Chapter 1
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467 BCE, Kasthamandap (Old name of Kathmandu)
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The Kirata Dynasty had survived for almost half a millennia in Kasthamandap (the old name of Kathmandu) and Nanda still couldn’t believe he wore the crown of the High King of the Nepala Mandala on his head. It had been a few moons after the death of High King Galinja bringing the famed Kirat Dynasty to a very unsatisfying end. However Nanda digressed. His stress has been so compounded, by his cousin uncle, or brother…..whatever the relation was, Rahula the son of the famed Buddha, his grand uncle or something along those lines, was helping him a lot with administrative duties.
Nanda walked through the city admiring its vast architecture and the city that the Kiratis had carved out for themselves and the Newars in the middle of the high hills of the Great White Mountains.
His aide, who went by the name Shahil Limbu was a good young man of around the same height as he and held a very strong mind in that deep brain of his. His silver tongue had been able to legitimize Nanda’s rule over the Mandala by the simple fact that Shahil had convinced and spoken with the other Kings of the Mandala, some of the most important of which were the King of Limbuwan, the King of Gourkha, the King of Pyalpa and the King of Makwan. If Nanda had their loyalty, all other Kings would follow suit. And all of them had given and pledged Nanda their loyalty to Kasthamandap and Nanda’s new reign was secure. Internally at least. Nanda still feared one thing. The Kingdom of Kosala down south had been pretty angry that their vassal state of the Shakya Oligarchy had been absorbed to become directly Mandala ruled lands and some border raids had already happened from what reports told him. Shahil had quietly asked him to raise an army, and Nanda has a feeling it would be required, sooner or later as the Kosala’s continued to become agitated.
Nanda shook his head of these thoughts as he smiled genially at the people walking down the streets of Kasthamandap. The people shyly smiled back.
Of course, Praja was something that every king should have the trust in, and Nanda was no different. A small girl tripped over the walks, and Nanda, allowing himself to smile at the antics of the girl bent down and helped her up despite the gasp of the girl’s mother behind him.
Nanda dusted the dust out of the girls clothes and looked at her. “My my, young lady, you do have a beautiful face. What is your name?”
“…Sharvani….” The girl murmured with an embarrassed blush across her face. Nanda laughed slightly. “A beautiful name for a beautiful girl then.”
Nanda put his hands on his pockets and brought out a gold coin. He winked at the awestruck girl and curled the gold coin into the hands of the girl. The girl squeaked and then ran past him to her mother. She showed the coin to her mother bouncing up and down and the mother tried to calm her down. Nanda smiled as he looked at the small interaction before continuing his and Shahil’s walk back to the palace.
It was a good few minutes before Nanda entered the palace. He looked at Shahil and said “you can go to the meeting room. I will meet you there in a few minutes.”
Shahil bowed his head and said “As you wish, your Majesty.”
Then he left. Nanda looked at the courtyard where Rahula was listening to a few monks of the Sangha speak. Nanda bowed his head slightly and said “Rahula? May I speak with you?”
Rahula turned to look at Nanda. Rahula stood up and nodded. Nanda waited for Rahula to come to him and then said “I see you are being invested in your day to day activities, Rahula.”
Rahula smiled, his brow crinkling. “Of course, my father is pretty famous here, and I found a lot of willing devotees.”
“That’s good, that’s good.” Nanda murmured. “My friend, Rahula, how may devotees have you found till now?”
“Around fifty to sixty I would say.” Rahula replied as he counted the number on his hand using his fingers. Nanda nodded before speaking in a lower volume. “I need you to come with me to the meeting room. It’s important.”
Rahula nodded before looking at his disciples. He strode up to them and said “I am needed by my cousin. Will you all stay here?”
“Of course, Master Rahula.” They chirped. Rahula then returned and walked beside him to the meeting room, in silence. The generals and ministers along with Shahil were waiting. They all stood up as they saw him enter. Nanda waved his hand and everyone sat down on their seats again.
Nanda sat in the center with Rahula beside him. Nanda rubbed his forehead for a bit before speaking up. “Is war with Kosala likely?”
One of the older generals spoke up to answer him. “I am afraid, your majesty, yes. Their diplomat demanded for the tribute you used to pay to Kosala to be paid until your death.”
“Can we not reach a diplomatic solution?” Nanda asked again as he looked down and read a paper detailing the visit of the Kosalan diplomat.
