Madurai Meenakshi (OS) The Challenge- on Pg 28 - Page 17

"She is already sixteen..." lamented the queen Kanchanamala as she bowed before the Linga in the temple her late husband had built, "....and no sign of her getting married" sighed the queen.

A sadhu was seated in front of her and the queen was narrating her tale of woe.

"...can't even mention the word 'marriage' in front of her'. No neighboring ruler also wants to give his son his marriage."

The queen sighed in despair.

The sadhu gave a sigh of relief.

"What can I do?..." she continued her lament, "...a lonely helpless widow'.burdened with a grown up daughter..." The queen conveniently forgetting that the "burden" she was referring to was an imperial queen.

"And she is so headstrong...so strong willed..." despaired the queen

"I know...how well I remember" the sadhu remarked wistfully, looking outside the window

"Help me O holy One..." pleaded the queen.

Moved by the queen's prayers, Lord Shiva thought it time to set her worries to rest.

"Your daughter will be married, O queen, in the most magnificent ceremony the world has ever seen." replied the sadhu.

"And the groom will be none other than..."

In front of the queen astonished eyes, the sadhu vanished and in his place stood Lord Shiva, complete with the jata in his head, the trident in his hand and the snake around his shoulders. Smeared with ashes, covered with rudrakaha beads and clad in tiger skin, there was a divine radiance around him.

The queen stood gaping, unable to believe, not daring to disbelieve either. Was it a trick?

Lord Shiva understood the predicament in the queen's mind and wanted to establish beyond doubt that He was Shiva indeed.

"Ask any wish, mother. I will fulfill it" said Shiva calmly.

The queen hesitatingly replied that she would like to bathe in the seven holy rivers of Bharata-varsha, but travelling up to Kashi to bathe in the Ganga would be so difficult, in fact impossible. And the Sindhu river- she has heard it was somewhere far in the North'but she was a lonely helpless widow'..she can only dream about bathing in the seven holy rivers'

Tired of hearing her 'I-am-a-helpless-widow' lament and wanting to prove his identity, Lord Shiva extended his hand and in front of Queen Kanchanamala's eyes a lake began to fill. Where there was barren land a few moments ago, now was a deep and wide lake.

"I have brought the waters of the seven holy rivers here, Mother. Do you believe me now?"

The queen bowed her head in reverence.

Author's note: This lake which was always filled with water, was in existence till recently. Thanks to weak environmental laws, today a hotel stands in its place

Beautiful! What about Mahadev and Nandi's interrogation, btw?

Meenakshi regretted the impulsive offer she had made to find her prisoner / guest's wife. Despite the most extensive searches, such a lady was not to be found. Meenakshi wondered whether the old man (none other than Shiva himself) was spinning a cock and bull story, but he was prepared to swear that he was indeed married and his wife had left him.

Meenakshi usually didn't like to admit defeat and was wondering how to tell the old man that she had been unable to help him to trace his wife. Her problem was unexpectedly solved when one day, the old man himself came to Meenakshi and announced that he no longer required her assistance to find his wife.

"You've found her?" asked Meenakshi, relief writ large on her face.

"No, I have decided not to find her. To tell you the truth, she had her faults. She would become dark with anger and when angry, she would create havoc. Heck, during one of her rages, she even stamped me with her foot." answered the old man

"So?" asked Meenakshi coolly

"So, I have decided to remarry."

"Re- marry?" asked Meenakshi incredulously

"Yes, and I need your help in that"

"Help for what ? To find you another bride?" asked Meenkashi unable to believe her ears.

"No, I found a suitable girl myself"

"And may I know who is this lucky girl?" asked Meenakshi her voice dripping with sarcasm

The old man pointed his finger towards her.

"You, my lady" he answered.

Meenakshi was dumbstruck

Shocked at the audacious behavior of the old man, Meenakshi turned to her mother, expecting her to order the old man to get out, but surprisingly Kanchanamala was nodding approvingly.

"Mother... you agree to this preposterous proposal?" asked Meenakshi indignantly

Kanchanamala gave an apologetic look. "You see, daughter, this man here was good enough to solve a problem that was haunting me for many days and in return asked me for my daughter's hand in marriage. So, now I am honour bound"

Meenakshi racked her brain furiously for a way out. " Mother, you promised your daughter's hand in marriage, correct?"

The queen mother nodded.

"Fine" answered Meenakshi crisply "Just adopt a girl from anywhere and marry her off to him. That way, both -your honour -and I would be saved"

Kanchanamala looked at Shiva enquiringly.

"Sorry, my lady" replied Shiva "the Queen Mother promised her eldest daughter's hand in marriage to me. Not any randomly adopted girl"

"But... how ...is... it ...possible? You are unemployed...you don't have a job...how can you support a family?" Meenakshi was near tears.

"My lady, how does it matter? Haven't you yourself said that women are in no way inferior to men? You are an imperial queen. You can be the bread winner, I will take care of household stuff. Let's set an example to the society how stereotypes can be changed" the old man was at his persuasive best

"But...but...is this how a marriage is fixed?" Meenakshi was flabbergasted "Isn't there something called love?"

"Of course'" answered the old man smiling mischievously and taking hold of one of Meenakshi's hands. Meenakshi was too stunned to react. "I am in love you. Your moon like face, your fish shaped eyes, your conch like..."

"Oh shut up" snapped Meenakshi, pulling her hand away.

She was thinking hard. There was no way she was going to marry this lunatic old man, but her mother's honour had to be preserved.

Shiva smiled to himself as he read her thoughts.

"All right my lady. Let us have a deal. If you succeed in the task I set for you, you need not marry me."

"What is the task?" asked Meenakshi cautiously wondering if he was going to ask her cook / sing/ dance / other womanly activities about which she had no clue.

"You will have to go on a conquest." Replied Shiva.

Meenakshi was relieved. Going on a military conquest would be a piece of cake for her. Mentally sizing up the strength of her cavalry, elephants and soldiers, she turned to the old man and accepted his deal.

"Done" she said.

Ummm...if it is not asking for too much, a few comments would be nice.

nice updates varaali, so meenakshi is nearing towerds realisession of herself.

me love the update👏👏👏. loool loved it when mahadev said that he knows how headstrong parvati is. 😆😆😆

It is funny!😆

That lake is a hotel? Ravan probably transplanted his model palace for Shiva on it in disgust at not being able to walk away w/ Mahadev

Yes, the Ravans of 21st century.