SKR ff : The Season of Oleander Blossoms ch4 pg13 - Page 5

Chapter 2 : Horses for the Princes

6years later

It was twilight.She was in the royal garden collecting flowers for mata gauri, the Guardian goddess of royal family. It was time for evening prayers. And then she heard it again. A horse whinnying nearby. Seeta almost stopped breathing.

Except for her heart thudding madly against the ribcage,there was no sound.everything was unnaturally quiet. The horse neighed again,yes more clearly this time and even stomped its hooves impatiently.She whirled back. There was a flash of something white. It had already started to gallop away.

Wait ! How could a horse roam inside the protected garden...and why did it look vaguely familiar?

Curiosity won. She knew she had it follow it.

But what was this ...where was the horse taking her...the path seemed unfamiliar...she had never been to this part of the garden. And that was practically impossible.This was her father's most cherished garden. She practically grew up exploring it.



The horse picked up pace and after sometime it became difficult for her to keep track on it. She could hardly see it except for the white tail that waved like a flag. Soon it took a turn and disappeared into a dense flowery thicket.

The branches were so thickly woven that it was impossible to pass through it. She tried to find an entrance. There was none. Then she peered through a gap. And froze.




Oh it was that horse indeed. It was standing calm now like a marble statue. But there was someone else with it. His back was turned to her. White translucent dhoti and angavastra fluttered in gentle breeze. A jewel twinkled in his left ear. He held the great Haradhanu Pinaka high in his right arm with so ease as if it was a plaything to him. Long artistic fingers of his left hand playfully tested it's drawstring.

But no matter how hard she tried she couldnot see his face or any features of this countenance. There was a veil of mist between them.

Who was he ? How did he get hold of the much revered Hardhanu? The mighty shiva bow was their family heirloom, kept secured in a long silver casket in the family temple. Heavy as a tree trunk,no ordinary man could pick up that enormous bow . Then how could he lift it with such ease ?

Who was the man ? Why it felt he was so far when he was just few feet away from her.

And what had happened to her voice?

She felt paralyzed from hair to toenails...

But oh ! Something is happening ! He had probably felt her presence. He was turning his face to her.

There ! A dreamy half smile had started to form in those exquisitely curved lush lips...Lotus shaped eyes lit up in recognition ...




Seeta woke up with a start, her face wet with perspiration.Same dream 5th time in a month. And 2nd time this week. Always in the early morning when the Pusha star shone brightly. It's getting more and more detailed and disturbing.

Like this time she saw one of his eyes...and it was unraveling. She could still feel her heart thudding wildly in its effect !

"Narayan ! Am I losing my mind ?'' Seeta chosed her eyes and spoke almost inaudibly, ''What games are you playing with me Lord ? What are you asking me to do ?''



Nothing of these would have happened if she had not met with that band of horse traders two months ago,on her way back home. She was returning from the village on the valley of Kaushika*.She visited adjoining villages of Mithila provice often.That day She was helping villagewomen in the birthing of a cow. It was one of her routine chores to assist the villagers and ashram dwellers in their daily life. It gave her immense pleasure to be at service of her countrymen.

She saw the herd of graceful horses trotting just ahead as she crossed river Kaushika (river Koshi, one of the chief rivers of Mithila ). A group of men in foreign clothes were guiding them towards the east. Probably they were intending to cross the country before dusk.

They must be horse trainers and traders from far East. She had heard of a desert land called Arvashan* (present Arab) which was famous for horses and date palms. Those long robed foreigners might have come from that land.

Seeta couldn't resist the temptation of meeting those people from strange land and their fabled steeds. She loved to meet new people and learn their ways of life.

"A ho foreign traders ! Where are you coming from? And where are you taking these beautiful horses?" She shouted for their attention.

At first they didnot pay attention to her repeated calls. She stubbornly followed them. Ultimately they stopped.




Seeta's plain clothes didnot give away his royal identity immediately. They thought she was some plain country lass, delaying them unnecessarily with questions.

