“Love is Living FOR each other. Laxman and Urmila did that as
much as Ram and Sita. As for society and its norms, it's broken many men, also. Do you not think that what Sita suffered, Ram didn’t? He didn’t know his
sons. He never had happiness. Laxman missed Urmila as much as she did.” Heer
read the small piece of paper and smiled.
“What is love if not living
together? Urmila was a wedded bride who lived like a widow for half her life. Just
what is LOVE if not PAIN?” Heer wrote down with a sigh.
Although this
stranger had different opinions yet, for the first time, Heer felt she was
learning something from another point of view rather than trying to prove each
other right and wrong. Heer missed such a healthy discussion with anyone alike.
Most high-society girls her age were more attracted to make-up, shopping,
gossiping and dating. Most guys were flirting around, sleeping around, partying
or sitting clueless in their father’s businesses. At most parties, she felt like an outlaw, unlike
Ajabdeh, who gelled with anyone and everyone, despite them being totally different.
She remembered with a frown one of Jija’s rare pieces of advice: "We never find alike minds, it’s a myth, we are
all unique and we should just know more and more people … they all teach us
some lesson or the other…" She felt otherwise always, but she never spoke
about it. She couldn’t help but wonder who this stranger was… could they be friends
if they knew each other?
Pratap lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He
was content today. He smiled, remembering the faces of those happy people at
Chavand… the villagers, the tourists… Ajabdeh seemed too surprised. He smiled, remembering her face. He stared at the wall clock that resembled a Ferrari and
sat up. Peeping out of the room, he saw everyone in the Haveli busy with the
puja preparations. Servants and ladies in waiting were running about. The
decorators put the drapes, lights and flowers perfectly. He tiptoed to the
Puja Hall, where Ranima stood in the middle with Hansa, instructing the
decorations for the yajna kund and the materials required. He decided it was best
to step out of the chaos before he was dragged into becoming a part of it. Jaivanta
smiled, watching her firstborn look here and there before running through the
lawns towards the guest cottages. She set the curtains back and smiled to
herself.
Ajabdeh had finally changed into a comfortable pair of
jeans and a high-neck grey top before letting her hair loose and choosing to lie
around in the cottage while Heer insisted on going for a walk on her own.
Ajabdeh sat with her eyes hovering on the clear blue sky with occasional passing
cotton-like white clouds as she recollected her morning. The way the people
doted on Kunwar Pratap, how he helped them at the grassroots level, how, without
vanity of his standards, he wanted their blessings… and Rathore’s words rang in
her mind. She remembered their conversation with a smile. Somehow in some eerie
way, they were so alike… Had Ajabdeh ever thought she would befriend someone like
this? Had she ever thought she would ever take anyone up there at her “It”
place? How much a week is changing the way she sees the world. I like Surajgarh. She decided to breathe in
the fragrant air as the cool breeze swept her hair, and she closed her eyes. Unlike Udaipur, it makes me feel happy.
“Ajabdeh.” Pratap’s soft call made her open her eyes as she
relaxed on the sofa of the cottage
balcony after a day at Chavand, and a boring lunch at the palace, where she was
asked how much she liked Surajgarh, but they were actually keen to know how they
got along with each other.
“Nice.” Ajabdeh chose her words carefully between the two
spoonfuls of Polao.
“It was nice.” Made Pratap
smile faintly as she kept a straight face and concentrated on her food while
Heer and Shakti caught Pratap’s smile before it faded, and the parents stared at
each other, worried.
They are pretending! Heer
had found it awkward that as soon as her eyes met Shakti’s, they could read each
other’s minds. Pratap had excused himself on the pretext of resting as Heer
departed with Ajabdeh only to land up in the library while Hansa bonded with
Jaivanta over the Puja preparations for the next day and Ramrakh was invited by
Udai Singh for a cocktail party of some of his acquaintances where they were
accompanied by a reluctant Shakti in toe, as the future representative of the
Sisodias, a right that belonged to his carefree elder brother who he assumed
was snoring away peacefully in his room.
“Ajabdeh?” He frowned at the gates, unsure if she had dozed
off in that chair. She sat up, staring at him with a little frown. He waved at
her to come over to the Gates and looked around to check if anyone was
watching.
