The Groom Abductor

She was sitting inside the Palace at Dwarka. Her brothers were busy attending to guests. The Prince of Hastinapur had arrived that day with a proposal for her elder brothers. Being aloof from political scenarios, the young princess, the only sister to her two brothers, was not bothered. She hated the sight of the prince who troubled her aunt and cousins back in Hastinapur. But he was her brother's student and hence a favourite at Dwarka.
A maid came in a hurry and informed, " There is good news, Rajkumari. Your wedding has been fixed to the Prince of Hastinapur, Suyodhan, by your eldest brother"

Shocked, she could not speak. Her brother did not bother to ask for her opinion. Her childish anger overcame her as she rushed to her other brother, the one who always had the way. Crying, she reached his chambers, where his wife Rukmini was present. Seeing his dearest sister cry, Rukmini got up worried from her seat.
"What is wrong, sister? Why are you crying?"
" Where is my Bhratashri?"
" He is out to meet some Rishis regarding your wedding. Why are you crying?"
" I want my Bhratashri!" The childish princess rushed into her room, crying and shut the doors. She heard maids talk outside. The wedding was to happen any day now. People were flocking from Hastinapur to make arrangements for the grand wedding.

Teary-eyed, the princess thought of the man she loved. By fate, they were cousins, by heart lovers. He was a warrior who couldn't express his love, but she could read him; she could understand they both loved each other ever since they understood love. His marriage to Samragni Panchali, too, did not bother her. But now, when she was going to be married to his enemy, where was he? He went on pilgrimage, and nobody knew where he was.

" Subhadra! My sister! Why these tears?" It was Krishna, her brother. How he got in through the closed doors, she did not care.
" Brother! Why are you marrying me to Duryodhan?"
"It's Dau's decision, Subhadra, I can't change it."

"Then go away!"
" I have come to take you out, to meet with a Rishi in the forest."
" I don't want to."
" Believe me, you want to!" He smiled.

Deep inside the forest was a Rishi deep in meditation. Subhadra touched his feet, and their eyes met.
" What do you want, Kanya?"
" I want my marriage to Duryodhan to be cancelled, Rishiji."
" Why?"
" Because I love another man, I am already his wife."
" Who is this man, lady?"
" Kuntiputra Gandivdhari..." Krishna witnessed this at a distance with a smile.
The Rishi got up, shocked.
" Subhadra, you too love me?"
Shocked, she looked up, and it was indeed Arjun.
" What to do now, Parth?" Krishna broke their stares.
" Go home, Subhadra, marry him. I can not fight my cousins for you. I can not fight Madhav"
"No, either you take me as your wife after this or else I die."
" Don't be naive!"
Krishna smiled, " Maybe there is a way."
" What?" The lovers looked surprised.
" Subhadra abducts Parth and takes him out of Dwarka. I will give you my chariot. When I settle things here, come back and marry at Dwarka."

Thus, the strangest incident happened. Krishna rushed into the court where Balaram sat with the guests from Hastinapur. Subhadra had abducted Arjun!!
Everyone knew this was a made-up tale; everyone knew Natkhat Nandalal was behind this, but who dared raise a voice against him?

Balaram was the hardest to convince. After all, he had called on his favourite student to marry his sister. At last, he agreed, but with a condition, " She will travel with him to Indraprasth and live there, unlike his other wives."
" But Panchali will not allow..."
" If so, then he should stay here."
Arjun was forced to take Subhadra home with him, and thus Krishna weaved the threads of the birth of the greatest warrior Abhimanyu, Son of Arjun and Subhadra.

She was pregnant within a few months, and Krishna told Draupadi that this son would make her future. Draupadi took great care of Subhadra and left her at Indraprastha when they went to Hastinapur, where they got humiliated. Subhadra, still pregnant, was sent back to Dwarka to be taken care of, and Arjun went to leave her. There he stayed with her for a year before they all left for twelve years of Exile and one year of Agyatbyas! One night, they were talking of weapons and formations on the battlefield, and Arjun lamented how bravely he had broken Chakrayuvh as a teen against Drupad Raj.
" Tell me how it's done, Arya."
" No, you will be bored."
" Please tell me."
Arjun told his pregnant wife in great detail how he got in, but while he said how he got out, he saw his wife asleep, and he smiled at her sleeping face. Unaware of the future.

A few months later, a son was born to them. His eldest son, Subhadra's only heir and Krishna's nephew.
" Take good care of Jiji Arya. She is in pain even if she doesn't show it"

" You take care of yourself, Subhadra and my son." He hugged his wife and kissed his son's forehead. Almost two now, the baby was beautiful. Some said he was after his mother in beauty and after his father in behaviour. The baby, unaware of the sad departure, giggled at his father. " Ma"
" When did he learn that, Subhadra? "
" Today only Arya! You don't worry, Bhratashri will take good care of us, you go and do your duties."
" What will you call him, Subhadra? Have you decided yet?"
" Bhratashri said he will be called Abhimanyu."
" Abhimanyu... My son, when I come back, you will be a teenager and I won't recognise you. Do recognise your father-child, and forgive him for not being there."
Tears came to the warrior's eyes as he looked back at his wife and son waving with smiles at the Palace gates of Dwarka.
Krishna smiled. The future was decided, and things were going as they should be going. He looked at Subhadra playing with her toddler. He walked up to them, picked up his nephew and hugged him. Subhadra was watching Abhimanyu being loved by his Mamashri, and Krishna was silently begging forgiveness from the toddler for the future.

