Chapter 22 - The Battle of the Dragons

First, the outer curtain of the palanquin – the cloth curtain with the palm tree emblem – was lifted. Then the silk curtain inside began to move. He also saw a golden hand like Vallavaraiyan had seen once before. Vandhiyathevan jumped down in a second, thinking that he would no longer be on the horse.

He came running to the palanquin and said, "Prince! Prince! People carrying palanquins..." He said and looked up.

He stared again; He closed his eyelids and opened them and looked further; Eyes glazed over! His tongue twitched. Suddenly the moisture in his throat dried up.

"No, no! You are . . . Pazhuvur Ilavarasi.. Paluvur Ravalasi ... Your men's horse hit my palanquin..." He blurted out.

All this happened in the blink of an eye. The spearmen who went in front and behind the palanquin came running and surrounded Vallavarayan. Even Vallavaraiyan knew that they had surrounded him like that. His hand instinctively went to the sword. But he could not take his eyes off the moonlike face of Mohanangi that shone in the middle of the silk curtain of the palanquin!

Well yes; Contrary to what Vallavaraiyan had expected, what he saw in the palanquin now was the form of a real woman! Woman, but what a woman! Vandhiyathevan had never thought that there could be such a beautiful woman in this world who could drive those who saw it mad! Fortunately, at the same moment, a nerve in Vandhiyathevan's brain moved. A strange thought arose in his mind. He decided to make use of it.

With a great effort, clearing his throat and summoning the power to speak, he said, "Excuse me! You are Pazhuvur Ilayarani! I have come all this way just to see you!"

A smile appeared on Pazhuvur Ilayarani's milky face. The lotus bud that had accumulated so far expanded slightly, revealing the white pearl row embedded inside. The smile of that smile suffocated our young soldier. The soldiers standing beside him seemed to be waiting for their mistress's orders. The queen made a gesture with her hand, and they immediately moved away and stood at a distance. Two soldiers collided with the palanquin and caught hold of the horse.

The queen in the palanquin looked at Vandhiyathevan. Two sharp spear points pierced Vandhiyathevan's chest!

"Yes; I am Pazhuvur Ilaiyarani!" said the lady.

What intoxicating substance could there be in her voice? Why should our heads be so dizzy at this voice?

"What did you say just now? Did you complain about something? What about the people who carry palanquins?"

Can the softness of Kasi silk, the intoxication of toddy, the sweetness of wild honey and the sparkle of the lightning of the Karkala mingle in a woman's voice?.. Here they are!

"Did you say they brought the palanquin and hit your horse?" ...

The mocking smile on Pazhuvur Rani's coral lips showed that she enjoyed the fun very well. This made Vandhiyathevan a little emboldened.

"Yes, Your Highness! That's what they did! My horse is frightened!"

"You're scared too! Go to the priest of the Durga Amman temple and ask him to beat the neem leaves! Let the fear come out!"

By this time Vandhiyathevan's fear was well revealed; He even laughed.

Pazhuvur Rani's expression has changed now; The moon of laughter turned into a fire of anger.

"Let the fun be; Tell me the truth! Why did you bring the horse on the palanquin and stop it?"

This has to be answered. If you don't tell me...? Fortunately, that response had already dawned on Vandhiyathevan's mind.

In a low voice, in a confidential voice that was deliberately subdued so that others would not hear, he said, "My lady! Nandhini Devi! Azhvarkadiar... He is Thirumalaiappa... He asked me to meet them. That is why I played this trick; I beg your pardon!"

Saying this, Vandhiyathevan looked at Pazhuvur Rani's face intently. He looked at him anxiously, wondering what would be the result of his reply. It is like burning a stone on a fruit tree. Will the fruit fall? Will the pod fall? Will a stone thrown fall back? Or will some unexpected thunderbolt fall? Pazhuvur Rani's dark eyebrows went up a little. The next moment the queen had made up her mind.

"Okay; It is not advisable to stand in the middle of the road and talk; Come to our palace tomorrow! You can explain everything in detail there." Vandhiyathevan's heart rejoiced. It looks like it will succeed! But beyond three-quarters of the well was of no use; You have to cross the other quarters of the well.

"Devi! Goddess! They won't let me into the fortress! They won't let you into the palace either? What should I do?" he said excitedly.

Pazhuvur Rani immediately opened a silk bag lying near her in the palanquin and took out an ivory ring from inside.

"If you show it, they'll let you into the castle; They will let us into our palace too!"

Vandhiyathevan took it eagerly. For a moment he looked at the ivory ring with the palm logo. When I tried to raise my head again to salute the queen, the curtains of the palanquin were closed. Aha! When Rahu engulfs the full moon, it gradually grabs it. But the curtains of this palanquin had engulfed the talking moon afternoon in an instant.

"Don't follow me anymore! There will be danger; Stop and come slowly!" came a silky voice from inside the palanquin curtain. Then the palanquin moved; The soldiers went back and forth of it as before.

Vandhiyathevan held the horse's head rope and stood aside by the roadside. His eyes noticed that the Pazhuvur men who had approached him and spoke to him looked back two or three times and sent a message to his inner mind. Well yes; His outer mind was revolving around the Mohana form of Pazhuvur Rani in the palanquin. Is it true what you have seen and heard all this time? Or is it a magical dream? How can there be such a beautiful and beautiful form on this earth?