“What?” She looked alarmed at the way he was watching out
around them.
“Free?” He asked, facing her as she stopped a coming yawn.
“No, I'm very busy!” She shook her head.
“Busy?” He raised his eyebrows “ Doing what?”
“Umm… I dunno… Let me think….” She pretended to think, making
him make a face that made her giggle.
“Then come with me.” He opened the gates that separated them.
“Where?” She frowned.
“I wanted to show you something.”
“ooooh… What secrets do you have now?”
“Are you scared? What if I impress you too much…” He smirked as
she shook her head. "And you have a crush on me?"
“Actually am waiting for Heer.” She suddenly realised it had been a long time since Heer had gone for a walk. “I don't know where she went.”
“Don’t worry, she is too smart not to get lost here!” Pratap realised his sarcasm didn’t amuse Ajabdeh much as she frowned, making him stop.
“Are you taunting my sister…?”
“Do you know how to ride a horse?” He stopped her as she raised
her eyebrows.
Heer frowned at the message that came beeping on her
WhatsApp: “ Going out with KP.”
Is Jija
serious about him now? She wondered to herself. Why did he only bother her
and not her parents or Jija? Was she jealous of the attention he was getting
from the only person she ever doted on, her Jija? Nah! Am not a kid! Heer shook her head.
“Meet Chetak!” The horse neighed, raising a foot as Ajabdeh
fell back two feet, startled. Pratap laughed, patting the white stallion
lovingly.
“It’s okay, buddy, she doesn’t get that’s how we say Hi!”
“Umm… Hi Chetak! Eww… how cliché! Pratap… Chetak…” Ajabdeh
managed a smile.
“Touch him.” Pratap insisted.
“Are you sure?” Ajabdeh was doubtful as he held her wrist
and put her palm on Chetak’s soft back as she caressed it.
In response, Chetak
swayed his head, making Pratap say, “There, he likes you. Now you can ride him”
“R…R…Ride?” Ajabdeh couldn’t help sounding scared.
“Someone’s Facebook profile says ‘Animal Lover’ and
adventurous!” He taunted.
“Stalker.” She looked at him suspiciously, making him laugh. “In
my defence, animals there refer to dogs and smaller. This is…."
“He is…” Pratap corrected.
“He is… gigantic!” Ajabdeh stared at Chetak’s black eyes.
Pratap laughed as he sat on the saddle he had just fastened. “Come.” He gave his
hand to a much surprised Ajabdeh, who took it. She sat comfortably behind him, holding him like they rode a bike.
"Ready?" Pratap noticed her stiffness behind him. She was unsure.
"Yes, ready." He smiled as she dared to face the unsure. The next moment, they were riding
through the orchards to the far end of the palace complex, where the ruins of
the age-old heritage palaces stood.
“Hello?” Heer frowned as the phone rang loudly.
“Umm…. Hi, it’s me…”
“Who me?” She frowned some more.
“Shakti. Kunwar Shakti Singh.” He sounded a little awkward.
“Oh, Hi!” Heer managed a smile, “You are calling me…”
“You can help me here…”
“Excuse me?”
“I'm at Udaipur with some house staff… and Ranima just texted me a list of things
for the Pujas. She just wrote flowers for Laxmi and Narayana. Can you ask her
what flowers? Am sorry, but I tried reaching her at home and…”
“White for Narayana and Red and colourful ones for Laxmi
Maata.” Heer interrupted, making him stop.
“Pardon?”
“White for….”
“No, no, I heard that… I mean… how do you know?” He was a
little surprised.
“You know who I learned this from?” Heer caught his
surprised voice and smiled. “Jija.” She giggled a little to see the voice on
the line go silent “You there, Kunwarsa?”
“I… Ajabdeh? Really? She… she…” Shakti wanted to say she was an ultra-modern girl to even fit into such things.
“ She is like the rainbow after a shower. Between shower and
sunshine, spreading the seven flavours of life.” Heer smiled.
“Wow! Look who is quite a poet!” His compliment made Heer
aware and awkward as she mumbled a goodbye.
“Umm… excuse me… Heer?” He stopped her.
“Yes?”
“Dadabhai and I are going to hang out after dinner tonight on the palace premises. It's a sibling thing we do to catch up with each other, and I would like you and Ajabdeh to join us.” He spoke in a hurry and smiled at her, unsure, “Surely.”
