Skip to main content

She Left...

The war was over and so were the hopes of regaining Chittor. The Battle at Haldighati had robbed the Rana of all his wealth, and brave men, and bruised him for life. Trying to match up to Akbar or rather Raja Man Singh's army with one-third its strength had cost his bravery dearly. He had lost his friend and companion. He had brushed past death. The only good thing that this war ensured was that Akbar accepted that he cannot have Mewar. His army retreated and left the country in peace after almost two decades and seventeen wars. This war gave something else too. Kunwar Shakti came to help his brother in his time of need. He lived up to his brother's expectations of being loyal to his family.

A heavy-hearted Rana Pratap Singh was overseeing the construction work on his lost friend's memorial right where he died, trying to save his master. The Bronze statue of the life-like Chetak stood tall but was no match for the void Chetak has left behind. He was lost in his thoughts as he watched his eldest son, Kunwar Amar instructing the workers as his younger brother Kunwar Chand looked on. "We used to be like this, Bhai Shakti and me." He sighed. He had lost his family for the seat of Mewar. His brothers hated him, his stepmothers wished he were dead. But the love of his people kept him going.

 

The sound of a procession attracted his attention as he noticed a palanquin moving up the ridge to his camp. " Ajabde..." he murmured, displeased. Before leaving Chavand he had clearly instructed her to stay at the palace and rest as per the Vaidji's instructions. She was very weak, he had said. But Maharani Ajabde was not a soul to be lying down with an illness. Her ever-smiling face came out of the palanquin, a scared Jasobai in toe. The Chauhan Princess was very scared as she was supposed to stop the Maharani but failed. 

"Rana Ji, set the two tents where you wish to." Ajabde's voice was fully determined. " We are staying here until you go back with us."

" Ajabde, vaidji..."

" I tried to stop Jija." Jasobai almost sobbed.

" It's not her fault."

" I know that Ajabde." 

 

He knew her too well. He stared in silence as they met the princes and looked after the arrangements. Kunwar Amar's marriage to the princess of Bundi was just a month away and sometimes looking at Ajabde he remembered the girl who used to watch him play with swords. Time flows like a river. He smiled watching the mother-son duo hug each other as Ajabde inspected some old wounds. 

" Kunwar Amar is not your kid anymore, he is getting married next month, stop inspecting him like that!"

" Daaji Raaj is right Ranimaa." Kunwar Amar found an excuse to run away from this embarrassing concern she showed at times.

" No matter how big he becomes, I will always look after my child's wounds."

" Then, who will look after mine, Ajabde?"

" Kunwar Pratap you have so many wives, my son only has me." She knew very well how much he hated being reminded that she was not the only one.

" They are not you Ajabde, where is Jasobai?"

" See, you are asking me about her, she is at her tent, Go on." She purposely turned away as if she was busy. But he didn't leave. Instead, he walked up to her and held her hand.

" Are you alright Ajabde? Jasobai told me you fainted... and..."

" I am all right, they are just worried more because you scare them with your concern about me."

" They are not wrong if anything happens to you..."

" You will still have all your other wives." She tried to ignore his teary eyes with her laughter. They both knew she did not have much time left. At Least the Vaidji told him so, while she overheard it.

" Ajabde, please rest a little."

" I will only after you and Kunwar Amar and Chand have eaten."

She sat there inspecting all the delicacies as her husband and his sons ate. The Kheer was brought by a maid at the end. 

The next morning the workers and the royal family woke with the musical voice of the Maharani singing Bhajan. The Royal family was making preparations to go back to Chavand as the work was almost over. Suddenly, he felt her face turn pale as she fainted in his arms. She was as light as a feather. The brave Rana Pratap lost his voice at this, as the guards rushed to his aide. She was taken to the palace immediately for medical attention. The Vaidyas treated her day and night as she remained unconscious, her head burning with fever. Her husband never left her chambers these few days, he stopped talking and eating. He lost his sleep in the fear of losing her. Having a bite, his expression made her smile. Never had her Kheer failed to take that expression out of him in all these years. He smiled at her. Wish I could keep you like this forever. She could read his mind.

 

On the fourth day, she could see the people around her, recognise their faces and fumble a few words. He made her eat her food and drink her medicine from his hands. She had done so much for him all her life this was the little return he could ever give her. 

" Kunwar Pratap?" 

" Yes Ajabde, I am here. You want something."

" Yes, I want... I want Amar to get married to the Princess of Bundi no matter what."

" He will Ajabde, you get better then..." He sobbed, trying to hold back his tears in vain.

" No Kunwar Pratap, you promise.... that girl reminds me of Ranima." Ajabde's smile faded as she coughed. He gave her water. She gulped it down hard as if something hurt her throat.

" Another Promise Kunwarsa.... Please..." She was gasping for breath. This was her longest conversation in a week.

" Anything for you ... tell me..."

" Marry Ratnavati...."

" What? No... I can't ... you know I...."

