Intrigue at Ikkeri (A Historical Novel)
Basavaraj Naikar
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Basavaraj Naikar (1949- ) M.A., Ph.D., D. Litt (California), Professor Emeritus and former Professor and Chairman of the Department of English at Karnatak University, Dharwad, INDIA, is presently Professor Emeritus at the same University. A bilingual writer, he has published many translations and critical works like PaduvanaNadinaPremavira,Huchchuhole, KolladaNeralu, Jogibhavi, Govardhanaram, NigudhaSaudha, Kannada AsangataNatakagalu, Beowulf, Asangata, Samrachanavada, Gilgamesh Mahakavya, Bharatiya English Sahitya Charitre, Sri Kanakadasaru, SiddhantamattuPrayoga,SwatantryadaKanasugara, KempuKanigilumattitaraNatakagalu, SwatantryaBhaskara, Androsina Kanye mattuPhormioandKitturinaVirarani in Kannada.
Likewise he has published critical works like Sarvajna: The Omniscient Poet of Karnataka, Critical Articles on Nirad C. Chaudhuri, Shakespeare’s Last Plays: A Study of Epic Affirmation, The Folk-Theatre of North Karnataka, Kanakadasa: The Golden Servant of Lord Hari, Critical Response to Indian English Literature, Perspectives on Commonwealth Literature, Indian Literature in English Translation, The Glimpses of Indian Literature in English Translation, The Literary Vision and The Dramatic Imagination. He has published English translations like Musings of Sarvajna, Beloved Poems, Fall of Kalyana, SangyaBalya: A Tale of Love and Betrayal, The Holy Water, The Vacanas of Sarvajna, The Frolic Play of the Lord (Tr. of PrabhulingaLile) and Sri KrisnaParitaja.
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He has edited Sparrows, Desert Blooms, Vatsalya,Sandalwood, Indian Response to Shakespeare, and Indian English Literature (Nine Volumes). He has published several research articles and reviews in national and international journals. He regularly reviews Indian books for World Literature Today, U.S.A. His first short story collection entitled The Thief of Nagarahalli and Other Stories (Writers’ Workshop, Calcutta) was short-listed for the Commonwealth Fiction Prize for the Best First Book from Eurasia in 2000. His second collection The Rebellious Rani of Belavadi and Other Stories was well received by critics. His Light in the House, a philosophical novel deals with the life and mission of Sharif Saheb of Shishunala, an apostle of communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims. His The Queen of Kittur and Rayanna, the Patriot and Other Novellas and Bird in the Sky deal with historical, legendary and religious themes. He has won the Gulbarga University Award, the Olive Reddick Award from Hyderabad, the Gemini Academy Award from Panipat and the Vasudeva Bhupalam Award and Kuvempu Bhasha Bharati Book Award and Life Time Achievement Award, Bengaluru for his contribution to literature. He has a passion for music and philosophy.
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Dedicated to To My Father Late Sri Sivasankar Who instilled moral awareness in me
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Preface
I have presented the interesting life of Raja Virabhadra Nayaka, who happens to be the seventh in the line of kings and queens who ruled over the Keladi Kingdom for about 200 or so years during the Vijayanagara Empire and even after the fall of the latter. The novel delineates the joys and sorrows of Raja Virabhadra Nayaka ascending the throne of Ikkeri, which was the capital of Keladi kingdom during his reign and the intrigues and conspiracies indulged in by many of his close relatives and aspirants for political power. The struggle for the throne or seat of political power happens to be common theme in all the histories of political dynasties of the world. I have deliberated chosen this theme for depiction as I know that Indian English Drama (and Literature) has been the poorest in historical writing. I hope the readers would have the historical experience by reading my novel and enrich their historical awareness, especially when we know that India has a rich history but with very little historical consciousness.
Basavaraj Naikar
SivaranjaniNilaya,
Kotur Plots, Malapur Road
Dharwad 580008 (INDIA)
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1.
Dark clouds had gathered in the sky of the capital city of Ikkeri. All the citizens had been sad and depressed by the news of the illness of Raja Venkatappa Nayaka. The Raja had been bed-ridden for about a week and could not recover from illness. He had stopped eating his food and drinking water or any other liquid food. He could not move his limbs easily. He used to moan weakly now and then and open his eyes half and close them again.
The royal physicians had been attending to him for the last eight days or so, and tried all their medical talent in curing him of his disease, but could not succeed in it at all. Hence they had grown helpless and relied upon the mercy of the great God.
About eight days ago Raja Venkatappa Nayaka had returned to the palace after having the darsan of Lord Aghoreswara at the famous temple. But he had tumbled over to the ground while trying to dismount from the horseback. Hence his bodyguards lifted him up gently and made him sit in a palanquin and brought him to his bed chamber in the palace and laid him on the cushioned couch.
As the royal physician flocked into his chamber to examine him, Raja Venkatappa Nayaka received him with a smile and said,
“Dear physician, an old tree does not need a storm to tumble down to the earth. I used to jump down from the horse back so easily and quickly in the past, but it is only this time that I slipped down and fell headlong on the stone floor of the palace.Perhaps the Goddess of our Ikkeri Kingdom does not need my service anymore.”
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The physician treated Raja Venktappa Nayaka while listening to his philosophical words. He anointed the Raja’s chapped lips with some herbal paste, gave a warm water treatment to his limbs and administered some medicine into his mouth. Then he bowed himself out of the chamber.
