Raja Dashrath was a self-satisfied man when he entered Rani Kaikeyi’s palace. Not even the fact that Kaikeyi was in her ‘Kop Bhavan’ – the Chamber of Fury – prepared him for what was to follow. He thought it was one of those fancies which his pretty queen might have adopted to add to the pleasure of the forthcoming celebration, which the entire city of Ayodhya was keenly awaiting.
To him everything seemed to be falling in place. The gentry as well as the commoners had heartily welcomed his proposal to make Ram his successor to the throne. The friendly rajas too were happy because in Ram they saw someone easy to deal with.
If there was a little possibility of opposition to Ram, Dashrath thought smiling to himself, he had taken good care to keep his father-in-law, the Raja of Kaikeya, in the dark lest he should put wrong ideas in Bharat’s head who was staying with him. They would know when everything had been finalised. The sight that met Old Dashrath’s eyes inside the Chamber of Fury was not exactly inviting.
The young queen was petulant. Her jewels lay scattered all over the floor. Clad in a coarse fabric she lay there with her back turned towards him.
Dashrath’s fond eyes saw beauty even in that disturbing guise of hers. Rolling amorously his hands over her body, he asked in a sweet voice, “What’s wrong with you, my precious one, why do you seem offended? I am ready to give my life to see you smile. Tell me and I will this instant make a millionaire out o.
