Unpredictable

" Ohho Dadabhai! I can not walk anymore!" Shakti was panting. Clad in a commoner's attire they had hired a cart for some distance and were now walking to Bijolia.

" You have to! We have to go back tomorrow morning otherwise they will be sure we were not at the Kelwara region but elsewhere." He said in an indifferent tone. The stone on the path indicated they had reached Bijolia.

" There! Look Dadabhai a mandir!" He smiled.

" Thik hai." Kunwar Pratap shook his head a little displeased. " You can rest a little before going into the main township."

" Paani!" Shakti was panting as he sat on a solitary part of the Radha Krishna temple as Kunwar Pratap walked in to seek blessings. At Shakti's cry for water, he started looking around and found a pond visible in the distance.

 

" Stay here!" He ordered his brother even though he knew very well Shakti won't move from his place. He was at the bank looking at the clean water. He needed something to carry water back to his brother. A noise made him turn to his left.

Glug glug glug! Someone was taking water from a pitcher. He could ask... but the person was not aware of his presence. Kunwar Pratap was in a dilemma.

 

She was clad in an orange and yellow lehenga, in the simplest maang tika and jewellery as she had made her way to the temple premises to teach the village children like she always used to. She had reached before time and Purohit Ji had asked her to help him clean the premises. Ajabde Punwar was everyone's favourite daughter in Bijolia and Purohit was no exception. She decided to fill up the water from the pond before the children arrived.

 

Kunwar Pratap saw her calm happy face on the clear water as he came up behind her. Her Bindi was adding to her simplicity and she appeared too lost in her thoughts to notice him. Happy thoughts, She was smiling to herself. He was in doubt. If he should ask her or wait for an older man or woman. She might think...

 

" Umm Hmm..." His voice made her turn, pitcher in hand, her face covered by the semi-transparent dupatta. He was well-built and had a tilak on his forehead. His attire was common but he clearly looked like an outsider in Bijolia. He looked down at the ground, not at her face. She appeared younger than he had thought from behind.

 

" Do you need anything?"

" I ...err...." Still looking at the ground. " water?"

" Do you have a vessel?" Her question made him shake his head as he looked up for one brief second before looking away.

 

" All right, use your hands then." She nodded readily to pour some water. He sat down in front of her on one knee and held out both hands folded together like a cup as she poured water. He drank from it, quenching his thirst as she couldn't help but notice the mark of an injury on his hand. A blade injury Must be a warrior then. She thought.

" Dhanyavaad." He stood up as she nodded and decided to leave.

" Woh..." She stopped as he spoke. " I need some water for my brother too. But we don't have a pot or..."

" Here." To his surprise, she handed him the pitcher, which he took carefully avoiding any sort of body contact. " Leave it at the temple." She left. He couldn't see her face but could make out she seemed happy. He nodded a soft " Dhanyavaad." which she didn't hear.

 

" Here Bhai." He handed Shakti the pitcher and Shakti jumped like he had found diamonds.

After drinking, Shakti asked, " Where did you find this..."

" A lady .... a girl was taking water, must be some mandir sevika. Let's go, we need to keep the pitcher back."

 

They walked to the other side and saw a wet spot in the dry courtyard. The pitcher must have been there, Shakti put it down as a familiar voice made Pratap turn.

 

"Then the three princes went to the Sage. Rana Sanga Ji sat on the floor, Prithviraj Ji on the throne and his brother shared it, now tell me why did Rana Sanga become the king? Anyone?" She stared at the silent listeners and smiled. "Because the ground represents our roots. He who is tied to his roots can be a great king, his love for his motherland made him sit on the floor without any hesitation or feeling of insult. Because he felt he was sitting on his mother's lap. So the sage said his humbleness and nature will make him a great king. Just like lord Rama was. He loved his subjects like his children." Her back was to him, as the children listened eagerly to the tales. Pratap was lost in the tale for a while and didn't notice Shakti looking at him and then back at the scene.

" Ahem! Dadabhai." He looked a little embarrassed.

" Woh... I just remembered that Ranima used to tell us this story about Dadosa."

" Chaliye let's go ask around a little."

" How will we ask? I mean ..." Kunwar Pratap was still uneasy with the idea.

 

" Then what we learn is we should always love and respect our motherland overall, any sacrifice for her is nothing compared to what she gives us." Again her voice made him turn.

" Seems like this girl is a Matrubhoomi Premi like you are!" Shakti was amused.

" You are?" The purohit came up to them.

" Umm... We have come from Jalore." Shakti lied promptly. " To Bijolia... umm... we need to know about someone... actually we are here to meet her... Do you know...."

