T he Sarayu carried more tears than water. Ayodhya was a sad kingdom. Dasaratha was a good king. He upheld dharma – justice and morality – as best as he could. The citizens were apparently happy. Then, one day, it all changed. One person is enough to change the destiny of a whole kingdom. Who was that one person? Some say it was Kaikeyi, one of the three official wives of Dasaratha. Some others say it was Manthara, Kaikeyi’s chief maid. Manthara was a hunchback. She was the caretaker of Kaikeyi right from the latter’s childhood; foster mother, so to say, because Kaikeyi had no mother. The absence of maternal influence can distort a girl child’s personality. With a foster mother like Manthara, the distortion can be really bad. Manthara was cunning, selfish, and morally ambiguous. A severe physical deformity can make one worse than all that. Manthara was as devious and manipulative as a woman could be in a men’s world. Add to that all the jealousy and ambition that insecure peo...
True! Sometimes silence cuts deeper. Very well written.
ReplyDeleteThank you Purba.
DeleteI endorse this view.
DeleteThis is a brilliant piece of literature, I must say. So little in size and so deep in meaning. Hats off to you Sir for penning it.
ReplyDeleteI'm obliged, Jitender.
Deletebeautiful lines
ReplyDeleteGlad you like it.
DeleteNice... Yet life is all about taking small risks atleast...
ReplyDeleteBig risks too. How else can relationships be maintained?
DeleteTouching lines & true words.
ReplyDeleteHappy Diwali :)
Diwali greetings to you too.
Deletenot bad
ReplyDelete😀😀😀
Delete