Ponniyin Selvan 1-A New Floods Chapter 23 Amudhan’s Mother by Kalki Krishnamurthy || Tamil Historic Novel about the Great King Raja Raja Cholan
CHAPTER 23 : Amudhan’s Mother
on the people in the street. One of them entered a sweetmeat shop, helped himself to a basket of adirasams and emptied it, distributing the contents among the other warriors. He then placed the empty basket on the vendor's head, to the laughter of the warriors and bystanders. Another one grabbed a basket of flowers from an elderly lady and flung the flowers around, crying, “It’s raining flowers!” Another released a bullock from a bullock cart. The frightened animal ran helter-skelter into the crowd and pushed a few people down. All this was accompanied by loud and raucous laughter.
Vandiyathevan observed these activities and thought how similar they were to those of the Pazhuvettarayar entourage. Neither of the groups seemed to realize what a nuisance they were to others.
Fortunately, he thought, they had not spotted him, or there would have been a fight and his mission would have been in trouble! But he saw that there was a difference. The people here did not seem to detest the pranks. They were enjoying the fun and even participating in it.
He turned around to ask the youngster with the flower baskets something, but he had disappeared. Vandiyathevan learnt that once the Velakkara battalion left the fort, no one else was permitted inside. The only people who had the right to enter the fort day and night were the members of the royal family, ministers and the Keeper of the Treasury. The Pazhuvettarayar family obviously had this privilege. Vandiyathevan therefore abandoned his plan to enter the fort by night. He did not want to try any experiments, displaying
the ring with the insignia. He thought it would be better to stay outside the fort at night, look around the city and go in after the sun rose. Even if he managed to enter the fort, it would be impossible, wouldn’t it, to meet the Emperor and give him the scroll?
He walked slowly along the streets, around the walls of the fort. Having ridden several kadhams that day, his horse was tired. He had to give it some rest soon, otherwise it would be of no use to him when he needed it. He also had to quickly find a comfortable place to stay.
Thanjavur was a new city at that time and expanding fast. It was evening and hundreds of lamps had been lit. The streets were crowded. A number of people who had come on work were rushing about here and there. Among them were people who had come from the Chozha towns and villages. There were also those who had come to the capital city from countries which had recently come under the Chozhas, stretching from the Porunai river to the Palar, from the seas in the east to those in the west. There were even people from north of the Vindhyas, and from across the seas.
They swarmed around the shops like flies, to buy appams and adirasams. Bananas and other fruits were piled on one side in huge mounds; and mullai, malli and shenbagam flowers on another side in little hillocks. Women stood around the flower-hillocks, buzzing like bees.
When he came up to the flower shops, Vandiyathevan remembered the youngster with the flower baskets. How useful it would be if he could see him now? He could find out about a convenient place to stay. Just then, he saw the youngster coming towards him. Vandiyathevan dismounted.
“Thambi! You don’t have the baskets with you. Where are the flowers? Have you sold them?” he asked.
“They were not for sale. They were for the puja in the temple. I gave them there and am going home.”
“Which temple did you give the flowers to?” “Have you heard of the Thalikulathar temple?”
“Oho! I’ve heard of the Thanjavur Thalikulathar. Is it a big temple?”
“No. It’s quite small. For some time now, it’s the Durga temple that's been considered important. Pujas, offerings, sacrifices, festivals take place in a big way there and the royal family and the Pazhuvettarayars go there more often than to other temples. Not many people visit the Thalikulathar temple.”
“You serve the deity with flowers. Are you rewarded for this Service?”
“In my grandfather’s time my family received a grant from Kandaradithar and have continued to do so, ever since. My mother and I are now engaged in this service.”
“Is the temple built of brick and mortar or has it been rebuilt in granite?” asked Vandiyathevan, having noticed a number of temples that had been rebuilt like this on his way.
“It’s just brick and mortar now but they say they’ll soon start work in granite. The Periya Piratti wants it to be done quickly. But...” the youngster hesitated.
“But what?”
“Why discuss something one hears by chance? I’ve heard it said: when you talk during the day, look around you; don’t talk at all at night. This is a public place, a crossroads and there are people around us.”
“It’s precisely in a place like this that we can talk secretly. Who will hear us in this commotion?”
“What secret is there to talk about?” asked the boy, eyeing Vandiyathevan rather suspiciously.
Aha! This boy is clever, thought Vandiyathevan. It would be to my advantage to make friends with him! I could learn a lot from him. But I must not arouse his suspicions. “What secret? Nothing at all. Doesn’t matter. But thambi, I must find a place where I can sleep undisturbed. I’ve travelled a long distance, I’m very tired. Where can I stay? Can you help me find a good choultry?”
“Why, of course there are enough places to stay in the city. There are lots of choultries. And special government houses for those who come from other countries. But, if it is all right with you...”
“Thambi! What's your name?” asked Vandiyathevan. “Amudhan: Sendhan Amudhan.”
“Adada! What a lovely name! Just to hear it makes my mouth water. Weren’t you going to say, I could come and stay with you?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“I have magical powers. That's how I knew. Where is your house?”
“Our garden is within hailing distance of the city, just beyond the limits. The house stands in the garden,” replied Amudhan.
“Aha! Then, I'll certainly come there. I can't spend the night here, with all the noise of the city. And I want to see the noble lady who gave birth to such a noble son.”
