“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 was in imminent danger, and this made his father
furious. No one knew what decision was reached at court, but the Ranimahal fell
silent in all the uncertainties of the day.
Kunwarani Ajbante was shocked at the news
of the happenings at court and decided to speak to Pur Baisa, sending the
eager eight-year-old Amar Singh to play with the four-year-old Asha Baisa,
daughter of Pur Bai Solankini. Bhanwar Amar was too happy to spend his
afternoon playing with his sister, while Kunwarani Pur Baisa sat worried at the
uncertainties that had cropped up. The pregnant Champa Bai Jhati had come to
her room, with her two-year-old daughter Rama joining the children at play. Pur
Bai gestured at her not to speak of the impending difficulties in front of the
children. Jaso Bai, barely sixteen, had managed to join Amar, Asha and Rama in
their little game and managed to smile, eyeing the two women on the couch.
“Jija...?” Champa bai asked, at last, unable
to bear the silence.
“She told me to gather you two here. She
wants to talk to the family.” Pur Bai met a nod from Champa Bai.
Kunwarani Ajbante Kanwar entered the
relatively silent room, filled with occasional giggles from the children, as the
three Kunwaranis stood up, looking visibly worried.
“Bhanwarji.” She addressed Amar, who sat on
the floor beside his sister. “Take your sisters to see the doves in the
courtyard.” Amar Singh frowned, for he could feel something was amiss in his
mother’s voice. He stared at Majhli Maasa, who nodded with a smile.
“Doves!” Asha clapped her hands as her
eyes danced “Dadabhai, let’s go before they fly away.”
“Yes, but...” Amar stared at his mother
with a frown before picking up Rama and walking away reluctantly, being dragged
by Asha.
Kunwar Partap had come home, almost around
midnight, looking tired and distressed, and he frowned slightly at the empty bed
of Bhanwar Amar Singh in his mother’s chamber.
“Where is Amar?” His voice startled
Kunwarani Ajbante Kanwar as she lifted her head from the book she was engrossed
in.
“He decided to sleep with the Dhai today.”
Ajbante smiled faintly “Besides, I feel he is now old enough to shift to the
Princes...”
“We have discussed this, Ajab. The common
room is not safe for the heir to the...” He had stopped at his own words with a
longing smile and stared at her. “We may have to leave...”
“Leave?” Ajbante Kanwar’s heart skipped a
beat as she walked up to the threshold where Kunwar Partap stood. “Leave...
Chittorgarh?” The fear in her voice was evident. He took her hands in his and
nodded slightly. “Ajab... Bhai... Shakta...” He stared at her as she hugged
him. Kunwar Partap had felt strangely empty in the past few days. He had felt
like a stranger amidst his own blood, misunderstood in his intentions. One
tight embrace made him feel he was perhaps stronger than he thought he was. He
gently patted Ajbante Baisa’s head, reassuringly with a melancholy smile.
“Everything will be fine.” He sighed.
“I know that, and even if it is not fine,
we will cope.” She spoke, staring into his uncertain eyes, “Together.”
“I think we should think of shifting
Solankini Bai, Champa Bai and Jaso Bai with you and the children to somewhere
safer until...” She made him stop with a firm protest.
“We are not going anywhere.”
“There are uncertainties.” He frowned.
“So?” She sounded adamant.
“There is Amar, Rama and Asha...” He tried
to reason.
“They are never troubling!” She defended.
“ Champa Bai...”
“It is my responsibility, I have talked to
them, and it is our decision, wherever you go, however you stay, we are coming
with you.” He stared at her words and shook his head.
“Seems to me that YOU said and they
agreed.” He looked at her rather suspiciously.
“Does it matter?” She frowned.
“Yes. I don’t want any of them to feel...”
“Kunwarsa. I have told you this before. My
family doesn’t abandon each other in difficult times. We will cope, together.”
“And what if I need to fight, the Turks
attack?” He frowned “How will I camp around with all of you?”
“We will see then, right now I need to know
when we are leaving and where we are going...”
“Ajab, you won’t ask why?” He spoke, sounding a little low.
“Do I need to know, Kunwarsa? I know you will
always have the right reason.” She made him smile.
“Sometimes, I fear the way you trust me.”
