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Confrontations

The two shadows met at the darkest corner of the Rani Mahal late at night.
“Hua kya hai… jaldi boliye.” He looked around alarmed lest the guards see them.
“Wohh, humne yeh socha ke aapko suchit kar de ke Shyaam mandir bolke hum Jija ko kaha le jana chahte.” Her voice had a hint of anxiety in it.
“Matlab? Subah aapne hi toh Dadabhai se bola…”
“Haan Dadabhai Shakti,woh islie kyunki hum nahi chahte thee ki woh ya Jija jaane se mana kare…”
“Par le kaha ja rahe hum unko?”
“Jaha sab kuch ka aanth hua tha wahi se nayi surwaad karvane.” She smiled faintly.
“Kya? Vrindavan? Asambhav. Dadabhai nahi jaenge waha.” He shook his head vigorously making it a point that it was impossible to convince a adamant Kunwar Pratap.
“Ve avashya aenge, unko aana parega. Jija ke liye.” Pur’s voice was loud and clear as he stood there watching her leave. 
“Ajabde bhabisa ke bhaati yeh bhi sherni bann rahi, hei eklingji hum ko dadabhai ke krodh sebacha lena.” Shakti murmured a soft prayer.

At dawn, two Palanquins left the Ranimahal as Jaivanta Bai whispered a small prayer watching them go.
“Bhai Shakti yeh hum kaha jaa rahe?” Kunwar Pratap was restless in the forest path as he reigned Sarang. “Hum ko srighraa Shyam mandir pouchna, Ajabde…”
“Hum aap ko bhabisa ke paas hi le jaa rahe hai, jaha woh hai….”
“Hum kuch samajh nahi paa rahe Bhai Shakti spastta se boliye.”

“Pur Behena. Hum ko itna samay kyun lag raha hai Mandir pouchne mein?” Ajabde called out softly from her palki.”
“Ohho Jija woh humne ek dusre mandir ke baare mein suna toh hum waha pehle jaa rahe bas.” Pur tried to sound normal as she said a soft prayer.

“Humari putri ko lekar woh Samanth putri kaha chali gayi… agar usko kuch ho gaya toh?” Pur’s tensed mother paced the room stopping at Dheer Bai’s entry.
“Hum bhi yehi soch rahe thee, bhagwan na kare… par sach yehi hai ke woh dono toh sautan hai, ek dusre ke prati….”
“Dheer Behena.” Sajja Bai’s firm voice made her stop. 
“Waise toh sautan hum aur jija bhi hai, par jija humse behen se bhi zyada sneh karti. Aur Ajabde humari jija ki parchai hai bhabisa aap ko koi chinta ki…” She stopped watching a fuming Dheerbai leave.

Ajabde’s heart skipped a beat getting out of the Palanquin. Those white marble stairs brought back horrifying memories of the day that changed her life, changed her.  One by one she made her way up the same stairs to reach the porch he had left her at. Pur smiled at her saying “Aap yaha rukiye hum abhi aate hai Jija.”
“Ji.” She managed to find voice and smile faintly watching Pur go. 

Breathing in deeply she closed her eyes. The Temple complex. Those stairs. Her Daata’s last breath. Ghrina karte hai hum apse… prem marr gaya hai….. His words had haunted her sleep.
“Ajabdeh?” A shiver ran down her spine as she heard his voice behind her. No. She was not Ajabdeh anymore, she was Baijilal. She wiped away the lone tear and straightened her face to turn and face him. Kunwar Pratap’s eyes twinkled a little. With the memories of his biggest regret. He had left her unheard, he had been the reason her father.

“Hum e puja ke liye vilambh ho raha…” She started to excuse herself as he blocked her way; he just could not let her go. Not this time.
“Ajabdeh humari baat suniye. Hum e pata hai humse bhool hui hai, humne galti kiya, sambhavta aisi galti jiski kabhi sapne mein bhi apne humse apeksha nahi kiya tha.Hum sshama mangna chahte hai Ajabdeh… hum….” A lone tear trickled down his eyes as she looked up at his face, hands folded he was looking down In shame.

