Lakshmi

Chapter 19 Eyes are medicine

By that time, the lord Perumal had returned to the east gate, it was dawn. The king was ready on his horse to go to Ramanathapuram.  He came to  the gate of the  temple of Perumal. Ahilandam and the guards were entering the east gate to the temple of Perumal. Lakshmi and Karuppiah bowed before the king.

The king said," Karuppiah, I felt I should depart this morning to Ramanathapuram, as my spies had told me that my wife in sickness. Also I need to meet the elders of Kandadevi temple relating their ten days festival. Then I  will pass through the Anandur forests, to go to the Varavani big tank. I need to meet the water managers there. I would reach Ramanathapuram by late evening". 

He waved his right hand indicating Lakshmi to come near. He said in a small voice" Lakshmi, I know you are intelligent. See you both enter the cave as early as,  and see what you can do. I wish I should be here. But  I am confident now, that you would take care. Collect the keys from the priest". He was smiling in pure satisfaction.

After the king had departed together with Ahilandam, towards Devi Kottai, Lakshmi grabbed the hands of Karuppiah and led him to their room. Lakshmi saw the fort manager along with his  four soldiers in front of the horse stable. Lakshmi remembered both Ron and Seeta, now in their journey ahead to Tanjore. 

Upon arriving at the stable, Karuppiah began to clean the empty stable mucking out the wastes, while Lakshmi brought buttermilk to the manager and the soldiers. Lakshmi then discussed with the fort managers on  the need for clearing the undergrowth in and around their room,  up to the south gate  wall,  and as well up to the west gate wall. She told them they had to clear the inner path connecting the west gate and south gate. She discussed with the soldiers about planting avenue trees on the path as well marigold along the path, besides  the stable and Karuppiah's room. Lakshmi had determined to transform the inner fort area, with beauty and reverence.

In an hour, Lakshmi saw a group of soldiers attending the undergrowth. She saw the thistle bush near the old room of Karuppiah. She was in chuckles, when she  recalled of the event when Karuppiah was  hiding behind the thistles  on the second day of his arrival at the fort, having an attentive glance at her. She remembered her peacock color petticoat that enchanted Karuppiah.

The whole day went off in cleaning the west wall and south wall areas. Devi had visited the couple twice on that day with nice eatables which had come to them from Sundari. Lakshmi shared  the eatables with the soldiers on duty. Devi also brought them a big jar containing tender  coconut water, besides jasmine. She prepared the meals for the evening also. She placed a platter of fruits on the ground table kept at the upper room. She instructed the couple to review their dresses and belongings, including the chest belonged to Lakshmi that had the gold coins.

She left them after kissing Lakshmi and patting the shoulders of Karuppiah. Devi then walked towards her house. She was not aware of the kitten now going in front of her, humming up a Dwarf Galaxy tune, in its screeching voice. Bats hanging on the trees heard it, and fluttered their wings in protest.

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As  the  evening twilight was emerging, both Kattayya and Sasivarnam had  reached the outskirts of Tanjore. They climbed up on the top of a big mount and from there they viewed  the Maratha palace fort. Beyond that fort, was the vivid beauty of the Venniar river. They were tired. They did not sleep well at the Gandharvakottai palace. They felt  both Ron  and Seeta also  wanted rest. Sasivarnam joyfully told the horses to wait for a half an hour of patience to get their feed and water. The smiling receptive face of Ahilandam came before his eyes.

 Ahilandam and the king had  now crossed the great Varavani tank and were on the way.  The next stop of them  would be Ramanathapuram.

Ahilandam in the last few days had experienced the intelligence of the mesmerizing beauty of Lakshmi, the modesty of her husband Karuppiah,  and the innocence of Sarasu. She loved the hospitality of Sundari and Krishna  Achari. 

She realized the need for equipping Lakshmi both in horse riding and sword fighting. She imagined the valor of Karuppiah and wished him more compatible with her brave Sasivarnam, in learning the spear throw, and in sword fighting. Where Saivarnam could be this time? How would be their time at Tanjore? The need of intimacy rocked her body a bit. She smiled. The king could not reply anything to the long silence of Ahilandam as he knew love abounds.

