I Know You

They were travelling through the Haldighati Pass. They stared out in silence. He was beside the driver and Survi sat with her mother at the back. The driver pointed towards the cliff saying
“ Udhar, Pahari ke beech who gaon hai, jaha haldighati k waqt Ranaji rehte thee, ab khandar hai.”

“ We will visit on her way back.” They spoke in unison as they stared at each other. Jaivanta stared at them both and spoke up.

“ We need a guide at Haldighati.” She said to the driver.

“ Aunty, who needs a guide when you have two history buffs with you?” Pratap smiled. “ Especially Survi knows a lot.” He smiled at her. Survi felt her cheeks go warm and red at his compliment as she smiled.
" No No, I..."
" Yes, my daughter is indeed ..."
" Mom..." She stopped her.

As they walked to the fields of Haldighati Pratap felt his head become heavy. He looked around and he could hear… cries… Har har Mahadev!Har har Mahadev! He started having flashes. Even closing his eyes couldn't make them go.

“ Survi, tell me about the war,” Jaivanta asked. She was about to open her mouth when he started.

“ The Mughals were coming from there 5000 of them. The Bhills were up on that hill, Rana Punja’s Bhills. Hakim Khan and his troop aligned upfront. Amar was…. He was with Raoji.” He stared at Survi making her feel strange. His stare was like he was in a trance.

He said he never came here, then how can he describe so accurately? Survi’s eyes narrowed as he continued.

“ The troop remaining attacked Maan Singh and Chetak was badly injured.” He continued as she saw his eyes twinkle.

“ ….Then I rode away on Chetak one last time from the ground. Chetak fell on the way, his memorial is up there.” He pointed at the structure uphill.

“ You go and see the memorial I will sit here Survi.” Jaivanta was tired after the 30mins lecture from the ASI guy. She frankly didn't hear half the details.

Survi seemed to stare right at Pratap making him uncomfortable.

“Let's go.” He managed a smile. She nodded and walked ahead.

They climbed up to where Chetak stood life-like. He touched the statue “ Chetak.” His voice was…. Guilty?

“ You said I rode away…” Survi spoke up.

“ Pardon?” He asked surprised.

“ You said I rode away on Chetak. Why?” Her question stunned him, as he wondered. Will she believe the vision I got down there that I am… No….

“ It slipped, I was in character.” She saw him look away.

The car stopped at the village ruins. Jaivanta refused to get down from the car as Pratap and Survi walked through the ruins. She stopped at a place. She was right here and …
Someone had said “ Tilak.”

She closed her eyes to remember. She breathed deeply. She saw a crowd. Right in front of her.

“ Rana Pratap Ki Jai.” It echoed. The crowd parted and it was….

Pratap? She opened her eyes to see him stand exactly where he stood in her vision and look at her as though he was thinking the same.

“ Pratap.” Her mouth dried up as she looked away. “ Is there something you should tell me?” All of a sudden she was sure all the male voices she heard were his. He was unusually quiet. Looking away like he was guilty. Speak up, let me hear you.

“ Pratap.” She stepped forward and looked at him in the eyes.

“ Aja….” He stopped and closed his eyes to check himself. A shiver ran down her spine.

“ Pratap look at me. And tell me what you think. I am leaving tomorrow And I will never come back.” The last words made him look up at her teary eyes.

“ Are you who I think You are? Tell me.” She added calmly. Her eyes spoke of fear.

“ Kya bolu main? Kya bolu? You were right, I am mad, I … have these flashes and … I see these dreams and… You are in this wedding attire and your mother is my mother….” He seemed restless.

“ And yours is mine… and there are Mahals… and …” She was calm.

“ And you are dying… I am saying don’t leave me… don’t go…. Ajabdeh.” He stared at her as she looked shocked.

“ Ajabdeh?” She repeated. “ You call me Ajabdeh in your dreams?” He nodded helplessly.

“ I saw a dream yesterday. “ She looked away. “ You were filling my hairline and the crowd…”

“ Was shouting Kunwar Pratap and Ajabdeh Baisa ki jai?” He completed her sentence as tears appeared in her eyes.

“ You are… I am….” She fumbled.

Everything was clear like it was yesterday. The first sight, the wedding, the struggles, the enemies, Dheer Bai Ji! She remembered the face as she stared at him. Scared. Dheerbai had always wanted her dead and she was alive to see it then. He read her thoughts. He also remembered everything and was ready to accept it now.

“ I won’t let anyone win this time Ajabdeh, I promise.” He held her hand.

“ But… But....No one will believe us…” She was puzzled.

“ They will believe we can be in love and the rest is our secret.” He added. Wiping away her tears.

Then in an impulse of the moment like they had waited for each other forever they hugged. She closed her eyes feeling his heart beat as the voices in her head stopped. He felt like he had had this feeling before like she was in his arms before also. Tears flew. He kissed her forehead holding her like he never wants to let go.