“Great! I will text and inform Dadabhai.”
“Whoa!” Ajabdeh twirled amongst the ruins, covered by tall
trees on each side. The small open space was covered on all four sides by the
then two "manzil" haveli, now in ruins, the jharokhas, and arches still stood
tall, the pillars marvellously curved, the watch towers intact. A bush growing
here and there, Ajabdeh carefully looked around to make out the plan of the
ruins. Pratap looked up from the phone.
“That was the Ranivas, this is the courtyard, those probably courtrooms, up there are the rooms of the queens with the jharokhas. About 2km
from here are the temples. They are still in good condition.” He explained to
Ajabdeh’s childlike curiosity.
“You can make a swimming pool here.” She pointed at a large
man-made water body in ruins, with about a foot of green water down at the
bottom.
“Exactly my thought.” He appreciated. I will keep the North wing
intact and make it the Heritage entrance, while the other three wings will be
renovated with modern facilities of a resort and wedding destination.” He
pointed at a distant field, “There we will build the luxury cottages.”
“Can we climb up?” She pointed at the half-illuminated
stairs that could fit only one person at a time.
“Sure.” He led the way up to one of the Jharokhas as she
smiled at the sight in front of her eyes. Beyond the grounds, large trees and lawn, the Haveli was a beautiful sight. On the other side, she could spot the temples
and the ruins below.
“This makes me feel…. I have travelled back in time!”
Ajabdeh gushed happily, making him smile.
“Just Imagine! I was a princess, and I stood this way in the
jharokhas and… wow, wait… I can write about this …” She took out her phone to
open the note app as Pratap sat down beside the Jharokha. She followed, surprising him, as she sat in the dirty corridor, the Jharokha providing all
the sunlight.
“Imagine.” She typed, whispering, “That I was a princess, in a
secluded desert fort. I look through the jharokha, my lonely heart, seeking
company but none to provide, except the sun….” She stopped as he smiled.
“Imagine…” Pratap stared at the designs of the jharokha
falling on the wall, making a shadow. “Imagine, riding through that desert, I
was a wanderer, seeking home…”
“Wow.” Ajabdeh stared at him as he smiled with a faint “continue.”
“Why does the wanderer seek home? The princess always wanted
to be a wanderer, away from home, just roaming through the aimless roads that
lead to nowhere like a cloud.”
“Probably because the wanderer had everything… but home…”
Pratap murmured rather softly as Ajabdeh stared with a frown. She cleared her
throat, making him look at her as she continued.
“ What is home, O wanderer? The Princess wonders, captive in
her own home.”
“ Home is…. Home is….. umm…” Pratap stopped with a frown. “Wait, am blank!” He made her giggle.
“Hence, Mr Pratap Singh, I am the writer!” She stood up and
brushed the dirt off her jeans. “We will continue when you can think of an
answer.”
“Deal!” Pratap rose from his spot.
“Why did you not take up literature? You are
brilliant!”
“All credit to Shakti," He shrugged. “His bookworm nature
literally makes people like me read!”
Ajabdeh laughed. “Well, we both got it from Mom.”
“How about Uncle?” made her smile faintly.
“You know he’s always busy.” She shrugged. “Let’s go back to….
I mean to the cottages!” She got down the stairs as he followed her to Chetak.
“Can I sit up front?”
“Sure, you can.” Pratap made space as she climbed before him
on Chetak for a ride back home.
“Waise….” Pratap spoke in her ears while riding through the
orchard. “We have a post-dinner rooftop party! Just the four of us…. I’m not
sure if it’s Shakti’s plan or the elders are…”
“Booze?” Ajabdeh asked, interrupting.
“Sure.” He smiled with a nod.
“Then fine with me!” She shrugged as they rode to the
stables.
Can I trust him with
my secrets? Ajabdeh thought, unmindfully watching Pratap pat Chetak eat his
oats from a distance. Well, he has shown
me so many sides of himself in a day, and good sides that too… but who knows? How
can I judge the good without seeing the bad? Should I share or not? Have I
actually found a real human friend here? In so many years? She smiled
skywards. You answer me, Mr.“other” Pratap, will you?
