Chapter 10 - Kudandhai Jodhidar

When you see the Ponni River flowing through the Chola Kingdom you are tempted to describe her thus -

Born in Kudaga Nadu, when Ponni attained age, she wanted to meet her bridegroom, Samudrarajan. In her desire to meet him, she ran wildly through the forests and plains. As she neared him, her desire for him grew and there sprang from her two arms racing to reach out to him. As her desire intensified, she developed more arms, each racing to reach out first to her lover.

Do you want to know how our bride was bedecked to meet her groom? The women of the Chola Kingdom beautified her with fertile green sarees and lovely flowers.

"Hey River Ponni! Is there a young woman in our kingdom who has not been elated by your presence? Could there be anyone in this world who is not enamoured by your beauty?"

Did you know that one of the arms of the Ponni is called Arisalaru? But not many people know that there is a river flowing there at all because of the thick groove of trees that grow on the banks. Some compare Arisalaru to a princess who is too shy to leave the anthapuram. But no one can compare her beauty with anything in this world.

Now let us go and meet this shy beautiful princess who is hiding behind the trees. But what do you think we see there? A beautifully crafted boat in the shape of a swan and who do you think was on it? Heavenly apsaras! And there is nothing in the world with which we can compare their beauty as well.

Among these apsaras there was one woman who stood out. She looked like a queen who was born to rule the three worlds. Beside her was another woman who was playing a veena and singing along with it. They both were exceptionally beautiful women.

After the boat reached the bank, both the women got down. Though they both were very beautiful there was a difference in their beauty. Dignity and intelligence shone in the face of the first woman while goodness was marked in the second. The first had the complexion of a lotus flower while the second had that of a full moon. We could go on with comparisons of their beauty but we are running out of time because both of them are headed somewhere.

Without any further ado let me introduce them to you. The first woman is King Sundara Chola's daughter, Princess Kundavai, the sister of Prince Arulmozhivarman later to be known as King Rajaraja Chola. Her intelligence and goodness inspired so much respect among the people that they called her Ilayapirathi. Later in history we will also know her as a woman who brought up Rajarajan's son, King Rajendra Chola, and inspired him to achieve greatness.

The other woman is Princess Kundavai's companion and close friend belonging to the clan of Kodumbalur. Only one thing can be predicted about her. She was going to be the luckiest woman in the history of Tamil Nadu.

Princess Kundavai told the other women in the boat, "All of you stay here, we will be back in an hour."

All the other women in the boat were not mere companions of the princess. They were all daughters of different petty kings who ruled under Sundara Chola. They were sent to live with Princess Kundavai as her companions. And when Princess Kundavai took only the Kodumbalur Princess along with her, they felt jealous and disappointed.

Both the princesses walked towards the road. A royal chariot waiting for them there.

"Vanathi, get into the chariot," Kundavai told her, and got into the chariot after her. After they sat down, the chariot started moving.

"Akka, where are we going? Will you tell me?" asked Vanathi.

"Why won't I tell you? We are going to Kudandhai Jodhidar's house."

"Why are we going to the Jodhidar's house?"

"Why else would I go there? It is for you, my dear. You have been looking so depressed of late and you have become so thin and emaciated because you are not eating properly. I am going to ask the astrologer when your health will improve."

"Akka, please let's go back. There is nothing wrong with me. Let's not go there to ask about me."
"Fine! We will not ask about you. We will go there and ask about me. Satisfied?"

"What do you want to know from the astrologer, akka?"

"Will I get married? Or will I have to stay single all my life?"

"Akka, what is the use of asking the astrologer this question? You will have to ask yourself. You just have to indicate your consent and princes from all over the world will come forward to marry you."

"You may be right Vanathi, but there is a problem. If I get married to a prince he will want to take me to his country. But I don't want to leave the Chola Kingdom. I have taken a vow that I will never leave my kingdom."

"That is not a big hurdle. You just have to tell the lucky prince who marries you to stay back here with you - that's all."

"I will be just inviting more trouble. You don't realise the problems that can crop up because of that."

"But you will have to get married one day or the other."

"Who says so? Look at Avvayar. Did she get married?"

"Avvayar became an old woman because God granted her wish. But you are not like her."

"Well, if at all I have to get married, I will marry a poor soldier who won't take me away from this Chola Kingdom."

"Akka, then in that case you will never leave this place."

