Book 03 - Chapter 08: The Impostor

 

Kundavi and Mahendran noticed that the spy chief rode on without paying attention to the royal entourage. Kundavi’s palanquin and Mahendran’s horse were traveling adjacent to each other.

Mahendran had both Kundavi’s delicate good looks and Narasimha Varman’s majestic aura. The brother and sister were a sight to behold as they traveled together. He had been ruling in place of Emperor Narasimha Varman for a year. Everyone was surprised that the man ahead of them chose to ride on ahead without paying respects or standing aside.

Kundavi asked, “Brother, do you see the well-built man riding ahead? Do you know who he is?”

Mahendran said, “I don’t know. He looks majestic and has the appearance of royalty. Look at his horse! It has galloped ahead so quickly”.

“He must be going to Kanchi. He must be a foreigner. Otherwise he would not have ridden on without stopping for us. Many foreigners have arrived on the ship that docked four days ago. There seem to be several new faces around as a result”.

“Kundavi, you mentioned the gem trader from Senbaga Island. He never visited you, did he?”

“No, he did not”, said Kundavi, with a note of disappointment in her voice.

“He will definitely come to the Kanchi palace”.

Kundavi did not respond. If her calculations were correct, he would not come, she thought. She visualized the face of the Chozha prince that she saw in Kanchi three years ago, and the face of the gem merchant that she met in Mamallapuram. Could they really be two different people? It would be a remarkable similarity if they were.

Mahendran noticed her glum manner. “Sister!”, he called in a gentle voice.

“Yes brother?”

“You don’t look well. Is anything the matter?”

“Nothing”.

“I have a plan. You want to hear it?”

“Yes please.”

“I am going to tell father that I won’t rule the Pallava Empire anymore. He should assume the burden again”.

“Why do you say that?”

“When he is around, how can I sit on the throne? I look like a cat pretending to be a lion! Everyone thinks so too.”

“I don’t think so. That is not true!”

“I have another important responsibility too. I am planning a sea voyage.”

“Are you going to Lanka again?”

“No, I am going to Senbaga Island.”

“What? Why?”  

“I am going to ask father to pardon Vikraman. I will go to Senbaga island myself and get him back here. I have been back in this country for a year now. I have not seen you happy. My first task is to make you smile again”, said Mahendran, sounding a bit emotional.

Kundavi’s eyes moistened. After a pause, she said, “Father won’t agree.”

“I will convince him. I was going to ask him last night. He did not return home. I will definitely ask him today”.

“Even if he agrees, what good will come out of you going to Senbaga Island?”

“What do you mean - what good will come out of it? I will get a brother in law, won’t I?”

“It won’t work. The proud Chozha prince will never agree to marry a Pallava princess!”

Mahendran laughed out loud. “Little sister, have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror?”

“Oh, shut up!”

“I am going to Senbaga Island. If I don’t produce him in front of you, and make him do as you bid, I am not a worthy grandson of Mahendra Pallava!”, said Mahendran.

They returned to the palace and returned to their respective quarters. Kundavi entered the women’s quarters. She was stunned to find a stranger sitting on the seat reserved for the Emperor. In a second, she recognized the stranger as the man who rode ahead of the royal entourage earlier in the day. Her surprise was replaced by anger.

“Who are you sir, and how did you dare to enter the royal women's quarters!”

“My lady, I am the chief of spies. My name is Devasenan. I came to question you for an investigation!”, said the man.

Kundavi’s rage turned into amusement. “Father! What sort of prank is this?!” She hung on his shoulders, reached out and pulled out the fake moustache. The Emperor appeared.

“I was fooled. I only recognized you from the voice! I would have stood no chance otherwise. How did you get this good at disguising yourself?”

“My child, this was the most valuable among the arts that Emperor Mahendra Varman, my father taught me”, said the Emperor.

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Book 03 - Chapter 07: Scattered Gems

After Vikraman disappeared into the forest, the spy chief went back into the house. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and stood looking at the statues for a while. His eyes were moist.

After a while, he addressed the old woman, “If the boy returns, give him accommodation, but don’t reveal my secret to him. I will return in a few days.”

“As you wish, my lord!”, responded the old woman.

