CoS 25- SHE REALIZES

I was back in the past.

Pratap rushed to the jhokra as his mother had said to check but she was not there. He rushed past all the rooms to Ajabde’s room. She was nowhere to be found there also. Only place he thought where he could find her was the temple…Kanha Temple.

He quickly ran there and found her sitting in front of the idol so seriously with eyes shut. He sat next to her to just know what she was doing. After few minutes when he could not figure out what she was trying to do he just moved his hands forward to call her and then she fell on him. He did not know what was wrong with her. He carried her in his strong arms to the hiding cell.

All the women were shocked to see Pratap bringing Ajabde like this. She was laid down and Hansa Bai sprinkled some water on her face. She woke up to find a savior there, her savior Kunwar Pratap.

Ajabde tum  kaha thi??           

Mousi yeh Kahna ji ke mandir mein thi…

Haan maa

Aur kya kar rahe thi aap??

Woh hum puja kar rahe the Kun…daata, ranaji aur pure Mewar ke liye

Pratap as soon as he heard the word “Kun” got happy. He just wanted evidences that showed she too loved him. Once his great scholar friend, Chakrapani had told him that if you love someone then surely you would pray for the lover’s welfare and the same thing happened here. She too had prayed for him, she had kept a without water fast for him. He was really happy.

Aur aap behosh kaise hue

Maa woh hum nirjal vrath bhi rakha tha

Kis karan Ajabde…

Iss yudh ko jeetne ke liye

Mousi thik hai veh, ab aap sab yahi rukhiye hum dwar sambhal kar aate hai

Maa hum abhi aate hai

Kahi chali Ajabde aap…yahi rukhiye

And Ajabde follows Pratap to the door to see the army waiting for them. It was indeed a huge army headed by Surtan Singh, ally of Akbar. Ajabde quickly gets herself ready to fight and showcase her skills that were learnt in secrecy.

Pratap had already entered the battleground and started fighting with the huge army. Ajabde too quickly joined the war. On the other side both the king and his samanth fought with a lot of energy and headed towards Mahmood Shah after breaking a number of soldiers protection.

Pratap scared away many soldiers with his tricks. Ajabde on the other hand used all the techniques she had learnt. Both from each side slewed almost all the soldiers and came to face each other. Pratap was surprised and astonished to see Ajabde there in warriors costume with a sword. He had never expected a simple and calm girl like Ajabde in such an outfit.

Both planned for a second and entered the next Chakraview set by Rao Surtan. Together with combined power they passed on to the next one. After defeating the soldiers of the third chakraview they entered the fourth one. This was was indeed a tough one. Both decided to join their backs to back and fight. This plan was successful.

A cut in Pratap’s arm made Ajabde screem. Ajabde loved him and a small scratch on him hurted her heart as though a pin had poked her heart.

Nahi…..

Kya hua Ajabde??

Kuch nahi Kunwar Pratap

Pratap knew what this screem was for. He knew this was because he had got hurt. His pandit friend Chakrapani had also told him that if you love someone their pain will surely hurt you and you will try to reduce their pain.

The fight continued and both reached the last chakraview after which they would reach Surtan Singh. After reaching Rao Surtan, Ajabde decided to leave Surtan Singh to Pratap for the final battle.

Meanwhile on the other hand all the soldiers had fleed. Mahmood Shah was left all alone. He had no option but to fight with Udai Singh on his own. He did that. With unfair means he pushed Udai Singh on the earth. But Rao Mamrak used his senses and put his sword in front of the king before Mahmood Shah attacked on the king.

The fight intensified. Both the warriors fought against Mahmood Shah. Before the sun set Udai Singh slit Mahmood Shah’s head from his body and finished one Afghan rebel friend of the Mughal ruler Jalal-ud-din Akbar.

This side Pratap too tried to kill Rao Surtan but as soon as his weapon fell, Rao Surtan threw sand on both Pratap’s and Ajabde’s face and ran away. Pratap did not follow or attack knowing that he would resort to such unfair practice.

