The story of Pavalakkodi as told by ninth doll Navarathnavalli

The story of Pavalakkodi as told by ninth doll Navarathnavalli.

Retold by
P.R.Ramachander
On the ninth day Bhoja raja after his morning duties again started climbing on to the throne of Vikramadhithya. He was stopped on the ninth step by Navarathnavalli doll. It told him that he does not have great qualities of the king Vikramadhithya and is not fit to occupy the throne. Then king Bhoja asked that doll, “Doll please tell me about the greatness of Vikramadhithya. The doll started telling the following story:-
Once Vikramadhithya started along with Bhatti and Vetala on his six month sojourn in the forest. After a long travel they reached the town of Ambalapuri in the banks of river Thungabhadra. They washed themselves and were taking rest below a banyan tree in the bank of the river. At that time people of the town caught a woman who was making love with a man other than her husband, killed her and threw her corpse near the bathing ghat of the ladies of the river. They wanted that the ladies of the town should learn their lesson from this. At that time two sisters came to take bath in the river. The elder was Muthunayagi who was married and knew the ways of the world and younger was Pavalakkodi who had just attained age. On seeing the corpse Muthunayagi wept uncontrollably. When Pavalakkodi asked her why, she replied, “You still do not know the ways of the world. Here is a lady who could not get happiness from her husband and went with someone else. She has been killed for that.” Pavalakkodi uncontrollably laughed and told her sister, “That is because that lady did not how to be with a secret lover and not get caught.”
Vikrama who was hearing this wanted to marry her and test her capacity to cheat him. When he told this to Bhatti, he enquired and found out that her father was a merchant called Muthu Manikkam. So Bhatti and Vikrama dressed themselves as diamond and pearl merchants and opened a shop in the town. Muthu Manikkam who came to the shop enquired about them. Then Bhatti told, “We are both merchants of gems. Our father died early and ever since we are going from place to place in search of a bride to my elder brother, Adhithya who was with me.”
Muthu Manikkam invited them to his house and showed them Pavalakkodi and asked Bhatti whether his brother would marry Pavalakkodi. On getting a positive reply, the marriage was celebrated. After some time, Vikrama gave all the rest of the jewels to Muthu Manikkam and started with his new bride along with Bhatti on Vetala. During all that time. Vikrama never even touched Pavalakkodi. On their way, they saw a locked and deserted fort in a town. When the people there enquired told him, that the fort was cursed by a saint who has told that only Vikramadhithya can open it. When Vikrama touched the lock it opened. All of them they decided to stay there. Pavalakkodi was pining in love towards Vikrama. But he never even touched her. In night, in three separate beds they slept with Pavalakkodi in the middle. Whenever Bhatti and Vikrama went out, they locked the door and went. For doing the cleaning of the fort and washing of the cloths they employed a very old woman. When one day the old woman described the beauty of Pavalakkodi, her son felt passionately in love with her. He stopped eating food and left out sleeping. Worried about this that old woman asked Pavalakkodi, “Please pardon me for asking you. My son is hopelessly in love with you. She wanted to make love with you. “ . Pavalakkodi then replied, “Only a man with ability can do things.” When the old woman told about this to her son, that night the old woman climbed a tall tree and entered the fort. He went to the place where the three people were sleeping. He then caressed the feet of Pavalakkodi. She got up and asked him to make love to her. In the process once her leg hit Vikramadhithya who thought that Bhatti was making love with the girl and once her legs hit Bhatti who thought that Vikrama was impatient and making love with the girl. After some times Pavalakkodi hid her lover in one of those rooms.
Vikrama and Bhatti went out and both were not in talking terms. Bhatti guessed the reason and wanted to investigate. When they went near the river, they saw two saintly persons coming there. As soon as they reached the river the saints opened their hair, took out two pretty ladies and left them there and went to take bath. The ladies immediately opened the tips of their dress and released their lovers and made love with them. By the time the sages came back, they tied the secret lovers in their dress. The saints came and tied the ladies on their hair. Bhatti invited the sages to meals. When they reached the fort Bhatti asked Pavalakkodi to prepare food for ten people and put ten leaves. First the guest saints sat, Vikrama and Bhatti sat next. Then Bhatti requested to release their wives from their hair. They were also asked to sit. Bhatti asked the ladies to release their secret lovers. As there was no other go they released them. One leaf was remaining. Bhatti then asked Pavalakkodi to bring her secret lover. As she had no other option she brought him out of his hiding. Then Only Vikrama understood. He pardoned Pavalakkodi gave her to her secret lover and made him the king of that town. He made the secret lovers of the wives of the saints as his ministers. They sages left from there to do penance.
Bhatti and Vikrama returned back after their six month sojourn.
The doll then told, “Oh king Bhoja, this is the greatness of Vikramadhithya who occupied this throne. If you think that you are equal to him, then you can definitely go up. Bhoja returned back that day without further climbing