THE 2nd STORY TOLD BY THE BLOUSE,

THE STORY OF MATHIMANTHA AND ANU RAGA VALLI

Once there was a city by name Ranga Nadha puram. The king by name Ranga Nadha was ruling that kingdom. His minister’s name was Sambhrama Varma. He had a son by name Mathi mantha. [The meaning of this name is a wise man] The king had a daughter Anu Raga Valli. [The meaning of this name is a garland of love] The king and the minister had sent their children to the same Gurukulam. The princess Anu Raga Valli and the minister’s son Mathi mantha became good friends in the childhood itself. Their friend ship was growing as their age was growing. When the princess Anu Raga Valli crossed 10 years, she was sent to the palace from Gurukulam. She had continued her education at the palace. Mathi Mantha had continued his education at the Guru kulam. Years passed. Any Raga Valli became beautiful young woman. Mathi mantha became handsome young man.

One day in a royal function, both of them Anu Raga Valli and Mathi Mantha had seen each other. They were in love with each other. Anu Raga Valli had called her close servant-maid and said, “Friend! You go to the minister’s son Mathi Mantha and convey him to meet me at royal garden by this night.” The servant-maid had conveyed the princess’s message to him. He had met her at royal garden. They spend time with sweet nothings. Since that day, they used to meet in the princess’s bedroom and enjoying time with each other’s company.

The king Ranga Nadha was enquiring the other Princes’ or Kings’ particulars in search of bridegroom to his daughter. Anu Raga Valli had informed her opinion and her love on Mathi Mantha to the king through her mother i.e. Queen. But Ranga Nadha didn’t consider it. He felt that it would be shame to give his daughter to the son of his sub ordinate i.e. minister. Hence, he regretted the proposal. He was trying to settle his daughter’s marriage with some king or prince.

Anu Raga Valli and Mathi Mantha felt worry about this. Mean time she got pregnancy. By knowing this, Mathi Mantha said, “Oh my dear! If we delay even for minute, there will be loss to both of us. Let us go somewhere from here.”

Immediately they had left the palace and city. They were wandering over the country to enable to the king Rang Nadha to find them. Some days were passed in this travelling. By that time, Anu Raga Valli was approaching delivery time. Then they had reached a city by name Godha Puri. They had stayed in a choultry. Anu Raga Valli got delivery pains. Mathi Mantha had gone into town to bring a midwife to attend her. He had gone to the prostitute colony in search of midwife. He didn’t know that it was the prostitute street. He had sat on the Verandah of a house. A prostitute woman by name Vilasini was residing in that house. [The meaning of this name is a lustful woman] She had seen him through the window. She became crazy on him. She had come out and enquired him. She had promised him to send a midwife and invited him into house. She had offered him to sit in a chair and said, “We will send mid wife. Don’t worry. I had sent my servant-maid to call the midwife. Mean while you relax. Have this drink and pan.”

Mathi Mantha didn’t expect any risk in it. He had drank the drink and eaten the pan. In fact, Vilasini, the prostitute woman was a witch. She had known some magical words. In that pan, she had mixed a magic material. Hence, Mathi Mantha became a Yolk by eating that pan. She had tied him i.e. Yolk at her cattle shed. At the night, she had spread some magic powder on the Yolk by chanting magic words. The Yolk became the young man Mathi Mantha. She had given food and water to him. She had made him to bathe. She had enjoyed him with sex. She didn’t allow him to talk. By early in the morning she spread again magic powder on him and chanted some magic words. He became as Yolk. Like this Vilasini had prisoned him at her house. Every night she was making him as human being, enjoying with him and in the every morning, she was making him as Yolk.

On the other hand, at the choultry, the princess Anu Raga Valli was suffering from delivery pains. She had screamed aloud. The women who were passing on the road had heard and attended her. She had given birth to a male child. The boy was cute. Three days passed. Mathi Mantha didn’t turn back. Anu Raga Valli was sad. She had thought in several ways. She had waited for 10 more days with anxiety. He didn’t return. She had sensed that something wrong somewhere. She came out of Choultry. She was searching for her husband along with her kid. In search of her husband, she had approached the king of that city Godha Puri, by name Dharmangada. [The meaning of this name is a person who behaves with royals and responsibilities.] His minister’s name was Neethi Dhuryudu. [The meaning of this name is a person who behaves with ethics.]

Anu Raga Valli had urged the king and minister in the royal court to search for her husband. The king had deputed that work to his minister. Neethi Dhurya had appointed some soldiers to search for Mathi Mantha. They were not able to find him. The soldiers had searched all over the city. But Mathi Mantha was not found. The king, his minister and soldiers had taken severe effort but in vain. They had informed the news to Anu Raga Valli. She was crying like anything.

The king Dharmangada said, “Oh my little mother! Don’t cry. Don’t worry, as your husband was not found. We will give food, shelter and every need of you. We will take care of you. You can live with your son peacefully”.

Anu Raga Valli said, “Raja! You are like my father. I requested you to search for my husband. You were not able to find him. He was missed in this city only. I don’t need your help further. ‘My husband was not found’ means; he was not alive in this world. He won’t leave me lonely here and won’t go anywhere except heaven. I know him. He won’t leave me as I was matured pregnant. Without his company, my life is not a life. I don’t like to live. Hence, I request you to prepare a pyre by evening 10 Ghadiyas before sunset. I will meet him at heaven by entering into the fire of pyre.”

