Bhumija

CHAPTER 1

In Mithila, Janakpur...

"Sunayana, we have not got a child even after such a long time. What do we do? Recently, I had visited a sage. He told me to give up my kingship and become a hermit. After that he told me to perform a yajna to get a child."

"No arya. What will the people of Mithila do without you? Have you ever thought of it? For our sake we can't abandon our own kingdom."

"It's not like that Sunayana. And who told that we are abandoning our kingdom? As you said, after me anyways this kingdom won't have a king. What will do do at that time? So only I'm saying dear, listen to me. Once we perform a Yajna, we will at least have a child, no matter whether it is a boy or a girl. After that we will think about our kingdom. Now you take care of the house, I'll go and dig our plot of land to perform the yajna."

"Oh god! This plot is so hard to dig. I must have asked someone's help..."

"I am able to hear a baby crying. Where must it be comming from?"

Suddenly his axe hit to something.

"What is this? It can't be a stone. There is something underneath. I must dig it with my hands and find out what it is.

What he saw almost shocked him. It was a golden basket and the sound of cry seemed to be coming out of it. He opened the basket.

" oh my god! Such a pitiful sight! How can this be possible? Oh god! You have finally answered my wife's and my prayer. I surely believe it to be my luck and the fruit to my prayers. I am indeed thankful to you god. First I should show this to my wife. She would be more happy than anyone else! But where did the golden basket disappear? It was right here. Now what do I tell the people about this child. The golden basket was a nice evidence...hmmm.... It's alright now. Let me first surprise my wife!!! "

"Sunayanaaaaa.... She what I have found in our plot just now. Now we can happily continue our kingdom."

"Oh ho! What is it that you have found arya? How can it save our kingdom and...."

"Wow arya. I cannot believe my eyes. Who is this? How did you get her? What if anybody sees?..."

"Cool down Sunayana! As I told you...when I was digging, my axe hit on to something. When I dug further to see what it was, I found a golden basket and inside that basket I found her. We have indeed received a very pure gift for God dear."

"But arya..where is the golden basket that you were talking about? Have you bought it or you-"

"Ohhh yeah! I forgot to say you. Actually after I took her out of the basket, the basket disappeared. I almost searched the whole field. But I could not find it.... This proves that she is the daughter of our Bhumi Devi, our mother earth."

"Yes, your correct. She is Bhumi Devi's daughter. Truly we are very fortunate to have her as our daughter...
As she is our only daughter, you can't even imagine how beautifully I'll look after-"

"Hmmm...that's all fine, by the way, have you thought of any name for our daughter? "

"How would I forget such a thing dear? I already have a name in my mind...since she is born from the earth, we will name her Sita, what do you say about this Sunayana?"

"Wow arya, you have come up with such a lovely name! I just can't believe it. I think.... You are indeed becoming wiser as you grow old!"

"What do you mean by that, you are teasing me about my age or what?"

"Common arya, why would I ever do that. It was just a joke!"

"You think I do not know that my dear? Now come let's play with our cute daughter..."

Both of them spent happy moments with their beautiful daughter, Sita.