Lakshmi

Chapter 11 Confession

Horses were happy to see Karuppiah at his identification with them, and they enjoyed a happy washing of their body. Karuppiah as usual mucked out the waste; removed the urine stinked hay beds away from the stable. He organized fresh beds, feed and water to the horses. 

Suddenly he heard the doors of the temple got opened. It was not the dawn. Dawn prayer would have completed either with Lakshmi or not. He regretted for his deep sleep, that prevented his dawn rise. 

Already the sun had reached twrnty degrees up above the horizon. The two trees on the fence of the exercise ground hid his view from observing at what was happening at the temple, atleast on the outside of the door.

After an hour, he started to hear the bell jingling, and mantras getting chanted. He had now  freshened himself with a nice bath at his room, and was ready to witness what was going at the temple of Perumal. 

He smelled jasmine and marigold flowers, besides the smell of oleander flowers. He organized himself and set himself out for the temple. He heard some one was walking towards his room.

A base voice was calling him. " Karuppiah, are you ready to come with me into the temple?". He was bewildered. A base voice. Was the person the king? Karuppiah came out. There stood a man in his sixties. He had a golden colour turban on his head. He recognized that the man must have been none other than the king. A chilled  fear ran through Karuppiah's spine, and he prostrated himself before the king.

The king's base voice had now lowered. The king immediately gripped the shoulders of Karuppiah and made him to stand. He smiled at Karuppiah and embraced him. " Karuppiah, my friend. Don't make all these prostrations. Offer them at the feet of Perumal. Not at a small insect like me", advised the king. 

Karuppiah's ears could not believe what had happened so far. King had  currently gestured to Karuppiah to walk along with him towards the temple. Karuppiah followed as a lamb after the shepherd. King ordered," My dear Karuppiah, you are my friend. Walk closely and in parallel with me. I  would like to have a discussion with you and the priest, moments after the prayer". Karuppiah could only shake his head. He was in a world of unbelief. Yet he smelled the fragrance of marigold and jasmine. Two heads from the fort's roof top were watching them, observed the king. He did not know there was one person. Our kitten.

The interior of the temple was in its full glory. All the peripheral tasman bell jar pendant lamps were shedding bright lights, along with the chandelier lamp. Karuppiah saw the sanctum samctorium had opened, and the glow of flame from the standing holy lamp. He smelled jasmine, marigold and sandal, and smell of camphor. He felt a chill wind embracing him. He was happy to see the other three persons in the interior, besides him. The king had himself kneeled before the deity, while Lakshmi was in a seated twist pose of the yoga. He saw the priest offering bits of marigold flowers, and showering on the deity with mantra slogams.

Now Karuppiah watched Lakshmi. Her right leg had crossed over her left leg, with her right feet fingers tilting upwards. He saw her left leg had made a bend towards her right  He further saw her left hand was touching  her right shoulder, while her right hand was leaning upon the floor, giving gravity to her pose. Amazed to see Lakshmi, the yoga person. Yet to Karuppiah the appearence of Lakshmi was more enchanting than all the glory in the temple. 

His eyes were locked at the back of Lakshmi. The very same blouse with dotted metals. She was in her peacock colored petticoat in her half saree. Neither the king, nor Lakshmi, nor the priest who was in the sanctum seemed to be understanding what was going in his mind. However he saw Lakshmi back to her sitting position. She turned back, smiled at Karuppiah, and bowed her head little towards him. She then got up and walked towards Karuppiah. 

" Amazing to see you with the king", said Lakshmi in a lowered voice, so that  no one would hear what she was uttering. Karuppiah now was observing the girl in her utmost pretty. He felt a greater wave that was washing away all his senses.

" Lakshmi!Karuppiah! Come children", invited the king, walking towards the sanctum samctorium to receive the blessings of the holy flame; Lakshmi and Karuppiah felt themselves honored. Karuppiah followed Lakshmi.

The king was now inside the kitchen at the temple. He started to taste the sweet pongal rice, with a quality coconut pulp chutney served to him in a mud plate by Devi. King was leaning on the wall for some time, but often sat  on the grinding stone. Karuppiah's pride got demolished if he had anything of that now. Lakshmi felt more homely with the king, as a friend, and as her guardian.

