Sealed

Pratap's phone rang, and he jolted a little. It was too late at night. He didn't know when he had fallen asleep, crying. The screen flashed Heer's name. His heart skipped a beat. Was she okay?

"Hello." There was urgency in his voice. "Is everything okay?" He asked almost in a reflex.

"I… hello. It's me. My phone battery died, so…" Ajabdeh's voice made him sigh in relief. "Oh. How can I help you?" He checked his tone. He could hear her sigh.

"We need to talk." She said.

"There is nothing left to…"

"No. I mean… I mean…" he waited with a narrowed pair of brows as she stammered. "You left something here by mistake."

"Oh. Must have got into your luggage." He said. "Let it be."

"No. Why don't you come along and take it tomorrow?" She sounded unsure.

"Ajabdeh, I am sure it's nothing important." He scrutinised the things spread around him in heaps. "I have everything I need here. Don't bother so much."

"Are you sure?" She insisted, "I think you should come around."

"It's about the papers, isn't it?" He snapped. "Fine. You could just say that. I will stop by after work. Take care." He was eager to end the call. Her voice was like a knife stabbing his heart.

"You too." She disconnected.

Ajabdeh paced the room and looked up at the clock. Heer had informed her flight was on time. She sighed. She then picked up the phone and texted.

"You are coming right?" She asked.

"After work. Can be late. We can skip." He texted back.

"No. Come over. Take back what is yours." He was annoyed at her text. She couldn't even keep something that belonged to him for a few days. Did his mere presence irk her so much? He took the car keys and packed his briefcase.

As soon as Ajabdeh opened the door, she noticed how tired and sleepless Pratap looked. Like he hadn't slept all night.

"What did I leave behind that is so important that…'' he stopped as he entered the house. "Wait a minute. Are you alone?" He sounded anxious. "Where is Heer?"

"On a flight back to Delhi," Ajabdeh said rather calmly.

"What?" Pratap looked agitated. "You can't stay alone. The doctor…" Pratap picked up his phone.

"It's okay. I told her to leave. She didn't want to. She has something important at work." She reassured Pratap to put the phone back in his pocket.

"Fine. I will tell Shakti to…" He stopped at her cold stare.

"Fine. Do what you want to. What did I forget that was so important that I had to be here today itself?" He asked. He was scared of being in the same room as she made him vulnerable. "Could it not wait?"

"No. You forgot the most important thing." She said, taking a step closer and making him stare at her with questioning eyes.

"Wha…"

"Your wife is stupid. She is slow. You can't give up on her just because she told you to."

"I don't understand." Pratap managed as his throat went dry and his heart thumped in his chest. "You said…"

" Do you want to take her back or not?" She asked, raising her eyebrows and inching closer to him. He looked confused. "Your wife. You forgot to take her home." Ajabdeh smiled as her eyes sparkled. Pratap thought either this was a dream or she was under medication.

"But you told…" he reminded her.

"I said what I said. I thought you never… loved me." She blinked away her tears.

"Are you crazy? Of course, I love you. I have always loved you."

"But you never said it before. Never said it ever." She placed her hand over his heart. "I was so scared. And insecure."

" I am so sorry. I always thought gestures were enough for us. Like I knew from your gestures that you care, I thought you saw through me." He said, holding her shoulders with both hands. She looked into his moist eyes. "I am so sorry you went through so much."

"No. We did. We went through so much, and I never realised I was not alone. You were there in all the happiness and pain. I just didn't see that. I was blinded by my own pain." Ajabdeh sighed.

"I could have been more vocal. I also took you for granted. I assumed you were happy." Pratap shook his head.

"No. You didn't. You just … I always knew you wouldn't leave me, no matter what. So I tried to push you away. I thought you would be happier. But the moment you abandoned me…"

"I never abandoned you." Pratap shook his head, clasping her chin. "I can never. I am the happiest with you, Ajabdeh. You are my home. My safe place. The one who is there through my biggest failures and flaws and never lost faith in me."

