Wanderers Chapter 10- Wicked

Their life now had overcome some sorrow and is happy. Both Pratap and Ajabde fulfilled all the responsibilities of a king and a queen. All the resources they had were used on the public. They were not bothered about themselves. All that that concerned them was the public and their needs.

In the responsibility of doing the duties and fulfilling their responsibilities both had not given concentration on each other or the others. All that they knew was that as king and queen their foremost importance should be on the public without whom they are no king and queen.

Ajabde once a week prepared food by her hands and served to all the citizens. She helped the needy by providing hand stitched clothes and food every day. Every alternate day she would recite different stories especially the ones related to Mewar and its warriors.  

Pratap on the other hand trained his soldiers in such a way that each one could kill atleast three at a shot. He tried his level best to unite all the Rajputs. With him already were Ram Shah Tanwar of Gwalior who had lost his kingdom to the Mughals because of their unfair means, King of Bikaner, Ranthambhore, Marwar and Bundi.

Pratap’s next mission was to bring many other Rajputs together. He had the forces of Bhils also. After the training of the planned strategy, Pratap decided to train his soldiers in Guerrilla Warfare.

Saturday evenings were completely devoted to the children. Both Ajabde and Pratap gave equal importance to both the children. Chand and Maan too were like children to them.

Every Saturday, Pratap in the morning would train all of them in warfare while Ajabde would teach different tactics used by women during war to the women.

“Sabse pehle hume koshish…koshish he sabse mukhya hai…koshish karni chahiye”

“Magar jija ithihas toh yeh hi kehta hai ki hum striyo ko Jauhar kund mein saka se purv hi kudh jana chahiye…”

“Haan jija…Jauhar ka naam sun ke hi daar lagta hai…”

“Behna woh itihas ban chuka…aur hum itihas banane wale…agar hum kuch alag nahi karenge toh…kuch uss itihas se alag nahi karenge toh hum apna itihas kaise banayenge…”

“Behena Jauhar tab hi karte hai jab athyanth avashyakatha ho…aur aisi avashyakatha kabhi nahi ayegi…jab tak Rana ji ho”

During the Chittor war, he had promised to return, to return only for her, for her love and for Amar. When she asked the keys of the Jauhar room, he refused saying that never in her life she will have to open that room…never…he had promised.

“Jija…”

“Haan behena… hum kaha the…yeh sab hum aap sabse isliye keh rahe hai kyu ki hum sirf ghumkad hai…hum par kabhi bhi kahi be kahi se bhi Akraman ho sakta hai”

“Parantu jija…kisi ko yeh toh nahi pata hai na ki hum Mewar ke raniya hai…”

“Behena kabhi kabhi dushman ek dost ke besh mein bhi ho sakta hai…kya pata humare beech mein hi koi ho”

“Aur ek baat hum sabhi ko dhyan purvak hamesha apne sath kanjar rakhna hoga…aur hume se koi bhi kahi bhi akele nahi jayenga, hamesha kisi ek ko sath le jayega…”

“Jija hum jate hi kaha hai…inhi jungalo mein ghumte rehte hai…”

“Behena bale hum sab inhi jungalo mein ghumte hai, humara mat hai ki dushman kahi bhi kabhi bhi pahunch sakta hai”

“Aaj ke liye itna hi…hume bhojan banane ke liye deri ho rahi hai…chalte hai”

She leaves all the ladies to cook. She makes Pratap’s favourite Kheer and Amar’s Favourite Ghevar.

On the other side Amar rushes to his mother to get him ready after the training. Ajabde is glad, she dresses him up… a job she was longing to do from since. After the lunch, Jaiwanta bai and Ajabde have a mother-daughter talk after quite a long time.

“Pranam ranimaa…”

“Ayiye Ajabde…andhar ayiye”

“Kaisi hai aap ranimaa…kitne barso ho gaye hai apse baat hue”

“Ayiye Ajabde…humare paas baitiye” She sits under her legs and Jaiwanta Bai caress her.

“Ranimaa apko pata hai apke bina humara jeewan adhuri thi…aur jab aap aayi toh…”

“Ajabde beeti baate beeth chuki hai…hume toh aane wale kal ki baat karna chahiye”

“Ajabde hume prasanatha hai ki aap aur Pratap dono apne apne dharm nibha rahe hai…”

“Ranimaa yeh sab toh humne apse hi sikha hai”

“Ranimaa…hum apse kuch puche kya??”

“Puchiye na”

“Woh Chotimaa…”

“Chotimaa nahi Ajabde…Chotimaa nahi…sirf  Dheer bai ji…sirf Dheer bai ji”

“Ranaji aap??”

“Woh humari chotimaa nahi hai aur na hi koi rani…sirf ek musibath humare jeewan mein”

“Pratap…badho ke baare mein aise nahi kehte hai”

“Ranimaa unhone humare sath vishwasgath kiya, Ajabde ka kitni baar apman, Amar ko marne ki koshish aur kya kya kiya…”

“Hum mante hai ki unhone yeh sab kiya magar veh apse badi hai aur ma saman hai iss karan apko unhe saman ke sath bhulana chahiye”

“Thik hai Ranima…Thik hai”

“Aagya dijiye”

“Pratap toh aap kis liye aaye??”

“Haan woh hum yeh kehne aaye hai the ki kal hum Udaipur jaa rahe hai…prajajano ne hume amantran diya hai”

“Yeh acchi baat hai…”

“Ajabde aap puchiye joh puchna hai”

“Ranimaa, woh Dheer Bai ji…phir se kuch toh nahi karenge??”

“Ajabde chinta na karen ve ab kuch nahi kar sakti…Jagmal toh Ajmer ka rana ban chuka hai aur veh Udaipur ke mahelo mein bandi hue hai…”

“Par Ranimaa hume gabrahat ho rahi hai ki veh kuch kar dengi”

“Ajabde kuch nahi hoga…”

“Ranisaa…Ranisaa…woh…”

“Kya hua??”

“Dangal…”

“Kya hua….”

“Aagya dijiye Ranimaa”

Ajabde ran towards dangal when she saw no one was there except Pratap who gave a wicked smile and threw a sword to her.

“Lijiye talwar aur ayiye ladne…”

“Ranaji aap bhi n hume dara hi diya…Bhula sakte the na”

“Hum bhulate toh aap kaha aati…Ranimaa ke sath pura din bita deti…”

“Hum jaa rahe hai aur waise bhi Sandhya hone hi wali hai”

And Ajabde went leaving Pratap all alone.