The Cloud of the Princess Part - 1 Chapter 12

The first reaction on reaching the Durga temple was that it was not a very safe place to stay in. Especially because it was already dark and there was no male companion for the girls from the palace. Of course the Sevagars were there but they could not be relied upon. They must be very tired having carried the Pallakku for more than half a day now and it won’t even be minutes before they fall off asleep. It would be merciless to ask them to stay awake and guard the girls while they slept comfortably.

The initial plan that Maithreyan had suggested was to reach Chief Painter Chinnayar’s palace before it got dark, spend the night there and then start early the next morning and reach Araimedu before the sun set. Though the plan was good and workable, Sembaruthi had not liked it. Everything was right about the plan except the halt at the Chief Painter’s palace. Sembaruthi for some unknown reason had developed hatred towards the chief painter. And since Imayaazh had said it would take time for them to reach the painter’s palace, Sembaruthi immediately changed her plan. It was a boon in disguise for her and she grabbed it with both hands. If at all she wanted to attach a reason to dislike Chinnayar, she could succeed only with a childish reason. Three years earlier, when Sembaruthi had first come to Ponvilayur after having married Maithreyan, she was given a very warm welcome all across the palace. She was introduced to each and every minister and she was initially even frightened because she could not even remember all their names. But irrespective of who it was, she was praised for her beauty, especially her eyes had got a great deal of attention and more importantly everybody wished the couple a great married life. But when she was introduced to the Chief painter Chinnayar who was in his late sixties, he saw her up and down and said “You have got luck Devi… Hope it stays with you throughout your life. Let me wish all prosperity for the young couple”. Sembaruthi had hated those words. It looked to her as if the Painter was playing with words. If not for his expressions, she would not have thought so. It was a wry expression and it clearly sent the message across that he was totally disinterested over the wedding. But after that incident, she never had the chance to meet the Painter and talk even a few words to him. So she could not make out why he would be unhappy with the marriage at all.

Though she did not see the Painter after that, she heard a lot about him after a year of her marriage. He was planning to paint the best painting that had ever been painted and too of the King right in front of the throne. Everybody was talking about it in the palace and every time she heard someone mentioning about it, she purposefully diverted the topic. She was not particularly interested in this and was surprised when the King had actually shifted his palace for more than three months just because the painting was being done. She wondered how good the painting could be and when the piece of art was completed finally, she was also invited to the palace to take a look at it. She had gone along with Maithreyan to view the work and her first reaction was that it was a masterpiece. But immediately her mind changed and she felt it was just another painting. Nothing was wonderful about it. Just because the painting was done in two parts, one on the ceiling and another on the floor, it cannot become the best ever done. Moreover the colours used were not very impressive. There was a particular area in the painting where the colors were applied shabbily. She dared not to speak about it outside but a sense of satisfaction filled her heart just because she did not like the painting.

Was it pure human tendency of not liking somebody’s work because you don’t like the artist, which had made Sembaruthi hate the painting and find faults in it? Or was it her innate talent in painting which she had inherited from her father’s gene that had made her find faults in the painting? It will not be possible to decide because art is for the human mind to cherish and chew upon and the exact critic for an artist is himself and not anybody else. Every stroke made in a painting is because the artist wanted it that way and every word written in a poem is because the poet wanted it that way. It would do a world of good if the poet is satisfied with his poem and the painter with his painting rather than the poet wanting the painter to praise him and the painter the poet. Unfortunately enough, the human mind has only one single rule to follow and that is to follow none.

The Durga Devi temple was not very welcoming. It seemed deserted and there were very few torches burning now than what she had seen from a distance. Somebody should have put it off. Or even the cold wind that was blowing could have put it off. The Sevagar chief asked if he could go in and find out if somebody was there and Sembaruthi agreed. She along with her maids got down from the Palakku and was waiting outside the temple. It was already dark and the air was getting chiller. The girls covered themselves with their dress to avoid the cold, but the other Sevagars were standing without even covering their chests. It clearly showed that they were really tired and needed some rest and they were enjoying the cold air that was blowing over their faces.

After few minutes of waiting, Sembaruthi saw two figures coming out of the temple. It was dark on this side of the temple where they were waiting and it was difficult to spot immediately who were coming. Sembaruthi realized immediately that the man coming in front was the Chief Sevagar. She could easily figure that out with the way he was walking. There was a second figure that followed the Chief Sevagar and it was walking in a pretty slow pace. Sembaruthi could somehow sense that she knew this slow moving dark figure. The outline of the body, the hunch and the pace of the walk were all very familiar. As the two men approached near the girls and when they came under the torches light, Imayaazh immediately spoke in excitement.

