Monday, September 22, 2008

TENALI RAMA AND THE WASHER MAN


Once a very learned and holy saint was passing through vijayanagar. having heard about this, the king krishnadeva raya invited the saint to stay at the palace for a few days. the saint to stay at the palace for a few days. the saint thanked the king. but insisted on staying in the hut built for travellers. the king was moved by his simplicity.but tenali rama did not believe in saints and their magical power. so he made fun of the saint. the king was furious with rama for being so disrespectful.''you shall be punished for this tenali rama,''said krishnadeva raya.''guards,''he called.''take tenali outside the city and bury him neck deep in a pit and have an elephant crush his head.''


tenali rama decided that he would not take the punishment. but he went along with the guards to a lonely place outside the city near the river bank. there the guards dug a pit and buried tenali ramaneck deep in the ground. since it was noon the guards decided to finish their afternoon meal and come back with the elephant.after the guards left, tenali began to think of a way to escape. suddenly, tenali rama saw a washer man returning from the river bank with some clothes. the washer man looked at the stage sight.''he must be a saint ,''thought the washerman. he walked up to tenali and said,''O great learned one, i would like to get blessed by you,''


the washer man had a hunched back. seeing him rama got an idea. ''i am nt a saint, but an ordinary washer man like you. i used to carry heavy loads of clothes like you and developed a crooked back. a saint told me to dig a pit and bury myself till my neck and stay for an hour,''replied tenalirama.''the remedy seems to have worked, i can feel my back straighten up,''tenali continued. the innocent washerman was fooled.''can i also try this remedy?'asked the washer man eagerly.''of course,'said tenalirama,''but ,first you will have to get me out.'' the washer man quickly dug tenlairama out of the pit. on seeing tenalie's straight back his hopes grew.


tenalirama buried him till his neck. ''remember, you have to stay inside the pit for one hour,'' reminded tenali as he walked away.suddenly,the washer man saw two guards coming towards him with an elephant. he started scream.the guards not finding tenali rama, went back and reported every thing to the king.the king krishnadeva raya was very upset with tenali. just then tenali who had been standing in the crowd stepped forward and said, ''O'' king it is not my fault. if the guards had obeyed your order instead of going for lunch, none of this would have happened.'' krishnadeva raya pardoned tenali rama and decided he needed tenali's wit and wisdom to rule over his kingdom.

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