Secret Meeting

1608, Akbarabad

Jahangir was strolling through the garden path late at night, unable to sleep. The torches burned bright, and the jasmine smelled like heaven in the moonlit night. He sat down beside a fountain, restless and wary. Today, the court session had worn him off. The expedition to Mewar had been unsuccessful for Mahabat Khan, and he was disappointed in his most competent general. The Rajputs at court deemed him incompetent for the terrain of the Aravallis. So Abdullah Khan was appointed on his behalf, while Mahabat Khan was to leave for Dakkhan to be with Pervez. The emperor was worried about his second son. After a first successful expedition, Pervez seemed to lack the zeal needed to win wars. He had sent the best mangoes from Barhanpur to please the emperor, but that did very little to the number of unsuccessful missions he carried out, and the opium addiction was on the rise, as reported by Jahangir’s spies. Perhaps Mahabat Khan, who knew the Dakkhan well, could help him and motivate him toward a life desirable to his status. Lost in his thoughts, unable to sleep, he sighed and stared at the clear sky. Innumerable stars shone in the night sky like a veil over it.

A faint sound of anklets caught his attention in the otherwise silent night. The anklet seemed to follow him around the corridors of the garden and stopped when he grew alert. The sound was moving away slowly now.

In a reflex, Jahangir took out his dagger and tiptoed into the empty corridor leading to the Zenanas near the Jahangirmahal. He saw a shadow move in the distance.

“Stop!” He said as the shadow increased in pace. “Stop or I will throw the weapon in your hand. I don’t miss targets.” The shadow did stop. From the looks of things, the person was wrapped in a pashmina shawl.

“Show your face.” Jahangir frowned, nearing the shadow carefully. The shadow didn’t move an inch.

“I said, show me your face!” As his voice grew louder and firmer, alert and scared that it would grab the attention of the guards, Mehr Un Nisa turned and placed her finger over her lips to tell him to hush his voice.

Jahangir’s eyebrows arched as her face was visible in the light of the corridor torches.

“Mehr...” He heaved a sigh of relief “Why are you...”

“I wanted to talk to you.” She spoke almost in a whisper, “About my grievances.” She was quick to add.

“Grievances?” Jahangir seemed amused. “Then be present at court tomorrow.” He said about to turn back towards the garden.

“No! Stop.” Mehr Un Nisa whispered a little firmly, “Why do you keep sending me gifts?” She frowned.

Jahangir smiled faintly. He knew what would bring her to him, and it worked.

“Because I want to get back what I lost.” He spoke, carefully putting his dagger away in the pouch.

“How can you be so...” colour flushed from Mehr’s face as her heart skipped a beat.

“I meant the respect... The respect you had for me once.” Jahangir cut her words short, interrupting with a faint smile, “What did you think I wanted back, Mehr?”

“Do not send me those gifts. I beg you. You are going to make my life difficult in the harem once again. “She sighed, looking away. “I have just started working. The Sultana Begum has been very kind to me. I don’t want to lose my job.”

“Did anyone say anything?” Jahangir frowned with sudden concern, taking a step towards her and stopping at her cold glance.

“Nobody dares to say things to my face, of course. But they speak behind my back.” She spoke under her breath.

“When did you start getting affected by what people say?”Jahangir frowned.

“I am a mother to a child. I don’t want her to grow up thinking her father was murdered by the people she grew up around, and her mother was a mistress to the emperor.” Mehr Un Nisa clenched her jaw.

“You still think I...” Jahangir looked disappointed.

“I said she will think...” Mehr Un Nisa corrected.

“So you realise that I didn’t...” Jahangir asked with hope.

“This isn’t about me. I am not here for me. Ladli shouldn’t look at me as a mistress...”

Jahangir felt irked. “How can you belittle what we had like this, Mehr? You think I treated you like a mistress? Didn’t you know I tried to....? I tried so hard! Arsh Arshiyani was not ready to accept us... I did try...”

