Wednesday, 2 January 2013

Back In Ayodhya
Back in Ayodhya, Dashratha slept peacefully after he came to know about the success of his sons in their contribution to Vishvamitra’s mission. It was time for him to retreat and trust his kingdom to his sons. But what kind of kingdom? He knew Rama’s aversion for ruling a kingdom, and Laxman was inseparable from his brother. Could he then think of Bharata as his successor? No, he must not take Rama for granted. Besides, Bhrata was alienated from the place of his birth because he had lived away from it since childhood. Dashratha knew that Bharata would be only too happy to see Rama crowned. Rama can be persuaded to accept the crown. It is his right and responsibility.
Kaikeyi’s thoughts were difficult to understand. She had always concealed her feelings from him.All these years she had held aloof. She was taken for granted when her father gave her in marriage to Dashratha. Dashratha always had a feeling that she concealed her resentment behind custom and protocol. Nevertheless, he was held captive by her rugged charm and athletic beauty, both of which belonged to this world. She was not the legendary angel to whom poets would pay tributes. She had no fear. Her language and manners were often brusque and offensive. The traditional festivities and Queenly fanfare never interested her. However, she was a very dependable person in times of crisis. Her physical courage and insight into the world of politics surprised those who did not know her well.
However, her feelings for Rama were never accessible to anyone, not even to Rama himself. She was undemonstrative to the point of appearing hostile at times. Dashratha was fond of all his sons. Every one of them had a character of his own. But Dashratha had misgivings about Rama’s future. Rama would not speak his mind; but when he did , it was with utmost clarity and ruthlessness. Added to this was his lack of interest in statecraft. Dashratha was sometimes amused to notice that in some respects Rama and Kaikeyi were similar and in other respects they complemented each other. Both were aloof to the point of haughtiness for those who did not know them and yet took them for granted. Both were undemonstrative of their feelings and when they did express them, it was without effusion. Sometimes their sense of humour was sardonic. They differed in one respect. Rama had no interest i   n the matters of kingdom. He stayed away most of the time from the conferences of ministers. But Kaikeyi had an innate insight in the matters of political diplomacy. Her insights were strengthened by her pragmatism. Dashratha would often discuss his problems with her and her opinions, often tersely expressed, would suddenly open up new ways of looking at the problems in hand. When Bharat grew up, he realized that his mother was a strange alchemy. He had nicknamed her as ‘the wise one in the palace’, though he disapproved of her acerbic tongue very often.
If Rama was an ascetic, Kaikeyi was an atheist. She never worried about the good or bad consequences of her actions. In spite of all the complexity in their relationship, Rama and Kaikeyi did not hate each other. Rama according to all those who knew him, was incapable of hatred. But none could vouch that for Kaikeyi, for behind her unruffled exterior, neither love nor hatred could generate any passion. Kaikeyi was simply inscrutable. Only Rama knew that Kaikeyi, for some unknown reason, perhaps a reason she herself did not understand, could not express her feelings in an appropriate manner. Next to Laxman it was Kaikeyi who was capable of understanding the depth of Rama’s mind. Kausalya and Dashratha were the perennial mother and father figures. Their sons had never grown up in their eyes. Kaikeyi had silently followed their growth from childhood to adolescence and from there to adulthood. Dashratha would get perturbed by her sullenness whenever he indulged Rama in the days of his childhood. However, he had also noticed that she would secretly send some small gift or sweets to Rama through Manthara. This change in her behavior was noticed by Dashratha after Rama’s return from his pilgrimage when he had given up all interest in the life of the palace. It comforted him to think that with the passage of time Kaikeyi had mellowed down perhaps. He remembered how, when Rama had a fall from the horseback once while learning to ride, she who was watching from her window, had rushed to the scene barefoot. But on reaching there, she coldly rebuked the trainer and told him to be more careful in future. Except that, she did not pause there to speak to anyone.
However, she explicitly disapproved of Dashratha’s fondness for Rama otherwise. Over time, Dashratha had learnt what displeased her. Generally he would not speak about Rama in her presence. He had never opposed the decisions she took regarding Bharat and accepted her prerogative in those matters. When she sent Bharat to be brought up in her father’s palace, everyone thought it was an act of expressing contempt for the way of bringing up princes in her husband’s palace.
Kaikeyi never explained actions or motives. She never sounded visionary or philanthropic. Dashratha did not spend much time in finding out how her mind worked. But his instinct always told him that by some uncanny predetermination, her seemingly absurd ideas yielded beneficial results.
The news of the killing of Tataka and other rakshasas was too good to be true. Vishvamitra’s confidence in the two princes was not misplaced. Dashratha’s initial apprehensions and trepidations were put to rest. On the day when his messengers brought the news to him, he went straight to the quarters of Kaikeyi. She too had received the news.
She met him at the gate of her palace and and walked in with him. He could feel the controlled elation in her gait. When they sat down they beamed at each other. Her eyes sparkled as if to say,”Didn’t I tell you?”
Dashratha said, “Finally they stood the test of time. The princes of Ishvaku dynasty have done me proud.”
“Indeed!”said Kaikeyi.
Dashratha was glad that she shared his feelings.
“They must come back now,”said Dashratha. Kaikeyi laughed. “Vishvamitra is not going to let them,” she said.
“He has no right to decide that. He extracted a promise out of me. I kept it. That’s it. They are my sons.”     

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