Soul Meet: Accidental Encounter

Running down the corridor at DU I bumped into this girl who fell over. My friends laughed as I apologized giving her a hand while she adjusted her glasses. Then she swept her hair from her face and our eyes met. It’s been four years. I was thinner and she was perhaps a bit plump. Those glasses were missing too. But that face was unforgettable.

“Pratap?” “Ajabdeh?” We spoke in unison as our friends smiled confusedly.

“You two know each other?” One guy asked a little amused.

“Yes. She...” I nodded.

“We...” She looked at me and paused.

“were friends?” her friend asked.

Were we? I didn’t know. Yet the only day I spent with her was the most memorable day I had in her city.

“You are here for any courses?” I asked her. She shook her head.

“The inter-college debate competition.” She smiled. “I am studying in Chandigarh.”

“Oh, I see.” We started walking down the corridor, followed by our groups of friends.

“So, I guess I have to go now, the debate is in an hour.” She smiled.

“Sorry about the ... umm... I didn’t see.” I apologized.

“It’s okay.” She dismissed my apology. “It was good to see you, Pratap.” She started walking away when I felt that I had to stop her.

“Hey Ajab,” I called out as she stopped. “What are you doing after the competition?”

“We have a flight tomorrow.” One of her friends quipped.

“So, you guys can hang out with us for lunch.” One of my friends offered.

They agreed. She smiled at me and left, promising to meet us at the canteen in two hours.

For the next two hours, which felt like the longest of my life I kept staring at my watch during the lectures. Then we rushed to the canteen to see them sitting there with tea and samosa.

“What happened at the competition?” One of my friends asked.

“We lost,” Ajabdeh replied plainly.

The gang got busy planning a day in the city. Ajabdeh seemed awfully quiet.

“If you don’t want to go... you can skip it.” I offered with a faint smile. Maybe she was upset with the loss.

“I don’t socialize much.” She shrugged “Especially with strangers.”

“Really?” I smiled amused “I thought you take them around your city.”

“Only one.” She smiled at me through her geek glasses. “I think you people should carry on.” She said to her friends, picked up her handbag and waved me bye, to leave.

I ran after her and stopped her at the college gates.

“Ajabdeh wait!” She stopped and turned. “Can I take you out to dinner? Just the two of us?”

My heart thumped in my chest as her smile faded. I didn’t want to come across as a creep but I didn’t know how to say it right as well. This was the first time I was asking a girl out and...

“Yes.” She smiled “I will like that.”

“Great! I will pick you up at the hotel then, and we can drive to someplace nice.” I smiled.

“I would like to Dutch.” She insisted.

“Deal.” I smiled as she stopped a rickshaw and got in, almost like she was a local.

“He asked you for dinner?” My sister frowned on Skype. “he knows you are engaged right?” My hands stopped at the luggage.

“How does it matter?” I frowned. “He didn’t ask me out on a date, just a dinner.” I reminded her. Or was it a reminder to myself?

Don’t get me wrong here; Siddharth is a gem of a person. Well settled, and polite. His family had known ours forever. Their offer for a nuptial wasn’t to be rejected. But something was missing. As much as I tried to convince myself everything was fine. And somewhere, meeting Pratap, someone who knew the carefree person I was in school, made me feel free again. I wanted to feel that way. But Heer was right. He should not get the wrong signals. So I decided to tell him that I was engaged and moving to Belgium the next year.

She walked out at the reception, grabbing a good few pairs of eyeballs in her simple yet elegant jumpsuit.

“Sorry, I didn’t pack enough clothes for...” She shrugged.

“You look beautiful.” I smiled opening the door for her.

I could not place why she looked worried. Did my compliment make her feel awkward? I cleared my throat twice hoping she would speak but she didn’t.

“The Japanese cuisine here is very...” I tried small talk.

“ I am engaged.” The words blurted out of her mouth quite fast.

“What?” I was a little taken aback.

“I am engaged. We will get married next year and I am moving to Belgium.” She spoke in a hurry. I smiled.

“Congratulations.” I said, “So do I get an invite?”

“You want one?” Her eyes expected a no. Her face looked a little disappointed.

“Yes. Of course. It is not every day that people find love.” I shrugged. She seemed a little pale at my stare.

“Is everything all right Ajabdeh?” I asked a little concerned.

“Yes. Yes. Let’s have dinner.” She smiled.

I turned back to the porch to see him wave me goodbye with a smile on his face. I waved back with a faint smile and rushed inside the hotel. His words haunted me.

“So, when are you getting married?”

“As soon as I get my graduation certificate.”

“Well... How is he?”

“He is nice. We have known each other forever, I couldn’t ask for a better partner. He proposed with this.” I showed him the rock on my finger.

“Hmm...”

“So you will come?” I asked him again as he seemed absent minded.

“Huh?”

“For the wedding... I...”

“No. I was joking.” He shook his head firmly as I stopped and our eyes met. “I will probably not be here as well.”

“Oh, I see.” The rest of the evening was fairly silent. We ate the food, discussed our friends and I said its time I return to the hotel for an early morning flight.

I came back home with a heavy heart, I didn’t know why I didn’t feel like asking for her number.

Instead, I typed her name on the Facebook search hoping to find her. Nothing. It was not much of a surprise to me that she wasn’t on any social media. I would have been surprised if she was.

I had lost her, one more time.

