The story of Vichithrakala as told by thirteenth Prakasavalli doll

The story of Vichithrakala as told by thirteenth Prakasavalli doll.

Retold by
P.R.Ramachander
On the thirteenth day Bhoja raja after his morning duties again started climbing on to the throne of Vikramadhithya. He was stopped on the thirteenth step by Prakasavalli 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:-
The king of Thangapuri did not have any children in spite of having all other wealths. By continued penance of Parashakthi, a daughter was born to him. He named her as Vichithrakala and made her master of all arts. She grew up in to a very pretty princess. One day while she was standing on a terrace, she was seen by Mrugangitha, who was a terrible magician doing penance on the Malligarjuna mountain. He fell instantly in love with her and decided that he will take her away and marry her as soon as his penance of celibacy was over. This resolution was understood by Vichithrakala. So she went to her father and told him, how Mrugangitha was infatuated with her. The king told her, “Mrugangitha is a terrible human being. I do not have the power to defeat him. So please approach the Yellamma Goddess in the boundary of our kingdom.” Accordingly Vichithrakala went to the Yellamma temple. When she went there the goddess had gone out for a walk. So she entered the temple and locked herself there. When the Goddess came back and when she wanted the doors to be opened, Vichithrakala fell at her feet and told her about her problem created by Mrugangitha. Then the Goddess told, “Mrugangitha is a very evil person. I do not have sufficient power to kill him. The only person who can help you out is king Vikramadhithya. So you go and approach him.”
Vichithrakala went to Ujjain the capital city of Vikramadhithya, got the face of the hag by the blessings of the Goddess and started staying with a lady called Annamidum nangai. She used to daily sing and pray the Goddess at night. When one day, Vikramadhithya who was doing inspection rounds in the town heard her voice, he sent his police people to bring her before him; He was intrigued by her youthful body and face of a hag. When he asked Vichithrakala the reason for this, she told him everything about her. Vikramadhithya promised to save her and built a special palace for her to live in till they got married. Once when his six month sojourn in the forest was due, he entrusted her safety to his brother Bhatti and went to the forest.
At this time Mrugangitha’s penance of celibacy was over and he started searching for Vichithrakala. When he felt her presence in Ujjaini town, he dressed himself like a jewel merchant and offered two very pretty bangles for one million rupees. Though everyone wanted the Bangles even the senior most queen of Vikramadhithya thought that the price was exorbitant. But somehow Vichithrakala wanted that Bangle. When Bhatti offered the price on behalf of Vichithrakala, the magician told him that he was the only who can put the bangles on the purchaser. Bhatti thought that something was fishy and refused to buy the bangle without the permission of Vikramadhithya. So Mrugangitha went in search of Vikramadhithya and told him that his minister Bhatti was not even fulfilling the wishes of Vichithrakala who would become his queen soon. Vikramadhithya thought there was something fishy and asked Vetala about who it was. When Vetala informed him that it was Mrugangitha himself, Vikramadhithya took his magic sword and cut Mrugangitha in to pieces.
After finishing his sojourn, Vikramadhithya returned to Ujjain and made Vichithrakala as his queen and wife.
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