The Dawn Palace and the Magical Garden

0:00Get Sleepy is a production of Samba Studios. To listen and be free, access our entire catalogue of episodes and support the show directly. Check out our premium feed by going to GetSleepy.com slash support. Now, a quick word from our sponsors. Colass it up with Crocs. You know back to school is coming in fast. So why wait to find your new faith footwear? Step into a local Crocs store and step into your new look. Try it. Style it. Make it yours. Because the right pair doesn't just show up. It shows off. First day fits. Handled. Walk out ready for whatever's next. Visit your nearest Crocs store today. This episode is brought to you by Facebook. So you were scrolling on Marketplace. And there it was. The bike you've been searching for. You sent a message and it turned out the seller was super chatty, kind of funny and an avid cyclist.

1:05The next thing you know, you're in a cycling crew. Well, a community cycling group. The thing about Facebook, you might find more than what you're looking for. From a browse to a bike ride, this summer find more on Facebook. Welcome to Get Sleepy. When we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. As always, my name's Thomas and I'm your host. Tonight's story was written by Mercier and read by Chloe. We're going to visit a palace in India and its magical gardens. Together with pre-anchorant Ruby, we'll share in the mysterious past and enchanted present of a place like no other.

2:06So, move into the most comfortable position for you. Let your body settle and relax. Take a deep breath in and slowly ease it back out. As you continue breathing at a steady, relaxed pace, imagine yourself in a garden amongst fragrant lotus flowers blooming magnolia trees and a peaceful river that runs in the background. Think of how beautiful it all looks at dusk under the light of a thousand lanterns twinkling among the tree tops.

3:15This is a place of serenity and gentle impressions. Like walking through dewy grass or lightly touching a rose paddle or the delicate scent of a lily of the valley right after a shower of summer rain. The gardens of the dorm palettes are a place of natural beauty and wonder. Now, let's learn what also makes this place magical as we begin our story. The garden is a place of natural beauty and wonder.

4:17The garden is a place of natural beauty and wonder. Priyanka was a little nervous but it was an exciting sort of nervous, the way she would usually feel the night before a trip or her birthday. She had recently been employed as the head gardener at a historical Rajbhari, an old manor. It was known to locals as the dawn palace. The estate was located on the outskirts of the Balua neighborhood in the West Bengal city of Haura. It was not far from where Priyanka herself lived. Today would be her first day working at the Rajbhari and she could not wait to get started. Ever since she was a little girl, flowers, trees and plants were the things she loved the most.

5:23She had always marveled at how the seemingly dull soil can spring such awe-inspiring wonders like the majestic Vanyan tree or the mystical Satta Parani or blackboard tree. Not to mention flowers such as the night jasmine, the pink lotus or the black narcissus. These days after her extensive studies, Priyanka knew all about the biological, physical and chemical complexities that make flowers grow. But each time she saw a bud burst into a flower, there was something in her that still saw it as pure magic. It was a wonder how the simple blending of rough brown earth and sweet water gave birth to innumerable colours, shapes, textures and fragrances.

6:26As she approached the main entrance of the Rajbhari, Priyanka felt a tremble of happiness flutter through her. Set on the sprawling grounds along the Huli River, the estate covered an impressive expanse of land. The dawn palace dated back several centuries. Growing up in the area, Priyanka had always admired it. But for as long as she had been aware of its existence, the mana and its gardens had always been abandoned and untended. A few months earlier, Priyanka had been surprised to see an ad in a local paper. The soul living air to the estate, a lady in her 90s, called Ruby, had placed the ad. She was looking for a gardener to restore the old grounds.

7:30Priyanka replied immediately, but after not hearing back from Ruby for a long time, Priyanka assumed that the position had gone to someone else. Then, one day, out of the blue, she received a letter in the post, an unusual thing these days, when everything is communicated digitally. On beautiful light pink-centred paper, in a maculot handwriting, Ruby informed Priyanka that from now on, she would be the head gardener. She invited Priyanka to come to the estate a few days later, to begin the necessary work. While the estate mostly faced the riverfront, its principal entrance was on the city side of the grounds. The old gate rose high towards the vast blue sky.

