THE STORY OF HELA RAMBHA

Vikramadithya also sat on the diamond carpet. It had reached an Island by name Pushkara Dweepam. Vikramadithya was wandering on that Island along with Brahmin’s son, Vedantha Kovida. In that Island, there was a city by name Jambu Natha Puram. Its king was Jambu Natha Varma. Since long time he had no children. He had done penance to God for many years. With God’s boon, he had a daughter who had the glory like son God. He had put the name ‘Hela Rambha’ to his daughter. He had brought up Hela Rambha with great love and affection. He learnt her all arts and education. She had grown up to teen age. The King and Queen were thinking to make her marriage. They had informed their decision to her. She said, “Dear father! If you want to perform my marriage, you please declare my Swayam varam. You invite all the princes of all countries. You assemble them in marriage hall. I will select my husband among them. I’ll keep garland of flowers on the neck of any prince whom I like to marry.”

According to her will, Jambu Natha Varma had declared the Swayam Varam of his daughter Hela Rambha. He had invited the princes of all countries. The princes had arrived to their city. The king, Jambu Natha Varma had received them with honor and accommodated them in guesthouses. The function of Swayam varam and the consecutive function of marriage was about to happen. The city Jambu Natha Varam was decorated with flowers, fresh leaves, and gems. The roads were decorated with cool pandyals, flowers and Rangolies. The sweet and festival music tunes were spread in the city. Everywhere there were perfumes of flowers and smiles of people. There was excitement and pleasure.

Exactly by this time, Vikramadithya had reached this city along with the Brahmin kid. By watching the festival celebrations in the city, he had enquired the public there. He said, “Why this celebration is happening?” The people said, “It is the marriage occasion of our princess Hela Rambha”. Vikramadithya said, “With whom? Who is the prince that your princess is going to marry?” They said, “She had decided to select her bride groom in the Swayam varam. Hence, all the princes were invited and all of they had arrived already.”

Vikramadithya had decided to participate in the Swayam varam. He had identified a Brahmin scholar in that Jambu Natha Puram. He had taken the Brahmin boy to his house and said, “Oh Brahmin scholar. You are like my father. Can you keep this Brahmin boy for 40 days in your house? I’ll give 40 Honnes [That was currency of ancient India in Vikramadithya era] to you for his expenditure. I’ll pick up him after 40 days. Can you help me like this?” The Brahmin scholar said, “Oh Paradesi! [That means foreigner] Jambu Natha Puram is not such immoral and draughtful to charge for a guest. You can leave this kid at my house without any objection at free of cost. I can protect him as if he is my own child. You need not worry.”

Vikramadithya felt happy and kept Vedantha Kovida there. He had given his ornaments, weapons and other things to Bhethala to save them. He had made himself in the disguise of diamond’s merchant with the help of Bhethala. He had gone to Market Street. There he had spread his diamonds’ carpet and opened his selling outlet of gems. He had kept the heaps of gems like agates, amethysts, carbuncles, rubies, corals, diamonds, emeralds, jacinths, laps lazullies, pearls, quartzes, sapphires, sardonyx and topazes. The gems which he had offered to sell were very bright, good quality at cheap price. He introduced himself as a businessman of gems from far away country. Any gems were available at his Shoppe, however valuable gems they were, at reliable price. This news was spread in the city like wild fire. People of that city were visiting him. They were amazed at his communicational skills and handsome appearance. He was talking with them with sweet words and jokes. By time passing, his shop was with hectic rush of people. The wonderful news was spread up to the princes who were in the guesthouses and waiting for the Swayamvaram. They had came to Vikrmadithya’s diamonds’ shop one by one. Later they had forgotten everything including Swayamvaram Muhurtham [That means auspicious time.]

It was up to the Swayam Varam time. Jambu Natha Varma had watched that no princes had arrived to the marriage hall. He had sent his servants to guesthouses to invite the princes to the marriage hall. The royal servants had rushed to the guesthouses to implement the king’s order. But nobody was there. They had enquired the assistants of princes there. The assistants informed the royal servants as the princes had gone to Market Street. The royal servants had ran to the market street. There they had seen the diamonds merchant whom around all the princes had gathered. Vikrmadithya was like Devendra surrounded by deities. He was like moon in the middle of stars. They had felt wonder with the glory and handsome of Vikramadithya. They had observed the rare gems, which he was offering to the princes. The royal servants immediately informed all of this to their king Jambu Natha Varma. The king felt wonder about this. He had gone to market street to observe these matter personally. He had watched Vikramadithya. The king was mesmerized with his glory, handsome appearance and sweet words. He had invited the businessman [Vikramadithya] also to the marriage hall. Then all the princes, the king, businessman [Vikramadithya] and others had came to the marriage hall.

By that time, Jamba Natha Varma had ordered the servant-maids to bring his daughter Hela Rambha to the marriage hall. The servant-maids had informed the king’s order to her. Hela Rambha had worn good and bright silk dress and diamonds ornaments. She was decorated with Sandal powder, other perfumes and flowers by her servant-maids. She had taken flower garland and pearls garland in the hands and reached the marriage hall. She was accompanied with servant-maids. When she was arriving, a sweet music was made by the musicians with their instruments and voices. The Brahmin scholars were chanting good mantras. She was looking like a flashlight in the clouds. Every prince got excitement by watching her. Every prince had wished as it would be nice, if she select him.

