LAKSHMAN PRIYA

DASHRATH'S LAST BREATH

"Devi... This incarnation will throw you into tumultuous waters. Separation will be your companion, in this life as well. And you know.... You can't skip it. You will have to make many sacrifices in return of other's happiness only..."- A voice enveloped Urmila from surreal haze, which was repeating the same sentences again and again. A sense of blurry recognition bloomed in her mind, as the voice was close to her soul and reminiscented of Lakshman. She could only see a divine aura and an invisible figure behind it.
She felt the eco of some past memories, which she had never lived in her 20 years of life. Who was it ? She strained to see the speaker's face, but only his piercing golden brown eyes were visible through the fog.

"You have to be the even in every odd... That's the purpose of this life...." - The sentence echoed again and again in her senses in the same familiar voice. As she became more and more restless, the fog thickened around her and the voice faded slowly by dragging her back to her own presence....
Urmila opened her eyes in sudden shock, as if lightnings passed through her spine. Her heart rate was heavy and forehead was sweaty as she realised that by that it was a soft haunting dream.

Her surroundings were silent, except the cold wind coming through her window. She looked out, the sun was was almost set by painting the western sky crimson red. The sudden realisation of reality struck her heart again. She remembered that her Saumitra has left for fourteen years of exile with Ram and Sita. And she lost consciousness after him vanishing from her sight... Sumitra and her maids cared her, and brought her back to Moti Bhavan. After many trials, she couldn't came back to sense. So as per the physician's suggestion, they left her in her room to rest her body and mind... And now, she was finally back to sense properly.

Her trembling feets took her towards the balcony... Entire palace had drowned in an ocean of silence. The vibrant decoration was still in the campus, corridors, halls and gates. But the soul had snatched away, all were appearing just gray and pale with unbearable weight of sorrow. Every corner was whispering tales of longing and loss. The absence of Ram, accompanied by Lakshmana and Sita, left a void that seemed insurmountable.

The air hung heavy with the collective grief of its inhabitants. Urmila's heart was heavy with the burden of separation. Even the breeze dared not stir too strongly around her, as if it was fearful of disrupting the somber ambiance that had settled over her like a heavy veil of despair. Every breath was a reminder of her husband's absence. Each moment without him felt like an eternity and her soul was yearning for his comforting presence. Yet, despite the overwhelming grief that threatened to consume her, she remained steadfast, holding back her tears as she remembered the promise she had made to her beloved. Though her eyes remained dry, her heart wept silently... crazily, carrying the weight of her unspoken longing and the burden of her unwavering commitment to honor her vow.

Her courage gave up to see the marks of everyone's dead excitement on the flowers and colourful fabrics hanging across the palace... And she returned back to her room.

Infront of the gigantic mirror, she stood with zero expression on face. As Urmila gazed into the glass, her reflection seemed to taunt her. The heavy jewels adorning her form started mocking her. The image before her questioned the purpose of her elaborated shringar, when the one she adorned herself for had embarked on a hermit's journey. Each glittering bauble felt like a cruel reminder of her Saumitra's absence. With trembling hands, she agressively washed her face again and again. Then stripped herself of the trappings of royalty, that now felt hollow and meaningless. With each piece of clothing, she shed the constraints of her former life, embracing a new identity forged in love and sacrifice.

As she removed each piece of jewelry, a sense of liberation washed over her, accompanied by a bittersweet realization of the superficiality of her former desires. In their place, she wore a simple white hermit woman's attire, a symbolic gesture of solidarity with her beloved as he embarked on his exile. In that moment, Urmila found strength in simplicity and her heart was beating with melody of the quiet resolve of her soulmate's chosen path.