He went to the backyard. There was a white horse there that was a spitting image of the one that Vikraman rode. He mounted the horse and went back the way he had arrived the previous night. He reached the site of the attempted robbery.

He looked surprised on arrival. As he surveyed the scene, the look of surprise intensified. The bodies of the men who had fallen the previous night were missing!

He was expecting a gory sight. He was expecting to see half eaten bodies after the scavenger animals ate parts of the bodies. He expected to see a grisly scene with bones and flesh after the wild animals had had their prey.

There was no such sight. The animals could not have swallowed the bodies whole. They might have dragged the bodies away. In that case, the clothes and swords of the dead men should still be lying there. It was not the case. He surmised that someone must have arrived after he had left the scene the previous night. He dismounted and subjected the site to a closer inspection. An object attracted his attention. It was a skull.

It could not have been the skull of one of the men who had died the previous night. It looked old. He thought it might have been Kapaliks who removed the bodies.  ‘Kapaliks wear garlands of skulls – this must have fallen off their one such garland’, he thought.

On further inspection, he found a few gems scattered on the ground. They may have fallen when the dwarf dropped the bags. He bent down, intending to gather the gems.

He heard hoof-beats. The sound suggested that a few horses, four or five, were approaching. He mounted his horse in a hurry and rode it into the dense growth. He left the horse deep into the forest. He returned to hide behind a tree closer to the road, in such a manner that the road was visible from where he was.

The horses arrived and stopped abruptly. There were six horsemen in the group. The spy chief recognized the man who appeared to be their leader. On recognition, his face showed anger and revulsion. The man was Marappa Bhupathi.

Among those who arrived, Marappan stopped his horse first. The others stopped, following his lead. He dismounted and inspected the ground just as the spy chief had done a few minutes ago. He noticed the skull. He noticed the marks of the skirmish that took place the previous night, including dried blood. He noticed the marks on the grounds of the bodies having been dragged away. He saw the gems and picked them up eagerly.

He stared at the gems and laughed. He looked at the others and said, “It has worked out well. Fortuitous, indeed!”. The group stood around talking for a while. After a while, Marappan mounted his horse. The horses galloped away.

After they left, the spy chief went to where his horse was, mounted it and started riding the way he had come the previous night. At a turn, the horse seemed to shudder. The spy chief stopped and looked around. He saw that eagles were circling behind a boulder at a distance. He thought that answered the question as to what happened to the bodies. ‘Whoever removed the bodies must have moved them behind the boulder. But who might they be?’, he thought.

He did not stay there wondering for long. He resumed his ride.

In a while, he approached the royal highway that connected Mamallapuram to Kanchi. At the same time, the royal entourage was coming from Mamallapuram.  Among the entourage were Princess Kundavi, who was traveling in a palanquin, and Prince Mahendran, who was riding a majestic white horse.

The spy chief noticed all this from a distance and sped up. He did not slow down for the entourage or pay heed to its distinguished members. He reached the intersection before they did and resumed his ride towards Kanchi.

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Book 03 - Chapter 06: The Sculptor’s House

There was a footpath cutting through the jungle. The growth would have been dense enough to block out light during daytime. There was no light at all at night, unlike on the minor road, where starlight helped visibility somewhat.

Vikraman realized that he was following a stranger in such odd settings. For all his bravery, he was very nervous. The footpath was narrow enough that tree branches and shrubs rubbed against him as he walked. He could hear the harsh hoots of owls.  There was a roar from a distance. The horse neighed in response. The spy chief patted the horse reassuringly. The horse led the way. The spy chief and Vikraman followed, in that order.

Along the way, Vikraman tripped on a tree root. The spy chief lent him a hand to get him on his feet. Vikraman was amazed at the strength of the grip. ‘Such strong hands! The spy chief should be an awesome warrior. The Emperor seems to be good at picking the right man for the job’, he thought.

Just as he was wondering if the darkness would ever end, he could see the sky. He could see the outline of a building at a distance.

“We’re there! You can rest here overnight and leave in the morning” said the spy chief.

“Sounds like a plan! Whose house is this? Who would build a house in the middle of such a dense jungle, and why?”, asked Vikraman, puzzled.

