Pawn & Poetry

Autumn 1607. Akbarabad

“Salam Shah Ammi!” Khurram’s voice at her threshold made Rukaiya Begum smile at her son, who arrived bruised and sweaty from his lessons. Alongside him came his Diwan Khwaja Waysi and bowed.

“How are his lessons coming along, Khawaja Sahib?” Rukaiya Begum addressed the man who smiled. “He is ready to go to a war if you ask me, Sultana Begum!”

“Very well! Inform the Padshah then.” The Khwaja agreed and left immediately.

“My Shehzaade, come here.” She appeared worried as she took the watered clothes from the first aid plate and dusted the dirt off his wounds with her own hands.

“I learned defence lessons today.” He smiled at her worried face “I am taking a liking to the sword lessons.”

“I am glad.” Rukaiya smiled back, “I hope you are ready for Navroz too.”

“Ready?” He frowned. “We celebrate Navroz every year, Shah Ammi. What’s special?”

“It is your first Navroz with your father here, and the celebrations will be huge. It is the right time you make appearances alongside him and establish your public image as an heir apparent.”

“ But… Khusrau?” He looked unsure. “Pervez?”

“Khusrau is drowned in opium to get over the pain of losing his sight. His rebellion made him lose public favour. Pervez is busy in Dakkhan to grace the occasion. He is under the guidance of Mahabat Khan. So, it’s your turn; you need to do it for me.” Khurram nodded at Rukaiya’s words.

“Also, after the fair and festivities, and giving away coins and clothes to the needy, there will be a feast at the Turkish Harem. I will arrange it myself.” She smiled.

“A feast?” Khurram frowned “You will arrange it?” He knew how the Dowager Queen kept to herself and barely arranged feasts in the harem since the demise of his grandfather.

“Yes, my child, it’s been a long time since we have had a feast in the Turkish harem for our noble ladies and their families, and I think they need one. I also invited Asmat Begum with her granddaughters. We also need to talk about celebrating your coming of age with the emperor soon.” His face lit up at her words, as his cheeks felt warm, and he blushed slightly.

“What is her name? Did she say?” She asked teasingly as his cheeks felt warm.

“Arjumand.” He said, “Her name is Arjumand.”

Rukaiya Begum smiled, watching him leave in a hurry. She was happy her boy had grown up and happier that he had taken a liking to a Persian girl and not another one from the other zenana. It was time she took the reins of the Timurid dynasty back where it belonged, just as her grandfather had dreamt of it. If not Jahangir, who already seemed smitten by Jagat Gossain, then her Khurram would back the lost glory of Babar that Jalal willingly gave away for alliances she never approved of, with the sons of Hind. Rukaiya frowned, lost in her thoughts. She still had her hopes. Her thoughts ran wild as she pulled the hookah pipe closer to her mouth. It was time she put her pawns to play. She needed to see Khurram with Arjumand herself, consult Salima Begum and speak to Jahangir about their engagement before Jagat Gossain found him a match.

“Jodha Begum is here to see you.” A lady bowed hurriedly as Rukaiya nodded slightly.

Jagat Gossain appeared, clearly unnerved as she stood in front of Rukaiya.

“There is a feast at the Turkish Harem on Navroz, and there is no invitation sent out to me?” She asked, slightly raising her brows as Rukaiya Begum smiled.

“I know it’s not what brought you here, Jodha Begum, tell me what did.” Rukaiya stared at Jagat Gossain’s smile fade.

“Fine, if you want to talk, we will. Tell me what I hear is not true!” Her voice sounded agitated.

“It really depends on what you heard, Begum.” Rukaiya Begum spoke calmly.

“You can’t be doing this! You can’t be actually thinking of such things to get back at me!”

“Get back at you?” Rukaiya sat up, alarmed with a clear displeasure in her voice. “Mind your tone there, Jodha Begum, I am still the late emperor’s chief consort!”

“Why else would you employ her, of all the people, at your service?” Jagat Gossain looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown.

“Who are you referring to, Jodha Begum? As far as I know, I haven’t employed anyone recently.” She shook her head calmly.

“Oh, don’t be so naïve, it doesn’t suit you, Sultana Sahiba.” Jagat Gossain smiled slightly “That girl Mehr, you want to lure towards the emperor. I am very well aware of your plans. I know why, of all the people, you decided to give her a chance.”

“Oh, do you? Because, as far as I know, I think somebody made Azim Koka believe that Ali Quli was about to rebel, and he should be protecting his foster brother. Who was that Jodha Begum?” Rukaiya Begum’s confident words made Jagat Gossain stare at her in disbelief. There was no way Rukaiya Begum could have known of her meetings with Mirza Koka. She was making wild assumptions to get it out of her. The Dowager Queen was smart enough.

“You have no proof of such treason, Sultana Sahiba.” She spoke in a softer tone. “You should know what you accuse of.”

