Offerings

Ajbante Kanwar walked into the temple premises, a dupatta drawn over her head, carrying her basket of freshly picked flowers, when she spotted Kunwar Partap waiting by the entrance. Ajbante Kanwar was suddenly aware of the maids following her as she nodded at his smile, and he gestured at her to enter the temple. The maids stayed back outside the temple as the priest greeted them. He took the flowers from Ajbante Kanwar to make the day’s garland for the Lord as he stepped out, and they folded their hands in front of the Phallus God.

“The Mahapuja happens on the grounds.” She made him nod as he followed her, keeping a distance of formality. Her anklets and kamarbandh had small tinkling bells on them that made music as she walked out of the temple shrine and pointed. “There the priests sit, here near the Kund, the women sit. Daata or whoever will conduct the puja sits under that Chatri. But you have to start here, bathe the Lord, offer prayers and then proceed to the Havan Kund. There will be a crowd that will go beyond the temple walls outside on the street to catch a glimpse of you.” She walked to the Chattri as he inspected the intriguing carvings of Lord Vishnu’s avatars on it. “They wait for the prasad to be distributed after the puja.”

“What happens in the Utsav after the Mahapuja?” He inquired. Ajbante Kanwar smiled at his curiosity. A dozen people are handpicked by Daata to set up their shops around the garden of the temple. They sell homemade goods, and the profit from those goes to charity. There is also a debate arranged for the Pandits, and people come by to attend the fair nearby. There is food and jugglers, and fire breathers. Banjarans dance too, I have heard.” He frowned at the last words. “You have heard? Have you never been there?” She shook her head. "The royals going there is an obligation for the people. My grandfather said they enjoy their freedom for the week, and we should let them.” He nodded at her words, contemplating.

“So you were never curious?” He asked.

“Enough to sneak out in disguise? No.” There was a tone of amusement in her voice as he shook his head. “That was Shakti’s idea.” She nodded. “I must leave. Bijli will be waiting.” He nodded at her as she started walking away, asking the maids waiting by the temple to follow her.

“Wait… do the… umm… bangles still fit you?” Ajbante Kanwar looked almost amused at his clueless question. She shook her head. “They don’t.” He looked a little disappointed as she smiled coyly. “I still have them.” He looked up as she turned and walked away with the maids following her. He smiled to himself.

Rajkumari Ajbante Kanwar had just set her sword down by the riverbank and splashed her face with water. Today, after the rains had arrived at frequent intervals throughout the day, the stream had swelled, and she found it risky to cross to the other side with Bijli. So she practised her swordsmanship behind the temple, where Kunwar Partap once asked her to meet to tame Bijli. She was about to wipe her face when he appeared behind her, “Unlike last time, I will announce myself before being killed.” He said as she glanced over her shoulder, watching his amused smile. She nodded. “I was just…” She drew the dupatta over her attire. “I was thinking, why not show me what you learnt?” She stared at him a little wide-eyed. “Pardon?”

“I can give you tips to improve.” He suggested. Ajbante Kanwar was suddenly conscious of his presence. How could she show her basic sword skills to the best in the land, hoping to impress him? “I… am not that good.”

“Let me be the judge of that.” Kunwar Partap knelt as she stepped back and picked up her sword. He held it with both hands and offered it to an unsure Ajbante Kanwar. She inhaled and took it from his hand. Abandoning the sheath, she took a stance. He paced around her in a semicircle as she swung her sword at an imaginary enemy.

“Now, if someone’s behind you.” She turned swiftly with a swing, “And down, and up and to the right…” He watched her as she attacked and defended. “Hold it upright, like…” He came up to her as Ajbante Kanwar breathed heavily, holding her wrist up in the position. “This will give you more leverage, and the grip will be firm.” She nodded, suddenly aware of the proximity. “Start again.” He stepped back. “To the left, right, above, that’s it.” He seemed impressed as she shook her head, her locks looking dishevelled. “I… can’t anymore…”

“Come on, Ajbante. If the enemy is at the gates, you can’t have this excuse of being tired or worn out. What would you do then?” He narrowed his brows. She shook her head. “I would tell them you would be here soon.” He seemed amused by her serious answer as he folded his hands to his chest and raised his brows “And what good will that do?”

“They will run for their lives, of course.” Ajbante Kanwar nodded. “Daata says everyone is scared of you.” Kunwar Partap pressed his lips as he suppressed his smile. “So are you?”

“What?” Ajbante did not move from her position as she narrowed her brows.

