Posted:
Panchaali sat quietly on the corner of her bed. Her chamber was all decorated with beautiful flowers, and the best quality perfumes from the best merchants had been sprayed in her chambers to make her feel good. But Panchaali could not smell what she wanted to. Her senses seeked something known. She did not want to discover anything new or experience a new smell. She was a;ready too tired. Something told her that her whole life she will only be discovering things, or she will discover things when it is too late. So, she was happy with the former idea, and she wanted to know nothing other than what she wanted at that moment.
"Princess Panchaali.." Panchaali turned around to face her chamber curtains. "I don't need more decorations or perfumes. Save some for tomorrow. The Swayamvar is not today!" Panchaali said, trying her best to hide her irritation on seeing the royal maids with rose water sprinklers. "No Princess." the maids said shyly. "We have not come to perfume your chambers, but we wanted to deliver another costume for tomorrow. Maharaj has sent it just for you to have a glance since you did not show much interest in the previous costumes." Panchaali's beautiful eyebrows curved. They looked like the arch of a bow. "Another one..." she sighed. "Now what?" she got up, and turned around to look at the costume the maids were carrying.
It was one of the most magnificient dresses ever. Weaved with the brightest shade of yellow Panchaali had seen, the dress bore blue jewels, and had prints of the peacock feather in the endings. It had brown threads woven on it, as the sign of the royal Panchaal emblem. But, once again, another of the best failed to please Panchaali. Firstly, she did not like yellow. Secondly, She found the colour odd. Thirdly,Her fierce mind seeked a eye catching colour. But sadly, nothing could please her. She was slowly loosing interest in her Swayamvar plans. She also missed someone. Even her best friend, Keshav could not please her. Panchaali loved peacocks. She did not want to control the beautiful peacock colours in her dress.
"Take this away..I don't want this." she ordered, and looked out at the Swayamvar arena. So boring, she thought to herself, and pulled the curtains.
Its not that she did not want the Swayamvar to occur. But she wanted something special. She wanted something known, something dear. She also knew exactly what she wanted but she would not speak. "But the dress is wonderful Princess..if you could think.."
"No!" Panchaali said, irritated. "I am tired. We will choose something later on. Or let my sakhis do it. I can't choose." she said. Even since Panchaali came to this world, she was satisfied with the little things of life. As a child, she never seeked little more of the sweetdish, or a new hairclip for her hair. But today. she was waiting for somebody eagerly, and he was still not there, Panchaali was impatient and irritated.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dhristadyumn's horse drove as fast as lightning. He was carrying something very special for someone very near to his heart, and he wanted to see her as soon as he could. "Fast..fast.." he whispered into the horses' ear. The white horse, with the royal apron on him ran faster and in no time reached the gates of the palace of Panchaal in the city of Kampilya. Dhristadyumn smiled and patted the horse. This one was Panchaali's favourite horse. The day he left for some official work, Panchaali had tied a gold chain on the horse's neck, and made Dhristadyumn promise that he would not lose her, or torture her for a moment. Dhristadyumn opened the gold chain, and ran inside the palace gates. But he ordered for no royal welcome, or any such occasion which would promote his arrival back to Panchaal. He wanted to surprise his sister. Dhristadyumn walked in from the gate of the soldiers. A young girl, maybe of one of the maids, was playing the grounds. "Hey..!" Dhrist called her. The young girl skipped and hopped towards Dhrist. "Take this gold chain.." he said, handing it to the young girl, "and this note." he breathed for the first time after saying these words. "Carry it to Princess Yajnaseni. In her chambers, and don't tell her about my arrival. Just give her these." Dhrist finished and pressed his cheek.
The girl ran inside the palace premises. Dhristadyumn entered through the other door.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Princess. princess.." the young girl ran into the palace chambers, and stopped in front of the curtains of Panchaali's rooms. "Has anyone arrived, that you are so excited?" For a while Panchaali became like a young girl, all excited for a sweet. Her bright smile made her look the most beautiful ever. "People are always arriving and going. It is nothing new. But I have got a new thing for you. I heard tomorrow is your special day. Take this!" she said, and handed the necklace and the note to Panchaali. A sad Panchaali was about to drop it on her bed when she gave a cursory glance to the object she just got. She recognized the necklace at once! She opened the note.
"When the first child laughed for the first time, her smile broke into little stars and fell into this world. All the stars are shining brightly somewhere, and one of them is reading this."
Panchaali could not help smiling. She almost had tears of joy. "Dhrist?" she whispered, and ran out of her chamber, down the stairs, through the corridor, when she found another note.
"You can never be happy, if you were never sad. Come here, sister!"
Panchaali ran outside the palace, she looked around the palace gates, she looked in the armoury but nowhere could she see Dhristadyumn.
"Princess, what are you looking for?" asked the maids. "Panchaali! What are you doing!" her friends ran towards her when they saw Panchaali. "Dhrist! Where is Dhrist?" Panchaali asked, when she heard familiar footsteps behind her. The horse! "He must be near somewhere." Panchaali laughed.
And there he was! "Yajnaa.." Dhrist said. "Dhrist! I had been waiting for you for so..so longg!!!" Panchaali ran to her brother, and caught his hands. She pressed them tight with her own.
Panchaali looked beautiful when she smiled. Her fierce flame, her beautiful smile, her elegant tears.. everything was known to Dhristadyumn!
"I have got something special for you.." Dhrist smiled. "What?" she asked, walking back inside. "Your costume for tomorrow. I know you Yajna. I know you will love it." The maids, servants, Panchaali's sakhis all stared at Panchaali as they saw her excited to see another costume for the first time.
The costume was red in colous, with golden endings and decorations, and silver prints. It would shine golden in darkness, and stand our red in day time. Red was Panchaali's favourite colour. She was born in the orangish flames, as close to Dhrist as she was standing now. Dhrist adored his sister's face, and Panchaali could not explain in words how much she loved the costume.
It was over four days, Dhristadyumn was out of Panchaal. Panchaali missed her brother more than anyone in these days! So many wonders, so much plans she made, but she wanted to enjoy her last few days as the Princess of Panchaal only with the only one she came into this world with. Her twin. her companion Dhristadyumn. So was their brother-sister bond.
"Truly Yajna.. I heard you liked none of the dresses Father sent for you! How fussy is my sister! If this is the case, how will you select the ideal Prince? Well nobody can match you perfectly, but still.."
"Don't be afraid Dhrisht! Have in faith in my choice! I have your qualities too.. whose sister am I? If his choice is so good, mine will be better!" Draupadi laughed, pressing her twin's cheek.
comment:
p_commentcount