When the royal physician came to the Raja’s chamber, the latter said quite amicably,
“My dear physician, I have a sense of fulfillment in having served my kingdom wholeheartedly and achieved whatever I wanted to. Now I have been looking forward to the call of Lord Siva. I don’t need your bitter medicine anymore and this warm water treatment. Please stop all this.”
But the physician, who could not dare cross the Raja, continued his treatment silently. Then, a few days rolled by.
The kith and kin like Virabhadra Nayaka, who was looking after the Sangameswara palace by the side of the royal road between Keladi and Sadasivasagara, rushed to Ikkeri; Sivappa Nayaka, who was looking after the construction of the fort at Bidanuru rushed to Ikkeri on hearing the news of Raja Venkatappa Nayaka’s illness.
Likewise VirupannaOdeya rushed to Ikkeri along with his wife, Hiriyammaji, son Sadasivayya and his wife, Tayamma.
As the news circulated in the city and kingdom the Rajaguru of Mahanta Monastery at Keladi, the pontiffs of the monasteries at Banadagadde, Kavaledurga, Sadasivasagara, Pataguppe and
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ChanpakaSarasi rushed to Ikkeri and saw Raja Venkatappa Nayaka languishing on his bed. But there were no signs of improvement in his health.
All the visitors sat around the couch of Raja Venkatappa Nayaka. Virabhadra Nayaka did not stir at all from the side of his ailing grandfather.Sivappa Nayaka and Venkatappa Nayaka sat on the other side of the bed shedding tears incessantly.Virupanna and Sadasivarayya sat a little distance away from the bed with their lachrymose faces.
In an adjacent room sat the womenfolk like Hiriyamma, Tayamma, Viramma and Kolluramma(Ranis of Virabhadra Nayaka) and the wives of Sivappa and Venkatappa. They were all sobbing and shedding their tears silently by controlling their sorrow.
The subjects of Ikkeri kingdom were deeply distressed by the deteriorating health of their beloved king. The royal priests conducted pujas in various temples like those of Lord Aghoreswara, Goddess Akhilandeswari, Lord Mailareswara of Ikkeri; of Lord Vighneswara of Sadasivasagara and Lord Rameswara and Lord Virabhadra at Keladi in the hope that their beloved Raja Venkatappa Nayaka might recover his former health. On the eighth day the civilians of Ikkeri saw the palanquin of the Keladi Monastery entering the three gates of the fort wall and rushing towards the palace. They were curious to know as to why the Swamiji was in such a hurry to reach the palace and therefore followed the palanquin. Only a couple of hours had elapsed after the sunrise.
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The crazy Nagi, who resided on the platform of the local mint and wandering about in the town shouting and shrieking, began to follow the palanquin of the monastery.
As the palanquin bears lowered the palanquin the Swamiji got off the palanquin by pattering his sandalwood footwear on the floor. Many civilians who saw the Swamiji prostrated at his feet by touching the earth with their foreheads. The Chief Minister climbed down a few steps of the palace and welcomed the Swamiji by greeting him ceremonially.
“How is the health of the Nayaka?” queried the Swamiji.
“He seems to be waiting for you, Holiness. He does not seem to be surviving for long,” said Chief MinisterChaudayya.
“Everything is the will of Lord Siva!” exclaimed the Swamiji.
The Swamiji walked on the red carpet and entered the private chamber of Raja Venkatappa Nayaka. He went near the couch and stood there.Virabhadra Nayaka whispered in the ears of Raja Venkatappa Nayaka,
“Appaji, the Swamiji from Keladi Monastery has come to see you.”
“My dear Nayaka,” called the Swamiji by bending low and kept his right palm on his shoulder. There was no response for a few seconds. Then the Swamiji called him again,
“My dear Venkatappa Nayaka.”
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Then Raja Venktappa Nayaka stirred a little, turned towards the Swamiji and opened his eyes. He recognized the Swamiji and triedto get up and sit upright, but the Swamiji beckoned to him to remain recumbent. He clasped the palms of the Swamiji and touched them to his eyes and forehead. Then he stared at the members of his family, ministers as if for the last time. He held the hands of his son Virabhadra Nayaka and tried to say something. He looked at Sivappa and Venkatappa affectionately once again. The Swamiji who stood in front of him wiped the tears from Raja Venkatappa Nayaka’s eyes. The Raja’s lips trembled and mumbled,
“Ikkeri… Virabhadra.”
The Swamiji heard only these two words and understood everything. He bent forward, placed his palms on the Raja’s palms and promised him,
“My dear Venkatappa Nayaka, please don’t have any anxiety about the kingdom of Ikkeri. Everything will be carried out according to your will and wish.”
By that time Raja Venkatappa Nayaka closed his eyes. The Swamiji began to whisper the Sivamantra into the ears of the Raja, the latter breathed his last and merged into the holy feet of Lord Siva.
Realizing that his father had died, Virabhadra Nayaka cried, ‘Appaji’ loudly and fell on the dead body of his father. The womenfolk began to shout and shriek in the adjacent chamber. The civilians started wailing and sobbing loudly. The crazy Nagi ran amok in the lanes and market of Ikkeri and announced the death of Raja Virabhadra Nayaka
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