Cobra and her little minions were hoping to have a good time at Tanjai and were even more excited about Maduranthaka sithappa's wedding. All these royals are united when it comes to their business. Since the King is ill, the ceremony was conducted in a very simple manner. Ammu and Maduranthakar too prefered a small scale wedding. Nandini didn't bother Kundavai because she didn't want to give the arrogant girl any reason to oppose the wedding.
And girl! She really took advantage of that. Cobra even exclaimed that the floral garlands at the wedding don't look as good as the garlands had seen in her childhood. What can we do? Expert floral garland makers have stopped making garlands! Wretched girl, why didn't you give me some poision instead of gold and silk? She felt like they are mocking her, her love and even the relationship with Pandyas when they all sang songs in the wedding.
Aadinar oonjal sarvesar
Padinaar Naradar, Veenai vilasar
Kodi bhaskara prakasa,
Kondaduvar ulle nindru aadum eesar
Dasargal-k-lesa vinasar
Thadathagai thannai thazhuva ullasar
Poorvathil Kanchana malai,
Poorna thapsugal seidhathinaaley
Raja kumarani ppole
Rathinam izhaitha peedathin meley
Kalyana kolangal kondu
Kadai kannal adikkadi deviyai-k-kandu
Arpudha aabharanangal poond,
Aalasya puri rajan vasalil nindru
Peethambarangal tharithu
Pinne veniyil sugantham mudinthu
Mandahasamay sirithu
Madurai Meenakshi priyalai ninaithu
(Please swing in the swing,
God of all, sang Narada,
Who is an expert in playing Veena.
He who shines like billions of Suns,
He who dances in the mind of his devotees
He who destroys troubles of his devotees,
Because Kanchanamala did,
Great penance in early days
Like a princess, Sitting on a gem studded plank
Having dressed up for marriage,
He sees again and again the Goddess
He is wearing wonderful ornaments,
And stood in front of the king of Madurai
He was wearing yellow silk,
And had decorated his tuft with scented flowers
He was smiling very softly,
Thinking about his darling Madurai Meenakshi)
Now that the wedding is over, Nandini too can have some fun.
It will be some time before the Ammu, Maduranthakan and the Moodevi return. People who thought that Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyar is an overwhelming father shut up when they saw Sembiyan Madevi. She even accompanied the newly wed couple to 'visit Siva temples'! Hasn't this woman visited every temple in this country a hundred times?
°---------------°
"My dear daughters, are all these right?"
Kundavai and her gang who were playing musical instruments like veena, yazh and mridangam were perplexed by Nandini's condescending attitude. The girls who were dancing about Nalan and Damayanti stopped their performance and stood around awkwardly.
"What is wrong?", Kundavai challenged her.
"When our Thirupuvana Chakravarty is inconvenienced like this, is it right that you all are enjoying?
Nandini's voice quivered when she talked about the Emperor. It was with great difficulty that Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar informed her that she is forbidden from being in the presence of the Emperor. Emperor didn't like his Finance Minister's latest marriage, it seems! If it is so, why didn't he banish Periyavar too? "Why can't these old men understand the intensity of love?", Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar roared. Well, it was a boon in disguise because Nandini got a new reason to observe penance for.
The girls who didn't know about this hanged their heads in shame. When a stranger like Ilaya Rani is bothered this much, how can the friends of the Emperor's dear daughter behave like this? They knew that Ilaya Rani has organised several poojas for the Emperor with a very powerful sorcerer. Have they lost all sense of properiety?
"Come on, come, let us pray", Nandini beckoned everyone from the spacious garden and led them to a small room. They must be feeling hot and uncomfortable. "Vasuki, light the lamps", she ordered. Veera Pandyan's head laughed from the corner of the ceiling. She silently requested him to hide somewhere. He peeked at her from behind a statue.
"Ilaya Piratti, I am fasting today. Is there anyone else who is fasting?", Nandini gazed into their eyes. They all looked even more embarassed. "What a surprise! We too were planning to fast, weren't we?", Kundavai asked the girls. "Yes, yes", they nodded with hesitation. Nandini felt pity for the girls who were dancing like their life depended on it. She will ask other girls to break the fast after a few hours and starve only the Cobra.
°-------------°
"Oh god! That Ilaya Rani is coming", she saw the monsters panicking. How nice! If Sembiyan Moodevi was here, it would have been even more funny. But Periya Piratti can overpower and even insult her. So, it's good that she isn't here.
"My darling beauties, are you all praying for the Emperor?", Pazhavoor Ilaya Rani enquired with a charming smile. They all nodded awkwardly.
"Nice, nice. But as your older sister, I can't let you waste your young lives on prayers for others even if that's our Emperor. May he rule gloriously forever", she folded her palms and closed eyes briefly. The girls were even more confused. This isn't what she told them last day.
"I see that Ilaya Piratti has been training you fantastically. Kundavai deserves all credit for it", she hugged Kundavai. Only if she could hug this demon like Dhritarashtrar embraced the iron statue *. "But I think you all are woefully undertrained in some disciplines, like cooking and housekeeping".
Cooking and housekeeping? Why should they bother about all this when they have maids?
"Don't misunderstand our Ilaya Rani, girls. She is just easing into the customs of the royal households. That's why she is confused."
"Ohhh, Ilaya Piratti is so funny. The duties of girls and wives are different, children. Doesn't Lakshmi press the feet of Perumal? Who cooks for everyone at Kailasam? Doesn't our venerable Emperess Vanamadevi look after our paralysed Emperor like a baby? Our birth and status shouldn't stop us from serving our husbands".
"Yes, Rani", the girls had to agree.
"Well, those who are old enough to become wives but only roam with little girls might have some confusions. But don't worry, this Nandini Devi is here to guide you".
She led them into the makeshift kitchen she made Vasuki and Thirumati assemble outside the main kitchen. No one will be able to eat lunch if she lets these lazy inexperienced girls cook in the real kitchen.
"Princesses, handle this kizhangu (tubers) mindfully. First of all, they grow underground. So they have to be cleaned thoroughly. We should be very careful while cleaning them because they can cause itching and discomfort on our hands. After all this, what happens if we don't cook it properly? They will cause stinging and irritation, but inside the bodies. So be very careful".
Nandini took a yam and split it into two pieces with a single strike. Did it scare those girls? Ey, it can't be.
She offered to teach them more cooking and housekeeping activities on the coming days. The girls started into each others' faces with a horrified expression.
On the next day, she heard that Kundavai is returning to Pazhayarai. Someone should stay in Pazhayarai and manage the things, right? Cobra and gang expressed great sorrow in not getting enough time to learn more from Ilaya Rani.
"Oh, that's such a misfortune. I too am disappointed that you are returning before we could hone your skills further. You all can visit me any time and learn more".
They all ran away with their lives.
* When Pandavas visit blind Dhritarashtra after the Mahabharata war, Srikrishna senses that he is irritated. When Bheema goes to hug him, Krishna puts an iron statue in his place. Dhritarashtra, armed with the strength of 1000 elephants, crushes the iron statue into pieces.
YOU ARE READING
Nandini
Tarihi KurguA reading of Ponniyin Selvan from Nandini's perspective. Nandini is the narrator of this story and the events are presented as she (could have) comprehended them. I don't own any of the characters or situations.
