The evening breeze blew as the trees swayed with its sync. The weather was mild and the light rays of the setting sun touched the Earth.
The evening sky was a sight to see with those patches of clouds, making it a mesmerizing view.
The Princes of Kuru Rashtra were practicing weaponry in the huge practicing ground. It says practice makes a man perfect and they loved practicing with their respective weapons. Every afternoon was reserved for the practicing session.
They were cousins, to be specific brothers but still there was an imaginary line separating the Pandavas and Kauravas, even on the practicing ground as the hundred Kauravas were on one side and the five Pandavas on the other.
They didn't seem to bother much as they were used to this since their childhood.
By their looks, the brave Demi-Gods were quite serious at the time of practice. Now the tag of being called the best warriors comes with lots of patience and practices.
"I need to take a bath immediately. Issh I am literally stinking with all the sweats." Nakul grumbled after completing their practice that longed for a prahar (3 hours).
"Don't you feel tired speaking this sentence every single day, Nakul ?!" Bheem asked wiping the sweat from his face and neck with a cloth. While Arjun snickered, Sahdev rolled his eyes and Yudhishthir had a calm amused smile on his face.
"No, why would I get tired voicing my own condition. My poor silky hair got entangled while practicing. But still I need to practice, isn't it? After all I can't compromise with my best swordsman of Aryavart tittle." Nakul said, his hands going through his silky hairs.
But soon a sound of 'Eww' slipped from Nakul's lips as his hands came in contact with the sweats. He immediately wiped his hands on a cloth. His brothers chuckled at his childish actions.
"Pranipaat Yuvraj, Pranipaat Pandava Kumar. Kalinga Rajmata has asked for your presence in the South Wing Garden." A servant spoke as they stiffened in their posture.
It's been a week since Bhanumati's Baby Shower ceremony and still the words of Kalinga Rajmata were fresh in their minds.
"Tell Rajmata that we are coming." Yudhishthir said politely as the servant bowed and left.
They looked at each other. The level of embarrassment was too high to meet the old woman.
In this one week they had unintentionally crossed paths with the elderly woman for quite a few times. She didn't speak a word to them but her teasing smile was enough for them to slip into utter embarrassment.
They forwaded their legs towards their chamber to freshen up themselves.
"Jyest, I am feeling nervous to be honest. I mean, why Rajmata suddenly summoned us? That too in the South Wing Garden." Arjun voiced out, his nervousness was clearly visible in his voice.
They were walking towards where they were asked to summon by Kalinga Rajmata.
"Just a minute, Arjun. We are being called to the South Wing Garden. That means we have to go the South Wing of the palace, where the guest chambers are present." Bheem said as the realization settled upon them.
"That means only one thing -" Sahdev was interrupted and completed by Yudhishthir.
"Panchali."
Their steps halted with the ultimate realization when they they roamed their eyes throughout their surrounding. They were standing in the South Wing Garden.
And Panchali was seated on one of the benches, with her usual scary posture.
"I-I think Mata is calling me." Nakul spoke, and tried to dash out from there but Sahdev was quick enough to catch him.
"No dear brother Mata ain't calling you so you are not allowed to flee from here." Sahdev said, holding Nakul's forearm, who was wiggling to get free.
"Exactly Nakul, you can't leave us alone. You have to stay with your soul brothers." Arjun said with extra sweetness while Bheem snickered.
"Alone? You guys are four for God's sake. And by the way you all can have a death wish, however I don't. I love my life way too much. Please leave me Sahdev, I don't want to go there. " Nakul said and then pleaded to Sahdev, wiggling in the latter's hold.
"Dekhiye Bhratashree, Rajmata awashya kuch yojana bana rhi hai. Anyatha ve kyu hume yaha bulayengi. Wo bhi uske samne." Nakul said and pointed towards where Panchali was seated.
(Look brothers, Queen Mother is definitely planning something. Or else why would she call us here. That too in front of her.)
Wearing a black three-quarter leggings and a black t-shirt, she leaned on the bench, with the laptop on her lap. Her hair was tied up in a bun with the lose locks coming out from the bun and teasing her face. Spectacles over her eyes while working on laptop was mandatory for her.
"Your drink is ready, Rajkumari." Malini said, stirring the spoon, mixing the coffee with hot water. It was black coffee.
Panchali removed her gaze from the laptop and thanked Malini who grinned in return.
She took a sip of the black coffee and kept it on the Tea Table in front of her. She put her right toe over her left knee and started working on the laptop. Yet again.
