Kundavi stood motionless under the tree for a while. Vikraman did not turn to look at her, but kept his gaze fixed on her reflection in the water. She picked up a pebble and threw it in the water. It sank and splashed some water on Vikraman.
It had the effect that she expected. He turned to look at her. His
eyes widened. He gazed at her intently and eagerly. His lips parted, as if he
was about to say something. But he just sighed and turned around to look at
Kaveri.
After standing for a while longer, Kundavi walked away from the
tree and sat beside him. Vikraman looked at her two or three times, only to
look away each time.
Kundavi got up, saying, “I will be leaving then!”.
Vikraman, looking surprised, asked, “Did you talk?”
“Yes, I’m not mute!”
Vikraman gazed at her with a look of wonder but did not say
anything more. Kundavi started walking away.
“Why are you leaving?”, asked Vikraman, sounding emotional.
“It didn’t look like you would speak”, said Kundavi, returning to
take the seat beside him.
“I was afraid.”
“Afraid of a young girl? If you are delicate enough to be afraid
of girls, why did you travel alone?”
“I was not afraid of you. I was wondering if this is part of my
fevered hallucination. I thought you might disappear if I spoke!”, said Vikraman.
“What do you think now?”, asked Kundavi, with a smile.
“I’m still not sure. If you don’t mind…”
“If I don’t mind?”
“I would like to make sure”, said Vikraman. He raised his hand and
moved it close to her cheek. She did not disappear as she had done in his fevered
dreams. Nor did she turn her face away. He touched her soft cheek. His hand
stayed there, reluctant to move away. She grabbed his hand and returned it to
its position.
“Were you able to make sure?”
“Yes, and I was able to confirm several things.”
“What sort of things?”
“It is really you, not a product of my imagination”.
“And?”
“You are not a celestial being. Nor a statue. You are a real human
that I can touch and feel!”
“Anything more?”
“I also realized that I can’t live without you anymore.”
Kundavi momentarily turned away, wiped her eyes, and asked, “Do
you remember me?”
“Wrong question! You should have asked if I was able to remember
anything else! Day or night, happiness or suffering, your face has been etched
in my memory. I have thought of nothing else for the last three years.”
“It has only been ten days since we met on the streets of
Mamallapuram! Where did three years come from?”, asked Kundavi with a mixture
of a smile and disbelief on her face.
Taken aback by this question, he paused for a while. “Has it been
only ten days?”
“Did you think you were sick for three years?”
“My fever must have made me feel that way. I feel like I have
known you for years!”
“Have you seen me before we met in Mamallapuram, by any chance?”
He thought for a while. “I am not sure, My mind has still not
entirely clear. Further…”
“Further?”
“I seem to lose my train of thought when I gaze into your large
eyes. I’m lucky if I can remember who I am. Tracking days and months is a lot
to ask!”
“You are still in fever-induced delirium. You are totally
incoherent. You should not have come here alone”.
“No fever at all – see?”, he stretched his hand.
Kundavi touched his hand. “You are burning up!”
“Perhaps, but it is not due to fever!”
“Ok, look away from my eyes and respond to this – do you remember
who you are, and where you are from? Or have you forgotten everything?”
“Of course. I sat here at the riverbank and reminded myself of all
that. I came here from Senbaga Island for selling gems.”
“Do you remember meeting me at Mamallapuram?”
“Yes!”
“Do you remember me asking you to come to the palace to sell gems
to the princess?”
“Now, I recall it! Yes.”
“Why didn’t you visit the palace? Why did you have to leave
overnight, and travel alone along the deserted route?”
Vikraman paused a bit, and asked, “Do you want me to respond
truthfully?”
“If gem traders are allowed to speak the truth on occasion, please
do so.”
“The truth is that I was afraid that I won’t be able to leave you
if I had met you again. I now realize that the fear was well founded.”
“Is this how men of Senbaga Island lie and mislead women? Do they
teach you this as an art form?”, asked Kundavi with a mocking note in her
voice.
“You forget something. I live in Senbaga island, but I was born
here, in the Chozha land. I grew up playing on the shores of this holy river,
Kaveri. I learnt to swim in its currents. I grew up roaming the pleasant mango
orchards and coconut groves of this country. When I was in Senbaga island, I
used to shed silent tears, missing this country. How I longed to return here! That desire has been fulfilled, thanks to your help. How am I going to repay
that favor?!”, said Vikraman, visibly moved.