 The priest entered the kitchen and was in fear to see the king was sitting not on his chair, but on the grinding stone made out of a broken rock. A rat was running now away  from the kitchen, tilting its tail upwards. The king saw it, also the others. King said, " In the whole of earth, or at kingdoms, only rats are ruling, being sometimes chased away by few cats". Saying it he was in a long guffaw. Every one chuckled; even the kitten which was hiding behind the grocery store, inside of the kitchen.

King summoned both Lakshmi and Karuppiah for a time of conversation at one of the corners of the larger interior. Karuppiah saw a big carpet had been organized by the priest.He also saw a larger platter filled with fruits, arakka nuts, betel leaves and a small tin of wet calcium. Kept were several mugs made of mud, silver and few brass jars full of buttermilk. 

The priest was bowing now before the king.The king  saw the priest in reverential fear appealing to the king, to excuse himself, and Devi from the present meeting, as he had summoned few of his subordinates at his house to finalize the plan for the festivity.

The king had now been escorting the priest and Devi out of the temple. He ensured both Devi and the priest leave for their house in peace. Devi worshipped the king by her hands politely saying, " Maharaja, Lakshmi and Karuppiah are in your blessed hands". 

The king observed few drops of tears appearing in her both eyes, followed by a small smile towards the king. The king patted her shoulder and said," I am with you ". Moment the priest and his wife left, the king inspected the environment by his keen senses and eyes. He saw the horses standing at the stable. He waved at them with his big hands. The horses saw him, and started to wigwag their tails.Having satisfied of the environment, the king  entered back into the temple interior. Both Lakshmi and Karuppiah were now before the statue in a deep trance.

The king broke their trance and invited both the young ones to sit with him on the carpet. They all ensured sitting in a circle, while the king ensured to making  his back leaning on the wall, using a lotus yoga position, a cross cross apple sauce. He gauged instantly an intrinsic brightness in the eyes of Lakshmi,  while a brief smile was appearing on the lips of Karuppiah. Both Karuppiah and Lakshmi chose to sit cross legged. And they were ready to listening to the king. 

A deep silence was there for a few minutes. The fragrance of sandal wood mixed with camphor attracted all of them. The king smiled at the young ones. The king recalled his love life with his wife, first as his lover, then as his wife.His mind looked back to the varied imminent dangers, he and his wife had encountered in their life. Imminent danger was also in this fort, the king was aware. The kitten, who was sitting on the carpet as an invisible bug, nodded its head in agreement. A new avatar as a bug.

" My dear children. You know the deity Perumal chose me as a king to this great territory. My father, though he was appreciated as the honorable chief of the Ramanathapuram poligar, for his bravery, yet he was ridiculed for his womanizing character. He had one hundred twenty five wives, besides my mother, the legal queen. There were born several sons to him through his other wives. Several of these sons were much older than me. In the order of his children, I was the eleventh, yet I was destined to be as the legal heir. The struggle for the throne erupted from the day I was born. It continues even now", having said these, the king poured water in one of the mug cups, and drank. Karuppiah plucked few jamun fruits from the platter, while Lakshmi was preferring few coconut pulp. Lakshmi noticed the jamun creating a dark color in the mouth of Karuppiah.

The king continued. " There were many attempts to assassinate me. At every incident, I was saved by the deity and by my dear wife. Even today the assassination attempts are following me. I am not worried of my life. But my concern is people. Karuppiah and Lakshmi!! You both are aware that  I have assigned lands to all the hamlets in this territory, through the advice of the elders from those hamlets. To few poor hamlets, I have provided water from tanks. I have ensured all sluice water control gates well connected, so that no rain water is wasted in the territory. Ramanathapuram territory is not like Thanjavur delta. It is primarily a desert land with one time agriculture. Hence I have encouraged farmers to cultivate pulses, and other vegetables wherever it is possible. I get one third of the harvest as revenue. I know the revenue levy is a burden on them, and I am planning to reduce it as one fifth". After saying these, he took two betel leaves and began to apply wet calcium on them. His mouth was already grinding few arakka nuts.

