How Neela Cut The Water
Long ago, Anuradhapura was ruled by the good king Gajabuhu. Gajabuhu was a kind and generous king who looked after his subjects well.
One day, an old woman came to his court, “My Lord Gajabuhu, Great Ruler, I’m hungry,” she cried. “I have nobody to bring food for me. My husband is dead. My two sons are with the twelve thousand Lankan soldiers taken prisoner by the King of Chola in your father’s reign. Have pity on an old woman, my Lord.”
King Gajabuhu sent the old woman to the royal kitchens. Then he ordered his army to be made ready. And with Neela, the court giant, by his side, he set out for the northern trip of Lanka. Soon he arrived at the closest point for crossing over the south India where the King of Chola reigned. There are army halted.
“Neela, I want a dry road through the sea to cross over to India,” said Gajabuhu.
Neela stepped forward. He raised his iron rod and brought it down hard onto the water. The water parted and a road formed on the sea-bed all the way to India. Gajabuhu asked his army to wait and he with Neela crossed over to India, safe and dry.
The water closed over the road on the sea-bed.
Just past the beach, in a forest, Gajabuhu and Neela saw some elephants belonging to King of Chola. Neela picked up the elephants and banged their heads together, killing them. The mahouts ran for their lives. When the King of Chola heard of this he came to see the giant for himself. He found Neela and Gajabuhu lying on the beach, enjoying themselves.
“Who are you?” King of Chola asked.
“I’m Gajabuhum, King of Anuradhapura in Lanka and this is Neela, my court giant. My army is waiting on the other side of the sea to cross over at my command,” said Gajabuhu.
“But how did you come over?” the King of Chola asked.
“We saw no ships.”
“Show him now, Neela,” said Gajabuhu.
Neela struck the sea with his iron rod, and the waters parted again, to show a road on the sea-bed. The King of Chola and his ministers gasped.
“Why did you come?” asked King of Chola finally.
“To take back my twelve thousand men,” said Gajabuhu.
“You can’t have them. They are my prisoners,” said King of Chola.
Neela picked up a handful of dry sand and squeezed. Water trickled trough his fingers. Then he beat the air with his iron rod and rain began to fall.
King of Chola looked at Neela and he said, “Minister, return the twelve thousand men to my Lord Gajabuhu. In addition give him twelve thousand of our own men. As a personal gift from me, give him twenty-four elephants.” And all this while he never took his eyes off Neela.
Neela struck the ocean a third time, and twenty-four thousand men,twenty-four elephants and Neela with King Gajabuhu crossed over to Lanka on the sea-bed road.
The old woman never went hungry again for her sons were back. The Lankans rejoiced. They had a procession. And since then on the same day every year they have a water-cutting ceremony. But without Neela you can’t see the road to India
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Comment by The Scrap Silver Gal — August 20, 2011 @ 4:03 pm