" Marry my sister Kunwar Pratap."

" I can't... she is nothing like you."

" She needs your help Kunwarsa... Marry her... Promise me..."

" Ajabde..."

" This is my last wish..." 

 

He feared these words. This felt like his worst nightmare was coming true... He felt as if the sky was falling on his head... Life without Ajabde? He had never imagined... He wished he fought less and stayed home with her more... He wished he never had to marry for alliances and hurt her time and again... He wished he could give her the life of a queen and not a commoner in exile... Today he wished he could give her his life. 

 

" No Ajabde, don't say that. Don't say that" He hugged her, feeling her frail hands hug him back as tears fell from her cheeks. 

" I am sorry Kunwar Pratap. I have to leave you like this, I feel helpless."

" No Ajabde, I am sorry, I wish I could be with you more."

" You have always been my best friend Kunwarsa."

" And you are the best companion I could ask for."

 

The Guard announced the arrival of their sons as he let her go from his hug. A sobbing Amar and Bhagwan Das came to hug their mother. 

" Always listen to your father, never question him." She told them. " Amar, respect your wife the way your Daajiraaj does." She smiled at her sobbing sons before they left. She wanted to meet Solankini Bai and Phool Kanwar. She held the sobbing princesses and told them " Take care of our children and Kunwarsa." 

" Jija we are nothing without you, who will put our thoughts before Ranaji if not you?"

" You will learn behna."

 

That dawn was one of the darkest dawns of Pratap's life. Mewar cried for Maharani. She had loved them like her children and she left peacefully, like she always was, full of grace, in her sleep, as she held his hands forever.

 

For the next few months, Amar Singh took over the administration as his father mourned his mother. He missed her concerns now. He knew how his father felt. She was his friend. They had grown up together. Mewar rejoiced at the wedding of Amar soon and nobody except Amar and his Daaji Raaj had this void in their lives never to be filled again. After a peaceful seven more years of reign, fulfilling his last promise to Ajabde and marrying her sister, Rana Pratap passed away, unsatisfied with life, as he could never bring Chittor back to Mewar, but content that he had fought to marry Ajabde who was the best partner he could ever have.




Comments

  1. nicely written/scripted/authored blog\article\post ------------------ my heart has become heavy,,,, so well the emotional/sentimental aspect {of the story\issue\subject\topic concerned} has been portrayed\depicted by the honourable adorable blogger in\on this blog/thread/post of hers :'( :-(

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is making me cry, beautiful but painful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. thank you, indeed is painful, the way his death affected her!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Towards You

The Afghans, after Sher Shah Suri's untimely demise, were at loggerheads for power. Their troops near Mewar were now led by Mehmood Shah. They secretly captured territories in the forests and waited to attack Mewari camps when the time was right. Rawat Chundawat and his spies had confirmed the news, and Udai Singh sent a warning to Mehmood Shah to withdraw his troops from Mewar in vain. Now that it was out in the open, it was time they declared war. Mehmood Shah had limited resources in Mewar. His internal rebellion against his commander did not help his cause. His spies clearly suggested that in no way could he win, especially with Kunwar Pratap leading his troops. He was having second thoughts about the war. It was then that one of his aides suggested a perfect plan. Maharani Jaivanta Bai had decided to go to the Mahakaleshwar Temple near the outskirts of Chittorgarh, in the forestlands of Bhilwara. They had travelled a long way and across the Gambhiri river that meandered during...

You Deserve More

Ajabdeh woke up with the song of birds as she felt something warm on her hand. Her eyes went wide. Her hand was on the pillow in between them, between his hands, clasped as he slept. She thought of removing it slowly, but he was holding on to it so tightly. Ajabdeh's heart beat faster and faster. What do I do now? How do I not wake him? What if... why is my hand in his? She was utterly confused.   " Am I...In love?" Pratap was staring at the sleeping figure on the bed as he stared back at the rain. Then he frowned as he noticed that she shivered. He closed the windows of the room to make it cosy, then sat on his side of the bed. A lamp flickered on her side like always, and he stared at her sleeping figure as he put his blanket over her as well. She shifted a little in her sleep to make herself cosy again. Her payals and bangles made a rhythmic sound, breaking the silence of the room. Her hand was out of her blanket and on the pillow in between. He tried to slowly put it ...

Purnota: Chapter Four

The group of youth provided by the Pradhan proved efficient for Aniruddha’s liking as they helped him survey the villages, create a set of data and provide a rough idea of how much fund was needed to rebuild the roofs and fallen walls. “What if we make them permanent? That way, the next cyclone will cause less damage. Pakka houses may also get other facilities like toilets and…” Aniruddha suggested as his eyes shone in the flickering light of the dimly lit kerosene lamp in the living room of Pradhan’s house. Drops of perspiration had formed on his forehead in the load-shedding, and the mosquitoes buzzed around them. For the first two nights, Aniruddha could barely sleep in the unfamiliar surroundings with buzzing insects, sounds of the unknown, and eerie animals here and there at a distance. Stories of snakes climbing up to the second floor through windows despite the mosquito net protecting his four-poster bed kept him alarmed. By the third day, after a day’s survey through the villag...