“Why do you thank me? You should thank Lady Kundavi.”
“Who?”
“The Emperor’s daughter, princess Kundavi. She is the one who
allowed us to carry you along. It’s her that you need to thank.”
“Is that so? It appears that there is still plenty for me to
learn. I’m still wonderstruck on the realization that I am back here, and sitting
on the banks of Kaveri. It is hard to grasp other things. Can you please
explain in detail how I got here? To start with, what is your name?”
“Don’t you remember? I introduced myself in Mamallapuram.”
“I can only remember meeting you. Nothing else!”
“My name is Rohini. I’m a friend of princess Kundavi.”
Kundavi had introduced herself as Madhavi when they met at Mamallapuram.
As she had made the name up on the spot, it did not stick to her memory.
Vikraman said, “Rohini! What a beautiful name! Many nights in
Senbaga island, I have looked at the sky and admired the star Rohini shining
near the crescent moon. But the star is no match for the radiance of your
eyes!”
“I have seen through your guise!”, said Kundavi.
“Guise?”, asked Vikraman, worried.
“You are not a gem trader at all. You are a poet. You are one of
those nomadic composers. You never had gems in your bag!”
After a thoughtful silence, Vikraman said, “I can’t show you now,
but someday, I will prove to you that I was indeed carrying gems. I am
definitely not a poet. If I did acquire some poetic skills, it was all due to
you. On seeing the radiance of your face…”
“Stop mocking me!”
“Mocking you?”. Vikraman resumed after a pause. “If you don’t like
this, I will stop. However, I will be grateful if you tell me how I got here.”
“You were lying unconscious in fever in a Mahendra Mantap
on the route from Kanchi to Uraiyur. If you tell me how you got there, I will
tell you the rest of the story.”
Vikraman told her briefly of his journey from Kanchi.
Kundavi listened to this, and said, “The Emperor’s son Mahendran,
and daughter Kundavi were traveling to Uraiyur. I was in their group. After we
crossed the wild river, we heard a cry for help from the pavilion. I peeked
inside. I recognized you as the trader I had met in Mamallapuram. I asked the
princess for permission to take you along. She was kind enough to agree. She has
allowed me to keep you here until you recover fully.”
“I saw your face in what I thought were my feverish dreams. I now
know that they were not dreams at all.”
“You may be right. I visited you often when you were sick. Princess
Kundavi is the one to thank for that too!”
Vikraman seemed lost in thought. Kundavi interrupted his thought.
“I have told you so much about the generosity of the princess. You have not
said anything expressing gratitude.”
“I can’t thank anyone from the Pallava royal family”
“If you meet Lady Kundavi in person, you will not speak like this!
You might forget me then!”
“I most certainly won’t. A thousand Kundavis can’t be a match for you. Changing topics, a question! Are those two here in the palace now?”
“Who are those two?”
“The brother and the sister.”
“Prince Mahendran is not here. He had to return to Kanchi. A
traveler from China is visiting Kanchi. He has come here after visiting several
countries in Bharat. His name is strange – ‘Hsuan Tsang’. The prince was
asked to receive and honor the visitor, as the Emperor was busy. The prince had
to leave in a couple of days after he got here. Do you see how our Emperor is
famous in faraway kingdoms? Is he well known where you are from?”
“Yes, the Emperor is famous there as well.”
“Is it not an honor to be ruled by such an Emperor? I heard that
the Chozha prince refused to pay tribute to the Pallava Empire and instead
chose to live in Senbaga Island. Do you understand why? What is your opinion?”
Vikraman met her eyes, and said, “As far as I am concerned, I’d
prefer to be independent in Senbaga Island than live in the Chozha country and
be ruled by someone else.”
“Are you sure? You won’t stay here even for my sake?”
Vikraman looked at her with a sad expression and said, “I hope you
won’t place me in such a quandary!”
They both recognized each other and were trying not to acknowledge
that they knew. How long could they keep that up?
Parthban Kanavu: The Tamil version of the novel is in the public domain. Copyright for the translation is reserved by the translator..
Art by Sujatha, unless otherwise credited.
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