In the Puranas, it is said that there are Aramba, Urvasi and Menaka. I have heard that their beauty disturbed even the austerities of the renounced Rishis. But in this world... It may be true that the elder Pazhuvertaraiyar is a slave at the feet of this Mohini. If there were, it wouldn't be surprising! Where is Pazhuvertaraiyar who has a grey curtain and has a fierce appearance with war wounds all over his body? Where is this young woman, Sukumari, beautiful? What wouldn't the old man do to win her a smile?... After standing on the roadside for a long time and immersed in these thoughts, Vandhiyathevan mounted his horse and slowly drove it towards the Thanjai fortress.

At sunset he reached the main fort entrance. The town had begun not far from the fort. The fort was surrounded by rows of bazaars selling goods and inhabited by people engaged in various trades. The streets were bustling with people going and coming, buyers and sellers, carts drawn by oxen and chariots drawn by horses. Vandhiyathevan was very eager to enter those streets and see the people living in the new capital of Chola Nadu and the way they lived. But there is no time for that now. You must first see what has come; All you have to do is have fun later.

With this decision, Vandhiyathevan approached the main entrance of Thanjai city. The massive gates of the fortress gate were closed at that moment. The guards at the gate were forcing people to stay away and stand on the side of the road. The people stood aside. Yes, instead of going about their business, they stood as if they were waiting for a procession or procession. Men, women, children, old people, all stood eagerly.

It was empty for a short distance in front of the castle gate. Only the guards stood at the entrance. Vandhiyathevan was curious to know what the matter was. He didn't want to bump into the gatekeeper when everyone else was standing aside. From that there may be arguments and quarrels. Now the matter is important to him, not the vigour; This is not the time to get into futile fights.

So Vandhiyathevan stood aside on the roadside where he could see the fort entrance. There was a fragrance of flowers nearby. He looked back; He saw a young man wearing Tiruneeru Rudraksha and other Shiva symbols standing with two baskets of flowers in both hands.

"Brother! Why is everyone standing on the side of the road? Is there going to be a procession?"

"Aren't you from this neighborhood, sir?"

"No, I'm from the Throat Country!"

"That's why you're asking; You'd better get off your horse and stand down."

Vandhiyathevan jumped off his horse so that he could be comfortable talking to the young man.

"Brother! Why did you ask me to get down?"

"Now the Velakara army is going to come from inside the fort after having darshan of the king; That's why so many people stand aside."

"Just funny?"

"Yes."

"What if I sit on the horse and watch?"

"Let's see; But if the Velakara soldiers see you, there is danger."

"What's the risk? Will they take the horse away?"

"They will also take the horse; The wicked will take away the people."

"If you take the horse and the man, will they leave it alone?"

"What do you do without letting go? The Velakara army is the law in this city. They don't question them. Even the Pazhuvertaraiyars don't interfere in the Velakara army."

At this time great demonstrations were heard inside the fort. The sound of the drums, the beating of drums, the blowing of horns, mingled with the sounds of congratulations from several hundred human voices.

Vandhiyathevan was well aware of the forces of Velakara warriors. It was an important institution in the ancient Tamil country, especially in the Cola country. 'Velakarar' was like a bodyguard to the kings who ruled from time to time. But there is a difference between them and the rest of the bodyguard. These were people who vowed to 'protect the King's life with our lives'. They vowed to cut off their own heads with their own hands before Durga if the kings life was in danger due to their negligence or defiance. Isn't it natural for players who have taken such a drastic oath to have certain privileges that others do not have?

The two gates of the fort gate opened with 'Padar, Padar'. First came two horsemen. They were holding high flags in their right hands. The appearance of the flag was strange. The red flag had a tiger at the top and a crown underneath the tiger. Underneath the crown was an altar, a head with its neck slit off, and a large sacrificial knife. The flag was a little scary to look at. Behind the horsemen with banners came a large bull carrying two drums, and two men stood and beat the drums.

Behind Rijapat came about fifty soldiers beating Siruparai, Perumparai and Tampattam. They were followed by fifty others, blowing long, curved horns, 'bam, bam, babam'. There may be a thousand soldiers behind them. Most of them thundered with the following congratulations.

"Long live the emperor of Paranthaka Chola Bhoomandalam!" "Hail, live!" "Long live King Sundara Chola!" "Live! Hail!" Long live the Hen Chancellor!" "Live! Live!" "Long live Tanjore Kohn!" "Live! Live!" "Long live the Lord who killed Veera Pandyan!" "Live! Live!" "Long live Ko Rajakesari who has Madurai, Eelam and Thondaimandalam!" "Live! Live!" "Long live Karikal Valavan Thirukulam!" "Live! Live!" "Victory to Durga Makali Paratpari Parasakthi!" "Victory! Victory!" "Victory to the brave tiger flag!" "Victory! Victory!" "Vetrivel!" "Veeravel!"

These chants from hundreds of painful voices mesmerized the audience. As they came through the fortress gates, they joined in the pratidhwanis of the slogans. Many of the people standing on the roadside joined in the sloganeering. Thus, (the reader may be aware that Murugan, the deity of Tamil Nadu, has a name called 'Velakaran'; Scholars believe that Lord Muruga got his name from the 'deity who vowed to protect his devotees'). The Velakara soldiers started coming out through the Thanjai fort gate, went through the road and disappeared in the distance.