The Dreaded Conspiracy - 6

King Raghunathan searched for his son at every nook and corner of the palace but there was no sign of him.  He had built mansions just beside his palace for his council of ministers to stay in.  He even enquired with them if Vijaya had come there but did not get any positive response. 

Sensing that something was amiss, the ministers asked the King if they could be of any help to him.  Raghunathan asked them to wait until further orders and returned back to his chambers barely managing to hide his emotions. 

As soon as the Queen saw the King approaching, she eagerly looked to see if Vijaya was with him.  But alas!  Her expectations were belied!  Raghunathan just glanced at Padmavati and then sat on the bed covering his face with his hands.  The Queen sat beside him and put her hand on his shoulder, which he clasped. 

Looking at Padmavati with a sedate face the King observed, “O Queen, it now strikes me that there could only be one place where he might be now!  Although it’s highly improbable that he could be there but we have no choice!  I never told you about it, dear, for I just followed what my ancestors did! 

They kept it a top-guarded secret and only passed it on to their heir apparent!  Today, however, the circumstances are different and therefore I will tell you about it.” 

As the Queen looked at the King puzzled, Raghunathan continued, “There is a secret passage in this chamber!”  He got up, turned to his left and pointed out to a gold-studded idol of Lord Vithala, which was kept on a round and golden platform in that chamber. 

“You see that idol, O Queen?  It actually leads to a secret passage!”  As the Queen gaped in amazement, the King went near the idol, bend down and gave a very hard push to the end of the golden platform on which the idol stood.  The platform rotated a full circle and lo! 

A portion of the wall which was behind the idol opened up!  Nothing could be seen inside the passage for it was pit dark.  “That’s the passage I was just talking about, Padmavati!  It leads to the jungle of Kameshti.  I will now go through this passage and see if I can find Vijaya in it.  If required, I will also search the Kameshti jungle for him. 

In the meantime, O Queen, you can ask my men to look for Vijaya in the kingdom.  I know that the chances of him being found outside the palace are dim, but we have to do it.  Our child must be somewhere around in this kingdom!  He cannot just vanish like that!”  the King’s voice literally broke down due to his emotions as he spoke these words.  Padmavati agreed. 

“Also remember, O Queen!  Do not tell anyone as to where I really am!  Just tell them, if asked, that I have gone to look for my son!  Let the secret of this passage prevail for as long as it can be preserved!” 

Padmavati agreed.  Raghunathan armed himself with bows and arrows, took a lighted mashaal (torch) and before leaving embraced Padmavati.  “I can understand your feelings, Padmavati!  You are his mother!  But let’s face this strange situation bravely and have trust on God! 

Our son would be found hale and hearty!” 

The Queen consented with tears in her eyes.  The King showed her with the help of the mashaal that inside the secret chamber there was a similar idol of Lord Vithala which was also kept on a golden platform. 

Explaining the mechanism, he apprised her that when the platform of the idol which was kept outside was pushed over with full force, even this platform of the idol which was inside the secret chamber moved a full circle and the passage opened.  To close the passage, the platform of the idol kept inside the chamber had to be once again pushed over with force. 

This would move the platforms of both the idols back to it’s original position and close the passage.  Immediately after entering the passage, there were a few steps, which the King climbed and came down. 

Thereafter, it was a straight but narrow way right till the end of the passage.  Raghunathan walked swiftly holding the mashaal aloft in his hand looking in all directions for Vijaya.  He even called out to him but fate did not side his way.  After a long walk, he reached the end of the passage. 

There were again a few steps to go up and the King sat on one of them distraught with grief.  He just could not comprehend as to how his son could have disappeared like this!  It was only the other night that both he and the Queen had kissed his forehead before they went to sleep.  

Then, what could have happened in the few hours till morning that took his son away from him?  The King tried hard to think but could not come to any conclusion.  He wept silent tears and then climbed the stairs.  After reaching the top, he pulled up a lid marginally, which was overhead, that led to an opening and moved it aside as lots of mud fell down from this open space.  Thereby, he opened the lid completely and came out comfortably from the opening. 

Raghunathan put the lid back in it’s place and put mud on it till it was completely covered.  He had reached the jungle of Kameshti.  He looked around and observed that there was not a soul around.  There was an air of eerie silence in the jungle.

Meanwhile, Queen Padmavati called over the King’s men and did as he had instructed her to do.  After the King’s aides had left, she sat on the bed and could not help her tears rolling down in rivulets.  She prayed to God that the King achieves success in his quest for Vijaya.

And here, Raghunathan searched for his son in this jungle.  No danger of wild animals came his way for this jungle did not have much of them.  He even called out to his son but did he get any response?