Sivakamiyin Sabadham (The Siege of Kanchi Book 2) by Kalki Krishnamurthy

Author:Kalki Krishnamurthy [Krishnamurthy, Kalki]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781630033781
Published: 2014-03-13T18:30:00+00:00

29.The Earthen Boat

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Hearing Sugar’s welcome, a slight smile appeared on Mamallar’s face. Sivakami raised her hand to spank the parrot. To escape the blow, the parrot circled the place flapping its wings and returned to sit on Sivakami’s shoulder. This scene amused Mamallar even more.

Mamallar then saw Gundodharan rowing towards the viharam in the earthen boat. He gestured to Gundodharan to stop.

At the same time, Sivakami who was watching from the upper storey pointed to Gundodharan and said happily, “Appa! Gundodharan has also arrived! He has fetched an earthen boat!” She had worried about Gundodharan all night. Now all those worries had disappeared and she felt excited, anticipating a lot of amusement.

Gundodharan skillfully maneuvered the boat to ensure that the boat did not hit the viharam’s pillar and rowed towards Mamallar. “Prabhu! Please get into the boat,” he said.

“Who are you? You look familiar!” asked Mamallar.

“I’m Shatrugnan’s man, Swami!” said Gundodharan and showed the insignia that he had kept in his turban.

“How did you reach here?”

“Prabhu, I have been with them for the last eight months as ordered by my master,” said Gundodharan.

“How did you get the boat?”

“An aged bikshu was pushing this boat towards the viharam. I pushed him into the flood and brought the boat.”

“Why did you push the bikshu into the flood? Why did you engage in that sinful act?”

“There wouldn’t have been place for him in the boat if you too were in the boat. That’s why I pushed the bikshu in.”

“How did you know that I would come?”

“If I did not know even that how could I be part of Mahendra Pallavar’s spy force, Prabhu?”

Mamallar swiftly leapt down from the horse and skillfully got on to the boat. He then affectionately stroked the horse’s face twice and said, “Dhanajaya! Try to run away from this place and escape. May God rescue you!”

Immediately that horse whose name was Dhanajaya swam away swiftly towards the road, its head raised above the water.

Gundodharan and Mamallar carefully steered the boat and reached the viharam. It was a difficult task to bring everyone from the upper storey into the boat. Sivakami was the one who caused the maximum trouble. She, who had been ready to die in the flood till some time ago, was now keen to live and extremely scared of the floods.

There was a lot of debate regarding who would get into the boat first. They tried to get Rathi to the boat first. She stubbornly refused to get on to the boat.

Aayanar forced Sivakami to get on to the boat first. Aayanar and athai lowered Sivakami from above into Mamallar’s outstretched arms. He then lowered her into the boat. When she got into the boat it shook, causing her to scream out of fear. Mamallar held her firmly, sat her down and consoled her.

Then when athai and Aayanar got into the boat it shook. That made her even more afraid.

Sugar who was circling above came and sat in one corner of the boat after everyone had got on to the boat.

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