TRUTH

MOTHER

(Note : Whatever laws or cultures are mentioned here are written for the sake of the story-line. Whatever similarity it has or does not have with reality, is completely coincidental)

(Early morning)

 Standing in front of mata Ganga , a gorgeous man is offering his prayers, hands folded, eyes closed, face is turned towards the sun. Warm sun rays glinting on his broad shoulders and thick curly hairs appear as if blessing him with vigor. At a distance, Suyo stood observing his mitr completing  Surya pujan.

'Truly a magnificent sight' he thinks in his mind 'his brother really has the aristocratic look about him.God knows why it never become so obvious to him before.'

- Karn, I want....

- Do not ask me to marry you. Anything else, name it and it is yours.

- WHAT! people ask you that ?

- Not really. When I took the vow of never refusing daan after suryapujan, the first thing your sister has done is to come and ask  me to vow that I can never offer marriage during daan .

- would you have really followed through such wishes if people ask ? can you not say no?

- more like I would not.

-That sounds like a bad idea. Someone could exploit that.

- I trust my praja. Anga is not like other kingdom and you know that my friend.

Arun has been impatiently tapping his feet waiting for his maharaj to be done. Whatever has been eating at him, must be urgent. Arun is Karn's his right hand. Most of the important and grave news come from him to Mitr's ears. Others also prefer  to bring any news with chances of outbursts from King by his loyal and trusted person.

Karn moves like a wind and Suyodhan follows him back.

.............................................................................................................................................................

( Women's Wing, Anga Castle)

- Have you gone crazy? 

Karna storms inside . Seeing his mitra making haste, thoughts of danger came into Suyo's mind and he totally overlooked the significance of the place he just entered into. Last time he did that , he ended up with a bitter truth. Though Vrushali di is lenient in such regards, he has never done so before without asking permission. He chose to stand awkwardly at a corner.

-I would say I am of present mind until you have decided to barge in rudely to interrupt my new-born.

Queen Vrushali was sitting in her palank surrounded by Vibha and Suva, her best friends who also later on  chose to become her trusted hand-maidens. She stood up carefully and they gave way to her which revealed the situation  or better to say the current predicament. Vrushali di is holding a baby in her arms. It seems from the state of the room she has been feeding her or him. Wait ! Newborn!!!

- Yes; that is what we have to talk about . Did you just  tell our minister to put up your three weeks old son's name in the kingdom's birth-registry?

Queen hands over the baby to Suva and saunters over to her husband.

- So I did. Is not what he does ? It is required for every citizen of  Anga.

- yes and you also claimed you gave birth to him at my home.

Suyo knows Vrushali di does not stay at palace . Most of the time she stays at her in-laws to take care of them in mitra's absence. 

- because that is where I was three weeks ago.

- Vrushu, nobody was aware about their queen's pregnancy.

- So? last time I came Anga was over five months ago. It is not like one could disclaim my words.

- No, but  they can remember I was on a quest faraway for more than a year and only reached Hastinapur two months ago . Do you even consider what they will say?

- please do enlighten me husband. 

says Vrushali di with a smirk.

- Vrushu , what you said already has caused a uproar. Speculations are running.....

-That Queen must have taken another lover. 

- Wow! you cannot see the problem with the sentence?

- Vasu! have you forgotten we are not Khastriya. Suta women are not bound by laws of fidelity to their husband after they beget first children. They are free to take lovers if their husband remain away. 

- I do remember my suta customs  Vrushu but I cannot accept what you are risking for a stranger.  It might not bother you but the vile words ,  the cruelty is unbearable for your husband.

- Suta women are also free to leave their husband any time after the first kid if you would care to recall. I am not above asking permission to my king to leave my husband and start anew with my new-born .

- You would leave me for this !

- IF MY husband is unable to take the pressure from society, then yes.

Vrisha moves closer to his wife and murmurs-

No matter how many you save , it will never bring our Sudaman back ..... do not assume  every abandoned child you come across is God's way of returning him to us .

And Vrushali's body becomes rigid. Her delicate but hard- working hands close into tight fists with nails digging into her palm to the point of bleeding.

-