Sugandhi Alias Andal Devanayaki

by T. D. Ramakrishnan

  After dinner, she led the king to the bedchamber. It was the best room in the palace and the emperor was impressed.

  ‘Someone has said that in the bedchamber, there is no king and subject, only man and woman.’

  ‘Not just someone, My Lord. It was Vatsyayana. But during Mahendravarman’s time, we were king and subject in the bedchamber too. Not trusting his own queens, he locked us up in chastity belts.’

  The emperor did not understand. But when Devanayaki explained, he burst into laughter. When he was convinced that the queen of Kanthalur was adept in matters other than administration, he put forward three demands. First, she should be his forever. Second, she should help him capture Mahinda’s Anuradhapura, which boasted of the largest number of soldiers trained in Kanthalur. And third, she should come to Thanjavur and teach the young men the Arthashastra and politics.

  She replied that, though she could not promise to fulfil the first request, she was happy to fulfil the other two.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘What if someone defeats you in war?’

  13

  Rajaraja had captured Kanthalur by manoeuvring his regiments skilfully. A few weeks before the cavalry reached Kanthalur, the elephant regiment and other sections of the military had crossed the Aruvamozhi. A section of the horsemen had come to Kanthalur disguised as merchants. They stayed with courtesans and bargained with traders over the price of pepper and weapons. They wandered all over the city, located the kalaris and weaponries, and figured out the best way to enter the fort. They passed all this information on to Rajaraja through spies. When they were able to identify some traitors in Mahendravarman’s army, everything became easy. The Chola army began the battle only after having gathered information about the defence strategies of Kanthalur.

  By creating the impression that the Chola army was weak during the first stage of the battle, Rajaraja was able to trounce the Kanthalur army. While Mahendravarman and his men rushed towards the southeast, a vast force that had arrived by ships from the west attacked them from behind. A huge section of the navy docked at the Kanthalur harbour. When the Cholas set fire to the houses and storehouses in the city, Mahendravarman was shocked. In the battle that followed, Kanthalur had to surrender before sunset. Rajaraja’s victory was complete when he dragged Mahendravarman to the harbour, beheaded him and threw his body into the sea. Then, the Chola army entered the fort in triumph.

  The reason for Rajaraja’s victory was his ability to plan in minute detail and to effectively implement his strategies. His discipline, not only in military matters but also in his personal life, laid the foundation for his victory. He followed a strict regime. That is why he was able to wake up at the crack of dawn, even though he had celebrated the much-desired victory over Kanthalur until past midnight. Devanayaki was still fast asleep. She looked more beautiful when she slept, he thought, as he started his morning exercises taking care not to wake her.

  She woke up to see him exercising with great vigour. The sight of his youth and strength excited her. She longed to be in his mighty arms once again. It was not yet dawn. But Rajaraja was not Mahendravarman, and she was not familiar with his likes and dislikes. It must be time for the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple to open. She didn’t know whether it would open at all in the midst of war. And even if it was open, how would she go there? Her father had once said that the Chola emperor, Arulmozhivarman Rajaraja, was an avatar of Lord Vishnu. She told herself that, from now on, the emperor was indeed her Lord Padmanabha. As he sat down to relax after exercising, she went up to him.

  ‘Pardon me. I am not familiar with your routine,’ she said.

  He pulled her down beside him with a smile.

  ‘You must know everything. Look and learn. My routine is not very complicated. For commanders of war like me, the military and the body are the same. We have to prepare ourselves through regular practice. It is said that a king should consider his body his country. The different parts must be carefully maintained.’

  ‘This is not a mere country. It’s an empire,’ she said, running her fingers over his chest and resting her head on his shoulder.

  ‘Devanayaki, this empire has many claimants.’

  ‘I’m not bothered about the number of claimants. I just want a little space in your heart.’

  ‘But you are interested in other matters.’

  ‘Are you still thinking of the night that passed?’

  ‘How can I forget? I had only heard about the beauteous women of the Chera empire.’

  ‘You must have heard that they are shrewd and conniving.’

  ‘I had also heard that they are nymphs who can transport you to the city of dreams.’

