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Sweet Departure
This story describes a scene from the Hindu epic Ramayana where Queen Kaushalya, Lord Ram's mother, is begging Ram not to go to the forest where he is sent for exile for fourteen years.
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Generally, there is a lot of brightness in Queen Kaushalya's room but today the curtains are closed and only faint traces of sunlight are entering through the dark cloth. The room is a mess with every item thrown here and there and even the maids were not allowed by Kaushalya to enter and arrange everything, including her bedspread. This is quiet opposite of her as a Queen, amongst all the three queens of King Dashrath, she was always the most orderly, the most queen-like, the most regal, with people looking up to her and taking inspiration from everything she did. But today she didn't care for what the people would say, today she was distraught and she made sure that people would know it. After all, what else could the people expect? She had just received news that her son Ram, who was next in line for the throne of Ayodhya, has been ordered by the king to go into the forest for a period of fourteen years, after which he could return and rule. Even if the people weren't watching her actions, even if she would have been a simpleton, the thought of separation from her son for fourteen years would have been enough to upset her.
Kaushalya had given specific orders to the guards to allow no one in her room except her son. She had already talked to King Dashrath to sway his mind and change his decision but the king would not go back on his words, he had left it entirely up to Ram to follow his orders or not. And Kaushalya knew Ram well, not because he was her flesh but because she had watched him grown up and instilled in him most of the values he had. She had always taught him to be 'Maryada Purushottam', and now for Ram, honour was greater than everything.
The guards outside Kaushalya's door announced the arrival of Ram. Only then did the doors budged for the first time today and let in a little light. Kaushalya watched Ram's frame against the light. She almost could not believe that her son had grown up so much, it felt like yesterday when he was a little boy demanding to eat food only if she fed it to him. Kaushalya knew that stubborn as Ram was, he would never go against his mother and this was the only card she could use right now.
Ram came inside the room and looked at Kaushalya. Her appearance screamed only one thing- distraught. She hadn't even combed her hair which were going every which way. Her saree was loosened at the bosom and she didn't even care to take care of it. She was not wearing any jewellery either. Her eyes were blood-shot with tears still spilling out of them. Kaushalya always loved to play the part of a queen and Ram had never seen her like this before, he now knew that his decision to go to the forest for fourteen years would not go down well with his mother.
Kaushalya immediately hugged him and started crying, "Ram, my son, you are not leaving! You are staying right here and ruling over our kingdom! The throne is yours!" As she let these words out, she couldn't believe that so much had happened in such a little time. Yesterday at this time she was so happy, the king had announced that the crown prince would be coronated soon and take over the kingdom. She was the happiest woman and the proudest mother on the planet then, and suddenly everything has changed. It was all because of Queen Kaikeyi, she got the best of her by asking Raja Dashrath for the debts he owed her for saving his life in battle once. Queen Kaikayi had used them to order for Ram's Vanvas (going to live in the forest) for fourteen years, practically exiling him, and also to make her own son Bharat the next king of Ayodhya instead of his step-brother Ram. Since King Dashrath had made this promise to Kaikeyi long ago that he would fulfill his wishes for saving his life, he couldn't take back his words now and had...
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Generally, there is a lot of brightness in Queen Kaushalya's room but today the curtains are closed and only faint traces of sunlight are entering through the dark cloth. The room is a mess with every item thrown here and there and even the maids were not allowed by Kaushalya to enter and arrange everything, including her bedspread. This is quiet opposite of her as a Queen, amongst all the three queens of King Dashrath, she was always the most orderly, the most queen-like, the most regal, with people looking up to her and taking inspiration from everything she did. But today she didn't care for what the people would say, today she was distraught and she made sure that people would know it. After all, what else could the people expect? She had just received news that her son Ram, who was next in line for the throne of Ayodhya, has been ordered by the king to go into the forest for a period of fourteen years, after which he could return and rule. Even if the people weren't watching her actions, even if she would have been a simpleton, the thought of separation from her son for fourteen years would have been enough to upset her.
Kaushalya had given specific orders to the guards to allow no one in her room except her son. She had already talked to King Dashrath to sway his mind and change his decision but the king would not go back on his words, he had left it entirely up to Ram to follow his orders or not. And Kaushalya knew Ram well, not because he was her flesh but because she had watched him grown up and instilled in him most of the values he had. She had always taught him to be 'Maryada Purushottam', and now for Ram, honour was greater than everything.
The guards outside Kaushalya's door announced the arrival of Ram. Only then did the doors budged for the first time today and let in a little light. Kaushalya watched Ram's frame against the light. She almost could not believe that her son had grown up so much, it felt like yesterday when he was a little boy demanding to eat food only if she fed it to him. Kaushalya knew that stubborn as Ram was, he would never go against his mother and this was the only card she could use right now.
Ram came inside the room and looked at Kaushalya. Her appearance screamed only one thing- distraught. She hadn't even combed her hair which were going every which way. Her saree was loosened at the bosom and she didn't even care to take care of it. She was not wearing any jewellery either. Her eyes were blood-shot with tears still spilling out of them. Kaushalya always loved to play the part of a queen and Ram had never seen her like this before, he now knew that his decision to go to the forest for fourteen years would not go down well with his mother.
Kaushalya immediately hugged him and started crying, "Ram, my son, you are not leaving! You are staying right here and ruling over our kingdom! The throne is yours!" As she let these words out, she couldn't believe that so much had happened in such a little time. Yesterday at this time she was so happy, the king had announced that the crown prince would be coronated soon and take over the kingdom. She was the happiest woman and the proudest mother on the planet then, and suddenly everything has changed. It was all because of Queen Kaikeyi, she got the best of her by asking Raja Dashrath for the debts he owed her for saving his life in battle once. Queen Kaikayi had used them to order for Ram's Vanvas (going to live in the forest) for fourteen years, practically exiling him, and also to make her own son Bharat the next king of Ayodhya instead of his step-brother Ram. Since King Dashrath had made this promise to Kaikeyi long ago that he would fulfill his wishes for saving his life, he couldn't take back his words now and had...
