THE PALINDROME
Once upon a time in a village called Tenali, in South India lived a boy named Rama. Rama was very clever
and good –looking boy, but he got on everyone’s nerves. He was always playing pranks or making fun of
people. He was quite irreverent and even mocks the elders of the village.
Now elders who take themselves and their position seriously do not like to be made fun of. They
decided that something had to be done about Rama. So they confronted Rama’s mother and warned
her that her son would come to a sticky end if she didn’t taken him in hand. He could not go around
making a mockery of everything. They warned her that if he went on like that he would be sent away of
the village.
The poor lady didn’t know what to do! Rama didn’t take interest in any kind occupation. After month of
gentle reprimand and attempts at persuading Rama to turn over a new leaf, she got really fed up.
She found a holy man who taught boys and sent Rama off to study with him. “Maybe he will teach you
something useful,” she said. “Don’t come back till you have learnt enough to earn your living.”
So Rama went off to study. Now he was actually quite good at his lessons. When his brain was occupied
with something he even forgot to joke! His teacher was pleased with him. One day the teacher told
Rama, “I’ve taught you all I can. Know you must go out in the world and seek your fortune.”
“But,” said Rama, “I still do not know what I can do for a living! How will I face my mother?” His teacher
then taught him a mantra and told him to recite it at the Kali temple three million times. “If you
concentrate and recite it sincerely,” he said, “Kali with her thousand heads will revel herself to you. If
you remain unafraid you can ask her for a boon. Ask her to tell you must do.”
The next day Rama got up early in the morning, bathed in the river and wore fresh new clothes. Then he
went he went home to his mother who prepared a Puja plate for him with a coconut, some bananas,
betel leaves and nuts, joss sticks, a string of sweets-smelling jasmine and a lump of fragrant camphor. He
then set off to recite the mantra at the temple.
He stood in front of the deity at the temple and began chanting the mantra. He concentrated hard and
repeated the mantra as sincerely as he could. He concentrated so hard that he did not notice that it had
turned dark outside or that the temple priest had locked up the shrine and gone to home.
When Rama had chanted the mantra three million times, Kali revealed herself to him in all her glory.
Rama looked at her in awe but he was quit unafraid. He moves his head from side to side as he tried to
take in all her thousand heads. Kali seemed quite pleased to see a mortal who was so bold and unafraid.
Suddenly a thought struck in Rama and he burst into laughter. He laughed and laughed till tears
streamed down his cheeks and he had to hold on to one of the temple pillars for support. Kali was
stunned for a movement. She had never seen a mortal who was not only unafraid of her from but also
had the temerity to laugh at her. She felt quite insulted and thunder, “You puny mortal! How dare you
laugh at me? What do you find so funny?”
Rama tried to control himself and finally spoke between gusts of laughter. “I was just wondering,” he
gasped. “What do you do when you have a cold? With one nose and two hands, we mortals find it so
difficult. How on earth do manage with a thousand running noses?”
The goddess was furious. She drew up all her thousand heads and looked down haughtily at Rama.
“Because you have dared to laugh to me,” she cursed, “You will earn your living as a jester a
vikatakavi. That is the occupation I gave you!”
Rama however was not upset. “Oh, that’s great,” he said. “That is an interesting occupation, whichever
way you say it’s a palindrome vi-ka-ta-ka-vi. It reads the same left to right to left!”
The goddess was amazed at Rama’s wit which could see a joke even in a curse. She was a little mollified
and said, “Since you have such a sense of humor you will be a jester at the court of the king and will
make a name for yourself.”
And that is exactly what happened Rama went on to become Tenali Rama--- jester to the king of
Vijaynagar.
