Nalan 1.04 Self-Chosen Wedding News

Some Change Exists The signs of love-sickness, Were visible on the princess, But her maids couldn’t guess What was the reason behind this? They were scared about her, And told this to her mother, “Dhamayanthi, your daughter Is not doing well, as before.” “Some change exists, we see. Of late she’s not care free.” On hearing this, her mother Carried the news to her father. Her Father came On hearing the same, Vimarasan, her father came, Accompanied by her maids, Many walking on both sides. Some blew conches. A few bet drums. Others shook fans To give him cool breeze. Heading this royal procession, He reached her mansion, In a tense atmosphere To know more about her. The Girl Carried Creeper Honeybees swarmed Her flower garland And were humming Around while circling. With her soft hair She looked so fair. She fell at his feet As a mark of respect. Wedding thoughts. As she stood up face to face, He saw her sweating face. Her face was full of beauty That made him so happy. He thought, as a father, “A chance be given to her To select a bridegroom Of her own, well in time.” It was a prevailing custom To select a bridegroom From an assembly of princes Eligible to marry a princess. The bride went round, With a flower garland, To select her own Choicest groom then. Suyam-Varam day for the girl The flooding surplus water, From the Ganges River, Was flowing, with noise, O’er the green palm leaves. The good country’s ruler, Vidharpan, also her father, Sent his royal messengers To other states’ kings. “We’ll have, from this day, On the seventh auspicious day, The Suyam-Varam ceremony Of the Princess Dhamayanthi.” Like this, he issued orders Thro’ the tom-tom criers To all the nooks and corners, Also the towns and countries. (Suyam-Varam = bridegroom self-chosen by bride) Great Kings Assembled Great kings assembled, For the ceremony held. With all their royal pomp And show they came up. One with an umbrella, white, Another, on a royal elephant, The third, wore a big garland, That, by bees, was swarmed. One looked like a warrior, Chandran Swarki, one more, Also those, who praised him, And, in Tamil poetry, adored him. Like this, Kings in groups, Of various, assorted types, In Vidharba’s Capital arrived And in the hall they assembled. Royal Kings Arrived To swallow the pollen grains, Many bees swarmed the garlands, Worn by the king Vimarasan, The rich, broad chested man. Elephants tied to posts, Stood at his main gates. Royal kings gathered in. With their kith and kin. Some of them stayed around In tents laid on open ground, Some in guest house or inn, Awaiting the grand function. Happiness everywhere The Vidharpa’s King always held, A spear of victory in his hand. The red-lined-eyes of his daughter Were pretty and crystal clear. Like the Goddess Lakshmi She represented beauty. Like gold, shone her body. Everyone was after this lady. Inside the flower gardens, Where birds stayed in, And alongside lotus ponds Some of them stayed in tents. Came With Clouds Nalan kept his eye vision Right in the direction By which the swan Was likely to return. He kept open his ears To receive the news From Dhamayanthi, Whose face was lovely. In the whirlpool of love, He was immersed now, That kept him very tired In looking for swan that side. In the sky, thro’ the cloud, The flying swan hurried Towards his direction, That reduced his tension. A Feast for the Ear Nalan killed his enemies, Who disobeyed his orders. Such a great warrior Stood like a beggar. He was like a mendicant, Who was a dependent On rich men’s mercy, To relive his poverty. His posture was like this When he heard the news How she also loved him And cared more for him. He was so simple And looked humble, When the swan told What all it heard. No harm to her? Nalan had a victorious spear, That made his enemies fear. He humbled his enemies, Whose ego, he did suppress. Immediately after he heard, From the mouth of the bird, He told, “Oh Swan, dear The King of Swans, you’re.” “It’s you, who got back, My lost life for my sake, Any harm did she face, Let me know, in any case? ” Told And Lost At the command of Nalan, There went the swan, Met the lovely princess, And conveyed the news. It brought back the news From the side of princess, And passed the same on To the victorious Nalan. After hearing the news, He lost his mental balance, Could think nothing else, And he became helpless. Like an elephant in pit, he was When he heard, she fell sick Due to love, his heart broke. Like an elephant in a pit He fell into this love-pit. He couldn’t come out From this love-pit That like fire burnt His body and spirit. Scene of Truth The doors of Nalan Were always kept open, And never closed During any period. Bees slept with mates In the beds of flowers And it was fertile land With greeneries around The messengers who came There to inform him, Reached his palace And gave him the news. Get the Chariot When they told Nalan The news from Vimarasan, He ordered his charioteer To bring his chariot there. First Man of the Town Readily the chariot was kept. At once Nalan took his seat. He told the charioteer then “Start the chariot soon.” To the land of Vimarasan Fast the chariot moved on It was a land of plenty. People lived there happily. By the sea coastal side, Vimarasan’s land spread. From lotus flowed honey, That made the land sticky. Good lives lived in this land Agriculture flourished there Thick plants grew everywhere, With gold like paddy grains In his Nidathanadu plains. Leaving this land behind, His chariot went far ahead In the land of Vimarasan And reached the main town. A sea of soldiers marched. In alert, a bow-force stood, As if it was scene of war Ready to fight anywhere. On this ceremonial occasion The daughter of Vimarasan Had a beautiful flower garland, Adding colour to the back ground. He saw beauty everywhere. It was a great pleasure For him to be there In the land of his lover.