The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

The Not-Coronation

  "YAYAYAYAYAYAY!" Ram jumped as his overexcited brother jumped him from behind. "I cannot believe it bhaiyya, I really cannot, but you are about to be coronated! Isn't that just-amazing?" Ram scarcely had the time to nod before Lakshman began to run all around the room, turning into a moving blur. "Why aren't you celebrating? You should be celebrating! You're going to be crowned in a few minutes!"

Ram laughed. He had never seen Lakshman so childish before. He had not acted like this even when he was a toddler. With a pang, Ram realized that if leaving Gurukul, turning eighteen, or marrying, or seeing his brothers marry was not a symbol of growing up, and becoming an adult, then being crowned king was. Ram's lips thinned, and he stared at himself in the mirror as if seeing himself in a brand new light.

Lakshman didn't care about acting ridiculous, or anything really. He didn't care if anyone could see him. He didn't care if he appeared like Shatrughan. All he could think of was how Ram bhaiyya would look on the king's throne, and even that attracted a smile to his face, something that split it apart almost as if into two.

Flashback

"Oh Laksh, what has gotten into you today?" asked Sumitra jokingly as she worked on folding some clothes Dasharath had left behind in his frenzy to go to the Sorrow Room a few minutes before. She turned around, and was met with her son's incredulous face, eyes completely round, jaw dropped, hands in mid-air as if he could not believe his very ears. Sumitra raised an eyebrow cynically.

"What has gotten into me? WHAT HAS GOTTEN INTO ME?! It's my brother's coronation! It's the happiest day of my life! I cannot believe you asked that question, Maa, you must be excited too!" Lakshman exclaimed, and Sumitra pretended to be offended, gasping, and clasping a hand to her chest in alarm as she looked back at her son's face.

"So your marriage with Urmila, your sacred union, was not the best day of your life. Not your birth! Not even your mother's birthday?! I cannot believe it, really truly, I would never believe it!" Maharani Sumitra exclaimed as Lakshman squirmed under her intense gaze, folding his hands together tightly.

"Maaaaaa...." he trailed off whiny, before he frowned. "What on Earth are you wearing? I have seen you in that sari loads of times, Maa. Wear something else, please. Something grander. Something more worthy of the coronation. Ram bhaiyya would like to see you in it, Papa would, and I would too!" Sumitra turned around sadly.

"Since when were you so concerned about clothing, hanh! I have no other saris, Lakshman, and I cannot order any at this time. Sadly, everyone will have to settle for Sumitra in this old, many times seen dress." Lakshman paused, putting a finger to his chin, before he too slumped, hugging his mother from behind.

"Aww, Maa. I'm sorry, oh don't cry! Please don't cry. You know I can't stand to see you cry-" he was cut off by a loud marching, and then Urmila stomped in.

"You're telling me that my mother-in-law is wearing THAT?! Absolutely not, this fashionista won't stand for it!" She tossed Sumitra a brand spanking new sari. "That's what I'm talking about! Mila to the rescueeeee!"

Present

Ram stared amusedly at his brother's blank eyes and pale face. He was probably having one of his flashbacks. "You ask me why I am not getting ready, Lakshman, for my coronation, forgetting that you are supposed to be helping me get ready." Lakshman sat up, and beamed excitedly at his brother, grabbing a chest of jewelry and clothing.

-----O----

"You know bhaiyya," began Lakshman as he clasped an armlet around his brother's arm. "I wonder what Bharat and Shatrughan must be thinking and feeling over there. I wonder if they know that your coronation is happening today. I hope they don't feel left out." He pouted. "I wish Bharat and Shatrughan were here, don't you?" Ram nodded at the statement, looking far off as Lakshman put one of his sapphire earrings on him.