Shattered Dreams

1627, Shahdara

Dara Shukoh and Aurangzeb along with Shah Shuja followed the empress’ instructions and followed her to Lahore. Dara showed his respect and offered his condolences to the widowed queen whereas Aurangzeb went to look for Asaf Khan in the crowd of mourners.

“Your father is on his way.” Asaf Khan reassured Aurangzeb’s queries. “he sent the empress his condolences.”

“Why is the funeral happening without waiting for him in such a hurry then?” Aurangzeb eyed Nur Jahan standing beside Shehzaade Shahryar in the front row as he spoke. Ladli Begum with her daughter stood in one of the back rows and Dara went up to her to offer his condolences as well.

Asaf Khan dragged the young boy by his hand away from the crowd. “Nur Jahan is going to declare Shahryar as a legitimate heir to the throne and crown him. He is already ruling unofficially for the last few months ever since the emperor passed away and we all have been busy in mourning. '' Aurangzeb's brows shot up “Is ... my father okay with that?”

“Of course not.” Asaf Khan looked agitated.

“What do you have in mind?” Aurangzeb asked.

Shah Shuja walked across to Dara and frowned at the sudden absence of their brother yet again. Dara shook his head. After the condolence meeting, Shahryr took the leave of the dowager queen and sought her blessings.

“Are you sure you want to stay here?” He asked Nur Jahan eyeing Ladli Begum one last time as she chose to look away.

“Yes. I will declare you official Padshah when the mourning period is over, don’t worry.” Nur Jahan reassured “The nobles who were loyal to the Padshah will be loyal to me. You are doing a good job.” Ladli Begum looked at her mother, lying with a straight face. She was waiting for the mourning period to be over to join Shahryar and help him. Ladli Begum knew that.

Shahryar picked Arzani up and gave them a peck on her cheeks.

“I assume you will be back to the palace after the mourning period too?” His words were met with silence. He sighed and walked away stealing one last glance at Ladli Begum. Nur Jahan frowned.

“Is everything fine?” Ladli Begum walked away at her query.

In a room of the Lahore fort Asaf Khan assembled many of his as well as Nur Jahan’s old allies.

“You see Shahryr is clearly incompetent.” He spoke. Everyone agreed.

“It is just her way to rule the empire herself.” Said one.

“We can’t let a woman rule and ruin our country.” Said another.

“Wasn’t one in history disastrous enough?” Forgetting the mourning period some of them chuckled.

“But what do you suggest?” Asked some as Asaf Khan cleared his throat “It will take Shah Jahan a month if not more to reach here.”

“We can’t risk the mourning period being over and Nur Jahan being back to...” someone murmured.

“I have a plan.” Asaf Khan spoke.

On his way back to the fort, Shehzaade Shahryr was preoccupied, he was wrong to behave the way he did with Ladli, and his rage took the better of him. He feared losing her. Mostly because he knew she deserved better. A messenger jolted him out of his thoughts.

“It’s Dawar Baksh. He has been let loose and is sitting on the throne.” The messenger said.

“Who? What?” Shahryar spoke alarmed.

“Asaf Khan. He has taken over the fort and freed Dawar and his men. He has also declared war against you and closed down the premises of Shahdara. He has officially declared Dawar Baksh as king!” The man said in a hurry. Shehzade Shahryr had no option but to enter the fort and face the attackers. “Where is Dara, Shuja and Aurangzeb?” He asked.

“In Asaf Khan’s custody. So that they aren’t harmed.” He shook his head.

The battle was a lost cause as Shahryr took an unmanly refuge in the eunuch's quarters in a desperate attempt to save his life. He was dragged out by Asaf Khan’s men and chained and presented before Dawar Baksh. His treasury and belongings were sealed.

“Mercy!” He pleaded. “Mercy! Don’t harm my child and wife please Asaf Khan they are your kin too.”

“Keep shut. The new emperor will speak.” Asaf Khan kept him kneeling as Dawar Baksh smiled “Put him behind bars underground and feed him once a day, refuse him his medications.”

