First Ride

Pratap was brushing Chetak when Patta bowed to someone behind him, making him turn.

“How are you, Baisa Hukum?” Patta asked as she eyed Pratap and smiled at Patta, “How nice of you to ask Patta I am fine.” She gave him an eye roll and sat down on the haystack.

“I will go get his fodder.” Pratap declared to no one in particular as Patta stood waiting for him to leave.

“Hukum!" Patta sounded excited. "I think Bhaiya has someone.” Patta giggled in a whisper.

“Huh?” Ajabdeh frowned “Meaning?”

“Like you city people say. Girlfriend.” Patta nodded matter-of-factly, making Ajabdeh raise her eyebrows, as her heart made a funny leap.

“Is it so?” She wished the boy hadn't noticed the colour fade a little from her face.

“Yes. I saw them yesterday at the fair.” Patta couldn’t understand why Ajabdeh chuckled, amused and said, “That is interesting, but don’t tell anyone.”

“No, I didn’t. I told you.” He shrugged.

“Promise?” Ajabdeh asked, giving Patta her pinky finger.

“Yes, Hukum.” He promised the way she taught him to. "I won't tell anyone what I saw."

“What did you see?” Pratap put down the fodder in front of Chetak and asked Patta, who looked pale.

“You apparently have a girlfriend.” Ajabdeh smiled, amused, “He saw you two at the fair!”

“WHAT?” Pratap’s eyes were fixed on her amused face as she asked, “Was she pretty, Patta?”

“I think so.” He nodded. Pratap opened his mouth to protest when Ajabdeh said, “Oh, that is so nice!”

“I don’t have a girlfriend.” He shook his head firmly, eyeing the boy.

“Then who was it with you?” Patta asked, “What’s her name?”

“Yes, Pratap, tell us!” Ajabdeh smiled, amused “Then who was she?” He stared at her briefly and shook his head.

"I told you she is a guest, Patta. Badimaasa's..." Patta looked intrigued.

"I will go ask her." He stood up, alarming both of them. Pratap blocked his way.

“I swear, if you talk to Badimaasa, I will kill you, Patta.” His words were firm as Patta frowned at him.

“Oh, he promised not to tell anyone, haven’t you, Patta?” Ajabdeh’s words made him nod as Pratap shook his head. Patta went to put the brush away, stealing amused glances at Pratap. He walked up to Ajabdeh, making her stand in front of him, arms crossed.

“It is not funny. Some things are not funny, okay? Even if you don’t value them, you should respect the ideas of others. This is a village. You have no idea if such things are talked of....” His words came out rude, and it made her fume.

“Excuse me? Who told you I don’t value and respect things, Pratap? Just because I made a light-hearted joke out of the kid’s observation...” She shrugged.

“I did not find it funny!” He cut in.

“That is your problem then, how dare you say I don’t value...” Ajabdeh's brows narrowed.

“Rajkumarisa.” Patta interrupted them, “You are going for your first ride?”

“No, she is weak and...” Pratap’s words were cut short by her “Yes, I am.”

“But...” Pratap stared at her as she patted Chetak “Are you ready?” She hugged him, making Pratap clench his jaws at her stubbornness.

“Why don’t you ride him and let me watch first?” Ajabdeh suggested, “Before I take him?”

A little taken aback, Pratap agreed to it and took Chetak to the ground. Ajabdeh leaned against the wooden fence, watching Chetak gallop as Pratap instructed him. At the moment, Ajabdeh could not take her eyes off them, like she was watching them for the first time.

“He is good, isn’t he, Baisa Hukum?” Patta smiled behind her.

“He is.” She murmured.

She smiled at the scene in front of her eyes. And at the moment, Ajabdeh reminisced about the way Pratap thought of others before himself, never complained about his loneliness, unlike her and stood there firmly beside her whenever she needed him. She had never come across such a person in her life or remotely imagined that coming back to Surajgarh would make her meet someone this way.

Pratap got down, carefully avoiding the fact that the princess was staring without blinking, and tied a rope to his rein. He walked towards the princess, who walked towards them, ready to ride.

“I will control the rope, in case you do wrong.” He instructed as Ajabdeh held his shoulder for support and got up on the horse. Patta sat down on the haystack at a distance, watching them, whistling unmindfully.

“Hold the reins firmly, this one to tell him to move a little to his right, this one to the left, one pull to accelerate and two to start and stop.” Ajabdeh breathed in heavily and patted Chetak eagerly, “Come on.”

Pratap held the rope and watched Chetak pick up the pace. As Ajabdeh smiled, feeling the air in her ears, she held the reins perfectly and stared at Pratap, who nodded at her. After almost half an hour, Pratap held the reins and said, “It is enough for today. He should rest now, and you too.” Ajabdeh stared at him and reluctantly got down from the horse.