The Reva Cries

Roopmati had watched the troops leave. She had stood behind the chief queen as she traditionally bid goodbye to her sons. She had waited for the Sultan to come to her. He did. He was confident that the sudden advancement of Akbar’s foster brother Adham Khan could be curbed. It was not war, just precaution. He reassured her. Malwa would never bow to the Timurids. And he would not let anything happen to her. To Her. Roopmati felt suffocated by her husband’s affectionate hug. She felt trapped in the scrutinising eyes of all the people in the palace. Angry, blaming eyes. She tried to pace herself and sing, but her voice cracked in fear. Her melody was drowned in tears. Every evening, a messenger would come to the chief queen with the news of war. Roopmati was kept in the darkness. She was not told about anything. She knew the rumours. She was a witch. A temptress who caused doom to the Sultan of Malwa. She was a spy of the enemy planted in his life to destroy him. She wondered if he came b...

Rani Padmini: The Valiant Queen

This story is a retelling of some parts of Malik Mohammad Jayasi's Padmavat, which was a historical fiction poem written in 1540, an odd 200 years after the siege of Chittorgarh by Allauddin Khilji. Historically, the Rajputs of Mewar didn't keep accounts of their queens, even by name, so the name Padmini or Padmavati was made up by Jayasi to represent the women of Chittor who chose the Jauhar. Historically speaking, Allauddin Khilji wanted the trade route to Surat for himself, which went through Mewar and Rana Ratan Singh, a patron of art, was not known for his military skills. So when Khilji surrounded the fort, the only way out was the Saka and Jauhar. Rani Padmini's Jauhar, as it is now popularly called, is also not the first Jauhar Khilji witnessed. The Jauhars of Ranthambore and Jaisalmer happened before he attacked Chittorgarh. Also, the act of Jauhar happened as early as the Greek invasions of Porus's state, when it is described as the "Mass immolation of Sa...

The Emperor's First Wife

Ruqaiya Sultana Begum was born to Babur's second surviving son, Hindal Mirza, and his wife, Sultanam Begum, in 1542 C.E., merely a few months after Hamida Banu gave birth to the heir Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar. She was well-versed in Persian, Urdu and Arabic and was attracted to poetry and music. Being a proud descendant of the Timurid clan, most of Rukaiya's childhood was spent in Kabul, near the Bagh E Babur, built by Babur himself. From early childhood, she had seen the struggle of her family to regain their lost power in Hind. In 1551 C.E., just after her father died young at a battle for Humayun, leaving her and her mother in the harem of the emperor, it was Hamida Banu who wanted the marriage of Rukaiya to her first cousin, Akbar. Theirs was the first in-house marriage of the Mughals, soon to be followed by many more in the generations to come. At the mere age of nine, she had married the crown prince, and when Humayun won back Lahore, she was fifteen. At the mere age ...

Sisodiya: Kings, Queens and Princes (1538 - 1597)

I am back with another History post, this time it is on the wives and sons of Rana Udai Singh II of Mewar, his son and heir Maharana Pratap and Rana Amar Singh. This is a continuation of the Sisodia Family History I posted some time back. The information has been taken from Annals of Mewar by James Todd, Maharana Pratap by B.N. Rana, and Maharana Pratap by Rima Hooja. Udai Singh II was the son of Ranisa Karnawati and Rana Sangram Singh. He was born on 4th August 1 522, at Chittorgarh and died on 28th February 1 572 at Gogunda . He was the Ruler of the Sisodia Dynasty. He is believed to have 56 sons and 2 5 wives, apart from the many insignificant queens in his Rani Mahal. Here is a list of his main queens and their sons. Maharani Jaivanta Bai Songara of Jalore was his chief queen and consort. Her son is Maharana Pratap. He was married to her before he went to war with Banbir, as her father, Akshayraj Rao, was a friend and ally of his father, Rana Sanga. Saj...

Charumati's Love

T his is written based on folklore. This is a representative work of fiction and does not claim any historical happening in the conversations. This is to show the spirit of the women of Rajputana. The year 1657. Shah Jahan had taken ill and was rumoured to be dying in Agra Fort. He was about eighty, and the pressure of having an empire had taken a toll on his body. The seat of power was slowly shifting from Agra to Delhi since the prominence of the Laal Quila had increased, and if the news spread was to be believed, his sons were in a battle for the throne already. It was time each king chose sides once again. Dara Sikhoh was the eldest and the righteous Heir to the throne. He was believed to be a man who held high morals and was hence respected by both enemies and allies as well. Aurangzeb was his sibling and the youngest of the brothers. Short-tempered and cunning, he was always dreaded by the court. As Shah Jahan took ill, Aurangzeb took this as a golden opportunity to wa...

