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Ajabdeh looked around the unfamiliar surroundings nervously. The last two days have passed like a dream. The Marriage, the Vidai and the arrival at Chittorgarh. She was now sitting in the room she called her own, yet seemed so unfamiliar. She got up to see whether anyone was there keeping an eye on her. A little relieved, she took the lota from the centre table and placed it on the bedside table.

As soon as she placed it, three Dasis appeared at the door asking, “You need something, Kunwaranisa?”

Eyes wide and nervous, she replied, “N…No… I was just…”

“Maharanisa has told us to be at your service for every need.”

“I… don’t… need….” She was scared at the thought that three Dasis will be at their toes for her needs.

“Disperse now.” Sajja Bai’s voice made her feel relieved.

“I will get Kunwaranisa dressed for Kunwarsa’s arrival.” She smiled at a nervous, happy bride.

Kunwar Pratap’s eyes were not easy to outsmart. He caught Rawatji in the corridor, running out of Rana Udai Singh’s room, worried.

“Rawatji.” His voice stopped the man. “What happened?”

“Baojiraj. Nothing. You…”

“Rawatji, tell me.” He insisted.

“News is that Maldeo has joined hands with Bairam Khan, and your Daajiraj is worried. Also, Badshah Khan is active with the Afghans; we are afraid they will also ally with the Mughals.”

“Badshah Khan? “ He frowned. “Shams Khan’s son.” Rawatji nodded.

“The Afghans have attacked at Kelwara in the evening,” Rawatji said absentminded.

“What? You are telling me now?” Kunwar Pratap looked disappointed. “I will be getting ready to…”

“No, Kunwarsa.” Veer Baiji stopped him. “Your new bride…”

“Veer Baiji. “ Dheer Bai appeared behind her “I am sure Ajabdeh knows her duties as …”

“Don’t worry Chotima. Ajabdeh will be happy to let me go.”

The new bride was sitting with nervous expectations as he entered the room, worried about how to put the situation in front of her. Kunwar Pratap had forgotten that his new bride was Baijilal. One look at his face and she frowned, “What happened?” Her question made him smile faintly.

“Ajabdeh.”

She walked up to him and asked again. “What happened?”

“Badshah Khan attacked …” He sounded a little unsure.

"Who?" She frowned.

"Shams Khan's son. He attacked ..." Pratap looked angry.

“What are you still doing here?” She looked displeased as he looked up at her face. She walked away towards the adjacent room and came back with his sword as he stood admiring her.

“You get ready, I will do the puja.” She reassured with a smile.

As she turned to leave, he held her back by her wrist, making her stop.

“Ajabdeh.”

She turned with a smile as his eyes twinkled proudly.

“Kunwarsa…”

He hugged her tight, as she found peace in his arms, then moved away from his embrace shyly.

“Go. You are getting late.” He smiled with a nod.

As Kunwar Pratap got ready for the mission, she put down her aarti thal from her puja placed on the table in the room beside his sword. As she opened the door, she saw a Dasi standing.

“Maharanisa has called upon you both, Kunwaranisa.”

“Ji.”

She nodded as he heard the orders, and their eyes met with a nod.

Jaivanta Bai smiled at the newlyweds as Ajabdeh handed him his sword. Rana Udai Singh walked in and stopped as Jaivanta Bai smiled at him proudly. He nodded with a faint smile as she did his aarti. Pratap and Ajabdeh smiled at each other as he walked behind his father. Maharani Jaivanta Bai urged her to accompany her to the Rani Mahal gates.

As Kunwar Pratap glanced over his shoulder at the gates, she smiled reassuringly at him. He smiled back faintly before looking at his mother, who gave a reassuring nod before he left. As his horse went out of sight, suddenly Ajabdeh felt a cloud of loneliness around this unfamiliar place. She needed to shake off the feeling. It was home now.

Ajabdeh turned around as Jaivanta Bai said, “Come stay with me tonight, Ajabdeh.” She smiled faintly with a nod.

" You know, when Pratap was just three, we used to live in Kumbhalgarh, he..." Jaivanta Bai knew her mind and soul needed to ease. They spend the night, telling and hearing childhood tales, mostly of Kunwar Pratap's adventures. Jaivanta Bai smiled at the sleeping figure as she caressed her head with a sigh and whispered a small prayer. For her, mostly for him.

At dawn, Dheer Bai ji walked into the decorated room of the newlyweds and frowned to find it empty.

“You need something, Chotima?” Ajabdeh’s voice startled her as she turned to see her, in a red and yellow lehenga, ready after a bath, with a puja thali in hand.

“No… I…. Kunwar…” She sounded unsure.

“Kunwarsa and Rawatji have gone to stop Badshah Khan, remember?” Ajabdeh smiled.

“He…went?” Dheer Bai managed a sly smile. “Leaving his bride on the wedding night, already?”

“He went.” She nodded. “For his mother needs him to save her.”

“I feel so bad for you.” Dheer Bai faked a concern.

“I feel so proud that I am his wife.” She smiled as she meant every word.