The war ended. Both the sides the Mewari won. Mahmood Shah faced death while Rao Surtan escaped Pratap’s clutches. Ajabde went inside before anyone saw her. She was thankful to her guru who trained her in secrecy. It was his mama, Minister in Mewar’s darbar, Rawat ji. He was the one who encouraged her to learn warfare atleast to protect herself from someone. She changed back to her casual clothes and rushed to the secret cell to reveal the good news.

Maa, Ranimaa, Phool, Saubhagyawati…

Kya hua Ajabde??

Hum Yudh jeet gaye….Ranaji, Daata aur sab Bijolia mahel aa rahe hai…daata ka sandesh abhi abhi aaya

Kya??

Haan maa…mahel par joh sankat padhi thi woh mit gayi…nahi…Kunwar Pratap ne mita diya aur yudh bhoomi ka toh ranaji ne

Eklingji ka koti koti dhanyawad

All were rejoicing while Ajabde found it more important to inform Kunwar Pratap to sterilize his wounds before they caused more issues. Also she had to inform him to not to tell anyone about her warrior self.

Kunwar Pratap…

Ayiye Ajabde andhar ayiye

Apne hume bina dekhi hi pehchan liya??

Haan toh??

Nahi humara matlab…

Hum samjh gaye Ajabde…hum humare koi bhi mitra ko bina dekhi hi pehchan sakte hai

Waise Kunwar Pratap hum yaha apse yeh kehne aaye the ki aap yeh leap apne ghav par laga lijiye

Ji dhanyawad…

Aur…

Apko aur kuch kehna hai kya Ajabde??

Nahi toh Kunwar Pratap

Agar kuch bhi kehna ho toh be jijak keh sakti hai…hum kisi se nahi kehenge

Ji

Waise Ajabde aap kafi accha ladti hai….kisne apko sikhaya??

Ji dhanyawad…hume humare mamasa ne

Hum kisi din unse zaroor milna chate hai

Ji…aap unhe jante hai

Accha

Haan…aur

Aur kya Ajabde??

Woh…Kunwar Pratap aap humare liye ek kaam kar sakte hai kya??

Aap Mewar ke uttaradhikari se kaam karwana chahti hai??

Nahi…humara tatparya woh nahi tha

Phir kya tha??

W…oh….

Ajabde hum toh parihaas kar rahe the…kahiye kya karna hai

Kya aap humare ek yodha banne ka yeh Vishay sab se chupa kar rakh sakte hai??

Bas itna hi??

Haan

Jaisi apki iccha hukum

Ji

Humara matlab hum yeh chupa rakehnge

Dhanyawad Kunwar Pratap

Ajabde left the place making Pratap happy. It was just because for the first time she asked him for help. Also for such a help that showed that she trusted him so much. It gave him an idea that she just loved him and thus she was ready to believe him that he won’t reveal this to anyone.

Also he was happy that she herself had come to give him the medicine for his wounds.

The book got me back for one more break. This one I somehow spent.

Chapter 26

The book took me back to the wonderful world.

All had gathered in the court. Men were seated in their seats while women sat behind the screen to see to the discussion.

Ranaji samasya yeh hai ki humpar baar baar Akraman hota ja raha hai

Ji Rawat ji

Aur Bijolia par sabse adhik

Ji…

The court proceedings ended after which all the ministers dispersed leaving the royal family and the samanth family in the hall.

A messenger handed a letter to the king saying it was from Dheer bai Bhatyani. The king read it first and then asked Jaiwanta Bai to read it aloud.

Rana ji,

Yudh ka samachar Mewar tak abhi pahuncha. Apko aur Kunwar Pratap ko badhai ho ki aap yudh jeete. Yeh patra humne Kunwar Pratap ke Vishay mein baat karne ke liye likha hai. Hum jante hai ki hum yeh baad mein bhi kar sakte hai parantu hume laga ki aap Bijolia mein kuch aur din rukhne wale honge aur is karan humne isi patra mein iss Vishay mein baat kiya hai.

Yudh ke baat humne raj purohit se baat kiya. Unka kehna hai ki Kunwar Pratap ab bade ho gaye hai aur yahi thik rahega ki jald se jald unka vivaah karva diya jaye. Humara mat hai ki agar hum unka vivaah kara denge toh shayad Mewar ki sena bhi badegi aur Kunwar Pratap ka jeewan bhi ban jayega.

