Pocket Tales
Naren Saves a Performance GITANJALI MURARI
June 2021
“K
alidasa’s play Shakuntala has opened at the theatre,” Shibu cried excitedly. “Let’s go,” Naren said, and the boys reached just in time for the show. As soon as they were seated, the lights dimmed in the hall. “Act one,” announced the director and a hush fell over the audience. The curtain rose to reveal a forest. While hunting, King Dushyant spotted the beautiful and innocent Shakuntala. It was love at first sight. The king made a proposal of marriage and the fair maiden shyly
23 The Vedanta Kesari
PA G E D O N O R : S U B R A M A N I YA B H A R AT H I YA R R . , K A N C H E E P U R A M
A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Swami Vivekananda.
accepted. The happy couple spent idyllic days at the hermitage, forgetting the rest of the world. One day, a messenger arrived from the palace. “I must return, my beloved,” Dushyant told Shakuntala, “it’s an urgent matter…I shall soon send for you.” Slipping a gold band on her finger, he continued, “Whenever you will look at this ring, I’ll know you’re thinking of me.” The king parted from his dejected queen and the director announced an intermission. “The actors are brilliant,” Naren declared, “especially the one playing Dushyant.” “Yes,” agreed Shibu, “his acting is very real.” The author is a media professional and writer. The Crown of Seven Stars is her first novel. She lives in Mumbai. gitanjalimurari@yahoo.com Illustrator: Smt. Lalithaa Thyagarajan. lalithyagu@gmail.com