Ajabde smiled making him look up at her eyes, they were unreadable. She walked past him turning her back to him as he turned confused “Ajabdeh?”
“Sshama? Kis baat ki sshama maang rahe hai aap Kunwar Pratap? Bijolia ki Samanth se bhala apko kaisi….”
“Hum Bijolia ki Baijilal se nahi, apne patni se baat kar rahe hai.”
“Patni?” Ajabdeh smiled facing him. “Kaisa Patni?” 
He looked away as his face showed guilt.

“Kahi aap uss patni ki baat toh nahi kar rahe hai na jo aapke bharose, Bijiolia se yaha aayi thi. Jisne hamesha yeh socha ke chahe duniya uske viprit khadi ho jaaye woh hamesha aapko saath paegi.”
“Ajab….” He looked hurt like a thousand daggers stabbed him.
“Kya aap uss patni ki baat kar rahi hai, jiske laakh kehne ke uprant aapne uska ek baat tak nahi suna? Jiske marte huye pita ke baare mein sunnke aap ne ek baar bhi Bijolia mein pao tak nahi rakha? Keval islie kyunki sambhavta kisine ek chitthi se jo arop lagai thi aapko woh sahi laga…. Kyunki islie ke aapke liye apne patni ke sacchai ke upar tha apke chotima ka aarop?”
“Hum aisa…” A tear trickled down his eyes and made her heartache. 
But she was not weak anymore.
“Ya phir islie kyunki aapko Pur Baisa se vivah karna hai aur aapko apne patni ka samarthan chahiye tha?”
“Bas Kijiye Ajabdeh, bohot bol chuki aap.” He was clearly cross with the last straw.

“Haa Kunwar Pratap, hum bohot bol chuke, lekin aapke bohot bolne se bhi hum apko yeh kabhi nahi keh paaye, apke jhute aarop sunte rahe hum. Sochiye Kunwar Pratap agar aapko aisa lag raha hai sacchai se, toh humko unn jhute arop se kaisa laga hoga? Sochiye ke uss beti ko kaisa lagajab aapke karan apne aakhon ke samne usne apne pita ko….”
“Ajabdeh, hum … hum e pata hai…” He tried to compose himself to say everything he had planned to, all night.
“Jaiye Kunwar Pratap. Aj Kunwarani Ajabdeh Baisa aapse kehti hai, kar lijiye Pur Baisa se vivah aur yeh samajh lijiyega ke aaj ke baad aapki patni bas ek wohi hai, Bijolia ka Baijilal aapko aapke sabhi uttar dwaittyo se mukt karti hai.” She took three steps back as he stretched out his hand to her.
“Nahi Ajabde, nahi…”
“ Maar chukka tha aapka prem, aj maar chuki Kunwarani Ajabde Baisa.” 
She turned and took the same stairs down to her palanquin without looking back as he stood there like a statue, this time, alone and helpless watching her palanquin go.

“Hume shama kijiye hum asafal huye.” Pur’s soft voice made him wipe away the coming tears and turn to her.
“Aap unke piche jaiye, unko aapki avashakta hai.” His voice was calm and composed, as he stared at the roads leading to Chittor.
“Ji?” Pur asked confused.
“Hum…” he smiled faintly “Jaante hai apne Ajabdeh ko, woh… Hum e dukh deke dukhi na ho aisa ho nahi sakta….”

Pur stood silent staring at his unreadable face dumbfounded. She had expected an argument, maybe an ugly one too. Never had she imagined the Bravest valiant Kunwar Pratap to be silenced by Ajabdeh Baisa. And here he was once again worried for her. Pur left in silence as Shakti placed his hand on Kunwar Pratap’s shoulder.