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Kattayya and Sasivarnam now watched the fire torches illuminating the fort. Sasivarnam wanted to see the tiger, being groomed by the king. They had arrived now at the south gate. As they entered they saw the Tanjore fort, circular in its topography, and had  lot of criss crossed  streets within the fort.  They led the horses walk in the inner fort road. They found the Maratha palace at the centre of the fort. The east gate was leading into the market. The north gate faced the Venniar river. The west looked at the big temple.In the middle of the fort they saw the Palace. They saw the palace horse stable, and  directed their horses accordingly.  

Two soldiers welcomed them with great reverence. Then came a middle aged man in his fifties, in a golden dress, being  accompanied with an young woman in her twenties  draped in a Maharshtrian saree. She was bright and enchanting in the midst of the fort's illumination. She smiled attractively. Kattayya and Sasivarnam came to know that her name was Yamuna, a friend of Lakshmi. And the man in the golden dress was her father, a business man in the kingdom. The man invited them to the dinner, as the king had not returned from Kumbakonam.

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The priest came to the room of Karuppiah and Lakshmi, at the evening and told them that he would be able to give the keys of the temple of Perumal only on the next day evening. He said he had to ensure all articles of Perumal were kept back at the temple by tomorrow noon.

The priest also said that the couple could better  open the temple door in the wee hours of next day night, and should hid themselves in the temple kitchen, until he would open the door on the next day. The priest promised a basket full of fruits kept in the kitchen, along with few mud pots with water for cleaning themselves if needed. He also promised few brass bowls for nature calls. He told that it was so embarrassing to him to allow the couple stay inside the temple. Yet he told he was happy to allow it for the sake of the kingdom. 

The whole night became a day for both Lakshmi and Karuppiah. They began talking first. Their conversation pulled them first into Tamil literature and then into history and mind observing. 

Lakshmi was indeed so happy to understand Karuppiah. He was found with so much concern for women. Lakshmi got really moved by the vast knowledge of her husband.  She thanked the grandfather of Karuppiah to making her marry with such a wonderful learned man. 

She thanked the monks in her heart so deeply for properly educating him. The couple were laughing profusely now.

Two bats hanging inside their room, and an owl sitting on the veranda kitchen roof could only hear their laugh. The stable was in silence.

Karuppiah asked ," Lakshmi, how do you decorate your eyes?"

Lakshmi was wondering at this question. She replied saying," Kala, we burn hay in a bowl, and filter the hay charcoal till we get the fine powder. We add lamp oil and mix it until it becomes a liquid paste."

Karuppiah agreeded, saying "Then".

"We apply the nice oiled charcoal paste first on our brows, then on our upper eye lashes. Later a thin line over the  lower eyelashes". 

Karuppiah's eyes had now locked into the painted eyes of Lakshmi. He said,  " Lakshmi, in fact the eyes are the ones that attract others, especially the male species, you know". 

" The female body, its form and its movements attract male", he said.

Lakshmi encircled her hands over his back neck like a garland. And said into his eyes," That is the marvel of creation, to love, to bring children and bring out a generation". She kissed on his stubble. She giggled and asked him," How many children you want? A dozen?"

Karuppiah 's eyes got widened at her meticulous descriptions,  and her joviality.  

He said," Do you know what the poet Valluvar says about the eyes of a woman?". He did not wait for her reply. He smilingly said," Valluvar says the eyes of the intimate woman is the killer. Simultaneously the same eyes are the medicine". He laughed at the great poetic wisdom.

" So I am killing you", teased Lakshmi

" No you are the medicine, for me ever" said Karuppiah embracing her tightly. From afar, two night birds chirped. 

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The king broke the deep silence of Ahilandam.

" Daughter. Me also had passed through the experience of love. Please listen", said the king, as his horse was parallely riding at the side of the horse on which Ahilandam had mounted.