“ Survi!” Jaivanta’s cry made them spring apart as she looked at the duo angry and humiliated.

“ You wanted to stay here for him?" She was angry. " This guy who lives in this... village and...Survi! I gave you freedom doesn't mean you will end up humiliating me. We are leaving right now.” She dragged a helpless Survi to the car as both pleaded “ No. You don’t understand.” Pratap followed them as Jaivanta shouted at the driver, " Take us back, then Luggage leke jaenge Udaipur."

Hansa saw a visibly angry Jaivanta walk in dragging a crying Survi by the hand. Pratap walked in restless and pleading.

“ Aunty please listen to me once.”

“ What Happened?” Hansa asked worried as Jaivanta lost her cool.

“ What happened? What happened is that your son was hugging my daughter under broad daylight.”

“ What?” She looked surprised. “ That can’t be... Pratap??” He looked away.

Dheer spoke up. “ I told you Jija this girl is trouble. She is here with some purpose. Kar di na badnami.”

“ Stop it!” Came a shout from Pratap stunning everyone as Survi looked wide-eyed.

“ You have done this before, I won’t let it happen again.” His words made her heart skip a beat. Scared at what he might say Survi whispered a warning. “ Umm… Pratap?”

“ Done what before?” Hansa asked confused.

“ She…” Pratap looked away. “ Mausi is jealous of you. Because Nanaji gave you his property.”

“ How dare you say that Pratap?” Dheer looked stunned. Then she stormed back to her room.

“ Look I have no interest in your family matters. Survi let's go.” Jaivanta spoke up again.

“ Listen to me, Mom.” She said in vain.

“ Jaivanta Ji, aap bina samjhe gussa ho rahe thee.” Hansa spoke up. “ Hum e batayiye kya hua hai.”

“ Bin samjhe? “ Jaivanta looked stunned. “Maine apne aakhon se…”

“ Listen to me Mom please,” Survi begged.

“ Stop it Ranima.” Pratap words made them look shocked.

“ Did you just… call me Ranima?” Jaivanta asked stunned.

Suddenly the voices were back in Survi’s head with that call.
Ranima. Ranima. Hum e pakriye. Ranima! It was a boy’s giggle in her head. She felt dizzy.

Ajabdeh, aapko hum jeetne nahi denge. Haan Ajabdeh, aap ke putra aap ke pati sab apse dur kar denge hum. Sab!

It was another voice, as the face became clearer from the dark.

“ Survi?” Her mother asked scared seeing her hold her head. Pratap turned around scared. Survi's vision blurted as everything looked dark. The only thing she saw was Pratap's face then another in the vision. Dheer Bai Bhattyani. She held the chair near her to balance herself. She was about to fall when Pratap caught her.
“ Ajabdeh?” His voice echoed in her head. " What's wrong? What's wrong?"
He looked pale. Jaivanta rushed to her daughter's side. " Survi? Beta?"
" I am calling a doctor."Hansa ran in a hurry.
Dheer walked out towards the commotion as Pratap raised his hand saying " Don't you dare come near her." Dheer looked at her nephew with wide eyes and Hansa looked surprised as Jaivanta cried " Why is she not moving?"

READ ALL CHAPTERS

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Chapter One: Masquerades

“Reginald Dyer is yet to apologise for the incident which was criticised worldwide. Punjab is on high alert.” The transistor in the living room broke with the morning news. “On other news the League of Nations…” Meera wiped the already clean surface of the showcase for the second time while listening to it. One of the servants came around and switched the channel to a station where a Raga played. Meera tip-toed up to the transistor and looked around before lowering the volume. She was standing outside the door of the Magistrate’s home office, clad in a saree borrowed from Nimai’s mother, who worked at her Pishima’s house. “I need it for my maid back where I work.” Meera lied with a straight face. Nimai’s mother did not care; she was getting Didimoni’s beautiful blue Jamdani instead of her tattered clothes; she would not think twice about this unharming exchange. Meera tried to listen. The gardener sang outside, tending to the flowerbeds as his scissors snipped the bushes back to shape

His Wife

" Where is the Kesar, Rama? And the Kalash?" Ajabde looked visibly displeased at the daasi who ran. " They are at the fort gates and nothing is ready yet!" She exclaimed. She was clad in a red Jora and the jewellery she had inherited as the first Kunwarani of the crown prince. Little Amar ran down the hallway towards his mother. " Maa sa Maa sa... 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. " Ajabde." 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!" Amar exclaimed