“I beg you to spare my family Asaf Khan.” Shahryar kept begging as he was dragged away.

“His family?” Dawar Baksh was suddenly interested.

“They are harmless. And already under house arrest at Shahdara with the empress.

“Ah.” Dawar Baksh spoke excitedly, “What do I do next Asaf Khan?”

“Whatever you feel like doing, Padshah Salamat.” He spoke amused.

Ladli Begum looked worried at the overly guarded area and troops of men outside her quarters.

“Something is not fine.” She shook her head “These men are not sent by Shehzaade Shahryr.”

“These are Asaf Bhaijaan’s men.” Nur Jahan reassured, “We are safe.”

Nazir walked in from the back door stealthily as they looked up at him.

“I have bad news.” Made the mother and daughter stare at each other.

Ladli Begum had on an impulse set out to see her husband. She demanded to be allowed to go and at least speak to Asaf Khan. The soldiers who guarded the main gates paid no heed and even pushed her away. Nur Jahan held her by her arm and dragged her into the room as she burst into tears. Nur Jahan knew how helpless she was as she hugged the sobbing Ladli close to her chest. She had almost forgotten how being powerless felt.

“They will kill him” was all Ladli Begum could say.

Nur Jahan had desperately played her last move. She urged Ladli Begum to write to Mumtaj Mahal to spare her husband’s life and promise her they were ready to be deported wherever Shah Jahan wanted them to go. Nur Jahan knew that if there was one person Shah Jahan would listen to it was her niece.

A worried Mumtaj Mahal who was accompanying her husband to Lahore was rereading the letter in her tent where they stopped for the night.

“What is that?” Shah Jahan asked as she shook her head “It is Ladli, did you order her to be under house arrest?” She couldn’t believe it. Shah Jahan shook his head. “I didn’t. She just happens to be with Nur Jahan and she wouldn’t have been under arrest if she wasn’t there.” Shah Jahan shrugged.

“But Dawar Baksh is crowned...” Shah Jahan laughed at her words. “Oh, you naive naive Mumtaj Mahal!” He said, “You don’t have to worry about Ladli, she will live.”

“What about Shahryar?” She asked. Shah Jahan frowned.

“What about him?” He asked.

“Will he live too?” She asked, “Ladli is his wife in case you forgot.”

“No, I didn’t.” He said firmly.

“She has sent a letter, requesting you to spare his head.” She said holding the letter out to him. “And I won’t let you do this to her, send them away, exile him for all I care!”

“You know Mahabat Khan is supporting me to the throne now?” He asked amused as she nodded. “He was exiled too.”

“You can’t do this to Ladli.” Mumtaj Mahal spoke rather firmly “She is family.”

“Wasn’t Khusrau or Pervez my family too?” He asked, raising his eyebrows. Mumtaj Mahal inhaled.

“I don’t know about yours, but in ours we...” Shah Jahan let out a laugh. “You mean yours where your father deceived Nur Jahan?” Mumtaj Mahal turned pale. “Don’t teach me about the magic of power Mumtaj Mahal.” He shrugged.

“I will not let you take his life. Ladli never asked me for anything ever. She always wanted my happiness.” Mumtaj Mahal walked away disappointed. Shah Jahan brought in the nearest guard.

“Message for Asaf Khan. Execute Shahryar, Dawar Baksh, all legitimate claims before our arrival.” The man bowed and left. Shah Jahan stood looking at the flickering light of the candle with a sigh “I am sorry Ladli, I can’t keep him alive. Not with your mother around.” He said softly. “I can’t let even your shadows come near me or my children anymore.”