'' Away, woman ! We are in a hurry,''They chided in their thick foreign accent. Let them pass these godforsaken mountains and forests as fast as possible. They had long distances to cover.

Seeta felt amused.These people had no eye to admire the beauty of mighty Himalayas or her beautiful city. Perhaps nothing is more dear to them than their own motherland. Some sentiments are universal.




It was then she noticed that horse. Snow white in color it has a birthmark of red between his eyes that shone like a rajtilak. What a noble beast,bold,robust...every inch royal. But it lagged behind. One of its legs was grievously wounded. It was limping from its effects. Seeta was livid.

''why nobody tended to its wounds? It would fester and kill the animal...How can you be so cruel to a fellow living being?'',anger flashed in her eyes.

Fellow living being !! what was the girl talking about !
The traders exchanged glances. One of them spoke,''we don't carry medicines. We r traders not doctors. And we sell strong horses, this one is a weakling.''

''No it is not. He is equally strong brave and loyal like his beautiful mates. Once he is treated he would be ready to be lifelong faithful companion of any worthy warrior.'' Anger replaced compassion as her voice shook and went thick with emotions. Please,Let me nurse it back to health. I, daughter of King Janak of Videha, plead to your conscience.''

A princess ? It was unthinkable !

the whole band gaped at her with wide and and then knelt in a foreign tradition to show respect. How were they supposed to know they had unintentionally offended a royal born ! Which princess roam in the dust and talk to common traders about horses! They had never seen such a person.




''Videha princess! Our respect to you and your fatherland* !''The leader spoke to her,''you can keep the horse for yourself. You can buy some from us too''.
''What price do you ask for each of them?''
''200 pieces of gold. Each of them had superior breeding and excellant ancestry. Their speed, gracefulness and intelligence that compel even Gods to desire them.''

Haye Mata Gauri ! That could feed entire Mithila for a week. How would she be so extravagant !

Still she gathered courage for the sake of the poor animal and stated,"No, thank you, we are quite content with our own countrybred horses. However,I would like to keep the injured horse and I am ready to pay for it.''

''Oh no, we can't take money for something we can't assure finest quality.'',The bandleader immediately protested.''It it for free,princess.''

''I don't accept free gifts,Noble trader.'' She uttered with righteous dignity.



The leader was immediately flustered at this faux pas. "Sorry I am not used to Aryavarth ways, I may have offended her highness. Forgive me.''

''You would be forgiven O trader, if you accept my hospitality. Stay for a while in royal guesthouse. You all look mightily exhausted. Eat,Sleep and be merry. Rest your body and your horses. In the meanwhile let me treat the poor horse.'' The foreigners could not but comply to her wishes.

They remained in Mithila for a week. Seeta by then had properly stitched back the torn skin of the horse and applied medicinal herbs to stop septicemia. The wound was healing fast.

And then the time had come of parting.

On that day, Seeta bandaged it's knee with her own uttariya. Avra*, She used to call it for its silver- white coat and patient nature.

''Take good care of him, friends.He would be ready for for any king within a few days, you shall see. Just go on applying medicines as I have instructed'', she requested them again and again. Her earnestness and warm nature won them over to such extent that they swore touching their holy fire, that come what may,they would take care of her horse.

As she caressesed the beast's head and fed it babycorn for the last time,her eyes blinded with deluge of tears.

"Go noble friend.show the world how brave you are. May the worthiest man have the fortune to call you his own. May you win thousand battles together."

The traders left.




''Poor princess! She had become so attached with that horse.''they said to each other,'' Does she not know, no king will buy it? She is from a royal household herself. With that mark of injury, the horse would be deemed tainted, inauspicious from now on. It would probably be given to some random novice soldier to practice and then it would be putdown for its meat in a military feast.''

But then she was ethereal.Everything about her was unconventional. She was like no one else...the mythical goddess of this holy land.




The dreams started to come after a couple of weeks. 1st it was only she and the horse in the garden...she chasing the horse and the white steed leading her to someplace unfamiliar. Week by week it unfolded more and more like rahasya natika ( suspense drama). And now it had come to this.