Protibimbo: Characters

Before Indian Independence Movement gained its prominence and momentum in the year 1930 across Bengal with the weaponry loot by Surya Sen, attacks across the offices of British Raj in Bengal by Bengal Volunteers, Jugantar Dol and other prominent anarchists, and Binoy-Badal-Dinesh stormed into Writers' Building, the 1920s were a built up to the movement when several large and small scale anarchist groups worked underground to strike the system of British Governance. It was a time when Indians realised that conferences did not bring independence to colonies, they had to pick up arms against the British Imperialists. This story is fictional. But in its core, every character represents several hundred unnamed heroes and sheroes of our freedom struggle whose names do not appear in the pages of history. " Protibimbo " meaning reflection is a story that reflects on relationships, freedom, sacrifice and battles fought within the society of that time. Characters: Abhaya: 15-year-o

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 quite in a winning situation thanks to their new Senapati. He was just 16 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 Si

Chapter Two: Catastrophe

Abhaya was suffocating as she could now taste the soot and ash in her mouth. She could see the smoke engulf her. The boxes around her turned into shadows in the blurred vision. She opened her mouth to breathe but the choking air wanted to make her cough. She ran, stumbling upon some boxes and utensils towards the window on the other side. It was shut firmly and her weak hands could do little to move it an inch. She placed the end of her saree over her face and coughed, hoping not to be heard from the outside. The sound of chaos and footsteps outside was increasing. She heard a scream. Was it her mother? Her sister? Or one of the sisters-in-law? Were they escaping? Should she try too? She tried to find something to break the window with, but instead, she froze at the sight of flames entering through the cracks of the door she had shut behind her. Abhaya said a soft prayer. This is how it ends. This was not the country her father served. This was not the country her mother read stories o

My Everything

Kunwar Pratap stormed into the Mahal at Gogunda. Happy faces of the chieftains and soldiers welcomed him as Rao Ramrakh and Rawatji stopped the ongoing Raj tilak. A visibly scared Kunwar Jagmal looked clueless at a visibly angry Kunwar Pratap. Rani Dheerbai Bhattiyani hadn't expected this son of Mewar to show up that too twenty-one days after his father's death. He was not informed as per Dheerbai's instructions. She looked at Rawat Ji. He must have gone to Raoji at Bijolia. 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 came. She could stoop down so low? " We were about to inform you..." She spoke up in her defence. " When Dheerbai ji?" Maharani Jaivanta Bai, clad in white entered the hall as people bowed before her. " After your son's coronation?" " I did nothing Badima I swear!" A low voice came from Jagmal. " Maha

Struggle of Thoughts

Kunwar Pratap and Ajabde had both by the first week known each other's schedules well and they made sure that their timings didn't clash, be it in the puja Ghar, dressing room or elsewhere. They tried to stay out of each other's way as much as possible, giving each other the space they needed. Ajabde had learned that Kunwar Pratap preferred cold sharbat and desserts over steaming hot food, he liked to wake up with the first bird's call at dawn, he didn't like any disturbances at work or at the Dangal Sthal, and he loved his mother the most. Kunwar Pratap had learned that she was intelligent enough to decipher unsaid words between the lines of any novel, epic or book she read. She was very much into spending most of her time reading or sewing and when outside he always spotted her in the garden tending to flowers with his sisters. What he saw was how similar her lifestyle was to his mother's in a very weird way. She liked things simple, preferred to make her own

Love?

“I swear I can kill that Sakhaveer.” Balwant swung his sword at the Dangal as Ratan and Ajabde looked on. Ajabde hid a smile as Ratan looked amused. “Like you did last time?” Ratan’s chuckle made Ajabde press her hands with a soft no as Balwant stopped his sword and looked angry. “What do you know Ratan?” He roared angrily. “What do girls know anyways about fighting??” “Jija can fight better than you.” Ratan looked angry and defensive. “Ratan! Leave it.” Ajabde insisted. “No!! Jija, I saw you, you are better…” “Then let’s have a duel Jija.” Balwant insisted. “No.” Ajabde looked surprised and shaken. “It’s been such a long time since I have …” “No excuses Jija, teach him! That girls can be…” Ratan insisted as Balwant handed her a sword she took rather reluctantly. She tied the corners of her dupatta together and her braid in a bun. Kunwar Pratap was making his way out at the Dangal when he heard swords clash. He gathered the father-son duo would be at the Dangal

Towards You

Kunwar Pratap and Ajabde were friends. He didn't feel awkward sharing his plans and thoughts with her anymore. She was more than happy to advise him on everything. She was happy he listened to her advice before taking or discarding them, be it on what to wear to Padmavati's Sagai or how to befriend the revolting Bhils. He loved the way Ajabde always used metaphors from Puranas and Ramayanas to explain the toughest things so easily. She expressed herself so well, so easily that it amazed him. The Afghans were now led by Mehmood Shah. They have made secret territories in the forests and waited to attack. Rawatji and his spies had confirmed the news and Udai Singh had warned Mehmood Shah to withdraw his troops from Mewar in vain. Now, it was time they declared war. Mehmood Shah had limited resources in Mewar. And 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. One of his aides

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

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