We marched for miles with the masses growing behind me. The promises I made appealed to the people. For their loyalty, I am willing to put my heart and soul into fulfilling my promises to them. With hordes of common people, newly recruited soldiers comprising of male and female and the Narayani Sena behind me, I led the way to the capital.
On the way, with the money I saved from selling Meena's and my jewellery, I purchased horses and an elephant. My soldiers rode on the horses and I sat on the elephant with Meena as my mahout
We reached Neelamugan's palace where a fierce battle broke out. The people charged at the soldiers with whatever they could lay their hands on. I marched into the throne room with my sword drawn. I clashed my sword against Neelamugan's and he surrendered and accepted his defeat. I banished him from my Kingdom with the threat of immediate death should he step into my territory ever again.
I ruled the court with an iron fist, ensuring that both men and women were provided equal opportunities. However, this peace did not last for long. Neelamugan returned to harass my borders with an army. He made a pact with an enemy King and threatened to harm my people.
I would prefer to avoid a full scale war whenever I can but now, I am left with little choice. With the Narayani Sena and my soldiers, I led a war against Neelamugan. Lives were lost on both sides but the end result was my unchallenged victory. I beheaded Neelamugan and the enemy King with my own hands amidst cheers from my people. At the end of the War, the Narayani Sena returned to Krishna in Dwarka.
As five years passed by, the court was stabilized and the rebellious ones who tried to replace me, either bribed or threatened into compliance. I raised a standing army comprising of equal number of men and women. I hired Meena as my Prime Minister and lead the Kingdom with her constant wise advice and guidance. She is always cool-headed and she balanced my hotheaded nature.
In a Bazaar in Kudiramalai (Capital) of Pandya Kingdom of Sri Lanka
Arjuna observed the market with great interest. He asked for the price of a silk fabric. The man replied something in Tamil. Arjuna ran his mind over the new words he had learnt in Tamil. A familiar voice said, "He is saying that it is worth 10 gold pieces"
Arjuna turned around in joy and disbelief to see Krishna. With a mischievous smile and a peacock feather, his flute tucked in his cummerbund, Krishna greeted Arjuna.
Arjuna embraced Krishna firmly and said, "What are you doing here?"
Krishna replied enigmatically, "Fate! Fate brought me here today"
Arjuna smiled warmly, "How is everyone at home?"
"They are doing well, how about yours?" Krishna asked
"Good, good" replied Arjuna
"Now, wait here, while I bargain with the man" said Krishna. Arjuna could hear a staccato of a language unknown to him. The man seemed familiar with Krishna because the two of them conversed like old friends.
"And... Done!" said Krishna with an elaborate flourish
Arjuna got the product for five gold coins, "What magic did you do this time, Krishna?" he asked, laughing.
"Nothing, I just spoke to him in the native accent of Lankan Tamil" grinned Krishna, "Besides, I have been here before"
"How in the world do you make friends wherever you go?" asked Arjuna in surprise.
Krishna simply winked and said, "That's a secret"
A drummer announced, "Queen Alli is arriving"
Arjuna turned in the direction of the sound, "Queen Alli?"
With barely controlled laughter, knowing Arjuna's weakness for fierce beauties, Krishna said, "Yes, she is the Queen here. I hear she is quite a beauty"
A vision in parrot green and glittering jewels appeared before Arjuna. A proud and beautiful Warrior Queen seated on an elephant without a mahout, holding an elephant goad in her arm.
"She is..." Arjuna was lost for words, "Magnificent"
"Like her Palace" replied Krishna
"You have been here before? You have met her before?" asked Arjuna
"Yes" answered Krishna, with a grin
Arjuna's eyes followed the Queen as she rode majestically. Suddenly, the elephant lost control and trumpeted wildly. Arjuna considered rushing forward to save the Queen. Before he could move a muscle, with soothing words, the Queen controlled the raging elephant.
Arjuna stared, transfixed at her, overcome by awe. He glanced down and realized that the elephant panicked because someone from the mob suddenly threw a cobra in its path. With the Queen's gentle words, the elephant trampled the snake and continued walking.
Arjuna searched for the perpetrator in the crowd assembled there. "Forget it, you won't find him" said Krishna grimly, "There are still some supporters of Neelamugan who believe that he should be the rightful heir to the throne"
"Neelamugan?" Arjuna asked
"Yes, the cousin of the Queen who was chosen to be King only because he was a man" said Krishna with a scoff
Arjuna said, "When I went to Manipur, the King proudly considered Princess Chitrangada to be his heir and recognized her son as her next heir! I am shocked at the injustice this Queen had to battle to win her throne"
"Believe me, she is a brave fighter who never quit" said Krishna with a tinge of admiration
"Krishna, I wish to meet this Queen" said Arjuna
"It will not be easy to win her heart, Arjuna. She struggled so much so early in life and lost her Father and Guru at a tender age to her cousin."
"I know, Krishna but I must try. I am no quitter myself" said Arjuna determinedly
"Alright, then! Listen carefully, I have a plan" said Krishna with a mischievous smile
Arjuna looked at Krishna warily, "I remember your last plan where you made Subhadra kidnap me, so, excuse me for being a bit wary of you"
"As you should be" said Krishna with a laugh
Krishna and Arjuna disguised themselves as snake charmers and arrived outside Alli's Palace that evening. They loudly announced, "Come watch the spectacle of snake dance!" Hearing this, many people gathered around. Krishna made the snakes dance marvelously with his flute music and by tapping of feet.
Arjuna glanced up and saw that Alli was watching from the balcony above. He observed her and noted that she was laughing and applauding. After the performance ended, Alli asked for an encore and the performance resumed for another hour. At the end of the second performance, Alli asked her men to gift two sizable bags of gold and two pearl chains to the both of them.
Arjuna and Krishna thanked Alli and Arjuna requested if he could do snake charming in the Queen's Palace sometime. Alli thought for a moment and said, "Yes, tomorrow, please entertain me in my Palace!" Arjuna and Krishna thanked Alli and left the Palace area.
YOU ARE READING
Queen Alli - Beloved of Arjuna
FantasyIn the Tamil Mahabharata, Alli was one of the wives of Arjuna. She was a legendary fierce Warrior Queen of the Pandyas. Similar to Draupadi, she was not born of a human woman, Alli was born from a yajna, from a water lily. She was a capable, Amazon...