8:32It was an opulent, golden-black, wrought iron gate, adorned with lush green vines that seemed to climb upwards forever. The verdant creepers were so abundantly leafy, covering most of the tall railings, that Priyanka could not tell how high the gate reached. To her, it almost looked like it touched the sky. She had expected there to be at least a quarter, or some sort of security, but there was no one at the entrance. There were only two statues, slightly taller than her, two stone centenels guarding the gate, with carved uniforms. It looked like military regalia from the late 19th or early 20th century, but Priyanka was not entirely sure.

9:35Pushing the gate gently, she realised that it was unlocked. There were no signs prohibiting visitors, and after all, Priyanka had a meeting with Ruby, the owner of the estate. She was not an uninvited guest. Beyond the gate, the garden was absolutely still and silent. Nothing stirred around her. Priyanka was all struck by what she saw. Everywhere she turned, she saw what must have been thousands of different flowers. Her eyes moved from one to the next. Quicker than her mind could identify them all. It was a wonderful world of colours and fragrances that felt like a waking dream. Since Ruby had not specified where and when they were to meet that day, Priyanka decided to walk around the garden for a little while to take it all in.

10:46After that, she would head inside the house where she would no doubt find Ruby. The quiet serenity of the garden was unlike anything she had known. It was hard to believe that just beyond the gates, how russity buzzed and bustled, with its countless yellow taxes, buses, bicycles and busy people milling about. Turning a corner, Priyanka was suddenly met with an entirely new sight. A little valley of pearly flowers in full bloom, stretching out like a carpet of soft petals, all the way down to the sparkly river. She walked over to get a closer look at the flowers along the riverbank. The Rutch Barric Gardens was so still that even down by the water, it was ever so quiet.

11:47It seemed to be the most peaceful tranquil place on earth. The gardens were wild and overgrown and had not been tended in a long while. But there was no mistaking that this place was full of splendor, and that it must have been once upon a time a lavish and sumptuous estate. Priyanka thought how lucky the family was to have all of this. And she somehow felt happy that they had been so fortunate wherever they were now, and for whatever reason they no longer lived here. But before she could think any more about the family, something caught her eye. Right by the river stood two trees facing one another, almost as if been conversation.

12:48They both seemed to be bowing respectfully to the other. These, she could identify immediately. One was the paryll tree, also known as the fragrant paddy. His blossoms were a scintillating mix of tiny lilac and pink flowers. The other one was the champak tree, a large evergreen blooming with light, creamy yellow magnolias. A gentle breeze came in from the river, rustling the blossoming branches of the two trees. And for the first time since Priyanka had entered these quiet gardens, she heard a sound. It was something between a soft sigh and a delicate whisper. She looked around, but there was no one there except her.

13:50As Priyanka lifted her eyes towards the tall branches of the paryll and the champak tree, it almost looked like they were lowering their branches towards her, as if to say hello. But before she could reach her hand out and touch their flowers, there was yet another sound, that of light unhurried steps approaching. Priyanka turned around and found herself standing face to face with a beautiful elderly lady. She had shiny silver hair cascading down to her waist, and she wore a simple but striking blue sari. The lady's eyes were large and armoured shaped and a rich, deep brown. This must be the lady of the manor, Priyanka thought to herself before saying hello.

14:50The two women stood facing each other, like the paryll and the champak tree. They both smiled. They realised that they had found in one another what both had been looking for. Priyanka had found the garden of her dreams, and the lady, who indeed turned out to be Ruby, had finally found the person to bring her garden back to life. After the introductions and some small talk, Ruby gestured for Priyanka to walk with her through the gardens. They walked for a while along the river, their sandal clad feet caressed by the fresh, chewy grass. It felt like everything in this garden was untouched and wild in that beautiful way that only untamed nature can be.

15:52And Priyanka realised how Ruby's family must have loved the local flora deeply to plant such a garden. Even when untended, it showed off the best this region had to offer. Ruby explained that while many families liked to show off their wealth by bringing in plants from far and wide, her family had always wanted to plant what was local. They grew what came naturally to the soil along the hoolie. Priyanka felt moved by this, a she too had grown up along this river, and had always loved best what grew easily and simply from the earth. They reached one of the guts, the ornamental lights of stone steps that led down to the river and sat down.