" Ajabde Jija!" A shout broke Shakti's sentence as he looked wide-eyed at the little boy accompanied by a little girl who seemed older than him. " Jija!!! Ajabde Jija!" He was calling out to the crowd. Kunwar Pratap's eyes widened. Shakti looked at his pale face amused before trying to figure out who the boy was calling.

 

" Balwant? Ratan?" A familiar voice answered before she walked across the path, crossing them, her Payal making a sound and her face covered. Pratap's eyes followed her. She was the one who .... Shakti was smiling as he gave him a cold look.

" Jija, let's go home, Rajpurohit Ji is here and Maa Sa is calling you." She nodded before walking straight toward them. Shakti's eyes narrowed in doubt as Pratap's eyes widened. She addressed Purohit Ji.

" Kaka Sa, tell them I will continue this tomorrow, I am sorry but I need to go." Her voice gave a hint of genuine guilt.

" Aree Baisa, it's all right, you go on." Purohit ji smiled.

" Gani Khamma." She looked at Shakti who returned it with a Khamma Gani then at Kunwar Pratap who was looking away again. She left followed by the other two.

" You were saying?" Purohit ji turned to Shakti.

" Who is she?"

" She is Bijolia's most beloved daughter." Purohit ji smiled. " Raoji's daughter Ajabde."

" She seemed very polite..." Shakti added.

" Yes, she helps a lot. Everyone around Bijolia is in darkness without Baisa. Her simple teachings, knowledge, wisdom, and her suggestions. She is Sakshat Laxmi to Raoji."

" We need to go, Khamma Ghani." Pratap stopped the conversation.

" But where will you go at this hour?" He was stopped by the Purohit. " You need a place to rest?"

" Actually yes we do," Shakti answered.

" My daughter is getting married so the whole village is invited, you have come here today so please attend the wedding, I can't let you go like this since I met you on this very day that too at the temple. Reluctantly Pratap agreed to Shakti's overenthusiasm.

" Daata, tell us about Kunwar Pratap." Balwant smiled at Ajabde who looked away.

" I still can't believe all 36 Gunas matched." Hansa gushed.

"What do you want to know?" Raoji asked his son " Tell us how he looks."

To Ajabde's utter surprise, the more Raoji described him, the more she remembered the stranger she met today. She whispered to Balwant to ask about Kunwar Shakti as well. Intelligent as she was, she knew what she had to do. What she didn't know was if he had heard her name or why he was at all there in disguise? To ask about her? Or cancel the wedding? She feared the dream was too good to be true. She always feared happiness. She was scared, sitting in her room, lost in thoughts.

" Aree Ajabde! " Her mother's voice made her look up. " Get dressed, Purohit ji will need you at the wedding."

Kunwar Pratap and Kunwar Shakti were sitting in a corner of the Mandir grounds now decorated with the beautiful Mandap.

" Baisa is here, show her the arrangements." Purohit's words made Pratap and Shakti turn. This time she was in a Blue and Pink lehenga with a  yellow dupatta on her face.

" Come baisa, tell us if we are missing anything. " The bride's mother urged.

 

She sat down carefully going through the things as she spotted him. He looked ... not happy. Ajabde's heart sank. There was something heavy in her throat and she wanted to jerk off that feeling. Focus! She had always believed in the act of Karma and that fate and destiny couldn't be changed. Today she wanted to believe all that. He sat with Shakti, somehow irritated. He didn't want the marriage for his own reasons. And meeting the girl was making it difficult for him. He was sure people would blame her if he rejected her, she seemed so good, that he regretted meeting her. Had he said no at Chittor itself, he would have felt less guilty. Wouldn't he?

 

The wedding was about to begin when the Groom's father shouted " Stop, this can't be fair!" Everyone stared at the man and to their surprise, Purohit Ji and his wife were begging and crying at his feet.

" This wedding is called off." The man declared dragging his confused teenage son up. " They didn't give us the Dahej we wanted."

" We... we tried our best, believe us." Purohit Ji stopped the man holding his hands. " We promise to give you the rest as well."

" Daata listen to him..." The groom's protest made the man angrier. " No! Let's go."

 

" Please stop." Kunwar Pratap was going to say the same but it was her first, firmly blocking their way as Shakti inhaled surprised.

" Who are you to stop us? " The man fumed.

" How dare you talk to her like that? She is our Baisa." Two soldiers intervened as Ajabde ordered, "Move away."

She stepped up to the man and his son as the girl's parents stood crying. Pratap was now eager to know why she stopped them.

" Vivah is not a child's play Kaka. You are making it one."

" Now you will teach me..."

