A New Side

Kunwar Pratap was determined to solve the issue without bloodshed. Bhils were friends, and their grievances were to be met from the heart and solved. The Bhil Sardar entered the Khema as he stood up.
" Kunwar Pratap! Gani Khamma. "
" Khamma Gani." He indicated the seat. " Tell me your grievances."
" The Mughals." He replied, still not taking the seat. " You know how close the forests are to Mughal camps. Every day, the Mughal soldiers come, attack the settlements, and take women and children. If we kill them, more come the next day. The local chiefs do nothing about these encroachments." Kunwar Pratap was visibly shocked and angry. He tightened his fist.

" Rawat Ji, why are there no soldiers guarding the Mewar Forests and the borders near Bhilwara?"
" Woh Baojiraj, none are trained for..."
" This is ridiculous. Select a team of the most competent soldiers and get them to Chittor by tomorrow morning. I will train them on camouflage and forest tactics."
" Ji Baojiraj."
" And also until they are ready, you are going to stay here and look after the settlement, the Bhils are friends we cannot lose." The Sardar was happy that he meant every word. He folded his hands in gratitude." Kunwarsa, I think it's not safe for you to be here." His words shocked Rawatji. " I think you should leave. The Mughals..."
" I will leave once the borders are taken care of." The sound of horses outside made Kunwar Pratap frown as Rawatji smiled. In a few minutes, Raoji entered the Khema, hands folded.
" Raoji ?" Kunwar Pratap was shocked.
" Ji Ranaji sent me." He smiled at Rawatji. " I didn't inform you because then..."
" Kunwaranisa would have wanted to come," Rawatji added. Kunwar Pratap nodded with a grateful smile.
" Ayiye, I hope everyone is well in Bijolia."
" Ji Baojiraj. Ajabdeh..."
" She is fine."
" Baojiraj, I think you should return before dusk." He added.

" Kunwarsa padhar rahe hai..." A maid came running. " Kunwarsa..."
A happy Jaivanta Bai smiled at a blushing Ajabdeh. " Let's go give him a grand welcome."

Ajabdeh was helped to dress by the maids in a red lehenga, and she took the remaining time to decorate the room with flowers from the palace garden. She lit the lamps and incense sticks. And made rangolis. She couldn't wait to ask about the trip.
Kunwar Pratap got down from his horse and looked at the receiving crowd. There, he could spot his mother's happy face and Majhli Maa and Daajiraj too. He walked up the steps of the Kumbha palace and touched his parents' feet.
" Congratulations on your success, Kunwar Pratap." Udai Singh was pleased. " Learn something from him, Kunwar Shakti." The one to whom this was directed looked humiliated as he quietly walked away
" No Daajiraj, Bhai Shakti too..." Kunwar Pratap was trying in vain as Udai Singh gave a cold look to Sajja Bai for her son's audacity.
" Ranima..." Kunwar Pratap changed the topic quickly. " I missed Majhli Maasa's aachar." A smile appeared on Sajja's face as she said, " You will get many achar options for lunch today, I will see to it." She walked away after Udai Singh left, as Jaivanta nodded at her son approvingly.
The sound of a familiar payal made him look behind Ranima as she smiled at the approaching figure before walking away.
She approached him with the puja thali in hand. He put up a disappointed face at her, saying, " I didn't expect this from you!"
" Ji?"
" You came after everyone else to welcome me. I didn't expect this." His disappointed voice made her feel scared as she fumbled.
" Woh... Woh...I..." He laughed, shaking his head at her confused face.

" Ajabdeh, let's go. You want to hear what happened or not?" She nodded excitedly, quickly doing his aarti and then following him to the room.

She had totally forgotten to mention the rangolis as he stepped on one, ruining it.
" Ohh no! Kunwar Pratap! I spent all morning on this!" She exclaimed as he stopped looking at his feet.
" You should have mentioned this to me."
" You are a warrior, you have to notice the smallest of details, don't you?"
She frowned as he stared, amused. He missed looking at her.
" Kunwarani Ajabdeh Baisa! You seem to know so much about warfare, yet I see you not practising your skills or taking part in any planning or suggestions. Why?"
"Practice?" She asked, eyes wide.
" Why not? The Princesses practice." He shrugged. She smiled.
" They are Rajumari Kunwar Pratap, not..."
" I will talk to Ranima about this." He spoke determinedly.
" Don't!" She exclaimed.
" Why not? Besides..." He stepped forward, making her heart skip a beat as he leaned close to whisper, " I can teach you a lot of things you don't know, Ajabdeh!"
" I... I...." She was fumbling red as he smiled lovingly, grabbing her by the wrist as daasi came calling.
" Maharanisa has called you Kunwarsa." He nodded and left her smiling.

She decided to unpack his things before he comes back and wants to read. She was keeping away his things as two Daasis helped when she came across a paper neatly kept between two rolled maps.

Woh Komal jaise Pankh koi... Her eyes widened as a smile curved her lips. Is he a poet? He never...She kept it back between the maps, smiling to herself at the lines.

