Evening of Different Colours

Roshni checked herself in the mirror. She was wearing black jeans and a sequenced pink top. She tied her hair up in a bun, then opened it, confused. She put a hairband on. Then replaced it with a hair clip. In a short black dress, Phool was pacing the room in her high heels. She was checking her Twitter updates and also keeping an eye on Roshni.
" Oh!" Roshni sat down, throwing the clip on the Bed.
" What's wrong?" Phool stopped her makeup brush and asked.
" What to do with my hair?" She shrugged.
" You need a haircut," Phool suggested.
" I mean now!" Roshni had never shouted this way at Phool before. She looked a little wide-eyed.
" Ohh, tie it up, let it loose, whatever." Phool shrugged and went back to applying lip gloss.
A ring of the bell and Phool's servant came to inform, "Phool Baby Ji Gari taiyar hai."
" Okay, hurry up, Roshni, it is already 6.15."
" Oh no, we are late", Roshni brushed her hair vigorously!
" Calm down. It is one of the million dates I go to, no big deal... " Phool stopped pacing. " Wait a minute, you want to impress Pratap, do you?"
" What?" Roshni was caught, and she turned red, " No, of course not!"
"Yes, yes, that's it, Oh, Roshni, am so happy!" Phool hugged her in joy.
" Please don't tell him I like him." There was a tone of guilt in Roshni's voice.

Pratap and Vishal sat on a four-seater corner sofa of the well-decorated cafe. Vishal was growing impatient, looking at the watch and the door; it was already 6.45. What if she didn't turn up? Pratap was wearing a red T-shirt and a black half jacket over his blue jeans. His heart pounded fast; he didn't know why. Even ordering a cold coffee couldn't calm him down. He gulped at it, yet it seemed to get stuck in his throat. The door opened, and Vishal got up in a hurry, spilling his coffee on the table.
" Stupid!" Phool murmured to Roshni. Roshni stepped in, and the air blew her hair from the sides to her back. She looked up and saw Vishal standing with a shameless smile, Phool greeting him in awkwardness, and Pratap instructing the waiter to clean the table. He finished his instruction and looked up at her. A smile appeared on both faces, and the pounding of hearts increased.

He came up to take her to the table.
" He's a mess." He whispered to Roshni, indicating Vishal.
" Many guys are like that with Phool around." She giggled. Pratap stopped to stare at her.
" Your orders, sir!" the waiter asked.
" I will have a fat-free latte, no sugar, please." Phool was always health-conscious.
Vishal looked at her and said, " Me too, Same!"
" I will have a chocolate dark passion ice cream." Taken aback, Pratap and Roshni looked at each other.
" So I will make that two?" The waiter smiled.
" Yes, please!" Nodded Pratap.
Now Phool was busy flirting with Vishal, uncomfortable at first, but later in the evening, Phool began to enjoy his company.
They laughed and giggled as Roshni told Pratap, " I think they like each other."
Pratap smiled, " Mission accomplished?"
It was already 8pm, and time to go home. Roshni got up worried; she was supposed to be home by 8, and her mother would surely scold her.
Phool was least bothered as she declared, "I'm going for a drive with Vishu in my car!"
" But... But... who will take me home?"
" Pratap, of course!" Vishal pointed at him.
" No... No... I will get an auto." She got up to leave after the couple.
" Hey, wait!" Pratap grabbed her wrist. " I can drop you, it's no issue!" She turned around as he got up, her wrist still in his hands, the smell of his perfume was magical as ever. She stared into his deep, dark eyes, and in a second she realised he was holding her hand. He let it go.
"Let's go." He pointed at the door as she followed him out. Not a word was exchanged in the car as it drove up to her house; her wrist still felt hot from his touch, it seemed. She looked out of the window, determined not to look at him. He did so on the other side, scared that she might not have liked his touch.

" Thank You." She said, getting out of the car.
" Is That Pratap?" Her mother called out from the balcony. " Please come in, Beta."
" Not today, Aunty!" he said with a smile. Definitely not today!
Hansa was not a woman to listen to his excuses. She took him inside, tempting him with some chocolate brownie she had made. Roshni's father was home, and Hansa introduced them, " Ram, this is Pratap, Roshni's classmate and Jaivanta's son."
" Hello, sir." He touched his feet.
" Roshni, take him to your room." Pratap followed her to the pink room, decorated with soft toys and pink curtains. A picture hung on the wall, of her and her mother.