“So should you, Jodha Begum, you are talking to the former Padshah Begum. I have been doing this since I ever knew what life was. And as for proof, I don’t need one. I am helping someone who was put in trouble in the first place by my kin. And as far as employing her goes, I was not sure of it, but I am now. I am sure she makes a difference to this harem still, I want to see how far and how much.” Her words made Jagat Gossain fume.

“He is the emperor now. If you think he is going to repeat the mistake of falling for a mere commoner…”

“Oh, maybe he won’t, but what about MY dear Khurram? He can fall in love with anyone he wants to. And there is a saying…” Rukaiya Begum took a drag from her hookah pipe and spoke, as Jagat Gossain stood stunned. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

“You simply can’t drag Khurram into this. He is… he is…” Jagat Gossain looked lost.

“He is my son.” Rukaiya Begum spoke, “And unlike many, I don’t use my king as my pawn. You underestimate my mind, Jodha Begum.” She shook her head.

“You will not win over Khurram this time. You will see.” Jagat Gossain turned to walk away.

“I don’t need to try to win over my own, unlike you, Jodha Begum. Your nature drives them away from you. First the father, then the son. You can sit with all the power in the harem, but you will never be powerful enough.” Rukaiya Begum stood up “And as far as playing games is concerned, I am not interested. All I want is for Khurram to have a bright future, and I think we both are on the same page on that.”

Jagat Gossain took one last glance at the Dowager Queen and walked out of the room. She needed to be more careful next time and not let her emotions get the better of her. She had indeed underestimated the Dowager Queen’s spy system on her movements. If the news of her treason reached the emperor, it could cost her a lot, for she knew no matter what people believed, Jahangir’s interest in Mehrunnisa was still persistent. She now needed to know what Mehr thought of the man, whom she was made to believe, who killed her husband.

Arjumand was humming a tune as she braided her hair, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her own smile made her blush slightly as she stared at the mirror for a few seconds. She had not realised the slight tap on her door, as Mehrunissa entered the room with a dress she had specially designed for her beloved niece. She stopped looking at Arjumand, humming to herself, lost in thought and smiling. Her heart skipped a beat as an unknown fear crept into her heart. She had been familiar with that scene and her mother’s worried face. Ladli pushed through the curtains separating the bedside from the dressing area, making Arjumand stop, alarmed and smile, hugging her cousin. Mehrunissa put the dress down on the bed and smiled, “This is for you, a gift for Navroz.”

“This is beautiful, Phuphi!” Arjumand gasped. “This is better than the jewellery Bade Phuphi gifted! I will wear it to the fair.”

“I will be glad. I am thinking of opening a stall for clothes.” Arjumand smiled at Mehr’s words. “That will be very nice. I will help you and Dadijaan with her perfumes.”

“That will be helpful indeed.” Arjumand sat staring at Mehr’s reflection as she ran her fingers through Arjumand’s half-done braids, tightly putting them together.

“So what were you humming?” Her question took Arjumand by surprise.

“Huh?”

“You were humming something. A tune perhaps?” Mehr smiled.

“A Sufi poem.” Arjumand smiled. “Hafiz”

“Hafiz?” Mehr raised her eyebrows “Who suggested that?”

“Shehzaade Khurram.” Mehrunnisa’s hands stopped at her braids as she saw Arjumand trying hard to hide her blush as Ladli dragged her away to play. Placing the ivory comb down on the dressing table, Mehrunnisa looked at her own reflection in the mirror, with a frown on her face that refused to go.

Purnota: Chapter Eleven

Bondita opened her window to find Thamma and Jyatha Moshai missing from the lawn. The chairs were empty. Was she sleeping till late? She checked the clock and shook her head. Taking the towel, she hurried towards the bathroom, countering Kalindi on the way. She was reading the newspaper with her rimless reading glasses on. “Umm… why are you here? Where is Jyatha Moshai?” Kalindi raised her eyes briefly and sighed without putting the paper away. Her lack of response puzzled Bondita as she made her way to take a bath. When she came out in a pair of jeans and a shirt, rolling her sleeves up, Kalindi observed her keenly. “Will you be going somewhere?” She enquired. Bondita nodded. “Ah, yes, the District Office, some of my paperwork for the Bar Membership needs to be signed by a Gazetted Officer. Jyatha Moshai knows someone…” “Don’t go by their house… he is in a bad mood.” Kalindi placed some Chirer Polao in front of her and spoke as Bondita rubbed her wet hair with a frown. “Why?” “Oh...

Purnota: Chapter Thirteen

Aniruddha eyed Trilochon, sitting at the desk in his room, attending to some paperwork. His reading glasses were on his nose, and he appeared engrossed in a financial document. He stood at the threshold, a bit unsure and glanced over his shoulder at Somnath, Batuk and Bondita. She gestured at him to go on. Aniruddha cleared his throat. That prompted Trilochon to look away from his document at his nephew. “Jethu, if you are busy, I can come back…” He suggested unsurely. “Come in and close the door.” Trilochon glanced over Aniruddha’s shoulder at the others who walked away hurriedly. Aniruddha closed the door, and Bondita tiptoed to place her ears on it. Batuk and Somnath stood at a distance. “So you met her?” Trilochon spoke while cleaning his glasses. Aniruddha nodded. Somnath had introduced them to Ashalata. Bondita, Batuk, and he had met them in a Dhaba off the highway. Although Bondita did most of the talking, initiating a friendly gesture to put the nervous Ashalata at ease, he had...

