Wanderers Chapter 14- A Fire

The rain had by then stopped and they both returned to the settlement. As soon as they came everybody understood that they had been out together and were struck in the rain. No one questioned anything to them. Both went and changed and did their daily routine.

“Jaldi karo…sheegr se jake waha aag lagao…”

“Joh aagya…”   

The next few days went without any disturbance. Pratap was busy in increasing his army. He had his own plans. He wanted a war, a war which would bring him back his motherland, bring back Chittor. He had the Bhills with him. But he needed more. He had recruited many soldiers from Udaipur and other Mewari regions. He also needed many other people who were trained and experienced in warfare to guide the army.

He needed eight. He had gathered three of them which included his guru-Acharya Raghvendra, Bhill leader- Rana Punja and Rawat ji’s son- Krishna Chundawat. She needed five more. He was out of town in search of mote warriors. Shakti stayed in the

The next morning was the same. All were busy with their work. One good this all had learned as wanderers were team work. All the wives of Pratap worked together without any jealousy like his father’s wife under Ajabde. Both the prince’s played and lived life like Ram and Lakshman. There was no rivalry among the wives or the children.

Only difference was that Pratap came for Ajabde’s pooja after his practice which he never used to. He used to come to evening prayer. The morning prayers Prasad were given by Ajabde in the arena. This was the only change.

“Ajabde hum bahar hai…”

“Hum kuch der baad ayenge…”

“Thik hai toh aap milne humare kutiye mein ayiye…”

“Ji”

He went while she finished the pooja and was busy in her hut.

“Rana ji kisi ne humare kutiyo mein aag laga diya…”

“Kya??”

“Do kutiya bahot teezi se jal raha hai…”

“Kaunsi kutiya??”

“Dakshin ke tarf ek aur purab ke taraf ek…”

He rushed to the southern hut first knowing the hut would either be his mother’s or his wife’s. He spotted that the fire had almost burnt the whole thing which left him with no hope. He saw that the hut was his Ajabde’s. He was disheartened only to hear sounds.

“Rana ji…”

“Koi hume bachao”

He thought he was just hallucinating. But to recheck he tried entering the hut. The rain had contributed to the ignition. The hut was burning badly. He jumped in to find that the sounds were true and he saw Ajabde lying unconscious. He took her out and took her to his room.

The doctor was called while he went to the hut in the west. The other one was the store house and by now everything were reduced to ashes. Nothing was left. He returned saddened to his hut where he found Ajabde resting and talking to all.

“Ajabde beta aap thik toh hai??”

“Ranimaa…Rana ji ke hote hume kuch nahi ho sakta hai…unhone hume bachaya na??”

“Haan…ab aap kaise mehsuss kar rahi hai??”

“Ranimaa hum bilkul thik hai…”

“Accha hua ki apko kuch na hua…ab aap batayiye ki kutiye mein kya hua??”  

“Kutiye mein hum pooja ke paschat kuch kaam kar rahe the…tabhi har jagah se hume gard utte dekhayi diya…humne socha ki pakshala se hoga…phir hume garmi hone lagi…humne bahar aane ki koshish ki parantu humare kutiye mein pura aag phel gaya tha…hum madat ke liye chilane lage aur kuch der baad hum behosh ho gaye…”

“Ajabde beta aap vishram kijiye…”

“Ji ranimaa…”

“Ranimaa…ranimaa…”

“Lijiye…apke putra aa gaye…hum jaa rahe hai…”

“Ji”

“Ranimaa…”

“Ayiye Amar..”

“Ranimaa yeh sab kaisa hua??”

“Amar shanth rahiye toh pehle…hume kuch nahi hua hai…”

“Ranimaa aaj hum apke gunegaar ko nahi chodenge…”

“Amar humara gunegaar koi nahi hai…aag toh aise hi lag gayi hogi…”

“Ranimaa sirf apka hi kutiya nahi, humare bhojan ke samaan rakne wala kutiya bhi jal gaya hai…”

“Kya?? Ab aap batayiye ki apke kutiye mein aag aise hi lag gaya…”

“Haan  Ajabde…Amar sahi keh rahe hai…”

“Rana ji aap??”

“Lete rahiye!! Hume toh lagta hai ki kisi ne chahte hue apke aur uss kutiye mein aag lagaya…”

“Amar aap jayiye aur Shakti kaka ko batayiye ki veh Udaipur jaake waha se kuch bhojan saman laye…”

“Joh aagya dhajiraj…”

“Ajab aap kaisi hai??”

“Hum bilkul thik hai…hume kuch na hua hai…”

“Ekling ji ka dhanyawad…ki aap sakushal hai”

“Rana ji apko koi chot toh nahi aayiyi hume bachata samay??”

“Nahi…”

“Vaid ji ne kya kaha apse??”

“Kuch nahi…bas vishram karne ko kaha”

“Ajab ab se aap humare kutiye mein rahenge…hume lagta hai ki koi humri shakti ko mitana chahta hai…”

“Rana ji hum apke kutiye mein…na..na..apke dusre bhi raniya hai…veh kya sochengi”

“Ajab hume unse koi matlab nahi hai…hume apse matlab hai aur sadaiv apse hi rahega aur isi karan aap ab se humare sath rahenge…”

“Jija…Rana ji thik hi keh rahe hai…”

“Phool aap??”

“Jija apka bhojan hum yahi leke aa gaye…”

“Dhanyawad Phool…”

“Jija aap bhi na…”

“Jija aap thik toh hai??”

“Hum thik hai…”

“Accha jija hume aagya de…hum jake sabke sath bhojan paroste hai…”

“Thik hai…”

“Ajab dekha Phool Bai sa ko bhi koi apathy nahi hai…”

“Par…”

“Ajab yeh apki suraksha ka prashna hai…aur hum apke bina nahi reh sakte hai”

“Thik hai rana ji”

“Hum abhi suraksha vyavasta sakth karte hai…”

“Rana ji aap aisa bilkul na karen…hum waise bhi ghumkad hai…”

“Na Ajabde…hum ghumkad nahi hai…hum sirf bhagwan Ram ke bhawan mein reh rahe hai…”

“Rana ji hume lagta hai ki hume yaha se durr ghumkad ke tarah kahi aur chale jana chahiye jaha se apka yudh vyawasta bina koi takraar ke ho sake aur hum sab surakshit reh sake…”

“Ajab hum iss vishay mein sochenge…”

“Ji rana ji”

“Waise Rana ji humare sena shakti ka kya hua??”

“Ajab…sena mein kuch log mil chuke hai…Bundi, Ranthambore, Bijoia,Gwalior aur Bhill humare sena mein hai…”

“Yeh acchi baat hai…”

“Haan…hum kuch aur sainik ki prateeksha kar rahe hai…Udaipur se…”

“Rana ji aap jake unhe tyaar karen…hum apke aur humare lakshya ke beech nahi aana chahte hai…”

“Ajab aap kabhi humare aur humare lakshya ke beech nahi aayi hai aur hum jante hai ki aap nahi ayengi bhi…”

“Hume aagya de aap”