"Then promise me that if I am ever crazy enough to push you away, you will never leave me alone." She looked up as he nodded.

"I promise you." Pratap hugged her. "We are enough for each other, Ajabdeh. We are complete in our own way. We don't need society to tell us otherwise." He said softly in her ears. She nodded, hugging him tighter. Placing her head on his shoulder, she closed her eyes and let her tears flow.

"Even when I cry or annoy you? Say things I don't mean? Or oppose you?"

"Even then. I am never going anywhere."

"You have to put up with the mood swings and insecurities. The workaholism and stress. I cry a lot lately." Her words made him smile.

"I am here to bring you coffee and wine, listen to your problems, and wipe away your tears." He reassured her by putting his chin on her head.

"What if there are bad days? Days you are tired of me? Or I want to kill you." She asked, making him almost chuckle.

"We will fight and make up. We will have vacations. We will spend time with the family. Cool down and talk it out. And not keep anything from each other." He reassured her again. "We will be fine."

"I love you." Pratap broke the hug at her words and looked into her eyes with a smile. He wiped her tears away from her cheeks and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, too." She smiled back at his words before leaning in for a kiss.

"You want to take your wife home?" She asked, inches away from his lips as their noses touched.

"Maybe tomorrow." She frowned at his words. He smiled slightly, pulling her by the waist towards him. "Tonight I want to show her how much I love her." He smiled, planting a soft peck on her nose.

"I missed you." She smiled.

"I missed you." He smiled back as she hugged him again.

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!" A...

Queen of the Heart

Kunwar Pratap was in the Dangal Sthal practising his moves. Ajabdeh decided it was fair to know his strength before she summoned him. Sword in hand, in a white female warrior attire with only her face visible, she hid behind one of the large watchtowers of the Dangal, watching him move. She heard Rawatji say, "Your left hand is still weaker than the right one with the moves. Both should be perfect." A smile curved her lips. Knowing an opponent's weakness always helps, which is one rule of war she always remembered. Kunwar Pratap swung his sword with his left hand and turned around. He could sense someone watching; his sixth sense was never wrong. He looked around. Ajabdeh again peeped at the grounds to see that it was empty. He had left. She walked towards the empty ground, sword in hand. Suddenly, the cold blade of a sword was felt on her neck. She stopped still. " So someone was spying on me." His voice had a hint of taunt. " No, I was ... walking by......

Happy Ending

Dheer had a sleepless night. Yes, she had killed the Maharani, but to seek revenge for her son. Jagmal was all she had for a dream, and Rana Pratap's first decision was to banish him. He had never been that tough with his other brothers, who went with Akbar, so why him? Just because he wanted to be a king? Just because they brought a false letter and bought a few witnesses? Her son died in Ajmer, so young. And she had always blamed Ajabdeh Punwar for Rana's hard decision. After all, ever since she came as a support for Jaivanta Bai, she had been like his shield, even though creating misunderstandings didn't help Dheer Bai Bhatiyani. Ajabdeh had done the impossible, showing him the real face of his Chotima. What bothered Dheer now was whether he remembered anything, and most importantly, if she did. Dheer had turned pale at the song and smile Pratap gave, but if he knew she had killed Ajabdeh, it meant Survi remembered her walking to a dying Ajabdeh and confessing that she...

Begum Sahib: An Introduction and chronology

Note to the readers: Women behind men in history fascinate me. I had been reading about the mothers and wives who changed men’s fortunes. But what about daughters and sisters? A few months back, I was looking for books on Mughal Ladies, mainly Noor Jahan and her work. In the bibliography credits, I had chanced upon “The Life of A Mogul Princess” By Jahanara Begum, the daughter of Shah Jahan. I had no idea about the book and thought it was another autobiography. Previously, I had read only about how she was imprisoned along with her father at Agra, and her involvement with Dara Shikoh, her younger brother, in connecting the two realms of Hinduism and Islamism and the establishment of Sufism. All of these and the chronological events of history can be found in various books. As I read each page of her diary, cross-checking each point with Jagunath Sircar’s “History of Aurangzib” and R.C. Majumder’s “Mughal Empire” as well as numerous other sources on the Mughal Harem, I discovered ...