“He chose me, didn’t he?” She asked in anticipation.

“I guess he did.” Pratap smiled at Chetak and back at her.

“It is so strange.” She sat down on a haystack while he gave Chetak a pail of water to drink. Pratap frowned at her words.

“What?” He asked without looking at her speak.

“I have these drawings... “She almost smiled, staring at him and Chetak “I made these drawings of a horse in a childhood drawing book of mine, and now I am beginning to think... it was Chetak.” Pratap stopped patting the horse and stared at her. He then came up to sit beside her and stare at her, looking at Chetak, perhaps in admiration.

“How are you so unsure?” he frowned “, I mean, if you drew him, that means you remembered him right?”

“Nanosa told me I fell down a staircase and had an accident when I was small. I had lost immediate memory from the time before I left. I woke up in the hospital in Udaipur, from where Nanosa took me to his home.” She shrugged, “Nanosa said I won’t get those memories back, and it wasn’t important, as nothing significant happens when you are three.” She frowned. “I believed him.”

“You don’t believe him now?” He asked, narrowing his eyes at her as she stared right at him and sighed, “I don’t know.”

“What makes you feel he was lying?” He asked again. Ajabdeh shrugged.

“I had a horse of my own, who was injured and no one knows how. I have these drawings of the same horse and...” She stopped as he frowned.

“And?” She looked at him, looking all confused at her as she said, almost in a murmur that “I am beginning to feel...” She looked away.

“Feel...?” He asked, urging her to go on. Ajabdeh suddenly felt restless.

“Excuse me, Pratap, I have to leave.” Ajabdeh looked away as she stood up “I will see you tomorrow.”

“Are you okay?” He frowned at her pale face, worried. She looked up at his worried tone with a faint nod and left.

Bolting her room, Ajabdeh opened her drawers and took out her drawing book.

Tracing the figure of the boy beside the horse, she sat down on the carpet and shuddered. She knew not why she held the drawings close to her chest and let her tears flow. She did not know if she had ever felt this way in her life. The sorted-out Ajabdeh Punwar always had things her way; she controlled her heart and mind like she wished to, until now. Feeling an emptiness in her chest, Ajabdeh wept to lie down on the carpet. What would she do, take a step ahead, or move away forever?

“Is it really you, or do I wish it was you?” She whispered as a tiny droplet of tears fell on the drawing of the boy, and blurred it a little.

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...

His Wife

" Where is the Kesar, Rama? And the Kalash?" Ajabdeh looked visibly displeased at the ladies who ran around. " They are at the fort gates, and nothing is ready yet!" She exclaimed. She was clad in a red lehenga and the jewellery she had inherited as the first Kunwarani of the crown prince. Little Amar ran down the hallway towards his mother. " Maasa Maasa... who is coming with Daajiraj?" His innocent question made her heart sink. " Bhanwar Ji." Sajja Bai called out to him. " Come here, I will tell you." Amar rushed to his Majhli Dadisa., " Ajabdeh." She turned at Jaivanta Bai's call. "They are here." " M... My Aarti thali..." Ajabde looked lost like never before. Jaivanta Bai held her stone-cold hands, making her stop. She patted her head and gave her a hug. The hug gave her the comfort she was looking for as her racing heart calmed down. Jaivanta Bai left her alone with her thaal. " Maa sa!" ...

Purnota: Chapter Forty Four

Aniruddha tapped his black loafers on the Italian marble floor of the entrance as he eyed his watch. It was almost half past five. He checked himself in the full-size mirror beside the coat hanger, looking fresh as he shaved and bathed, set his hair, chose a white summer blazer over his black shirt and trousers and abandoned the idea of a tie. He cleaned his glasses with the handkerchief, contemplating whether he should knock at Asha’s door, telling Bondita to hurry. He wondered what the women were doing there for such a long time. He could hear them giggling and gossiping as he walked past the room. He wondered what huge deal a party was that a woman needed another to help her dress up. He took out his phone and wondered if he should call her downstairs instead to avoid the awkwardness of knocking on the door. It was then that Aniruddha heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up in a reflex. He would give her a piece of his mind for wasting precious moments, especially when they...

Destiny

The war was almost won. A few of Marwar’s soldiers were left on the field along with Rao Maldeo Singh Rathore, their king and leader. He was thinking of retreating at the end of this day. As his sword clashed with one of the opponent generals as he eyed the opponent King now open and prone to attack. A little hope flickered in his mind as his eyes instructed his closest aide. The opponent was in a winning situation thanks to their new Senapati. He was just sixteen, yet his bravery and valour reflected his blood and upbringing. He mesmerised the opponents and even Rao Maldeo with his clever war strategies and sword skills. As Maldeo’s aide swung his sword at a taken aback Udai Singh, someone’s sword defended it as his body acted like a shield for the king. He killed the man in one go. “ Ranaji, are you okay?” “ Haan Raoji.” He nodded gratefully. By half the day, the Marwar army had retreated as the air filled with “ Jai Mewar! Jai Eklingji!” From the triumphant soldiers. Rana Udai ...

