Once upon a time, there was a mortal king, named Pururavas, who ruled over beautiful and prosperous lands. On one fateful day, while attending a victory celebration, the king caught site of a beautiful water fairy called Urashi. Being an exiled fairy, Urashi accepted Pururavas love humbly.
Days chased after days, years chased after years… And one day Urashi learned that her exile ended. Despite being forgiven by her people, Urashi did not want to leave Pururavas, and continued to live her now mortal life with him. Grandharvas, the spirits of Urashi’s native realm, however, did not want her to live in the mortal world. After devising a cunning plan, they made Urashi leave Pururavas. She left, the king could not bear her absence.
He looked for her everywhere, and prayed to every God to find her. As a las resort Pururavas went to a riverside and begged the water fairies for help. Finally the fairies showed themselves to Pururavas, and he recognized Urashi among them. Urashi told the king that she could not live in the mortal world any longer, that they could only see each other once every year, and that the only way for them to be together again was for the king to move to her realm.
One the same day of the year after and the five years following, king Pururavas faithfully went to the riverside to be with Urashi. The Grandharvas saw and admired the perseverance of the king, and transformed him into a Grandharva. The king thus moved to Urashi’s realm, and the lovers finally rejoined for eternity.
