The First Surge of Foreign Rule Dear reader, in the second part of this novel you will recall that we read about the instructions that Mallaraj gave Vidya Chatura before he took charge as Maniraj’s tutor.⁹⁹ Mallaraj was alert to ensure that these instructions were carried out. The king also followed the advice given by Madhumakshika. He gave complete autonomy to Vidya Chatura but ensured that this autonomy was not abused. One day, Mallaraj took Kumar and Vidya Chatura on an excursion to Sundargiri. The king’s tent was pitched on top of the hill and afforded a magnificent view. As Mallaraj reclined on a cushion embroidered with golden thread, his fingers toyed with his moustache and his gaze was fixed on the sea. At some distance from the king’s tent Vidya Chatura and Maniraj strolled about; the young prince was holding Vidya Chatura’s hand. Kumar pointed to the sea and asked, ‘Chaturji, how big is the sea?’ ‘You have seen the map of India; the sea is almost twice as big as the landmass of India.’ ‘What comes after the sea?’ ‘Land.’ ‘Does it have people?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘What comes after that land?’ ‘The ocean.’ ‘What after that?’

‘More land.’ ‘Even that land is populated?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘What kind of people are they?’ ‘The English Sahibs come from that land.’ ‘Do they have a king?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Does their king have a prince?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘The Sahibs come to our land. Do our people go to theirs?’ ‘Very few.’ ‘Why do so many Sahibs come here, Chaturji?’ ‘To rule over us.’ ‘Please tell Maharaj that we should also go to their land and rule over them for a while.’ ‘You could tell him that yourself, Kumar.’ Mallaraj overheard this conversation with interest. Maniraj walked over to his father’s tent followed by Vidya Chatura. He came up to the king and said, ‘Maharaj, let us go to the land of the Sahibs to rule. I don’t like it here.’ Mallaraj was deeply saddened, but he disguised his sadness with laughter and said, ‘Kumar, I have grown old. But you could do that once you grow up. What do you say, Vidya Chatura?’ Mallaraj’s eyes had unshed tears as he said, ‘Kshatriyahood has been widowed. The aspirations of Rajputs are no different from the desires of the son of a poor widow.’ Mallaraj took the prince into his lap and his eyes looked out to the sea, searching the horizon. His lips were pursed and he remained pensive for a while. Then quite abruptly, he stood up. Mallaraj walked up to the edge of the hill with his hand on his sword, his brows furrowed. Finally, he instructed Vidya Chatura in a grave voice, ‘Vidya Chatura, get yourself a blank notebook which you must keep with you at all times. You will be required to write down what I dictate to you; Maniraj will read it once he attains maturity. The writing should be such that it touches his heart irrespective of whether I am alive