  ‘And were you taken to the city of dreams?’

  ‘I was. But I’ve not had enough, since I had to return in a hurry.’

  ‘So what? You have the key to the city of dreams with you. It can be opened any time.’

  ‘We don’t need this lock and key. I believe that only love can open the gates to heaven. You will have a place not only in my heart but also in my royal court. You will be my seventh queen – Kantha Madevi.’

  Devanayaki’s eyes filled with tears of joy. She touched the emperor’s feet. He pulled her up, wiped her tears away and kissed her. Then, he removed his signet ring and put it on her finger. The morning conch sounded in the fort. A breeze laden with the fragrance of the kadakapala from Agasthyakoodam blessed her lovingly. That was Devanayaki’s second marriage.

  ‘Don’t weep, Kantha Madevi. Laugh. Forget your past. It was a bad dream.’

  ‘I only have one request. I am a devotee of Lord Vishnu. I grew up singing Andal’s songs in praise of Lord Padmanabha. The temple should not be harmed. Please tell the army not to cross the Thiruvaiga.’

  ‘Agreed. They will not touch a thing beyond the Thiruvaiga. Anything else?’

  ‘Just your love.’

  ‘You are mischievous.’

  ‘I am not merely a woman of the Chera dynasty. My mother hails from the dynasty of the divine nymphs of Kambuja. So I will be mischievous.’

  When Rajaraja entered his first royal court in Kanthalur after his bath and breakfast, Devanayaki accompanied him. When the Chola army saw Devanayaki dressed in silk, with jasmine flowers in her hair and adorned with jewels, they thought that she was a perfect match for their emperor. They rose in unison to greet her when Rajaraja introduced her as ‘Kantha Madeviyar’. She sat smiling, without interfering in matters of the court. Her smile did not falter when it was decided to behead four of Mahendravarman’s most loyal lieutenants. She knew them well, but she pretended not to notice. Bound in chains, unable to contain their impotent rage, they shouted, ‘You daughter of a whore.’ She flinched. She felt as if she had been slapped across the face. It was as if she had been stripped bare in public. She left the court silently. The king ordered the four men to be beheaded immediately.

  Devanayaki closed the door to her bedroom. She was not upset at having been openly insulted. Instead, she was pained as the emperor had been humiliated. When the servants announced that the emperor had arrived, she went down with red-rimmed eyes to serve him food.

  ‘Your Highness, you were insulted because of me. Pardon me.’

  ‘Devanayaki, all this is common in royal courts. The four men who humiliated you have been beheaded. Now sit down and eat.’

  ‘But still, in front of all those people…’

  ‘Forget it. Nobody will taunt you again.’

  She forgot all her humiliation as, on that day, the journey was in the tantric style. He wanted to prove that he was not bad at satisfying her. The emperor stayed in Kanthalur for three weeks. What compelled him to stay was the conducive climate and the presence of Devanayaki. The specially brewed kantha, the delicious venison and Devanayaki’s mischievousness made him more passionate. He never forgot to present something new to her each night. Though he was thirty-eight, Rajaraja had the vigour and strength of a youth.

  Along with these celebrations, two importa
nt things were happening. Even as the Chola army was looting the houses and filling their royal coffers, Rajaraja was planning to attack King Mahinda of Eelamandalam with his commander and trusted lieutenants. Devanayaki was a silent listener. On the day before they were to return to Thanjavur, as they were reviewing their plans to conquer Eelamandalam, Rajaraja gave Devanayaki an opportunity to speak. The commander was outlining the plan in detail.

  ‘Your Highness, this is the best time to attack and conquer Eelamandalam. King Mahinda is not very strong. We must transport the first line of the navy to Kara Island, which lies close to Eelam. The island is sparsely populated. The second line of the navy must be positioned on the western shores of Eelam. The cavalry should be sent in from the north. I feel we should not use the elephant regiment. The northern part of Eelam is inhabited by the Tamils who support us. We will not face any opposition there. Moreover, as they are against the Sinhala rule, they might even join hands with us.’