“Are you afraid of me?” He asked with a shrug. She smiled, shaking her head, “I am not the enemy, am I?” He laughed, forming a sentence in between his chuckling, “Oh, brave Rajputani, I have never heard of such a unique defence…”

“Have you ever known such a unique person?” The moment she said that, Ajbante Kanwar’s cheek flushed as he stopped laughing and stared at her, amused. Her throat felt dry as she stammered. “I… I mean… that I…”

“No, I have not.” He shook his head, making her look up at him, unsurely. “And I know that.” She looked away as he smiled. “See, I kept my promise and learnt…” She changed the topic. “Now I need to leave… Maasa will be waiting for me to make the sweets again.”

“Ajbante.” He stopped her blabbering. “Make Ghevar today.” He had never requested anything in particular before. Ajbante Kanwar happily agreed.

“And tomorrow you must fight me.” He suggested as her eyes widened. “No… no… I can’t.”

“Why not? If Akhil and Balwant can, why can’t you?” He insisted.

“Because they will be at the battlefield with you, how will I help?” He looked up at her question and smiled silently. Breathing in, Kunwar Partap had a longing smile on the edge of his lips. You can give me the strength to be brave enough to come back. Ajbante Kanwar waited briefly for the answer, her lips parting a little, but no words could form in her mouth. She stepped back, as if she was scared of hearing what he might have to say and hurried away to mount Bijli.

What are you doing, Ajab? She rebuked herself. Such frank gestures could make him feel you are a free-spirited, untamed girl. The moment she thought so, Ajbante Kanwar could feel his scrutinising glance. He never approved of her self-assessments. He would argue there was nothing wrong if she wanted to live a little at her own will. Freedom was a birthright for every individual, he would say. Ajbante Kanwar groaned inwardly at the conversation in her head. When did she come to know Kunwar Partap Singh so closely that she could know what he thought before he even uttered a word? Where was all this leading to? Ajbante Kanwar suddenly felt an unknown fear. How could she understand the pain of something that had never happened to her? Something in her stomach churned as she felt, if she could know the feeling of exhilarating happiness that was so new to her, perhaps if she trusted the words of the Bards who mourned separations for aeons, the pain was greater. But Ajbante Kanwar was braver than she ever had been. She was willing to accept the pain as gracefully as she accepted the feeling that now consumed her being.

Kunwar Partap came back to the palace, lost in a daydream. He remembered how his mother fondly talked of Ajbante Kanwar whenever the topic of war came around. Ranima liked her enough to tell her all the stories of her childhood and that of his. She would learn easily from Ranima. Running a household came to her so easily. Was she brave enough to smile through her fears, reassuring a scared family or subjects while being his strength? She was perhaps braver than that to choose him. Had she chosen him? Not in words or gestures, he had known of or heard about. But Kunwar Partap felt a strange calm around Ajbante, a sense of comfort he sought and found nowhere, not in the biggest forts or richest palaces he had called home before, not in the people he called family or friends. He did not need the words often spoken of by bards, or gestures as expected by people his age. Kunwar Partap knew that with the sword he had handed to Ajbante that day, he had offered her his soul, and she had accepted it.

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...

Purnota: Chapter Thirty Six

Bondita opened her door in the usual hours of the morning and found Thamma and Jyatha Moshai on the couch in their living room, sipping tea. She had half sat on her bed, leaning against the pillow all night, imagining her plight when she faced Aniruddha in the morning. What if he did not think of it as much as she thought of his actions? What if that was his uncomfortable way of comforting her because she was upset? But what about his eyes, his gestures? Had she misread all of it? Bondita blushed to herself the moment she remembered how his eyes followed her around for the past two days. Bondita was hurrying through her daily chores, eyeing the clock, for she would be late for work and overheard Trilochon lament about things not changing since Binoy left. He thought that things were getting better at home, but as soon as Aniruddha had left for Sunderban, Binoy informed him that he had changed the attorney in charge of his case. Bondita frowned slightly as her hand stopped at wearing th...

Purnota: Chapter Thirty Five

“The bride is older than the groom.” Aniruddha heard one of the older villagers speak in a judgmental tone. “No wonder the higher castes don’t attend such atrocities.” He eyed the younger man he was talking to, who smiled. Aniruddha was sitting beside them on a bench in the open courtyard of a house where the wedding rituals were taking place. Tirio and Tumdak were playing rhythmically in a corner as some women danced to the tunes surrounding the new bride and groom. The men sat on the other side of the courtyard. “Forget about the Brahmins, we don’t expect them to come.” The younger man shook his head. “As for traditions, what is wrong if the bride is older?” He smiled sheepishly at the older man. “What’s wrong? Everything. Master Moshai, you can be educated, but our ancient traditions have reasons. The groom must be older than the bride. It has some reason.” He shook his head. The teacher, in turn, educated the man that it was a perfectly normal Santhali ritual to marry older wo...

