Vikram - Betal

One day I was going by Auto and one tall handsome and fair young guy and one more person also get in to Auto as we were going by sharing auto. And suddenly their conversation fetched my attention. As that tall handsome guy was none other but a person who was playing the role of Betal in Vikram - Betal serial that was shown on television. 

There is one Sager studio we have just 2kms. Ahead from our society where we were staying.

That Betal (the role that he was playing ) was talking about their schedules, shooting experiences and how the make up man change his entire look after make up. I was just listening and was quite amazed to know the inside stories of Vikram Betal serial.

It took me into the past when we used to read stories of Vikram - Betal. Though I used to get scared watching that on TV.

Maharaja Vikramaditya was a great king of state in India having it's capital in Ujjain. He is known for his generosity, courage and patronage of scholars. Also "Betal Pachisi " a series of ancient Indian Mythology is connected with this King and a ghost Betal or Vaital and these stories are known as Vikram - Betal.

 A man used to gift a fruit to King Vikram everyday who happened to be a magician. One day fruit fall on the ground by him and what he find is a Diamond fall from inside the fruit .so he thank the man and ask him what he wanted in return ?. so he ask for Betal , a Ghost hanging on a tree in the graveyard . Now brave Vikram go to graveyard and he see a Betal there .  he ask him to come with him, so Betal said, " with one condition I will come with you, I will tell you a story and will ask you a question. if you can not give correct answer to my question then I will break your head. and if you give the correct answer I will again go and sit on the tree." King agree to it.

 Now everyday the King used to go to graveyard, take Betal on his back and while going towards palace Betal used to tell him a story. everytime he Betal used to ask a question and King Vikram used to intelligently give correct answer, so that clever Betal used to laugh and go back to the tree in the graveyard. This became their routine . This way he told twenty five stories to Vikram and that is the reason those stories are known as Betal pachisi.

One day Vikram went to bring Betal and took him on his back, Betal started a story, " There was a beautiful and intelligent Princess called Chitralekha. Many Prince came to offer proposal but she always declined them saying that, " My husband should be strong, Courageous and talented. one prince come and tell her that I am an astrologer and my prediction can never go wrong. Chitralekha give him one room in her palace to stay there till she make the decision. 

2nd prince said, " I have a chariot which can also run in the sky." and he tried to impress her with all it's tales so she gave him also one room in palace to stay till she make her decision. next day 3rd prince came with his proposal and told her that, I am a brave warrior, and no one can defeat or destroy me. She told him also to wait in one room in palace till such time she come to the conclusion. 

Next day morning Chitralekha's mother queen find that Chitralekha is not there in the Palace, she gets horrified to know that she must be kidnapped.She call all the 3 Prince who were staying there. first prince predict that some giant has kidnapped her to marry with her. so the second Prince said, " let us go by my fastest chariot and find out the princess and bring her back, whereas the third Prince was a warrior. all three princes sit in chariot and fly in the sky and find out the giant who was taking princess with him. by seeing this warrior took his sword fought and bravely won. that way Princess Chitralekha was saved and come back to palace with her mother queen and three princes. 

Now Betal asks a question to Vikram, "now tell me whom a princess should choose as her groom? " so Vikramaditya thought for a while and said though first two princes helped reaching upto giant but the third prince has played most important role that with his bravery and strength. He defeated the giant otherwise giant would have eaten them all. Betal said, You are right King but you opened your mouth to speak so as per the decided condition I will have to go back. That way Betal always used to go back to graveyard and sit on the tree and king had to again chase him the next day.