Party in Udaipur

"Get me the car, please, Kaka!" He kept his phone and turned to see her checking hers. A red Ferrari sports car drove up as the driver handed over the key to Pratap. Ajabdeh's eyes widened.

"Whoa!!! This is cool, man! You should mention having a car like this. Pata hota to Kuch aur pehenti!"

" No, what you are wearing is fine!" He opened the door for her.

" I can't believe this! " She gushed.

" What?" He frowned as he sat at the wheel.

" Wait, let me take a selfie!" He frowned at her some more.

She uploads the picture on Instagram as she says aloud, " Hashtag(#) Palace #Royalty #Ferrari #outwithaprince #omg"

He stares at her, amused, " Really? Out with a prince?"

" Kyaa?" She raised her eyebrows. "My friends in Delhi are always like Kaunsa Gaon mein You stay gal! This is my chance to show off a little!" She shrugged.

He shook his head, " I can't believe this!"

" Can I tag you?" She asked, ignoring his amusement.

" No! Wait... Do you follow me?" He asked.

" Ya so?" She shrugged.

" Nothing!" He looked surprised. "I didn't know that."

"I don't expect someone with a blue tick and thousands of followers to even know." She shrugged.

The car drove out of the archways as Ajabdeh waved to a much-surprised Kaka.

" Chalo Princy, where are the engaged specimens?" She said, turning to face him.

"First of all, Princy sounds like a dog! Secondly, what on earth are engaged specimens?" He asked.

"Haan! You see, let me explain..." He shook his head. It was going to be a long drive.

" ... They are getting married, so to all the unmarried people, they are like specimens. They go through the experiment, we learn from it..." Ajabdeh moved her hands animatedly as she spoke.

" Learn what?" He asked, eyeing her in his peripheral vision.

" That you should never get married. Ever!" She shook her head with a chuckle.

He laughed, amused. " I thought all girls have this prince on a white horse dream."

" Not this girl!" She shook her head. "I have more of a queen of my kingdom dream."

" Well, sadly, I have to get married." He sighed.

" Why?" She frowned.

" Royalty, sole heir, empire!" He shrugged.

" Like a Princess?" Ajabdeh narrowed her eyes.

" Maybe..." He shrugged with half a smile, concentrating on the road.

" Ewww, so typical. It's like a live fairytale." She looked away.

He stopped the car where another car was already parked. It was a white BMW. Chakrapani waved at his friend and stepped out, followed by Bhagwati, in a pretty white knee-length dress. Ajabdeh saw Bhago and forgot about her gown. " Eeee Bhago!!!!"

Within a few seconds, Pratap saw her get out of the car and rush towards a surprised Bhagwati and the next moment, with a loud thud, she was on the road. Ajabdeh Punwar had tripped on her gown.

She sat like a child, cursing, " Damn This Gown!"

Chakrapani was surprised but quick to help her up, and Bhago asked, " Are you all right?" Pratap just couldn't control his laughter at what had just happened before his eyes! She glanced, narrowing her eyes at him, then came up with a taunt, " Wow! So princely of you!"

" Now, I am with Ajabdeh Punwar, Kuch toh asar hoga na!" He laughed again, and all four of them started laughing.

They arrived at the party. The grand hotel made Ajabdeh say, "Whoa, you bought this thing?"

" Ya, I did!" He nodded.

They entered the private banquet as his friends and acquaintances scrutinised the girl with him.

" Guys, meet Ajabdeh Punwar, she is Ram Uncle's daughter and Bhagwati's childhood friend." He introduced her to his friends.

" I am Ven. Venkatesh. Pleased to meet you, I must say you are very pretty. " Ven held out his hand to her.

" Oh, I know that!" Her answer stunned him and made Pratap smile. He saw Chaks tell Ven by hand gesture that she was indeed a bit mad!

"I'm thirsty." Ajabdeh declared.

" Let me grab you a drink then." Ven insisted.

" Well, anything non-alcoholic!" She smiled.

