Pratap’s crew managed to clear some forest area around the palace ruins and found an archway within a week. Assuming that’s where the palace started, they headed up the cliff and discovered two rooms with flooring. What he didn’t find, however, was the similarity of the place with that in his dreams. Something told him ever since he had believed in the theory, that it was Chawand he dreamt of. The forestland, huts, and temples he saw in bits and pieces made him believe it was perhaps this place. Well, he was wrong. Frustrated with this realisation, Pratap took a cigarette break, and his attention was drawn to the flight of stairs that led up to a viewing point. He dropped his cigarette butt and walked up the flight of stairs, and stopped at the sight of a black statue. He walked up to it as the breeze and his heartbeat, and breath were the only sounds he could hear in the silence. From the viewpoint amidst the wildflowers and bougainvillaea bushes, he caught sight of their project, the men working their way up to the floors. He shook his head and glanced over his shoulder at the statue. Maharana Pratap’s 7-foot statue seemed it be looking over his capital.
“Maybe I am wrong.” Pratap shook his head. “There is no way any of this makes sense.” He frowned, thinking.
Are people reincarnated, Meera Ma? Don’t seek answers, just take the journey.
Are people reincarnated, Meera Ma? Don’t seek answers, just take the journey.
Roshni got down at the sight of the cenotaph and immediately spotted the convoy of cars near it. The lake was huge, and the black gate that led up to the white cenotaph was open.
“I had no idea it was such a tourist spot,” Mahek spoke first as they looked around the fairly empty place.
“Oh no, Madam, the cars are of officers who are working at the palace.” The driver shook his head. “The place only had a cenotaph in the middle of the lake first; the government built this.”
“There is a palace?” Mahek asked with raised eyebrows, curiously. “I had no idea.”
“It is just a few ruined rooms, not a palace anymore.” The man’s words disappointed her.
“But anyway, Roshni, I will click some pictures which would help my project. Thank you for this idea of doing mine in his later years.”
“You are welcome, Mahek.” She murmured and froze as her eyes fell on a white-coloured board written in black ink, almost hidden in the branches of a tall banyan tree.
“The life of Maharana Pratap” Is read in Hindi, and the first column reads the names of his ancestors, grandparents, parents, wife… “Ajabante Kanwar…” Roshni frowned as she checked her note “But my note says Ajabdeh Punwar.”
“Same same, didi.” Roshni turned to spot a boy, about ten, in a dirty school uniform, standing behind her. “They call her that in Mewari and Hindi; it is different.”
“How do you know that?” Roshni asked, a little surprised.
“I belong to the village at Chawand, everyone knows.”He shrugged nonchalantly. Roshni took out a chocolate from her bag and gave the boy, who took it without hesitation.
“What is your name?”
“Patta.”
“Patta, can you show me where the palace is?” He looked up, from unwrapping the wrapper at her, suspiciously.
“You are one of those … Sarkaari Naukar?” He asked as she shook her head.
“I am a student.” Roshni showed him her ID, “see.”
“Then it will take a hundred rupees, didi.” He said, putting the chocolate in his mouth and throwing away the wrapper. Roshni promptly picked it up from the ground, put it in the bottle holder of her bag and nodded. “Okay, a hundred rupees it is.”
The two constables who had cordoned off the area stopped them at the entry point.
“This area is restricted for common people. Archaeological survey is working here.” One of them quipped. A disappointed Roshni shook her head and opened her purse to give Patta his money when his eyes twinkled with an idea.
“You can still see the palace! From up there.” He pointed at a flight of stairs. “You just go up and there is a viewpoint.” Roshni nodded at him. “I will show you the stairs.” He looked up at the afternoon sun as he spoke and frowned.
“But I need to go home, Maasa will be waiting for me.” Roshni nodded in agreement, handing him a hundred-rupee note.
“That is fine, thank you. I will go on my own.” She smiled as the boy ran. She took the flight of stairs as the midday sun barely left a shadow around her.
“But I need to go home, Maasa will be waiting for me.” Roshni nodded in agreement, handing him a hundred-rupee note.
“That is fine, thank you. I will go on my own.” She smiled as the boy ran. She took the flight of stairs as the midday sun barely left a shadow around her.