Purnota: Chapter Thirty Seven

“Why will Bondita not come for Holi?” Asha asked as she inspected the colours, Abir, Pichkiri and balloons Somnath had ordered from Baro Bazaar. He shrugged. “She is scared of colours, I think.” Asha smiled, a little amused at her clueless husband. “She is not ten anymore.” He looked up at her words with a sheepish smile, “Well, I never saw her play Holi, perhaps Dadabhai knows the reason.” Asha contemplated her husband’s words. She did not share a relationship with Aniruddha frank enough for him to share things about Bondita. It would be easier for her to ask Bondita instead. “If you wish for her to come,” Som said, like he could almost read her mind, “Perhaps you can invite her. She won’t say no to you.” Asha nodded. “It will be good to have the whole family together. It's not been so since the wedding.” She smiled. Som agreed as he matched the list with the things. “Yes, and Baba will be coming too, he told me not to tell Jethu, but I was surprised by that.” “Maybe because he an...

Purnota: Chapter Thirty Eight

Trilochon was so overwhelmed that Binoy came for the Pujo and Kirtan on Dol Purnima. Their neighbours, friends and acquaintances had all gathered in the Thakur Dalan, first for the pujo when the idol of Sree Radha and Sree Krishna were worshipped in the Dalan, and Horir Loot of Batasha and Naru were distributed. Unlike in the village, people here, especially children, did not fight over the Horir Loot . Bondita and Batuk took part in the ritual like they used to as kids, counting the number of Batasha each of them had, amusing the elders who reminisced about their childhood and how Batuk snatched Bondita’s share and ran as she chased after him, shouting. The Kirtan followed the pujo, the tales of Sree Krishna’s prowess, his Leela and Radha’s sacrifice were sung with the sounds of Dhol and Khanjani . It followed the devotional songs praising Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his praises to Lord Krishna. Bondita not only liked the stories of Kirtan but also how the crowd joined in the singing and...

Purnota: Chapter Thirty Four

“You are cheating, he can’t play!” Bondita was attracted by the commotion downstairs as she opened the window of her room. She walked out to the balcony to inspect it. It was Sunday, and Padma had promised to make Chicken Curry, knowing Bondita had invited Tapur to join them for lunch. In the courtyard was a group of boys, probably Sidhu’s friends, with a broken pipe for a bat, a wooden plank for a wicket kept between two bricks and a rubber ball, arguing over a game of cricket. Bondita’s eyes stopped at Aniruddha, marking a line with chalk and then measuring feet using steps to mark the boundaries. Bondita looked amused at the sight. “Batuk. You went out fair and square; give me the bat.” Bondita put her hands on her waist as she commanded. Batuk refused to part with his new bat. Som frowned at his brother. “She is right; it was a clean bowl. Give her the bat!” Som commanded. “I was not ready.” Batuk shook his head. “She knew that.” “It's still out.” Bondita frowned. Aniruddha wal...

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...

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 ...

The Difficulties

“The best of our characters are often reflected in our children.” Kunwar Shakta had visited the court at Udaipur after a Turk marriage offer was turned down by Rana Udai Singh for the third time for one of his Princesses. The Ranimahal at Chittorgarh buzzed with rumours of him warning his father about the consequences of enemity with the Turks and also about the impending doom of Mewar. He had apparently irked Kunwar Partap by suggesting a peace alliance with the Timurids was beneficial to Mewar. Rana Udai Singh, in his anger, had banished him from his court. Kunwar Shakta had sworn not to be associated with the royal family any further and to join allies with the Turks. Rawat Chundawat was calm enough to pacify the angry prince and offer him to shift to Bassi and give his decision a second thought. However, Kunwar Partap had refused to abandon Chittor, defying his father’s orders for a shift to the newly founded capital with his Ranimahal. He wanted to stay at Chittorgarh, which...

Endless

Kunwar Pratap reached the Dangal. Ranima had ordered Ajabdeh to practise regularly. She was nowhere around since he woke up that morning. He had assumed she was with Ranima for the morning prayers, but then she was not in the Dangal on time, either. Ajabdeh was never late. He felt a little uneasy as he picked up the sword. A thunder made him look up at the gloomy sky as he felt the first drop of rain. A little wet, he ran through the corridors. Ajabdeh had woken up feeling unwell. He was sleeping after a tiring day, so she decided against calling him and, more, worrying him. She bathed, hoping to feel better, performed her puja and went to the gardens for some fresh air. Still feeling uneasy in the gloomy weather, she decided that playing with Parvati might make her feel better. After some talk with Bhago and playing with Parvati, she stood up from the floor and felt dizzy. Bhago caught her hand. " Are you all right?" " I just felt a little dizzy. I don't know why...

RAABTA

Search This Blog