Thursday, April 2, 2015

A-Z April Challenge 2015: B for BAKASURA VS BHEEMA

B for Bakasura vs Bheema
Google Images
The earth trembled from the sound of the snores emanating from the sleeping Bakasura. He had been completely satisfied with the meal the villagers of Ekachakra had sent him the earlier day – five jugs of wine, one cow, two goats, a few baskets of fruits and vegetables along with two huge containers of cooked rice. Even better was the hefty man who had brought the cartload of food. Bakasura snored louder, a smile on his harsh face as he dreamt of the next meal he was to receive that very day.

He woke up a few hours later, thirsty. His huge hand reached out to the last jug of wine that he had retained for the morning and drank it in one single gulp. Sitting, he was as tall as most of the trees in the forest and taller than some. Raising a paw of a hand to scratch his beard, Bakasura turned towards the direction of Ekachakra. The sun was riding high in the sky and it was on its way down. Where was his food?

Bakasura rose to his feet, knocking a few trees down, without making an effort. He took a couple of giant steps towards the village and let out a roar. It was followed by an uproar as animals and birds that stayed a few miles away, took away in a hurry, not wanting to fall prey to the asura

Bheema, who was sitting about a hundred feet away, heard the roar. A smile on his face, he continued to eat the food that he had brought from the village – the cartload that was meant for Bakasura. 

Taking a whiff, Bakasura smelled human flesh and walked towards Bheema. The sight that greeted him made the asura roar again, as he beat his fists against his chest. Though hugely built for a man, Bheema was barely half the size of Bakasura. How dared he eat the food meant for the asura

The villagers quaked as they heard Bakasura’s roar. They turned anxiously to look at Kunti and her four sons, surprised to see them smiling. Soon, they heard a keening sound of pain. That surely must be Bheema. The old Brahman who should have sent his son that day, had tears in his eyes. He had sinned by sending his guest in the place of his son. Will God ever forgive him?

A few hours later, the villagers of Ekachakra came out to see the strangest sight. Bheema was dragging the heavy cart that held the corpse of Bakasura. Cheers rent the air as the crowd celebrated the death of the asura who had been killing the people one by one. 




Check out some of my favourite bloggers who are also participating in A-Z April Challenge 2015


Eloquent Articulation by Inderpreet Kaur Uppal
I Luv Fiction by Ruchi Singh
The Multicolored Diary by Zalka Csenge Virág


46 comments:

  1. I had heard this story as a child Sundari. Loved the ways you gave vibrancy to this tale. I could picturize young Bheema. Loved it :D

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  2. A well told story.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Tossing It Out

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  3. Hi Sundari, This is my first time here. I loved your narration of a familiar story. I read about your theme too. Historical fiction/ Mythology is one of my favorite genres to read. Consider me hooked. Glad to have found you through AtoZ.
    *Shantala @ ShanayaTales*

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  4. Really interesting Indian Folklore. #Blogging from A-Z swinging by to meet and greet. I am 471 and 472 in the long list, with MOVIES & What's in a NAME Hope you swing by to 4covert2overt and Defining Ways. Hope to meet up everywhere @M_C_V_Egan
    http://4covert2overt.blogspot.com/
    http://mariacatalinaegan.com/
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    ⋯¤♥¤⋯.(^_^)⋯¤♥¤⋯
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    ♫ ƤҼƌҪҼ ƌƝƊ ĻƠṼҼ ॐ βԼƐֆֆїɳɠֆ ƌƝƊ βԼїֆֆ ♫...

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  5. hey I'm doing epics too..the mahabharata is full of little gems like these and great to have read this tale...happy to join you in this challenge!

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  6. Lovely retelling of a story we've heard as kids. I love your theme Sundari. Hope to read your posts throughout the challenge.

    Ishithaa

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  7. That was fun to read. :D How did Bheema do it?

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  8. Thank you so much Ina! Just the impression I wanted to create. Glad to see your comment first. It's inspiring :D

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  9. Thank you Arlee Bird. That's awesome coming from you :D

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  10. Hi Shanaya, welcome. And thank you. So glad you liked my narration. Will surely check your blog today :D Hope to see you visit my blog regularly

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  11. Thank you for visiting Maria Catalina. Will definitely check out both your blogs :)

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  12. Hello again Little Princess. Thank you for stopping by. Will check your blog today :)

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  13. Hi Ishithaa! I am glad you liked the story and theme :)

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  14. Hi Devika, though Bheema is a human, he's blessed with the strength of a thousand elephants. That's why even his mother and brothers were quite confident that he would defeat the asura.

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  15. Though I had heard this story before, I love the way you have written it :)

    Betrayed

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  16. Thank you Swathi :)
    The idea is to write the story as I visualise the scene

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  17. Very well narrated. Mahabharata is full of such little gems of story.

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  18. I could visualise Bakasura so well from the way you have described him!

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  19. Love your theme. Mahabharat and Ramayana are my favourites. My theme this year is the Ramayana!

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    1. Thank you Suzy. Will surely check out your blog :)

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  20. Great take and I had never heard of it so happy to learn more :)

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    1. Happinessandfood, thank you for visiting and posting a comment :)

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  21. Enjoyed reading this story! So well narrated :)

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  22. Always good when a death monster bites the dust.

    http://findingeliza.com/archives/19253

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  23. The stories though known, still feel fresh in your words!!

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  24. Nothing like a good old-fashioned giant-killing story :)

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
    MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary

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  25. I agree with you Kirsten. Thank you for stopping by :)

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  26. i have heard this story... perhaps grandma had told me about it... still reading about it is still so interesting... i really like all characters and their tales in Mahabharata

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  27. Like the way you have narrated the story of Bakasura and Bhima. Have heard it so many times yet sounds fresh when you narrate it.

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  28. I know of the tale, and it is one that I have enjoyed having my grandma narrate to me in my childhood days :)

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  29. Yeah, I have heard it from my grandpa :) Thank you Vinay for stopping by and posting a comment

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  30. Took me back to my Amar Chitra Katha days :)
    (http://totallyinternalreflections.blogspot.sg/)

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    1. Thank you Prathima. And thanks for sharing your link. Will check it out surely

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