Hela Rabha had gone on two rounds in the Swayam varam Mandapam i.e. marriage hall. While she was taking 3rd round, she had seen Vikramadithya who was in the disguise of businessman. She had thought, as he was the appropriate man for her to marry, by watching his glory and handsome appearance. She didn’t think anything else. She didn’t observe others. Without any doubt and fear she had put her Varamala i.e. marriage garland in his neck. All the princes and others were shocked. They had seen at one and other’s face. They had laughed aloud and said, “When all the princes are here, this princess had selected a business man as her husband. How funny is this?”

Then only Hela Rambha had seen the dress sense of Vikramadithya. She had noticed that he was a businessman. With shock, she became unconscious. The servant-maids had taken her inside. Jambu Natha Varma said apologies to the courtiers and princes. All had gone to their houses respectively. The king Jambu Natha Varma had gone to his palace. He felt shy and sad for what happened. He thought, “What a strange or mystery is this, we don’t know. I never think that my daughter’s fate will be like this. What is the use of her education and learning. In spite of all her education, she had shown her immaturity and imbalance.”

By that time, Hela Rambha was relaxed from her shock and unconsciousness by the treatment of her servant-maids and doctors. The king had gone to his daughter’s palace. She said, “Oh, father. You are very sad. I think you are feeling sorrow because I had put Varamala in the neck of a businessman by leaving all the princes and kings. There is no use of such sorrow. Who can escape from fate? When I observed the kings, Princes and businessman in the marriage hall, the businessman looks like diamond, the princes and kings look like glass pieces. The businessman should not be businessman. My mind is sensing it. By watching him, he seems to be kings of king. By watching his versatility and glory, I thought that he is not ordinary man. Because of that, I had selected him as my husband. But I sense that you have something doubt about all this. To eliminate our doubts, I tell you a trick. There is still 15 Gadiyas time to next morning. This night, you send him to my room. Keep a curtain in the mid of my room. Before sunrise, I can know his personal particulars of race and family by talking with him without watching his face. Then you can perform my marriage with him. Otherwise, let us play some other suitable trick by that time.”

The king Jambu Natha Varma agreed to this deal. As per that, they had arranged a screen i.e. curtain in the mid of Hela Rambha’s room. They arranged one more cot with beautiful wooden carving beyond the curtain. They had kept soft bed i.e. mattress which was made with smooth cotton and birds’ feathers with silk covers. They had decorated the room with flowers, perfumes and lights.

They brought Vikramadithya who was in the disguise of Vysya businessman to there. The servant-maids said, “Oh respected Setty! Please do come. Our princess had kept Varamala in your neck by leaving all the princes and kings. She had selected you as her husband. Whenever she had kept the Varamala on you, then you became husband to her, and she became wife to you. Hence, you can go to Hela Rambha’s palace.”

By this way, the servant-maids had invited him. As per their guidance, Vikramadithya had reached Hela Rambha’s room. He sat on the royal bed, which was arranged for him. The servant-maids had served delicious dinner to him with fruits and sweets. They had served a rich and tasty pan to him. After dinner, he was relaxing on the bed. Then Hela Rambha had came there and sat behind the curtain to him. The servant-maids had stood beside her. The king Jambu Natha Varma, his Queen, Ministers and others were waiting outside of that room.

By watching all of this, Vikramadithya who was in the disguise of Vysya man, thought, “They didn’t performed my marriage with Hela Rambha, because they don’t know about my particulars such as race and family details. If I keep calm, then there won’t be any fruitful in the task. Moreover, if I don’t reveal my particulars, after sunrise, they may drive me out. Before such disregards, it is better to reveal my particulars. Let me declare myself in attractive, sensational, wonderful and exciting way.”

He had called on Bhethala. Bhethala appeared before him, without notice of others. Vikramadithya explained him all and ordered to declare his particulars in an amazing way. Bhethala had accepted and they discussed about a trick. As per that, Bhethala had inserted himself in the curtain.

Then Vikramadithya said with loud voice, “When I was talking with princes and kings during my business in a humorous way, these people had brought me to the marriage hall. The princess had kept Varamala in my neck. Whenever she kept Varamala on me, she became wife to me. In spite of this, she is neglecting me and not speaking with me. To my eyes, sleep is not getting. This light is burning. The time is not passing. Hence, oh curtain cloth! Please tell me a story up to you know it. By hearing story, time will pass by with pleasure.”

What a surprise! The curtain said, “Oh father! You are kind. You ask me to tell a story to pass time with pleasure. But I was tied up here. By having such tight ties, how can I tell you story. Actually, in previous I was as cotton. Later I had suffered in the hands of weavers. Then I was in the form of two pieces of clothes. These servant-maids had purchased me and torn off me into pieces. They had stitched me with needle and string, on four sides. They had tied me and made me as a screen in between the both of you. By the way I’m suffering a lot. With such suffering, how can I tell you a wonderful story? How it is possible? By knowing all of my sufferings, you are troubling me to tell a story. Off course, it is natural in this world. People will consider their difficulties as severe and treat other’s difficulties as easy going. They don’t know the other’s difficulties.”

By hearing all of this, Hela Rambha thought, “Oh God! What a wonder! Till yesterday, this curtain was not active. But now it is speaking. We don’t know what type of magic and mystery is this. The person who is sitting here is able to converse with curtain cloth. In such case, he might be great person. He should not be normal man. I should know who he is.”

By thinking like this, Hela Rambha had released the ties and dropped the curtain on the floor. Vikramadithya said, “Oh curtain! This princess is so kind to you. She had released you from ties. Now you are free. Hence, you please tell us a story to pass time with pleasure.”

The curtain started to tell the story.