Of Love Letters and Liberation: Rukmini’s Bold Escape

Hello Everyone,

As part of the Blogchatter A to Z series, today we bring into focus a queen whose story often hides behind the grandeur of Krishna’s legend. Yet she was not a passive figure in his tale. She was the writer of her own destiny, the one who loved fiercely and acted fearlessly.
Today, we celebrate Rukmini, the princess who wrote a letter that would shape a lifetime and a love that would not wait in silence.

Born to King Bhishmaka of Vidarbha, Rukmini was no ordinary princess. She was known for her beauty and wisdom, but more than that, she carried within her the ability to choose. When her brother Rukmi arranged her marriage to the cruel Shishupala against her will, Rukmini did not fold into despair. She picked up her pen. She wrote a letter to Krishna—a declaration of love, a plea for rescue, and a call for liberation.

In a time when women were expected to wait, she acted.
In a world that told her to obey, she chose to believe.
Not in fate, but in love
Not in silence, but in speech

Rukmini’s letter was not just romantic. It was revolutionary. In it, she described her love for Krishna, her unwillingness to marry another, and her plan to escape. She asked him to come to the temple on the day of her wedding and take her away. It was a bold act of faith, a moment where love met strategy, and devotion met daring.

And Krishna came. He arrived at the gates of Vidarbha, swept her away in his chariot, and they rode together not into exile, but into a union founded on respect and choice. That moment, often told as a heroic act by Krishna, was first made possible by Rukmini’s courage to ask for what she deserved. She did not wait to be chosen. She chose—and trusted her voice enough to speak.

She folded her prayer into a letter
And sent it through the winds of fate
Not knowing if it would be answered
But certain it must be asked

Rukmini’s strength did not end with that escape. As the chief queen of Krishna, she ruled Dwaraka with wisdom and grace. She was gentle in presence but sharp in intellect. She debated, questioned, reflected, and advised. She was a queen not because of her crown, but because of her clarity. In her, love was not submission. It was strength. Her story stands as a reminder that devotion is not always quiet—it can be bold, brave, and beautifully loud.

She is often remembered as the ideal wife, but she was more than that. She was a woman who knew her worth, who risked everything for love that aligned with her spirit, and who proved that liberation sometimes begins with a single word written in truth.

I’m participating in #BlogchatterA2Z” and hyperlink it to https://www.theblogchatter.com

Anindita Rath
@scrambledwriter