Disclaimer: This work doesn't intend to hurt anyone's feelings and religious beliefs. This story is inspired from religious texts and famous folklores.
RAMAYAN
Whenever we hear the name of the greatest epic of the Indian history, a few things come i...
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The entire state of Lanka was buzzed by the sounds of drums and trumpets. The usual humid air now smelled of spices and flowers of different kind. The royal chefs cooked different kinds of meat and sweets that were probably never tasted by the people of Lanka. Everyone was showered with all kinds of precious gems, stones, gold and everything they needed. The usual barren gold floor was painted by different kind of rangolis and patterns over it. The ladies chattered and giggled while working whereas the men savored Sura while watching the apsaras dance to the tunes of the instruments buzzing the celebration hall of Lanka.
The queen of Lanka sat on a high raised balcony with her son cradled in her arms as she overlooked the entire celebration going on full swing. Lankesh, as usually sat on his throne elated at the birth of his son, his heir, his pride. The dasi filled his now empty cup with some more Sura before departing to fill her empty jug. Mandodari looked at her husband who was happier than she has ever seen him. It was as if he won over everything in life now and there is nothing more that can make him happy. This even made her ecstatic. Her life was now perfect. Her husband cared for her, for their son and was happy with his life now. There is nothing more she could ask for in life now.
She gently cradled her son who whimpered softly at the sound of loud drums. She gently covered him with her drape and pulled him closer to her chest to provide him the required warmth. Dashanan raised his right hand and on the queue, everyone stilled with their attention towards their king. He looked over at Mandodari who nodded at her husband as if understanding what he had to convey. Picking up her son carefully who was half asleep in her arms, she descended the stairs. Dashanan smiled at his wife and took his sleeping son gently in his arms who was just a size of his one palm. Everytime he held his son, he would realize how small he was but how much this little being meant to him. Turning to the court, he pointed to the brahmin sitting just adjacent to the pedestal of his throne.
"Brahmin, I want you to tell me about my son. Everything about him." He said admiring his sleeping son in his arms.
"Maharaj, your son is born in perfect stars with all the nava grahas (the nine planets) aligned in auspicious positions. Extremely brave and courageous, your son would bring valor, fame and respect to the clan of demons. His name, as you call him Meghnad will be remembered to generations to come." The brahmin announced and everyone in the hall cheered their new prince and their king. There were loud roars and claps as they heard about their prince's valor and his life.
"I always knew that my son will be even more brave and valorous than his father. I bless him to be remembered forever by the generations. He will not be known because of me but I will be known because of him." Lankesh stated with his eyes shining with pride and the croud shouted 'so be it'.
Ravan announced distribution of alms to the people of Lanka and a homa to be conducted on an auspicious day to please and thank the goddess Bhadrakali and Lord Mahakal for blessing Lanka with an heir.
The next few weeks passed in a jiffy in the state of Lanka with the entire town buzzing with celebrations and Mandodari trying to adjust to her new role as a mother.
She spent sleepless nights trying to put her crying son to sleep. Everyone in the palace ran to and fro to please their little prince so that he was at extreme comfort. Mandodari tried to learn his cries and tried to decipher when he needed sleep and when he needed milk. She learned to give him an oil massage and learned to bathe him. The new role as a mother she was suddenly thrust in was extremely exhausting but satisfying. She enjoyed every bit of it.
She learned to fulfill all her duties as a queen, wife, daughter in law and now as a mother. In all this, one thing that satisfied and relieved her was her husband who now seemed like a changed man. His temper was now always in control as if he was trying to be a better version for his son. She noticed the shine in his eyes whenever their son would babble incoherent words at his father and flap his arms towards his father as he would approach him.
Everything was perfect, the way she had wished.
It was a usual humid afternoon in t-e island of Lanka. The servants covered the large windows with hay curtains to escape the scorching heat of the day. A few of them even sprinkled water on earth to lower it's temperature.
Meghnad, now a few months old slept worry free in his cradle as one of the maid fanned him so as he can have a peaceful nap. Mandodari sat on her settee supported by cushions as she read the scrolls and ordered the servants.
"Tomorrow, make sure to distribute grains and alms to the poor. It's an auspicious day tomorrow and donating some grains would be beneficial and will remove our sins. Also, I told you to collect fresh jasmines and marigold for Maharaj's pooja. Did you do that?" She instructed each servant who nodded at their queen wordlessly. The words soon died down as a manservant announced the arrival of Lankesh. The servants scramed away not before bowing to the king. Mandodari smiled and got up from her place, greeting her husband.
Lankesh looked over at his son who was fast asleep, his chest heaving up and down rhythmically.
"Looks like our prince is tired after his daily shenanigans." He chuckled sitting on the bed. Mandodari helped his with his footwear and offered him a glass of fresh mango drink to please his parched throat and provide him some solace from the high temperature.
"Yes swami. He has started to crawl on his own now. We all have to be alert around him and always keep an eye on him." She smiled gazing at her son who turned in his sleep.
"He's a fast learner indeed. Everyone was right about him." Dashanan said gulping down the drink and laying back on the settee comfortably. Mandodari wiped the sweat beads on his forehead with the end of her drape.
"He goes after his father then." she smiled. Dashanan patted the side place beside him and on the queue, Mandodari sat beside her husband. They both sat in absolute silence as the afternoon breeze swayed the curtains.
"He's growing up too fast." Mandodari voiced out her thoughts as she looked at her son. Lankesh hummed at his wife before looking up at the ceiling.
"It's weird how I want him to grow up yet I do not want him to grow up. I want him to grow up so that I can see my brave son fighting and winning battles but if he does grow up, I'll miss carrying him in my arms and having him around me always." Dashanan for the first time voiced his ironic thoughts. Mandodari smiled at her husband and stated.
"Life is unfair arya." Dashanan hummed and replied before closing his eyes.