The king added," From the time, I became the king, I ensured security of my people as primary. I am afraid of drought and famine. Also plague. On such days, I need more money. Therefore from out of the sales of grains that I gathered as levy, through the help of my merchants, I converted the grains into gold and diamonds, and as valuable ornaments. I tell you a secret, although both of you might know, that I have stored in eleven chests in this cave on which stands the foundation of this temple.The maximum is here under in this cave".

The king continued: " I only know the way to enter, as well me only is having the key. The one another person who saw the key, and the door, and the technic to open the cave door was the grandfather of Karuppiah. Alas, he was poisoned. He refused to divulge any information to those who were torturing him to drink poison. He did not mind his life. To their shock,  he himself took the poison and drank it before my opponents were aware of what was happening". The king panted. Few drops of sweat was on his forehead. 

Now Lakshmi got up and poured the buttermilk in three glasses. She gave buttermilk to each one. The king coughed a bit and then continued.

" I am sure that I will be assassinated or poisoned soon. I want my daughter Ahilandam get married to Sasivarnam, the present deputy captain of the army at the Sivaganga sub- territory. He is too brave. Then I wish my son Kattayya to rule the entire Ramanathapuram territory. Kattayya is a gentleman, nice friend, and he knows the pain of the people. My friends. I conclude my sharing with you today. We shall continue our talk, on the third day after the Perumal temple festival was over.  Either at this same place, or at the roof top of the room of Karuppiah now being built".

The king now passionately looked at Lakshmi. " Lakshmi. My divine daughter. Though I was not your physical father, I knew every bit of your growth, as a matured intelligent girl, in the last several years. You are trust worthy, like Karuppiah, my present friend, and the grandson of my best friend.  Make opportunities  to meet one another. I will put a word with Devi and the priest so that you meet even at the house of Lakshmi. Each of your meeting is a meeting for sacrificing yourselves. I will make Lakshmi's parents further understand the political need for both of you to be with each other for sometime. I know your mutual love and your holy desire for one another. Save the country from the mouths of the vultures. I will soon pass the key to the diamond chests to you both. See that you hand it over to Kattayya, and Sasivarnam at the appropriate time".

He added: " I am permitting Karuppiah to ride my horses  any time both with in the fort, or outside the fort. But on one caution, he should not allow Lakshmi to ride alone, because Lakshmi has to learn. Karuppiah can carry Lakshmi on the horse, in case there is a need for eloping with Lakshmi. Have you both heard the story of an old king who had one time eloped with his fiancee in his horse", saying this the king was in great laughter. His guffaw echoed through out the interior of the  temple, even making the kitten in a great smile. Having understood the story of Prthvirajan, both Lakshmi and Karuppiah joined the king in his laughter.

While he was sharing these, the king saw a shadow in the evening sun, at the temple door. He saw a soldier. Perhaps a news of emergency. The king got up, and left the conversation abruptly, excusing himself.

Now the young ones were alone. No. The Invisible kitten was watching them with its wide eyes. Then it vanished away out of the temple.

Lakshmi and Karuppiah waited for the king. It appeared he was not returning back. Now Karuppiah and Lakshmi, both got up from their crossed leg postures. Karuppiah was thinking over the  words  of the king. So was Lakshmi. 

Karuppiah felt a feeling of warmth embracing him, in the context of their loneliness. A lover boy and a lover girl. A bee was hovering over the basket of marigold flower, which was kept near the sanctum samctorium. The eyes of Karuppiah got locked with the eyes of Lakshmi in deep trust.  He moved forward with his out stretched  hands, and embraced her, planting kisses on her check, necks, and lips.  He squeezed her firmly by his arms.Lakshmi also reciprocally moved herself foward, and inserted her hands through his armpits, pressing his shoulders with both her hands, laying her head on his broader chest. Their togetherness lasted for a minute. 

Out of consciousness and modesty, Karuppiah was able to retrieve himself from their mutual union, and moved two feet backwards and smiled at her. But Lakshmi on the other hand moved herself two feet forward, fell on him, and kissed his lips passionately for few seconds, and then she withdrew. Karuppiah was in an wonderland.  He walked towards the main gate of the temple. Lakshmi followed. 

They both sat there on the temple stairs. They felt their hands holding each other. Lakshmi was in love, and she giggled, while Karuppiah laughed aloud, because in Lakshmi, he found a new world. The kitten prepared its ears to hear a running commentary of their love dialogue.