“The woman who gave birth to me is a great soul, but an unfortunate woman.”
“Adada! Why do you say that? Perhaps your father...”
“My father is dead. It’s not just that. My mother has been unfortunate from the time she was born. You’ll understand when you meet her. Come, let's go.”
They walked about half a nazhigai and came to the garden. The heady fragrance of flowers that bloom at night made Vandiyathevan dizzy. They could hardly hear the sounds of the City.
There was a tiled house in the centre of the garden and two huts. The workers who helped in the garden lived in the huts. Amudhan beckoned to one of them to tether Vandiyathevan’s horse and give it something to eat.
He then took Vandiyathevan into the house. As soon as he saw Amudhan's mother, Vandiyathevan realised what her misfortune was. She could not speak or hear. But love, compassion and a keen intelligence shone on her face. It is one of the marvels of Nature that people with a handicap are often extremely intelligent.
Amudhan explained to her through signs that their guest was from another region. She turned to him with a look that welcomed him and expressed concern for him.
In a short while she laid a leaf and served food. Idiappams and sweet coconut milk came first. Vandiyathevan had never eaten anything as delicious. He ate ten or twelve idiyappams and drank half a measure of coconut milk. He then did full justice to the snacks made of corn flour which were served next with a tamarind sauce. He was still hungry. He got up only when he had polished off a quarter measure of rice and half a measure of curd.
As he ate, he questioned Amudhan. He wanted to know who the important people in the fort were, apart from the Emperor Sundara Chozhar and his entourage.
The palaces of the Periya and Chinna Pazhuvettarayars were inside the fort and their entourages lived there as well. Since both the treasury and the granary were within the fort, the officers and accountants who looked after them lived there too. The Minister, Anirudha Brahmarayar, Sundara Chozhar’s trusted aide and the principal scribe were residents of the fort. Besides these, Chinna Pazhuvettarayar's forces, who guarded the fort, lived there with their families. Places had been allotted inside the palace to goldsmiths, silversmiths and diamond merchants. There were also hundreds of government servants whose work was to administer Periya Pazhuvettarayar's tax laws. There was a Durga temple at a corner of the fort and the priests and temple servants as well as the [25] devadasis were housed near it.
Vandiyathevan asked, “Are all the ministers inside the fort now?”
“How can all of them be there? They come and go as duty bids them. For some time now, Anirudha Brahmarayar has not been in town. The rumour is that he's gone to the Chera country. Periya Pazhuvettarayar left four days ago. They say he’s gone to the central region north of the Kollidam.”
“He may have come back. Maybe you didn’t know about it.”
“This evening I saw the Pazhuvoor Ilaya Rani's palanquin at the gates of the fort. But Pazhuvettarayar hasn’t arrived. He may have halted somewhere on the way and will arrive tomorrow.”
“Thambi! Does Prince Maduranthakar also live inside the fort?”
“Yes. His palace is next to Pazhuvettarayar's. Now that he's married Chinna Pazhuvettarayar's daughter, he’s his son-in-law, isn’t he?”
“Oho! Is that so? I didn’t know that till now.”
“Not many people know. Since the Emperor is not well, the marriage festivities were not very grand.”
“Good. Then Maduranthakar must be there now, isn’t that so?”
“Yes, he should be. Normally he doesn’t come out. People never get to see him. They say he's immersed in devotion to Siva and spends his time in prayer, meditation and yoga.”
“But he married so late in life!”
“Yes, it’s strange. People say he's changed after marriage. But how does all this concern us? It’s better not to talk about people in high places...”
Vandiyathevan wanted to glean more information from Sendhan Amudhan. But he did not want to ask too many questions and arouse his suspicions. It would be a great help to him to be friends with such a simple youngster. It was fortunate that he had found a place like this to stay. Why ruin things now? Again, the exhaustion of the long journey combined with sleeplessness made him feel drowsy. Sendhan Amudhan was quick to realise this and his mother hastily made Vandiyathevan’s bed.
The last thing that came to Vandiyathevan's mind as he sank into sleep was the Pazhuvoor Rani's face. How beautiful it was! How dazzling! When he remembered how he had caught sight of that ravishingly lovely figure, how he had felt helpless and gazed at her wide-eyed, unblinking, he suddenly thought of another experience he had had. Once, as a child, he had come across a hooded cobra while walking in the jungle. He
had found it uniquely beautiful, with an attraction all its own! He had found it impossible to drag his eyes away from its hood. Nor could he blink. The cobra kept swaying and his body swayed keeping time with its movement. He had no idea how it would have ended. A mongoose had appeared and pounced on the cobra and they had begun to fight. Seizing this opportunity, Vandiyathevan had taken to his heels.
Chi! What a comparison! How could he compare a woman of indescribable beauty to a hooded cobra? One look at her childlike, innocent face and all hunger would disappear. Would he see her the next day? The melody of her voice! She had a rare beauty. What about the woman he had seen at the josier’s house and on the banks of the Arisilar? Her face had also radiated lustre and beauty. Though both the faces were beautiful they were so dif. ferent! One had dignity and generosity, the other, beauty and magnetism. While he compared the faces of these two beautiful women, another woman intervened. That dictatorial tyrant, the goddess of sleep, took charge of him completely.
thank you... kalki's stories all are always epic...
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