"No, even if you call me to heaven I will not leave this place and come with you."

"Today my heart is at peace again."

"Why?"

"I was thinking if you get married and leave our kingdom then I would have go along with you because I cannot live without you. At the same time, even I don't want to leave this beautiful Chola Kingdom."

"But if you get married you will have to leave."

"I am not getting married, Akka."

"Fine! What happened to all that preaching you gave me just now."

"I am not like you, so it does not apply to me."

"My dear, don't try to fool me. You think I was born yesterday. I know that you don't have any special love for the Chola Kingdom because the real Chola Kingdom that you are in love with has gone to Sri Lanka to fight. You think I don't know your secret?"

"Akka, do you think I am that foolish? He is like the rising sun and I am like the mist which will disappear when the sun's rays fall on it. How can the mist desire the love of the sun?"

"Why not? Haven't you seen the mist covering the sun in the morning?"

Hearing this, Vanathi suddenly became enthusiastic, "So you really think that the mist can attain the sun's affection?" But again her happiness evaporated. "The mist wishes to have the sun but what does the sun do - it burns so fiercely that the mist disappears."

"That is wrong, Vanathi. Knowing the mist's desire the sun absorbs her within itself. The sun is so possessive about the mist that it does not want anybody to look at her in the daylight. And when night comes, it lets the mist out."

"Akka, you are saying all this just to cheer me up."

"So now at last you accept that you are depressed. Just now you were saying that you were not. That's why we are going to see the Kudandhai Jodhidar."

"If I am depressed, how will he know the reason?" sighed Vanathi.

The Kudandhai Jodhidar's house was located at the outskirts of the Kudandhai town and could be approached without entering the town. When the chariot reached the astrologer's house, they found him and his pupil waiting outside to welcome them.

"My lady, welcome, welcome! I am most fortunate indeed that you have graced my poor house with your presence. Please come inside."

"Jodhidaray! Do you expect anybody to come here at this time?"

"No Amma, nowadays not many people come in search of me. People go to an astrologer only when there are problems or troubles in their life. But in the Chola Kingdom, thanks to our King Sundara Chola, there are no problems or troubles affecting our people. Everybody is living happily and prosperously. Then why should they come to astrologers like me?"

"So you mean to say that I have some problem in my life which is why I have come to see you?"

"No Ammani, you have come here to solve my problem. When people don't have problems, the astrologer has nothing to do. He has no clients, and so no money - that's why you have come here. Please come inside Devi," answered the astrologer cleverly.

Kundavai and Vanathi went inside the astrologer's thatched house. The astrologer told his pupil, "You stay here and keep watch. If by any chance somebody comes, don't let them inside."

Both the princesses went inside the astrologer's puja room and sat in the seats that were kept ready for them. The astrologer sat in his seat in front of them.

"Ammani, please tell me the reason for your visit."

"Jodhidaray, please find that out with your astrology itself."

"Ok," said the astrologer and closed his eyes and chanted a mantra. After some time he opened his eyes and said, "You have come here to learn the future of this young girl. That's what Devi Parasakthi tells me."

"Fantastic! Your powers are great indeed. Yes Jodhidaray, that was the purpose of my visit.

A year ago she came to live with me in Pazhairai. Then she was very cheerful and happy. For the past four months I don't know what has happened to her, she is very depressed. She says that her health is fine but I am not happy to see her like this. Her uncle has appointed me her guardian. What shall I say if he asks me what has happened to her…"

"Ammani, this is Kodumbalur Ilaya Velar's daughter. Her name is Vanathi, isn't that so?"

"Yes. How do you know all this?"

"I even have the horoscope of this princess with me in my collection. Please wait," he said. Then he opened a box near him and rummaged in it, and took out a suvadi.

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Glossary

Kudaga Nadu - Old name for Coorg
Samudrarajan - The Ocean
Arisalaru - A tributary of River Cauvery
Kodumbalur - A warrior clan in Old Tamil NaduVanathi - Princess Kundavai's close companion and friend, belonging to the Kodumbalur clan
Akka - Elder sister in Tamil
Kudandhai - Present-day Kumbakonam
Jodhidar - Astrologer in Tamil
Avvayar - A great Tamil saint and poet
Devi - A term used for a woman of noble birthAmmani - A term used to refer to a lady Kodumbalur Ilaya Velar - Vanathi's father and a great warrior
Suvadi - A palm leaf manuscript