“The man who built the house is no more. This was not such a remote place in his days. I can tell you the story if you can’t sleep at night”.

The spy chief knocked on the door. Vikraman saw then that it was not an ordinary house. It looked like a temple or art gallery. The door opened. An old woman emerged, carrying a lamp. She looked at the spy chief with raised eyebrows, clearly surprised at his arrival.

The spy chief quickly touched his lips with his left index finger. She understood the signal and wiped the look of surprise from her face. She opened the door wide, saying, “Please come in Sir!”

The two men entered the house. The horse entered the house with an air of familiarity. It went to the back door and waited. The old woman opened the back door. The horse went out through the door.

The spy chief turned to Vikraman and said, “See how smart this horse is! I had tied it in the backyard when I came here once before. It seems to find its way from memory. I am going to tend to the horse. Look at the sculptures as you wait”. He went out through the back door. The old woman followed him with the lamp.

A bright lantern on the wall was lighting up the room. Vikraman looked around and concluded that it was not really a house, but a sculpture gallery. The house seemed to be full of wonderful sculptures. The walls were covered with colorful paintings. They seemed to have been painted several years ago, but still seemed full of life.

A girl of divine beauty figured prominently in the sculptures and paintings. The art seemed to be based on her dance poses and facial expressions. Vikraman was stunned by the skill and beauty on display in those works of art. The art he had seen in Uraiyur art gallery and the Mamallapuram art festival could not come even close. He couldn’t wait to find out about the master artist who created all those works of art.

The spy chief returned after feeding the horse. Vikraman asked, “Sir, these statues are incredible! Who is the sculptor who created these? The statues feature a woman of divine beauty. Was she real, or a creation of the sculptor’s imagination? Why is this art hidden in the jungle? Should they not be exhibited to the public?”

“As I said, it is a long story. If you don’t mind forgoing sleep for the rest of the night, I will tell you. I’m starving right now. The old woman is bringing us a meal of flour of flaked rice and jaggery. Let’s eat first”.

They ate. While they were eating, Vikraman said, “You did not tell me your name”.

“My name is Veerasenan. Yours?”

Surprised, Vikraman responded, “Mine is Devasenan”.

“Nice! We have an affinity in our names. We can speak freely. Why are you going to Uraiyur in a hurry? If your goal is to sell precious gems, shouldn’t you go to Kanchi?”

Despite feeling grateful and warm towards the spy chief, Vikraman grew cautious. ‘What if he discovers my identity? I have to watch what I say’, he thought.

“My mother is in Uraiyur. I am eager to see her. That is the reason I’m rushing to go to Uraiyur”.

“Didn’t you say you are from Senbaga Island?”

“My birthplace is Uraiyur. I went to Senbaga Island a few years ago to earn a livelihood. After the Chozha kingdom was annexed to the Pallava empire, its prosperity was gone. What sort of gem trade can I do in a city with no royal family?”

Vikraman mentioned the Royal family, hoping Veerasenan would say something about Queen Arulmozhi. It did not work out that way. Veerasenan remained quiet for the rest of the meal.

After the meal, Vikraman asked again for the story of the house.

“Devasena, do you believe in death?”, asked the spy chief.

Vikraman was nonplussed. “What do you mean? Believe in death?”

“Do you really believe people die? When we say a life ended, does the life really end, or does it linger on earth even after the body is gone? Do dead people think of us? Do they come here? Are they watching what we do?”

Vikraman thought of his father, and the promise he had made to his father. ‘Is he really watching what I’m doing?’, he thought.

He said, “I have such questions too, but I haven’t found anyone to answer them.”

“I think the whole thing called death is a falsehood. It’s also silly to grieve for people who are dead. Ayanar, the sculptor and Sivagami, his daughter, lived in this house thirty years ago. Those days, the sounds of chisel and anklets of dancers used to sound all the time. Sivagami used to dance wonderfully. Ayanar used to transcribe her dance poses into paintings and sculptures."

“So, the divine looking woman is Sivagami?”

“Yes. It was during Emperor Mahendra Varman’s days. His son Narasima Varman was around your current age at that time. I used to come here with him. We could hear the sounds of dancers' anklets from quite a distance on our way here. I still can’t believe Ayanar and Sivagami are not here. If I listen carefully, I can still hear the anklet and chisel.

