Reflection of the Past

" Ajabdeh!"

"Maharanisa!"

"Maaaaa"

"Daadisa?"

The palace echoed with the cries as she lay breathless in his arms. His world had frozen. His Ajabdeh was gone. He had grown into the man he was with her. She was the part of his life he was always thankful for. She made him believe Love and Family existed for good. She was his strength. Rana Pratap sat like a stone, watching her calm face as Mewar cried for its queen. He had failed to give her any happiness, he felt.

500 Years Later...

The Fort of Chittor was a special attraction for tourists. The story of its bravery and sacrifice was famous. As a student of history, she had the dream of seeing the place, and today her dream was coming true. She walked into the fort with her friends and classmates. They got busy clicking pictures as she looked for a tour guide. She finally found one and called out to them." Mahek, Purvi, and Disha! Come! He's gonna show us around." She straightened her backpack." This is the Vijay Stambh... the Kumbha Shyaam temple... Meera Maa Temple."Mahek was opening her shoes as she stared at her friend, looking around." Survi? You're not going inside the temple?"

" No, you carry on, I will look around..." She stared around the place and looked at the blazing sun with a frown. Then she took out her bottle and a cap. They were back soon, and the last place to visit was the Kumbha Palace. As they walked up the steps, she wondered why the place looked familiar. Ever since her father's untimely demise, all she has done is follow her dreams to be an archaeologist. Maybe reading too much about a place made it look familiar. They stepped into the ruins.

"Yeh tha ek zamane mein yaha ka shaan ab toh pata bhi na chalta ke kitne manzil thee, sab nasth ho chuka." The guide spoke up as they looked around." I think four, see three are visible," Disha spoke up." How come? There can be three and a roof too." Purvi spoke, irritated at Disha's know-it-all attitude." What do you think, Survi?" Mahek asked. She was unusually quiet." There were five, yes five, with half a roof of the Ranimahal, making it five and a half." She spoke unmindfully."

"Where on earth did you read that?" Mahek's eyes widened. " As far as I know, no one knows this."

" I dunno, Mahek." She looked worried. " I must have read it somewhere."

" Or she imagined it." Purvi laughed." Yaha se ayiye." The guide stepped into the corridors. They crossed the corridor and she felt as if someone was calling her, but it was not her name...

" Ajabdeh..."

She had no idea why this name came back time and again like voices in her mind ever since she read about Maharana Pratap. She shook off the voices. They walked onto the ground with a large open area and some broken walls. The guide was about to speak up when she heard a sound of metal, like someone clinking them together. She turned around at the sound and saw no one. The sun is driving me crazy, and I'm not feeling well. She heard it again, this time it was more like ... swords clashing? But how on earth will she know how swords clashed?

"Yeh tha akhara aur Dangalsthal." The guide spoke up as her eyes widened.

"Dangal? Yaha... pass mein koi astabal bhi hai kya?"

" Nahi Babyji, asthabal toh... ab toh sab nasht ho chuka..."

" Survi! Now, where did you read about that?" Mahek was frowning." Mahek... I... am not feeling well... you people continue, I will take an auto and leave."

" Aree Survi...." Mahek called in vain after her.

"How far is Chawand from here?" She asked the receptionist at the hotel Pratap Palace when she was feeling a little better.

"Chawand?" The receptionist looked sceptical at her. "Nobody visits there, Ma'am."

"I want to, so I want you to hire a cab for me." She said firmly, eyeing the clock. It was around noon. The receptionist reached for the phone and dialled someone.

"It will take around three hours, Madam. Maybe you can go tomorrow?" The gentle suggestion did not go down well with Survi. "I am going now if a cab can take me."

"Surely, Ma'am." The receptionist confirmed with a driver. "Tell my friends once they come back that I am just visiting for a few hours. I will be back soon."

She took out a diary from her backpack, where she scribbled down her findings. She read out the marked page.

