It was the hour just before twilight. I was standing on the banks of Mother river Ganga. I was waiting for the sun to rise. It had been just 8 praharas since I was crowned King of Anga. However, the crowning ceremony did not change the fact that I am still a Sutaputra, a pariah, a downtrodden, an outcast. People still think of me as an untouchable rather than a worthy warrior.

The crowning ceremony yesterday perhaps changed the way people address me from Sutaputra Karna to Angraj Karna nevertheless it does not really matter to me. I was about to go deeper into the waters of the mighty Ganga to venerate my spiritual father, Surya when something on my right caught my attention.

I saw a beauteous maiden who seemed to belong to an ordinary household. Her ebony hair flowed down to her waist. She was dressed in all white clothes that were quite loose and did not perfectly define her curves. Her golden ornaments glimmered as the first soft strokes of sunlight bathed her. She wore alluring golden earrings. Her torso, right from her collar bones to her naval, was covered with three distinct golden necklaces. Her delicate arms were also decorated with golden amulets. Her tiny waist seemed to flaunt the golden girdle that was bejewelled with ivory, ruby, amethyst and many other precious stones. She wore anklets that used to make sound every time she moved.

As I admired her more, I felt butterflies in my stomach. She seemed to freeze the time. Her skin was as soft as butter. She slowly turned to face the waters and I saw her face. Her face was as innocent as a child. She had big hazel eyes that were a little shade of gold. Her cheeks had a delicate shade of pink in them and her lips looked ineffably playful when she smiled. She resembled the perfect creation of the nature.

As the waters washed my feet, I painfully recollected myself and went on to offer my morning prayers to the Sun god. I kept thinking about that girl while offering my prayers and while bathing. When I got out of the waters, she was nowhere to be seen. My heart sank. And suddenly I realized that I had to go to the Hastinapur royal palace as today there was going to be day-long festivities and feast in order to welcome the princes from the Gurukul. I hurried off to the palace and thankfully I reached just in time.

The festivities and celebrations were no match to the maiden’s exuberance. The mere hours felt long as aeons. As the sky turned dusky and the sun started waning behind the clouds, Duryodhan along with his brother Dushasan and his maternal uncle Shakuni, showed me the way to the royal gardens where the performing artists were setting the stage ablaze. I went with them. Air outside was cold and the dances did not fascinate me. There were many colourful plants that did not fascinate me either. Everything in the world seemed dull and boring. There was no excitement in anything I found.

We sat on the royal chairs that were intricately carved out of sandalwood. They were cushioned and covered elegantly in the softest of the silks. We sat there and I had no idea what the royal processions looked like. “Greetings! Brother”, I heard a sweet voice. A princess emerged from behind the bushes. “Greetings Dushala,” beamed Duryodhan, “I didn’t know you are back from the studies yet.” “I finished just last month,” continued Dushala, “I have also invited one of my friends from Gurukul. Oh there she is,” she said waving to a girl in the passage. “Akriti! Come here,” she beckoned her friend.

‘Akriti’ came round the corner and my heart skipped a beat. It then did a summersault and started racing dramatically. She was really a splendour to look at. In the morning, I did not realize that I would meet her this way. As she came closer, she looked nothing like the one whom I saw in the morning. She was even more beautiful and affable. She still wore the same playful smile. But now she was dressed in vibrant pink clad and her hair was tied tightly in a neat bun. She had now donned more golden accessories than in the morning. Her milk white skin seemed to soothe my soul and calm my mind.

There were many things that I hadn’t noticed about her in the morning. Her nose was tiny and a small dimple appeared on her left cheek when she smiled. “…and this is Angraj Karna,” Dushala said, “my brothers’ new friend.” “Greetings Angraj,” the voice was more divine than the outer appearance. Akriti truly was the divine creation of the universe as her name suggested.

Snap! Snap!

“Where are you lost, friend?,” Duryodhan called out to me. “Greetings! Akriti,” I said bashfully. “Don’t you forget that by becoming a king, you don’t become a Kshatriya, Angraj,” spat Shakuni, “you still are a Sutaputra and she a princess.” “My apologies your highness,” I apologised, averting my eyes. “I don’t really care about that Gandhar Raj,” Akriti started. “In fact, I am a healer and no one ever really taught me to be curt to people who don’t address me as princess. And secondly, we are royals by birth but I truly respect Angraj who has earned the honour. His prowess, abilities and achievements are diabolically appreciable”, Akriti retorted.

I was astonished to see this girl fight for a pariah. I have never seen a member of the royal family who would fight for an outcast. I could not help but smile brightly at the reply. “Dushala, I need to pay my respects to Queen Kunti and meet the Pandav princes as well,” Akriti said wryly, “I shall take your leave.” Duryodhan, Dushasan and Dushala nodded and Gandhar Raj sat there silently, staring the dancers.