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...

Scheme of Things

The ousting of Shams Khan and his troops from Chittorgarh earned Kunwar Partap Singh overnight fame across the land as tales of his bravery made their way through the dunes and hills, across rivers and borders to lands far and beyond. At thirteen, he had commanded an army troop to take over the fort of Chittorgarh and restore Mewar’s borders to their former glory. People started comparing him to his forefathers, the great Rana Kumbha, who built forts across Mewar and his grandfather, Rana Sanga, who had united all Rajputs against external threats. As bards sang praises of the prince, gossip soon followed. Gossip was the most entertaining one could get in the mundane city lives and village gatherings, and it often travelled faster than the fastest Marwadi horse. So alongside the tales of his absolute bravery and how he hoisted the Mewari flag on the fort, were the stories of how his life was in danger, the king and queen did not quite get along and how he was made to live in poverty by ...

To Protect You

Kunwar Pratap was in the 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 Surat. " Daajiraj, 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. Ajabdeh was making a drink 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. " Ajabdeh Baisa." Her words let out a silent gasp from the lesser queens who stood witness. Calm and composed, Ajabdeh walke...

Begum Sahib: Forbidden Love

2nd June 1634, Burhanpur. " My heart is an endowment of my beloved, the devotee and lover of his sacred shrine, a soul that enchants mine." The Raja of Bundi had arrived at Burhanpur after a win in the war of Paranda. He had met the crown prince Dara and was honoured with a sword and elephant before he came to pay his respect to the Padishah Begum as per the norms of the court. Jahanara was writing in her room. Her maid came with the news, “Begum Sahib, the Raja of Bundi has arrived at court; he is at the Bagh to pay you his respect.” “Tell him to sit in the courtyard of my bagh, I will be there.” She had risen from her place, covered her face in the veil of her dupatta and walked to the place where he waited. “ Begum Sahib," he had acknowledged her presence with a salutation. She returned the bow with a nod. She was sitting inside the arch while he was on the other side of the Purdah, the sun shining over his head as he took his seat on the velvet carpet th...

PI Ved: The Miniature of Kalimpong

There are some things you must do when you are spending an extended weekend in the mountains in India. Take a long coat along for good pictures, have some Wai Wai Noodles and Momos, and wait for the fog to clear for a view of the mighty Himalayas. After a hearty meal of pork momos and Darjeeling First Flush tea, I walked out of Gompu’s Bar and Restaurant near the clock tower in Kalimpong’s main market area. The weather was slightly rainy, so my parents decided to return to the hotel while I walked down the busy road on the other side through the market. Tourists like me were flocking around the souvenir shops and departmental stores selling shawls and caps. I lazily checked out a few Jap Jantra and magnets, deciding to come back later. One could easily distinguish between tourists and locals simply by how they dress anywhere in the world. The locals treated this as summer weather in Kalimpong and walked around in half-sleeved shirts and loose pants, while the tourists found it hard not...

Prologue: RTM

Chal raho pe ek nayi rah banaye Department of Law, University of Calcutta Class of 1942 She adjusted the black satin gown over her saree and straightened it. Her excitement knew no bounds. She was anxious, excited, sleep-deprived and happy. They say dreams only become true if you dare to dream with open eyes. That she did. She had big dreams, bigger than what was offered to her. Everyone happened to see success in a success story. What about the journey? The hurdles and abuses? What does a person leave or face for a big dream? They don’t matter anymore once someone succeeds. People look up to them. But then, the person remembers every moment like it was yesterday. Who had faith in them and who didn’t, those who supported them, and those who didn’t? Everything in life comes in a flash in front of their eyes. Today was such a day for her. If she believed in rebirth, she would have to believe this was her moment of being reborn. To fly and reach the skies. "She is our topper, and s...

RAABTA

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