Ahilandam tilted her head and smiled at her father. 

" Daughter. You know my father had been a womanizer, all along his life. Yet besides my mother, he married one hundred and fifty women. He in his death bed ordered  all his women were burnt along with him in his burning pyre. His subordinates did that way. My mother only escaped from the clutches of enemies. Now you are aware that the illegitimate claimers are after the throne. Had there been one good one among them, I myself would have assigned the kingship to him. But no one had proved himself worthy".

He sighed deeply. Ahilandam saw the guardian soldiers following them at a distance. At no chance they could hear the words of the king.

" In  my mind therefore I hated womanizing. I loved your mother deeply, since the day I met her at Sivagangai, in the palace. She is the daughter of a  relative of your Sasivarnam. She is  an ordinary woman, assigned for caring the palace. I saw her as an able administrator. I admired her, her face, her abilities and my mind is ever after her. You know, I was sent to Sivaganga to see the territorial administration by my mother. Then I went to  the Narthamalai Buddist place. On return, at Sivagangai I fell in love with her"

Ahilandam saw the king in his dreams-a flash back dreams. She heard his voice becoming slim and slow, as if he was speaking in his dreams.

Ahilandam listened as their horses were heading ahead on the cart road towards Ramanathapuram. They were by-passing the Devipattinam coast, she observed. She started to feel the cooling breeze coming from the nearby sea. 

" Appa, Father. I am aware of all these. I am also happy that you have trained me as a woman with courage and perseverance. I know now sword fighting. I know how to throw spear. I am able to find out the truth from many inferences. I am proud that I shall be able to rule Sivaganga along with my husband", Ahilandam retorted exuberantly.

The king saw Ahilandam, and continued. " In another fifteen days, I am trying to organize the marriages of your brother and you. I am hearing from my spies, that the illegitimate claimers would capture Ramanathapuram in a months time. As I told to all of you, Kattayya and you should leave immediately after the marriage to Tanjore. Your marriages would not be held in pompous. But I am deciding it as the simplest one at one of the small temple at Ramanathapuram. I am these days feeling on the extravagance of marriages at palaces, while the farmers are toiling for ragi".

" I am aware Kattayya and Sasivarnam would be soon speaking to the Tanjore king. I expect them both along with few relatives of Sasivarnam in another five days at the Ramanathapuram palace", the king further said. He asked," What do you say?" at Ahilandam. 

Ahilandam deeply thought over the sayings of her noble father. She replied," Appa..you are intelligent, humble and never been arrogant. You know the best", nodding her head, expressing her inner delight as well showing her intelligence.

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At the Thirumayam fort, underneath a small burrough, two voices were talking. " You know why Kattayya and Sasivarnam had gone to Tanjore? Why the king suddenly went to Ramanathapuram? What was that both Lakshmi and Karuppiah assigned with? I know we both cannot move in the day light , nor at the night. The fort manager had started to suspect us. Hence beware. Watch around all the day activities, spy them and pass it to the  deputy priest of  the Shiva temple. He knows how to carry it to Ramanathapuram"

The other voice retorted," I could not approach any of the soldier. They booze. But they are very sincere to the king. No fire torches are in the entire fort. Something fishy to capture us",  in a lament way.

The persons hiding in the burrough adjacent to the west wall now sneaked out  quietly. They crawled and hid themselves behind the shadow of the west gate. They were waiting for the time,  to the opening of the gate by  the guards who were now sitting outside the gate at the dawn.

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Lakshmi and Karuppiah could not sleep. They were discussing upon the plans of improving the revenue. Lakshmi was telling him the deep sorrow inside of Sarasu. She said firmly to Karuppiah, " Kala! I love Sarasu. My beloved sister from today. I will not allow her to share my bed. But I will do my best to make her the best leader of Lakshmipuram". Saying this she leaned upon Karuppiah placing her face on his face. The owl screeched from outside. After a pass of time, the couple heard the cockle-o -doo of the first rooster inside the fort. In the darkness they could not see their faces. But they felt their deep touches