She left him?!
‘In the name of Lady Mohini, why? Forget about your tribe’s silly law. If you want him then you have to fight for him …’
‘No. It’s not about the laws … I would have left the tribe if … if I had wanted to marry him.’
‘Then, what is the problem?’ asked Sita.
‘It wouldn’t have worked out … I know. I don’t want to be a part of this “greatness project”, Sita. I know Ram, Bharat, and you will do a lot for India. I also know that greatness usually comes at the cost of enormous personal suffering. That is the way it has always been. That is the way it will always be. I don’t want that. I just want a simple life. I just want to be happy. I don’t want to be great.’
‘You are being too pessimistic, Radhika.’
‘No, I am not. You can call me selfish but …’
Sita cut in, ‘I would never call you selfish. Realistic, maybe. But not selfish.’
‘Then speaking realistically, I know what I am up against. I have observed my father all my life. There is a fire within him. I see it in his eyes, all the time. I see the same fire in you. And in Ram. A desire to serve Mother India. I didn’t expect it initially, but now I see the same fire in Bharat’s eyes. You are all the same. Even Bharat. And just like all of you, he is willing to sacrifice everything for India. I don’t want to sacrifice anything. I just want to be happy. I just want to be normal …’
‘But can you be happy without him?’
Radhika’s sad smile did not hide her pain. ‘It would be even worse if I married him and all my hopes for happiness were tied to nagging him to give up his dreams for India and for himself. I’d eventually make him unhappy. I’d make myself unhappy as well.’
‘But …’
‘It hurts right now. But time always heals, Sita. Years from now, what will remain are the bittersweet memories. More sweet, less bitter. No one can take away the memories of passion and romance. Ever. That’ll be enough.’
‘You’ve really thought this through?’
‘Happiness is not an accident. It is a choice. It is in our hands to be happy. Always in our hands. Who says that we can have only one soulmate? Sometimes, soulmates want such radically different things that they end up being the cause of unhappiness for each other. Someday I will find another soulmate, one who also wants what I want. He may not be as fascinating as Bharat. Or, even as great as Bharat will be. But he will bring me what I want. Simple happiness. I will find such a man. In my tribe. Or, outside of it.’
Sita gently placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder.
Radhika took a deep breath and shook her head. Snapping out of her blues. She had been sent to Mithila with a purpose. ‘By the way, Guru Vashishtha has made his decision. So have the Vayuputras.’
‘And?’
‘It’s Ram.’
Sita took a long, satisfied breath. Then, she smiled.
Another year passed by. Sita was twenty-four years old now. She had visited the entire length of the western coast of India, the previous year. From the beaches of Balochistan all the way down to Kerala, which cradled Agastyakootam. She was finally back in Mithila, engaged in mounds of pending royal duties. Whatever little time she could spare, she spent with her younger sister, Urmila, and her father, Janak.
Kushadhwaj had not visited Mithila for a while. He wasn’t in Sankashya either. Which was strange. Sita had tried to make inquiries about his whereabouts, but had not been successful so far. What she did know was that the Sankashya administration had lost much of its efficiency after Sulochan’s death, universally believed to be the result of an unfortunate heart attack.
Sita was used to Radhika’s unexpected visits, by now. Hence, she was delighted to receive her friend, whom she was meeting after a few months.
‘How are things in your village, now that the excitement of hosting the princes of Ayodhya is gone?’
Radhika laughed. ‘It’s all right …’
‘Are you all right?’
‘I’m getting there …’
‘And how is Ram doing in Ayodhya?’
‘He has been made the chief of police. And Bharat the chief of diplomatic relations.’
‘Hmm … So Queen Kaikeyi still has her grip on Ayodhya. Bharat is better placed to catapult into the role of Crown Prince. The chief of police is a tough and thankless job.’
‘So it would seem. But Ram is doing exceedingly well. He has managed to bring crime under visible control. This has made him popular among the people.’
‘How did he manage that miracle?’
‘He just followed the laws. Ha!’
Sita laughed, befuddled. ‘How does Ram abiding by the law make any difference? The people also have to follow it. And, Indians will never do that. In fact, I think we enjoy breaking rules. Pointlessly. For the heck of it. One must be pragmatic when dealing with Indians. Laws must be enforced, yes. But this cannot be an end in itself. You may sometimes need to even misuse the law to achieve what you want.’
‘I disagree. Ram has shown a new way. By simply ensuring that he, too, is accountable and subject to the law. No shortcuts are available to the Ayodhyan nobility anymore. This has electrified the common folk. If the law is above even a prince, then why not them?’
Sita leaned into her chair. ‘Interesting …’
‘By the way,’ asked Radhika, ‘where is Guru Vishwamitra?’
Sita hesitated.
‘I am only checking because we believe Guru Vashishtha has gone to Pariha to propose Ram’s candidature as the Vishnu.’
Sita was shocked. ‘Guru Vishwamitra is in Pariha as well.’
Radhika sighed. ‘Things will soon come to a head. You better have a plan in mind to convince Guru Vishwamitra about Ram and you partnering as the Vishnus.’
Sita took a deep breath. ‘Any idea what the Vayuputras will do?’
‘I have told you already. They lean towards Guru Vashishtha. The only question is whether they will give in to Guru Vishwamitra. After all, he is the chief of the Malayaputras and the representative of the previous Vishnu.’
‘I will speak with Hanu bhaiya.’
Chapter 17
‘But, Didi,’ pouted Urmila, keeping her voice low as she spoke to her elder sister, Sita, ‘why have you agreed to a swayamvar? I don’t want you to leave. What will I do without you?’
Urmila and Sita sat on a large, well-camouflaged wooden machan in a tree. Their feet dangled by the side. Sita’s bow lay within hand’s reach, next to a quiver full of arrows. The jungle was quiet and somnolent this hot afternoon. Most of the animals, it seemed, were taking a nap.