. Sour sauce with tubers
and steamed millet flour followed. He did them justice.
Even so, his hunger was not satiated. In the end he partook
of a quarter measure of cooked rice and a liter of yogurt!
Only then did he rise from his platter.
While eating, he asked about and gleaned several facts
from Amudan. He enquired about who besides the
Emperor and his retinue lived in Tanjore Fort.
The mansions of the Elder and Younger Lords of
Pazluvoor were inside. The officers and clerks who were
attached to the treasury and granary lived inside because
the royal treasury, counting house and granary were inside
the fort. The confidante and friend of Sundara Chozla, his
Prime Minister, Honorable Anirudda Brahma-raya as well
as the Chief Clerk of edicts and proclamations also lived in
the inner fort. Soldiers guarding the fort of Tanjore under
the command of the Younger Lord Pazluvoor, lived inside
with their families.
Besides this, the streets of the goldsmiths, silversmiths,
jewelers and dealers in precious gems and coin merchants
were inside the main fort. Hundreds of clerks and writers
working for the Tax Ministry under the Elder Lord Pazluvoor were also provided accommodation within. In
addition to all this, the famous Temple of the Goddess
Durga Nisumbasudhini was in one corner of the interior
fort. The temple priests, servants, dancing girls and
musicians attached to the temple and their families, lived
inside near the temple.
Hearing about all this, Vandiya Devan asked, "Are all the
ministers and officials inside the fort today?"
"How can everyone be inside? They will be going out and
coming back in the course of their various duties. For
sometime now, the Honorable Prime Minister, Anirudda
Brahma-raya, has not been inside the fort. It is said that he
is gone to the Chera Kingdom. The Elder Lord of
Pazluvoor went out four days ago. Rumor says that he has
gone to the central provinces beyond the Kollidam."
"He might be back now. Do you know?"
"The palanquin of the Young-Queen of Pazluvoor came
back this evening. I saw it near the gates myself. But there
was no sign of Lord Pazluvoor. Perhaps he is delayed
somewhere and will come back tomorrow."
"Thambi! Does Prince Madurandaka also live inside the
fort?"
"Yes, his mansion is next to the Pazluvoor Palace. Isn't he
the bridegroom married to the daughter of the Younger
Lord Pazluvoor?"
"Oh! Is that true? I did not know that till now!"
"Not many people know it. Because of the Emperor's ill
health the wedding was not celebrated with pomp."
"Good. Is the Prince inside the fort tonight?"
"Must be. However, Prince Madurandaka does not emerge
from the fort very often. People cannot see him commonly.
It is said that he is involved in his devotions to God Shiva
and that he spends his time in meditation, yoga and
worship."
"But he has entered into matrimony after all these years."
"Yes, that was somewhat surprising. People also say that
the mind and intentions of the bridegroom transformed
completely after the marriage! Why should we bother
about that? Better not gossip about the nobility."
Vandiya Devan desired to learn of several other things
from Sendan Amudan. But he did not wish to pry too
much and raise his suspicions. The friendship of such a
amiable youth would be very useful to him. It was his
good luck that he found such a convenient and comfortable
place to stay in Tanjore. Why should he spoil the good
fortune? Moreover, tiredness of the long journey joined
forces with the sleeplessness of the previous night. His eyes were drowsy with sleep and exhaustion. Realizing his
state, Amudan quickly made up a bed for him.
In the drowsiness of sleep, towards the end, Vandiya
Devan's mind glimpsed the glamorous face of the Young-
Queen of Pazluvoor.
Oh God! What beauty! What scintillation! His experience
of being tongue tied and immobile upon suddenly seeing
that ravishing, enchanting face reminded him of another
experience.
As a child, once when he was walking through some
woods he suddenly spied a cobra swaying its raised hood.
Its beauty was incomparable. The attraction was beyond
description. Vandiya Devan had not been able to take his
eyes off the swaying hood of the snake. He could not even
blink his eyelids. He stood there as if hypnotized; the
snake continued its swaying dance. As the snake swayed,
his body began to sway in rhythm -- what would be the
result, no one knew. Suddenly a mongoose pounced upon
the snake. A furious contest between the two started. Using
the chance the boy ran to his escape...
Dear me! What a comparison! How can I equate the
majestic beauty of this maid without equal in the world,
with a swaying snake? Her gentle, tender face will quell all
hungers of those who catch a glimpse of it! ... I am going
to meet her tomorrow! How sweet her voice! Her beauty is
extraordinary. But, how about the other maid whom I saw
at the astrologer's house and on the banks of the Arisil? ...
Her face too, was radiant. It too glowed with a loveliness.
Both are exquisite beauties; but what a difference! That
has dignity and decorum; while this has allure and
glamour.
Thus, while his heart was comparing the two attractive
women he had met recently, a third maid intervened. That
merciless tyrant, the Empress of Sleep took charge of him
completely.