Karna-The legendary ruler

Tragedies struck again

It was almost night. But none of the villagers could sleep. The Governor not only denied their petition but also threatened them about the consequences. if the villagers did not pay the taxes on time. Last year there was a cyclone on the sea so the port was damaged. So the business in the port city was not very good nowadays. But the craftsmen and farmers were slowly working to come out of the disaster. And now this new tax. 

Radha, 'How are we supposed to give such a high amount.'

Adhirath, 'The most dangerous thing is, the Royal officials were demanding more money than the taxes. Some people were talking in the city that the amount the Governor was demanding from us is almost double than the actual money asked by the king. The Governor is going to keep the extra money for himself.'

Radheya ruefully thought, 'God never punished that upper-class rich persons even after they committed tons of crimes. But if we tried to do anything even for our betterment, it was considered a sin. What a logic?  If this is Dharma then I feel being an Adharmi was a much better choice.' But he did not say anything aloud. 

In the next few days, the villagers tried hard to arrange the money but it was less than the amount demanded by the Governor. Village chief Sudharma along with some other villagers went to the city to pay the tax. 

A week later Radheya was busy in the workshop with his father. Suddenly they heard some commotion coming from the village chief's house. They came out and saw that some officials came along with soldiers and they were shouting at the village chief.

Official 1, 'How dare you low-class villagers pay less amount of taxes?'

Sudharma (frightening), 'Sir, we are sorry, that's the only thing we could arrange. Please forgive us. We have nothing else. The cyclone last year damaged our fields and our business. We are really helpless.'

Official 2, 'You liar, hiding money from us so that you can live a luxurious life. All low caste people are like this. Greedy, liar and thief.'

Mohan, 'Sir we are telling the truth. Do we look like rich people. Look around sir and see by yourself. Do you think we are having a luxurious life here? Sir with great difficulty we can manage 2 meals a day. If we pay everything then what will we feed to our children?'

Official 1, 'Don't you dare to give us lectures, you bloody servent. We don't care if you and your children starve to death. Our king's new temple is much more important. He is doing a pious thing, only the sinners like you cannot appreciate.'

Mohan, 'Sir we are not against the temple or the royal palace that our Governor is making. All we are requesting is to lower the taxes.'

Suddenly the officials saw seven years old Vrushali who was standing beside her Grandfather. Then one official said with a lecherous smile, 'Who said that you have nothing. You are hiding such a beauty from us. Okay, we can forgive the amount you villagers need to pay us. But on one condition, give that girl to us. She can make us a ton of profit if we sell her in the city brothel.'

The villagers were enraged and Mohal hid Vrushali behind him. Sudharma angrily said, 'Watch your words, misters. You are the royal officials but that doesn't give you the right to cast an evil eye on our village girls. Get out from here.'

The officials left giving them warnings that if they did not pay the amount within the next week, they would return with more soldiers to destroy the entire village.

After they left one of the villagers, Sanatan said, 'If by giving that girl our tax can be forgiven, then why don't we do that. It's the life of a single girl in comparison to all of us.' Suddenly he was hit by something on his nose. Everyone was shocked to see it was Radheya who threw a stone on his face. The calm collected Radheya was fuming, 'Why don't you offer yourself to those officials. I think you also can be a good slave for them with such a cowardly nature of yours.'