Purnota: Chapter Three

“Did you ask for me, Dadu?” Bondita asked as the old man smiled at her. She looked fresh, with her hair neatly braided and a cotton pleated skirt, Thamma sewn with a faded top of one of her cousins, as she stood before the old man sitting on the porch. “Yes indeed, Didibhai, you didn’t come for chess yesterday.” The man smiled. “Oh, Pradhan Jyatha wanted me to look out for the …” She stopped as she saw Aniruddha walking towards them down the corridor. She eyed him as the old man followed her gaze. “Oh Aniruddha Babu, come here. This is Bondita Das.” Aniruddha smiled at the child as she looked away. “She is the only girl in the village who has appeared for her final examinations this year. She is very intelligent and…” Aniruddha nodded “She helped me a lot yesterday.” He made her look up, with a cold stare at him as he smiled politely. “Yes, I have called her here to show you around the village. He wants to see the affected areas of the Adivasis, Bondita.” The old man made her nod. “But...

Purnota: Chapter Six

Kalindi waited outside the hut, on the torn mat they usually slept on, using the hand fan to drive away mosquitoes as she stared at the empty path leading out of the house, the path Bondita had taken some time back. It was almost an hour. Did the foolish girl escape or land in trouble? To her relief, she could hear her nephew snoring away indoors, reassuring her that they were at least not caught by the villagers till now. She was sure Bondita would return empty-handed and hurt, and that she would have no other way than to accept the proposal from the Pradhan. That morning, her Kaka would accompany Sarkar Moshai to the adjacent village to talk to a family friend of the Sarkars. They were looking for a bride for their sixteen-year-old eldest son, who worked as a labourer in Sealdah. Kalindi had tears in her eyes. Not much had changed in these years; not much of women’s fate was different, wasn't it? Kalindi was about ten years old when her father took her to the Roy Chowdhury house ...

A Heart at War

Legend has it that Pratap had to struggle for his father Rana Udai Singh's approval on his wedding with 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 thoughts. The soun...

Purnota: Chapter Five

Aniruddha finished reading the book he had carried with him in the dim light of the bulb in his room and decided to pack it away. He was leaving in a few days and wanted to make sure he left nothing behind. The construction work on the school had started, and the Panchayat wanted to give him a thankful farewell he humbly refused. The spotlight should be on Trilochon to help with his next election campaign. Aniruddha did not want to associate himself with the party or the job. He contemplated going back home and telling his father that he had decided to pursue a career in India instead of his initial plan of going back to London. He had been giving it a thought for quite some time, and the day he said it out loud to Bondita, he knew in his subconscious mind he had already decided on it. The more he saw the village, the more sure he was that he was needed by his countrymen. Dadu put faith in him that he could be part of something bigger than himself and his career, and he intended to kee...

Dreams and Wishes

At dawn, the Bhil women took the girls to the Kalika Mata Temple and the Jal Kund. Dressed in white a nervous Heer followed everything Ajabde knew and did, trying to explain the significance of the rituals to her. They prayed to Lord Ganesh. Kunwar Shakti and Kunwar Pratap were staying at Punja Ji's place as they were not supposed to see the brides before the wedding. Ajabde was dressed in her mother's lehenga, a mang tika Jaivanta Bai gave her as a family heirloom and the simple nosering Pratap had gifted. They made their hair into a simple bun with wildflowers before putting on her dupatta. Heer was dressed in traditional Bhil jewellery of silver and beads that the women had gifted her. They made her wear a red and white saree draped as a lehenga and a red chunri with it. She looked like a pretty colourful Bhil bride. Kunwar Shakti was a nervous groom dressed in a traditional bhil dhoti, kurta and cap. The bhil shawl hung from a side, making the white attire colourful. K...

Life and You

" Maharanisa! Maharanisa!" The maid-in-waiting ran through the quiet Rani Mahal as Jaivanta Bai, who was sitting in front of the Lord in her room ever since she was back, rushed out of her room, followed by Sajjabai and Veerbai. " What happened?" She asked, her voice calm, but her heart thumping. " Kunwarsa is here... with Kunwarani... She... She...." The maid sobbed as Jaivanta Bai rushed to the room. She stood at the door as her eyes could not believe what she saw. Kunwar Pratap was soaked in her blood as he laid her down on the bed, shouting, " Quick. Rajvaidya..." His eyes stopped at the door as Jaivanta Bai rushed to be beside the unconscious Ajabdeh. The Daasis and Sevaks were running about soon enough. Sajja Bai gasped at the scene. So much blood. Kunwar Pratap had not noticed anything except her calm, unconscious face. Now that he noticed his blood-soaked hands, red, he stared at them as though in a trance. "Kunwar Pratap! Tell me w...