Gandikota

Vengeance is Mine

"He dare asks me to bow in front of him and kiss his feet, that insolent Kaafir, who killed my father"

The blazing red visage of Ismail Adil Shah's angry face could have illuminated the rather dimly lit chamber. One arm on waist, standing tall, smoldering in anger. The chamber was dimly lit, save for the large flickering torches on the wall. The walls of the chamber stood cold, dark, save for the ghostly shadows cast on the walls by the torches. The messenger crouched in fear, as the Sultan's steely cold eyes, bore through him, wishing that the earth would just open up and swallow him. Except a large table and some wooden chairs, nothing really existed in the chamber.

"That Kaafir, that insolent Kaafir, first hunts down my father like an animal, corners him and then butchers him with no mercy. He then inflicts the most humiliating defeat on us at Raichur. My most able commander Salabat Khan rots for life in a dank prison in Hampi, because of him. And now, he asks us to bow in front of him, kiss his feet."

"Sultan, I am only a mere messenger, the Raya had asked me to deliver this to you" the messenger cowered even more. He was shivering in his long robe, the Sultan was known for his fiery temper, he could just become a victim of his misplaced rage. The chamber was suffocating enough with no windows, and the fear now made the messenger even more miserable.

"He is right, he is a mere messenger. It is not fair to take your anger out on him now". A calm, composed voice rang out in the darkness. As the footsteps approached closer, a wizened old face, appeared illuminated by the torches. Wrinkles were appearing on a face, that had seen a lot in life, long grey locks cascaded down his shoulders, as his flowing grey beard, spoke of the wisdom accumulated. Even at an older age, the man stood erect, not a joint out of place, as he walked across the chamber. It was Asad Khan, the minister.

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the hapless messenger, who thanked Allah for the benediction. Heaving a sigh of relief, the messenger bowed to Asad, in gratitude, for saving him from what seemed a certain death. And not even looking back, fled from the chamber.

"For how long does the lion intend to hide in the den, the subjects are getting restless".

Ismail Adil Shah, was not seen in public ever since that humiliating rout at Raichur. He stopped attending the court, ate sparingly, did not spend time with his wife or son either. It was like nothing really mattered to him, family, court, the people, the kingdom. Night after endless night, he sat alone in that dark chamber, all alone, recounting the humiliation. His father being killed like a hunted prey, the humiliating defeat at Raichur. Running away from the battle field like a coward, on the back of an elephant, abandoning his men, and his brave general Salabat Khan to the Kaafirs. Every night the images flashed across his eyes, too vivid to forget. How he wished, that he had been drowned in the Krishna while crossing. How he wished, that one of the Portuguese muskets or arrows from the Vijayanagara archers had hit him. Had he died on the battle field, he would been hailed as a martyr for the cause of Islam and be revered. But today he had to live with the ignominy of one who ran away from the battle, a fate worse than death.

So many times, he desired to put an end to his life, as he bought the dagger close to his heart. But what peace would his soul know, when the one man, responsible for his misery, was still alive, Krishna Deva Raya. What peace would his soul know, when Raichur was still under the occupation of Vijayanagara? Live he must to extract vengeance on Krishna Deva Raya, the man responsible for his humiliation.

"It is bad enough to be humiliated by a lowly Kaafir, and to bow before him, and kiss his feet, I would rather kill myself. I hold nothing but hatred in my heart for him, how can I even bow to this man, who has been the cause of my misery. I have not slept for nights together, I have no appetite for food, I do not care for my family, my people. Ever since Raichur, this dark room has become my refuge, my home. "

"So go my son, and bend before him, kiss his feet", a wry smile danced on Asad's face.

Ismail could hardly believe what he heard.

"Abbu, are you serious about what you are saying" shock and incredulity writ large on Ismail's face.

Asad was more than just a minister to Ismail, ever since his father Yusuf Adil Shah had died. Asad had been a father figure to Ismail in more ways than one. Had it not been for him, he Ismail Adil Shah, would have fallen a victim to the palace intrigues long ago. Ismail still remembered the day, when Asad held him firmly, while he was wracked with convulsions on seeing his father's arrow ridden corpse. The sight of his mother breaking down, her loud wails echoing in the chamber, and on the other hand, Asad, holding him, comforting him. For Ismail, Asad, was everything, after his father died. He was a father figure to him, holding him, comforting him, in times of distress. He was his strategist, advising him on how to deal with the palace intrigues. He was his advisor, in the numerous battles against the Bahmani Sultans, which he won. Asad's calm, composed exterior, was a relaxing presence in a tense atmosphere. And his razor sharp intelligence, coupled with the wisdom to discern, was a guiding light to him in his life's journey.

"My son for how long would you hide yourself from the world. Remember you are a king, your responsibility is to the subjects. For months together, they have not seen you in public. And some of your men, have taken advantage of your absence, to mercilessly extort taxes from the hapless peasants. The enemy soldiers, have become even bolder, that they foray now into our territory, and loot, plunder at will. Bijapur needs you, my son. I know the pain in your heart, but cutting yourself off from the world, will not help. I seek vengeance against Krishna Deva Raya, as much as you do, but sulking silently in anger will not help us."

"And how do you suggest to take revenge for the humiliation, Abbu. By bending in front of the man, responsible for my misery, and kissing his feet".

"Ismail have you seen a tiger on a hunt.  It tracks its prey for days altogether. There are times, when it goes without food altogether. There are times, when even with the prey insight, it retreats, knowing the hunt would be futile.  "

"You do not win Ismail by just striking your enemy. You win by striking at the right place and the right time. I seek the Raya's destruction as much as you do, but we must at the opportune time, and now is certainly not that."

"But for how long Abbu, this endless wait for vengenance is burning me from inside. I fear that I shall not have the patience, to wait longer. The images of my humiliation torment me in my dreams, in my sleep. For how long Abbu, do I have to wait? For how long.  "

Asad Khan broke out in a wry smile, squeezing Ismail's arm gently

"My son, we cannot target the Raya himself directly. He is too formidable a foe. I do not mean to disrespect your strength, but we must be pragmatic here. We cannot attack the Raya directly, but what if we attack his next level of defense".

"Abbu are you suggesting, Ramalinga Nayaka, but he is much more harder to beat than the Raya? We had seen him at Raichur, he will slaughter us in no time".

"Who is talking of war here?" said  Asad Khan, his lips breaking into a sardonic slime, a wicked glimmer in his eyes. " Ramalinga is the Raya's main level of defense, or if you go by the Kaffir myths, the Nandi to the Raya's Shiva. Now what if we make Shiva lose faith in Nandi, and turn one against each other."

"Well Vijayanagara, would be embroiled in a deadly intercine conflict, that would see the nobility and army split down the middle. And as they squabble, we swoop in at the right time"

After a long time, there was a sense of joy on Ismail's face, as he bought the flickering candle near himself.  After what seemed a long tunnel of darkness, there seemed to be a glimmer of light at the opening. 

"But Abbu, who in Vijayanagara, would dare to play this deadly game against the Raya, knowing fully well the repercussions, if found out. Who would want to risk, the wrath of the Raya, known as he is for his virulent temper?" asked Ismail apprehensively.

"Ramalinga Raya is brave, noble, virtous and a warrior without parallel in Vijayanagara. And yet it is these qualities, that have also earned him many an enemy. Men who envy him, who would want to see him dead, who would do anything to usurp his position. There are no shortage of traitors in the Kafirs, how else do you think we have been able to establish our rule here." a smirk on Asad Khan's lips, and a gleaming satisfaction in Ismail Adil Shah's eyes. The time for vengenance had come.