Kunwar Pratap walked back into the chamber, expecting her to be busy reading. Instead, she was sitting with paper and ink.
" You are writing a letter?" She didn't reply. He frowned and walked up to her.
" What are you doing, Ajabdeh?" He hoped for a reply.
" Writing down my deepest thoughts." She responded without looking up, and he smiled, taking a seat in front of her.
" What are your deepest thoughts?"
" That you hide things from me!"
" Kya?" He was surprised as she looked up with a serious face.

" Haan! I feel there are things we still don't know about each other."
" All right, things like?" He questioned.
" I like pigeons more than peacocks. I don't like the gaudy beauty the peacock flaunts in vain." Ajabdeh wondered.
" And ... I should know this because?" He smiled, amused.
" Leave it!" She got up as he held her by the wrist.
" No, no, no, let's do this, okay? My turn! I... I like archery more than swords. Few people know that!"
" I like spears!" She smiled. " And sewing."
" I like writing." He stopped, alarmed. " I mean writing down my..."
" I never saw you write." She frowned.
" When do I get the time?" He shrugged.
" Now." She sounded excited. " Write something."
" Now?" He asked, surprised as she nodded. He thought for a while.
" How can I write something just like that?" He frowned at the empty paper.

" Then show me something you already wrote." She smiled. One look at her and he could read what she was up to, so he decided to play along.
" All write. I wrote this... " He showed her a paragraph on Mewar he had penned down.
" Something else?" She looked disappointed.
" No."
" No? Kunwar Pratap, you must have..."
" No, Ajabdeh, I don't remember writing something else." He shook his head. She got up disappointed again.
" I...need to go ...see if dinner...."
" Where did you keep it?" He got up after her as she stopped frowning.
" Ji?"
" Where did you keep the paper you found?" It made her look away as he stared at her, amused.
" I found nothing. What pap..."
" Ajabdeh." He shook his head. " Learn to lie properly if you want to try." She looked up at him with narrowed eyes as he smiled.

" Kunwar Pratap Singh naam hai humara. It's not easy to fool me." He smiled. She looked defeated as she stepped away and stopped at the threshold, and turned.
" People say Ajabdeh Baisa can fool enemies with the sword in Bijolia." She smiled.
" This is Chittor, and Kunwar Pratap Singh is not a fool." He smiled back, throwing a challenge.
" I defeated you once, Kunwar Pratap." Eyes were locked still.
" That was a ring, this is a sword." He nodded.
" And I will win again." She smiled intimidatingly.
" Even if you do, it's my win! Because you are mine." His words made her blush as he smiled victoriously. As she walked away, he sat with the paper with a smile. Let's see how you fool with the sword, Ajabdeh Baisa... I would like to see this side of you soon!

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...

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...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Five

It took Trilochon half a day to figure out something was wrong at home. Since he was back, Somnath did not talk to him at all, and Aniruddha looked visibly upset. They avoided each other at the dining table and the living room. Trilochon was not comfortable with asking Ashalata anything. In the evening, as Kalindi poured tea from the pot, Trilochon groaned inwardly. “It’s not even six months since he got married, and she has started a war between brothers.” Kalindi stopped pouring the tea as she turned to him. “What?” She asked, a little cluelessly. “If I had chosen a bride…” Trilochon stopped at Kalindi’s disapproving stare. “What makes you say that?” She asked rather calmly. “Well, I never saw Som and Aniruddha fight until she came here.” Kalindi looked amused at his words. “You are the type for whom people hate in-laws.” “Pardon?” Trilochon narrowed his brows. “What do you mean?” “Bondita. Ask Bondita.” Kalindi shook her head. “I told her it was a bad idea to work with him.” “You ha...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty One

The morning after the Chief Minister of the state attended the reception party, Binoy wrapped the newspaper that had just arrived at their threshold, eyeing the picture of him and Trilochon with the chief minister smiling proudly, made a mental note of framing it for his office in Siliguri and stepped out to see the car waiting for him in the entrance to take him to the station. He glanced over his shoulder at the house, still asleep and watched Bihari put his luggage in the back seat. Bihari had been with the Roy Chowdhury House since he was a teenager. He eyed Binoy as he lit his pipe and straightened his jacket when Bihari approached him. “Boro Saheb, should I inform Kotta Moshai once?” Binoy eyed Bihari with a disapproving glance. “If I wanted to tell him, I would have done so myself, Bihari. Where is the driver?” He checked his watch. Bihari sighed as he ran to check on the driver. Bondita stopped on the gravelled path leading from the entrance to the main gate as she watched...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Four

Aniruddha let the shower run as his skin erupted into goosebumps under the cold water. He breathed out and removed the locks of wet hair from his face. He turned off the shower, wrapped the towel lowly around his waist and walked back to the room, not caring about the wet floor from the water dripping down his torso. He lay on the bed as his body soaked the blanket. He stared at the ceiling, stretching his arms over his head. Bondita’s promise played on his mind in a loop. “I will not leave… I will never leave.” He wanted to believe her. He wanted one person he could fall back on, trusting them to catch him when he stumbled. But his experiences proved him otherwise. He remembered that day as vividly as if it were yesterday. He had bought a scarf for Bondita from Palika Bazaar as a truce because he felt bad leaving home after fighting with her. He had tried to be patient with her and sat her down numerous times to make her understand why boarding school would benefit her. Aniruddha...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Two

