Tale: Raman’s Fancy Dress

Even after his marriage, King Krishnadevarayar was still upset with Tenali Raman. He was angry with Raman over the “sandal throwing incident” during the wedding ceremony, where Raman tricked the king into following a false ritual. Despite giving Raman 100 gold coins as a reward, the king ordered that Raman be debarred from entering the palace.

Raman, ever the obedient subject, accepted the king’s order and bowed respectfully as he left the palace. “I don’t want to see your face anymore,” the king declared, hoping that would put an end to Raman’s antics.

The next day, during the durbar meeting, a strange sight caught everyone’s attention. A man walked into the palace, his head and face completely covered by a large pot. The people in the durbar couldn’t help but laugh at the unusual sight. It was none other than Tenali Raman, who had cleverly used the pot as part of his “fancy dress.”

The pot, perfectly suited to his head, had two small holes for his eyes, through which he peered and made exaggerated gestures, entertaining the crowd.

As the king entered the durbar and saw the commotion, he grew irritated. “Who is walking around in a fancy dress?” the king demanded. “Tie him up!” he ordered the soldiers.

With a mischievous grin, Raman responded, “Oh king! You had ordered that you didn’t want to see my face, so I have covered it with a pot!”

Hearing this, the king couldn’t help but join in the laughter with the courtiers. He finally asked Raman to remove the pot, which he did, revealing his usual cheeky smile.

Moral:

Obedience with a sense of humor can sometimes teach the most valuable lessons.