  ‘Commander, these are matters we have already discussed. Now let us listen to the three lieutenants and Kantha Madeviyar, if they have anything to say.’

  ‘The three of us have spoken earlier. Now we must know Kantha Madeviyar’s opinion.’

  ‘What do you say, Devanayaki?’

  ‘I fear that if I, who have not fought a single war, begin to speak about war, it will be presumptuous.’

  ‘Don’t worry. Speak.’

  ‘The plan outlined would have been more than enough if we were preparing to capture a place like Kanthalur. But I feel this will not be sufficient in the case of Eelamandalam.’

  ‘Then what should we do?’

  ‘We have to know much more about Mahinda’s Eelamandalam. This is the precious gem-studded necklace Mahinda presented me when he last visited Kanthalur. Do you see the box the necklace is in? The map of Anuradhapura, Mahinda’s capital city, is engraved under it. It is not an ordinary map. It shows the routes that the queens can use to escape if the capital is captured by an enemy. Three of the routes are underground. Mahinda absent-mindedly gave me this box usually given to his queens. We should launch our attacks through these escape routes.’

  ‘Madeviyar, what you have said is very important.’

  ‘No, this is a small matter. How many spies do we have in Mahinda’s capital?’

  ‘Just two. They are Sinhalese merchants.’

  ‘That’s not enough. We need spies who will work for us around the clock. There must be women among the spies as Mahinda is a womanizer.’

  ‘We don’t use women as spies, Madeviyar. They cannot be completely trusted.’

  ‘The commander is being foolish, Your Highness. Women are often better than men at both keeping and extracting secrets.’

  The lieutenants looked at one another.

  ‘You are right. Let us recruit women to be our spies.’

  ‘Yes, Your Highness.’

  ‘They have to be especially trained. I have a small band of spies. According to them, Mahinda has a secret hideaway at some distance from his capital. I got this information when I made enquiries after coming to know that he was planning to attack Kanthalur. Mahinda reportedly spends a couple of weeks every month in this place with wine and women. I also hear that he has financial problems. It is not a small issue. As you know, many of his soldiers have been trained in Kanthalur, and they haven’t been paid for months.’

  ‘So this is the best time to attack.’

  ‘Don’t be in a hurry. Let us discuss this in detail after we reach Thanjavur.’

  The next day, the Chola army left for Thanjavur. While the cavalry, the elephant regiment and the other regiments journeyed on land southwards via Aruvamozhi, the emperor and Devanayaki travelled with the navy. A luxurious ship was provided for their journey. When the last ship sailed, the Chola army did not forget to torch the harbour and the ships docked there.

  By the time the ship crossed Kumari in the east, it was past twilight. Devanayaki lay looking at the stars, with her head resting on the emperor’s lap. He stroked her curls and cheeks.

  The gold and jewels looted from Kanthalur were stored in several ships. The weapons were transported over land. But the emperor felt that the most precious gem lay on his lap. When she sang ‘Margazhi Thingal’, he embraced her.

  As she lay in his arms, she gave voice to something that had been troubling her.

  ‘I feel that what Lord Padmanabha had predicted a year ago, when he appeared in my dreams, is about to come true.’

  He looked at her questioningly.

  ‘When twenty-eight is added to twenty-eight, what is the sum, My Lord? That is a calculation we women do. If I’m not wrong, I’ll give birth to your baby eight months from today.’

  14

  It was during the eleven-day journey from Kanthalur to Nagapattinam that Rajaraja Chola finalized his plans to conquer Anuradhapura. Certain incidents that occurred during the course of the journey proved helpful. Though he was only modifying the plan he had prepared at Kanthalur based on new information, Devanayaki intervened at every phase. Devanayaki said that intelligence was more important than weapons to win a war, and if the military strategy was carefully planned, the battle was already half-won. But the emperor was not fully convinced. He knew from experience that the implementation of plans was far from easy. He firmly believed that the outcome of a war depended on the constant vigilance and presence of mind of the supreme commander.

  On the third day of the journey, the fleet of ships dropped anchor at a small port called Kayalpattinam on the banks of the river Tamraparni. It was not merely to rest for a day that they had stopped there. This small place was inhabited only by Muslims. It had been captured by Rajaraja Chola from the Pandya king five years ago, but this was the first time he was visiting it.

