Kusuma’s Departure
In the previous part:
On the serene banks of the Sobti River, Suvarna revealed the secret of her past life to Kusuma, which she had kept hidden for years. Kusuma (the Prince) was stunned; he realized that his own dreams and Suvarna's memories were two parts of the same love story. Now the challenge was how to prove this truth while remaining in the guise of Kusuma...
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Dhruvdev remained silent for a few moments, reflecting, and then said, "The skill is commendable, but this is also a form of deception! Well, there was no other way. So, what plan have you made for the future?"
The Prince said, "I will use some pretext to ask the Princess for a brief leave of absence. In this interval, you and I will deliberate on what the future strategy should be. After knowing everything, I do not want to leave the Princess's side, especially when I myself am feeling profound affection for her in my heart. The only question is how to explain the reality to her? (Taking a deep breath) Let's see what fate has written for us next."
After discussing other subjects for some time, the Prince carefully returned to the palace.
From the next day, the Prince (Kusuma) began to remain somewhat quiet and introverted in front of the Princess. One day Madhavi nudged, "What is the matter, Kusuma? These days you stay very quiet?"
The Princess also expressed concern, "I was about to ask the same thing, friend! Are you well?"
Kusuma said with a sad face, "Oh! You all are worried for no reason. I am perfectly well; it's just that these days the memory of my parents is haunting me a lot. I feel like going to meet them once. Who knows what they must be going through since my sudden disappearance. Once I meet them and tell them the whole truth, it will give them solace."
The Princess said with empathy, "Your concern is justified. If you say so, shall I make proper arrangements for your journey?"
Kusuma said, "Many thanks for your generosity, Princess! But that will not be necessary; I am capable of traveling on my own. I was just in hesitation whether you would give me permission or not. I am extremely grateful for your compassion... to tell the truth, I have no desire to leave your company and go (in a way, the Prince had expressed the real agony of his heart), but going once seems mandatory."
The Princess said affectionately, "What is this gratitude, you silly girl! You have already become my dear friend. And what is the need for permission to meet parents? I can understand the restlessness of meeting one’s own. It is a wonder why this thought did not occur to me before! Prepare without any hesitation and go... just take permission from the Queen Mother once."
Madhavi also supported, "The Princess is right, Kusuma! You must go. Return quickly after meeting them; we all companions will wait for you."
Finally, the Prince as Kusuma took permission from the Princess and the Queen Mother and, leaving the palace, changed his disguise very carefully and met Dhruvdev. Now he was again in the guise of an ordinary traveler; seeing him, no one could even imagine that until a short while ago, he was in the form of a woman.
Dhruvdev and the Prince continued intense deliberations for several days. Finally, they made a solid plan and engaged themselves in gathering the necessary materials and resources to execute it.
A few days after Kusuma's departure, a wandering drama troupe arrived in Chandangarh. This troupe included extremely skilled artists proficient in folk dance and theatrical arts. The troupe's performance was so enchanting that a large crowd of people would gather to see it. They would stage plays at night and entertain the public.
Performing their art at various places, this troupe gradually reached Suvarnapur, the capital of Chandangarh.
In Suvarnapur, too, this troupe earned much praise for their artistry. The skill and behavior of the artists were so dignified that they began to receive invitations from elite families. They would go to large mansions to give their presentations and receive rewards. Gradually, the troupe's fame also reached the corridors of the royal palace. Many servants of the palace had seen their performance and they were never tired of praising them among themselves. Hearing from the employees and townspeople, the discussion of this troupe also spread among the companions of Princess Suvarna.
The companions repeatedly requested the Princess to see the troupe's art, but initially, the Princess kept putting it off.
When some companions went to see the play themselves and returned with a vivid description of it, curiosity arose in the Princess's mind too, which was further increased by the enthusiasm of the companions.
Finally, at the special request of the companions and the Queen Mother, the Princess agreed to see the play. It was decided that in the palace courtyard, the troupe would stage a special play, which would be seen only by the royal family, distinguished citizens, and the companions. Coincidentally, the Royal Preceptor had also arrived, so he too remained present in the audience gallery. A special 'Ot' (curtain) was arranged for the Princess, from where she could enjoy the play with her companions.
At the same time, the troupe was told to stage the play in such a way that the Princess could enjoy the play just by listening. Surprisingly, the troupe even accepted this challenge that they would weave the dialogues of the play like scenes to make them worth listening to. Anyway, after all the arrangements were complete, the troupe started its program.
The staging of the play began on the stage. First of all, the Prince, in the guise of a 'Dholi' (drummer/narrator) in simple attire, appeared on the stage and, setting the stage for the play, said, "My greetings to the King, Queen, and the Princess of Chandangarh! My salutations to all the distinguished people present as well! It gives me great pleasure to tell you all that this play is not based on any heard folk tale, but on those mysterious dreams of mine that often make me restless. This is the saga of that spiritual sacrifice of 'Gaura-Gauraiya' (male and female sparrows) that I have seen repeatedly with my closed eyes. Today, I have come to present that same truth for the first time before you all, organized in the form of a play. I hope this presentation will seem interesting, compelling, and surprising to you and will touch your heart."
'To be Continued...'
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In the next part:
Will the Prince's 'dream-play' be able to resonate with Suvarna's heart? When the separation of the sparrows comes to life on stage, will the Princess want to remove her blindfold to see the face of the 'Dholi'?
✍️ From the pen of ‘Nishabd’
🖌️ Images created with the assistance of Gemini, ChatGPT, & Copilot
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