The Golden Conch: A Tale of Courage, Truth, and Destiny in Jayaputra

In the ancient kingdom of Jayaputra, ruled the benevolent King Sukumaran and his graceful Queen Sujatha. They were blessed with two children—Princess Dhannia, who enchanted the court with her music and dance, and Prince Siddarth, a spirited young man skilled in sports and the finest archer in the realm.

One afternoon, while journeying through the dense forest in a royal carriage, Prince Siddarth spotted a majestic deer grazing quietly. Driven by sport, he aimed his bow, ignoring his sister’s pleas to spare the animal. The arrow struck true, wounding the deer gravely. As the deer lay writhing, an old holy man emerged from the shadows, crying out in anguish for his beloved pet, Ramu.

Seeing the man’s sorrow, Siddarth fled into the forest, leaving Dhannia alone. When the sage demanded to know who harmed his companion, Dhannia chose silence, refusing to betray her brother. Angered by her quietness, the holy man cursed:

“At sunset today, your body shall grow weak, and you will be bedridden for life!”

Terrified, Dhannia rushed back to the palace. Siddarth, wracked with guilt, confessed everything to the King. Determined to reverse the curse, King Sukumaran sought the holy man in the forest. Upon hearing the truth, the sage sighed with regret but declared that the curse could no longer be undone by mere words.

“There is one way—the Golden Conch. Only water drunk from it can cure your daughter. But know this—it can only be retrieved by a commoner, and whoever brings it must marry the Princess.”

Desperate to save his daughter, the King agreed. A royal decree was announced: whoever retrieves the Golden Conch shall marry Princess Dhannia.

The entire kingdom buzzed with the news, though no one knew where the Golden Conch could be found. Among those hearing the commotion was a mischievous village boy named Lukesh, known for teasing village girls and stealing mangoes. When his childhood friend Gayathri mocked him for his laziness, challenging him to seek the conch, Lukesh, pride wounded, declared that he would find it.

The next day, while collecting firewood, Lukesh stumbled upon an old woman slumped against a tree, parched and exhausted. Without hesitation, he fashioned a cup from a large leaf, fetched water from the river, and quenched her thirst. Grateful, the old woman revealed:

“Go north to the mountain cave, where the Golden Conch lies guarded by a fearsome demon. Take this magic blanket—wear it, and you shall become invisible to the demon. But heed this: do not look back until you are safe.”

Thanking her, Lukesh embarked on his quest. After quenching his thirst at a waterfall, he climbed the steep mountain and reached the cave’s mouth. Draping himself in the enchanted blanket, he entered the shadowy cavern. Deep inside, on a high mound, lay the radiant Golden Conch, watched over by a demon with glowing red eyes.

Invisible to the beast, Lukesh carefully retrieved the conch. Without daring to glance back, he fled the cave, safely returning to the palace in secrecy.

King Sukumaran was overjoyed and immediately gave Dhannia water from the sacred conch. As soon as she drank, her strength returned, and she stood, cured and grateful.

When asked who he was, Lukesh humbly replied:

“I am Lukesh, son of Saharan the village headman and Umadevi, the temple caretaker.”

Recognizing his noble heart despite his modest origins, the King declared Lukesh his future son-in-law. Princess Dhannia approached Lukesh, smiling:

“Thank you for saving me. Now, I am proud to call you my husband.”

The Shadow of Jealousy

The kingdom rejoiced, but not all hearts were happy. Gayathri, realizing that she loved Lukesh, was heartbroken. To remain close, she sought a job in the royal household, which Dhannia graciously granted.

However, consumed by envy, Gayathri lied to Dhannia, claiming that she and Lukesh had once been lovers. Though disturbed, the Princess chose not to believe the accusation until she could hear it from Lukesh himself.

When summoned, Lukesh was stunned by the claim but firmly denied it:

“Gayathri and I were never lovers. I merely teased her and the other girls in the village. That was all.”

Touched by his sincerity, Dhannia replied:

“I trust you, Lukesh. But I know doubt can fester—I want no shadow between us.”

Determined to clear his name publicly, Lukesh resolved to undergo the fire-walking trial of Goddess Amman, a sacred test of truth and purity.

The Fire-Walking Trial

The entire kingdom gathered by the temple as priests prepared the ceremonial fire pit. Dhannia, distressed yet resolute, vowed:

“I will not eat until Lukesh emerges unscathed from the fire.”

Draped in saffron cloth, holding a pot of burning embers, Lukesh stood before the smoldering coals. As the crowd watched with bated breath, he shouted:

“Om Shakti!”

Lukesh walked confidently across the burning pit, stepping into a pool of milk at the end, unharmed and untouched by flame. The onlookers cheered, and Dhannia wept with relief.

Gayathri, witnessing his purity, ran to Dhannia, begging forgiveness. The princess forgave her, saying:

“Let this be a lesson—virtue and truth are not just for women to prove but for men too.”

Happily Ever After

Lukesh was crowned Prince of Jayaputra, and the wedding celebrations lasted a week, filling the kingdom with music, laughter, and joy. Dhannia and Lukesh were married amidst grand festivities, their love story becoming a legend of the land.

And back in the village, Lukesh’s mother smiled knowingly, for she was certain that the old woman who guided her son was none other than Goddess Amman herself, testing the worth of a commoner destined to become a prince.

Moral of the Story:

True courage lies in honesty, compassion, and standing for one’s truth. Fortune and destiny favor the kind-hearted and the brave.