Vikraman’s curiosity was piqued. He requested Veerasenan for more information on Ayanar and Sivagami. Veerasenan obliged. He talked about Ayanar’s peerless artistic skills. He also talked about Sivagami’s beauty and dancing skills. He briefly alluded to the love that blossomed between the young Narasimha Varman and Sivagami. He described how the love was disrupted by the tyrant Pulikesi and his army’s charge; how Sivagami was taken  captive by Pulikesi; Narasimha Varman’s efforts to free Sivagami; how Sivagami swore an oath; and how Narsimha Varman fulfilled the oath. Then he described how Sivagami realized her love couldn't succeed, and was heartbroken.

Vikraman was moved to tears at various points of the story.  He developed a new regard for Emperor Narasimha Varman. It might be fair to say he even developed some affection towards the Emperor. He reminded himself of the promise he made to his father, and recalled that Narasimha Varman was the sworn enemy of his clan.

It was almost early morning when they slept. They slept for three hours. Vikraman was woken up by the musical chirping of birds. He wondered if he had dreamt the previous night’s happenings.  He had to look around to confirm that he had not.

“Devasena, the horse is well rested and is raring to go. It did not stay up like we did! Once you finish the morning ablutions, you can get on your way to Uraiyur”, called the spy chief from outside.

Vikraman finished his morning routines and ate the simple breakfast that the old woman provided. He took leave from Veerasenan. “Sir, I am indebted to you. I can’t possibly repay you for saving my life. However, I don’t want to accept the horse for free. Can you please accept this as the price of the horse?”. He offered him a fistful of gems.

“You are mistaken. I have not gifted you my dear horse. I have just lent it to you. After you finish your business, please return the horse at the same place on your way back”, said the spy chief.

“I will do so. In any case, please accept these gems as a token of my gratitude”, said Vikraman.

Veerasenan agreed and accepted the gems.

Vikraman mounted the horse. The spy chief patted the horse and said, “This horse is accustomed to the route to Uraiyur. If you let it go on its own way, it will get you to Uraiyur. You don’t need any directions”.

The horse walked along the path in the forest. Vikraman kept turning back to look at the sculpture house and the spy chief until they both disappeared from view. In daylight, he could see the aura of the spy chief’s face and his graceful bearing; those had made a deep impression on him.

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Book 03 - Chapter 05: The Chief of Spies

Vikraman was grateful that the horseman had arrived in time to save him. He replied, “Sir, I’m a trader. I took this route as a shortcut to get to Uraiyur. You came at a good time to save me from danger”.

“Are you a trader? It’s hard to believe the hands that weigh goods can wield the sword this well. What sort of trade do you do?”

“I trade in precious gems. I trained in sword fight as well”.

“A gem trader? And you chose to travel alone along such a route at night?”

“I was misled by the reputation of Emperor Narasimha Varman. I’ve heard people say even in overseas countries that there is no such thing as crime under his rule”.

“Oh, you are a foreigner! I thought you might be. Where are you coming from?”

“I’m from Senbaga Island”.

“Senbaga Island? I have heard that it is known for precious stones. But to sell gems, shouldn’t you have gone to Kanchi? Why did you have to travel in such haste to Uraiyur?”

“I will tell you sir. May I know who you are?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“Isn’t it natural for me to want to know who saved my life?”

“I did not save your life. You saved yourself. You dealt with three men. Getting rid of the fourth would not have been hard for you. In any case, I will tell you who I am. You just said you were misled by the reputation of the Emperor. I am one of the servants of that Emperor. I am the chief of spies. I received intelligence that you are traveling along this path. I thought you might be in danger and came here”.

“Amazing! Is the Emperor’s spy network that efficient? If so, it appears that I was mistaken.”

“The governance here may not be as good as in Senbaga Island, but we try our best to avert theft and murder. Strictly speaking, I have to arrest you for causing the death of four people, and produce you in the Emperor’s court.”

