Princess Of Vidharbha(Winner Mythomagical Awards Contest 2)

Chapter 10

It was night. Rukmini was sitting with the blank writing leaf. She was confused what to write. How to express her feelings the right way. How she will make Krishna understand her love is true and not just a whim that will pass away with time. She also had to ensure her modesty is not crossed beyond a point. As she sat mulling, she heard a knock at the door. Rukmini went to the door and opened it to see a maid standing with measurement tape.

"Princess, prince Rukmi has asked me to take your measurements and send to Chedi. Your wedding lehenga will be coming from your marital place. So please oblige"

Rukmini knew there was no point denying that to the maid. Rukmi will simply scold her. She warmly invited the lady and asked her to take the measurements. As she took the measurements Rukmini asked the maid

"Dear can you make two sets of this measurements. You can take one set and give another set to me."

The maid nodded and once she finished taking measurements gave one set of measurements to Rukmini. As the maid went Rukmini once again sat in front of the writing leaf. This time she knew what she had to write. She slowly started writing,

"Hey Madhav,

I am Rukmini, princess of Vidharbha. We might not have met but I have heard about you since I was a young girl. The more I heard about you, the more I wanted to meet you. The more I wanted to meet you, I was realizing I cannot live without you. Dwarakadeesh a Princess is taught from childhood she should never express her heart's desire. Her choice of life partner has to be within the rules set by her family for the welfare of royal family as well as the subjects of her state. But today Rukmini is in such a position that she finds no other way than expressing her heart's desire to you. So Keshav summoning all the courage a woman can have I am letting you know I have chosen you, my husband.

I am going to be forcefully married to King of Chedi on the next full moon day. My intuition tells my marriage with you will be beneficial for the subjects of my state also. I am sure King of Chedi cannot think about the welfare of people of Vidharbha. For compelling me to marry king of Chedi my brother has made my father also a prisoner.

So Murari if you think I am eligible to be your bride I am attaching my measurements along with this letter, do send me a wedding dress from Dwaraka. That will give me hope that you will come. I will wait for you in the wedding dress you have sent in the Girija Mandir. I am also putting the secret path through which you can enter Girija Mandir. I am concluding this letter with the faith that you will honor the choice of a woman by making me yours and also liberating my father.

Your's Rukmini

Rukmini folded the letter which included her measurements as well as the route map of secret map to Girija Mandir. The next question was how will she ensure that letter reaches Krishna. One of the maids had told her, her brother had closed all roads from Vidharbha leading to Dwaraka. So, there was no way someone could move from Vidharbha to Dwaraka or enter Vidharbha without fighting Rukmi's soldiers. Rukmini walked in her room impatiently thinking about how to send her letter to Krishna.

"Krishna did you hear Princess of Vidharbha is getting married," came in Devaki. Krishna could see an irritation in his mother's voice.

"That's a good news mother. Why are you irritated," asked Krishna?

"Krishna don't act as if you know nothing. I had told you I will send a proposal to Vidharbha. You dint want it. Now do you know the princess is imprisoned and is being forcefully married to king of Chedi. Son I am telling you, go to Vidharbha, fight like a warrior and bring her to Dwaraka. I will ensure your marriage to her happens in a grand manner."

"Mother what's the difference between me and Shishupal if I bring the princess here and you arrange our marriage. The question is not about me marrying her. The question is whom Rukmini wants. She had the right for a swayamvar and that right is being trampled. If I go and get her, she is not getting her right mother," mentioned Krishna trying to make his mother understand.

"Krishna no princess will say that she doesn't want to marry you. Do you think a princess will leave her modesty and proclaim she wants to marry you? I am your mother. I understand how women think. So, you listen to me. Go and get my daughter in law," ordered Devaki.

Krishna got up and held his mother's shoulders, "Mother women's rights are trampled in the name of modesty. If Princess of Vidharbha wants me as her husband she has to rise above the unwritten rule of modesty and express herself. I promise if I get a positive indication that Rukmini wants me as her husband, I will be bringing her to Dwaraka and nobody can stop your son from doing it. "

Devaki tried to tell something more and Krishna indicated there was only few days left for the marriage of Balram so she needs to ensure all arrangements are in place. Devaki had to agree to him and as his mother went away Krishna looked at the vast ocean on which Dwaraka stood

"Dwaraka is waiting for its Lakshmi. But soon the wait is going to be over," and as Krishna completed the sentence, he could see waves lapping up at Dwaraka as if the Sea God was happy hearing Lakshmi was soon coming to Dwaraka.

In Vidharbha finally Rukmini had found a way on how to ensure her letter reaches Krishna. She had decided she will ask her brother to call Brahmin Sananad in the pretext of wanting to pay respect to her late mother before marriage. She will ask him to get her letter to Radha in Vrindavan. It was said what was told to Radha would reach Krishna definitely. So, Radha will find a way to send her message to Krishna. A smile played on her lips as she felt assured that her plan will work.