Fate Spins An Ordeal

Glittering lights in the streets of Meerut disseminated their energy throughout to commemorate Vikram Pathan's ten years completion as a king since ascending the throne. Tilak and Vikranth were brothers who attended the ceremony, their views always contrasted. Tilak was a generous and pious man who through noble deeds had won the hearts of the village people. Vikranth's heart never lit up for the poor and downtrodden. He was a greedy and jealous human being who hated his brother. He would go to any extent to invite wealth into his pockets. Vikranth was envious of his brother who had been on good terms with the king. Through his cunning ways, he wanted to portray his brother in a bad light so that the king would banish him from the village. He had enough of seeing his brother being praised by the villagers. The villagers unknowingly contributed to his growing hatred by frequently comparing him with his brother. His face flushed with joy when an idea sprang up in his mind. The plan was to steal the diamond jewellery of the queen and covertly thrust it beneath the pillow of his brother. The kingdom was indeed a sight for the sore eyes. The King and the queen joined the celebration. With everyone's attention directed to the king and the queen, Vikranth used this window of opportunity to steal the queen's diamond jewellery. His face gleamed in joy having predicted the sequence of events which would materialize in the coming days to make his brother Tilak the accused.

Vikranth scrambled to his brother's house and discreetly placed the beaming jewellery beneath his pillow. He inspected around to ensure no one caught his misdeeds. Suddenly, a brass pot dropped and tumbled around. Vikranth swiftly glanced at Tilak's friend Rama who through his own eyes caught him red-handed. Before he could leave the scene, Tilak managed to pin him down. Rama couldn't manage to break free from his stranglehold. He rebuked him for spying on him. Eventually, Tilak bound him with ropes and dropped him into a waterless well situated in a deserted forest. He scurried back to his home laden with delight and dozed off. In the palace, it did not take much time for the queen to realize the absence of her jewellery which she deemed as her talisman. She quickly informed her king and began to wail in grief. The King couldn't see the sorry plight of the queen and swore to severely punish the culprit. He asked his guards to sniff out the thief at the earliest and bring him alive to the kingdom to which the guards agreed. The queen's anger surged as she wished the culprit to be rendered a hundred lashes in front of her own eyes. Will anyone be able to cease the tragedy which would befall Tilak?

Dawn broke out to jolt everyone awake. Vikranth stifled a yawn and transformed it into a wicked smile. His uncontrollable and wicked mind couldn't accept any delay in seeing the punishment which is to be meted out to his brother. He hurried to the streets waiting for the arrival of the king's guards. As soon as the guard emerged, he dashed towards him.

"I saw Tilak toying with the queen's jewellery," he said. "I revered him for his generosity but didn't realize the fact that he is a robber and that too he has stolen precious jewellery from the queen. Through my own eyes, I saw him placing the jewel beneath his pillow."

The enraged guards barged into Tilak's house and flung his pillow to the side. They were stunned to see the gleaming jewellery silently sleeping on his bed. They extended their wrath toward Tilak as they dragged him to the king's palace. Poor Tilak had no evidence to ward off the mounting problems. The villagers stood silent glimpsing at the generous man who is now accused of robbery. Rogue Vikranth rushed to his home and squealed in delight. The King couldn't believe his eyes the moment he saw Tilak. 

"Here is the thief, my Lord!" one of them said.

The promise he had made to the queen brushed past his mind.

"Get me the rope," the king ordered.

The queen quickly clasped ad the jewellery and motioned the king to punish the culprit. Bound to his words, he began lashing the poor Tilak who screamed in pain but to no avail. The King grunted each time to display his power. The red marks on the body of Tilak depicted the macabre scene. Upon hurling a hundred lashes, the tired king hurled the rope at the nearby sword which fell away with a clattering sound. The queen ordered the guards to bind him by the tree in the deserted forest. She also instructed them not to provide him with any food. Tilak's wife wailed in grief. Her innocent eyes couldn't see the dastardly attack on her husband's body. She begged the guards to leave him but to no avail. Vikranth cast an evil eye on Tilak's wife. She looked like a bewitching damsel to his perverted eyes. His evil mind chalked out a plan to seize her and replace her with his wife.

Poor Tilak was now bound to a giant tree in the deserted forest. No food, no water, no shelter. Their fate made him bear the brunt of his brother's evil handiwork. Horrible sounds emanated across the forest seemed like pointers to the tragedy that would befall him. His eyes closed in fear upon glancing at the snake which menacingly unfurled its hood. He understood the fact that the more he fears, the more the forest would churn out darkness to harm him. He sought God's blessings. Amidst the onslaught of scary thoughts, through his fervent prayers, he was able to brush them aside. His concentration was focused on the almighty and nothing could deter his spiritual prayers. Vikranth vied for Tilak's wife's attention. He desperately wanted to steal all happiness of Tilak. Tilak was so engrossed in his meditation that even the lord couldn't help but materialise in front of him. He couldn't fathom the sacred figure standing ahead of him. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he couldn't even fold his hands to pay the obeisance. 

"Your powerful prayers have drawn me here. You can ask for any boon you wish."

"I am not the perpetrator of the robbery. So all I want is the truth to come out."

The Lord granted him the boon and zoomed into his abode in heaven.

One day when the king was on a hunting spree in the forest, he happened to see a tiger which beamed his eyes. He took his bow and hit an arrow into the running tiger which fell inside a well. He put down his bow and dashed towards the well only to see a man bound with ropes pleading for help. The tiger was nowhere to be found. With much effort, the king's guards lifted him off the well and unbounded him. Tilak's friend was the only evidence to rescue Tilak. As per the boon, it was the almighty's plan to bring the truth to the surface. The King was appalled to hear the truth. He recounted his dastardly attack on an innocent man for no fault of his. He vowed to punish the real culprit and barked at his guards to get Vikranth to him. The guards nodded their hands and took leave of him. They were shocked to see Vikranth trying to intimidate Tilak's wife to marry him. They granted him a horrible whip at the back which took him off guard. He was dragged to the king's palace and was punished for his unforgivable misdeeds. The King and the queen sought Tilak's forgiveness and the latter as usual extended his pious heart to forgive them. Tilak was anointed as the main courtier of the palace, who through his noble deeds won the hearts of the people. The king's heart swelled with pride to have him in his palace.