342 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY. [December, 1873. performed and she would accept his visits. Of these six months, one month she said had already expired. Sumr& Soda agreed not to molest her, and did not press his visit. Rani Maru now wrote a note to Viramji Solankhi and secretly sent it to Dharapura. The note contained these words: “ I am protected for five months by my vrat or vow; come quickly with a good camel and alight within the town of Amarkot, and I will contrive to join you, and we will flee together. If you do not come within the time, I will die, but I will never receive the Raja as my lover.” Viramji on receiving this letter purchased a magnificent camel from Jati Bhemda of Khemat for Rs. 200. The following duho describes the camel:—
Its head like a waterpot, its forearms strong as poles, Bhemda, disciple of Nada, gave it,# Saw of the World, House-Rebuilder. Viramji mounted on his camel and came to Amarkot and alighted in the bazaar, and remained there for a month, and managed to carry on a cor¬ respondence with her secretly. One day Sohni Rani, one of Sumra Soda’s queens, came to visit Maru, and said to her: “ Let us give an enter¬ tainment and drink wine.” Maru replied: ” I have left my husband behind at Dharapura, how then should I drink wine ! “ Sohni replied in the following couplet:—
Having come away from Dharapura, thou hast come to a king’s palace : O Maru, wherefore dost thou grieve after a husband wearer but of woollen clothing ? Maru replied to her in the following couplet:—-
A putola (silk scarf) can be purchased for five (rupees), A lodhi (shawl) may be worth a lakh; Thy heart is for Soda Sumra, But my heart is for Viram Rai. Maru therefore refused to drink wine. At last the six months of her vow were accom¬ plished. Maru then sent a message to Soda Sumra that the period prescribed by her vow was accomplished, and requested that the best camel procurable might be sent to her, that she might ride on it and be absolved from her vow. The Raja accordingly caused all the camels in the town to be sent before Maru: Maru approved of Virara’s camel, and kept Viram and his camel, dismissing the others. At this time no man but Viram was present; only the other Ranis were present. Maru then ordered Viram to make his camel kneel, and after veiling her faoa she mounted. Viram then mounted also, and Maru bade adieu to the other Ranis, saying that she would ride within the fort. Thus saying she directed Viram to start, and as soon as they were out of sight they took the Dharapura road. On the way way they met a Charan who asked alms. As they had no money, Maru gave him her gold necklace and said to him : “ Go to Sumra Sodi and say to him poetry in praise of my camel.” On hearing of the escape of M iru, Samr.i Soda mounted with a large body of horse in pursuit. On the road they met the Charan. The Charan, on learning who they were, recited the following oouplet to Sumra Soda as a message from Maru—
The camel has already passed over many (sandy) thaU and difficult and mighty passes : Having come to Sumra, say to him, Why dost thou fatigue (lit. beat) thy horse ? Sumra Soda, hearing from the Charan that the camel could not be overtaken, returned to Amarkot and collected an army, and after a few months marched to Dharapura. On the arrival of the army, Dh.ira Sutar, Viram Solankhi, and the two Rinis, Jalku and Maru, went into the Surbakri hills. A great battle was fought. After performing prodigies of valour, Dhara Sutar and Viram Solankhi with all their fol¬ lowers were slain. Jalku and Mdru being desperate, and preferring death to dishonour, hurled themselves from the peak at the ex¬ tremity of the Surbakri range, and were dashed to pieces. In commemoration of this sacrifice the peak has ever sinco been called the Rani Tunk, or Queens’ Peak. • Saw of tlio World alludes to his cutting the road: roitd k&pwoo. He is called House-Reboilder os he was the weans of Viraxqji recovering his wife.