Purnota: Chapter Twelve

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Ajabdeh woke up with the song of birds as she felt something warm on her hand. Her eyes went wide. Her hand was on the pillow in between them, between his hands, clasped as he slept. She thought of removing it slowly, but he was holding on to it so tightly. Ajabdeh'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 the bed as he stared back at the rain. Then he frowned as he noticed that 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 ...

Purnota: Chapter Ten

The rain clouds gave way to the scorching sun the following day as Bondita woke up as the first rays of the sun hit her face and disturbed her sleep. She cursed herself for keeping the window open and sat inside the mosquito net with a sleepy yawn. She eyed the alarm clock on her desk that said 6.30. Bondita scratched her head and pulled the mosquito net up to search for her slippers. She heard the bell ringing from Thamma’s room and the chanting of mantras. A smile came involuntarily to her lips as she realised that she might have come after ages, but everything in Chandannagar seemed to have been at a standstill. She grabbed the Kurti from the chair to change from the top she was wearing and wondered what she could do for the day. For the first time in a long time, she was free from the routine of boarding houses. Her eyes fell on the mess around her room since she had not unpacked the day before. Bondita decided to spend the morning unpacking her belongings. She opened the door of h...

Dreams and Wishes

At dawn, the Bhil women took the girls to the Kalika Mata Temple and the Jal Kund. Dressed in white, a nervous Heer followed everything Ajabde knew and did, trying to explain the significance of the rituals to her. They prayed to Lord Ganesh. Kunwar Shakti and Kunwar Pratap were staying at Punja Ji's place, as they were not supposed to see the brides before the wedding. Ajabde was dressed in her mother's lehenga, a mang tika Jaivanta Bai gave her as a family heirloom and the simple nosering Pratap had gifted. They made their hair into a simple bun with wildflowers before putting on their dupatta. Heer was dressed in traditional Bhil jewellery of silver and beads that the women had gifted her. They made her wear a red and white saree draped as a lehenga and a red chunri with it. She looked like a pretty, colourful Bhil bride. Kunwar Shakti was a nervous groom dressed in a traditional bhil dhoti, kurta and cap. The bhil shawl hung from a side, making the white attire colourf...

Purnota: Chapter Sixteen

It had been a month since Bondita had started working in the firm. With Somnath’s wedding date being set for winter, many things were keeping Trilochon and Kalindi busy as they took charge of the smooth running of things leading up to the wedding. They needed to shop for everyone, buy gifts and choose jewellery and sarees for the bride. Despite his attempts, Trilochon found Binoy reluctant to participate in his son’s wedding arrangements. Somnath took him and Kalindi to places they wanted to go, especially Kolkata for shopping, and Trilochon made arrangements to make sure that the first wedding of the generation was grand enough. Bondita tried to help as much as she could as she noticed Aniruddha being oddly aloof from the entire thing. She assumed it was due to Trilochon’s reactions to his lack of interest in marriage. Trilochon kept pestering her to enquire into his reasons while she kept stalling him with excuses. Bondita also failed to know more about Kalindi and Trilochon’s past, ...

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...

Confrontation

Maine kahan tha saath rahunga Banunga main tera saaya Par tere saath kuch kadam bhi Main nahi chal paya Bondita got out of bed and left the room before Aniruddha woke up. She went about her chores and decided to ignore his presence until she found herself a logical explanation for her impulsive behaviour, good enough for him to forgive her mistake. She made breakfast and told the cook to note down who preferred what for when she would leave. She waited in the kitchen long enough for the breakfast to be served by the house help and eaten. His routine was fixed. He would go to the study room and leave for work in half an hour. Then, she wouldn’t have to put up with this hide-and-seek till late afternoon or evening. But things rarely go as planned in life. “Bondita? Bouma!” Trilochan’s call made her shake her head. She pulled the ghomta above her head and walked out to the dining area. Eyes met briefly as she looked away and spoke to Trilochan as if dismissing his presence altogether....

Purnota: Chapter Fifteen

A week was all it took for Bondita to get used to work and the new routine. She would wake up early and hurry through her chores, helping Kalindi prepare a tiffin of either Chirer Polao or bread jam and then proceeding to the Roy Chowdhury house. She would arrange the day’s paperwork before Aniruddha arrived at the study room. Occasionally, she would hear him call out to Koeli for breakfast and pack her things, knowing he was almost ready to leave. He would walk into the chamber, check his list, and they would go to work. She would follow him from courtroom to courtroom. She would be sitting in the audience and learning. She would follow him to conferences and client meetings and take notes. They would discuss complicated cases. She would share the tiffin she brought from home. He would at first take a reluctant bite, then eat more than her. She often gave him her share of food discreetly. They usually stayed back after everyone was gone and ordered food for dinner. Some days, he woul...

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