Once she stopped at the place from where she could see the back of his statue, she breathed in, for the view in front of her was of the palace ruins and forest lands. She approached the statue, only to be alarmed to find she was not alone. Pratap heard footsteps with a tinkling hint of anklets as he froze in his spot. Roshni walked up from behind the statue and stopped at his sight.
“YOU?!”
Pratap smiled, still a little taken aback as he walked up to her, as Roshni greeted him.
“What are you doing here?”
“Well, I heard this was his capital… are you in any way connected to the project going on here?” Roshni asked as he nodded. “They are not letting me in.”
“I am sorry, but it's off-limits without permission. I lead this project, but… I thought you were interested in Ajabdeh.” Pratap studied her face as he spoke; the smile that had appeared on her lips disappeared at the name. She silently walked past him to lean on the railing of the viewpoint to catch a view of the palace.
“So have you been to other places?” He asked again as she stood there silently. Her lack of response made him frown. “Is everything fine?”
“Have we met before?” Pratap was taken aback, seeing her eyes sparkle a little. “Please tell me we have met before because… if we haven’t, any of this doesn’t make any sense.”
“I… don’t understand.” He shook his head as Roshni composed herself. “I am sorry I… I don’t know what is wrong with me. I am spiralling. I should go.”
“No, wait.” Pratap stopped her in her tracks and nodded, “I felt like I had known you too.” He reassured her as Roshni looked up at his words. “I really can’t explain how.” He shrugged. Roshni let out a sigh of relief, and a moment of silence passed. They had no idea what to say, where to begin. So Pratap did what he could do best. He started telling her what he knew of the palace and capital.
“I know all of that.” She said when he finished.
“Oh, you do, that’s great!” Pratap nodded.
“But you know what is weird? I haven’t read any of that in a book.” He looked at her face as she said, “It is like I know the place.”
“You do?” he frowned as she nodded.
“Yes, I dream of it every day. I don’t know how.” He froze at his spot at her words. His throat felt dry, and he could sense his own heart beating fast.
“What exactly do you dream of?” He asked, gesturing at her to follow him as he walked up to the statue and sat at its feet. She did the same and continued.
“Well, I… feel like life is being breathed out of me. There are people in the room. Strangers' faces I have never seen, yet they are so familiar I can’t… explain.” Roshni shook her head. “I see that arch, it is visible from the window of the room I dream of. It is dark and damp and…” She stopped. Pratap frowned as she continued, “And when you said her name… it felt like I had heard you call her name before. Somewhere else.” A shiver ran down Pratap’s spine as he heard her speak. “I know you are thinking I'm crazy and…”
“No!” he protested more firmly than he imagined. “No, I don’t think that at all. I also have dreams I want answers to, so I get it.” He sat there lost in thought for a few minutes. It was Roshni who spoke first.
“Maybe we can solve whatever this issue is together? My therapist says we aren’t that unique. All of us go through something that another person somewhere is feeling. We just need to find them for support.” Her words made him agree. “But it's okay if you feel you shouldn’t trust a stranger…” She was quick to add. Pratap didn’t know if his hunch was right, but perhaps helping Roshni find her answers would give him at least a reassurance that he, too, had similar issues. “My therapist says some people can recollect their past lives. It is entirely possible that if one has repeated dreams, it is related to something in the past.”
“Alright, let's keep an open mind and see where it goes…” He smiled, “As a child, I loved playing detective, so let’s treat this as a mystery to solve.” She nodded in agreement. “So where do you want to start?”
“What do you suggest?” Roshni asked, “I honestly haven’t been anywhere, and neither do I know much about…”
“I have an inspection work in Kumbhalgarh once this is done. You can come to visit…” Pratap suggested as she nodded in agreement. He reassured her he would let her know once he was posted there. “Or anywhere else you want to go…” He asked.
“Bijoliya.” Her words made him look up at her. Roshni suddenly felt intimidated by his stare. “I mean, if you are okay with me asking a few questions to your mother… about my project.”
“Absolutely. I will set up a meeting.” He took out his phone. “Let's do that, Miss Chauhan. I will inform you when I am at Kumbhalgarh.”
“Please, call me Roshni.” She smiled as she put in her number. “I have to go, my friend must be looking for me.”
“See you soon.” His words made her glance over her shoulder and nod.
