Nandini

Chapter 45- Ghosts

How do these dancers wear so much jewellery? She slowly massaged her neck. Since Ravidasan took her jewellery away, she borrowed a few pieces from other ladies. She looked more like a devaradiyar than a queen with all jewellery. Don't people think that she married Pazhuvettaraiyar for his wealth? Disappointing people feels so terrible. She disappointed her poor brother, sister, parents and Karikalar. At least let the gossipmongers rejoice!

Nandini got out from the palanquin and walked to the temple with determined steps. No wonder Kundavai cobra struts around with so much confidence and self-importance. When you feel that entitlement, you will start thinking that the whole world is under your foot. Ha!

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Yakshi looked scared like she saw a ghost. Is this yakshi still scared of her even after her nephew got the crown and she was relegated to Pazhuvettaraiyar's anthapuram?

"Thaaye, please bless me", she almost lied down on the floor.

"Nandi . . . Ilaya Rani, please get up. I hope your stay in Pazhayarai was comfortable".

My stay was comfortable till you destroyed my life. "It was most comfortable, Piratti. But I am saddened by the illness of the Emperor. I have been doing poojas and offerings for him".

Sorrow clouded her wrinkled face. She sent her servants away and gazed down. "See child, I didn't expect it  . . . ".

"I apologise for my youthful follies. If you haven't corrected me, I might have destroyed everything. It felt unpleasant then. But now I realise all was for good".

That too failed to brighten Moodevi's unpleasant face. She just sighed wearily.

"Let me take leave, devi. We will catch up with each other when you come to Tanjai'.

"Oh, I am not coming to Tanjai. Only the main household of the Emperor is shifting to there."

Time to looked shocked. Nandini bulged her eyes a little and gasped. Oh! "Is this why those sinners have been saying unmentionable things?"

"What unmentionable things?"

"How will I say it, Piratti?"

"Just say it and be done with it". Hi! Hi! Her patience is running thin. 

"Piratti, some sinners were saying that you are unhappy with the emperor rejecting Maduranthakar and crowning Karikalar. I gave them an earful. Aha! Don't I know that you never cared for authority and will go to any extent to ensure that Tirupuvana Chakravarty's son will get the throne?"

Sembiyan Madevi raised her eyes to the skies and her lips quivered. "My Lord! Why am I still alive to hear all these accusations? Please join me to your infinite feet".

Nandini was dying to say more. People think that Sembiyan Madevi is kicking out Sundara Cholan, citing his disease as an excuse. Maduranthakan is rumoured to rule as the de-facto ruler by staying in Pazhayarai while Karikalan fights in the North. But her plans will be obvious then. No one actually believes that Maduranthakan can run a household, let alone an empire. Let her come to her own conclusions and decide that letting Maduranthakan marry Ammu and stay in Tanjai will be better. She can continue acting as a saint like that.

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Tanjai

How will aapathudaivikal react when they know that their 'agent' who have infiltrated the royal family is now a matchmaker? Will they react violently? What are they even doing? It is apparent that Ravidasan is keeping an eye on her. He hasn't contacted her after that day. Could he have understood that she was planning to betray him? No, she just considered it.

Hi hi hi, you tricky girl. This is why I liked you.

Nandini felt like someone poured cold water into her ears. Who is that? Is that Ravidasan? Since Tarakeshwai Devi dismissed her servants and Pazhuvettaraiyars are busy with the Emperor's shifting, she was alone in her quarters.

Nandini . . . Nandini. . . En Nandini . . .

Smell of wood smoke filled her nose. No, not just wood smoke. She felt cold air surging through her trembling body, but her heart burned like someone set fire to it.

The smell of human body burning.

A pyre made of weeds and grass instead of the customary pyre of sandalwood, ghee and camphor.

A headless body burning slowly in it.

I am here.

She looked up. The head of Veera Pandyan smiled at her. Her scream was caught up in her throat. Blood and smoke that flowed from the seperated throat of Veera Pandyan filled the room.

My love, you look so sad and tired. Ummm . . . Haven't you been betraying me, YOU DEMON? Weren't you planning to betray my Ravidasan and capture my aapathudaivikal? Ha ha ha. No one can escape the wrath of Veera Pandyan.

"King, that was a mistake. My mistake! My mistake! I will fulfill my oath".

You will, WON'T YOU?

"Yes, yes, yes"

The head smiled.

I will make you sit on the throne with me. But for now, come, sit on my left thigh.

"But you don't have any thigh, left or right".

Traitor! You are the reason why I don't have thighs. I will take your thighs from you. Aiyyo! I don't have any hands either. TRAITOR! Traitor! Traitor!

Then the head disappeared. What was that! When a headless body tried to kidnap her, she was asleep and it was a nightmare. Now she is awake and it felt too real. Wasn't that Veera Pandyan himself? Why does he appear seperately, as head and body? Why not together? Isn't soul indestructible?

Nainam chindanti shastrani nainam dahati pavaka

Na cainam kledayantyapo na soṣayati marutaḥ

(Weapons cannot cut it nor can fire burn it; water cannot wet it nor can wind dry it)

Maybe Veera Pandyan's head and body are seperated forever because he wasn't a Vaishnavite. Does he appear like this to Ravidasan too? Didn't he say that she looks like another woman? That could have been Veera Pandyan's wife or lover. Why can't he go to her and bother her? The people she love are forever seperated from her in this birth and these old creeps won't spare her even when they are dead.

Author's Notes: Nandini and Karikalan are absolutely nuts at this point. Karikalan sees Nandini in his dreams, sometimes as a pleasant lover, sometimes as a violent murderer or a mad woman. Nandini sees Veera Pandyan bothering her like he bothered at her hut and torturing her about her oath.

Also it should be noted that the approach she takes with Veera Pandyan's head and Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar are the same. She tells Pazhu that there are other women in his anthapuram and Veera Pandyan that there are many beauties in heaven and they can enjoy with those women.