The winter morning was pleasant, especially when the sunshine hit the dewy grass on the lawn, and Bihari set down the porcelain cups for Trilochon and Kalindi to start their day. Kalindi had just taken up some orders to knit sweaters and mittens for some of the neighbourhood kids as she wrapped the thick brown shawl tightly around herself, on the chilly morning as she sat down on the lawn chair with her needles, pin and colourful balls of wool, as she knit a pair of mittens while waiting for Trilochon to join her. Bondita hurried out of their place and stopped at the sight of her sitting alone, unsurely. “Do you need something?” Kalindi raised her eyes briefly from the wool and asked as she shook her head. “I was hoping to talk to Jyatha Moshai…” She shivered a little as Kalindi scolded her to find a sweater first. She rushed indoors as Kalindi spotted Trilochon in a thermal t-shirt, a pair of pants and a shawl walking towards her with the cane in hand. He stopped as he watched her kni...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty

Trilochon’s only desire for Som’s wedding was for it to be so grand that the entire Chandannagar remembered it for the longest time. He had also invited the leaders of the opposition, ministers and even the CM, and if rumours were to be believed, he would accept the invitation. That meant trying to impress him for a ticket to the next Lok Sabha elections. He knew the only way to do so was also to showcase Som as a prodigy. Their family name was enough to earn votes for the party in the area. “Perhaps you could tell him about Somnath Babu’s involvement in some of the projects here. Like the slum area where water was flooding the pathways…” Poritosh had suggested. “But it was done by…” Bapi Da had stopped as Trilochon shook his head, “How does it matter who did it? What matters is that we say Som did it.” They agreed. “Jyatha Moshai.” Bondita walked into his room, not expecting the elderly men from the Party office to be there. “ Bolo, Maa. ” “The Gaye Holud is here.” She smiled. “How a...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Three

“So the question is, do the slum dwellers get their dues to relocate, or do they protest on the road, grabbing media attention? If one of them mentions the sewage project where all this started, we can’t guarantee not dragging certain names then. It will be beyond our control.” Bondita breathed in as she eyed everyone at the table. The conference hall of ARC & Associates had an oval table with a whiteboard, projector and podium and sitting around the table were a stenographer, Bondita’s secondary attorney, Debashish Ghosal, the contractor and his attorney Biswas, the representative of the NGO with the Union leader of the slum, Trilochon, Somnath and Aniruddha. The people of the NGO appreciated her strategy with a nod. Ghoshal looked perplexed as his lawyer whispered something in his ear. Somnath did not look up from the table as Aniruddha passed a note to Trilochon in writing. “Now the decision is yours.” Bondita continued. “We are keen on out-of-court settlement if our basic ...

Purnota: Chapter Nineteen

“Wake up, wake up!” Bondita smiled, amused at Aniruddha and Batuk sleeping on his bed, hugging each other like children. She removed the curtains, and the room was flooded in daylight. “Urgh.” Batuk stirred as Aniruddha sat up. “What is wrong with you?” Batuk threw the pillow Bondita caught before it hit the floor. Her wet hair shone in the sunlight, with droplets of water lingering on its tips as she adjusted her well-pleated orange saree with a blue border and opened the window. A gust of cold breeze blew in from the Ganges, prompting Batuk to pull his blanket over his face. “Let me sleep, Daini !” He murmured. “Is it not enough that you all gave away my room to guests?” Aniruddha was stretching and yawning as Bondita chuckled, amused, pulling her wet hair to the side of her shoulder. “Why are you dressed up?” Aniruddha asked, suppressing a yawn. “Oh, you should be, too. Jyatha Moshai said We are going to Kalighat.” She raised her brows, amused. “Oh shit,” Aniruddha murmured, hitting...

Purnota: Chapter Twenty Six

Bondita was surprised to find Binoy in the living room of the Roy Chowdhury house as she entered the premises early in the morning. Trilochon sat with his brother, looking serious as they discussed some paperwork, as Bihari walked out with tea. Noticing Bondita so early in the morning, Trilochon looked up questioningly. “I have some errands to run before the office.” Bondita smiled as Trilochon nodded. She had to pay some bills and deliver some of the orders Kalindi had finished because her ankle hurt in the morning. Trilochon enquired about her need for medicines as Bondita reassured him that she had made sure of it. Bondita briefly eyed Binoy, who did not take an interest in her or the conversation, as he did not look up from the papers. Bondita cleared her throat, informing Trilochon that she should be on her way. “I think you should show her the papers, Binoy.” Trilochon stopped her as he suggested to Binoy, who eyed Bondita briefly. He looked unsure as Bondita opened her mouth wit...

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