By Avik Chattopadhyay
The Prince finally rose from his throne to speak. Cheers erupted like thunder for miles together, till one’s eyes could see. There was not an inch of vacant space anywhere. People of all ages had converged on to the Holy City to catch a glimpse of their beloved Prince. Many were seeing him for the very first time, it had been just so long since he left home. He had walked down a path covered with marigold and rose petals, flanked by tall light towers adorned with radiant suns. Caparisoned horses, elephants and camels lined the path to the royal palace.
He stood erect, his frame frail but the face radiant. “Brothers and Sisters of our land,” he said as tears welled up in his eyes. He looked back at his wife and brother. They smiled and nodded, encouraging him to continue. The crowd erupted in joy once again on hearing his voice. It was soft yet firm.
“We are back from our pilgrimage.”
“It has been an amazing journey for us, over all these years. We roamed across this wide and vast land of ours, exploring every nook and corner. So many things to see, so many things to learn, so many things to do. Every single day of all these years was an adventure… fresh experiences, new learnings, new awakenings. We had never imagined how enriching this exile would be when we set off from here. Then we were a bit downcast. We did not know what lay ahead of us. To be frank, we were a bit anxious. But as days passed, the wonder that is this land unravelled before us, as if a massive flower was slowly blossoming, with every layer of petals opening up into a new world to bathe in.”
“We met so many people along the way, different from us, yet similar. They spoke languages different from ours, they ate food different from us, their attires different from ours and they had gods different from ours. Some do not even worship god in any form. They have interesting symbols to denote their faiths. They have wonderful prayers, similar to ours, yet different. There were wise men, sages, seers and saints of so many types we interacted with. We realised that there is a world much larger than ours and it is the co-existence that makes this land so unique and vibrant.”
“I had to fight one battle in all these years. Just one, but was fierce. Here again, people of all kinds came to my help for each of them knew that I was in the right. When I finally encountered him, face to face, he looked me in the eye, smiled and said, ‘I have ruled strong but not wise. I built a city of gold but riches and prosperity have no meaning if everyone cannot benefit from them. And you have burnt it all down. You have given my people the chance to rebuild and I thank you for that. Do not make my mistakes. May you rule kind and wise.’ I put him down but with a heavy heart for he was a valiant warrior and a very wise man. But such is life. Your sins of the past have to catch up with you some time. Everything comes a full circle.”
“Once I met a man on the western coast. A very unique man. Very frugal in his way of life. Just a small piece of white cloth, a stick and a watch. We seemed over-dressed in front of him. He washed my feet and wished that once I return, I rule with fairness ensuring peace and prosperity for all. He said there are issues to take care of like poverty, malnutrition, child mortality, employment and equality of gender than build magnificent palaces, forts and temples. He said that this vast land has since been united but only on paper and not in spirit. He encouraged me to explore as much as possible before we return. My exile had turned into a pilgrimage.”
“On my return, my brothers and the wise men suggested a new palace be built for me. I politely refused. We do not need a new home. If I am to live in your hearts, as I have all this while, then I need to use the same wealth to build hospitals, seats of learning, centres of art and kitchens. Not a single person should lose sleep over the safety and sustainability of oneself and the family. So, we will build facilities and institutions that will help us live better for generations to come, irrespective of faith, colour or gender. When people visit this city in times to come, they shall experience a model community for the rest of Bhaarata to emulate. That is the legacy I wish to leave behind.”
“I would like to conclude by quoting some lines written by yet another remarkable man I met on the eastern coast. He had deep pensive eyes, a long white beard and wore a long robe. I thought him to be a saint or seer. He said he was a mere poet. He wrote a wonderful poem called ‘Bhaarata Tirtha’ that goes so…”
“Here Aryans, non-Aryans, Dravidians,
Chinese, Sakas, Huns, Pathans, Mughals
in one body, lo, were united.
The doors today have opened
In the West bearing gifts,
Behold they arrive.
All shall give and take,
Mingle and be mingled in
None shall depart dejected
From the shores of the sea of Bhaarata’s great humanity.”