KARMSATHI

The Royal Couple Are Blessed...Again!

Two years since the day sita had chosen to enter the lives of the tamilakam royal family, had gone past like two days. Even if Sunaina and Janakan performed penance and offered prayers all their lives, they wouldn't have been blessed with the kind of good fortune that sita brought into their lives.

Sunaina had just given birth to her second daughter. Nine months ago when the king and queen broke this news to the people, the royal doctors couldn't believe their ears. They had sworn that Sunaina could never bear a child. Both the parents were made to believe that Sita was the first and last heir they would ever have. They didn't complain either. Just when they thought their lives can not get better and that they had achieved all kinds of happiness after sita chose them as parents, the heavens decide to gift them  another little goddess!

Janakan was sitting beside his wife who was resting after just giving birth to their daughter. The pregnancy was complicated and the delivery was harder on the queen due to her previous medical condition. The king was gently running his hands through his queens hair, his eyes locked on his little newborn and sita staring in awe at the baby. His mind was Elsewhere.

Two years ago, he and Sunaina brought their princess into the palace for the first time under the watchful eye of the moon. They placed her gently on their bed and looked at her comfortably sleeping with the slightest smile on her face, as if seeing a baby for the first time. They fell asleep around her almost telling the girl that she is going to be the center of her parents' life from that day on.

Tamilakam was  celebrating the arrival of their princess continuously for week. Some people were not happy with the fact that the princess was not of royal lineage, but the sweetness in the pure joy and delight of majority of the people clearly overshadowed any speck of bitterness. All the people cared about was, The great empire of Tamilakam was finally blessed with a heir. Their empress and emperor can finally be seen smiling with all their heart. If this is not worthy of the biggest celebration humanely possible, then what is?

The celebrations began with the naming ceremony of the princess. The ceremony was conducted in the large  kutta arangam(meeting hall), constructed with huge panels of walls and the necessary structures to produce the perfect echo so as to make sure every one in the hall was able to hear every thing said from the main dais. It was a circular hall and the wall behind the main dais was dedicated for inscribing the names of every member of the royal family. The names of new borns and women and men that were married into the royal family were inscribed on the wall. Ministers and allies to the kingdom were invited to the ceremony which was witnessed by what looked like the entire population of the capital city.  Hundreds of commoners lined up outside the entrance hoping to be allowed inside and be a part of such an iconic moment. Many of the unfortunate ones that couldn't enter waited patiently for the royal family to step out of the arangam and show them their new princess. After the princess' name was inscribed on the wall and the completion of a few rituals, the royal procession was ready to head out with Sita. The moment the procession was seen outside the arangam, the crowd erupted into what sounded like a thousand waves crashing together at the same time. They welcomed Sita with flowers and loud cheers. The atmosphere was filled with elation and pride. 

Janakan was brought back to reality by Sita's gurgle. She was gleefully playing with her baby sister and was extremely amused at the soft smile on the baby's lips everytime she tickled her feet. He let his lips curve into a grin, and sighed deeply, counting his blessings in the form of is wife and two godly daughters. 

He gently placed Sunainas head on the head rest and left the private chamber.

"Marthanda!" he called out.

"your highness", Marthanda, the personal guard of the king and the commander of the army (senathipathy) bowed down to the king.

"arrange for the little princesses' naming ceremony. Call the best painters to paint the image of my daughter. Get scribes to inscribe her name into stone tablets and install in all major temples, announcing her arrival." Janakan ordered. He had given similar orders two years ago.

Marthanda asked with curiosity," but maharaja, whats the ilavarasi's(princess') name?"

The king smiled and said," Urmila. That's the name of my princess, Urmila."

"Urmila" Marthanda repeated with soft eyes.