AAYA TERE DAR PAR DEEWANA

Pratap was outside the gates of Meera Girls College in Udaipur by the next afternoon, unsure of whether to go in and ask for her. He spotted a few girls walking out, and one of them kept staring at him suspiciously before approaching him. He stood in his spot, still awkward as she asked, “Aren’t you that ASI guy that Roshni met?” “I… what?” Pratap narrowed his eyes “I am sorry, I don’t remember you.” “I am Mahek.” The girl waved her hand and smiled, “I was with her at Chawand.” “Oh, I see.” Pratap sighed. “I found some information that might help her …err… project.” He stopped at Mahek’s suspicious frown. “So I thought…” “You came all the way here to give her some information about her project?” Pratap cursed himself inwardly. Indeed, that sounded lame when she repeated it. “Why didn’t you call her?” “I…” He cleared his throat “I lost her number, so… I was hoping that she would be interested in an on-field internship…” “Oh, wait, I will give you her number. But she isn’t here, and I do...

Purnota: Chapter Forty Three

Trilochon and Kalindi were having tea in the morning in their living room when Binoy walked downstairs in his Pajama Panjabi, pipe in hand and found them. Watching him unusually in his home attire, Trilochon frowned. “Are you sick? I thought you had already left.” Binoy sat down on the single chaise chair beside the couch as Kalindi poured some tea for him. “ I told you, Dada, I am here to retire.” He said, putting his pipe in his pocket. “Today, Som is going alone. We will see how that goes.” Their conversation was interrupted by Asha coming into the house in a white and red saree, with a red sindoor Teep on her forehead. She had a basket with her, and Koeli was accompanying her as she offered them the sweets she had taken as Prasad. “Since it’s his first day at the new position, we went to the temple together.” Asha narrated to Kalindi. “He left for work from there.” “Do you not have school today?” Kalindi enquired as Asha shook her head. She smiled, eyeing Trilochon, who narra...

The Adventure of PI Ved: The Case in London

There is something funny about the phrase “as dead as a doornail.” Why? Because I am dead and I don’t look like a nail of any sort. I lie on my living room carpet, hands stretched out, the knife stuck to my back...such a backstabber. I hated them all my life! And what is the purpose of killing me? It is not like I would have lived much longer, I was eighty-five, for God’s sake! I lay here, the blood turning thick as I stared at the painting on the wall. It is such a hideous painting. I bought it for so much money, I was duped. I am waiting for the morning when my caregiver arrives to discover me on the floor. But I feel they are still around, looking for something. Searching every room. It is around 7 AM that she rings the bell. She bangs the door. She yells out, “Mr Smith!” Oh no, she is going back. Come back here, you fool! The criminal must still be upstairs. I hear them come down the wooden staircase and exit from the back door. Now the useless caregiver lady is back. Oh, she ...

Sibling's Day

Shakti always had a very strict sibling equation with Pratap. Though they were only two years apart, the siblings had very different tastes and preferences. For Shakti, Pratap's disciplined and well-planned life looked like he was missing out on a lot of things. He sometimes didn't even approve of how impulsive Pratap was when he was emotional. Shakti, on the other hand, prioritised experiences over plans. He never found a need to feel deeply for anything the way Pratap did, and over the years, mostly in Pratap's absence from the family, he had managed to find a way with his parents. But he didn't really have any other elder sibling figure. All his cousins' sisters were close to him and younger. But with Ajabdeh, he had developed this very strong connection over the past few weeks. As a child, Shakti's playmate in the house used to be Sajja, while his father worked, his mother ran NGOs, and Pratap was always found with his head in a book. Ajabdeh was up for an...

Purnota: Chapter Forty Five

Aniruddha stared at the clock on his chamber wall for the third time and verified its working condition by checking it with his watch. He had asked Bondita to come to his chambers at six. It was almost six-ten and there was no sign of her. The peon he had sent to call her in had also left. He wondered if she had gone home earlier than usual. But then would she not have informed him? He eyed the partnership deed he had prepared to be signed, going through the terms one last time before he decided to go downstairs and see where she was for himself. As soon as Aniruddha got up, taking the coat from behind his chair to go, gathering the paperwork of the deed, a knock resonated on the door as he straightened his glasses and found his most professional voice to ask her to come in. Bondita looked a little breathless as though she had run up the stairs and apologised in a hurry, “Sorry, sorry… Meghna had some issues with her computer.” “There is a tech guy for that.” He narrowed his brows slig...

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...

RAABTA

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