Thursday, April 16, 2015

A-Z April Challenge 2015: N for NAKULA, THE 4th PANDAVA

N for Nakula with Panchali
Google Images
Panchali’s hands trembled in excitement as she arranged the royal blue vastra over her lush breasts. She looked into the mirror and smiled into her own eyes that shone brilliantly, like black grapes freshly plucked off the vine. She bit her lips to make them redder than they already were, as she tilted her head to look out of the window. A full moon was rising up in the sky just as the sun had slid down the horizon at the other end. Her heart pumped harder as she awaited her lover for the night.

Panchali didn’t know if she was lucky or not, for she did have five men to love her. But then, she found the eldest Yudhishthira quite staid. He went about making love just the same as he would go about running his kingdom – out of a sense of duty. That was not the best way to keep a woman happy.

Bheema was... Panchali searched her mind for the right word... his appetite for food outshone all his other appetites. She couldn’t stop grinning to herself as she passed this judgement over the second Pandava. Well, there was no other way to describe it.

Prince Arjuna! Well, he was handsome, he was a warrior through and through. And it was he who had won Panchali at the swayamvara. But did that make him the best lover? Panchali saw her head shaking in the mirror. Arjuna was too much of himself. He counted himself first and foremost. Everything else followed after that. His wife was probably way down in his list, she was sure.

Now Nakula... Panchali blushed a fiery red, her cheeks turning hot to the touch. He was the handsomest of the five. In spite of that, and despite the fact that he shared Panchali with his four brothers, Nakula had never thought of getting married again. All the other four had many wives. But not Nakula!

Panchali felt cherished by the 4th Pandava prince. He knew how to make a woman happy – both mentally and physically. Was it any wonder that Panchali eagerly awaited her turn with him? She quietly juggled the schedules of the other princes so that she got to spend more time with Nakula. It wasn’t too difficult as they did have other wives to keep happy.

Wasn’t Panchali lucky that she had got Prince Nakula in the package deal when Arjuna won her at the swayamvara?




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
at

42 comments:

  1. LakshmiApril 16, 2015 at 5:37 AM

    :) that was nice. I know that Nakula was the most handsome among the five pandavas but this view from draupadi angle is interesting!

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 16, 2015 at 11:32 AM

      :D :D :D I did think it was a new way to present it. Like collect Nakula's characteristics and weave them from Draupadi's perspective. Thank you Lak :)

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  2. iluvfictionApril 16, 2015 at 11:45 AM

    This was quite a fresh angle!! I never knew Nakul never married. Enjoyed.

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 16, 2015 at 11:51 AM

      Thank you Ruchi :D
      Well, there's no talk of another wife for Nakula. So I presume he didn't

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  3. SoumyaApril 16, 2015 at 12:24 PM

    Package deal? This made me laugh :)

    I have always wondered how the sex angle worked out within the pandavas and Draupadi. Now I know :)

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 16, 2015 at 12:28 PM

      LOL Thank you Soumya!
      I read in one of those versions that each Pandava had a set number of days/weeks with Draupadi. The other four will not interfere in those days :)

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    2. the little princessApril 16, 2015 at 9:06 PM

      If I may add....a year was set aside for each brother...so that there would be no issue over the progeny being born during the union.

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    3. Sundari VenkatramanApril 16, 2015 at 9:46 PM

      Hey, thank you Little Princess! Extra info always welcome :)
      What you say seems logical

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    4. SoumyaApril 18, 2015 at 12:42 PM

      Oh really? Quite some planning that was :)

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    5. Sundari VenkatramanApril 18, 2015 at 12:57 PM

      LOL! I am sure Thank you for stopping by Soumya :)

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  4. Prasanna RaoApril 16, 2015 at 12:53 PM

    The arrangement sounds quite weird and the fact that they shared a wife in the night was strange. But I guess those days polygamy was common and nothing strange. Loved the way you have portrayed Draupadi's thoughts on her husband's "skills"( or should I say lack of it) :)

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 16, 2015 at 1:14 PM

      LOL! Just wrote along the lines my mind wandered ;)
      Polygamy was quite common - even today some religions and countries allow it. And a man being what he is visits whichever wife he chooses whenever he pleases. Polyandry hasn't been very common. What if the men fought over one woman if there were no rules? That's probably the reason they had allotted special days for each one ;)

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  5. SuzyApril 16, 2015 at 2:19 PM

    Beautifully narrated. I didn't know Nakula didn't take another wife. That would make Draupadi happy.

