RAABTA

Happy Valentine's Day, readers! Hope you put your self-love and your love for reading right at the top when you celebrate today! The night was eerie; the veil of stars shone in the clear sky, occasional clouds travelling with the wind, playing hide-and-seek with the crescent moon. The leaves rustling in the gentle breeze, and somewhere in the forestland, the call of an animal broke the silence. Owls hooted somewhere, and in the darkness, one could see across the arid land, beyond the water of a lake, a fort wall was lit by the torches of the guards who were awake and alert. The sandstone castle in the middle of the small township was asleep. The corridors of the Mardana Mahal, where noblemen and princes were stationed, were heavily guarded tonight. The prince of Mewar was travelling through this small town, on one of his many campaigns.  The square-shaped palace had an inner courtyard for the ladies. Opposite the Mardana Mahal was the Andar Mahal, where the women resided. They shar...

Legend has it that Pratap had to struggle for his father Rana Udai Singh's approval on his wedding to the daughter of Bijoliya's chieftain's daughter, Ajbante Kanwar Punwar. It is so because he was the crown prince and his first queen was supposed to be the next queen of Mewar. Hence, his father expected his first bride to be a powerful princess who would aid his political needs. But stubborn as he always was, Kunwar Pratap had other plans. The water of the Bhimlat was still. The sound of the waterfall could be heard in the silent afternoon in the dense forest. A pebble caused ripples in the water and alerted the horse gazing nearby. He looked up at the source of the stone. Then began grazing peacefully once again. The source of the stone, however, was far from being peaceful. His face wore a frown as he stared around restlessly for the umpteenth time. He sat unmindful on the large rock on the bank of the water body, watching the ripples closely, lost in thought. The sou...

The news had spread like wildfire. Udai Singh's spies were suspicious of the story of a Bhil boy who had killed a tiger. It was an unimaginable feat by a tribal lad. Something was amiss. Udai Singh sent his soldiers to see for themselves. The soldiers hovered around the Bhil villages for weeks until the Bhils confronted them, fearing for their own safety. The soldiers could not confirm the news, but the spies could guess what Udai Singh feared.  "He is going to rebel." He said to a worried Dheer Bai. "That is why he has befriended those Bhils." "If you fear treason, Ranaji." Dheer Bai seized the chance. "You can keep him under house imprisonment somewhere away from Chittorgarh." Udai Singh looked reluctant. "The chiefs will see it as my weakness." He grunted. "I will tell my spies to keep an eye on them." "It's unsafe to stay here anymore." Pratap stopped at his morsel, hearing his mother speak. She was fanni...