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Protisruti

প্রতিশ্রুতি বন্দিতা মা কে জড়িয়ে ধরে যেন প্রাণ ফিরে পায়। “ভাল আছিস?” জিগেস করে সুমতি। বন্দিতা হঠাৎ খেয়াল করে আগের মতো তার মুখ দেখেই তার মা আর তার মনের অবস্থা বুঝতে পারেন না। তার সাথে হঠাৎ মনে পরে কত অনায়াসে অনিরুদ্ধ বোঝে যে তার মন খারাপ। একবার জিজ্ঞেস করেছিল সে স্বামীকে, কি করে তিনি বোঝেন তার মন খারাপ। ছোট বন্দিতাকে তার মতন করে বুঝিয়েছিলেন তার স্বামী। আজ বন্দিতা বড় হয়েছে কিন্তু সেই প্রশ্ন সে আর করতে পারেনা। বন্দিতাকে খাটিয়ার উপর বসিয়ে এর মধ্যেই সুমতি যায় তার জন্য মুড়ি মুড়কি আনতে। বন্দিতার চোখ পরে পায়ের নূপুরের উপর। তিনি বলেছিলেন “তুমি খুশি হলে তোমার নূপুরের আওয়াজ অন্যরকম হয়, আর তোমার মন খারাপ হলে অন্যরকম।” বন্দিতা নূপুরটা বাজিয়ে দেখেছিল সেদিন। আজকে সে জানে পার্থক্য তার নূপুরের শব্দে নয়, অনিরুদ্ধের পর্যবেক্ষণ শক্তিতে। আবার কেন তার কথা ভাবছে সে? বাড়ি এসেছে মায়ের কাছে। আর ভাববে না সে, হয়তো দু তিন দিন পর ত্রিলোচনবাবু পাঠাবেন বিহারী কে বন্দিতাকে বাড়ি নিয়ে যেতে, ততদিন মায়ের কাছে একটু শান্তিতে থাকুক না সে। দুপুরে আম দুধ দিয়ে ভাত দেয় তাকে সুমতি। “তোর প্রিয় খাবার দেখ, মাম...

Answers

Aniruddha could not work all day. It started raining heavily outside, the curtains of the room swayed in the gusty wind, and things around the room toppled over. Koeli came to pick them up, to see if he wanted to eat anything but Aniruddha wanted to be left alone. Countless questions and fears raced through his mind. Bondita never went home like she did that day. Rather, once a year, even before Jamai Sasti, she checked the household chores a hundred times. If Batuk had a test, if someone was sick, she was reluctant to go. She just packed a bundle so quickly and left for her mother’s place. Had she distanced herself from Aniruddha? Was it his fault? Anirudha started thinking. Could she not take him as a husband because he pushed her away and hurt her? Aniruddha repented for his actions. If indeed Bondita denied their relationship knowing the truth behind it, could she be blamed? But was that why she was pretending to be asleep even though she was awake that night? What did she think ab...

Promises

Bondita hugged her mother as if to find herself again. "Are you okay?" Sumati smiled. Bondita suddenly noticed that her mother couldn't understand her state of mind just by looking at her face anymore. With that, she suddenly remembered how easily Aniruddha understood that she was upset. Once she asked her husband how he understood things without her saying it. Her husband explained to little Bondita in a way she would understand. Now that Bondita was grown up she could perhaps never ask him that question again. Meanwhile, Sumati hurried to get her some Muri Murki while she sat down on the bed. Bondita's eyes fell on her feet. He had said, "When you are happy, your anklet sounds different, and when you are sad, it is different." Bondita stirred her anklets unmindfully. Today she knew the difference was not in the sound of her Nupur but in Aniruddha's powers of observation. Why was she thinking about him? She came home to her mother. And she would not th...

Choices

The winter rains and gusty wind were unpleasant weather for Adhiraja Ishaan Dev. The Suryapalian capital was far more tropical weather of the plain lands than that of Neelambargarh, situated on a plateau rather close to the Heemdevi. It rained more in Neelambargarh, and the winters were cold. The wine did very little to comfort him as he kept the lamps of his chamber lit in an attempt to feel warmer. On the contrary, he observed how Priyambada complained that the winter isn't cold enough. It had been a quarter of the moon cycle since Maharani Priyambada met Kumari Advika of Mait. Although Ishaan Dev was eager to know what the ladies did talk about, he wasn’t sure whether to ask Priyambada. So he waited for her to tell him something, anything! But Priyambada seemed to act like the meeting never happened. She didn’t even disclose anything to Smriti as per Kumar Viraj. Ishaan Dev was perplexed. What was talked of in the meeting? Worse, did Advika mention him? She must have. The last t...

