Chapter 3 - To the Place..I belong
Mother smiled, as she walked towards us, gesturing us to move. I waited for Mother to come in front of me. I tried to stay behind her. I noticed a teardrop on the corner of her eye again. I pulled her saree.."Mother, no." I said. Mother smiled. "Look sons," she said, "There stands the Hastinapur flag, strong and visible. She pointed faraway, and I saw the red flag on top of a huge palace, flying, behind which the sun glowed, with all its glory, as if to present to the world the high headed Hastinapur flag. I wondered how sunlight was a big issue as far as the ruler is concerned. A blind king can never be like the sunlight in the people's mind. Can he?
We walked, and walked as we went nearer and nearer to the huge palace gates. "It is here I began my life with your Father, Sons." Mother said. Her face had a 'stained' smile. The gates of the Royal Palace were huge, even compared to Bheema. The very small, thin gap between the two gates, did not bring out any light, as the gate itself had so much shine in it. The guards asked us who we were. Mother talked to them. The guards bowed to Mother. And the gates were opened. We walked through the green grass. The grass was soft, but the Palace was so huge, I could hardly see the sky. We saw two men running towards us. "I just..I just cant believe this oh Queen! But what is this? Where is Brother Pandu? I..I ..." said the stranger. Mother brought his hands down. "I am not the Queen, Vidur. I am just here to seek a place of stay for my sons. Can we see the King?" "Where is our Brother?" Mother did not say anything but "Gone to his abode." The stranger stood still for some time. He was crying, I could see. He controlled his tears, as Mother said some words to him. He was still in tears, as he hugged Yudhishthir. "What is you name Son?" Yudhishthir introduced himself and all of us to him. "...Bheema, and this is Arjuna, followed by Nakul and Sahdev." He smiled at us with lots of difficulty.
The charm of Hastinapur's court was not in its interior, but in its history. The history of Kings since years fighting and thirsting for this land fascinated me. But I, just could not relate to it. This was not the place I belonged to. "Take me home." I whispered to the walls of the corridors. My bare foot, which had dust form all the world, was making the shining floor of the interior dirty. We entered the big Palace courtroom. Mother has told us about the people here. The King's throne was empty. There were several seats all around the court, and the walls were old, but glorious. A man, strong, and tall with big built arms, and a stern face was sitting on the top right hand seat. He had a long beard, and wore a golden crown, with several jewels in it. His held his head high. He was partly fair, and had partly white hair. It was Bheeshma. Our Grandfather. Father's Uncle, and one of the greatest warriors of all times. He still was. His face and his posture said it all. Uncle Vidur sat next to him. He was calm now. Everyone else in the court stared at us. As if we never existed for them. Well we did not actually.
A bell rang, which meant the King would enter. Mother looked at all of us, and then with her eyes fixed on Yudhishthir, she said, "Yudhishthir, you will soon meet your 100 cousins here. Please give love and respect to King Dhritarashtra and his Queen, Gandhari. Try and get along. Dont hurry. " Yudhishthir nodded his head and we all waited in the our seats.
Finally the King arrived. He was our Uncle. I could understand he was blind when he came in. Maybe because I knew already, that I felt so. He wore the greatest and most expensive attire, and behind him were three men, to help him to the throne.
To say the truth I did not listen to any conversations which went on. Uncle announced something or the other, all the people were speaking is all I can describe. I always feel something for any single thing happening around me but perhaps something told me that all this was not necessary. I kept my head down, and nodded my head when instructed to. Uncle asked each one of us to come up to him. After Yudhishthira and Bheema, I walked up the stairs, and touched his feet. "Bless you Son. Bless you." he said. He was insecure while saying those words. I could feel. He touched my hair and face, and patted my shoulder.
I was about to walk down to Mother, when somebody called my name, and it wasn't Uncle. "Arjuna.." I heard. I looked back. It was Grandfather. He was standing. "Come to me, Son." he said. I walked up to him, my head still down, looking at the floors. I touched his feet. He did not say "Bless You."
"Will you not look at me?" he asked. He was the first one to ask me this. Nobody has shown any interest in my dark face. I slowly looked up at him. His eyes met mine. Grandfather's eyes were blue, and very,very deep. He put his hand on my cheek. "You have your Mother's eyes, Phalgun." he said, "And so do I, you know." I was dumbstruck. Had he really looked into my eyes? Did my eyes really say that? And how did he know my name was Phalguna? I had not introduced myself to anybody that way. I still did not have anything to say, but I mumbled, "Your eyes are like flowing rivers inside. Blue." He smiled, as if satisfied with my words. "Do you talk so rarely?" he asked. "I don't find words to suit myself Grandfather." "Then express." These two words of him made me look straight uo at him. He kneeled down in front of me, amazing me more. "Who gave you this bow?" I narrated to him how I got my wooden bow, which I still held in my hand. Grandfather was delighted to hear it. "Phalgun," he said, as he took my hands in his. "Always find comfort in this Son. Do what your mind tell you to. Some people may discourage you, but never let them actually do so. You will be celebrated, not as a great warrior perhaps, but a great human being." he said. "Infact all of you will be the most celebrated and victorious of your times." Grandfather said, as he held my hand tight and walked down to my brothers. He put his hand on each one of our's head, and then together he hugged us. And believe me, that was the first time I felt special among so much speciality already. Under his warm arms, I closed my eyes, and put my arms around him. After all felt, I still stood there hugging him. I wanted to be special, and Grandfather's arms were really one corner, which I will long for, forever.
comment:
p_commentcount