|
|
|
| Sunday, 7 August 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Ornament Falls Sunday Parable by Sunanda Mahendra "One can't exactly say where the waterfall known as abaranella was
situated geographically. But there is one thing that one can be sure of
"In the distant past, there lived a King name Mahanam, who had seven queens in his harem. But the most faithful and the dearest one was the Head Queen consort, who happened to stay closer to the King all the time in her main quarters. So don't get this wrong, that the rest of the queens did not love the King so much. But they knew the Head Queen was closer to the King than the others and the King too felt the same." This is the storyteller's start. "It so happens that the happiness in one's life, not only in the lives of Kings and Queens but also in the lives of many others, depend on the external problems like bringing an end to all warfare and territorial issues. While the King and the seven Queens lived happily for sometime, the King came to know that an enemy force is trying to grab a part of the country. The happiness vanished for a moment and the king had to summon his men to discuss the issue. "What are we going to do now?", King asked. "Let's fight with the enemy force and drive them off ushering in a new era," said the strategists of the palace. The news spread throughout the length and breadth of the country. Young men from all quarters came to be regimented and trained to be combat soldiers. While the preparations for the war was on, the King thought to himself. "Oh, is this the nature of the world? I thought the kingship is full of all the happiness on earth, but it looks as if it is full of troubles and tribulations." "Are you sure you are going to the battle field?", asked the Head Queen consort from the King. "Certainly my dear, and mind you, I am going to win the battle." "But how do you know for certain that you are going to win?", she asked. "I will tell you soon, one thing is that I am a good hearted man and the blessings of the god is on me and I hope your blessings will be for me?" "Yes, certainly all our blessings will be with you. If you so like, we will observe all the spiritual activities to invoke blessings on you." "That is your wish," said the King taking a hard drink from the chalice kept on the table. Quite soon the King felt sleepy and he had a sound sleep and arose in the early hours of the morning. The royal strategists brought some more bad news about the planned coup. The King had no time to spare. He went to the harem and told his Queen consorts about his departure to the battle field and in a secretive manner told the Head Queen. "Look here my dear, I am going to the battle field for our own sake so if I am victorious I will wave a white flag and if I am defeated I will wave a black flag from a distance. You may see me mounted on my royal horse. If you don't see any flags that means that I am killed." "Oh please don't say things like that, you will never get defeated. We will pray for you constantly from now onwards." Then the King rode to the war front with his army of young soldiers. The soldiers were well prepared to face the enemies and the King depended mostly on their skills and strategy. So he told the soldiers. "It is time for all of us to fight hard and save the country. I love you all and I want you to settle this matter well and bring about peace and happiness to all of us as soon as possible and I wish you all luck. If we win the battle, we should celebrate it well with food and drinks." Then they all went to the battle field with the King. The country men cheered them from all sides. "Be brave! Be brave! Win the battle," they cried. It is customary on the part of the King to be vigilant while his men were engaged in fighting the battle. This King too adhered to the same rule of the war. The King felt quite happy about his new young and healthy soldiers. He was also happy about his senior soldiers who were good strategists. The King was proud of them. The enemies were seen as a group of weak and feeble soldiers. They were also tired and surrendered and some retreated from the battle field as they were mostly wounded. The King rode his horse gallantly and congratulated his soldiers, the commanders and the other members of the regiment and declared victorious. "Let's see that no enemy enters our territory once again," said the King. "Victory! Victory!", cried the countrymen and that sound reached the ears of the queens. "But we must now celebrate the victory," said the King to his army commanders. Before reaching the palace, a grand feast was prepared where strong liquor was served as part of the functional process. "Oh I never knew that my army is so very strong," said the King and consumed a good part of liquor in a jubilant mood. Then he remembered all of a sudden what he told the Head Queen about his sign of the flag and the happy life he imagined and intended to lead. While the others were engaged in the celebrations, the King mounted his horse and held the black flag in his hand waving it at a distance. The Head Queen saw the sign at a distance and she was bewildered and dismayed. "Oh what a calamity?", she thought and informed the rest of the members of the harem. "He must be joking," said some of the queens. "No, I am certain that he is not up to that kind of mistake or mischief," insisted the Head Queen and adorned herself with all her rich royal ornaments like jewellery, rings, anklets and necklaces. The others too followed her steps closely. The King was still waving the black flag. He looked ghostly. The queens had no time to ask any question for while waving the flag the King fell down. But the queens knew nothing about his drunken mood. The Head Queen thought that it would be futile living with the enemies and the most pressing need of the moment is to commit suicide rather than surrendering and becoming a Queen for the enemy King. So the Head Queen went up to the highest water fall in the region. The others too followed her and wanted to act in the manner of what the Head Queen was planning to do. "I am going to jump down from the top of the falls and commit suicide, I don't see any reason why I should live any more without my beloved one," said the queen and flung herself to the gigantic torrent of water down below. The others too did the same. But when the King recovered from his drunken stupor he found that the harem was empty and seven dead bodies were brought to the palace. The King felt a sense of self pity "What happened to me?, he asked himself "Why did I wave a black flag instead of a white flag? I am victorious in the battle front, but at the same time am I not a fool of a King?" Thinking thus, he repented. It is said that he left the kingdom and went to the thick jungle to conquer himself in deep meditation. This is the storyteller's conclusion. "Since that day the now extinct waterfall was known as abaranella (abarana
means ornaments ella means falls) or the ornament fall as the dead bodies of
the queens were full of ornaments." |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
is
that such a waterfall existed in the past, in our country", said the bearded
storyteller recalling the legend behind the waterfall. I was quite
interested in getting the story at hand. 