“And sometimes I hate the way you don’t
trust my decisions.”He shrugged at her frown.
“That’s not true, Ajab.” He shook his head
firmly “I am just worried, you all are my responsibility.”
“And we are capable of taking care of
ourselves and our children.” She said firmly, “We are wives to Mewar’s greatest
warrior.”
“They say right.” He shrugged with a proud
smile at her, “You can never argue with your wife. She is always right.”
“When and...”
“As early as possible, we will leave for
Kelwara.” He sounded uncertain, “From there...”
“I will inform everyone and get the
preparations going.” She was about to leave when Kunwar Partap held her hand
and pulled her back, making Ajbante frown a little.
“What will I do without you?” He sighed.
“Think that when I am not there,” Ajbante
said, shrugging when his face grew serious.
“That is the first and last time you are
saying that! As long as I am alive, nothing can separate us, understood?” He
had tightened his grip on her hand as she stared at him, with longing in her
eyes. It had been months since he was home, and most of his time now, he was at
camps or with the children. Ajbante Kanwar missed their conversations. The
sound of footsteps made them part slightly as Amar appeared at the threshold, looking worried.
“Are we leaving Daata Hukum?” He frowned at
Kunwar Partap, who suddenly felt his heartache at Amar’s words. “Why will we
leave home?” He asked, a little agitated. “I don’t want to!”
“Amar.”Ajbante Kanwar had knelt before the
boy, worried, “Haven’t you slept?”
“I couldn’t.” He shrugged, “Choti Maasa was
with Majhli Maasa, packing trunks, and they said we are leaving, are we Maasa?”
“Yes, we are.” She had nodded, holding the
boy gently.
“But why, Maasa?” He stared at Kunwar Partap, who looked away “This is Home.”
“Amar.” Ajbante Kanwar had sat down on the
floor, dragging the boy lovingly close to her and gesturing at Kunwar Partap to
sit. He did, facing the child and his mother, trying to smile at the visibly
disturbed child.
“Have you seen little birds hatching from
eggs?” She asked Amar, who frowned, just like his father, at her cluelessly.
“Yes! Last spring, Asha and I...” He sounded
excited.
“When the little birds were too small,
their parents brought food, didn’t they?”
“Yes, Maasa, they opened their mouths like
this.” He gestured, making Kunwar Partap admire the innocence of his son, “And
then they could see.”
“Yes, and then when they grew older, their
mother taught them to fly.”
“Yes, Mother Bird was pushing them from the
nest.” Amar remembered, “And then one day they flew away.”
“Yes, Amar, they grew up and went to explore
the rest of the world, but the nest was their home, wasn’t it?”Ajbante smiled
at her boy, “Similarly, since my Amar is all grown up, we will take him to
explore Mewar. Know her.”
“But birds don’t come back home, Maasa. I
want to come back home.” He hugged his mother “I don’t want to abandon
Chittorgarh.” His last words made his parents stare at each other as Kunwar
Partap got up and left. Ajbante Kanwar watched him go, holding her boy
closer.”You will come back here, Amar. I promise. You will come back home.”
The terrain in the forest was tough and
arid. With no sign of clouds in the sky, the tired troop stopped at a clearing
at midday for lunch. They intended to cover some more distance before dusk.
The small camp had the maids of the Kunwaranis setting up cooking utensils as
Kunwarani Ajbante Baisa herself checked on the meal. Pur Baisa sat beside
Champa Bai, who seemed exhausted from the journey since dawn.
“Should I tell Jija...” Pur Baisa stopped
as Champa Bai held her hand “No. I am fine. She will worry.”
Jaso Bai Chauhan frowned at the ladies.
“Why are we travelling like this?” Her words made Pur Bai stare at her
disapprovingly “I would rather go live with my parents at...”
“Jaso Baisa!” Pur Bai got up from her face, making Champa Bai stare at them, scared. “If you feel you are the only one
facing the heat and humidity here...”
“No, I don’t, Majhli Jija. I am saying this for
all of us. My parents married me to the heir of Mewar. Not to roam like...” She
had stopped at Pur Bai’s cold stare.
“You will not understand now, Behena.”
Champa Bai came to her defence before Pur Baisa spoke, “But one day you will know
how Jija...”
