Prince Vijayendra Chozhan
Kumbakonam 1014 CE
“I want to see my father.” Nine-year-old Vijayendra Chozhan’s chin was thrust out determinedly as he glared at his mother Kalaiarasi even as he valiantly stemmed the tears that gathered in his bright and inquisitive eyes.
A small but sad smile broke out through the tears on Kalaiarasi’s face. The whole region was mourning Maharaja Rajaraja Chozhan’s death and here was her son Vijayendran—also the youngest born child of the great emperor—who was demanding to see his father. Vijayendran had met his father only twice, both times when the emperor had visited Kalaiarasi’s home. Rajarajan had been attracted to the young dancer when he set eyes on her at the Adi Kumbeswarar Koil in Kumbakonam.
The emperor had married Kalaiarasi right there at the temple dedicated to Siva Peruman.
The royal family had not accepted the emperor’s marriage at such a late age as fifty-six and Kalaiarasi had never been welcome at the palace in Thanjavur. The emperor had always found time to visit his youngest wife at least once every month during the first two years of marriage. The visits steadily reduced after the birth of Vijayendran. Kalaiarasi kept ignoring the messages that kept coming to her from many sources—about how the emperor wanted only his son, the Crown Prince Rajendran, to be recognised as his heir and none other. Also, about how the other queens had got together and made sure that the emperor did not acknowledge Vijayendran also as his prince even if Kalaiarasi was married to King Rajarajan in the presence of the deity, Adi Kumbeswarar, in the main sanctorum of the Sivan temple.
Kalaiarasi did not mind all that. What really irked her was the fact that she and her son, who was also Rajarajan’s blood, were being kept away from attending the last rites of the emperor.
Vijayendran was aware that he was the king’s son. He also knew he had been denied the rights of being a prince to the kingdom. At nine, the child was extremely wise for his age. With his mother’s attractive and graceful looks along with the brilliance and intensity of his father’s dark gaze, Vijayendran was a handsome boy, tall for his age. He already showed the makings of a just ruler as he interacted with children of his age. He always portrayed the role of king while the rest of the children played his subjects.
“Mother!” Vijayendran was glowering at his mother now. “I want to see my father, Emperor Rajaraja Chozhan. If you will not take me there, I will go by myself. Kethu will take me there fast enough.” Kethu was the one-year-old colt his father had gifted him when Vijayendran turned eight. The horse had become fully grown in the year it had remained with the boy and the two were inseparable.
“Vijayendra, listen. We cannot go to the palace now. We…”
“Why not? The king was my father too. I want to be present during his last rites. I…”
Kalaiarasi threw her arms around her son who already reached the height of her shoulder, not bothering about the fact that Vijayendran did his best to pull out of her hold. “You have to listen to me, Vijayendra. We cannot go.”
“Says who?” Angry tears glittered in his eyes as he glared at his mother. Right now, he had only her for a target, the only way to let out his anger and frustration.
“Says everyone.” Her voice was a broken whisper, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks. At barely twenty-eight years, Kalaiarasi was a widow with a young son, a child who had had but a couple of opportunities to interact with his royal father who was no more. The king had died in his sleep two days ago. What was worse was the fact that she and her son would not get to participate in the last rites. For she knew only too well that the two of them were not welcome at the royal palace.
Vijayendran wiped his face hurriedly when he heard the sound of horse hoofs outside their home. “Mother! Are you expecting someone?” he asked Kalaiarasi, an eyebrow raised.
Wiping her face with the edge of her sari, Kalaiarasi shook her head, a bewildered expression on her face. “No.”
He went forward and stepped out of the main entrance to his home. Two men who appeared like sentries, jumped off their horses and walked forward to stand in front of the young boy.
Both the men bent down to their waist before one of them spoke. “Vanakkam! Am I speaking to Prince Vijayendra Chozhan?”
Vijayendran straightened his small shoulders and stood tall in front of the sentries, responding in a firm voice, “That is right, my man. You are talking to Vijayendra Chozhan himself. Tell me,” he commanded.
“His Majesty Raja Rajendra Chozhan sends his compliments. He requires the presence of Your Highness and Rani Kalaiarasi at the Thanjavur palace.”
“May I know why?”
It was a great effort for the sentry not to show his surprise at the young lad’s confident question. He kept his gaze lowered to the ground as he answered, “His Majesty Raja Rajendra Chozhan would be honoured to conduct the last rites of the late Maharaja along with his brother. How soon can you and the Rani leave, Your Highness?”
“We should be ready in about an hour.” It was Kalaiarasi who responded to the sentry’s query.
“Vanakkam, Rani Kalaiarasi. The carriage awaits you and His Highness Prince Vijayendra Chozhan.”
Kalaiarasi hugged her son and wept unashamedly; completely unaware of the crowd that had gathered around her threshold the moment the people of the village caught sight of the royal sentries.
Gossip had been rife amongst the people of Kumbakonam regarding Kalaiarasi and her son. Everyone was aware that Rajaraja Chozhan had married her and Vijayendran was the king’s legal child. But then, the two of them had never been welcome at the Thanjavur palace and that surely had provided fodder to the gossip mills.
But now, with the passing away of the Maharaja, they could not believe their eyes and ears when they heard about the new Raja Rajendra Chozhan’s invitation to his stepmother and half-brother. Will wonders ever cease?
Rajendra Chozhan had loved his father from the bottom of his heart. He had never agreed with his mother or his father’s other wives when they refused to welcome his father’s youngest wife Kalaiarasi into their home. After his father died, as the new king, Rajendran decided to welcome both Kalaiarasi and her son, Vijayendra Chozhan, who was his own half-brother.
Vijayendra Chozhan became his half-brother Rajendra Chozhan’s slave from the moment the new king gathered his little brother in his arms and kissed him gently on his forehead.
It did not matter to Vijayendran that he was not given the title of Crown Prince; nor was he declared the legal heir of Rajendra Chozhan. He loved his brother from the moment he met him and was ready to die for Rajendra Chozhan and his empire.