" You don't drink?" Pratap asked, surprised.

" This girl needs no drink to have fun." She winked as he turned red and looked away.

" OMG, Princy, you are so shy!" She laughed.

" Here, juice!" Ven came with a glass, " Baojiraj is so shy that you are practically the first girl he is introducing us to."

" Really? Princy! Didn't expect this from you!" She took a sip. " Why?" He frowned.

" You look good, matlab thik thak, you are rich! Then there are all these girls staring at you right now." She smiled matter-of-factly.

" I won't say I enjoy the attention." He shrugged. "They see my status, not me."

"Deep. Profound. Boooring!" She shook her head.

" Speaking of girls!" Chak interrupted, " Baojiraj, run!"

" What?" Pratap stared at him, clueless.

All eyes were at the door, where a beautiful lady, about nineteen, had entered in a red, backless dress, and the male eyes hovered on her. She looked around and smiled at Pratap.

" Damn! How could she spot me with so many people around so easily?" Ajabdeh heard him murmur.

" Hi, Pratap!" The girl waved with a smile. " Rajkumari Phool Kanwar!" He smiled back.

" Call me Princess Rathore." Ajabdeh's loud slurp turned the attention to her. " Who is she?" The princess seemed to judge her.

" Ajabdeh, my childhood friend." Pratap smiled, leaning a little towards her as Ajabdeh looked surprised.

" No, I am not his childhood friend; I have known him since childhood." Ajabdeh moved away, a little.

"Pratap, you..." Phool started as Ajabdeh took another slurp.

" Ajab, you wanted to dance, right? Come!" He snatched her drink, keeping it down, dragging her by her hand to the dance floor before she could react with her mouth full of juice. She gulped it down, saying, " What? Me? When did I?"

" Keep quiet and dance." He spoke. " I can't," She shrugged.

" Follow me!" He sighed.

" By the way, I thought her name was Fool!" Ajabdeh giggled.

" That only you can think,, He smiled.

" You... umm...dating her?" She asked as he eyed her.

" You think? No, she is a college mate, an acquaintance." He shook his head. "She keeps coming at me at every party..."

"I hate slow songs." Ajabdeh startled him with her complaining tone. " DJ DJ!!!" She started waving, grabbing some unnecessary judgmental stares.

" What do you want?" Pratap held her shoulders and asked. " A louder song... more hippy! " she smiled dizzily.

" Ajabdeh. Are you alright?" Pratap frowned at her.

" Yes, I loved the juice." He shot a glance at Ven, who was smiling. He shook his head, "Damn!"

The music grew louder. " I want to go home!" She let go of his hand and collided with another guy.

"Sorry!" she was quick to apologise.

" Home? But you wanted louder music!" Pratap asked, surprised.

" Are you mad? I hate loud music. Take me home, Pratap. Now!" She sulked like a baby.

" Did you just call me Pratap?" He asked, surprised. " Hushhhhh! Princy!" She started giggling, "You are too loud." She whispered almost into his ear.

" Let's take you home!" He shook his head and dragged her away from the crowd by her hand.

He made her sit in the car and went to grab the keys. She moved to the driver's seat, shouting, " I wanna drive this Baby, now! Where is the Key?"

" Have you ever driven sober?" Pratap asked, amused. " I drive better than Lewis!" She shrugged.

" Lewis? Who is that?" He raised his brows. " Buddhu!!! Hamilton!" She giggled.

" Ajabdeh, you are making no sense. Move aside." He opened the door. " No, I'm driving, bhrooom bhrroooom gooooo Ferrari!"

He pushed her to the other side.

" Music," Ajabde commanded.

" No." He shook his head.

" Main Tenu Samjhawan ki... Na tere bina lagta jee" Her melodious voice filled the air as he drove out. In the next thirty minutes, she sang the song on a loop before falling asleep. He smiled at her sleeping figure and smiled. " So much fun you are!"