“Sabha bulaiye Ranimahal mein bhai Shakti. Samay aa chukka hai Chotima se kuch jawab mangne ka.” His eyes reflected the fury Shakti had expected.
“Ji Dadabhai.”

“Hum wohi karenge jo aap chahti thi, Ajabdeh. Hum aapke liye yeh yudh bhi jeet  lenge jaise pehle jeete thee. Aapko hum  yeh yakeen dila denge ke hum kabhi aapka haat nahi chorenge. Yeh Kunwar Pratap ka vachan hai, Kunwarani Ajabdeh Baisa.”


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Protisruti

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Answers

Aniruddha could not work all day. It started raining heavily outside, the curtains of the room swayed in the gusty wind, and things around the room toppled over. Koeli came to pick them up, to see if he wanted to eat anything but Aniruddha wanted to be left alone. Countless questions and fears raced through his mind. Bondita never went home like she did that day. Rather, once a year, even before Jamai Sasti, she checked the household chores a hundred times. If Batuk had a test, if someone was sick, she was reluctant to go. She just packed a bundle so quickly and left for her mother’s place. Had she distanced herself from Aniruddha? Was it his fault? Anirudha started thinking. Could she not take him as a husband because he pushed her away and hurt her? Aniruddha repented for his actions. If indeed Bondita denied their relationship knowing the truth behind it, could she be blamed? But was that why she was pretending to be asleep even though she was awake that night? What did she think ab...
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Promises

Bondita hugged her mother as if to find herself again.  "Are you okay?" Sumati smiled. Bondita suddenly noticed that her mother couldn't understand her state of mind just by looking at her face anymore. With that, she suddenly remembered how easily Aniruddha understood that she was upset. Once she asked her husband how he understood things without her saying it. Her husband explained to little Bondita in a way she would understand. Now that Bondita was grown up she could perhaps never ask him that question again. Meanwhile, Sumati hurried to get her some Muri Murki while she sat down on the bed. Bondita's eyes fell on her feet. He had said, "When you are happy, your anklet sounds different, and when you are sad, it is different." Bondita stirred her anklets unmindfully. Today she knew the difference was not in the sound of her Nupur but in Aniruddha's powers of observation. Why was she thinking about him? She came home to her mother. And she would not th...
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Choices

The winter rains and gusty wind were unpleasant weather for Adhiraja Ishaan Dev. The Suryapalian capital was far more tropical weather of the plain lands than that of Neelambargarh, situated on a plateau rather close to the Heemdevi. It rained more in Neelambargarh, and the winters were cold. The wine did very little to comfort him as he kept the lamps of his chamber lit in an attempt to feel warmer. On the contrary, he observed how Priyambada complained that the winter isn't cold enough. It had been a quarter of the moon cycle since Maharani Priyambada met Kumari Advika of Mait. Although Ishaan Dev was eager to know what the ladies did talk about, he wasn’t sure whether to ask Priyambada. So he waited for her to tell him something, anything! But Priyambada seemed to act like the meeting never happened. She didn’t even disclose anything to Smriti as per Kumar Viraj. Ishaan Dev was perplexed. What was talked of in the meeting? Worse, did Advika mention him? She must have. The last t...
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Going Home

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Uttor

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The rainy night had given way to a rather pleasant summer morning in Suryapali. The temperature was no longer soaring and a gentle breeze blew through the plains of Suryapali. The sun peeped out through the floating clouds occasionally. Priyambada walked into her chambers after a luncheon to find trays laid with drapes and jewellery, waiting for her. “The Maharani sent this for some celebration in the evening,” Vrinda spoke, bowing at her mistress who nodded silently. Priyambada eyed the trays and exhaled. She wasn’t sure if anyone talked to Ishaan Dev about the rituals. She dismissed Vrinda and decided to read the scripture. As Priyambada sat down on the edge of the bed, scripture in hand, her thoughts travelled to the happenings of the night and she inhaled as her throat felt dry. Why did he stop? Did he feel that he had offended her? Priyambada wondered. She walked up to the attire laid down for the evening and picked up the drape wrapped into a bodice and wrap-around skirt. They w...
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Ghore Fera