''Lord Narayan! Either let him appear in full person or don't show him at all. Why this torturous suspense?

''My head would burst if I think any more of that blessed horse or its owner.'' Seeta desperately tried to think of something else.
"Surely he was some mischievous demigod or evil spirit trying to possess my mind...but how can someone evil could appear so pure and heavenly?''He looked like Surya Narayan in his full splendor...so bright and resplendent that she couldn't see anything in particular.

There, again, she was thinking of him. Seeta grabbed her head with both of her hand and pulled hard. Nothing happened except a few strands of loose hair fell off. And Urmila caught her in action.




So immersed was Seeta in her own world she didnot see Urmila entering her room.
''Jyeyaa must I inform you , that u have gone totally bonkers again.'' She sat beside her and said in a matter-of-fact tone.

'' What do you mean again?''

''Like the way u behave once a week these days.''

My god ! Am I that transparent?

''What is it jyeyaa? Dont tell me its all about that absurd dream of a horse in the garden.''

''It is,urmila'', Seeta said softly. ''I have seen that dream again.''

''So? What's so unsettling in a dream about horse?'' Urmila looked highly interested, ''Or are you concealing facts?''

''Urmila, Dont be silly.''Seeta admonished her younger sister halfheartedly. But Urmila was in high spirits, she countered,''Then why are trembling like a frightened dove, dear sister.''

''Let's do something'', she suggested after some serious thinking. ''Let's go to the royal priest. Recurrent dreams of white horse or elephant were said to be very auspicious and they usually predict something extremely lucky. Now move and change your clothes. Let's go meet Shatananda ji.''

Seeta's eyes widened in apprehension of getting caught. She had never lied consciously and she would not be able to conceal facts in front of guruji's arrey of queries.

''Urmila...Wait ! No...I can't go.''
What? Why?Urmil couldnot help rolling her eyes. ''Told you, you are so loony now a days. May shanidev avert his eyes from you!''

''There is something else...''

''Aaha the juicier part I guess'', urmila snorted inwardly.

Keeping a total innocent appearance she sat in front of her and gently coaxed,''Oh there is? And what is that pray tell? More horses? May be cows? No no wait, it has to be your favorite deer.''

Urmila knew the best way to make her blurt out what was eating her was to talk nonsense.

''Urmila! noo. Stop fooling around.''As blush crept in her cheeks,she added,"There was someone behind that flower laden bough.''

''Someone ? Aauh''. Urmila coughed suggestively.

''Urmila if u behave this impudent I am not going to say anything more,I swear !''

''Arrey what have I done. I was merely echoing you'', urmila pouted.''Anyway, who was that?''


''I don't know.'' seeta's voice grew distant as if trying to reconstruct the dream in her mind.''It was too bright and opaque at the same time. As if I was viewing from another side of rain washed glass.''

Laah! This was so like seetadidi. She might have thought of propriety and debates on moral dilemma even in her dreams.

''So you don't know if that was a he or she?''

''Well'' seeta hesitated,''I didn't see properly but...''

''Good for u'', urmila cockily arched her eyebrows.''Who knows it can be anything Jakshya, lecherous Gandharvs, Ashuras''.

''No he was not.''Seeta snapped back.

''Oh so you are certain he is a He not any eunuch or lady. Although you are demanding You have not seen any thing. Jyeyaa, you are confusing me entirely. I wonder what manly feature you had seen of him.''Urmila bit her tongue as soon as words escaped her mouth. Seeta jeyaa would burst now !

Seeta instantly blushed beetroot.

''Urmila, last warning.''she stuttered,''Either behave properly or get out. How can you even harbour such unholy idea about a god !''

Woah! Now it was growing actually puzzling. How come reference of God dropped out of nowhere !

''God? Oh...well. so you had a dream of god?'', urmila sat bemused, ''No wonder god will appear in dreams of saintly woman as you. So had he 4 hands or three heads? Maybe you got a glimpse of His blue throat?''

