Amrapali

Amrapali

Govindan and his wife Vinitha lived happily in a village. To their bad luck, they did not get any children. Near their house was a garden of a very old magician. After some years Vinitha knew that she was going to be a mother. Vinitha and Govindan were extremely happy. Then the mango season came. The magician’s garden had lot of mango trees. One day while looking at the garden through the window Vinitha saw those fleshy mangos. She wanted to eat them. But she knew she would not get them because it belonged to a magician. She became sad and was getting thinner day by day. Govindan saw this and asked her, “Vinitha, what is the matter with you? Then Vinitha told, “I have an impossible desire. I want to eat mangos from the magician’s garden. “

That evening, when no body was there Govindan entered the garden of the magician and plucked a mango. Vinitha ate it. But she wanted some more. Next day also Govindan entered the magician’s garden. But he was caught red handed by the old magician. The old magician told that he would curse Govindan and his wife. Both Govindan and Vinitha begged him not to do so. Then he told, “Ok, but when the baby is born, you have to give it to me. I will bring it like my own child”. Fearing the magician, Govindan and Vinitha agreed for this condition

When the baby was born, it was a pretty girl. The girl was handed over to the magician. The magician named the baby as Amrapali (Amra-mango) and kept her in a room built at the top of a tower in his garden. This room had only one opening and no windows are doors. Years passed. Amrapali became a very pretty lady. Daily the magician used to come to the bottom of the tower and sing, “Hey Amrapali, My pretty lass, Help me to climb in to the tower.” Then Amrapali would let down her long hair. The magician would then climb up the tower. He would give her good food, nice cloths etc. When things were going like this, prince Vikrama one day happened to come near the tower. He then heard the song of the magician and how he climbed on to the tower. That day night prince Vikrama came near the tower and sang, “Hey Amrapali, My pretty lass, Help me to climb in to the tower.”

Amrapali as usual let her hair and the prince climbed in to the tower. The prince liked Amrapali at first sight and asked her to marry him. She agreed. She told him to bring some silk daily, so that she can weave a ladder to escape. When the ladder was about to be completed, without thinking, Amrapali asked the magician, “How come you are lighter than the prince?” Immediately the magician got very angry and took Amrapali to a far of desert and left her there. When the prince came next day, the magician caught him. When they were fighting with each other, the prince fell on a thorn bush and lost both his eyes. The magician fell on a rock and he became mad. The prince started wandering here and there. After one year he reached the same desert where Amrapali was living. By that time Amrapali was having a small son. Both of them were talking in the desert. Prince Vikram started crying as he recognized her voice. When tears came out of his eyes, he got back both his eyes. Prince Vikram took Amrapali to his kingdom and they lived happily.