Urmila

Urmila

While feminists sing Sita’s blues

Decrying Rama’s spineless back,

The traditionalists try to justify

Keeping Rama in his times and context.

The little sister of Janaki

is never talked about.

The languishing wife of Laxmana

who for fourteen years was left behind.

Honouring his fraternal ties,

when he followed Rama,

the world extolled his supreme devotion

and relinquishing the princely charms.

But no one cares for his lonely wife

who embraced sleep at his command.

For fourteen years, Urmila slept

And dreamt dutifully his share of dreams

While he stood wide awake

To guard outside Rama’s hermitage.

Her tender dreams of honeyed love

Turned sour by his departure

Even the sweet embrace of sleep

Couldn’t provide any succour.

The long unloved fourteen years

brought fine wrinkles and grey hair.

Urmila sleeps on her palatial bed,

her nuptial dreams sacrificed at duty’s altar.

                                                    - Neha Bansal

Flaming June (1895) by Lord Leighton