No no...I didn't see divine trinity(Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara )...I said he was godlike. And speaking of blue...I think I saw something'', Seeta mused,''...not iridescent blue like shiva's throat...but something like new formed clouds of Asharh(monsoon),soothing and tempting.''

''Aarg...excuse me. Did you just say this dream charmer of yours is dark skinned?'' Urmila slightly wrinkled her dainty nose,''Haye re Narayan...why why she does not have visions of someone actually handsome even in her dreams. Next you would say he has long beard of a sage, great spiritual knowledge of a brahmarshi, ugly uncouth appearance of an ascetic. Nothing matters to you ofcourse! After all outward appearance is only transitory.''

''Urmila I will give you one tight slap. I have not said any of these things,''Seeta was enraged,'' and you will not say anything disrespectful of his unworldly appearance!''

Urmila was hardly perturbed.
''Aha...unworldly is it now? Jyeyaa I have to say u r behaving like Mahasati even before seeing him properly.But now please stop speaking in riddles,'' Urmila pressed on,'' its almost equal to lying, Jyeyaa !''


Seeta blanched pale. ''No I am not lying. I hardly know anything about him, I saw him wearing white clothes and he was holding haradhanu on one of his hands. The horse was standing next to him quietly. And today I think I saw him turning slightly towards me. For a fraction of a second I think I saw one of his eyes or ghost of a smile forming in his lower lips.''

''You noticed his lips? Thank Lord for little mercies !''

''Urmila don't go that way again.''

''Yeah yeah, i know. I remember. He is God. He doesnt have lips.''

This time even Seeta had to fight the urge to giggle.''Even if He has,''Urmila continued,'' you are not supposed to mention it. However I dont understand why are you so ashamed ? there is nothing wrong in having such kama laden dreams. You, a scholar of all Vedas would know that well. We are no more girls. We are at the juncture of young womanhood. This is the time Kama deva appears in our dreams and sows spells of love and desire into our heart...and no matter how vehemently u resist, it would happen to you. It is nature's law, and you also are not above it, oh daughter of nature! Urmila added playfully,'' So u better accept and admit it.''

''Admit what?''

''That you have given your heart to that stranger in your dream.''

Seeta's eyes widened. ''Nooo''she whispered.

''Yesss'' Urmila mimicked her tone,''and you have reached to the point of no return.''

''You have only one way left to retain your sanity.''

''What is that?''

''Find him.''

''Yaa right.'' Seeta sounded irritatingly frustrated. But Urmila had lots of ideas to share.''Who knows...he might be near you.Tell me where were those horse traders going?''

Seeta thought for a while.''Anga and from there to Koshala.''

''Aah, Angaraj has a son! I know that.'' Urmila clapped in enthusiasm as if solved a critical geometrical problem.

''And he is 10. What are you implying ?''

Hell no. ''Ok what about Koshala naresh ? Does he have son or sons?''

''No idea.''

''Fine, I will find it out.''

''And pray, how?''

''By asking pitashree or taatshree?'' urmila suggested like mentioning the obvious.

''Urmila, have you totally lost it.''Seeta was thoroughly scandalized. Who asks about stranger youths to parents?''

''Offo, you worry too much...I will ask it deftly''.
'
''Yes like the time you so called subtly revealed to a temple full of people you were having periods.''

Urmila shook her head in resignation. That happened 4yrs ago. And Seeta never forgot anything.

''Listen this time it is important. I cannot let you yearn in vain for that mysterious He. I shall appoint cunning daasis, I shall send spies to the other mahajanapadas*...I shall leave no stone unturned. He will be found, very soon,Jyeyaa! Urmila stooped and kissed her forehead fondly.

''God willing'' Seeta murmured with her eyes closed.

''Now enough of dreams and devs. Time for distraction!''Urmila hugged Seeta and started tickling all over her. Seeta was ultra sensitive to that and very soon the morning saw two sisters chasing each other all round the chamber.

Urmila being more agile and athletic soon caught her sister by her slender waist.