"Maharani Ajabde Punwar died in Chavand, the capital of Maharana Pratap, in a moderate hideout. No date of her birth or death has been found, although it's estimated to be around seven to nine years before Maharana Pratap passed away."She sighed. She never told anyone about these voices and flashes. She was scared they would end up taking her to seek medical help. Or worse, do not let her pursue her quest for the past. She had seen strange dreams ever since she was a kid, dreaming that she was lost in the jungles, trapped in a hut, and many other strange things that always made her feel unsafe. But the voices appeared only after she came to Udaipur and bought a book on the Maharana's personal life. Her thoughts were broken by the car horn.

"Hum aa Gaye."

She got down at the sight of the simple house in ruins. The tiles of a marble floor, a broken-down wall and an archway were visible. This was his capital; he and Ajabdeh Punwar died here. She walked up to the ASI chains, restricting entry into the area. Not only was the building collapsing, but the forest around it was thick with thorny vegetation and potential reptiles. Not many tourists were there, but she could hear a few birds. The driver informed her about a lake and a cenotaph they could visit at a distance. She looked for an office of ASI and found nothing but a makeshift tent where a few people seemed busy with pre-excavation work. As she reached the archways, her vision blurred. She thought it was because of the scorching sun above her head, but the flashes were back, this time more prominent than her dreams. She could see curtains on the jharokhas, red and yellow carpets, a seat, and a bed. She could hear her voice giggle. And a kid's.

"Ranaji... Ranaji... Pratap!" She was calling someone. Survi had goosebumps at the vision as she felt like she would faint. She caught the nearest pillar to balance herself.

" Are you alright?" Came a voice behind her. She was startled as the light reflected on his face that appeared before her. Dark brown eyes. " You okay?" He asked again. "You should not be here. This is not an area for tourists." He looked concerned at her sweaty, red face.

" I'm... dizzy... But fine... I need some shadow." She managed as he held her shoulders, giving her support, then took her to the tent. " Are you here alone?" She nodded a yes." Then let's sit you down in my office and I will get you some glucose to hydrate you... Miss??"

" Survi Joshi."

" Pratap Singh." Her eyes widened as she heard her voice again in her head. "It's a more common name than you imagine." He smiled as though he could read her mind. She shut her eyes as she felt dizzy again. "Are you feeling unwell, Ms Joshi? Can you call anyone?"

" You... You are... " She stammered unsurely as he let her sit on a plastic chair in the tent, and one of his assistants turned the standing fan towards her. He offered her some glucose water he carried with him.

" I'm an ASI officer." He smiled. As she sat sipping her glucose, she asked, " Umm... what are the places to visit relating to Maharana Pratap? I am a student of history, too."

" You are?" He smiled, pleased. " Wait, I will write down the places for you, and advise taking the glucose everywhere. You won't find people in most places. Especially the non-touristy ones."

" Thank You, Mr Singh." She managed. " You are from here?"

"From Mewar, yes. From another place." He smiled.

" He is kind of a royal, too..." One of the other men teased him as he smiled humbly. " Royal?"

" Yes, my maternal side is from the Punwar Family of Bijolia. My full name is Pratap Singh Hada. We are family to..."

" Ajabdeh Punwar?" Her heart skipped a beat." Yes, Maharani Ajabdeh Punwar. My home is in Bijolia, and we have business in Udaipur, but History attracted me, so I am here!"

" Bijolia... It's..." She tried to recollect the name.

" Maharani's birthplace, there are palace ruins. Kunds, Mandirs... You can see them too... In fact, a few royal descendants still live there." He added that to the list.

"Thank You." She got up to leave. " Visit again,, He replied as he watched her walk up to her car.

