The Secret Of Paithan (Part 1)

Close to the city of Paithan, in a small village called Sauviragram, which lay along the banks of the great river Godavari, lived a woman named Ilaa. Being cotton farmers, her family was well to do, but not among the richest in their area. It was the harvest season, and cotton had to be picked from the plants. The wholesalers and traders from Paithan would be arriving in just a few weeks, carrying gold and goods for barter. They would exchange what they carried for the cotton that the farmers grew. The bales of cotton had to be ready in time! Work was at its peak!

But Ilaa was not to be found in the fields. She wasn't working. Instead, she was sitting by the banks of the great river Godavari.

'I am sick of this!' she grunted loudly. Her husband’s family was going to arrive next week for a meal. She was sitting with her friend shahsikala who was constantly talking about the ideas of meals that she should prepare for her husband’s family in order to please them which meant spending hours in kitchen with burning woods and boiling temperature. She was frustrated with mentality of people judging a women creativity on how she cooks and how she keeps her house clean. She shouted over shashikala ‘Don’t you have any other topic to talk rather than my family ,husband and son.’Shashikala ,being excel in her household work knew that ila was not at all good in such homely work . She replied with a sharp voice ‘I am only trying to help you. If your mother-in-law didn’t like the food this time, don’t come crying to me complaining about her. Huh! Can’t do some good to people in this world now.’ Saying so, she left . Ila was all alone now on the banks of Gadavari . She was irritated and frustrated with doing all the homely activities and listening to people how a women should only live and pray her husband and child. She wanted to go outside the village to do some business with the cotton plantation , she wanted to explore the city of Paithan. She always dreamt about how life would have been easy if she was born as a man. Doing the cotton business , moving out of village and getting back to home at the end of the day with delicious food prepared. What she didn’t knew about herself was that she was going to be converted into a man by the end of this week as the month will end and her curse will take over again and convert her into a man. Cursed by lord shiva and blessed by goddess parvati , Ila was managed to stay a man and a women alternatively every month but Ila would not remember of one stage into another.

It was the first day of the month and third prahar of the day, the family members of her husband Budha , his mother, father, elder brother and his wife with their four sons had arrived. His mother was pleased to see her son and grandson Pururavas, but at the same time disappointed by the missing presence of the Annapurna of the house Ila. She asked Budha with a sharp voice ‘Where is your wife Budha’. Budha with a polite voice answered ‘ I haven’t seen her since morning, I think she has gone to nearby market to get some woods and vegetables to cook food’. Budha was himself confused with missing presence of Ila for so long. He remembered their argument about having his family for some days in their house, he knew that Ila didn’t liked the presence of guests in their house since it meant more work. He knew about her curse and was worried about her.

It was sunny day, the sun was right at top. On the mud path of the street of village lie a huge shadow of a man. That man was heavily muscled and had a thick mustache above his lips. Any person would be terrified by such a figure and would think thrice before getting into a fight with him. He was Ila, converted to other phase of his curse, now into a man.( Sudyumna). Sadyumna or Ila was a strong man, with good height and physique. He didn’t remembered about his last month as a women. What he remembered was that he had to go hunting as it has been a long since having another beautiful animal skin hanging over wall and return to his kingdom Bahlika.

Back in ila’s home, budha was worried. He thought how to bring his wife back and how to stop Ila from hurting another animal. Budha knew how ila was found of hunting and how her habit had brought her curse of changing genders. He remembered when he first met ila, he was walking by the river in his village when he saw a young beautiful lady sitting nearby. She looked sad. Budha couldn’t help himself but asking her the reason for her sadness. He went close asked “What’s the matter young lady ? are you lost? Can I help you in some way”. She replied “I have lost my way, I don’t know where I am and how I came here. I don’t even know where do I belong. I am completely lost.” Saying so, she started crying. Listening to her cry , Budha offered her to stay in his house with her mother. He could see that the girl was scared of strangers and ready for every battle, just a little explanation about her identity would make her a girl that he always dreamt of, a self-confident and a warrior lady. They went to budha’s house where she met his mother and stayed their for the night. Next morning the girl could hear the shouting of a old lady. It was budha’s mother who was shouting on him for bringing a inknown women into their house. Budha was continuously explaining her. She didn’t liked it and thought to leave, to which budha stopped her and asked her to stay and requested her to her call Ila , to which she agreed. After a while when budha asked for marriage, ila said yes readily thinking where would she she find such great man on this land where women are not respected except of cooking food and decorating houses.

It was night of their wedding, the sun was going to come up soon. Ila and budha were sleeping side by side. Sound of chirping birds made budha come out of his dream world. He woke up and looked on his left to find ila. But ila was not their , their was some man sleeping beside him. He was terrified, he thought that this person has kidnapped his wife. He started strangling him in his neck and asked in angry voice “where is my wife, you monster”. The man woke up and struggled to get Budha’s hand away from his neck, which was not hard for him. The man shouted” I don’t know. I don’t know who you are and I don’t know what is this place. I should be in my palace.My name is Sudyumna. I am ruler of Paithan. How did I came here?”. Budha was shocked and was not in a position to speak a word. Sudyumna stood up and walked out of the door. He was not seen for days after, in the village or nearby area and so was Ila.

“She left just after the marriage. I told you not to trust this strange girl, she destroyed my son’s life. “ shouted Budha’s mother. “Don’t worry son, nothing has gone wrong. You are young and I will find you a beautiful and a trustful wife who will never run away , even after years of marriage”. Budha wasn’t listening to her anymore. He was deep in thought as what happened to his wife? Who was that man?. He had to find answers to his question in his mind. He went out and started digging information on Sudyumna. He was shocked to find that Sudyumna was his wife Ila. Sudyumna was cursed by lord shiva for hunting in his forest. Lord shiva cursed him to be a women for life but then after meeting and pleading to goddess Parvati, lord shiva made his curse took turn. For one month Ila was a man and for next a women. She wouldn’t remember her last being. Budha was in deep trouble, but he knew in his heart that he loved ila as a women and he would support her no matter what. After that as the village knew, ila and budha had a son and were happy together although ila had to visit her family in another village as her father and mother were not healthy , every other month and for the complete month.

What budha feared was not for the king and not for his wife, but for the person he truly loved. His ila.

To be continued...