Mid term assignment- Anisha Das

                                        Chitrangada

Note- Chitrangada was a Manipuri princess and warrior of her land. Her father Chitrabahana prayed to lord Shiva because of their inability to conceive a child, he asks for a son as boon and lord Shiva pleased of his sincerity grants him a child. But the first child that the king has is Chitrangada, as per rules of primogeniture in Manipur; the first child is to be rightful heir, so the king decides to raise Chitrangada as a son. Chitrangada believes what she is taught until she meets one of the Pandava brothers, Arjun and fall in love with him. She believes that Arjun would never accept her as what she grew up to be. So she prays to all the gods and successfully transforms herself to a more feminine persona. Arjun and Chitrangada fall in love and to decide to marry. For that Arjun has to come to Chitrangada’s parents and ask permission to marry her. He was not aware of Chitrangada as the protector and ruler of the land and is hoping to take her with him after the wedding. This is also the first time the king and the queen see Chitra as a woman. After years of bringing her up as a man, her parents are in shock as much she is in fear of acceptance. Chitrangada is also in conflict within herself to be a woman and choose love or be the woman warrior and choose Dharma.

I look out the window of the carriage

My palace doesn’t recognize me

I crouch in my seat

I don’t want to leave

My door unlocks

He stands outside with his hand stretched to me

I take his hand

Not to follow his lead

But to ask him inside the carriage and sit with me

He smiles

This smile will be the end of me

I walk down the road to the palace

With his hand leading me

My eyes glued to my feet

They look different from under my skirt

It feels constraining

I feel all eyes on me,

‘The warrior who hunts better than all the men in the land

Is struggling to walk’

I shoot a glance at Arjun

‘This is for you’

I hear myself think

 I cannot look up at my mother

My father did not bring his gaze down from me

Arjun talks

His voice rings

Across the pillars

But nobody hears him.

I want to run

But my father’s gaze won’t let me move

My mother asked a voiceless ‘why?’

‘I can’t let her go with you

This is her land, her responsibility.

She cannot leave with you’

Father spoke

Finally

Looking at Arjun accusingly

His eyes said ‘This was for you’

Arjun looks down for the first time

Failing to understand,

He does not know

I rule this land.