" No Kaka. I will tell you. I will tell you how helpless a girl's parents are feeling right now. You are shattering their biggest dreams. I will tell you how broken you are leaving this girl, she will never believe in happiness. I will tell you how by acting like this for some mere materialistic things you are putting your age-old family reputation at stake."

Each of her words was loud and clear as a silent crowd stood transfixed. " Vivah is about two people and two families, Kaka. It's not about gifts promised. It's about blessings and respect." She promptly took out her Navaratna bangles as Purohitji protested " Baisa don't."

" If you still value those over your reputation, here take my bangles, they are worth more than what you wanted. But please Kaka, don't disrespect the institution of Marriage and don't leave the girl and her parents helpless." She folded her hands at the man who now felt ashamed.

" Go back to the mandap." He ordered his son.

" Ajabde Baisa ki Jai." A cheer broke out as she folded her hands to the man saying " Dhanyavaad Kaka."

" She is.... umm... perfect. Right, Dadabhai?" Shakti was clearly impressed. Pratap's face looked grimmer than ever. He felt guilty about something he hadn't done yet. Somehow in the crowd, he felt each word was directed to him as if she knew he was there, she knew why and she was telling him. He felt very uneasy. As the wedding progressed, Shakti decided to move near the mandap for a clearer view of the Pheras. Ratan was standing there as Shakti unknowingly pushed her and she frowned.

 

" Which side are you from?" She asked hoping he would say the girl's and she could tell him something about the rude push.

" None!"

" What? You are a wedding crasher?" She looked wide-eyed, " Jija Jija!"

" No No No. I am... a traveller... " He spoke in vain as both Pratap and Ajabde arrived at the commotion.

" Jija, these people are wedding crashers." Ratan was proud that she caught some thieves.

" Nahi! We are travellers from... Jalore..."

" Ratan." Ajabde's voice was calm. " Come with me."

" Aree Jija, ask them their names, ask them!" She urged.

She was in a dilemma as Shakti spoke up. " I am... uhh... umm... Veer... Veer Singh."

" You seemed to have forgotten your own name." Ratan was in doubt, " How about him?"

" He's... my Dadabhai..."

" Name?"

" Uhh...." Pratap was about to open his mouth when Ajabde suddenly lost her temper at Ratan.

" Ratan, they are Purohit Ji's guests, who they are or what they are here for is not our concern. Let's go. I am extremely sorry Kun... Umm... Veer Singhji. Ghani Khamma." She dragged Ratan by the hand out of the place.

" Hai Eklingji! Dhanyavaad!" Shakti looked relieved. " She didn't catch us."

" She didn't but her Jija did." Pratap's straight face and unchanged tone shocked Shakti. " Let's go home Bhai."

" How do you know she knows?" Shakti asked, shocked.

" You would have known too if you paid heed to others' words more than yourself." He shook his head.

 

They got a cart to take them to Chittor for a silver coin.

" Tell me Dadabhai, have you decided?"

" Not yet, we will think when we reach Chittor." As Shakti lay asleep, Pratap stared at the passing shadows of trees and the stars above. Don't disrespect the institution of Marriage and don't leave the girl and her parents helpless. The words played on his mind, his mother had already given her word.

Ajabde lay sleepless and worried. How will I reassure Maa Sa and Daata once he rejects me? I have to be strong for them. Some day I would like to ask why. Because of my status or he doesn't like me for the way I am?

 

" So, Kunwar Pratap what have you decided?" Jaivanta Bai asked as the Queens looked at him eagerly, his brothers and sisters more eager.

" Your decision and your choices have been my Dharma Ranima, they always will be." Shakti smirked a little as Dheerbai interrupted " But it's vivah Kunwar Pratap, the most important...."

" Choti ma that is why I trust Maa Sa's decision."

" So it's a yes?" Jaivanta asked again.

" Ji." He blushed a little before walking out and Shakti followed.

" Dadabhai, Dadabhai!"

" Kya?" He turned around with a frown.

" So you did like ...."

" No, I am doing this so that my mother's promise is not broken." He was firm.

" I think you are just denying that you like her."

" Shakti!"

He kept teasing until Kunwar Pratap decided the only way to stop his brother was to give him a run for his life as he chased him to the Dangalsthal.

 

" Ajabde! Ajabde!" Her mother's call made her look up from her puja garland and she skipped a heartbeat. Hansa's smile made her confused.

" Kunwarsa said yes, your father is leaving for Chittor to fix the wedding dates." Her mother hugged her as she thought she had heard wrong. He said yes. But... But... She remembered her father always telling her " The best warriors are always unpredictable." She was going to know that more now.

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