“That matter is not in our hands sire. We did send the diplomat with a notice open to further face to face negotiations with the King of Kosala, and the move is theirs, not ours.” The same general replied.
Nanda glanced at Rahula and said “Rahula, I know you do not like the talk of death and war. If you are uncomfortable, you can-”
“No.” Rahula replied back by interrupting. “I despise war yes, but I also recognize it sometimes as necessary. I was a prince you know. I know how politics work.”
Nanda smiled before he looked at the generals and ministers. He sighed before asking “What are the estimates on the Army of Kosala?”
“Around 15,000 men in 6 war bands, sire.” Another general, this one looking younger with curled hair. Nanda nodded whilst he paled slightly. 15,000 men? That was a huge and humongous number.
“What is our estimate?” Nanda asked cautiously.
“On our own?” A general asked. “Not good. We could raise 2 war bands with a total of 5,000 troops.”
“It is that bad?” Nanda asked quietly disconcerted.
The general grinned. “Milord, you still think with the mindset of a king. You are high king. You have the entire armies of the mandala at your disposal.”
Nanda shook himself as he realized that as well. He blushed slightly before stating “Yes, I seem to have forgotten. What are the estimates of the entire Mandala?”
The younger general shuffled through the list of papers and read one before answering Nanda. “A total of 35,000 men divided into 14 war bands. The King of Makwan can theoretically also raise another extra 5000 men, but that is theoretical and we can’t rely on that.”
Nanda let out a small sigh of relief. “35,000 men? That is good news.”
“But also expensive milord.” One general with a deep voice replied. “We could pay them all, however after that our economy would be in ruins.”
Nanda let out another small groan as he looked at the till now quiet ministers. “Are there any plans for this deficiency? I really hope it is something other than raising the taxes?”
“Yes milord.” One of them replied. “Of course like you said, we will raise the taxes, not by a huge margin, but by a noticeable amount, that much is required and we cannot really do anything against it. However since our tax rates are low anyways, we doubt the people will be unhappy. However our second plan also is about equal distribution and better agricultural and farm policies.”
He passed a paper to Nanda regarding said policies and read through them. Nanda nodded at the policies; they were pretty solid. He looked at the minister and said “I am impressed. These policies are pretty good.”
The Minister bowed his head and said “I aim to please, milord.”
“And please you have.” Nanda replied. He looked at all the paperworks and then said “Rahula, you are perhaps, the best administrator, I have ever seen. Can you take care of the administration, if this war breaks out?”
Rahula looked at him with a small smile as he answered. “Of course I can. Anything for you cousin.”
“Take care of your disciples while you’re at it.” Nanda joked before turning serious again. He let out a deep breath from his nostrils before standing up with his shawl curled on his hand. “Raise the armies. We need to be ready. I know Kosala as its former vassal and tributary. They are wily and cunning. We cannot expect anything honest from them. Diplomacy and peace would be appreciated, but hope is wishful thinking and most times in politics, folly. We must be prepared. Also Minister, barring the taxes, implement your farming policy. We need extra gold, but not in exactly a noticeable manner. May the Buddha and the Sun guide you my friends.”
The Generals and Ministers stood up and saluted him. Nanda nodded and whirled around followed by Rahula. As he walked outside through the halls of the palace, Rahula caught up to him and asked “You are afraid of war aren’t you Nanda?”
The 29 year old Nanda sighed and turned. He looked at the deep inquisitive and observant eyes of his cousin and nodded. “For years, you and my grand uncle preached about non-violence and peace. Yet as king I am forced to make decisions that force people to die. I wonder what your father would think of me, Rahula.”
Rahula smiled. “He would be proud of you. You are taking your duties as High King seriously. And remember, there are many things that are necessary however people do not wish to do it. In fact most wouldn’t. However those kings who are truly great are the ones, who have the courage to do it, despite their own misgivings and guilt at doing so. It isn’t by any means good, but it is pragmatic. And a king needs to be pragmatic.”
Nanda smiled at his words and bowed his head in gratitude. “It has been almost two and a half decades Rahula, yet you still never cease to amaze me.”
Rahula smiled cheekily as he imitated the voice of the minister who showed him the farm plan. “I aim to please milord.”
Nanda laughed as he gripped Rahula’s shoulders. “Come. I think that dinner is making me go mad. It’s time we feast.”
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