  ঘরে ফেরা   বন্দিতার মামা মেয়ের সাথে দেখা করতে আসেন তুলশিপুর। গরিবের ঘরের ছা পোষা চেহারা তার, পরনে খাটো ধুতি ও ছিটের জামা। মেয়ের শশুরবাড়িতে খালি হাতে আসা অন্যায় তাই দুটি মিষ্টির হাড়ি সাথে। অনিচ্ছা সত্তেও রায় চৌধুরী বাড়িতে যেতে হয় তাকে। তারা তুলশিপুরের জমিদার, সম্পূর্ণার শ্বশুরের মনিব, তাদের সম্মান করে চলা মঙ্গল। তা ছাড়া যে বোন  ও বোনঝিকে আশ্রয় দেওয়া নিয়ে দিনরাত কথা শোনাতে বাঁধতো না তার, সেই বোন  এখন মাস গেলে তার হাতে টাকা তুলে দেয়, অনিরুদ্ধ বাবুর দয়ায়। হাতে আসা লক্ষ্মী পায়ে ঠেলার বিলাসিতা করার মত মুরোদ নয় তার। অগত্যা বোনঝির সাথে দেখা করতে জমিদার বাড়ি আসা। এদের বাড়ির চাকররাও  তার থেকে ভাল পোশাক পরে; ভাগ্য দেখো মেয়েটার। কোথায় কোন বুড়োর বাড়ির এক কোণে পরে থাকার ব্যবস্থা করেছিল সে, এখন বন্দিতা রাজরানী।  জমিদার ত্রিলোচন রায় চৌধুরীর যাকে পছন্দ নয় তাকে তিনি সেটা বুঝিয়ে দিতে দ্বিধা বোধ করেন না। বন্দিতার মামা তার তেমন এক অপছন্দের পাত্র । বৌমার মুখে তিনি যা  শুনেছেন তারপর বৌমার তাদের প্রতি টান দেখে আশ্চর্য হন ত্রিলোচন বাবু। কিন্তু কুটুম্ব তারা। হাতে কর...
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Trust

Ishaan Dev woke up at the sound of the hourly bells and trumpets and found himself alone in bed. It took him some time to realise that he had perhaps overslept as he looked confused, half asleep first at the hourglass and then at the sun rays coming into the chambers through the swaying curtains. He sat up to suddenly remember the happenings of the night, as his eyes travelled to the blood stain on the sheet and he sat in contemplation for a good few minutes. He finally had his moment with Priyambada and it was nothing like he had imagined it to be. A part of him that yearned to touch her and taste her was satisfied enough to realise that his longing for her was not only physical. When bodies entwined in the union, and he had pushed himself in, as he had with a hundred other women before her, something in him felt a different sense of completeness and fulfilment that he realised was missing from his life. He had seen Priyambada react to the sensations that were completely new to her, m...
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Gratefulness

Aniruddha did not return home that night, he informed on the telephone that he was stuck in urgent work so he would return home the next day after spending the night at the client's house. Bondita spent a sleepless night. What would she tell Barrister Babu? And why would he believe it? She was lost in her thoughts twisting and turning in bed all night. She was hurt. Was her husband so reluctant towards their relationship that he did not wish to return home because of her? Once he was busy with some work and was pacing in the study room. Bondita was a child. Her Jetha Shoshur Moshai had taught her to serve her husband. She used to see Bihari take a cup of tea to the study room every day. Despite Bihari's resistance, she picked up the cup of tea that day.  "Don't do this, Ginnima ," Bihari was terrified. “Barrister Babu does not like to talk or be disturbed during his work. If he gets angry, I will lose my job.” Bondita ignored his words and entered the study room w...
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