Wanderers Chapter 9- An Attempt

To welcome her son Amar and her Pratap, Ajabde had been waiting since morning. The battalion had to arrive still but her face was adorned with smile. Her Pratap was no more a prince, he was a king…. He was not her Kunwar Pratap but was Rana ji. She was more than excited to meet Amar after so many years.

Her assumptions on how he would be and how would be grown and everything was increasing slowly. She was being restless now. All the other wives also came to welcome Amar. Phool came to welcome Amar and her son Chanda.

Their family was not like Rana Udai Singh’s family. This family was bound together by love, by friendship and by everything other than hunger for power. All the wives of Rana Pratap considered Amar and Chanda their own sons. Ajabde was an elder sister to all the other wives. Their family was away from any fights on basis of power.

Along with all the children some more people were coming there. It was the Great Queen of Mewar, Jaiwanta Bai, Pratap’s ranimaa and the Queen of Mewar, Sajja Bai, Pratap’s manjali maa.

Only worry that had bothered Ajabde was about the safety of her children, there was one wicked queen in that Udaipur palace, Rani Dheer Bai Bhatyani who was a cruel and a power loving person who would go to any extent to achieve whatever she would want. She just wished that the evil queen does not come into her life again.

It was just quite a few experiences that revealed to Ajabde her truth. Ranimaa too had told her after that about the evil nature of Dheer bai Bhatyani whom Pratap had loved and lovingly called Chotimaa with all care and affection.

This love and trust on her was shattered in a second when the wicked queen did something that Pratap hadn’t expected but he kept a little trust on her and loved her as before but she broke his trust once again but by doing something that was really big.

As Ajabde was not a royal she was always insulted. Pratap never spoke for her in front of his chotimaa. He loved her so much that he would not speak for Ajabde if Dheer bai was the culprit.

Prior to the wedding, during the Haldi ceremony Phool Kanwar, friend of Ajabde had complained to Pratap about his chotimaa’s false deeds. It was that she had mixed some poisonous liquid in the haldi that had to be applied on him. He was not ready to even believe her. She was asked to leave the place after the marriage.

During the tilak too she had taken the tilak gift, a sword made of gold made from the girl’s side to Pratap and had hid it. Once again this news was broken to Pratap by Chakrapani but he did not believe it. He requested Chakrapani to not to tell anything about his chotimaa to him.

Even after the marriage there were many problems created by her in Ajabde’s life. Ajabde was having God himself by herself hence not even a shadow of evil could touch her. She was protected from all the evil.

Just as the time of building of Udaipur, Ajabde was carrying Amar. This time Pratap had decided to accompany Ajabde everywhere without any one’s knowledge, not even Ajabde’s knowledge.

She was just going to the temple for some pooja. Pratap followed her. On the way, in the corridor of the palace Dheer Bai Bhatyani spilled oil but luckily Pratap had seen it. He could not believe.

When Ajabde passed on it, she slipped and fell but luck was with her and a pair of strong arms held her which saved her at a nick of time. Pratap could not believe this.

He forgave her on the condition that she will not show any concern on Ajabde or on their child yet to be born. After that for quite a while there were no issues.

All had arrived by then when Ajabde was shaken by her son’s voice. She bends down to help him come into her arms easily. Amar Singh ran towards her and jumped on her.

It was a blissful scene. Everything was so perfect, so perfect like a perfect family. Pratap too stood beside them to make a perfect family. Ajabde grew so emotional at this. She was seeing her son after so many years. She knew her ranimaa would take care of her just like her but as a mother it was difficult for her to go apart from her son.

She was almost crying…it was just tears of happiness when a tiny little finger approached her cheeks to wipe away the tears. The little finger belonged to Amar, who had grown older to console his mother she thought.

“Ranimaa…royiye mat…mat royiye na…ab hum bhi royenge”

“Arey wah Amar aap apni maa ke liye royenge aur humare liye nahi”

“Nahi dhajiraj…aisa nahi hai”

“Amar apko humare liye nahi rona hai aur waise bhi koi Rajput yodha rote nahi balki haste hue sab kuch karte hai…”

Ajabde left Amar to all the other ladies there and ran to take blessings from her ranimaa. It had been years since she had seen her. Pratap too accompany her to take blessings as a couple.

Sajja Bai gave her blessing to Ajabde after Jaiwanta Bai gave. She retired with Shakti who was waiting to meet his mother. Lastly he had met her in his childhood and now he was a young man.

Rana Udai Singh’s anger had deprived the king’s son his royal life, his motherly love and brotherhood. Dheer Bai Bhatyani’s conspiracies too added up to this sin which sent Shakti Singh, Son of Rana Udai Singh and Rani Sajja Bai, brother to Pratap Singh out of the palace after his education.

He began living under disguise far away from Mewar. After a long outdrawn search, his location was found without Pratap’s or Rana Udai Singh’s knowledge. This information was only given to Ajabde on her request. All the things that had happened with him were not something he had deserved.

