Ayana by Geetha Krishnan

Author:Geetha Krishnan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Geetha Krishnan

Forty One

A

s soon as she saw Rama, Sita knew something had happened, something really wonderful. It was there in his eyes, in the extra spring in his step, in the way he held his head. She rose and went to him and he clasped her hands, a happy smile on his lips.

“I am to be crowned,” he said, and before Sita could begin to process his words, he gave her the next shock, “And it’s going to happen tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Exclaimed she. “But that’s– how– I mean– tomorrow?”

He laughed. “Yes, my love. Tomorrow! It’s rather unbelievable, isn’t it?”

They sat down on a divan by the window which had a view of the gardens. It was Sita’s favourite spot. She loved looking at the garden. But right now, she had eyes only for her husband.

“I know it is a lot to take in,” Rama said. “Father told me just now, and it was hard to believe for me too.” A shadow passed across Rama’s eyes. “Father wants to go on Vanaprastha with my mothers, and Guru Vasishta told him tomorrow is the only auspicious day for coronation. So, he wants it to happen tomorrow.”

Sita pressed his hands. She could understand him. Though he was happy to be chosen as the king, he did not want his parents to go away. But that was the way of things. Kings did not stick around once they have crowned their heirs. It was time for them to seek solace and solitude in the forest hermitages. Yet, knowledge did not make it easier when the day came for the parents to bid farewell.

There was nothing she could say or do to make it any easier for Rama.

Fortunately, her Rama knew all this even better than she. He knew this day had to come. He just did not expect it to come so soon. Now that it had, he was both overjoyed and sad at the same time.

“Have you told your mother?” Sita asked. Something told her that King Dasaratha would not have informed any of his queens about the coronation plans.

Rama shook his head, “I wanted to tell you first. I will be going to my mother now.”

Something is bothering him.

“Rama,” she asked, “What is it?”

He smiled at her. “Just something silly,” he said, “or at least Guru Vasishta has assured me that it is silly.”

“Tell me,” she said. Nothing that troubled him could be silly to her.

“I told father that I wanted Bharata and Shatrughna here, for my coronation. I asked Guru Vasishta when the next auspicious day would be since it’s not possible to have them back by tomorrow.”

“And?”

“Well, the guru said something like, ‘Not for a long time’, and father told me that their being here was not at all important, and the guru said that I was being silly.”

“Oh,” Sita said. What Rama wanted was only natural, but she understood the concerns of his father and the rishi Vasishta as well.

Rama smiled again, but there was a tinge of sorrow in it. “Anyway, the coronation will proceed as planned.

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