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 |