READ PREV CHAPTER

Comments

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 quite in a winning situation thanks to their new Senapati. He was just 16 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 Si

His Wife

" Where is the Kesar, Rama? And the Kalash?" Ajabde looked visibly displeased at the daasi who ran. " They are at the fort gates and nothing is ready yet!" She exclaimed. She was clad in a red Jora and the jewellery she had inherited as the first Kunwarani of the crown prince. Little Amar ran down the hallway towards his mother. " Maa sa Maa sa... 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. " Ajabde." 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!" Amar exclaimed

She Left...

The war was over and so were the hopes of regaining Chittor. The Battle at Haldighati had robbed the Rana of all his wealth, and brave men, and bruised him for life. Trying to match up to Akbar or rather Raja Man Singh's army with one-third its strength had cost his bravery dearly. He had lost his friend and companion. He had brushed past death. The only good thing that this war ensured was that Akbar accepted that he cannot have Mewar. His army retreated and left the country in peace after almost two decades and seventeen wars. This war gave something else too. Kunwar Shakti came to help his brother in his time of need. He lived up to his brother's expectations of being loyal to his family. A heavy-hearted Rana Pratap Singh was overseeing the construction work on his lost friend's memorial right where he died, trying to save his master. The Bronze statue of the life-like Chetak stood tall but was no match for the void Chetak has left behind. He was lost in his thoughts as

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

Unpredictable

" Ohho Dadabhai! I can not walk anymore!" Shakti was panting. Clad in a commoner's attire they had hired a cart for some distance and were now walking to Bijolia. " You have to! We have to go back tomorrow morning otherwise they will be sure we were not at the Kelwara region but elsewhere." He said in an indifferent tone. The stone on the path indicated they had reached Bijolia. " There! Look Dadabhai a mandir!" He smiled. " Thik hai ." Kunwar Pratap shook his head a little displeased. " You can rest a little before going into the main township." " Paani!" Shakti was panting as he sat on a solitary part of the Radha Krishna temple as Kunwar Pratap walked in to seek blessings. At Shakti's cry for water, he started looking around and found a pond visible in the distance. " Stay here!" He ordered his brother even though he knew very well Shakti won't move from his place. He was at the bank looking at the c

My Everything

Kunwar Pratap stormed into the Mahal at Gogunda. Happy faces of the chieftains and soldiers welcomed him as Rao Ramrakh and Rawatji stopped the ongoing Raj tilak. A visibly scared Kunwar Jagmal looked clueless at a visibly angry Kunwar Pratap. Rani Dheerbai Bhattiyani hadn't expected this son of Mewar to show up that too twenty-one days after his father's death. He was not informed as per Dheerbai's instructions. She looked at Rawat Ji. He must have gone to Raoji at Bijolia. 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 came. She could stoop down so low? " We were about to inform you..." She spoke up in her defence. " When Dheerbai ji?" Maharani Jaivanta Bai, clad in white entered the hall as people bowed before her. " After your son's coronation?" " I did nothing Badima I swear!" A low voice came from Jagmal. " Maha

The Chosen Ones

“How you see the outcome of a war often depends on whose side you are on.” The forestland of Bhilwara was dense. It was also the border between Mewar and Bundi, the most powerful states of Rajputana. The borders were being constantly patrolled by the guards of Mewar, owing to the recent win over the Afghans. Sher Shah Suri’s general had been defeated at last at Chittorgarh, the capital. But the borders in this area were never safe, especially with so many villages near it. Apart from enemies, there were looters and dacoits on the route too, who often troubled the travellers . Not far from the forestland was the Chambal basin of the Aravallis. It was a very hot summer afternoon. The guards stopped beneath a tree, tired and thirsty in search of water. Two travellers were resting there, one was an old man, who seemed to have weak limbs, and another his son, probably. “Are you looking for water, Brother?” The younger man asked. “Yes.” The soldiers were pleased with the

To Protect You

Kunwar Pratap was in court with Rana Udai Singh. The Mughals were conquering a huge part of the north courtesy of Bairam Khan and Mewar on their routes to the ports of Gujarat. " Dajiraj we need to secure the roads leading to Agra and also towards the west. The attack-prone areas should always be under surveillance." " Yes Ranaji. Baojiraj is right." Rawatji agreed. In the Rani Mahal, everyone was preparing for a grand lunch. Ajabde was making a sweet dish for the princes and princesses and in a hurry, she forgot to add the Kesar and Badam on top. As she served the smaller princes including Kunwar Jagmal, Dheerbai came to inspect her eldest son's food. " What is this? Who made this? Kokoiaji?" She stormed to the kitchen with a bowl of sweet dishes. " Kunwaranisa did." Came a scary answer, from Veer Bai. " Ajabde Baisa." Her words let out a silent gasp from the lesser queens who stood witness. Calm and composed, Ajabde walked up

Understandings

After counting days, Ajabde was happy that she was going to Bijolia. She knew how eager her mother and Ratan would be to know about her new life. She couldn't wait to hug her mother and feel like... Home. She was selecting gifts for her parents and her siblings as per Ranima's instructions. Then suddenly an idea struck her mind. Her new family welcomed her with so much love and support. Especially Ranima and Majhli Maa Sa. She wanted to give them something. Suddenly she remembered that Ranima had loved her embroidery work on dupattas back in Bijolia so she called a Dasi and ordered some plain Chunris and embroidery threads. She had a lot of work to finish in a day before leaving. Kunwar Pratap came back into the room to see her on the floor, right in the middle of the room with red, green, yellow, and pink all sorts of dupattas scattered. " What's all this?" He asked not sure if he should be asking. " I am making gifts. For Ranima, Majhli ma, Rani Dheer Bai

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

RAABTA

Search This Blog