Going Home

Bondita's Mama came to Tulsipur to meet his daughter. He was a poor man and wore a short dhoti and a Batik shirt. It was wrong to come empty-handed to the daughter's house, so two pots of sweets accompanied him. Reluctantly, he had to go to Roy Chowdhury's house. They were the Zamindar of Tulsipur, the master of the father-in-law of Sampoorna, they needed to be respected. Apart from that, the fate of the sister and niece who he was reluctant to shelter and spent day and night rebuking them about had turned, the same sister now handed over some money to him by the end of the month, because of the kindness of Aniruddha Babu. He did not have the luxury of pushing Lakshmi away. Hence it was necessary to come to the landlord's house to meet his niece. In their house servants also dressed better than him; Look at the fate of the girl . Where he had arranged for her to stay in a corner of an old man's house, now Bondita was living a queen’s life. Zamindar Trilochan Roy Ch...

Uttor

উত্তর সারাদিন কাজে মন বসেনা অনিরুদ্ধর। বাইরে অঝোরে বৃষ্টি হতে থাকে, ঝোড়োও হওয়ায় ঘরের পর্দা দোলে , জিনিসপত্র এলোমেলো হয়ে যায়। কয়েলি আসে ছোট মালিকের জিনিস গুছিয়ে দিতে, তিনি কিছু খাবেন কিনা শুধোতে কিন্তু তাকে চলে যেতে বলে ঘরে খিল দেয় অনিরুদ্ধ। একা থাকতে চায়। তার মনে আনাগোনা করে অসংখ প্রশ্ন এবং আশংকা। যে ভাবে বন্দিতা স্বেচ্ছায় মায়ের কাছে গেল আজ, সেরকম সে কোনদিন যায়না । বরং বছরে একবার জামাই ষষ্টিতে যাওয়ার আগেও একশো বার বাড়ির কাজকম্ম দেখে শুনে যায়। বটুকের পরীক্ষা, কারুর শরীর খারাপ হলে তো কথাই নেই। সেই বন্দিতা আজ হঠাৎ বাড়ি যাবে বলে কি তাড়াতাড়ি পোটলা গুছিয়েছে। এতই কি দূরে চলে গেছে সে অনিরুদ্ধের থেকে? তা কি তার নিজের দোষে? ভাবতে থাকে অনিরুদ্ধ। সে দূরে সরিয়ে দিয়েছে বলে অভিমান না কি তাকে স্বামী রূপে গ্রহণ করতে পারেনা বন্দিতা? অনিরুদ্ধ পশ্চাতাপ করে। সত্যি যদি বন্দিতা সব জেনে তাদের সম্পর্ক অস্বীকার করে, তাকে কি দোষ দেওয়া চলে? তবে কি তাই সেদিন রাত্রে জেগে থাকা সত্যেও ঘুমের অভিনয় করছিল সে? কি ভেবেছে সে অনিরুদ্ধের ব্যাপারে? কেন চারিদিক বাছবিচার না করে এমন করল অনিরুদ্ধ? নিজের প্রতিজ্ঞ...

Adornment

The rainy night had given way to a rather pleasant summer morning in Suryapali. The temperature was no longer soaring and a gentle breeze blew through the plains of Suryapali. The sun peeped out through the floating clouds occasionally. Priyambada walked into her chambers after a luncheon to find trays laid with drapes and jewellery, waiting for her. “The Maharani sent this for some celebration in the evening,” Vrinda spoke, bowing at her mistress who nodded silently. Priyambada eyed the trays and exhaled. She wasn’t sure if anyone talked to Ishaan Dev about the rituals. She dismissed Vrinda and decided to read the scripture. As Priyambada sat down on the edge of the bed, scripture in hand, her thoughts travelled to the happenings of the night and she inhaled as her throat felt dry. Why did he stop? Did he feel that he had offended her? Priyambada wondered. She walked up to the attire laid down for the evening and picked up the drape wrapped into a bodice and wrap-around skirt. They w...