Purnota: Chapter Thirty Two

Bondita got down from the local train with a duffle bag and her hoodie tied around the waist of her dark green Kurti, which she teamed with white leggings and a white dupatta. The weather at Canning seemed hotter and humid than Chandannagar, and at first glance, Bondita spotted the spring blooms of Krishnachura painting the tree at the station red. She picked up her bag and looked around the crowded station. Someone was supposed to come and get her. She dragged her bag through the crowd and finally reached the gates. The rickshaws, vans and small autos were shouting out names of different places, names that appeared like images in her memories. “Bondita Malkin?” She turned to see a woman in a checked printed saree worn above the ankle with a Ghomta over her head and the Anchol tied to her waist. Bondita nodded as the woman in her forties surprised her by touching her feet. Bondita jolted away in shock. “What are you doing?” She asked with raised brows as the woman took her duffel bag. ...

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 Thirty Three

Aniruddha stepped out of his room, in a wrinkled Kurta, with a towel and toothbrush, to almost bump into Bondita, who was hurrying out of her room, trying to wear her watch on the go. He stopped before she barged into him and spotted her in one of Thamma’s Dhakai sarees. It was a white-on-white saree she had worn with a quarter-sleeved black blouse. Her hair was bunned with a claw clip, and she wore a small black Teep complementing her Kajol-drawn eyes. She looked slightly startled as she stopped at his dishevelled appearance and looked away at his stare. “Why are you…” He cleared his throat to do away with his morning groggy voice, “Dressed up?” Bondita shook her head at his words. “Because I have camp today, the NGO representative is waiting downstairs.” At her words, Aniruddha nodded and promptly held her wrist to check her watch. Bondita eyed his index finger and thumb, briefly brushing around her wrist as he suppressed a yawn. “But… It's 7 AM.” Bondita smiled, amused at his wo...

Purnota: Chapter Thirty Six

Bondita opened her door in the usual hours of the morning and found Thamma and Jyatha Moshai on the couch in their living room, sipping tea. She had half sat on her bed, leaning against the pillow all night, imagining her plight when she faced Aniruddha in the morning. What if he did not think of it as much as she thought of his actions? What if that was his uncomfortable way of comforting her because she was upset? But what about his eyes, his gestures? Had she misread all of it? Bondita blushed to herself the moment she remembered how his eyes followed her around for the past two days. Bondita was hurrying through her daily chores, eyeing the clock, for she would be late for work and overheard Trilochon lament about things not changing since Binoy left. He thought that things were getting better at home, but as soon as Aniruddha had left for Sunderban, Binoy informed him that he had changed the attorney in charge of his case. Bondita frowned slightly as her hand stopped at wearing th...

Purnota: Chapter Thirty Five

“The bride is older than the groom.” Aniruddha heard one of the older villagers speak in a judgmental tone. “No wonder the higher castes don’t attend such atrocities.” He eyed the younger man he was talking to, who smiled. Aniruddha was sitting beside them on a bench in the open courtyard of a house where the wedding rituals were taking place. Tirio and Tumdak were playing rhythmically in a corner as some women danced to the tunes surrounding the new bride and groom. The men sat on the other side of the courtyard. “Forget about the Brahmins, we don’t expect them to come.” The younger man shook his head. “As for traditions, what is wrong if the bride is older?” He smiled sheepishly at the older man. “What’s wrong? Everything. Master Moshai, you can be educated, but our ancient traditions have reasons. The groom must be older than the bride. It has some reason.” He shook his head. The teacher, in turn, educated the man that it was a perfectly normal Santhali ritual to marry older wo...

Purnota: Chapter Thirty Seven

“Why will Bondita not come for Holi?” Asha asked as she inspected the colours, Abir, Pichkiri and balloons Somnath had ordered from Baro Bazaar. He shrugged. “She is scared of colours, I think.” Asha smiled, a little amused at her clueless husband. “She is not ten anymore.” He looked up at her words with a sheepish smile, “Well, I never saw her play Holi, perhaps Dadabhai knows the reason.” Asha contemplated her husband’s words. She did not share a relationship with Aniruddha frank enough for him to share things about Bondita. It would be easier for her to ask Bondita instead. “If you wish for her to come,” Som said, like he could almost read her mind, “Perhaps you can invite her. She won’t say no to you.” Asha nodded. “It will be good to have the whole family together. It's not been so since the wedding.” She smiled. Som agreed as he matched the list with the things. “Yes, and Baba will be coming too, he told me not to tell Jethu, but I was surprised by that.” “Maybe because he an...

