THE WAX PALACE

Varanavat the place of the wax palace, is located in Bagpat district in Uttar Pradesh, India. It lies between Sardhana and Binauli near Meerut. Now the site is a huge mound. It is located on the northern bank of River Ganges, and is about 52 km far from Meerut on Delhi - Sharanpur highway.

The wax palace was ready and the Pandavas occupied it with apparent jubilation. Meanwhile an expert miner came to Varanavata at the instance of Vidura and met Yudhisthira to provide the passage of escape of the Pandavas. Yudhisthira was so careful that he feigned absolute ignorance of the plot, but after the miner revealed the contents of the conversation which Vidura had with him, on the eve of their departure, in the Mleccha tongue, Yudhisthira embraced the engineer who came to rescue them from the death trap. A subterranean tunnel was dug quite secretly by the miner with the help of the Pandavas working in the night time. Purochana did not have any inkling of it and waited a full year so that the people might regard the murderous fire as a pure accident. Pandavas used to go into the forest for the ostensible purpose of hunting but their intention was to scout the escape routes quite thoroughly.

When everything was ready Yudhisthira decided to forestall Purochana’s attempt. Choosing a dark midnight Bhima set fire to the palace of wax as well as the quarters occupied by Purochana at the gate and the Pandavas escaped through the passage well prepared for the escape. The palace was soon engulfed in fire and together with Purochana’s dwelling place was reduced to ashes. As it became evident that the palace was constructed of combustible materials like jute, ghee and oil, the evil genius behind the construction could easily be guessed. The irony was the death of Purochana as a victim of his wicked plot. There were loud lamentations all round at the supposed death of the pious Pandava princes and everybody cursed Duryodhana.

The news of the death of the Pandavas reached Hastinapura. Dhritarashtra was loudest in the lamentations, a state mourning was announced. Dhritarashtra was like a deep water reservoir, cool at the bottom and warm at the surface and entertained secret joy at the bottom of his heart. The traditional funeral rites were performed. The most unhappy man was Bhishma who said to Vidura "You are a philosopher and you are quite unperturbed at the tragic news. Look at my sad plight. Chitrangada and Vichitravirya, Pandu and Pandavas all died before my eyes. I am quite upset by the premature death of the promising princes under mortifying circumstances." Vidura confided to the Pitamaha "Pandavas and Kunti Devi are alive. They crossed the frontiers of the Kuru territory in the boat secretly provided by me. The boatman has already conveyed the news to me. Hastinapura is not a safe place for them now. They are resourceful enough to protect themselves. Let us wait and see." Bhishma was very happy that the Pandavas were alive and are bound to come back to Hastinapura at the right time. Vidura said to Bhisma in his usual philosophical vein. "Adversity is the best world as well as the greatest gymnasium. Fire purifies gold. Let the Pandavas emerge out of their own trials and tribulations as polished gems. A smooth sea seldom produces skilful sailors.


The Pandavas providentially have gone into a wider world of ever expanding horizons. Rude contact with the hard realities of life can only add the fourth dimension to their personalities. I am sure Pandavas will return to Hastinapura as heroes with a difference. Princes in palaces and plants in the parks are doomed to stunted growth. The prince in the palace is the proverbial parrot in the golden cage and the power of the wings get atrophied. The victim of vicious adversity today will be the victorious favourite of fortune tomorrow. I am indeed delighted that destiny has provided this precious opportunity to the Pandavas to be graduated from the greatest university ever known to history. I mean adversity." Bhishma congratulated Vidura for providing him with proper philosophical perspective with which he could view the cataclysm with equanimity. The Pitamaha sent his tele-blessings to the Pandavas wishing them good speed in their endeavours.

The Pandavas after crossing the Ganges in the boat provided by the fore vision of Vidura marched on undergoing many hardships. Sometimes Bhima carried Kunti on his shoulders. Sometimes they felt miserably oppressed by the sufferings they had to bear, beyond their heroic endurance. Sometimes they paused and rested. Sometimes Bhima kept vigil while his mother and brothers fell asleep fully exhausted. One night when Bhima was awake, keeping vigil, a giant cannibal Hidimba by name attacked the Pandavas. A fight ensued between Bhima and Hidimba. Hidimbi, the sister of the rakshasa Hidimba, who stood starring in amazement at the unusual strength of Bhima, fell in love with him. Hidimba was ultimately killed and Bhima married Hidimbi at the instance of his mother Kunti. As a result of the marriage, Ghatokacha was born and afterwards he served his father and the Pandava cause together with his rakshasa retinue.

On the way the Pandavas met Bhagavan Vyasa in the forest. They bowed to the rishi who blessed them. Kunti narrated their suffering to Veda Vyasa. The rishi smiled and said, "Human existence is a tangled web of light and shade. Joys and sorrows are the warp and weft of life. There is so much based in the best of us, so much good in the worst of us; no absolute assessment is ever possible. The complete sinner is as rare as the pure saint. The same person is a sinner when compelled and a saint when inspired. The coexistence of good and evil everywhere in the world finds its reflex in each man. Each and every one has to bear the consequences of his action. The wise person is equidistant to grief and exultation. The words of wisdom uttered by Vyasa provided the Pandavas with consolation as well as inspiration. After crossing the forest the Pandavas reached the city of Ekachakra disguised as Brahmins in accordance with the advice of Vyasa and settled there in the house of a Brahmin.

The Pandavas as Brahmins made their living by begging their food in the Brahmin localities. Kunti was tormented with the idea of the irony of fate that the heroic princes of the illustrious lunar race of Kshatriyas were reduced to the position of beggars. She was biding her time praying for better days. Bhima made friends with a potter by fetching him earth and he was presented with a huge pot by the potter. Bhima used to entertain the children of the city with this huge pot. The city of Ekachakra was under the control of a rakshasa named Baka. The ruling prince escaped leaving the whole city to its fate. Baka used to enter the city at his pleasure mad with hunger and indiscriminately kill and eat men, women and children and go back to his cave. Some gallant princes now and then wanted to save the city from the clutches of the rakshasa but some of them were vanquished and the others were killed by the rakshasa. The people of the city came to an understanding with Baka to save the people from promiscuous slaughter. The citizens agreed that every week a cart load of food with delicious preparations made out of ghee, meat, rice, curds and wine would be supplied to the rakshasa and this was in practice for a very long time. The rakshasa sometime even used to eat up the person who rides the cart carrying food for him.

This was discussed by Kunti to Bhima and they came forward to help the people of the city and they decided on a plan. Yudhisthira returning home together with his brothers found Bhima in an exalted mood of extraordinary happiness and they could easily guess that Bhima was on the brink of an adventurous mission and asked Kunti to enlighten him. Kunti narrated her commitment. Yudhisthira said, "Mother can we afford to risk the life of Bhima who is our present protection and future hope? Kunti replied it is the duty of a Kshatriya prince to save the city from the ravages of the rakshasa. Soon the people of Ekachakra arranged a musical band to give Bhima a farewell. Children also joined the procession to bid farewell though they could not comprehend the tragic implications of the situation. Bhima stopped the procession at the entrance of the cave and asked all the people to go back.

As soon as Bhima entered the cave the rakshasa came out and a fierce fight started. They fought with stones and uprooted trees. Bhima was young and energetic. Baka was hungry and complacent that he was old and did not expect a dismal defiance. Bhima many a time tossed up the rakshasa and threw him to the ground. Finally he placed his knee on his back and slew him with his feet, blood oozing out from the nostrils and mouth of Baka. The corpse was dragged to the gates of the city by Bhima who was accorded a hero’s welcome by not only the children but also all the grateful citizens.