Ghore Fera

ঘরে ফেরা বন্দিতার মামা মেয়ের সাথে দেখা করতে আসেন তুলশিপুর। গরিবের ঘরের ছা পোষা চেহারা তার, পরনে খাটো ধুতি ও ছিটের জামা। মেয়ের শশুরবাড়িতে খালি হাতে আসা অন্যায় তাই দুটি মিষ্টির হাড়ি সাথে। অনিচ্ছা সত্তেও রায় চৌধুরী বাড়িতে যেতে হয় তাকে। তারা তুলশিপুরের জমিদার, সম্পূর্ণার শ্বশুরের মনিব, তাদের সম্মান করে চলা মঙ্গল। তা ছাড়া যে বোন ও বোনঝিকে আশ্রয় দেওয়া নিয়ে দিনরাত কথা শোনাতে বাঁধতো না তার, সেই বোন এখন মাস গেলে তার হাতে টাকা তুলে দেয়, অনিরুদ্ধ বাবুর দয়ায়। হাতে আসা লক্ষ্মী পায়ে ঠেলার বিলাসিতা করার মত মুরোদ নয় তার। অগত্যা বোনঝির সাথে দেখা করতে জমিদার বাড়ি আসা। এদের বাড়ির চাকররাও তার থেকে ভাল পোশাক পরে; ভাগ্য দেখো মেয়েটার। কোথায় কোন বুড়োর বাড়ির এক কোণে পরে থাকার ব্যবস্থা করেছিল সে, এখন বন্দিতা রাজরানী। জমিদার ত্রিলোচন রায় চৌধুরীর যাকে পছন্দ নয় তাকে তিনি সেটা বুঝিয়ে দিতে দ্বিধা বোধ করেন না। বন্দিতার মামা তার তেমন এক অপছন্দের পাত্র । বৌমার মুখে তিনি যা শুনেছেন তারপর বৌমার তাদের প্রতি টান দেখে আশ্চর্য হন ত্রিলোচন বাবু। কিন্তু কুটুম্ব তারা। হাতে কর...

Trust

Ishaan Dev woke up at the sound of the hourly bells and trumpets and found himself alone in bed. It took him some time to realise that he had perhaps overslept as he looked confused, half asleep first at the hourglass and then at the sun rays coming into the chambers through the swaying curtains. He sat up to suddenly remember the happenings of the night, as his eyes travelled to the blood stain on the sheet and he sat in contemplation for a good few minutes. He finally had his moment with Priyambada and it was nothing like he had imagined it to be. A part of him that yearned to touch her and taste her was satisfied enough to realise that his longing for her was not only physical. When bodies entwined in the union, and he had pushed himself in, as he had with a hundred other women before her, something in him felt a different sense of completeness and fulfilment that he realised was missing from his life. He had seen Priyambada react to the sensations that were completely new to her, m...

Gratefulness

Aniruddha did not return home that night, he informed on the telephone that he was stuck in urgent work so he would return home the next day after spending the night at the client's house. Bondita spent a sleepless night. What would she tell Barrister Babu? And why would he believe it? She was lost in her thoughts twisting and turning in bed all night. She was hurt. Was her husband so reluctant towards their relationship that he did not wish to return home because of her? Once he was busy with some work and was pacing in the study room. Bondita was a child. Her Jetha Shoshur Moshai had taught her to serve her husband. She used to see Bihari take a cup of tea to the study room every day. Despite Bihari's resistance, she picked up the cup of tea that day. "Don't do this, Ginnima ," Bihari was terrified. “Barrister Babu does not like to talk or be disturbed during his work. If he gets angry, I will lose my job.” Bondita ignored his words and entered the study room w...

RAABTA

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