MUMBAI: The auditorium lights dimmed, a hush fell over rows of expectant students, and the rhythmic beat of traditional music signalled the beginning of a journey centuries into the past. On stage, draped in royal robes and lit by a warm amber glow, Raja Bhadrahari of Ujjain stood at the centre of a moral storm — a king offered immortality, only to confront betrayal and renunciation.An ancient tale of love, deceit and sacrifice unfolded at Somaiya University’s storytelling festival ‘Afsana’, where a packed house watched the folk legend from Madhya Pradesh come alive through performance.The story recounts the life of Raja Bhadrahari, a ruler revered for his virtue. A wandering ascetic, pleased with the king’s conduct, gifted him a fruit that promised eternal life. Yet the boon became a burden. Immortality would mean watching all that he loved wither away.Choosing devotion over dominion, Bhadrahari offered the fruit to his wife, Queen Pingala. But the queen, enamoured of the kotwal (chief of police), passed it on to him. The kotwal, unsure what to do with such a gift, handed it to a courtesan or ‘nagar vadhu’. In a striking twist, it was the courtesan who displayed the greatest sense of duty. Believing the kingdom would benefit most from a righteous ruler’s long life, she returned the fruit to the king.Confronted with betrayal, Bhadrahari is said to have renounced his throne and worldly life, passing the kingdom to his younger brother, Chandragupta II, better known in legend as Vikramaditya.The production was staged by a troupe led by Sanjay Mahajan, who has performed the tale across the country, including at Rashtrapati Bhavan. “It was Bhadrahari’s deep love for his wife that made him give away the fruit instead of keeping immortality for himself. But the core message is that true love is not meant for worldly attachments, but for the divine,” Mahajan said.He added that audiences often overlook the moral complexity of the story. “Virtue is found in unexpected places. The courtesan, who is marginalised by society, shows the greatest sense of selflessness by thinking of the larger good,” he said.Festival organiser Amrita Somaiya said ‘Afsana’ seeks to revive oral storytelling traditions for younger generations. “These stories are part of our cultural inheritance. Just like recipes passed down by our grandmothers, they survive through retelling. We want students to experience narratives from different cultures that they may otherwise never encounter,” she said.Through drama and dialogue, the centuries-old legend found resonance with a modern audience — reminding them that power, love and virtue often take unexpected forms.