“Akka… can you see who is coming behind the Sevagan? Is it not our old poosari of Araimedu? Or are my eyes cheating me?”

“Imayaazh… Don’t you worry! You are not that old to be cheated by your own eyes. Even I think it is our poosari of Arivamudhar temple. But I am not sure why he is here now? And that too at this time of the night.”

“Akka… I think he is now staying here in this temple. I remember hearing from someone that he lived no more at Araimedu. But I did not know where he left to and why he left. I guess this must have been the temple where he has shifted to”

“Let us not jump into conclusions Imayaazh… The poosari is here. Let us ask him and get it clarified”

It was indeed the old poosari who along with Maithreyan had saved and brought Sembaruthi back to her home when she had rolled down from the hill.

He seemed older and worse than how he had looked then. His hunch had pushed him more towards the ground and his face had shrunk and appeared with more lines of flesh that had loosened with age and probably worry. The old man did not seem to have realized who had come. He put his hand over his forehead to avoid the light from the torch falling directly into his eyes and said in a characteristic old man’s voice

“The sevagan says that somebody from the King’s palace has come to this small temple. I am really sorry. My eyesight has become very poor and I can’t see you clearly. May I know who has come to this god’s place? ”

Sembaruthi felt sorry for the poosari. The poosari that she knew and could remember was the one who had advised her number of times to go back to home before the Madhuoli broke. She could not have even imagined seeing him like this three years ago. '
Time' is the worst weapon to play with- especially after you see grandchildren - she told herself.

She spoke in a soft voice

“Ayya… Yes, we are somebody from the King’s palace. But I don’t wish to introduce myself to you like that. I know you better than anybody in the King's palace at Ponvilayur. Ayya...Do you remember painter Araivazhagar of Araimedu. I am his only daughter Sembaruthi. Ayya do you remember me ?”

The old man made a few quick moves of his neck. He seemed excited. “Sembaruthi! Is that really you? Oh Sembaruthi…How wonderful to meet you again after so many years. How are you my child? How are your parents? How is Dhalapadhi Maithreyanaar? It is god’s grace that I have met you again before this old man’s soul passes away”

Sembaruthi cut in “No need to speak so ayya… Lord Arivamudhar will not let you down. And all our prayers are always with you. Your service is needed for this Kingdom for many more years to come ayya”

“Aah… that is what I am afraid of Semabaruthi… The lord will never be kind to me anymore. If I remember correctly, it was after a few months of your marriage when I skid down and broke my legs while climbing up Madiyamalai. Since then my legs have are almost disabled and I can no more walk properly, let alone climbing Madiyamalai. I wanted to spend the last days of my life in the Lord’s sannidhi but he seems to have different plans for this old man. I was forced to make my son takeover the temple proceedings in the Madiyamalai temple. And instead of staying bed ridden and dying without a use to anybody,I thought i shoule continue what i was doing but may be in a different place. So i came here last year to spend my final days. It is none but Durga Devi who sits in this temple whose grace is holding my life still”

Sembaruthi was really moved by the poosari’s story. A drop of tear flowed down her cheeks. But the old poosari could not even see it clearly. Sembaruthi did not know how to respond. There was a moment’s silence and it was embarrassing for her. But fortunately for her,the poosari himself spoke.

“Sembaruthi… I am really sorry to have made you stand here for so long. Please do come inside my child. We have hundred things to speak.”

After saying that he turned towards the temple and started to walk slowly. As he walked he spoke without looking back at the girls who had started following him slowly

“Sembaruthi… How wonderful it was when I was in Araimedu! Especially with all you young girls doing all sort of mischief and pranks. More than you, I miss all those days my child. And I even heard that that one of your friends, the girl with the big mouth …I forgot her name… I heard that she is also with you… Has she not come here now? Oh… Now I remember… was it not Imayaazh? Yes it was Imayaazh.She was such a sweet torture for me when I was in Araimedu…Has she got married yet? Her husband must be a poor man to have married a girl with such a big mouth” And He laughed to himself after saying that. It seemed the old man was laughing his heart out after a number of years.

A known female voice cut in.

“Ayya Poosari…. The torture has not ended yet. And neither has it got married. It will continue to torture till your soul stays in Pavazhanaadu … Don’t expect anything less than what you got in Araimedu. And the torture is now right behind your back...”

Of course! It was Imayaazh.