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.”

CHAPTERS HERE

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See You Soon

Kunwar Partap entered the relatively quiet stable premises at the break of dawn checking on Bijli who was asleep, when he heard the sound of anklets near the cow shed. He walked up to the entrance of the stable, from where he could see her, her dupatta placed loosely over her wet hair, devoid of jewellery the way he never saw a royal lady, with a basket of flowers in one hand and a plate of sweets on the other. She was distributing sweets to the cow keepers, veterinarians and everyone who came by on the occasion of Lakshmi giving birth to her calf. “What will you name her, Hukum?” an old man asked. She smiled shyly, pressing her lips together. “Mandakini, Kakasa.” The old man smiled at her suggestion. “Like the kund? Very nice.” Kunwar Partap walked up to Lakshmi’s shed only after most people had dispersed to their work. Ajbante Kanwar heard footsteps behind her and turned with the plate that now had one sweetmeat left. Alarmed at his sight and at the lack of options she could offer fr...

Stable Boy

“Jija, I want to go to the stables too.” Ajbante was stopped in the corridor of the inner palace by Ratan Kanwar, followed by their half-brother, Akhil who was three. “We do.” Ratan corrected herself. The dawn had just set on the horizon and the birds were chirping in the gardens. Ajbante Kanwar had just taken a bath in the private pool and managed to grab her empty flower basket to go to the gardens still before that, she would visit the stables and cowshed, check how Lakshmi was doing with her newborn, and if Bijli was okay with the sudden changes her father made. Ratan Kanwar’s nagging made her sigh and nod. “Don’t make so much noise so early in the morning.” She scolded them as they followed her, giggling and skipping down the hall behind her. “Don’t touch the newborn Kunwar Akhil, you will scare Lakshmi.” The familiar alarmed voice made Kunwar Partap stop gathering hay as he placed them down, wiped his forehead and glanced over his shoulder at the cowshed. There was some gig...

I Saw You

Kunwar Pratap was in his brown Dhoti, off-white angrakha and a piece of brown cloth tied to his head when he entered the palace premises. He was standing in the courtyard, eyeing the lofty towers and domes, wondering whom to talk to as some soldiers galloped their horses out of the stables on the right and some people were gathered on the left. The main entrance and two guards on either side and he decided to go towards the stairs leading up to the inner palace when the guards stopped him. “Who are you looking for?” “Rao ji?” He asked unsurely. “Rao Ramrakh…” “What audacity, boy?” The old guard scolded, “Say, Hukum!” “Yes, Hukum.” He nodded. “I came to tend to the stables.” “Then go to the stable, why are you loitering around the private gardens?” One of the soldiers said in a gruff voice. “He must be the one we were told about…” The other one reminded him. “Oh, go to the stables anyway, Hukum is busy practising, I will summon you once he is on the premises.” Pratap nodded at his words...

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...

Queen of the Heart

Kunwar Pratap was in the Dangal Sthal practising his moves. Ajabde decided it was fair to know his strength before the big competition. Sword in hand, in a white female warrior attire with only her face visible she hid behind one of the large watchtowers of the Dangal watching him move. She heard Rawatji say, " Your left hand is still weaker than the right one with the moves. Both should be perfect." A smile curved her lips. Knowing an opponent's weakness always helps, which is one rule of the war she always remembered. Kunwar Pratap swung his sword with his left hand and turned around. He could sense someone watching, his sixth sense was never wrong. He looked around and hatched a plan. Ajabde again peeped at the grounds to see it was empty. He had left. She walked towards the empty ground, sword in hand. Suddenly, the cold blade of a sword was felt on her neck. She stopped still. " So someone was spying on me." His voice had a hint of taunt. " No, I was...

Prologue: Impulsive Hearts

1576 CE. The dark clouds circled over the Haveli of the Chieftain at Avadgadh, one of the unimportant posts on the western borders of Mewar, Rajputana. It was the arrival of the rainy season, with occasional downpours over the green veil of the Aravallis on the horizon and the streams that often meandered around the hills now surged like rivers. The monotonous life in the little settlement was stirred by the arrival of guests in the Haveli. It was not usual for the old chieftain to receive so many guests, especially women and it sparked curiosity and rumours among the villagers. Who were these people? Some of them looked like royal ladies and some not. In the inner palace of Avadgadh, on a balustrade that was designed with Jali, nymphs adorning its pillars that looked over the Aravallis in a distance, covered with dark clouds, the gusty wind blew the new curtains almost toppling a vase kept by the window. She caught it, alarmed, almost out of the force of habit to be alert about her su...