He was not given equal status by Rana Udai Singh as he considered Pratap as the superior because of which Shakti decided that Pratap was the root cause of the problem. Then he was kicked out of the palace after blaming him of something he hadn’t done. Later no one gave him place to live because he was considered a traitor.

All this together because a clot of hatredness towards Rana Udai Singh and Pratap. Ajabde had only known that Shakti Singh was banished out of the palace by the king of Mewar but did not know the reason. She had never bothered to ask Pratap of it.

She knew a bit of mistake she would do would increase the pain in Pratap which he was hiding from all. Time had come when she wanted her husband, her life to be relieved of his pain which he was having with him from so many years. She wanted to erase the black spot from the name Shakti Singh.

Only this way Pratap would have a warrior who with join shoulders with him and fight alongside him. Only then Mewar would consider Shakti Singh as a person and not a traitor. Only then she would see the true brotherhood which Pratap always wanted.

As the information was confirmed as it was the right one, she lied to Pratap and got herself ready for the plan.

“Kunwar Pratap, hume kal Kuldevi mandir jana hai”

“Ajabde jaise aap chahe, aap ja sakti hai…parantu hum nahi aa payenge apke sath”

“Kunwar Pratap koi baat nahi hai, hum swayam chale jayenge”

“Ajabde aap toh janti hai ki kal Bikaner naresh humse milne aa rahe hai aur isi karan hum nahi aa sakte…hume kshama kar dijiye”

“Kunwar Pratap humne kaha na ki koi baat nahi hai…aap apne kaam par dhyan de”

“Ajabde sath mein ek sanik tukdi le jayiye”

“Ji”

She reached the borders of Mawar where he had settled. On asking his address, locals directed towards the old hut. She went inside to find the hut a mess with all the things scattered here and there. There was no one to be seen. All that she could see was a dirty bachelor’s room.

She quickly tidied up everything and waited there for his brother-in-law to arrive.

“Kaun hai aap??”

“Humare kuti mein kya kar rahi hai??”

“Hum…Kunwar Pratap ki patni, Ajabde aur…apki bhabhisa…”

“Toh aap hai humari bhabhisa…humne apke baare mein bahut kuch sun rakha hai bhabhisa”

“Kunwar Shakti aap nahi puchenge ki hum yaha kyu aaye hai??”

“Hum jante hai ki aap kyu aayi hai aur humara uttar hai hum wapas nahi lautenge”

“Thik hai…iska koi karan toh hoga”

“Hume malum hai ki aap janti hai…hume pata hai”

“Kunwar Shakti hum iss Vishay mein kuch nahi jante…karan kya hai batayiye”

“Karan toh aap Kunwar Pratap se puche…”

“Batayiye Kunwar Shakti…jab tak aap yeh sab kisi nahi kehenge apka jeewan baari rahega aur yeh bhoj banker reh jayenge”

“Toh hum sirf apko baatate hai”

He narrates the whole incident.

“Bhabhisa isi karan hum nahi Mahel lautna chahte hai aur naahi Rana Udai Singh ka mukh dekhna chahte hai”

“Kunwar Shakti…hum apse keh de ki apko koi mahel bulane nahi aaya hai aur haan apke dhajiraj se milne bhi nahi…hum toh sirf apko yeh kehne aaye hai ki Kunwar Pratap ke baare mein aap joh kuch sochte hai woh galat hai…veh har rooz, din raat apke bare mein sochte hai aur humse kehte hai ki… kaash aap unke jeewan mein hote kaash veh apko ek bhai ke tarah rakh pate…”

“Bhabhisa hum iss Vishay mein sochenge”

“Kunwar Shakti…hum sirf apse apke mahel se jaane ka karan puchne aaye aur apka bhoj halka karene…humara koi aisa waisa maksad nahi hai…”

“Aagya dijiye”

After few days a letter arrived for Ajabde from her brother-in-law. It read that the conversation changed his life and he is coming towards their settlement for meeting all.He was welcomed and escorted to Kunwar Pratap by Ajabde. For a second after seeing Shakti Singh, Pratap was happy but later he turned his face and left to the arena.

There both Shakti and Pratap engage in a duel where more than fighting there was compromise from both sides and the attacks reduced. Memories too flashed at how they used to play, steal mangoes and have them, how they used to be in Gurukul and all the things. In the fight Shakti falls down. A supporting hand gives to pull him back and with such a force that both cling to each other. From then on Shakti was living with them and like Pratap did not wish to enter Udaipur.

Maan and Chand hugged their bhabhisa and had a small talk with her.

“Ab sab yaha ki kadhe rehenge ya andhar bhi ayenge”

Ajabde toured all through the small forest village they had built and showed the rooms to all. Jaiwanta Bai’s room was a simple one with one corner made for her Giridhar Gopal. Sajja Bai’s room was just next to mango tree. She could pick mangoes from her window itself. Amar’s room was adjacent to Ajabde’s room and was having a rack for his swords. Chanda’s room was opposite to Phool’s room and was similar to Amar’s. Chand and Maan’s room had a small garden with a lot many rabbits. The room was filled with cupboards to accommodate their clothes and jewels craze.