“I am not concerned about the past anymore, Shahenshah E Hind! That Mehr Un Nisa is long dead and gone forever. Your constant shower of kindness now is what concerns me. I don’t want to be called someone’s mistress. I am the widow of a very honourable man. And your precious gifts do very little to increase your respect and a lot to decrease mine. I am not a child to be lured by gifts.”

“Those are for Ladli. To give her the life she deserves. The life she would have had at her father’s.” Jahangir corrected.

“Ladli will grow up with self-esteem and understand the value of things. Things only her mother is capable of providing for her.” Mehr Un Nisa said firmly. For a moment, Jahangir realised that ever since he became emperor, no one ever spoke to him in the tone she dared to use. Perhaps because, subconsciously in her mind, she was still speaking to Salim. Her Salim.

“Fine. I will stop. But what do I get for it?” Jahangir asked, crossing his arms against his chest.

Mehr Un Nisa let out a sigh and stared at him.

“I want something! Everything can’t happen on your terms here. I am the emperor.” He shrugged.

“I can say that I am grateful for what you did for my child, and perhaps I don’t hate you or blame you, will that do?”

“What about you, Mehr? Can I do nothing for you?” Jahangir looked into her eyes, and his heart raced once again.

“Make sure Mehr Un Nisa is not remembered for being your mistress. Make sure years later, she is respected for being who she is. Not cunning. Not manipulative. Not ‘cursed’ with opinion.” Mehr Un Nisa stared at his grim face “Can you do that?” She shook her head. “I guess not!”

Mehr Un Nisa walked away into the shadows from where she came. Jahangir stood in the corridor watching. Then he sighed.

Jahangir sat down thinking, Mehr’s words playing in his head, making him feel helpless. It was true, this world was perhaps not kinder to women like her; ones who wore their heart on their sleeves, or said what they felt without a veil over it, or had a clear idea and opinion about things. The world would perhaps never call him out for being a coward when she needed him to stand up for her, or when Nadira was executed for loving him. Every word stabbed his heart as, finally, realisation dawned with the first light of dawn.

“I know exactly what I should do, Mehr. I am not sure you are ready for it yet.” He walked away towards his chambers.

The story of Nadira, more popularly known as Anarkali, is original folklore and was written much later as a poem of love and sacrifice. Nobody called Anarkali ever existed. However, there is a tomb very popular as Anarkali’s tomb, most probably belonging to Shah Begum. Some contemporary writers did mention a rift between Akbar and Salim over a dancer girl who fell for him, but no such scandal is mentioned by Jahangir, Badaoni or Abul Fazl clearly in their accounts. For the sake of this fiction, she was a sweet distraction Salim took to, for losing Mehr and eventually her love for him cost her life.

Comments

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...

Purnota: Chapter Three

“Did you ask for me, Dadu?” Bondita asked as the old man smiled at her. She looked fresh, with her hair neatly braided and a cotton pleated skirt, Thamma sewn with a faded top of one of her cousins, as she stood before the old man sitting on the porch. “Yes indeed, Didibhai, you didn’t come for chess yesterday.” The man smiled. “Oh, Pradhan Jyatha wanted me to look out for the …” She stopped as she saw Aniruddha walking towards them down the corridor. She eyed him as the old man followed her gaze. “Oh Aniruddha Babu, come here. This is Bondita Das.” Aniruddha smiled at the child as she looked away. “She is the only girl in the village who has appeared for her final examinations this year. She is very intelligent and…” Aniruddha nodded “She helped me a lot yesterday.” He made her look up, with a cold stare at him as he smiled politely. “Yes, I have called her here to show you around the village. He wants to see the affected areas of the Adivasis, Bondita.” The old man made her nod. “But...

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 ...