“Jija!Jija!” She seemed irked “How is this
always about Jija? Can’t you see that she just pushed her decision on us,
hoping we will agree? Did she see how Champa Jija is having troubles...” She stopped as Ajbante approached them with a
bowl.
“Here, Champa Behena.” She held out a bowl of broth, “You have your food first and rest a little before we start again.” She made
the third Kunwarani sit down. “Pur Baisa, I told the Dhai to feed the
princesses.” She had turned to Jaso Bai “And Behena, if you want, I can still
arrange for you to leave for Bhilwara.” Her words made all three of them stare
at her as she smiled faintly “I don’t want anyone to force my family to do
something against their will.” Jaso Bai’s throat went dry as Ajbante Kanwar
walked away with the same dignified, calm posture with which she had arrived.
“Jija.” Ajbante Baisa had smiled, expecting
Jaso Bai to enter her small tent in the evening. “I am sorry. I don’t want to
leave. I was just...”
“Jaso Bai.” She walked up to the girl
and held her hand “It is all right if you want to...”
“No, Jija.” Jaso Bai’s eyes were teary “I
was just scared that...” There was a sudden commotion outside, and someone
shouted, “Looters!”
Jaso Bai could not react to what was
happening, and before she knew it, two fiery-looking looters were standing in front of her, and in between her and them stood Kunwaranisa Ajbante Kanwar,
with her sword out. Jaso Bai’s eyes widened as things happened in a trance.
Kunwaranisa had attacked the looters with a single swing of her sword, grabbed
her hand and dragged her out of the tent, towards that of the children. Ajbante
Kanwar had stopped at the entrance of the tent, as a looter was stopped from
reaching the princesses, the visibly scared Asha, who held a wailing Rama, by
Amar Singh, who stood with his sword out, staring at the looters. Ajbante’s
heart filled with pride at how his eyes twinkled as he challenged the man.
“Bhanwarji.” Jaso Bai was about to jump in, worried, and she was stopped by Ajbante Baisa’s gesture. She was sure her son
could protect his sisters. Jaso Bai suddenly let out a cry as she turned to see
two men corner Champa Bai. She ran to hold her before she fainted in her
arms. One of the men seized the opportunity to attack with his sword and was
stopped right before it hit Ajbante’s neck by Kunwar Partap’s bare hands. Jaso
Bai shrieked in dismay, grabbing the attention as Kunwar Partap’s right
hand, still on the sword blade, turned red with blood, and Ajbante Kanwar looked
up at him, worried. His eyes were angry, and Jaso Bai was scared at the way he
looked at the looter. Pur Bai grabbed her stone-cold hands and ran to help
Ajbante Bai with the fainted Champa Bai as Kunwar Partap slashed the man’s neck, holding the sword in his left hand.
He then turned to the ladies as Ajbante
shouted for medical aid. Around dinner time, as Kunwar Partap was trying to do
his bandage in vain, in his tent, awake and alert, Ajbante Kanwar walked in
with balm and freshly made leaf bandages.
“Let me!” He watched her stare at his hand
like she was hurt.
“How is Champa Bai?” He asked.
“She is better,” Ajbante spoke.
“We can start at dawn, then; it's unsafe to
wait here.” He sounded worried.
“Why did you need to grab the sword with your bare hands?” She shook her head.
“He was trying to hurt you.” He said matter-of-factly.
“It hurts a lot?” She asked, a little worried
at the deep cut of the wound.
“Not even close to as much as it would have
if it hurt you.” He smiled, making her blush a little and shake her head
disapprovingly at him.
“How will you eat with an injured right
hand?” She asked, narrowing her eyes, “Let me feed you.”
Kunwar Partap stared at her, feeding him like
she fed Amar and asked, “Why are you so happy?”
“How do you know I am happy?” She asked, narrowing her brows.
“Just... why?” He asked to shrug.
“Today, I saw a glimpse of you in Amar, he
was defending his sisters and...” Her eyes sparkled.
“Amar? Is he all right?” He sounded
worried.
“Of course he is.” She shrugged, “He told me
those cuts are his wings. Like the baby bird...” Ajbante Kanwar smiled, “I am so
proud of him.”
“So am I...” He smiled in agreement, “But...
these looters...”
“Afghans?” She frowned.
“Turks...” He stared at her as she read his
thoughts. 