Unexpected

" This is your room Ranisa." Hansa opened the door to the well-furnished large guest room of the Bijolia Palace. The diyas were lit and the room was neat and clean. " Your Daasis decorate the rooms well." Jaivanta Bai looked around. " Oh, Ranisa. all these... " Hansa smiled proudly. " All these are done by my daughter." " Your daughter?" Jaivanta Bai smiled surprised. " Milwayiye ." Jaivanta Bai was eager to meet her. " Ajabde! Ratan!" Hansa called as the girls came in. 13-year-old Ajabde preferred a simple lehenga in a pink and blue Dupatta clad over her head. She was the first one to calmly bend down and touch Maharani's feet as a five-year-old Ratan came running. " Ajabde is very talented in sewing, gardening and home decor. She can also...." " Maa Sa...." Ajabde's soft protest stopped Hansa as Jaivanta Bai smiled. " Accha, I won't tell but these are your good talents, right? ...

Protectors

Rao Surtan was at the Palace gates as the soldiers tried in vain to attack with arrows. His army was stronger and more competent than the one Balwant headed at the Bijolia Fort Gates. “Break the door” he ordered. “Where is Ajabde?” Hansa looked around the cellar. “Jija!” Ratan exclaimed. “She was on the roof last I saw.” “Ajabde.” Hansa Bai opened the cellar door and stepped out followed by Ratan who was equally worried. “Stay back!” Sajja Bai called in vain as Jaivanta Bai too walked out and up the stairs to the corridors of the Ranimahal in search of Ajabde. Meanwhile, Surtan’s army had entered the palace and he made his way to the Ranimahal. He was having different thoughts now. Killing Jaivanta Bai won't yield him anything… Maybe capturing a few young maidens… Ratan froze in the corridor seeing the man approach. Behind her were her mother and Jaivanta Bai with the same reaction. “ Jee Bavro ho gayo!” Surtan Singh took out his sword. Ratan took two ste...

Life and You

" Maharanisa! Maharanisa!" The Daasi ran through the quiet Rani Mahal as Jaivanta Bai who was sitting in front of the Lord in her room ever since she was back, rushed out of her room followed by Sajjabai and Veerbai. " What happened?" She asked, her voice calm, but her heart thumping. " Kunwarsa is here... with Kunwarani... She... She...." The Daasi sobbed as Jaivanta Bai rushed to the room. She stood at the door as her eyes couldn't believe what she saw. Kunwar Pratap was soaked in her blood as he laid her down on the bed shouting " Jaldi. Rajvaidya..." His eyes stopped at the door as Jaivanta Bai rushed to be beside the unconscious Ajabde. The Daasis and Sevaks were running about soon enough. SajjaBai gasped at the scene. So much blood. Kunwar Pratap hadn't noticed anything except her calm unconscious face. Now he looked down at his blood-soaked hands, red, he stared at them as though in a trance. " Kunwar Pratap! Tell me what happ...

You Deserve More

Ajabde woke up with the song of birds as she felt something warm clinging to her hand. Her eyes went wide. Her hand was on the pillow in between, between his hands, clasped as he slept. She thought of removing it slowly but he was holding it so tight. Ajabde's heart beat faster and faster. What do I do now? How do I not wake him? What if... why is my hand in his? She was utterly confused. " Am I..." In love? Pratap was staring at the sleeping figure on his bed as he again looked back at the rain. Then he looked back frowning as she shivered. He closed the windows of the room, to make it cosy then sat on his side of the bed. A lamp flickered on her side like always and he stared at her sleeping figure as he put his blanket over her as well. She shifted a little in her sleep to make herself cosy again. Her payals and bangles made a rhythmic sound breaking the silence of the room. Her hand was out of her blanket and on the pillow in between. He tried to slowly put it in th...

RAABTA

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