Kunwar Pratap and Rawatji arrived in time to scare away the small troops of the Afghans, but something in Kunwar Pratap said it was not over so soon. Shams Khan’s son wouldn’t stop. He made sure the borders were secured as of now; every bordering state needs alert.

Shams Khan's son was hiding in a khema in the Mewar forest after his escape. Pointing at a fort on the map, he looked at his generals.

"Kunwar Pratap will pay for killing my father. And this is how. Prepare to attack the eighth day from now."

"But Huzoor, why here?" A man asked. Badshah Khan smiled faintly.

"Because, according to their Rajput rasm, this is where we will find his strength, alone, in seven days. You rip his heart out, you devastate him, and revenge is taken. This is personal." He smiled, pleased and confident. He had all the information he needed to gather on the Samant family, Bijolia and the new Bride.

Kunwar Pratap looked at the Mewar map in his khema with a frown. He circled out three places. Shook his head. He was missing something. What was he missing? The doorman announced Rao Ram Rakh's arrival. He folded up the map with a smile.

"Kunwarsa... you are going back to Chittorgarh, I am leaving for Bijolia at the earliest."

"Ji Raoji, I will give Ajabdeh your regards." He smiled.

"Actually, I'm here to invite you for the Pakfera there on the seventh day, and like the rule, Ajabdeh would... stay back till the tenth... Hansa Bai will write to Maharanisa." Raoji's words made him smile like he had found something. Raoji stopped, confused.

"Don't worry, we will be there." He nodded as Raoji turned to go.

"Raoji...." He stopped the man. " Keep your troops ready. In case." He nodded. Kunwar Pratap opened the map and circled the fourth spot with a frown on his face. However, he was happy that in just two days, they would be back in Chittorgarh.

In these two days, Ajabdeh learned many things with Sajjabai’s help. At first, she thought she needed a map of the palace of Rana Kumbha. She knew the road leading to the mandir and garden; others she dared not use out of fear. The princesses were in awe of their new Bhabisa as they showed her around the garden and the mandirs. Meera Ma’s mandir filled her imagination with the lady’s tales.

In the evening, she read out to the eager audience of princesses, as she missed Balwant and Ratan. She missed home. She prayed twice daily for his safety. He who made her call this unfamiliar place home.

The news of his arrival filled her heart with happiness and her mind with nervousness as Jaivanta Bai ordered the Dasis to get her ready in her wedding attire and jewellery before he arrived. He needed to see her just the way he left her.

Purnota: Chapter Sixteen

It had been a month since Bondita had started working in the firm. With Somnath’s wedding date being set for winter, many things were keeping Trilochon and Kalindi busy as they took charge of the smooth running of things leading up to the wedding. They needed to shop for everyone, buy gifts and choose jewellery and sarees for the bride. Despite his attempts, Trilochon found Binoy reluctant to participate in his son’s wedding arrangements. Somnath took him and Kalindi to places they wanted to go, especially Kolkata for shopping, and Trilochon made arrangements to make sure that the first wedding of the generation was grand enough. Bondita tried to help as much as she could as she noticed Aniruddha being oddly aloof from the entire thing. She assumed it was due to Trilochon’s reactions to his lack of interest in marriage. Trilochon kept pestering her to enquire into his reasons while she kept stalling him with excuses. Bondita also failed to know more about Kalindi and Trilochon’s past, ...

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...

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 Seventeen

Bondita opened the curtains of her room at The Park to find the view of Stephen Court and the street below going towards the Maidan. She eyed the double bed and placed her things on one side while lying down on the empty side. The soft bed made her yawn as she sat up, staring at the clock. She needed to change for a quick dinner. They had an early matter at the High Court, and the client’s car was supposed to pick them up around 9 AM. As she changed into a full-sleeve black top and jeans, removed her earrings and adjusted her smudged Kajal, she heard a knock on her door. She opened it to find Aniruddha standing in a pair of jeans and a grey polo-necked T-shirt, his hair brushed back, as he cleaned his thin-rimmed glasses with the edge of his T-shirt. “Are you ready for dinner?” He asked, putting the glasses back on. As she nodded, she grabbed her handbag. They walked into The Bridge, and Bondita was a little conscious of her environment. Many foreign guests, businessmen and even s...

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 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 Fifteen

A week was all it took for Bondita to get used to work and the new routine. She would wake up early and hurry through her chores, helping Kalindi prepare a tiffin of either Chirer Polao or bread jam and then proceeding to the Roy Chowdhury house. She would arrange the day’s paperwork before Aniruddha arrived at the study room. Occasionally, she would hear him call out to Koeli for breakfast and pack her things, knowing he was almost ready to leave. He would walk into the chamber, check his list, and they would go to work. She would follow him from courtroom to courtroom. She would be sitting in the audience and learning. She would follow him to conferences and client meetings and take notes. They would discuss complicated cases. She would share the tiffin she brought from home. He would at first take a reluctant bite, then eat more than her. She often gave him her share of food discreetly. They usually stayed back after everyone was gone and ordered food for dinner. Some days, he woul...

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...

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