“It was a pleasure meeting you Angraj,” Akriti turned to me. “You too ‘Princess’”, I called out. Suddenly, the air around me was warm. I felt blood rush to my cheeks and I couldn’t suppress my smile. Akriti turned and left. My heartbeat was again normal. “I wonder how you can call yourself a king while you need a girl’s tongue to defend you,” taunted Gandhar Raj and left the table. However, the taunt made no difference to me. Just Akriti’s smile did.

Soon it was time for dinner and we proceeded towards the dinner table. We all took our seats. Dushala entered the hall. I followed her cue but Akriti was not there. My heart sank. “Start serving the dinner now,” Duryodhan ordered, “I am starving”. “Dear younger Brother,” started Yudhisthira, “we are all waiting for Arjun. The moment he comes, the dinner would be served.”

The doors to the hall opened. Arjuna entered. The next moment I was shattered to pieces. Arjun was walking with Akriti at his heals. Arjun was laughing like a beast whereas Akriti giggled softly. The two of them joined us at the table and the dinner was served. The royal palace was the most splendid dwelling of the time which looked like nothing before Akriti. She chuckled and giggled every other moment while talking to everyone. She was just laughing when Dushala questioned her and the whole hall turned silent to hear the answer.

“Come on Akriti!,” Dushala started, “let us know about your Swayamvara. After all my brothers are going to be among you suitors, right? And also tell me whom would you marry,” Dushala said lightly. I turned my ears to her answer. Everyone knew that the answer would undoubtedly be Arjun, everyone’s favourite.

Akriti seemed shy at first. She averted her eyes and Arjun gazed her confidently. I saw her cheeks turning redder still. It took a moment for her to normalise herself and then she looked confident again. She looked up and said, “well, I don’t really know whom I want to marry,” she smirked and looked at Arjun again, “I don’t think there are able suitors in the whole Aryavarta. Am I right Pandav Prince?” “Absolutely not Princess,” replied Arjun just as playfully, “I, the most fierce warrior, still lives on to the glory of Aryavarta.” I felt a pang of jealousy in my stomach.

“Fierce warriors use their arrows and not their tongues Arjun,” I challenged. Everyone’s eyes turned towards me. “I shall see how fierce of a warrior you are. I strongly believe that you won’t make a warrior brave enough to challenge someone in the arena”. At this, my voice was cold. Akriti looked tensed.

“Oh my! Is this how we test potential suitors now? I thought there would be more flattery, less... well, this!,” Akriti playfully turned the environment lighter. The girls on the table chuckled and the Grandsire said, “absolutely not dear. I wish best of married life for you and bestow all my blessings with a warm heart and assure you that all our Kuru princes will try their best to impress you,” finished the old man with a big smile.

Then I saw Akriti’s eyes meet mine. They were full of mischief. She again started chatting with everyone on the dinner table. Her eyes were twinkling and her lips curled into a flattering smile. The dinner, I thought, was the best part of the day. Soon I went home and slept peacefully, excited to meet the princess the morrow morning.

As my morning routine, I went on the riverbank, hoping to see the maiden again. Today, the sunrise was more quick and bright. I bathed and venerated my spiritual father and was about to head back home. “So you look more manly in these ordinary clothes, don’t you?”, spoke a sweet but gentle voice. I turned around to find the princess. She smelt of fresh roses. She was looking truly divine and nymphal.

“Uhm…Good morning,” I hesitated, “Princess.” “No need to address me that,” she replied, “Good Morning. I knew I would find you here. I wanted to ask you something. May I?” My heart pounced faster. What could it be. What could she ask from a Pariah? Although she doesn’t consider me one. But that doesn’t change the fact, does it? I nodded reluctantly.

She seemed perplexed at first. She frowned. Wrinkles appeared on her forehead. Then she slowly pulled a scroll out of her clothes. It was then that I noticed that her hands were cute and tiny and her fingers were small and stubby. She then held out the scroll to me. I took it rather hesitantly. What could it be. I waited for her words.

After a moment of utter silence, “this is an invite,” she finally spoke up. She looked embarrassed. No she looked sheepish. I looked at the scroll. It was made of scarlet velvet. The fabric that was tied to it was a string of pearls. “I thought it would be good,” she started, “if you too would come to my swayamvara. After all even you are a worthy warrior of Aryavarta, right?”

I looked away sheepishly and I think she saw that because she laughed the next moment. Now she looked relaxed as if I had lifted a whole mountain off her back. “So shall I expect you then?,” she asked. “I would definitely come,” what do I call her? “Akriti..”, she prompted. “Akriti…,” the name sounded sweeter when I called her that, “had Arjun not been one of the suitors,” I finished.

“Are you scared?”

“Of course not. But I know who is going to win your hand.”

She looked exasperated. She pointed me sharply and said, “had you known who my husband’s going to be,” she smirked, “you wouldn’t have said that.”

I was astounded. “What if I don’t come?”, I teased.

“I wouldn’t marry anyone then,” she said playfully, giggled and turned away to leave.

She won over my heart and I fell for her.