16:54It was a beautiful tranquil day. A small sailboat came sailing down the river. The skipper waved at Priyanka and Ruby gleefully, happy to see someone sitting in the once abandoned gardens of the Dawn Palace. As they sat on the steps of the god, Priyanka asked Ruby to tell her a little more about this place and the people who built it. And if Ruby cared to, to also tell her about why they had left the grounds untended for so long. Ruby smiled and looked off into the distance. Her eyes sparkled with a quiet joy and a hint of sweet nostalgia that can only be conjured up by the best memories.

17:54The last time this branch barry was full of life and music was 90 years ago. Ruby began as she closed her eyes. I was only seven then. She went on to tell Priyanka about her family, her friends, and the many guests they would welcome to their home. Together they enjoyed the beauty of the house, the gardens, and the many devotional temples that dotted the grounds. Each night, Zandja Arti would be held at sundown and everyone would be welcome to take part in the ritual, young or old, rich or poor. Zandja means dusk or twilight and Arti is a sacred ritual which involves lighting oil lamps and candles waving the light about to dispel darkness.

19:04It is done to express reverence and gratitude and it is believed to invoke blessings from the heavens. At dusk, the family and their friends would pass in processions through the gardens among the flowers and the temples. And through the many rooms of the rog barry waving their oil lamps and candles singing devotional hymns and ringing bells. More than a religious ritual, it was a way of bringing people together, of taking time in the day, to just be with one another and give thanks. Priyanka could hear the warmth and love in Ruby's voice and she thought how humble and grateful the family seemed, despite their great wealth.

20:06Twice a year, Ruby's family would hold all night festivals where jatras would be performed throughout the celebrations. These were riveting plays that lasted from nightfall until sunrise. At dawn, the festivals would come to an end and all the guests would fall asleep wherever they wished, on silk cushions, in brocade chairs, on simple mats on the floors or on the soft grass among the flowers. The house and its gardens were at their most beautiful in the dawn light. This is why everyone called the estate, the dawn palace. It's mere present seemed to celebrate the morning light.

21:08This used to be a place of music and laughter, said Ruby. Priyanka wondered what had happened then, why the family had left. Ruby said nothing, but invited her to follow along. The two of them finally headed toward the manor, at the heart of the gardens. And as they walked along a flower-stroon path, Priyanka heard once more that half-whisper, half-sci coming from the parrul and the champacctree on the river's edge. It was the only sound that could be heard throughout the vast estate, except for the women's gentle footsteps along the winding path. Entering the Rajbhari, they were met with a dreamlike sight.

22:13The floors and walls made of polished, shiny stone were white, as if they had been washed with pure milk. Then they reached the central atrium of the manor. At the heart of this open-air courtyard were many majestic stone statues of elephants and horses. Their backs were draped in the finest woven silks and tassels hung with jewels. Priyanka noticed that they were carved with as many delicate details as the stone sentinels she had seen the main gate. It must have been a fine stone mason, she thought, who carved these life-like figures. Even though it was quiet all around, the statues were so wonderfully realistic that one could almost hear the trumpeting of the elephants and the playful naying of the horses.

23:24Priyanka and Ruby wandered on to the next room, which must have been a ballroom at one time. It was softly lit by the sparkling light of innumerable oil lamps mounted in wall niches. The walls were lined with what must have been real jewels, emeralds, rubies and rosy pink diamonds. And there were sapphires of different colours, corn flour, teal, ice blue and even the rare paparacha sapphire, which was a light amber colour. There were no stone carvings of animals in this room. Instead, there were statues of many different people. Royal guards, simple soldiers, gatekeepers, humbly attired townspeople, well dressed ladies and devonare men. It was all too wonderful, but Priyanka could not make sense of it.

24:28Ruby walked by her side in silence, showing her from room to room. The beauty of the roach barry was overwhelming. Priyanka thought how generous Ruby's family must have been to have invited everyone to take part in the splendor of their estate. Without a word, Ruby led Priyanka back out to the garden, down by the river. In the pleasant shade of the paryole and champak tree, the two women sat down. Ruby looked into the distance, as if choosing her next words with great care. I'm now going to tell you the final part of the story, she finally said, after moments of deep reflection. And then, Ruby shared the story of how the dawn palace came to be abandoned for 90 long years.

