Funeral Fun and a wonderful Kavya

On reading Kamalji's 'Funeral Fun' I am reminded of as to how literature has been enriched by 'funeral fun'.Here is an interesting story.
We have an interesting story of how BhOja's Champu RamayaNam came
into being. And, here it is!
King Bhoja of Dharapur was a great friend of Kalidasa. The king also was a renouned scholar

One day the King was seized of a strange thought. If and when, in
due course, he died many poets would compose odes in his memory and that the one that would be composed by KaaLIdaasa would be
especially beautiful. And, because being dead, he wouldn't be alive to hear it, he requested KaaLidaasa to compose one
in advance and submit it. KaaLidaasa was hesitant because, if he did
so, the King was sure to die instantly as a result of a boon he had
received from Goddess KaaLi. And, he did not want to lose his bosom
friend. When he refused to compose one, the King banished him from
his kingdom.
KaaLidaasa went in exile and was a wandering minstrel begging for
his food.

The King soon realized his mistake in banishing his friend and could
not bear separation from his friend. The kings of yore used to go out
incognito and mix with common folk to know first hand what the
subjects thought about the state of the State. BhOja also disguised
himself and was roaming in the country side when he chanced to meet
with a Bikshu and started a conversation in poetic language.
The Bikshu answered him in the same language. Soon he recognized the
Bikshu as Kalidasa while the latter could not recognise the king.

During the conversation the bhikshu said that he hailed from Dharapur
and that he would like to meet the king.Now the king wanted to get
his earlier fulfilled.

The King broke the false news "How sad! The King died 6 days
ago" On hearing this, the Bikshu swooned and when he gained
consciousness immediately composed a slOka as follows:

adhya dhaaraa niraadhaaraa niraalambaa saraswatee/
paNDitaa: khanditaa: sarvE bhOja raajE divam gate//

"Today, the subjects of Dhaaraapuram have lost their support on the
death of the King. Saraswati, the Goddess of learning finds herself
bereft of art and the artists"

The moment he uttered these words, the life of the King who was in
disguise departed leaving his dead body in the hands of the Bikshu.
KaaLidaasa was shocked with grief and wondered as to why the King
should have invited his own death by acting in disguise and conveying
the false news of his own demise. He prayed to his IshTa dEvata,
KaaLi who appeared before him and asked him to repeat his Slokam with
slight alteration and said that the King would come back to life but
for a brief 3 3/4 naazhigai (about 1 ½ hours) only.
KaaLidaasa sang a slightly revised version:

adhya dhaaraa sadaadhaaraa sadaalambaa saraswatee /
paNDitaa: maNDitaa: sarvE bhOja raajE bhuvam gate//

"Today, the citizens of Dhaaraapur got back their good governing
King BhOja, and Saraswati's again became filled with great poets and
other artists who lived happily ever after"

The King came back to life as if waking from a slumber and the duo
became closer still. Time was short and they had to accomplish
something before the 1 ½ hours of life granted to the King.
Together, they decided to compose "RamayaNam" that we now know
as "BhOja Champu" after the name of the renowned King.
Bhoja Champu is renarration of Ramayana in semi prose and poetry.
Kishkinta kandam of the Champu is very famous for the narration of
prowess of Hanuman in poetic style.

Jayasala 42

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Funeral Fun and a wonderful Kavya