Hum chahte hai ki aap iss Vishay mein jija se bhi Vishay vimarsh kare aur apka nirnay shigra bataye.

Rani Dheer bai

The letter was read out loudly and there were all sorts of discussions going on there. The king retired to his room and called Jaiwanta bai and Pratap

Pranam Dhajiraj.

Pranam Ranimaa.

Ayiye Kunwar Pratap

Apne bulaya Dhajiraj??

Haan…

Pratap, apke chotimaa ka patra aaya tha

Kya kehte hai veh??

Unka kehna hai ki jaldi hi apka vivaah kisi kara diya jaye

Kya??

Haan Pratap

Jaiwanta Bai ji apka kya kehna hai??

Ranaji hum bhi yeh hi chahte hai…waise bhi yeh bade ho chuke hai

Yeh toh hai

Kunwar Pratap apko kuch kehna hai??

Nahi dhajiraj…hume kuch nahi kehna

Toh aap jaa sakte hai

Aagya dijiye Dhajiraj, Ranimaa

He goes out

Jaiwanta Bai ji apke man mein koi hai kya??

Ranaji humare man mein toh Pratap ke liye toh ek hi kanya hai

Aur kaun hai woh??

Ranaji galat mat samjhiyega…veh Ajabde hai

Kya??

Haan Ranaji aap joh kuch bhi soche veh hi Pratap ke liye upyukith hai

Magar Jaiwanta bai ji Ajabde ek samanth putri….

Ranaji vivaah ek saman ke kanya ke sath hota hai aur usmein yeh sab nahi dekha jata hai, usmein sirf samanta dekha jata hai

Ranaji aur waise bhi apka aur humara vivaah bhi aise hi hua tha na, aapke paas bhi koi rajya nahi tha…phir bhi humne apse vivaah kiya kyuki humare mata pita jante the ki aap hi humare liye sarvapurna hai

Aur ranaji Rao Mamrak bhi bhi apke saman hai, veh bhi apke kandhe se kandhe milakar yudh ladte hai

Jaiwanta bai ji thik hai hum iss vishay mein sochenge…hum Ajabde ke guno ko bhi dekhenge

Ji ranaji…humara sujav bas yeh hi hai

She leaves the room.

Ajabde…

Phool aap

Ajabde aap janti hai hum kitne prasann hai??

Kitne

Itne…(Shows her hands) Nahi nahi….Itne(Shows her hand)

Magar kyu Phool??

Isliye kyuki Kunwar Pratap ka vivaah hone wala hai!!

Kya??

Ajabde aap prasann nahi hai??

Hai na Phool…Magar aap prasann kyu hai….Kya aap anya rajkumariyo ki tarah unse vivaah nahi karna chahte??

Nahi Ajabde…humara man unpar nahi…unke chote bhai par hai

Kya??

Haan Ajabde Hume Kunwar Shakti pasand hai

Sachi??

Haan….

Isliye hum kush hai…unka vivaah ho jayega aur phir Kunwar Shakti ki baari, tab hum bade daate se kehkar unse vivaah kar lenge

Ajabde gets depressed. She is sad, her dreams are about to shatter.

Ajabde…

Ajabde… Tries to shake Ajabde

Ha..an… Phool

Apko kya hua??

Kuch nahi…Kuch bhi toh nahi

Ajabde kuch toh hai…batayiye ki…kahi apko Kunwar Pratap se….pyaar toh nahi hua hai

Bilkul satya keh rahi hai Phool aap

Saubhagyawati tum??

Phool Ajabde ko hai na Kunwar Pratap se prem to kab ka ho gaya hai parantu yeh unhe batati hi nahi

Kya??

Ajabde aap Kunwar Pratap se prem karti hai kya??

Haan Phool….magar

Magar kya??

Magar humara vivaah unse nahi ho sakta hai

Kyu nahi?? Jab tak hum hai apka vivaah Kunwar Pratap se hi hoga

Dheer bai on the other hand plans to call her sister, Uma Devi to Mewar to talk about Mewar-Marwar relationship. For this she plans to ask Phool Kanwar’s hand for Pratap. She does not even know that Phool Kanwar does not like Pratap.

Even everything was getting interesting the book got me back.