Chapter 11 - Sudden Entry

Modern-day Kumbakonam (near Thanjavur) was called Kudhandhai in those days. It was situated between Thanjavur and Pazhaiarai, the old capital of the Cholas. It was not only famous for its temples but also for Kudandhai Jodhidar who was patronized by the members of the royal family and other noblemen. Which is why he had a huge collection of horoscopes of Princesses and Princes belonging to different clans. He took out Vanathi's horoscope from this collection and studied it intently.

After some time he looked up to see Vanathi's face then looked back a the horoscope and then looked up again…

"Jodhidaray! Are you going to say something or not?" asked Kundavai, losing her patience.

"Amma, what will I say? What do I say? I am rendered speechless. Once when I had looked at this horoscope by chance I couldn't believe it myself. But now when I look at this girl's face and her horoscope I am very much astonished," said the Jodhidar at last.

"Well if you are astonished enough, can you please tell us something?" asked Kundavai.

"Amma, this is a very lucky horoscope. If you don't misunderstand me I would like to tell you one thing. Her horoscope is more lucky and fortunate than yours. I have never in my life come across such a lucky horoscope before," he declared.

Kundavai smiled and looked at Vanathi who was looking shy, "Akka, how come this Jodhidar is calling this unlucky being the luckiest person in the world?" asked Vanathi with disbelief.

"Amma what did you say? If my predictions about you are wrong, I will leave my profession."

"No Jodhidaray! Don't do that. You are helping people a lot with your advice and skill. She does not believe because you are talking generally. Can you tell us something specific?" asked Kundavai.

"Okay. Four months ago an incident occurred which seemed inauspicious. But it is not so because she is going to get all the luck in the world only after that."

"Vanathi, what did I tell you? See?" exclaimed Kundavai.

"I think you told him all this beforehand."

"Look how she is talking Jodhidaray!"

"Let her talk amma, tomorrow when she gets married to the greatest of the kings…"

"Well said! All young girls love to hear about their marriage. Where will her groom come from? Can you tell us something about his present location?"

"Oh yes I can," he said and studied the horoscope intently.

"Amma, the groom for this princess belongs to this Kingdom. But right now he is not in this country. He has gone overseas."

Hearing this Kundavai looked at Vanathi whose face reflected the happiness of her heart.

"Who is he? Which clan will he belong to? Is there some way to know who he is?"

"Oh yes. This girl's groom will have the Sangu Chakram mark in his hands."

Kundavai looked again excitedly at Vanathi, but Vanathi was looking down.

"Then there will be a mark in her hand also," exclaimed Kundavai.

"Amma, Have you ever seen this girl's feet?"

"Jodhidaray! What are you talking? Do you want me to fall at her feet?"

"No! No! I am not saying that. What I am saying is, one day many queens, princesses, and noblewomen would consider themselves fortunate to bow down before her feet."

"Akka, this old man is making fun of me. Is this why you brought me here? Come let us leave," exclaimed Vanathi with anger.

"Why are you getting excited my girl? Let him say anything he wants."

"I am not saying anything from imagination. It is all written in her horoscope. Ask her to show the lines on her feet. If the lines of the lotus flower are not there, then I will leave this profession."

"Enough Jodhidaray! If you say even one more word about her she is going to drag me out of this house. Can you tell us something about her groom?"

"Sure why not? Her husband will be a very brave soldier. He will win a hundred battles. He will be a great king - a Chakarvarthi who will rule over many kingdoms…"

"I don't believe this! How is this possible?" exclaimed Kundavai who was looking both pleased and worried at the same time.

"Even I don't believe all this. I think he is saying all this because he thinks that you will be happy to hear it," said Vanathi.

"Amma if you don't believe me now that is fine. But one day you will believe me. Please don't forget this poor astrologer at that time."

"Akka shall we go?" asked Vanathi who was on the verge of tears.

"I have just one more thing to tell amma, the Prince who will marry this girl will have many hurdles and dangers to pass through…"

"Oh God!" exclaimed both the women.

"But he will surpass all the dangers and hurdles and attain greatness. Amma, one day just take a look at her stomach. If she doesn't have the lines of the banyan leaf I will leave this profession."

"What is so special about banyan leaf?"

"Don't you know who resides in the banyan leaf? The Great Mahavishnu himself! A child will be born to this girl - who will be the very embodiment of Mahavishnu. Unlike her husband her child will not have any danger or hurdle. Wherever he goes he will be victorious. He will conquer many lands, win many battles and he will be known as the greatest king in history…"

As the Jodhidar went on like this, Kundavai in rapt attention heard every word of his with her eyes wide open. Suddenly she heard Vanathi's faint voice.

"Akka! I am feeling faint," moaned Vanathi and fainted.

"Jodhidaray! Hurry, get me some water," said Kundavai and pulled Vanathi onto her lap. And when the Jodhidar got a jar of water she sprinkled a handful on Vanathi's face.

"Don't worry amma, everything will be alright," consoled the Jodhidar.

"No, No, I am not worried. This is nothing new. She has a habit of fainting. After some time she will wake up and ask what happened," said Kundavai.

And then lowering her voice, Kundavai asked, "Jodhidaray, I came to ask one very important thing. Everywhere people are discussing disturbing rumours. A comet is seen in the sky for the past few days. Is there a meaning behind all this? Is there any danger to the kingdom?"

