Gandikota

The trap

An eerie silence portending doom prevailed over Gandikota, as Ramalinga Nayaka, rode into the fort. He had covered the 23 yojana long distance from Hampi, over the rocky valleys, hills, amidst boulders, his heart filled with joy, eager to share the good news. But where he had expected joy, celebration, the air was filled with a desolate sense of mourning. 

The bazaars that would have been abuzz with the voices of hawkers selling their wares, traders and merchants discussing the day's business and customers haggling for a better price, were conspicously deserted and silent. The bright colorful shops, were all closed and deserted, while the traders, sat in groups, discussing in hushed tones.

The sound of the bells ringing from the temples of Madhavaraya and Raghunatha Swamy during prayers, were silent, as were the chants of the mantras from the priests. The sight of devotees lining up to pray at the temples, was conspicious by it's absence. The priests, who would be immersed in their pujas, stood outside, hands folded, heads bent in sorrow.

Kites circled above the fort, with their racous calls, as the guards and soldiers stood, in attention, heads bowed. Ramalinga felt his heart beat, watching the funeral atmosphere around him, the sea of mournful faces, around him, heads bent with a grim visage. He hastened faster towards the chambers, as he dismounted from Ugrasimha.

As he walked into the corridor, Mareppa came across, his face ashen, hands clenched, head bowing to him.

"Ramalinga, the king, your father.."

And the choking voice trailed off, in a series of sobs, which said a lot. 

Fearing the worst, Ramalinga, rushed past the guards, standing erect, heads bowed down. Groups of nobles, dressed in white robes, their faces filled with sorrow, hands folded, some shaking their heads. 

On the other end were the female attendants of the queen, in  a corner, huddled together, shock and fear writ on their faces. And from the chambers he could hear the sounds of the queen and ladies of the palace, sobbing, wailing. He rushed in faster his heart beating wildly, sweat beads forming on the face, through the door of the king's chamber.

Around the bed, where his father lay, stood Erra Timma, Sadashiva Nayaka, and the queen head bent, sobbing, wailing beating her chest. At a distance from the bed, stood the ladies of the royal house, with tears in their eyes, in muffled sobs, as the funeral like atmosphere, descended on the chamber.

As Ramalinga  walked  to the bed, he could feel a dread in his gut, and his heart skipped a beat at what he saw. The white silken sheets were stained red with blood, and in the center, lay the lifeless body of his father.  Blood oozed out from the chest, where the dagger had been struck right into,his throat slashed across, with a deep gash. The eyes shut, the mouth wide open, as the horror of what transpired, was write large on the face.

Ramalinga reeled back, and screamed out in shock, a feral cry emanating from within, that echoed in the chambers, sorrow, disgust, anger mixed in that. He lifted the lifeless body, tears rolling down his face, cradling it close and sobbing. Shaking his head, sobbing, no words comming forth from his lips. 

He embraced Erra Timma, holding him close, tears running down, but even in that deep moment of sorrow and pain, he could sense a coldness in his brother. As he looked into the face of Erra Timma, there was a cold anger in his eyes.

"Why did you do this Anna?"

It was not just the words, it was the cold accusatory, tone in them, that caught Ramalinga Nayaka off guard.  

"What are you saying Timma?"

"I am talking Anna, father trusted you more than any one, he bought you up as his own, he was willing to make you the ruler, even though, you were not the rightful heir. And yet you choose to repay the gratitude this way"

Anger writ large on Ramalinga's face, even in the moment of sorrow and pain

"Keep a hold on what you say Erra Timma, do not throw such casual accusation against me without an iota of proof. Had you not been my brother, I would have cut your tongue for your slanderous words"

"You can cut his tongue, but how would you refute the proof of your guilt Ramalinga, when it stares right into your face"

It was the voice of Sadashiva Nayaka, calm, composed and a rather sinister tone to it.

"Do not spread slander  Sadashiva,lest I forget our friendship, and draw my sword on you at this instant"

The threat left Sadashiva unfazed, unruffled, as he calmly produced the scroll from his waist band, and handed it over to Ramalinga.

"Well if you could care to read, maybe after this, you could still decide to draw your sword on me"

Ramalinga, grabbed the leather scroll with anger, as he began to read through it, his face turned ashen, as the lines leapt out right onto him, every word a stinging slap on his face. Those lines were not his, yet the seal of Gandikota, on the bottom, it's insignia on the top. Only he had the access to the seal, and the authority to stamp it for any declaration.

"Greetings be to you Abu Hassan, the old king, seems certain to be leaving the world, soon. I had heard about your reputation of disposing off people, for a price. Hasten the process of the king, leaving the world, in the manner you know best.  You shall be paid well, and do inform your master, Ibrahim Adil Shah, that Gandikota is tired of eternal servitude to the Rayas of Vijayanagara, and is willing to be an ally, for your promise of granting the territories of Penugonda, Adoni, Mudgal, and in turn we shall return Raichur to you."

Ramalinga Nayaka staggered back, in  shock, stumbling on the ornate round table. as the ground under his feet seemed to come apart, as the world spun around him in a daze. The chambers, the king, the people around, nothing made any sense to him. He could not even recover from the shock of seeing his father murdered brutally, and now he was accussed of ordering it, and even worse a conspiracy.

"Ramalinga Nayaka, you have besmirched the reputation and honor of Gandikota, you have been not just a party to a brutal murder, but even worse, a vile conspiracy against Vijayanagara and the great Raya, who has been our murder.I order your arrest, and trial on charges of treason, sedition and conspiracy. You shall henceforth be stripped of your titles, and powers"

The words of Sadashiva Nayaka, meant nothing, to Ramalinga, as the guards, divested him of his sword, and clamped the chains on his wrists.  His honor, his integrity, his reputation, which he had built so painstakingly over the years had all but been destroyed in an instant. As the once mighty commander of Vijayanagara , was led away bound in chains and manacles like a criminal, the nobles, the attendants, the guards, looked on in shock, at the turn of events. 

Erra Timma and Sadashiva Nayaka turned to look at each other's face, a sly, hidden grin, disguised under their apparently grieving faces. The prey had walked right into the well sprung trap.