‘Stop your impudence, woman!’ cried Parvateshwar. You think we are evil? Have you seen
the way you treat your own people. Hungry eyes have stared at me all through our journey.
Children lie abandoned on the side of potholed highways. Old desperate women beg for alms
all through your “impregnable city”, while the Swadweepan rich lead lives better than a Meluhan
emperor. We have a perfect society in Meluha. I may agree with the Lord and accept that
maybe you are not evil. But you certainly don’t know how to take care of your people. Come to
Meluha to see how citizens should be treated. All your lives will improve with our way of
governance.’
‘Improve?’ argued an agitated Anandmayi. ‘We are not perfect, I agree. There are many
things that our empire could do better, I agree. But at least we give our people freedom. They
are not forced to follow some stupid laws mandated by an out of touch elite.’
‘Give them freedom? Freedom to do what? Loot, steal, beg, kill?’
‘I don’t need to argue with you on our culture. Your puny mind will not be able to understand
the benefit of our ways.’
‘I don’t want to! It disgusts me to see the way this empire has been managed. You have no
norms. No control. No laws. It is no wonder that despite not being evil, you have contaminated
your hands by allying with the Nagas. By fighting like coward terrorists and not brave
Kshatriyas. You may not be evil, but your deeds certainly are!’
‘Nagas? What the bloody hell are you talking about? Do you think we are mad that we will
ally with the Nagas? You think we don’t know how that will pollute our souls for the next seven
lives? And terrorism? We have never resorted to terrorism. We have strained against our
natural instincts to avoid a war with your cursed people for the last hundred years. Hence we
have retreated from the border provinces. We have cut all ties with you. We have even learned
to live with the lower flow of the Ganga since you stole the Yamuna from us. My father told you
that we had nothing to do with the attack on Mount Mandar! But you did not believe us. And
why should you? You needed an excuse to attack us again!’
‘Don’t lie to me. At least not in front of the Mahadev! Chandravanshi terrorists have been
found with the Nagas.’
‘My father told you that nobody under our control had anything to do with the attack on
Mandar. We have nothing to do with the Nagas. It’s possible that some Chandravanshis, just
like some Suryavanshis, could have helped the terrorists. If you had worked with us, we may
have even found the criminals!’
‘What rubbish is this? No Suryavanshi would ally with those monsters. As for some
Chandravanshis assisting the terrorists, you’ll have to answer for that. Swadweep is under your
control!’
‘If you had kept diplomatic relations with Swadweep, you would have known that we are a
confederacy, not authoritarian like you. Ayodhya is only the overlord. Other kings within
Swadweep pay us tribute for protection during war. Otherwise, they have the freedom to run
their kingdoms any way they choose.’
‘How is that possible? You’re saying the Emperor of Swadweep doesn’t run his own
empire?’
‘Please,’ begged Shiva, stopping the argument which reflected the debate raging in his mind.
He did not want to be troubled by questions for which he had no answers. At least not yet.
Parvateshwar and Anandmayi immediately fell silent.
Turning slowly towards the window again, he asked, ‘What is that building, Anandmayi?’
singke
(singke)
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