"Amma, this one thing I cannot tell you. There is no horoscope for countries and kingdoms. So we cannot make any kind of prediction about all this. Maybe a soothsayer can predict events with the help of his third eye but not this poor astrologer."

"Jodhidaray! You are very clever. I know that there cannot be a horoscope for kingdoms but if you look at my father's and brother's horoscopes you can surely tell the future of this kingdom can't you?"

"I will do that leisurely on another day amma. In general, times are not good. Everybody in the royal family will have to be a bit careful."

"I am very worried about my father. I don't think his health has improved since he left Pazhaiarai."

"I told you earlier itself amma. There is a big danger to Maharaja's life and to the entire royal family. Only Durga devi will be able to avert it."

"Akka, where are we?" asked Vanathi faintly as she opened her eyes in Kundavai's lap.

"Sweetheart! You are still in earth. Your chariot to heaven hasn't arrived still. Can you get up and walk or do I have to carry you?"

Vanathi sat up immediately and asked, "Did I faint Akka?"

"No you just slept off in my lap. I even sang a lullaby for you. Didn't you hear it?"

"Don't get angry Akka! I didn't do it deliberately."

"Oh no you didn't. If the Jodhidar had told me similar predictions even I would have fainted."

"No, Akka! It is not because of that. I didn't believe his predictions anyway."

"I don't know whether you believed them or not but you scared the Jodhidar nicely. I shouldn't have brought a coward like you along with me."

"I told you earlier that I won't come. It was you who brought me here."

"It is my fault dear girl. Get up. Can you walk or shall I carry you?"

"No, I can walk."

"One second amma, I will get Durga Devi's prasadam for you," said the astrologer and started closing the olai suvadi.

"Jodhidaray! You said so many things about me. But you didn't say anything about Akka," asked Vanathi.

"Amma, I have read Illayapirathi's horoscope before. What else would you like to know?"

"Tell me about the lucky prince who is going to marry her."

"He will be a brave soldier, blessed by Brihaspati in intelligence, graced by Saraswathi in learning. He will also be as skillful as Arjuna and as handsome as Manmadan."

"When will this prince come?"

"He is coming amma. He will appear before her very soon."

Kundavai much amused by all this asked, "How will he come? On horse or chariot or else will he walk it up here or will he jump down here from the roof?"

"Akka, I can hear a horse outside."

"You will always hear all kinds of noise."

"No I am not joking. Listen carefully."

Vanathi was right. They could hear a horse neighing outside the house.

"So what? People will be riding horses in Kudandhai town. What about it?"

"No I think it is coming here."

"You will hear all sorts of strange things. Come let us go."

At the same they heard an argument outside the house.

"Is this the Jodhidar's house?"

"Yes. Who are you?"

"Is the Jodhidar there?"

"You can't go inside."

"Why not?"

"I won't let you."

"I want to see the Jodhidar."

"Come afterwards."

"I can't. I am in a hurry."

"Hey stop don't go inside!"

"Stand back. If you try to stop me I will kill you."

"Sir, Sir, Please don't go inside."

At this instant a young soldier barged into the house while the Jodhidar's pupil was trying to hold him from behind.

I am sure you would have guessed who this young soldier is. Who else could it be but our friend Vandiya Devan?

Everybody looked at Vandiya Devan and he too looked at everybody. Sorry, he looked only at one person in the house. Even that is an understatement. He saw only Kundavai's face but that too not properly. He looked at her beautiful lips, her laughing eyes, her glowing fair complexion and her flushed cheeks in parts and they registered in his mind separately.

All this happened in a split of a second. The next instant he turned towards the Jodhidar's pupil and asked, "Hey, why didn't you tell me that there were women inside the house? If you had done that then I wouldn't have barged in like this." And then he turned and walked out of the house but not before shooting another glance at Kundavai.

"My God! Looks as if a storm came and went!" exclaimed Kundavai.

"It's still not over. Listen to that," said Vanathi.

Vandiya Devan and the Jodhidar's pupil were still arguing outside the house.

"Jodhidaray! Who is he?" asked Kundavai.

"I don't know amma, seems like he has come from some other place."

Kundavai thought about something and burst out laughing.

"Why are you laughing Akka?"

"You are asking me why? Just a short while ago we were talking about when and how my groom will come? That's why I am laughing," said Kundavai and laughed. Vanathi joined in the laughter with her.

The Jodhidar gave them both kungumum and the prasadam with a thoughtful look on his face. After taking the kungumum both the ladies took leave of the astrologer and came out of the hut. The Jodhidar too came out along with them.

Outside Vandiya Devan was standing. When they came out, he apologized, "I am sorry. I didn't know there were women inside otherwise I wouldn't have barged in."

Kundavai looked at him mischievously but didn't say a word. She took Vanathi's hand in hers and walked upto the chariot that was waiting for them.

Incensed by her lack of attention towards him Vandiya Devan declared loudly, "The women in Kudandhai don't seem to have any manners. They don't even have the courtesy to answer somebody who is talking to them."

After the women got into the chariot the charioteer steered it towards the road. Vandiya Devan stood watching it until the chariot disappeared.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glossary

Sangu Chakram - Literally, a shell and a conch. The symbol of Vishnu
Brihaspati - The teacher of the Gods in the Hindu pantheon
Saraswathi -The Hindu Goddess of learning
Arjuna - In the epic Mahabaratham, one of the Pandavas and a great archer
Manmadan - The Hindu god of love
kungumum - Vermilion
prasadam - Food offered to God which is later distributed among devotees