" Can I ask you something?" She said in a low voice as he sat down on her bed.
" Yes, of course." Hansa interrupted with a plateful of sinful brownies. " Enjoy!" She said with a smile and left.
Putting a spoonful in his mouth, he said, " You were asking?"
" Aunty... Your mother told mine about your father..." She stopped to look at him. He had stopped eating and looked at her, a little irked. " I don't like to talk of him, Roshni," came a stern reply.
" I think you should... umm... help Aunty...."
" Help?" He gave a sarcastic laugh. " Who needs my help? Who needs me anyway?"
" She does."
" No, they have never ever cared about me, my feelings or my life. "
" That is not true." Roshni frowned in protest.
" What do you know? Do you know how it feels when they fight and shout and call each other names? I have sat in a dark room witnessing this since I was five. Do you know how it feels if your parents call you their mistake?" His eyes filled up as he stepped toward her. She moved back and found herself pinned against the wall.
" Don't you dare say you know this feeling because you don't". He fought back his tears. He realised he was too close to her. Her heavy breath could be felt near his chin. He moved away. "I am sorry."
" No, I am not saying I know how you feel. I am saying your parents love each other, they love you, there must be some misunderstandings that you can help them solve."
" Love? I don't believe in it! It doesn't exist. " He was too angry. She was shocked. She thought he meant it for them. Her voice shook as she asked, " You don't believe in love?" Her sad voice made him realise what he had done.
Damn it, I didn't mean... " Roshni, I... I meant..."
" Go home, Pratap, it's getting late, and I'm sorry I was only trying to help. " She replied in a stone-cold voice before leaving the room. " Listen, I can explain...." His voice went unheard.

He bid goodbye to her parents and stood on her porch. While getting into the car, he looked up at the balcony, and a smile appeared on his face. There she was, standing, looking down at him leave. He waved goodbye. She nodded as the car rushed out of their porch to the main road.

My Everything

Kunwar Pratap stormed into the Mahal at Gogunda amidst uncertainty and chaos. Happy faces of the chieftains and soldiers welcomed him as Rawat Chundawat, and some other chieftains stopped the ongoing Raj Tilak. A visibly scared Kunwar Jagmal looked clueless at a visibly angry Kunwar Pratap. Rani Dheerbai Bhatiyani hadn't expected Kunwar Pratap to show up, that too, despite her conveying to him his father's last wish of crowning Kunwar Jagmal. Twenty-one days after Udai Singh's death, she was finally close to a dream she had dared to dream since Jagmal was born. He was not informed about the Raj Tilak as per Dheerbai's instructions. She eyed Rawat Ji. He must have assembled the chiefs to this revolt against her son, against the dead king. No one except them knew where Kunwar Pratap was staying. It was for the safety of his family. " What are you doing, Chotima?" A disappointed voice was directed at her. She could stoop down so low? For the first time, an anger...

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...

Purnota: Chapter Thirty Eight

Trilochon was so overwhelmed that Binoy came for the Pujo and Kirtan on Dol Purnima. Their neighbours, friends and acquaintances had all gathered in the Thakur Dalan, first for the pujo when the idol of Sree Radha and Sree Krishna were worshipped in the Dalan, and Horir Loot of Batasha and Naru were distributed. Unlike in the village, people here, especially children, did not fight over the Horir Loot . Bondita and Batuk took part in the ritual like they used to as kids, counting the number of Batasha each of them had, amusing the elders who reminisced about their childhood and how Batuk snatched Bondita’s share and ran as she chased after him, shouting. The Kirtan followed the pujo, the tales of Sree Krishna’s prowess, his Leela and Radha’s sacrifice were sung with the sounds of Dhol and Khanjani . It followed the devotional songs praising Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his praises to Lord Krishna. Bondita not only liked the stories of Kirtan but also how the crowd joined in the singing and...

His Wife

" Where is the Kesar, Rama? And the Kalash?" Ajabdeh looked visibly displeased at the ladies who ran around. " They are at the fort gates, and nothing is ready yet!" She exclaimed. She was clad in a red lehenga and the jewellery she had inherited as the first Kunwarani of the crown prince. Little Amar ran down the hallway towards his mother. " Maasa Maasa... who is coming with Daajiraj?" His innocent question made her heart sink. " Bhanwar Ji." Sajja Bai called out to him. " Come here, I will tell you." Amar rushed to his Majhli Dadisa., " Ajabdeh." She turned at Jaivanta Bai's call. "They are here." " M... My Aarti thali..." Ajabde looked lost like never before. Jaivanta Bai held her stone-cold hands, making her stop. She patted her head and gave her a hug. The hug gave her the comfort she was looking for as her racing heart calmed down. Jaivanta Bai left her alone with her thaal. " Maa sa!" ...

Purnota: Chapter Forty One

Kalindi stood looking at the Ganga in the distance as Trilochon watched her. It was later in the night, and the stars were veiling the clear summer sky. A cool breeze blew from the Ganga, relaxing Kalindi’s restless heart as she took a stroll. Trilochon had spotted her in the garden from his balcony and walked up to her. She did not turn as he came up behind her and cleared his throat. “I apologise for storming off like that.” He was the first to speak. Kalindi inhaled. “Have you heard that she went to borrow a saree from Bouma to wear to some party?” Kalindi spoke rather monotonously. “Yes, Bouma said so.” Trilochon cleared his throat. He left out the part where Asha enthusiastically told him about Bondita blushing and her idea of telling Bondita to confess her feelings. Instead, Trilochon added, “The senior is very influential. He can have some good contacts for Bondita. Perhaps enough for her to get a job in Kolkata, like you wanted.” Kalindi could hear through his unconvincing...

