Once upon a time in King Rai Diyach used to rule in Junagadh. He had one sister who had no
child. She prayed to all the saints and holy men for a child. At last one saint blessed her and
said, “A son will be born to you, but he is destined to kill your illustrious brother.” She was very
disappointed. She thought that what use would a son be if he was to cause death of her
brother? However, she gave birth to a son. She was reminded of the prophecy by the saint. She
steeled her heart, got the child put in basket and set it afloat in the river. The basket, swimming
on the river, reached in the Kingdom of King Annirai. One shepherd named Dami used to live on
the bank of the river. He and his wife went to river early in the morning to fetch water. There
they found this basket which contained a very sweet newly born child. As they had no child of
their own their joy knew no bounds and they raised him as their own son. He was named Beejal
(water’s gift). When he grew up, as per tradition he would go to forest to graze animals of the
family. As is wont with such children, he was adapt at playing the musical instrument also.
Once someone hunted a deer and flung its intestines on the branch of a tree. After some time
when wind would strike against them melodious notes would emanate from it. This would attract
all the birds and animals. Soon Beejal realized that this was due to those intestines which had
dried with the passage of time. He removed them and made strings from them for his instrument.
On his touching those strings with his bow the music would ensue by which bird and animals all
would be attracted. In this way he would catch some deer and bring the same to his home to
feed his parents. He became quite famous due to his musical abilities. As he grew up his
parents got him married, as per custom.
Near Junagadh, in a principality Annirai used to rule. When Beejal was born at that same time a
baby girl was also born to Annirai. He had already sixty daughters and as unwanted child she
too was put in a basket and set afloat on the river. The basket reached at the place where Rai
Diyach used to rule. One potter by name Ratno came on the banks of the river to collect the
clay. He found that basket and brought up that girl as his own. The girl was named Sorath.
When girl grew up the fame of her beauty spread far and wide. When Annirai heard about
unmatched beauty of Sorath he approached Ratno the potter for her hand in marriage to which
he readily agreed. After consulting astrologer on an auspicious moment he carried Sorath in a
marriage procession and took a road to kingdom of Annirai. As the procession was moving in
Junagadh the ruler came to know about it. On enquiring about it he was told that Ratno the
potter was taking this procession to get his daughter married to Annirai. Hearing this he felt
insulted and belittled, he asked for the hand of Sorath from Ratno potter who was his subject
and forcibly married Sorath.
All this humiliation was more than enough reason for Annirai to attack Junagadh. His attack was
repulsed by armies of Rai Diyach. Smarting under humiliation heaped one upon another, he
issued a proclamation with the huge plate filled with Jewels and precious stones “Whosoever
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