Vikraman’s hand gripped the handle of the sword. The horseman noticed it, and said, “No, sir, there is no need for that. I don’t intend to arrest you. You are a foreigner. You made a mistake in coming along this route. If people like you don’t get in trouble, people like me will have nothing to do. There would be no need for a spy network, or a chief of spies. For now, my job here is done. In fact, you seem quite capable of fending for yourself. Let me get on my way”.

Vikraman was confused. He felt he had not thanked the man properly. He thought if he befriended the man, he might be able to buy the man’s horse. He also was a bit worried as to where to stay for the night. He said, “It is not true. If you did not turn up, it was quite possible that I’d have died. You certainly saved my life. I need another favor from you”.

“I always help when someone asks for help. But I don’t volunteer help to those who don’t ask”.

“I need to get to Uraiyur in a hurry. For that you…”

“You are going to ask me for my horse. If you travel this late, you and my horse may end up as prey for wild animals. I’m not particularly worried about you, but I don’t want to feed my horse to tigers.”

“Do you have a better idea?”

“There is a sculptor’s house nearby. If you come with me, you can stay there overnight and leave in the morning”.

Vikraman thought for a while and said, “Let’s do that”.

They picked up the bags lying on the ground, and tied them to the horseback. The man led the horse and entered the forest. Vikraman followed him.

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Book 03 - Chapter 04: The Robbery

The emperor looked majestic on the royal elephant. People seemed pleasantly surprised by his arrival. The surprise element and fact that he was returning after a long time got people considerably excited. They surrounded him and greeted him with loud cheers.

Marappa Bhupathi heard these greetings and rode away quietly. Devasenan moved to the side of the road. His heart raced. He turned away, determined not to look at the Emperor. As the elephant passed him, he wavered. The Emperor was the sworn enemy of the Chozha clan, but it was hard to deny that his fame as a warrior had spread far and wide. Devasenan’s gaze involuntarily turned in his direction. The Emperor looked at him at the same time. His roving eyes settled on the trader’s face for a moment. There was no change in his facial expression, not even a twitch of the eyebrow. His gaze moved on past the face.

The elephant moved on too. The trader heaved a sigh, having escaped danger. His mind was unsettled. He was not happy at having met Marappan. ‘He is the commander of the army now. It certainly looks as if his treachery has been rewarded. Did he talk to me that way because he recognized me? Was he truthful about the girl being the Emperor’s daughter?  If she was indeed the princess, why would she identify herself as someone else? Why would she repeatedly invite me to the palace?’ Upon these thoughts, Vikraman felt various dangers were closing in on him. Staying on in Mamallapuram would be inviting trouble. Further, Marappan’s mysterious allusion to Queen Arulmozhi had shaken him. He wanted to go to Uraiyur and see his mother before worrying about anything else.

He had planned to purchase a horse and ride to Uraiyur. He abandoned that plan. Trying to purchase a horse might attract attention. He might get caught if he ran into Marappan again. It was a good thing that the Emperor passed by at the right time - a narrow escape! He remembered that he had shown his true feelings when Marappan brought up Queen Arulmozhi. Could Marappan have suspected him, and said those things to confirm his identity? What would Marappan have done if he had confirmed his identity? What was he doing in Mamallapuram? ‘In any case, it would be good to leave right now,  go to Uraiyur and meet mother while Marappan is here. I might be able to purchase a horse on the way’, he thought.

Upon these thoughts, Vikraman – let’s use his real name from now on – headed to the choultry where he had been staying. He was checking his surroundings on the way and hid when he heard hoof-beats. He gathered his bags, and left with the dwarf, who carried the bags.  He had not noticed that the dwarf was talking to someone in sign language outside the lodge when he was inside.

He left Mamallapuram about three hours before sunset. When he passed the city gates and reached the royal highway, evening fell, and the sunlight had turned golden.

Royal highways connected Mamallapuram to Kanchi, and Kanchi to Uraiyur. The highway from Mamallapuram to Kanchi used to bustle with activity. People would travel on horseback, elephants and in palanquins. The road was interspersed with small hamlets along the way. The highway had temples, monasteries, choultries, watering holes, schools and shops on either side. Newcomers could be forgiven for thinking it was one big city all the way from Mamallapuram to Kanchi.