You Deserve More

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 Four

The group of youth provided by the Pradhan proved efficient for Aniruddha’s liking as they helped him survey the villages, create a set of data and provide a rough idea of how much fund was needed to rebuild the roofs and fallen walls. “What if we make them permanent? That way, the next cyclone will cause less damage. Pakka houses may also get other facilities like toilets and…” Aniruddha suggested as his eyes shone in the flickering light of the dimly lit kerosene lamp in the living room of Pradhan’s house. Drops of perspiration had formed on his forehead in the load-shedding, and the mosquitoes buzzed around them. For the first two nights, Aniruddha could barely sleep in the unfamiliar surroundings with buzzing insects, sounds of the unknown, and eerie animals here and there at a distance. Stories of snakes climbing up to the second floor through windows despite the mosquito net protecting his four-poster bed kept him alarmed. By the third day, after a day’s survey through the villag...

Purnota: Chapter Six

Kalindi waited outside the hut, on the torn mat they usually slept on, using the hand fan to drive away mosquitoes as she stared at the empty path leading out of the house, the path Bondita had taken some time back. It was almost an hour. Did the foolish girl escape or land in trouble? To her relief, she could hear her nephew snoring away indoors, reassuring her that they were at least not caught by the villagers till now. She was sure Bondita would return empty-handed and hurt, and that she would have no other way than to accept the proposal from the Pradhan. That morning, her Kaka would accompany Sarkar Moshai to the adjacent village to talk to a family friend of the Sarkars. They were looking for a bride for their sixteen-year-old eldest son, who worked as a labourer in Sealdah. Kalindi had tears in her eyes. Not much had changed in these years; not much of women’s fate was different, wasn't it? Kalindi was about ten years old when her father took her to the Roy Chowdhury house ...

A Heart at War

Legend has it that Pratap had to struggle for his father Rana Udai Singh's approval on his wedding with the daughter of Bijoliya's chieftain's daughter, Ajbante Kanwar Punwar. It is so because he was the crown prince and his first queen was supposed to be the next queen of Mewar. Hence his father expected his first bride to be a powerful princess who would aid his political needs. But stubborn as he always was, Kunwar Pratap had other plans. The water of the Bhimlat was still. The sound of the waterfall could be heard in the silent afternoon in the dense forest. A pebble caused ripples in the water and alerted the horse gazing nearby. He looked up at the source of the stone. Then began grazing peacefully once again. The source of the stone however was far from being peaceful. His face wore a frown as he stared around restlessly for the umpteenth time. He sat unmindful on the large rock on the bank of the water body watching the ripples closely, lost in thoughts. The soun...

Purnota: Chapter Five

Aniruddha finished reading the book he had carried with him in the dim light of the bulb in his room and decided to pack it away. He was leaving in a few days and wanted to make sure he left nothing behind. The construction work on the school had started, and the Panchayat wanted to give him a thankful farewell he humbly refused. The spotlight should be on Trilochon to help with his next election campaign. Aniruddha did not want to associate himself with the party or the job. He contemplated going back home and telling his father that he had decided to pursue a career in India instead of his initial plan of going back to London. He had been giving it a thought for quite some time, and the day he said it out loud to Bondita, he knew in his subconscious mind he had already decided on it. The more he saw the village, the more sure he was that he was needed by his countrymen. Dadu put faith in him that he could be part of something bigger than himself and his career, and he intended to kee...

Life and You

" Maharanisa! Maharanisa!" The maid-in-waiting ran through the quiet Rani Mahal as Jaivanta Bai, who was sitting in front of the Lord in her room ever since she was back, rushed out of her room, followed by Sajjabai and Veerbai. " What happened?" She asked, her voice calm, but her heart thumping. " Kunwarsa is here... with Kunwarani... She... She...." The maid sobbed as Jaivanta Bai rushed to the room. She stood at the door as her eyes could not believe what she saw. Kunwar Pratap was soaked in her blood as he laid her down on the bed, shouting, " Quick. Rajvaidya..." His eyes stopped at the door as Jaivanta Bai rushed to be beside the unconscious Ajabdeh. The Daasis and Sevaks were running about soon enough. Sajja Bai gasped at the scene. So much blood. Kunwar Pratap had not noticed anything except her calm, unconscious face. Now that he noticed his blood-soaked hands, red, he stared at them as though in a trance. "Kunwar Pratap! Tell me w...

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 her 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 colourful. K...

RAABTA

Search This Blog