Indulekha: The Sister of The Pandavas • Mahabharat

3. Kauravas

Vidur had convinced Kunti to live in Hastinapur along with the royal family.

As they walked into the city, Kunti pointed at the palace and said, "This Hastinapur is your home," They looked at the palace in wonder, imagining the luxurious life people would have there. She continued, " Henceforth, you will be living here with your pitamaha, your tatshree, Maharaj Dhritrashtra, and your Jyesth Mata Gandhari. Serving them will be your duty. Here, you have 100 brother. Be loving and caring towards them. There will not be jiji's 101 children and my 6 kids. There will be the 107 children of the Kuru dynasty."

The six looked at their mother and nodded, accepting everything she said.

While they walked over to the gates, Gandhar Raj Shakuni was provoking Duryodhan to go against the Pandavas and treat them as his enemies. And of course, Duryodhan agreed with everything he heard.

***

Kunti and Gandhari went to the temple and the attendants led the kids to their rooms.

The kids kept staring at the huge elephants at the gate, the water fountain, the long garden, and the majestic palace.

They were about to climb the stairs when the 100 Kauravs lined up on the stairs and blocked their way. In the front, stood Duryodhan. They stared at the 6 kids with pure hatred in their eyes. And Bheem's anger was just building up.

"You are here, attendants. Be hasty, bring our footwear!"

The attendants looked at them and said, "Kyshama, Rajkumar. Mahamahim ke aayga se hum in rajkumaro ki seva mein hai."

"Who talked to you?! I was talking to six servants."

The boys, except Yudishthir, stared at them as their anger grew every second. Indu, on the other hand, rolled her eyes at them. She expected something like this to happen.

"Who makes friends with the servants are the servants themselves."

At that, the Kauravs started laughing. "Come on! Touch my feet!" Dushasan said. Yudishthir looked him in the eye and said, "Awashya," He looked at his siblings. "Nakul, Sahadev, Indu, Dushasan is older than you. Pranam karo-"

"It's not about being elder," Duryodhan interrupted him. "It's about superiority and inferiority."

"If that is what this is about, then I don't think we should touch your feet." Indu whispered, loud enough for the 100 brothers to hear. The 4 brothers laughed upon hearing that, while Yudishthir asked them to stop. "Indu, it's not right to insult your elder brothers." He said, in a stern tone.

"Listen you foolish girl, the 100 sons of Maharaj Dhritrashtra don't greet anyone, everyone greets us."

"Aap 6 bhai-behen hum 100 bhaiyo ke pair chuyenge. Abhi aur sada ke liye."

Those words did have some effects on her, reminding her of Kunti's helplessness. But they didn't faze her that much.

"Swapna dekha band kar dijiye. Itne sukhi din aapke kabhi aane nahi waale." Indu replied.

"Tum maun raho," He looked at her, hate evident in his eyes. "Girls like you have no right to speak!" "Exactly like you have no right on the throne. " She said, barely a whisper. Only loud enough for her brothers to listen. It went unnoticed by the Kauravs.

"Now, greet the sons of the king!"
"We are also the sons of the king!" Bheem said. "The king of the forest. He ruled over birds and animals." Dushasan exclaimed as they laughed.

"The coronation ceremony of Hastinapur was conducted for our father. If you have a doubt, then go and ask anyon-"

"Bheem, stop arguing." Yudishthir said.

"We will most definitely touch your feet. But I hope you know that who doesn't deserve to be greeted, becomes a sinner if he is greeted."

"Yuvraj ko pranam ka adhikar nahi hai?" He said, proudly.

"Yuvraj keval ek hota hai." Arjun replied.

"And there is only one, who is me. My all younger brothers will greet you, but before that this Yudishthir shall touch my feet."

The 6 kids looked at each other and thought the same thing, 'No way we're letting bhrata Yudishithir touch his feet.' Some telepathy happened between them as if they knew what each of them was thinking and Indu replied, "Has the coronation ceremony been conducted for you, bhrata Duryodhan? When?"

Suyodhan's eyes widened as he frowned at the girl, remembering the incident. "Was there ever conducted a coronation ceremony for him?" Bheem asked the attendant behind him who replied, "No, rajkumar. The coronation hasn't-"

"I don't require a coronation! The right to the throne is mine and that is my birth right!"

"Kumar Duryodhan," The kids turned around to see where the voice came from. They soon realised it was their pitamaha, Bhishma. "Only the presence of the clouds doesn't make the ground wet, the clouds can be easily blown away by the wind and the same is applicable to one's rights. So, intelligent people do not display their rights until the appropriate time."

He then looked at Yudishthir and said, " Yudishthir is the eldest among all of you. First of all, you must greet him."

The Pandavas smirked, knowing something similar to this could happen. The Kauravas didn't budge, showing all this 'superiority' and then touching their feet was very disgraceful for them. "It is my order," Bhishma added. While Shakuni walked over to the scene, Duryodhan's anger was increasing every second. Duryodhan looked at his elder cousin and narrowed his eyes at him. He bent down, barely even touching the brother's feet, and stood up. He left the scene as soon as possible, his walk even showing the embarrassment he felt. The Kauravas did the same and followed their elder brother back into the palace.

"Bhratashree," All the brothers looked at their younger sister. "This is just the start of everything."