"Mujhe na bhay sa lagne laga hai Rajmata se. Kya pata kya kahegi uske samne. Mu-mujhe nhi jana. Aree Sahdev choro na. " Nakul said and then again tried to free himself but Sahdev wasn't the one to let his twin go, so he just shook his head with his extra sweet smile which clearly said 'NO WAY'.
(I have started to fear from Queen Mother. Who knows what she would say in front of her. I-I don't want to go. Aree Sahdev, leave me.)
"I am having this gut feeling that Rajmata is definitely going to say something which is going to go make her furious." Bheem said after thinking a lot.
"Wohi toh. Uske samne jana arthath sher ke muh mein sir ghusana. Aur main itna shirgra mrityu ko varan nhi karna chahta. Jyest, mujhe jane dijiye na." Nakul said first being horrified and then pleaded Yudhishthir who gave him a deadpan look.
(Exactly. Going in front of her means putting your head into a lion's mouth. And I do not want to die so soon. Eldest, please let me go.)
"Aa aa, sher nhi sherni hai wo, Nakul." Arjun reminded his dramatic brother about the mistake making Nakul dumbfound.
(Aa aa, she ain't lion but lioness, Nakul.)
"Ha ha woh toh mujhe gyat hai par apko bhi ek baat smaran dila du. Sherni zyada khoonkhaar hoti hai." Nakul said shutting Arjun's mouth as the latter seemed to realize.
(Yeah yeah, that I know but let me remind you one thing. Lionesses are more aggressive than lions.)
"What are you all doing here? Come, look there's your wife." Kalinga Rajmata's voice flinched them as they gulped when they saw her extra sweet smile, asking them to look at Panchali, who was totally oblivious of their presence.
But their nervousness faded when they spotted their mother, Kunti along with the older lady.
"Pranipaat Rajmata. Pranipaat Mata." They greeted the two elderly women joining their hands.
"Kirtimaan Bhavah." Kalinga Rajmata blessed them with the boon of getting glories.
"Ayushmaan Bhavah" Kunti blessed her sons with a long life.
"I think she is busy by the look on her face." Kunti spoke, while a light bulbed in Nakul's head.
"Yes yes Rajmata, she's busy. Let's not disturb her. Bye we'll see you later. Let's go Bhratashree." Nakul said hurriedly and was going to turn but was stopped by the old woman's voice while Kunti glanced at Nakul being too confused.
"Aree aree, kaha ja rahe ho, Putra. Mera manna hai, wo kitni bhi vyast kyu na ho, apne patiyo ke liye samay awashya hoga. Toh chalo." Kalinga Rajmata said and without waiting for any reply went ahead, towards their Sherni.
(Aree aree, where are you going, Son? I believe no matter how much she is busy, she would surely have time for her husbands. So let's go.)
Nakul gave a 'TOLD YOU' look to the other four who had a helpless look on their faces and by seeing them, his face turned into a cry look.
Kunti passed a confused 'WHAT HAPPENED' look to her sons who in return shook their heads in a nothing manner.
Malini stiffened in her posture looking ahead, at the Royals whereas Panchali was oblivious to the presence and carried on with her work with her right hand while she again took a sip of her black coffee with the help of her left hand.
"Pranipaat Kalinga Rajmata. Pranipaat Rajmata Kunti. Pranipaat Yuvraj. Pranipaat Pandava Kumar." Malini greeted the royals who nodded at her and she went away.
Panchali looked up from her laptop hearing Malini and furrowed her eyebrows at the people ahead. She again took a sip of coffee and placed it beside her on the bench, focusing on the laptop again.
No greetings!!
"So you are the Panchal Princess and Hastinapur's Crown Princess" Kalinga Rajmata stayed to Panchali, sitting on the bench beside her's one.
Kunti too sat beside the old lady while the Pandavas sat at the farthest bench from her.
Panchali frowned in displeasure at the unknown lady sitting before her, "Do I know you?"
The lady gave her an amused smile while Panchali again took a sip of her coffee while looking straight at the former's eyes.
"No, you don't. But let me introduce myself to you. I am Bhanumati's grandmother and Queen Mother of Kalinga." The lady introduced herself.
Panchali exhaled nodding, "Nice to meet you, Rajmata." She minimized the site on the laptop and closed it. Taking the coffee mug, she got up from the bench to go but Kunti stopped her.
"Where are you going, dear?" Kunti asked as she halted.
"I am busy, Rajmata. Y'all continue. " Her curt reply surprised Kalinga Rajmata as she raised her eyebrows at Panchali.