''Now listen,I have an important news to deliver. The reason I came to meet you this early !
Maharshi vishwamitra have settled his camp in a peaceful hermitage at the base of Siwalik himalay.That tiny village in dense village house families of religious brahmans, sages,vedic learners. Some tribal people also reside at the fringe dedicating themselves in servitude to the great minds. As you know maharshi never resides in one place for a long time, our parents want us to go meet him, have the pleasure of serving him and seek his blessings.''

Urmila paused for a while and beamed as something great just struck her. ''...And your birthday is also coming right... Seeta Jyeyaa when he would ask u for a boon on your birthday, ask for that gentleman in your dreams.''

He is a brahmarshi Jyeyaa, he is omniscient...with his blessings may your dream come true!

[To be continued...]


Writer's note :

*River Kaushika - Presently known as Koshi. One of the chief rivers of Nepal and Bihar which formed ancient Videha province.

*Arvasthan : Present Middle Eastern countries. References from Mahabharata and Puran suggest that ancient India had active tread relation with these countries.

*Avra - Sanskrit name of the Mica.

*Mahajanapadas - In ancient India, a number of kingdoms emerged during the Vedic Age that were spread across the Indo-Gangetic plain. These kingdoms were also called as republics and 16 of them were regarded the greatest of all. These 16 kingdoms were known as the 16 Mahajanapadas. These 16 Maha Janapadas are mentioned in the ancient literature and scriptures. The term Maha Janapada actually means "great country" and is derived from Sanskrit.

Beautifully written again shreya. Loved the second chapter. We can easily put ourselves in the scenario.

oye Hiral ! are you following my story ??
waise aap yahan kya kar rahi hain ? Ramaji ke prati apar bhakti toh nehi layi aapko, sayed Sharmaji ke prati apar prem has done the miracle ! ROFL !

Originally posted by: milinda.shreyz

oye Hiral ! are you following my story ??
waise aap yahan kya kar rahi hain ? Ramaji ke prati apar bhakti toh nehi layi aapko, sayed Sharmaji ke prati apar prem has done the miracle ! ROFL !

Priye... Hamare rom rom mien Rudra ...oops... raam base hai... Aur tumhari taraf bhi aakarshit hue hai hum... Phir kaise tumse door reh sakte hai... Priye...

shreya .🤗. this is you.. omg you change your username..so happy to see you here..😛 just visit your profile to confirm...😆😆

Originally posted by: hiralnehal

Priye... Hamare rom rom mien Rudra ...oops... raam base hai... Aur tumhari taraf bhi aakarshit hue hai hum... Phir kaise tumse door reh sakte hai... Priye...

ROFL ! Accha toh yeh baat, priyatamey ! yeh toh main barso sey jaanti hoon ap mujhsey sab sey adhik prem karti hai ! main dhyannya hogayi devi ! ab bahon mein ajaiye ( and replace me with sharmaji😆)

Originally posted by: -Bluesky-

shreya .🤗. this is you.. omg you change your username..so happy to see you here..😛 just visit your profile to confirm...😆😆

hope you remember me😳

yo Naina ! tu bhi hai yahan ! cool man ! i wonder aur kaun kaun hai purana RR forum regulars...sab mil kar halla machayenge yahan ! did u read the update ? kaise lagi batao ?
ab ashish yahan pe hai, I couldnt resist...i actually started watching from aduld siya ram stage...mujhe young ram pasand nehi ayi, the boy looked totally like chota bhai of tiger shroff🤢.

Originally posted by: milinda.shreyz

yo Naina ! tu bhi hai yahan ! cool man ! i wonder aur kaun kaun hai purana RR forum regulars...sab mil kar halla machayenge yahan ! did u read the update ? kaise lagi batao ?
ab ashish yahan pe hai, I couldnt resist...i actually started watching from aduld siya ram stage...mujhe young ram pasand nehi ayi, the boy looked totally like chota bhai of tiger shroff🤢.

So romantically written. I enjoyed it to the core. Sita's blush. Hai hai😳.