The king and minister had tried to convinse her but she didn’t leave her determination.

Unavoidable, they had ordered the soldiers to prepare the pyre. This news spread all over the city like a wild fire.

By evening people gathered as groups in front of royal court where the pyre had prepared. Because it came evening, Vilasini had turned Mathi Mantha as a man from Yolk. She said, “Oh young man! I heard that some woman is going to enter into fire. People are going to watch it. Let us go.”

Mathi Mantha was not able to understand anything. He didn’t know how many days were passed and what was happening around him. He was confused in between the forms of Yolk during the daytime and man during the nighttime.

When he was in such confused situation, Vilasini had decorated him with silk clothes and ornaments. She had taken him to the royal ground by holding his hand in her hand.

By that time, Anu Raga Valli had completed two holy rounds around fire and taking 3rd round. Mathi Mantha had seen his wife Anu Raga Valli and realized what was happening. He had thrown away the hands of Vilasini and run towards Anu Raga Valli. He was shouting at her as “Don’t jump into the fire. I’m here.” Anu Raga Valli was with high grievance, and she was chanting her husband’s and God’s names. She didn’t notice what was happening around. What a tragedy...! Poor, Anu Raga Valli! She had jumped into the fire along with her baby.

Mathi Mantha screamed aloud. Without thinking a single second, he also jumped into the fire. By watching, all this, Vilasini recognized that Anu Raga Valli as the wife of Mathi Mantha for whose delivery he came to her house to fetch midwife. Vilasini was now able to understand what had happened. She felt very bad about her sin. She had run into fire and died.

The minister Neethi Dhurya thought, “The king had ordered me to search for this man, Mathi Mantha and find him. But I failed in that task. Though he is in the city, I was not able to find him. Now that man, his wife, and their little kid had died. I’m liable to all of this sin. People will blame me for my imperfect performance in my duty. Why should I live? Why I should bag such notoriousness.”

By thinking like this, the minister died by jumping in to the fire.

By watching all this, people had wondered. The king felt sad. Immediately he had gone to the temple of Kalika Devi. He prayed to the Goddess as “Oh Mother! Kalika Devi. Aum Bhadra Kali! Aum Maha Kali! These people, Mathi Mantha and his wife came to my kingdom to live here. They had died. I pray you to make alive all of them including Mathi Mantha, his wife, his son, my minister and the public servant i.e. prostitute woman Vilasini. Please make them alive. Otherwise, take my life. If you won’t make them alive, I will leave my life at your feet.”

Goddess Kalika Devi was pleased with his prayer she had made all of them alive and blessed all the people. The king Dharmangada well treated Mathi Mantha and Anu Raga Valli as his guests. He had offered job to Mathi Mantha at his court. Mean time, this news was reached Ranga nadha Puri. Both the parents of Mathi Mantha and Anu Raga Valli had understood the love of Mathi Mantha and Anu Raga Valli. The king Ranga Natha and Sambhrama Varma came to Gadha Puri. They had thanked to Dharmangada and taken Mathi Mantha and Anu Raga Valli along with them to their native Ranga Nadha Puri.

Later Mathi Mantha became king of Ranga Nadha Puri and Anu Raga Valli became Queen. They lived happily for long time.”

The blouse had completed to story and said, “Oh king! I think you heard the story. Now tell me. In this story, four members had jumped into fire to die. Whose life sacrifice is great?”

Vikramadithya said, “Vilasini life sacrifice is great. Being immoral woman, she had realized her sin.”

Mouna Bhashini said, “No! No! In fact, Vilasini had done sin. Hence, she deserves life sacrifice. But the minister Neethi Dhurya didn’t any mistake or sin. There was nothing wrong in his performance. Because Mathi Mantha was not in the form of human being, they were not able to find him. But Minister Neethi Dhurya had self-bounded and felt self-responsibility. His commitment towards his duty and his sincerity were really appreciable. Hence, his life sacrifice is great.”

Vikramadithya said, “Off Course. I agree with you. Being woman who resides within palace, you had known this analysis. Whereas being man who wanders around in the world, I didn’t know this. What an interesting feature is this?”

Mouna Bhashini enjoyed his praising and admiration. In that excitement, she didn’t noticed that she had spoken for 2nd time.

Vikramadithya smiled. There were naughtiness and victory shining in his smile.

Vikramadithya said, “Still there is lot of time to get sunrise. Time is not passing. I’m not able to sleep. This beauty is not entertaining me with her sweet words. What can I do? Well. Oh, the sari edge i.e. Payyeda, which Mouna Bhashini had wore! Please tell me a story.”

The Payyeda i.e. edge of her sari said, “Oh king! This Mouna Bhashini had worn me on her breast. She had decorated ornaments on me, by tautly me with those ornaments. In these difficulties, how can I tell you a story?”

Mouna Bhashini had wondered by this event. She had removed her Payyeda and dropped it in between their cots. Now she was half-nude by removing blouse and Payyeda. She had slipped beneath the blanket.

Naughty Vikramadithya smiled at her. Her face became red like a rose with shy.

Vikramadithya said, “Oh Payyeda. Your mistress is very kind to you. She had released you from your difficulties. Now tell me a story. Let me spend time cheerfully.”

Then her Payyeda started to tell a story.