"I can't understand your busyness dear. But no matter how much you are busy, I am sure you can give some of your time to us." The old lady paused for a moment as she watched the emotionless face.
"Some of your time to your husbands. " She added cautiously watching her expression keenly.
Panchali frowned in utter displeasure while the hearts skipped its beats of the Pandavas when she sharply turned her head to them and her cold ocean blue orbs met with their warm ones.
"Hmm that's the thing. She doesn't have the time for us." Nakul said in a low voice rubbing his neck and tearing his gaze from Panchali and looking down at the grasses, gaining a 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING !' look from his brothers.
"What did you say, Nakul?" She asked in a loud voice as Nakul flinched.
"N-no, nothing-" He paused and gawked at Kalinga Rajmata, when she spoke to Panchali.
"Oh my god, you are taking your husband's name? You are referring your husband by their name? How could you? That's considered too inauspicious, Putri. Don't do that the next time. Call them either Swami or Aarya." Her horrifying dramatic voice made Panchali cringe from inside.
The five poor men visibly widened their eyes listening to Kalinga Rajmata as they looked at Panchali who had a hard expression on her face. Her hold on the things got tightened. They gulped at her sight.
"Nakul ne uchit kaha tha, Jyest. Hume yaha aana hi nhi chaiye tha." Arjun whispered to his brothers looking at slowly fuming Panchali.
(Nakul was right, Eldest. We shouldn't have come here.)
"Ha, mene kaha tha. Tab mere baat aap sab ko karwa laga. Ab bhuktiye. Uske crodh sehan karne ke liye shamta hai aap sab mein ? Antata mujhe toh baksh dete, itne kam umra mein mrityu nhi chaiye." Nakul blabbered sulking and fearing looking at the 'going to erupt' volcano.
(Yes, I told that. Then you all felt my words bitter. Now face it. Do you all have the ability to bear her anger? At least you should have spared me, I don't intend to receive death at this young age.)
"Tum abhi bhi apna soch rahe ho?" Bheem and Sahdev whisper- yelled at Nakul in unison.
(You are still thinking only about yourself ?)
"Awashya Bhrata, kisi ko toh apna sochna hi parega, na ? Aap sab ko apne pran priye nhi hai, iska yeh toh tatparya nhi ki mujhe bhi apna pran priye na ho. Aur wese bhi, mene aap sab ko bhi kaha tha, yaha nhi aane ke liye." Nakul whispered back at them but before any of them could reply him back, their attention was caught by Panchali.
Cool Panchu. Cool. Don't snap back. Don't snap. She's an old woman. She is too older than you. She repeated the line for quite a few times in her mind.
Panchali took a long deep breath and exhaled it, intending to calm her nerves at the stupid stereotypical thoughts of the old woman.
She placed the coffee mug on the tea table harshly, producing a clank sound which made the coffee spill a little, gaining the Pandavas attention. She then placed her laptop beside the mug.
Seating back on the bench, she crossed her legs, placing her right leg over the left one. Her posture screamed stoic yet dominance with her neutral expression.
Again she inhaled a deep breath and looked at Kalinga Rajmata who smiled at her showing her teeths to Panchali.
"Rajmata, let me make some things clear to you and I would just give a brief idea about my thoughts. I belong from a very modern era and a modern family. So, not taking husband's name or addressing Swami or Aa- whatever it is, just out of question. Why is it inauspicious to call husband by their name? Tell me the reason, I really can't understand these stereotypes. If that's the case, then why husbands take their wife's name in public? Ain't that inauspicious? Do you have any answers to my questions ?" Panchali's words indeed raised a question in their mind.
"These are nothing but just one of the superstitious traditions since years, which is as meaningless as any other." She added.
Yudhishthir saw a new side of Panchali which impressed him beyond the limit. She had that capability to break years old superstitious tradition of discrimination between men and women tied in a marriage.
"She has a point, Rajmata." Yudhishthir spoke and then paused when Panchali's eyes clashed with his ones.
"Marriage has many aspects and one of them is equality. Equality between man and woman which eventually takes turn into husband and wife. Suppose we take an example of a two wheels cart, if one is imbalanced then the other is bound to fall. Just like that in a marital relationship, both the husband and wife are those two wheels which needed balance and equality to go through the hardships of life." Yudhishthir spoke in a calm voice, keeping a straight eye contact with Panchali, who was taken aback hearing such open minded thoughts of her eldest husband. While the other four nodded supporting their eldest brother.