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 16, 2015 at 3:57 PM

      Thank you Suzy! Well, there's no talk of another wife of Nakula. So I presume he didn't have one :) And yes, that would definitely have made Draupadi happy

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  6. Devika FernandoApril 16, 2015 at 2:56 PM

    Weird and fascinating. :-)

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 16, 2015 at 4:00 PM

      Yeah, anyone who hasn't grown up with this tale would find it weird. From my earliest memory, I have heard that Panchali (Draupadi) had five husbands. So, it never struck me as strange. Yeah, it does set my imagination off when I wonder how they must have managed their lives :D

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  7. Cynthia Rodrigues ManchekarApril 16, 2015 at 3:06 PM

    You have narrated this story so beautifully. One actually gets an understanding of what Draupadi must have felt about each of her many husbands. And as you said, there must have been a fair bit of juggling required.

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  8. RajlakshmiApril 16, 2015 at 6:41 PM

    That's an interesting and mushy take from Draupadi's view :) I loved the narration.
    I hav always wondered how it worked for Draupadi ... living with 5 husbands. Although as a child I never gave this a second thought, but after growing up I always wondered how few things are so weird in our epic. :)

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 16, 2015 at 9:48 PM

      I am sure we all do. Thank you for stopping by Rajlakshmi :)

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  9. UnknownApril 16, 2015 at 7:35 PM

    Who doesn't cherish the undivided attention from the husband/lover? Described well.

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  10. Swathi ShenoyApril 16, 2015 at 8:07 PM

    Wow! This was another story I didn't know! I always thought Panchali loved Arjun more. They both were kind of my favorite couple :P

    New Moon

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 16, 2015 at 9:49 PM

      I kind of presume that because he won her at the swayamvar. Then again, we need a trip back in time to know exactly what happened. :)

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  11. Shilpa GargApril 16, 2015 at 8:35 PM

    Interesting! Was not aware of this story and this side of Nakula. Undivided attention and the one who knew how to keep a woman happy... now who wouldnt love that! :))

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  12. the little princessApril 16, 2015 at 9:04 PM

    Nakula was the most handsome of all the husbands...and he was quite proud of his charm too! Infact when the brothers fell one by one during their climb on mount meru, yudistir attributed Nakula's to his pride!

    I loved the descriptions!! A visual description is always a treat! Draupadis emotions are so well depicted!! Kudos!

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  13. Ajay PaiApril 16, 2015 at 9:52 PM

    Mahabharata is the flavour for the season! Am a first timer @ your blog Sundari Mam. Loved it. Kudos!Kudos.

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 16, 2015 at 9:54 PM

      Welcome Ajay Pai and thank you! It's pouring Indian Mythology - Ramayana, Mahabharata and a few other tales thrown in, with a couple borrowed from the west too :)

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  14. RoshniApril 16, 2015 at 11:39 PM

    That's definitely a unique perspective though I wouldn't call Draupadi lucky in any aspect!

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 17, 2015 at 11:58 AM

      Thank you Roshni! :)
      She thought she's lucky that at least one out of five truly loved her enough not to get married again.

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  15. Shanaya TalesApril 17, 2015 at 1:10 AM

    I loved to see Nakula through Draupadi's eyes. Good one, Sundari.
    *Shantala @ ShanayaTales*

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  16. IndywritesApril 18, 2015 at 7:38 PM

    That sure is some hot guy. He deserves more Sundari! Would love to read more of his story. Loved this one. Lucky lady!!

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 18, 2015 at 10:42 PM

      Thank you Inderpreet. In the tales of Mahabharata, there is least information about Nakula - to my knowledge :)

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  17. Chicky KadambariApril 18, 2015 at 9:21 PM

    Interesting. I never read much about either Nakula or Sahdev. Somehow, their scenes always get "cut short", be it in TV serials or in books. Glad you picked Nakula for N.

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 18, 2015 at 10:43 PM

      Thank you Chicky! As I mentioned above, there's least information about Nakula. Even Sahadev has more about him. :)

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  18. Amrit SinhaApril 19, 2015 at 5:36 PM

    Nakula - Draupadi romance, as per your plot, can certainly turn out to be a bestseller. You should try developing it as your next novel :-)

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 19, 2015 at 6:26 PM

      Thanks a lot Amrit Sinha :) why not, will surely think about it

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  19. Appuvinte AmmaMay 27, 2015 at 11:27 PM

    A refreshing take...loved the part about her juggling the schedules...a mundane task made exciting

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