  An important harbour on the east coast, it was a major centre for horse-trading and shipbuilding. The carpenters of Kayalpattinam were adept at building ships, using the teakwood that flowed down the Tamraparni from Agasthyakoodam. They would make ships big enough to transport twenty-four Arab steeds. But ever since Rajaraja Chola captured the land, they made ships only for the royal navy. The ships from Kayalpattinam were bigger and sturdier than those made in Nagapattinam and Kodiakkarai.

  Rajaraja had appointed a prominent horse-trader, Sultan Sayyed Muhammad, to govern the province in his absence. Sayyed Muhammad’s father was a descendant of Muhammad Khalji, who had come from Egypt and settled here in the ninth century. His mother was from Chera Nadu. The sultan, who could speak six or seven languages, was not a mere horse-trader. He was a religious scholar and had a deep knowledge of Islamic medicine. He knew and practised the concepts of Firdous al-Hikmah and the methods of treatment used by Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi. Being a merchant who had trade relations with more than fifty countries and a practitioner of medicine, he had close contacts with many rulers. His three wives and their children lived in a palace near the mosque on the beach. His younger brother, Abdul Qader, was a famous medical practitioner in Jaffna. As they practised medicine, the sultan and his brother were both called ‘Vaidyar bhai’.

  When the emperor’s ships neared the harbour, Vaidyar bhai and his entourage were waiting to greet them with ceremonial splendour. The sultan embraced the emperor saying, ‘As-salamu alaykum.’ And when the emperor returned the salutation with, ‘Wa alaykumu as-salam,’ they were greatly pleased. They led the emperor and his beautiful queen to the city on a regally decorated elephant.

  Rajaraja Chola first visited the Kadal Karai mosque established by the followers of Caliph Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, who had come to Kayalpattinam at the end of the seventh century to propagate Islam. Being a non-Muslim, the king prayed standing outside the mosque, but he gave a thousand gold coins for its renovation. After resting for a while in the sultan’s palace, he visited the shipbuilding centre and the large stables. Devanayaki was surprised to see forty warships being built for the Chola army. The work on all forty ships was progressing simultaneously. The sultan’s children, Suleiman and
Razak, were supervising the hundred-odd carpenters and their assistants who were engaged in building the ships. Rajaraja instructed them about the work to be done on the interiors. He asked the Sultan to improve the facilities in the stables and to pay more attention to the health of the horses.

  After a sumptuous dinner, when the emperor and Devanayaki were relaxing on the rooftop with the sultan, the conversation moved to important matters.

  ‘Bhai, why aren’t you happy? Do you have any problems in your business?’

  ‘Your Highness, I do have some problems. I am caught in a big trap.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘It has been six months since I sold two hundred Arab steeds to Mahinda. He still hasn’t paid me. In business, there needs to be a constant flow of money. If money gets blocked like this, everything becomes difficult. Mahinda has imprisoned my brother, Abdul Qader, who went to ask for the money.’

  ‘Then why didn’t you inform me?’

  ‘I thought I shouldn’t bother you.’

  ‘Vaidyar bhai, who else will you ask for help but me when you are in trouble? Why doesn’t Mahinda pay you?’

  ‘He doesn’t have the money, Your Highness. His extravagance and lack of administrative skills are the reason. His soldiers haven’t been paid for over a year. Mahinda has a secret hideaway where he spends most of his time with beautiful women, drinking and gambling. All his money is flowing there. The country is in trouble.’

  The sultan’s words made Devanayaki very happy. This was what she had been longing to hear. But she kept silent in the presence of the sultan, feeling that it would be improper to speak about this.

  ‘Don’t worry about your money. Is there anyone we can trust in Mahinda’s country?’

  ‘There are many we can trust. More than half his warriors are from Chera. Even the Buddhist monks are against him.’

  ‘We will decide on our course of action before I leave in the morning.’

  Rajaraja said he was tired and retired early because he wanted to talk to Devanayaki about what they had just heard.