Are they really so open minded? She thought looking at them.
But a quick image of her past flashed in her mind as she tore her gaze from Yudhishthir. Her jaws tightened and her palms formed in a fist. This was noticed by her husbands who frowned at her sudden change of behaviour.
"And moreover, it is a male dominated society where the males want to control the opposite gender, which is female. They want to oppress the other half population by spreading such filthy traditions. You said a wife should refer her husband as Swami? Are you serious, Rajmata? Think from the other side...Swami also mean Master. And that's where the women are being misguided by the men, cause men want to control women as their servants and they would remain as the master who would rule over the other half population." She spat in disgusts while her words sent a chill run down their spines.
"This may feel bitter in hearing but this is the ultimate harsh truth of society, Rajmata. Since ages till eternity, this tradition has been and will be carried on. The only difference here is that women being naive accepted the oppression while in future, women have known to protest against these maltreatment. But do you have any idea how much a man can stoop low because of their stupid male ego?" She paused for a second and gulped feeling the silence around her.
"The number of rapists is going high in our society." Her words earned loud gasps.
"Yeah, but that is not the end. Domestic violences are too common almost in every household where the husbands hit their wives even when the wife try to present just her point of view. People around her wouldn't bother, rather they would say it's their matter, let them resolve themselves. Marital rapes are most common where the husband force themselves on their wife. He thinks that the woman he married is his possession, his toy which he can play with and do anything and everything. Even if that would result in her mental depression. And at last, with the only thought to get free, she would commit suicide."
"From a eight years little girl till eighty years old woman are being raped brutally and then they are murdered in order to refrain them from protesting."
Again her words shook the world of the seven people sitting before her. The most affected was her five husbands.
Kunti felt hot burning tears in her eyes as she imagined from which society her daughter-in-law belonged.
Kalinga Rajmata felt worse from within for even telling her to not call the Pandavas with their names.
"Women neither was nor will be safe in this so-called male dominated society. Cause men have their huge male ego stuffed within themselves which forbid them from seeing women getting success and independent."
"Just like in this era where women depend on men even for their everyday basic needs. Whereas in the modern century, women are independent and capable in taking their own care and do not depend on men."
"If I go on saying, then it may take an eternity." She finally stopped the words that showed the harsh realities of women.
Taking up the laptop, she got up from the bench leaving a suffocating silence behind.
Not more than three steps she took to go from there, when her steps faltered.
"And about referring to my so-called husbands as Swami, then I would just say one thing." She spoke without turning. Her back faced them while the Pandavas raised their eyes to her figure.
She turned her head to the side where her husbands were seated,as she looked at them through the corner of her eyes.
"The five people who didn't think even once before destroying my image in the society, are men whom I would never give the control remote of my life. I am an independent woman who can bear all my own responsibilities and not depend on any filth creature called men." She spat the words over their hearts.
"After all, ho toh mard hi na aur mardo ki fitrat hoti hai ki ek stree ko apne pairo ke dhul banene rakne wale." And she dashed out of the garden as the flashes from the past started disturbing her peace of mind.
Her sharp words were like sharp daggers stabbed on their hearts, squeezing it painfully like anything.
Their eyes turned to the tea table. Her left over spilled drink was all left.
Their hearts broke hearing such low thoughts of her's for them. Agony like nothing before crushed their soul.
Kalinga Rajmata got up from there and towards her alloted guest chamber as she didn't want to interfere the Pandavas.
Whereas Kunti wiped the tears that spilled from her eyes. She looked at her five sons. They were clearly broken from inside.
The mother knew her sons immensely loved their wife though they didn't realize but their hurt expression revealed it all.
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Dear Readers,
Greetings my lovelies!! Hope y'all are well.
I know it's too late for the update, but my mumma was hospitalized because of her spine injury and I was not in a state to write any chapter. But now she's stable and well.
And about the chapter, I wanted to highlight the atrocities against women. And for the fact I also know that not all men are same.
From Manipur, a viral video of two Kuki women being paraded naked with men fondling with their breasts and one of them touching her private parts, is so triggering and gut wrenching.
This is happening in our own damn country India and it's shameful that no one is taking any action.
This is the same country which came out on the streets for NIRBHAYA in 2013.
Ten years later :
The same people are numb cause apparently this generation have been brainwashed for not speaking against these things.
Ten years ago, the media covered NIRBHAYA and made the country aware of the barbarism of this inhumane case, but now the media won't speak a word against the master.
I just hope we protest against such atrocities against women.
Thanking You,
Hiya
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