The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

Over the Sarayu

Sumant suddenly stopped the chariot. It stumbled, before it ended with a halt. Ram put a hand on the ceiling, and breathed a simple sigh of relief when Sita did not fall. Sumant turned around and looked at the prince. "The citizens have decided to follow us, Rajkumar. What should we do now?" Ram looked around, blinking. The chariot ride had gotten him quite drowsy, drowsy enough that he had to rub his eyes to get his brain going again.

"Ahem-right-ah. Well..." he trailed off, and the sunset caught his eye. The yellow orb was steadily disappearing into the mountains, and Ram realized with a start that they were already many, many miles away from Ayodhya, from civilization. He also realized, with a yawn, that he had not slept last night, being too worried about Sita's well-being and his father. Ram swallowed hard and looked around.

There, the crowd was approaching. Some held walking sticks in their withered hands. Others walked with the help of their family, leaning on their husbands and brothers. Some women carried infants on their hips, and others held the hands of their young toddlers and children. Young adults carried travelling packs. But not a citizen of Ayodhya stayed behind when their prince was going into exile.

Ram looked about uncertainly. He was not about to leave Bharat a kingdom that appeared more like a ghost town. The citizens, he knew, would stay loyal to him and live on the banks of the Sarayu. But they would face hardships. Starvation. Weather such as tempests of rain without the comfort of shelter. Surely they could not build cottages for every single family here! Though he was in exile, he still cared for his people!

"Turn back, please!" Ram begged. "The forest has hardships that you won't be able to endure! Please, I encourage you to leave! Some of you have young children, infants even! You won't be able to meet their needs here in this barren and dangerous place. Turn back to Ayodhya! Comfort, safety, and warmth lies there. Do not follow me!" Everyone stared right back at him incredulously.

"No!" cried one. "Comfort, safety, and warmth we do not care about! Our kingdom is wherever you go! This forest is now our home, and will be for however long you stay here! Yuvraj, we will follow you wherever you go! Do not worry about us, our children and our infants. They will be cared for," People nodded along to this.

"Besides," another piped up. "Comfort, safety, and warmth lies wherever you go, sire. You are our beacon of hope and strength, and we have no doubt that you will continue to be so throughout our struggle and hardship in this forest. We are willing to take up anything for you! We are your subjects, and you are our rightful king! We will accept nothing else as our king, not Bharat, and not Kaikeyi as our queen!"

Ram was about to speak again, but Sita stopped him. "Raghav, don't. They won't listen," she whispered. "Let us go to sleep, for the sun has set and darkness now falls upon us. We can decide what to do later." Ram nodded along, crossing his arms and swallowing hard. Somewhere, his heart still beat guiltily for the pain his people had to go through for him, but he chose to listen to his wise wife.

"Laksh-wait. Where is he?" wondered Ram as he whirled around to speak to his brother. When he turned back, two beds of pine needles had been made on the ground as fast as lightning. Ram shook his head, and sat down. Sita did so too. Again, Ram felt a flash of guilt, and he closed his eyes tightly. "Y-you are used to silk bed sheets and plush pillows and yet you get these. Beds made of pine needles. Why did you follow me Sita?"

Sita sighed, shaking her head as he had done scarce a minute earlier. "Raghav, why do you feel such guilt? I followed you because not only is it my duty as a good wife too, but also, I love you! These beds of pine needles where I can see you are more comfortable than silk sheets where I cannot." Sita looked at him teasingly. "Besides, if you continue to ask the same thing, you imply that my father has not taught me anything, and is not a respectable man." Ram quickly shook his head and stopped speaking.