The Prince of Ayodhya

Story so far: As Manthara and Kaikeyi listen to Lakshmana and Shatrugna, arrows fly in and scratch Manthara’s back. Kaikeyi and Manthara look towards that side in anger.

As they turn to see who shot the arrows, one arrow flies in a strange way, changing direction from left to right, right to left, top to bottom and then suddenly straightens itself.

Manthara (astonished): What is this weird arrow travelling in different directions like a bird?

Kaikeyi picks up the arrow to examine it and sees a hollow bamboo filled with a white powder.

Kaikeyi: Very few archers are capable of this kind of arrow control.

Suddenly from inside the arrow, they hear the noise of a pigeon. When Kaikeyi throws it down, the pigeon flies away.

Kaikeyi (confused): It is not very professional but is not an easy technique to practise.

Manthara: Enough, Kaikeyi. Attacking an old woman like me is not a good thing. Whoever did this must be punished...

A young boy comes running in, his head gear glowing in the sunlight. Manthara realises it is Kaikeyi’s son Bharata and stops short.

Manthara: … Unless it was done in love.

Kaikeyi understands that Manthara added the rider because it was Bharata.

Kaikeyi: A mistake is a mistake, whether made out of love or not.

Bharata races in and stops in front of Kaikeyi and waves his hands to stop her from talking.

Bharata: Did you notice? I did it?

Kaikeyi (harshly): Yes, I noticed but did your guru teach you to attack innocent people?

Bharata’s face crumples and he begins to cry.

Manthara (hugs Bharata): It’s okay if he hurt me. He is our little boy. It may have been a mistake.

Kaikeyi: Don’t be biased. A mistake is a mistake whether it is my son or not. As a prince, he cannot hurt innocents even by mistake.

As Bharata falls to his knees crying, Kaikeyi lifts the arrow as if about to hit him. Suddenly 16 more direction-controlled arrows emitting smoke fall around Bharata protecting him. Both Kaikeyi and Manthara are shocked. From the smoke emerges a long arm holding a beautiful bow. Rama, the prince of Ayodhya and son of Kausalya, steps out.

Rama: Stop, mother. It’s not his mistake. It’s mine. I asked him to hit a specific target.

Kaikeyi (angrily): You are not behaving like a prince, Rama.

Rama: Mother, isn’t there a saying, “To discern the truth in everything, by whomsoever spoken, is wisdom.”

Manthara: He is very conceited; thinks whatever he does is right.

Steering a rocket through thrust vectoring. | Photo Credit: Illustration: Satheesh Vellinezhi

Ram (to Kaikeyi): Mother, you are angry now. Please calm down because “truth can’t be seen in a state of anger.”

Manthara: You are so young and you think you can advise the queen?

Kaikeyi: Wait, Manthara. He has a point. Rama, tell me what happened.

Rama (to Manthara): Please stand in the position you were in earlier.

(To Kaikeyi): Mother, please come with me. You too, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrugna.

Manthara stands in the practising arena at a point which is higher than other places. The others go to the place where the boys were practising, which is at a lower level. Many round stones are lying around here. Kaikeyi turns to look at where Manthara is standing and her eyes widen. She realises what happened: the boys were unable to see Manthara except for her hunchback, which resembles the round stones. Kaikeyi hugs Rama.

Kaikeyi: I am sorry, Rama. And apologies to all of you boys too.

Rama: Sorry is a big word, mother. It was a misjudgment. As the prince, it was my duty to make you understand. Not only are you a queen but you are also the king’s charioteer in war.

Kaikeyi: I am proud of you, Rama. Now tell me why are there pigeons in your arrows?

Rama: Guru Vasishta taught me that it is called thrust vectoring and guided missile technology. A direction-control mechanism for arrows, rockets and missiles. Since it has to be done manually, I used pigeons, which I trained to focus on a target. Even when the image is moved, they turn their heads to keep looking at the target. I tied a bunch of strings to their necks and connected those to the fins and nozzles. The white smoke is the propellant — a combination of sugar and potassium nitrate, which father taught me. (Ref: Episode 48.)

Kaikeyi: You have a great understanding of technology at such a young age, Rama. I am so proud of you.

All the brothers are happy. But all of them, including Kaikeyi, have forgotten Manthara. Standing in the sun in the practising arena and fuming, in her mind, Rama is to blame for it all.

The author is the founder and CEO of Vaayusastra Aerospace, an IIT-Madras incubated ed-tech startup that offers Air Science workshops for children between five and 14 years.