25:29One night, the family was celebrating a festival. An envious neighbour looked on from the other side of the river. Even though his wealth was far greater and is a state many times faster, he envied the music and laughter that always came from the roach barry on the opposite river bank. And he did not take kindly to the diverse guests that mingled freely. Being skilled in the dark arts, he decided to cast a spell for everyone at the festival within the grounds of the roach barry to turn to stone and sleep forever. But the spirit granting the spell demanded that there be a way of reversing it, since no darkness can exist without its counterpoint light.

26:30The envious neighbour thought long and hard. Finally, he decided to provide a reversal to the spell which he thought would be impossible to fulfill. The only way to awaken the guests at the party was for someone to come to the roach barry and feel no envy, not even a slightest pang of wanting what the family had in its possession. It could never be an heir to the estate, since they would obviously not envy what was rightfully theirs. It would have to be a stranger. The neighbour was so certain that such a thing was impossible that he set these requirements for the reversal of his malicious spell. When the spirit granting his wish asked how to test if a person harbored no envy, the neighbour said this.

27:32Only the one who has no envy in their heart will be able to pick a blossom from the plural and jam back trees. They had stood tall by the river for many, many years, exuding nothing but goodness and joy. Ruby had been at the festival, but she escaped the spell. At the time it was cast, she had ventured outside the main entrance, looking for one of her kittens that had wandered off. Had she been on the grounds, the same fate would have been fallen hard too. But this blessing had been a burden. For many years, she had sought a way to bring everyone back. It took her a long time to learn of the spell, to discover who had cast it, and how to undo it.

28:38Here Ruby stopped talking, and with a smile, she looked knowingly at Priyanka. She motioned with her head for Priyanka to try and reach for the blossoms in the branches of the trees above them. For some reason, Priyanka dared not stretch out her hand. Sensing her reticence, Ruby stood up and reached for one of the branches. Instantly, the branches pulled away from her touch. Priyanka stood up carefully, not knowing what to think or believe. Go on, said Ruby, I believe in you. With that, Priyanka carefully reached her hand toward the pearl tree. And with a gentle sigh, like a sigh of relief, it bent towards her, placing a lilac blossom in the palm of her hand.

29:47With her other hand, she reached for the shampak tree. And it too, with the same gentle exhale of relief, bent down and placed a yellow magnolia in her palm. Then, the silent garden surrounding the dawn palace started to awaken little by little. At first, there was the sound of a bell ringing. Then, a child's laughter was heard. And by degrees, music and babbling chatter echoed out from the house. The voices of young and old joined in the merriment and celebration. Suddenly, there came a voice from the veranda of the roach-bari. Ruby, a woman called out.

30:47It was one of the stone statues from the ballroom, come to life. Ruby smiled and headed towards the woman on the veranda, disappearing into the happy world of music and laughter. The festival carried on into the night. Celebration rang out in the gardens and the roach-bari, like it had never been interrupted. All around were sounds of joy and festivity. But Priyanka felt tired and sleepy from the long day. With slow, unhurried steps, she made her way back to the main gate, where she had first arrived earlier that day. It seemed like forever ago in that moment.

31:47As she stepped out, a voice said to Priyanka, won't you stay for the celebration? She looked over and true enough the stone sentinels were now dashing young men, standing guard at the gate. She smiled at them kindly and said that while that would be a lovely idea, she'd had a lot of excitement for one day and could not wait to go home and go to bed. A good, long night's sleep was exactly what Priyanka needed. The sentinels smiled and wished her good night. But as Priyanka walked on towards her bicycle parked just up ahead, one of the sentinels called out there.

32:47Do come back tomorrow, the garden needs you. Priyanka nodded sleepily and waved at them, promising to come back tomorrow and tend her new garden. Back home, cosily tucked into bed, the images of the day, world in high head. The sumptuous frodge-bury, with its milk-white floors, its julled walls, and its endless gardens full of flowers and trees, and all manner of exquisite plants. Some were as extraordinary as the lotus and others as beautifully simple as a wild flower. But more than anything, she thought of Ruby and of the parole and the Shambhaktree.

33:58She could almost hear them now, their gentle whispering-size, lulling her to sleep. One deep breath at a time, Priyanka felt herself immersed further and further into the world of sleep. Many wonderful dreams awaited her. Each one, as enchanting and full of beauty, as the stories she had heard that day.