"Of course," said Munra. "Only certain people can have batik cloth like that."
The middle-aged woman spreads the cloth in her hand.
"You see that batik pattern?" Munra pointed to a more specific batik drawing showing the image of a bird with a crown, with a very long tail. "Heavenly Peacock."
Right, the woman thought. Batik images like that can only be used by women who are descendants of kings, or by queens.
"Don't tell me..." The middle-aged woman's eyes widened as she looked at her husband.
Munra nodded again. "I found Aryan in the river that is between the Maghariti Kingdom and the Daksina Kingdom. So, yes… Aryan's birth mother must be one of the most important women between the two kingdoms."
"Or maybe his birth mother was a queen? Who could know?"
"Yeah, that is possible."
"Oh, Gods and Goddesses in Swargaloka… what kind of destiny will this kid have in the future?"
*
Morning came the same as the previous days, nothing special for those living in the Vashara area. As if they are forgotten by time, persisting in all their limitations.
Except for Munra and his wife, also for Aryan himself. Now there is an extra heavy on their shoulders, keeping Aryan's identity a secret. And trying to fulfill the first request of the old hermit, find a teacher for their adopted son.
Although the sun was still timid, as if hiding behind the horizon, the residents of Vashara were already starting to come out of their huts. Each of them brought equipment to find something to sell later. Their hopes are not grandiose, they just pray that what they do will be blessed and made easy by the gods and goddesses in Swargaloka.
That morning, Aryan still accompany his adoptive father to look for grass. After saying goodbye to his adoptive mother, Aryan then climbed into the pedati-cart.
"Try to ask people, who know, maybe you will find a Pandita who is willing to teach Aryan," said Munra to his wife.
The wife nodded.
"All right then, we're leaving now," Munra approached his cart.
"Don't go too far."
"I know."
Yes, that's true, Munra thought. After knowing the identity of his adopted son, Munra no longer wanted to take the boy to distant areas to look for grass, like yesterday.
The middle-aged woman could only let go of her husband and adopted child with a prayerful gaze. Praying for their safety. She took a deep breath after she no longer saw the pedati-cart, disappeared towards the north.
The middle-aged woman returned to her hut. Soon she came out with a bamboo basket filled with dirty clothes.
Munra's wife stepped towards a small river that was about 600 feet behind the hut. Along with several other women.
The small river is a tributary that originates in a large river on the east side. The large river is the last boundary of the forest that can be entered by humans, they call it the Last River. It was so named because the large rocky river was the starting point or the foremost part of the Forbidden Forest, stretching from the territory of the Irisana Kingdom in the northeast to the territory of the Angholi Kingdom in the southeast.
Back to the creek where most of the Sudras do their laundry, or just take a bath to clean themselves. In particular, those living in the eastern and southeastern parts of the Vashara land.
The water flowing in the river was very cloudy, coupled with the conditions in the middle of the dry season which caused the river water to shrink. It is cloudy and smells because people throw garbage into the river. Consciously or not, they have created some disease that will stalk their life.
However, they had no choice. That's the only source of water they have while the ground wells have dried up. Even if there is water left in every well owned by the residents, it is only a little. And they prioritize the well water for their drinking needs.
There was only one time when the water condition of the small river became abundant and slightly clear. And that's at the end of the rainy season. Because the garbage and dirt have been washed away by the flood into the gulf. Floods always occur in the Vashara area in every rainy season, especially in the areas passed by tributaries.
It's just that the abundant and clear water only lasts a moment before the river becomes dirty and shrinks again.
"You're crazy!" said a woman to Munra's wife after she heard her neighbor's wish to find Aryan a teacher. "We Sudras will not be able to feel that privilege. Learn to write and read you say?"
"I just thought, maybe there is a Pandita who is willing to teach our children."
"Stop dreaming like that, Marni. You will only be looked down upon by them. Not to mention Aryan is a Candala. You will only make your child's life more miserable with insults and curses from high caste people, Marni."
Marni took a deep breath as she rubbed the dirty clothes in her hands on a rock.
Yes, she understands that. However, after what her husband said last night, Marni was determined to be able to find a teacher for Aryan.
"What is your real reason, Marni?" she asked. "Why are you suddenly asking that?"
Marni shook her head with a faint smile on her lips. She couldn't possibly tell the real reason to the woman.
"I don't know," said Marni. "I've been thinking about this ever since my husband brought Aryan to our hut. Maybe… yes, maybe Aryan can elevate our family's status."
"Oh, Marni ..." the woman shook her head as she rinsed the clothes in her hands into the murky river water. "Don't you think that we all want the same thing?"
"I don't know..."
Yes, that's what Marni got when she tried to get information from her neighbors that morning. Not just one woman, but two and three other women. Marni always heard the same words.
TO BE CONTINUED ...