Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's
The global assembly of Royals
dazzled with the smartly dressed
Princes, Kings, officers of court,
guards, soldiers, priests and guests
the lamp mast and wheels of light
aesthetically placed at vantage points
shamed the sun moon stars in the skiey dome,
the royal contestants nervously waited
for the arrival of the great host and
his celestial daughter whose beauty
was famed to be matchless in heaven:
and then came the procession of Drupad
to the riotous applause of the kings.
Krishna in his peacock plume crown
appeared behind Drupad and Dhristadyumna
and quickly moved to his allotted seat
but all eyes strained for Draupadi
where's she for whom all Aryabarta
kingdoms are kingless, all heroes are
in this beautiful Rangabhumi
where Jasmine and champak musk the air
birds wingless sing a
soft malhar
a monophonic stream beyond the eyes.
Drupad rose to speak holding his sceptre
all eyes turned to him when he said
Princes, Monarchs, Heroes
of Aryabarta
scholars, gurus crest jewels of Vedic lore,
honoured guests, well wishers and friends,
architects, artisans, decorators and
lovers of this great kingdom, Welcome!
I bow my head to all who have graced
this function and greet you with all the love
my heart and my kingdom's splendour holds
the auspicious day is for my daughter
my dearest Draupadi's marriage
to the best archer of divine Aryabarta.
At the selfsame moment a gong sounded
Draupadi led by her agefellows entered
a blank moment of stunned veenas
unstringed oboes and unplaited
sitars
as though an orchestra stopped countered
by a murmurous melody that charmed the soul
in soft imagined rhythms of divinity. A hush
died in the vast dome in choked reverie.
The Royal guests paused their breath
eyes unfocused by the oceanic blue
of Draupadi's dress, the gold shoots
grew in their eyes which could not
meet the smouldering fire of Panchali's
twin suns opening at the assembly
in benign glow subduing their pride:
Draupadi bowed to the thundering applause
her ornaments paled before her stance
her lips, teeth, shapely arms and figure
lighted up the glamorous tone and temper
a soft calm prevailed when Drupad
resumed his words:
Honoured guests as per our condition
already communicated to you all
we shall now begin the contest -
dramatically a well decorated rounded
platform slowly rose from the
grassy lawn
as though the divine architect's magic
unfolded before everyone present there
the grass, flowers, lawn and the fountain
slowly transformed into the test arena
a wheel carrying a fish on top of a mast
well decorated and stylishly proportioned
was moving anticlockwise and at the base
there was a pool of crystal clear water
a mirrory surface of transparent liquid
at a raised rack made of mahogany
a long shiny heavy bow was kept unstrung
the royal audience was mystified
by the design of the structure, the ingenuity
of the test and the challenge of charm and fear.
Drupad continued; great Archers!
I welcome you to the contest, the winner
shall be the winner of Draupadi and
shall be honoured as my son- in - law
I now request the Princes to begin-
The Gandhar king Shakuni stood up -
with your kind permission, may I ask
if the contestants are
free to use
their own bows - No! king of Gandhar
that is not permitted, in fact
you will climb this platform without shoes
and perform in silence all the way.
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