Arriving at the Palace, he tried in vain to wake her up. He opened the car door and picked her up. He laid her down in her pink room and removed the hair locks falling on her face, then covered her with a blanket. He instructed the maid. " Be with her if she needs anything."

Jaivanta Bai watched a disturbed Pratap drive out of the Palace. He needed to give Ven a piece of his mind. What he did to Ajab, even as a joke, was uncalled for.

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...

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!" ...

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 ...

Purnota: Chapter Forty Four

Aniruddha tapped his black loafers on the Italian marble floor of the entrance as he eyed his watch. It was almost half past five. He checked himself in the full-size mirror beside the coat hanger, looking fresh as he shaved and bathed, set his hair, chose a white summer blazer over his black shirt and trousers and abandoned the idea of a tie. He cleaned his glasses with the handkerchief, contemplating whether he should knock at Asha’s door, telling Bondita to hurry. He wondered what the women were doing there for such a long time. He could hear them giggling and gossiping as he walked past the room. He wondered what huge deal a party was that a woman needed another to help her dress up. He took out his phone and wondered if he should call her downstairs instead to avoid the awkwardness of knocking on the door. It was then that Aniruddha heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up in a reflex. He would give her a piece of his mind for wasting precious moments, especially when they...

AAYA TERE DAR PAR DEEWANA

Pratap was outside the gates of Meera Girls College in Udaipur by the next afternoon, unsure of whether to go in and ask for her. He spotted a few girls walking out, and one of them kept staring at him suspiciously before approaching him. He stood in his spot, still awkward as she asked, “Aren’t you that ASI guy that Roshni met?” “I… what?” Pratap narrowed his eyes “I am sorry, I don’t remember you.” “I am Mahek.” The girl waved her hand and smiled, “I was with her at Chawand.” “Oh, I see.” Pratap sighed. “I found some information that might help her …err… project.” He stopped at Mahek’s suspicious frown. “So I thought…” “You came all the way here to give her some information about her project?” Pratap cursed himself inwardly. Indeed, that sounded lame when she repeated it. “Why didn’t you call her?” “I…” He cleared his throat “I lost her number, so… I was hoping that she would be interested in an on-field internship…” “Oh, wait, I will give you her number. But she isn’t here, and I do...

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...

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 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...

Purnota: Chapter Forty Five

Aniruddha stared at the clock on his chamber wall for the third time and verified its working condition by checking it with his watch. He had asked Bondita to come to his chambers at six. It was almost six-ten and there was no sign of her. The peon he had sent to call her in had also left. He wondered if she had gone home earlier than usual. But then would she not have informed him? He eyed the partnership deed he had prepared to be signed, going through the terms one last time before he decided to go downstairs and see where she was for himself. As soon as Aniruddha got up, taking the coat from behind his chair to go, gathering the paperwork of the deed, a knock resonated on the door as he straightened his glasses and found his most professional voice to ask her to come in. Bondita looked a little breathless as though she had run up the stairs and apologised in a hurry, “Sorry, sorry… Meghna had some issues with her computer.” “There is a tech guy for that.” He narrowed his brows slig...

The Adventure of PI Ved: The Case in London

There is something funny about the phrase “as dead as a doornail.” Why? Because I am dead and I don’t look like a nail of any sort. I lie on my living room carpet, hands stretched out, the knife stuck to my back...such a backstabber. I hated them all my life! And what is the purpose of killing me? It is not like I would have lived much longer, I was eighty-five, for God’s sake! I lay here, the blood turning thick as I stared at the painting on the wall. It is such a hideous painting. I bought it for so much money, I was duped. I am waiting for the morning when my caregiver arrives to discover me on the floor. But I feel they are still around, looking for something. Searching every room. It is around 7 AM that she rings the bell. She bangs the door. She yells out, “Mr Smith!” Oh no, she is going back. Come back here, you fool! The criminal must still be upstairs. I hear them come down the wooden staircase and exit from the back door. Now the useless caregiver lady is back. Oh, she ...

RAABTA

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