There were minor roads branching off this highway. One such minor road cut across forests and joined the Kanchi-Uraiyur highway just south of Kanchi. The minor road served as a shortcut to many travelers, saving them about five kilometers of travel. It was not a busy road, especially at night. There was a risk of running into wild animals along the way. Further, there was a notorious Badrakali temple along the way. It was rumored that Sakthars and Kapaliks conducted human sacrifices in the temple, in defiance of the emperor’s orders. Hence, even brave men hesitated to take that road after sunset.

Vikraman was blissfully ignorant of this. He reached the minor road, led by the dwarf. When the dwarf signaled to him that they should take that road, he hesitated a bit. The desire to see his mother gave him courage to take the shortcut. Another reason for his courage was the four men he saw at the intersection of the royal highway and the minor road. They were talking but started walking along the minor road briskly as Vikraman arrived. Vikraman thought that they could prove to be good company if he could catch up with them. He picked up speed, but the dwarf walked slower than usual, slowing him down.

The forest seemed to get denser as they walked. The sun had fully set. However, the sky was clear. Stars shone brightly, helping them find their way. There were some fireflies among the dark foliage. It appeared as if the forest fairies were using their magical powers to put on a light show.

Vikraman, for all his bravery, got progressively nervous as time passed. He could hear sounds of wild animals and the hooting of owls. He wanted to ask the dwarf things like how long they had to walk through the wooded region, and where they could stay. But darkness made conversation in sign language impossible.

About three hours after sunset, Vikraman’s instincts warned him of danger. He was reluctant to go on. He had already wondered if he should return to the royal highway, but the idea seemed better and better as time passed. He tapped the dwarf on his shoulders and stopped him.

He could hear hoof-beats at a distance. Vikraman was startled to see that the dwarf appeared to listen to the sound as well.  If he was indeed deaf, how could he hear the faint hoof-beats?

Vikraman pulled out his sword. The well-oiled sword sparkled, despite the darkness. He grabbed the dwarf by the hair, raised the sword and asked, “If you were indeed deaf, how did you react to the hoof-beat? Speak the truth or prepare to die.”

The dwarf cackled aloud. Vikraman’s blood seemed to congeal at the terrible sound of the cackle. As he remained stupefied, the dwarf freed himself and moved rapidly away. He cupped his hands around his mouth and made a long, eerie sound. The sound was neither human, nor of animals. Any listeners may have been forgiven for thinking it was the howl of a banshee.

Vikraman shuddered. He steeled himself and moved, having decided to kill the dwarf. At that moment, four men emerged from one side of the path, with swords in their hands. The sight of the swords put Vikraman at ease, and gave him courage. The darkness, dense forest and the eerie noises made by the dwarf had made him think he had slipped into some terrible haunted land. The swords reassured him that whatever was happening was in the human realm. He brandished his sword. The four men attacked, and he moved quickly.  One of them fell very early by his attack. Another man’s sword was knocked off by impact, flew at the dwarf and hit him, who screamed and collapsed.  The other two now sensed that Vikraman was no ordinary swordsman. They started fighting cautiously, staying outside his arms’ reach. They were looking over their shoulders occasionally, suggesting that they were expecting someone. The hoof-beats were getting closer. A horse and rider emerged. In star light, Vikraman could see that the rider had his sword out. One of the men shouted, “Master, please hurry!”.

Vikraman thought that his end was near. He was confident of fighting the two men, but he was tiring. He was pessimistic of being able to fight a third, fresh fighter.

Vikraman thought of his mother and regretted dying without seeing her. He thought of the girl who had showed great kindness as she talked to him. He also remembered the Emperor, riding the royal elephant. That angered him. ‘Murderers and Dacoits under the Pallava rule! Is this how Narasimha Varman rules my Chozha country as well?’. He swung his sword, powered by rage. One of the two men fell.

At the same time, the horseman slashed out. And the other man fell dead.

Vikraman was astounded. Did the horseman make a mistake? He could not have. Vikraman was wearing a shirt and the others were bare-chested.  It should have been easy for the horseman to tell him from others. ‘Does that mean that the rider was not whom these men were expecting?’ thought Vikraman.

The horseman dismounted, and asked, “Sir, who are you, and why did you travel alone in this dangerous path?’

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