Saptsindhu Chronicles: A Rama - Krishna Saga

4.1 | Ravana | Lanka

~Lankapuram~

There were times when Dashanan, the eldest son of Sage Vishrawa and Asura princess Kaikesi, was happy to be in Lanka, but the bad omens and nightmares wouldn't leave him alone. The island of Lanka was too mysterious and intriguing for him and it was impossible to suppress his curiosity to explore the land despite some bold warnings by her worrying mother.

He was looking at the giant mountain peaks from the high tower window of the palace when the rain washed the city for the third time that day. Rains were an unusual affair in mostly silent and calm Lanka. Even the palace was no more a place of battle talks and war strategies. He liked this tower and the mesmerizing scenery of the Trikuta range which it offered.

In the middle of those hills was a small but well-constructed road, cutting between the wild forests and directly leading to the great ocean. He climbed down and found himself back in the narrow alleys of the royal palace. Though he wanted to go to the Great hall, he changed his mind and went straight to the dungeons to explore more of them.

It wasn't like he didn't know what was beyond the sea, for he'd spend his first 14 years in the land called Saptsindhu, the land of knights and kings and dynasties. He knew about some of the Aryan practices followed on that land and even has met some real princes and princesses, but he never grew any fondness for them. In fact, he despised them.

He couldn't help but recall his dull and monotonous Life in the Ashram of his father Vishrawa where he along with his siblings was born. But he was glad that a few twists in his fate made his arrival on Lanka possible. His half-brother Kubera was the appointed king, who in his opinion was a fine man. He cared for his well being and took care of everything his family needed.

It was an unusual day, and Dashanan wanted something interesting to discover, which was why he was heading towards the dungeons. Unlike his siblings, he preferred exploring the mysterious palace of Lanka. Also, taking them on his secretive expeditions could mean disaster. His sister, Chandranakha, could hardly keep her tongue in place and had the habit of speaking too much without invitation. 

His younger brother, Vibhishan wasn't interested in any task that involved danger. And taking Kumbhkaran, his younger brother, would in itself meant danger. Kumbhkaran, unlike other children of his age, had the body of a giant, almost double the size of Dashanan. Moreover, it was impossible for him to run as he could hardly walk. Anyway, he preferred his own company.

Apart from inviting dangers and troubles, Dashanan also loved spending his time inventing new stuff. He drew a design of a wooden wheelchair for his brother Kumbh and asked Kubera to get it prepared by the Royal Engineers and to everyone's surprise, the structure sustained his weight, and Dashanan's little experiment worked.

Though everyone was surprised at Dashanan's creativity, his mind was still figuring out the engineering of the miracle his half brother Kubera possessed.

The glorious Pushpak Vimana.

He tried his best but he couldn't find the mystic Vimanaa anywhere in the palace. No one except Kubera knew about it and Dashanan had pledged to somehow find it. Vibhishan, his youngest brother, once claimed that he saw a similar chariot near the Water palace but it wasn't there. Chandranakha thought that Vimana was in Kubera's mind and it could only be summoned upon Kubera's wish. Despite his constant failures, Dashanan was adamant that the location of Vimana could be in dungeons.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize he took the wrong turn and has entered uncharted territory. He stopped and was about to return but he heard soft whispers and decided to follow the source. It was a cave-like structure with hardly any light. He tried to figure out the place he was in, but he couldn't. He took the left path and went straight and found the backdoor entry of the chamber of tusks.