Purnota: Chapter Thirty One

“Please, Sir, we were going to show the evacuation notice to the lawyer.” The older man with a salt and pepper beard and a bald head pleaded with the Judiciary official, who handed him a paper of illegal occupancy. The NGO stood on the ground of the property that belonged to the Bhowmicks. Their lawyer, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, had sent a notice of warning and evacuation that the NGO did not pay heed to. The man in charge looked least concerned at the plea of the older man. His hands were folded, eyes teary, as the men who came with the Bull Dozer to knock down the one-storey house with thatched roof broke down the board of the NGO. “Why did you not show the notice then?” The man rebuked in a gruff voice. “Because we thought it was some mistake.” Another man, relatively younger and calmer, came forward from the crowd that stood there watching as he spoke. “We got the land as a gift from Mr. Bhowmick some eleven years back to make the school for the orphans.” “Then where is the dee...

Scheme of Things

The ousting of Shams Khan and his troops from Chittorgarh earned Kunwar Partap Singh overnight fame across the land as tales of his bravery made their way through the dunes and hills, across rivers and borders to lands far and beyond. At thirteen, he had commanded an army troop to take over the fort of Chittorgarh and restore Mewar’s borders to their former glory. People started comparing him to his forefathers, the great Rana Kumbha, who built forts across Mewar and his grandfather, Rana Sanga, who had united all Rajputs against external threats. As bards sang praises of the prince, gossip soon followed. Gossip was the most entertaining one could get in the mundane city lives and village gatherings, and it often travelled faster than the fastest Marwadi horse. So alongside the tales of his absolute bravery and how he hoisted the Mewari flag on the fort, were the stories of how his life was in danger, the king and queen did not quite get along and how he was made to live in poverty by ...

Purnota: Chapter Thirty Four

“You are cheating, he can’t play!” Bondita was attracted by the commotion downstairs as she opened the window of her room. She walked out to the balcony to inspect it. It was Sunday, and Padma had promised to make Chicken Curry, knowing Bondita had invited Tapur to join them for lunch. In the courtyard was a group of boys, probably Sidhu’s friends, with a broken pipe for a bat, a wooden plank for a wicket kept between two bricks and a rubber ball, arguing over a game of cricket. Bondita’s eyes stopped at Aniruddha, marking a line with chalk and then measuring feet using steps to mark the boundaries. Bondita looked amused at the sight. “Batuk. You went out fair and square; give me the bat.” Bondita put her hands on her waist as she commanded. Batuk refused to part with his new bat. Som frowned at his brother. “She is right; it was a clean bowl. Give her the bat!” Som commanded. “I was not ready.” Batuk shook his head. “She knew that.” “It's still out.” Bondita frowned. Aniruddha wal...

The Difficulties

“The best of our characters are often reflected in our children.” Kunwar Shakta had visited the court at Udaipur after a Turk marriage offer was turned down by Rana Udai Singh for the third time for one of his Princesses. The Ranimahal at Chittorgarh buzzed with rumours of him warning his father about the consequences of enemity with the Turks and also about the impending doom of Mewar. He had apparently irked Kunwar Partap by suggesting a peace alliance with the Timurids was beneficial to Mewar. Rana Udai Singh, in his anger, had banished him from his court. Kunwar Shakta had sworn not to be associated with the royal family any further and to join allies with the Turks. Rawat Chundawat was calm enough to pacify the angry prince and offer him to shift to Bassi and give his decision a second thought. However, Kunwar Partap had refused to abandon Chittor, defying his father’s orders for a shift to the newly founded capital with his Ranimahal. He wanted to stay at Chittorgarh, which...

RAABTA

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