Prithviraj Chauhan: A Saga

Note: This piece is a work of fiction based on folklore and the Prithviraj Raso, an epic saga by Chand Bardai, who happened to be the court poet of Prithviraj Chauhan. The dates corresponding to wars, names of people and places are, however, historically fact-checked from various sources, including the works of Todd (semi-historical), The Amir Khusrau and contemporary sources like R.C.Majumder. The incidents are fictionally woven. Rai Pithora Around the year 1140 A.D., Ajmer was ruled by Anangpal of the Tomara Dynasty. Delhi was the seat of power of the Sultanate, which was a constant power struggle for them. He managed to capture briefly most parts of west Rajputana, and present-day Haryana and Punjab were also part of his kingdom. The old king had a son and two daughters. His concern grew as his son Surya was not talented enough to rule Ajmer. His youngest daughter, Princess Karpuri Devi, was married to Someshwar Chauhan of the famous Chauhan clan. Their son, Rai Pithora, helped...

Nawab E Bengal

Background: Nawab Alivardi Khan was ruling Bengal at the peak of Nawabi rule, expanding his strong empire. He had successfully suppressed the Marathas and had given a strong message to the British East India Company’s rising influence at Calcutta. Highly aware of the British Colonial policies across the globe, Nawab Alivardi Khan was strict with his policies and stronghold over Murshidabad, the then capital of Bengal (including present-day Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, and Bangladesh). He had two daughters and no sons. Amina Begum was the elder one, followed by Ghaseti Begum. Amina had three sons with her husband and courtier, Ahmed Khan. The second son, Mirza Mohammad, fondly called Siraj-Ud-Daulah (light of the country)by his grandfather, was born in 1733C.E. He was his grandfather’s favourite because he was born while he won over the Marathas. Alivardi Khan never let the “fortune child” of the family out of his sight. Siraj grew up accompanying his g...

Teeja Saka Chittor Ra

23rd February 1568. The sun rose on the eastern horizon, not with the hope of a new day. But, with the horror of what was to follow. The first rays of the Sun God were met by the chants of “Jai Bhavani!” that echoed in the air of Chittorgarh. The Mewaris knew it was time. Four months back, when the Mughals camped at the base of the fort, a helpless Chittorgarh had watched. Rana Udai Singh had left with his closest aides to make the new city westwards, his capital. If rumours were to be believed, he had left behind a cavalry of 8000 soldiers, under Rao Jaimal of Merta and Rawat Patta of Kelwa, to look over the fort. He had also left behind some of his lesser queens and infant princes, as an assurance to the people that Chittorgarh was invincible. Their safety and hope had lived in Kunwar Pratap. Truth be said, they had already taken the Crown Prince as their King. Ever since Ranisa had left with him till he became the Senapati, he had time and again proved to be a better lea...

Bijolia: Her Home

Journey to Bijolia: Lost Kingdoms and Timeless Temples of Mewar Bijoliya translates to a stop between two cities. Nestled in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district, Bijolia sits 55km from Bundi and 105km from Chittorgarh on the well-travelled Bundi-Chittorgarh road. Once part of Mewar, this seemingly sleepy town guards a rich and layered past: it was ruled from the 11th to the 13th century by the Punwars (or Parmar Rajputs) before falling under the Chauhan dynasty, who shifted the region’s capital to Bhilwara and constructed the imposing fort there. After a brief Chauhan rule, Bijolia was reclaimed by Rana Kumbha and became an integral part of the Mewar kingdom, with the Parmers serving as local Raos, representatives and stewards of the royal house. Despite its history and the famed Bijolia inscriptions (a treasure for historians), Bijolia has never found a seat on Rajasthan’s primary tourist circuit, especially if you’re venturing out by public transport or private car. While a handful of...

Indus Valley Civilisation: An Understanding

The River Of The Rig Veda: The mythical river Sarasvati is an unsolved mystery. Sarasvati means a river full of ponds or lakes. This indicated its course might have been through many such lakes or swamps. There are many references to this river in the Rig Vedas as the " Seventh River of the Aryavarta" and " The mother of floods", indicating it was an important river in the land, probably large and perennial and caused floods. Many excavated villages and cities along present-day parts of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat indicate the basin of the Sarasvati River. It is described in the Yajur Vedas as the one where the five rivers meet, and in the Brahmanas, there are indications of the disappearance of its lower course and how its large flow decreases. The Mahabharata describes the ultimate drying up of the river before the ushering in of the Kali Yuga . Many Puranas describe the civilisation lying between the Ganga and the Saraswati . ...

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