Gift from the gods

The Vijay Mahal Palace was decked up like a bride. Garlands of fresh flowers were coiled around pillars, resembling colourful snakes. The statues had been polished, until they shone like diamonds. The floor gleamed as if studded with precious stones, making the pattern on the tiles, stand out.

It was the fifth birthday of Crown Prince Apurva Chandra, son of Raja Janardhan Chandra. The king of the Turya dynasty, had organised a feast not just for his kingdom, but also for the kings and queens of the neighbouring kingdoms. The royal guests sat on either side of the king and queen on smaller thrones, regally dressed.

The king had organised a puja to be conducted by a hundred pundits. The pundits, wearing white dhotis and sacred threads, sat around the holy fire, chanting mantras for the young prince. The people of the kingdom, dressed in their best sat in the durbar hall, their eyes closed in worship. The pundits struck the cymbals as the head pundit began to chant. Thick smoke coiled out from the agni kund , filling the hall with the smell of incense. Raja Janardhan sat on his golden throne, dressed in red silk. Beside him, sat his wife Indumathi wearing red and gold. On her lap sat Prince Apurva playing with the pearl and gold chains around his neck.

In all his five years, Prince Apurva had never smiled. The worried king had consulted many vaidyas . They had all declared that there was nothing wrong with the prince. But, no one could figure out why the Prince never smiled.

Prince Apurva watched the flames with unblinking eyes. He looked at the tall pillars of the large durbar hall. He wanted to crawl off his mother’s lap and play in the hall. But, his mother held him tight.

As the homa ended, the fire in the agni kund dimmed. The pundit sprayed holy water on the gathering. Prince Apurva blinked as the head pundit sprinkled holy water on his face, and the tilak (a saffron mark) was applied on the prince’s forehead.

One by one, groups of people moved towards the King and the Queen, carrying thalis with gifts for the prince. The royal guests had brought gold mohurs . Other guests had brought silver coins and precious stones. The warrior tribes brought gifts of bows and arrows. The craftsmen brought miniature replicas of the prince in colourful clays. The rich offered sweet dishes and other delicacies. The poor made offerings of flowers. As the floor rapidly filled with the large thalis , Prince Apurva crawled out of his mother’s lap. He sat on the ground watching the dazzling gifts, as though to choose the best.

Suddenly, the hall fell silent. The Mir tribe had arrived. The fierce sage-warriors, who were masters of the scriptures as well as the battlefield, had their independent kingdom. They owed allegiance to no king. Their warrior skills ensured that they needed no protection from any king or kingdom. The Mir warriors moved in one large group. Each member carried a silver thali . Their loose grey dhotis flapped around their legs. Everyone wondered what they would offer the prince.

The chief of the Mir Tribe carried a large silver thali covered with a yellow cloth. Walking up towards King Janardhana, he said, “ A tribute from the Mir kingdom for the prince. All eyes were on him and his gift. Everyone wondered whether it had a weapon that would help the young prince defend himself in future. Some speculated that the Mir warriors brought jewels.

When the chief removed the yellow cloth, everyone was surprised. The thali was filled with yellow fruit.

“Mango, our local fruit for the young Prince,” he said as he lowered the thali. Fascinated by the colour and the size of the luscious fruit, Prince Apurva grabbed it from the plate. Holding it close to his mouth, he bit it. Thick juice dribbled down his chin. The prince gurgled in delight. Within minutes he had stripped the skin from the fruit and was happily sucking the yellow fruit. In no time at all, he had reduced the mango to its core.

“I want more,” he said as he smiled. The crowd that had assembled in the royal hall was shocked.

Quickly, he grabbed another ripe mango from the thali , he bit into it. King Janardhan wept tears of joy. Queen Indumathi wiped her eye.

“The mango is a divine fruit, a gift for humankind from the Gods,” King Janardhan declared.

“ Sevaks and Sevikas ,” the King called out. “Distribute this divine fruit to everyone in the durbar hall. And everyone must plant this seed in their courtyards. The fruit of the Gods will now be available to all.”