To Protect You

Kunwar Pratap was in the court with Rana Udai Singh. The Mughals were conquering a huge part of the north courtesy of Bairam Khan and Mewar on their routes to the ports of Surat. " Daajiraj, we need to secure the roads leading to Agra and also towards the west. The attack-prone areas should always be under surveillance." " Yes, Ranaji. Baojiraj is right." Rawatji agreed. In the Rani Mahal, everyone was preparing for a grand lunch. Ajabdeh was making a drink for the princes and princesses, and in a hurry, she forgot to add the Kesar and Badam on top. As she served the smaller princes, including Kunwar Jagmal, Dheerbai came to inspect her eldest son's food. " What is this? Who made this? Kokoiaji?" She stormed to the kitchen with a bowl of sweet dishes. " Kunwaranisa did." Came a scary answer, from Veer Bai. " Ajabdeh Baisa." Her words let out a silent gasp from the lesser queens who stood witness. Calm and composed, Ajabdeh walke...

Purnota: Chapter Forty Three

Trilochon and Kalindi were having tea in the morning in their living room when Binoy walked downstairs in his Pajama Panjabi, pipe in hand and found them. Watching him unusually in his home attire, Trilochon frowned. “Are you sick? I thought you had already left.” Binoy sat down on the single chaise chair beside the couch as Kalindi poured some tea for him. “ I told you, Dada, I am here to retire.” He said, putting his pipe in his pocket. “Today, Som is going alone. We will see how that goes.” Their conversation was interrupted by Asha coming into the house in a white and red saree, with a red sindoor Teep on her forehead. She had a basket with her, and Koeli was accompanying her as she offered them the sweets she had taken as Prasad. “Since it’s his first day at the new position, we went to the temple together.” Asha narrated to Kalindi. “He left for work from there.” “Do you not have school today?” Kalindi enquired as Asha shook her head. She smiled, eyeing Trilochon, who narra...

Destiny

The war was almost won. A few of Marwar’s soldiers were left on the field along with Rao Maldeo Singh Rathore, their king and leader. He was thinking of retreating at the end of this day. As his sword clashed with one of the opponent generals as he eyed the opponent King now open and prone to attack. A little hope flickered in his mind as his eyes instructed his closest aide. The opponent was in a winning situation thanks to their new Senapati. He was just sixteen, yet his bravery and valour reflected his blood and upbringing. He mesmerised the opponents and even Rao Maldeo with his clever war strategies and sword skills. As Maldeo’s aide swung his sword at a taken aback Udai Singh, someone’s sword defended it as his body acted like a shield for the king. He killed the man in one go. “ Ranaji, are you okay?” “ Haan Raoji.” He nodded gratefully. By half the day, the Marwar army had retreated as the air filled with “ Jai Mewar! Jai Eklingji!” From the triumphant soldiers. Rana Udai ...

Endless

Kunwar Pratap reached the Dangal. Ranima had ordered Ajabdeh to practise regularly. She was nowhere around since he woke up that morning. He had assumed she was with Ranima for the morning prayers, but then she was not in the Dangal on time, either. Ajabdeh was never late. He felt a little uneasy as he picked up the sword. A thunder made him look up at the gloomy sky as he felt the first drop of rain. A little wet, he ran through the corridors. Ajabdeh had woken up feeling unwell. He was sleeping after a tiring day, so she decided against calling him and, more, worrying him. She bathed, hoping to feel better, performed her puja and went to the gardens for some fresh air. Still feeling uneasy in the gloomy weather, she decided that playing with Parvati might make her feel better. After some talk with Bhago and playing with Parvati, she stood up from the floor and felt dizzy. Bhago caught her hand. " Are you all right?" " I just felt a little dizzy. I don't know why...

Purnota: Chapter Forty

“ Ei Bondita,” Asha called her from the stairs as Bondita placed down some papers Aniruddha wanted from the office and was leaving the house. “Come up to my room.” She waved. “ Aschi, Boudi.” Bondita walked up to her room, removing the waistcoat from over her Kurti. She sat down on the edge of Asha’s bed and closed the door. Bondita looked perplexed. “What… is wrong?” “Where is Dadabhai? Is he here?” Bondita shook her head. He was probably still working. “Sir.” The newly recruited junior knocked on the chamber door of Aniruddha’s office as he looked up from the screen. “Your father is here.” Aniruddha frowned a little at his words. Binoy never visited the office. He asked the man to bring him in. Binoy walked in, in a polo-necked navy blue t-shirt over a pair of beige pants, as Aniruddha observed him remove his glasses and look around. “What brought you here?” He enquired after waiting a little in vain for him to speak. “Just came by… for a chat.” Binoy sat down on the seat acros...

RAABTA

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