String of Pearls

Wish

"Kashi, a kingdom cherished by holy Ganga, located to the direct south of east Kosala, was first ruled by Kshemaka, an Asura. He was then defeated by Divodasa, King of Panchala who annexed Kashi with his kingdom. The next in the timeline was Haryasva and Sudeva, in whose period Kashi became a vassal kingdom to the Kuru dynasty. Then after peaceful diplomacy, it was given back to the rightful heir of Kashi, Senabindu. He is also called as DharmaAmbara who married Swarnagandhini of Srinjaya, a prominent tribe in Panchala. Both had three beautiful princesses to whom he lovingly named, Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika." I stopped to catch my breath.

Then I saw her sitting like a statue staring at the ceiling with her mouth open, twisting her slender neck inhumanly.

"Supriya, are you here with me? Oh well, for my sake, stop staring at those curlicued moldings at least for a moment. Yes! they were made of beaten gold and hundred times YES! Diamonds and rubies are encrusted there. No, they are not fake stones! I suggest you do penance, get a boon to transfigure yourself into a bat. So that you can comfortably hang from the door handle upside down and stare at the glittering ceiling to your heart's fill. The way you are straining your neck pains me." I playfully reprimanded Supriya who arrived yesterday and this enticing palace captured her at the very first sight. 

I received a funny boring look from her which made me laugh so hard and hug her tightly. Only she can make me laugh like that, I declared to myself wrongly.

Supriya - my bosom friend, my confidante, I remember staying apart from my mother, but not from her, until Duryodhana entered my life.

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I must admit, not all went too bad after my Swayamvar. Though the dowager queens made me feel uncomfortable initially, after some formal pleasantries, they didn't bother me much. I guessed something quintessential was already going on, that made my arrival a puny thing. These Kuru people and their unending drama to attain undying fame. I don't want any part in their grand tales filled with treachery and tattles, I wished.

"Wishing! Arjuna, all beings are free to wish and choose what they want but at the end, the Supreme soul's decision shall prevail and that shall be that being's destiny." an enchanting blue-black figure, with his head adorned with peacock feather sang Gita, to the distressed Arjuna who dropped his blessed bow, Kandiva before the commencement of bloodbath in Kurukshetra.

Seems the supreme soul approved this particular wish, which I made in haste.

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If I may say Shakuni, Gandhari's brother, repulsed me, and Dushasan, my brother-in-law annoyed me, just with their simple routine actions, Duryodhan surprised me immensely.

When Bheeshma conveyed his haughty disapproval of the way I was made Kuru's princess, Duryodhan promptly replied without losing his cool, "Why Pitamaha? Ages ago didn't you abduct Amba and my respected grandmothers Ambika and Ambalika for my grandfather, your half-brother, the Emperor, Vichitravirya? I merrily followed your example. I didn't even change the kingdom of choice."

I can't help but smirk even though it was my birthplace that was reduced to a bride-supplying kingdom for Hastinapur in their squabbles.

"That arrogant prince Duryodhana is also popular for disrespecting the elders and his well-wishers, besides befriending low-born Soota and Nishada!", I remembered my usually calm father, Subahu lashing out when he was finalizing the list of suitors who would attend my Swayamvara.

"Don't worry Bhanu, I am not sending any invitation to Hastinapur for your Swayamvar, the kingdom which belittled our Kashi princesses generation after generation. I am not letting that happen to my Bhanu!", my father consoled himself and I ... simply didn't care.

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After Bheeshma scoffed and stomped inside, after I was introduced to Duryodhana's ninety-nine brothers collectively and one cheerful sister Dushala privately and numerous others, whose faces blended with one another, after prostrating in front of elders and gurus of the house as the protocol dictated (which could constitute a population of one mini-village) I was allowed to retire to my chambers alone... with Duryodhana.

"I am planning to send an invitation to your father...", he paused. 

I suspected Duryodhana secretly enjoyed watching me jolting up whenever he spoke suddenly for he did that often. 

"....your father, my father-in-law, respected and revered king of holy Kashi, Subahu and his kinsmen..." he spoke slowly. "for our marriage scheduled to be held five days from today. I believe you will be ready to welcome them in two days."

He walked out, stealing a glance of my shocked posture, leaving me to do two things:

1. Suspect why he was trying to be nice for I have assumed his haughty persona at the Swayamvara is the real one.

2. Dance for I know I will see Supriya in two days from tonight.

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"Oh, Bhanu! why recite the same things we know by heart. Not repeating the mistakes of history is more important than remembering it!" she replied her eyes still on the ceiling.

I laughed shaking my head. "My dear Sakhi, how can you avoid repeating the mistakes made in history if you don't remember it? Someone is trying to sound smart but poorly falls on her nose." I retorted. She scoffed rolling her eyes.

God! How I missed her chirpiness even it's for three days.

"Shut it, lady! See I can resume from where you left." she faced me.

Finally!

"Well, for your information you missed DharmaAmbara having another child, a son, Senabindu-II. He grew up to be a king. Then his only son, Kasiraja succeeded him. Kasiraja had two sons, Sudhanva and Subahu. Sudhanva supported the ideologies of Jarasandha while Subahu was almost a saint at heart" she paused  "like his daughter will be"  Supriya paused eying me teasingly. 

Since I didn't rise to the bait, she resumed in a tone more serious.

"But Pandava prince Arjun, aided by his mysterious friend from Dwaraka, a modern democracy, who wears peacock feathers for a crown, defeated Sudhanva and Kasiraja. So a part of Kashi was annexed with Hastinapur but later given to Subahu who refused to befriend Jarasandha, an arch-enemy of Dwaraka's ruler. Then Subahu, king of Kashi had two sons, Abhibhu and Jalandhar, and a beautiful daughter, but I can't remember her name." she feigned.

"It will start with Bha", I let her continue.

"Got it, it's Princess Bhadrakali!!!" she screeched.

That's it!

She wasn't allowed to laugh loud for too long as a fat pillow with heavy brocade hit her face. It was my turn to laugh.

"And and" she gasped while running around the huge room. "That princess is mooning her husband, a handsome Kaurava prince but hides it well...." she escaped from my grip and ran.

".....in vein!!!" she screamed and giggled all at once, while I was toggling between blushing and chasing.

In our throwing, ducking, pouting, and running, we missed the servant's announcement of someone's arrival.

Supriya with her eyes back on her blushing chaser clashed on the person who entered our chamber.

She gasped, he looked, they mumbled apologies, stared, and parted, mini chaos staged at the room's entrance for me to enjoy.

Karna, king of Anga came as my savior, rescuing me from the impossible taunts of Supriya.

"Now who is blushing!", I blurted out loud startling the would-be couple from their sweet trance.