Note: In this series, I am going to pick some interesting folk stories from different parts of India and share them with you. With some spice, of course. Starting today, I have a Himachali folk tale for you. Happy reading!
If you know anything about Himachal, or its neighbouring regions along the Himalayas, such as Uttarakhand or Ladakh or Nepal, you would know that people lead a simple here. It’s hardly surprising, though. When you are struggling to survive in high altitudes, battling all kinds of wild animals, demons or ghosts, you are going to focus a lot more on doing the basics right. This has been the theme throughout history in these parts.
Therefore, when there was no democracy and kingdoms — really small ones, to be fair — flourished, even the kings and queens could not afford a lavish lifestyle. In fact when you read about their lifestyles, you are going to pity them and be grateful that you are a common folk of the twenty-first century and not among the royalty of that era.
This folk story is about one such king. Raja Bana Bhat, as he was called. He used to earn his living by making ropes and selling them at a fair price. Hence the name, Bana. His wife, the queen, was called Mehto. And she too, did not live anything like a queen. She did all the household chores and drew water in an earthen pot from a well near the fort early in the morning. The days were busy too. She used to spin as both she and the king wore handspun cloth only. So much for the royalty!
The kingdom was not a socialist one, it was more like what capitalists keep dreaming about but never achieve. People did not pay taxes, and yet, they had plenty to eat, thanks to the humility (some might use the word stupidity) of its rulers. Overall things were going pretty well. So, where is the plot twist? It’s coming, wait for it.
Once a big fair was being held in Kangra. People from all age groups came to see it and did shopping. The king and the queen were also there. But unlike most people, who had put on the most flashy clothes for the occasion, these two were in their usual dress. They moved among the crowd freely. No security guards, protocols, etc. Why would there be? It’s not like the royal couple was filthy rich. Some of the merchants were richer than them.
One of these merchants’ wife was wearing a necklace worth nine lakhs of rupees (navlakha). When the queen saw her, she felt jealous. It’s either human nature or women have been mistakenly portrayed this way in stories — I can’t say. But, coming to the story, our queen felt that she too must possess one such necklace. Look at the humility, though. She wasn’t trying to get ahead of that woman, she was only seeking equality.
Mehto, the queen, did not give up on her demand, and eventually, the king had to find a way to get her the necklace. How would he do that? “Socialism,” he thought, “let me tax my subjects and that is that.”
What followed next was exactly what the right-wing Americans have been screaming all along.
SOCIALISM MAKES YOU LAZY. IT MAKES YOU POOR. GODDAMNIT!
So the next time when the king got sick and he asked the queen for some water, she could not fetch any. When she tied its neck (pot’s not king’s) with a rope, she could not lift it from the well and dropped it. She had lost her ability to work. Since there were no servants now, thanks to socialism, and feminism was still a few centuries away, the king could not get water and passed away. The queen wept and wept and died a few days later.
That day the people of Himachal decided that they would focus more on making ropes and less on necklaces. So far, so good!
Kalampedia 