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.

Chittorgarh: The First Jauhar

The concept of Jauhar holds a profound place in Rajputana history. It is a ritual where Rajput women willingly choose death by jumping into a fire altar, invoking the gods, and embracing honour rather than living under the humiliation of enemy conquest. Unlike Sati, Jauhar was never forced or compulsory; it was considered the most honourable death a Rajputani could choose when their men lost battles and the enemy laid siege. The Historical Setting: Jauhar Gate and Chittorgarh Fort Chittorgarh Fort once housed the palace of Rana Ratan Singh near the famed Vijay Stambh and his Jal Mahal at the fort’s main gate. When Alauddin Khilji invaded Chittor, much of this was destroyed. However, later ruler Rana Kumbha rebuilt the Jal Mahal and re-established the Jauhar Sthal to honour Queen Padmavati (also known as Padmini). Ratan Singh, who ruled Mewar during Khilji’s reign as Sultan of Delhi, was known to be a peace-loving monarch who enjoyed music and poetry. One of his court poets, Ragha...

Maharana Pratap: The Sun of Mewar

Many of you have read my fan fiction as well as historical representations of the life and times of Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar. I provided small details of his life in many articles. But never have I ever made a separate historical post on him. It is very difficult to put together his life without the help of folklore because historical evidence is scarce. This one was requested, and hence here it goes. Needless to say, this one is very special. This is a blend of history and folklore. Leave your love. ❤️ Background and Birth: The year was 1540. Mewar was under a cloud of uncertainty. Banbir, their ruler for four years now, was a very incompetent ruler who always spent his time in luxury, drinking and dancing with girls. The crown prince Udai Singh was rumoured to have been killed by him. Chittorgarh was in darkness. Around March 1540, Mewar once again saw hope as some trusted generals, along with Kunwar Udai Singh, attacked Chittorgarh, taking Banbir by surprise. He was soon t...

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...

The Cortege That Shook The Raj: Kanailal Dutta

10th November, 1908 Around late morning, a procession of lacs made their way through the streets of Calcutta (Kolkata), India. Some were chanting “Vande Mataram”, others blew conch shells, and Ululation filled the air. Flowers were being showered from all directions, and garlands made their way through the crowd, being thrown at the procession in the middle. Bhagwat Gita and Ananda Math (Novel by Bamkim Chandra) were offered. No, this was no “ Sobha Jatra ” or celebration. There were no religious festivities either. That dawn, the Alipore Jail, which opened only two years back, witnessed the hanging of Kanailal Dutta, a twenty-year-old member of the “Jugantar Dol”, an anarchist group that was set up primarily by Aurobindo Ghosh (Later Rishi Aurobindo), his brother Barindra and their associates. Kanailal hailed from Chandannagore, and although he was not present in most of their meetings in Kolkata, he was still one of their early members from Chandannagore, then a French province. ...

Haldighati: The Battlefield

The year was 1576 CE. Four years had passed since Maharana Pratap’s coronation as the ruler of Mewar in 1572 CE. In those years, the land simmered not just with heat but with tension. The Timurid emperor Akbar, determined to fulfil his imperial vision, had sent not one, but three peace emissaries with Man Singh and Bhagwan Das leading them, between 1573 and 1575 CE, offering reconciliation in carefully worded treaties. But the wounds of Chittorgarh’s fall in 1568 CE were fresh for Pratap. With the blood and tears of Jauhar and Saka still alive, with the thousands mercilessly killed, there would be no peace without freedom. Pratap was no ordinary king, to be driven just by his zeal. He was a strategist, steeped as much in statecraft as in pride. When Man Singh came in 1575 CE with yet another offer, he was quick to realise that Akbar was reluctant to an out-and-out battle with Mewar. Pratap chose not to appear himself, sending his heir, Amar Singh, instead, stating that kings met kings...

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, about 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 Sat...

Etched In Stone

This historical short story is a fictitious account of Ashoka, the Mauryan Emperor and his first wife Devi, who finds no place in Magadhan History. There is another fiction about her in the blog as well. This story stemmed from a merge of two ideas, one was to mention the cave inscription found in Saru Maru that mentions Asoka spending some days there with his lover (presumed to be Devi), the other idea of how if words did not immortalise a lot of battles and achievements, the names of many great men would be lost in time. The prince stood on the edge of the cliff, looking at the horizon. Dawn arrived as the birds started leaving their nests, wings fluttering, eager to discover the world. He looked up at them, the thought of once again going back to exploring the length and breadth of his state making him feel a little restless as he eyed his healing wounds. He was left to die; his enemies wished so. Yet by some miracle of fate, as if his purposes were yet to be fulfilled, here he was ...

Battle of Haldighati

There have been a lot of talks going on regarding who won the Battle of Haldighati. While some want to change what we read and say that the Maharana won it, many oppose the point with a Mughal victory. Here, I compile every account I found of the Battle and its Aftermath and make my unbiased conclusion on the topic. PS. The dates vary from book to book; I gave the ones I found in most sources. The Background: Relation with Mughals Mewar was one of Rajputana's strongest individual kingdoms, along with the likes of Marwar and Kacchawar (Jaipur). Long before the Mughals under Akbar, Mewar under Rana Sangram Singh had successfully managed to keep the "Turk Invaders" under Babar at bay, fighting 17 wars, big and small. The relationship was further questioned when, during the invasion from Saurashtra, Sanga's widow, Rani Karnavati, had written to Mughal Emperor Humayun for help, sending him a rakhi. Contrary to popular belief, Humayun had rested on his way from Gaur (Beng...

The Prince of Mewar

Born on 16 March 1559 in the Kumbha Palace of Chittorgarh Fort, Bhanwar Amar Singh was the eldest son of Kunwar Pratap Singh (later Maharana Pratap) and Kunwarani Ajabdeh Punwar. As the first grandson of Udai Singh I, his birth prompted the Maharana's celebratory hunting expedition, during which a sage forewarned of impending danger. Heeding this, Udai Singh established a new palace by Lake Pichola, founding Udaipur as Mewar's capital. Amar Singh exhibited extraordinary valour from a young age, inheriting his father's martial skills and his mother's reputed compassion. His training commenced early; according to James Tod's Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, he participated in his first battle alongside Pratap at age eight. By ten, amid Chittorgarh's fall and familial divisions, he assumed responsibility for his siblings. Historical accounts recount his defence of the queens' entourage against enemy soldiers en route to Kumbhalgarh fortress. He shared a clo...

Chawand: The Maharana's Capital

The road from Udaipur quickly fades into quiet countryside as you head toward Jaisamand Lake and Chavand, a journey that few package tours offer, but one that is forever imprinted on my memory. Just shy of an hour and 59km from the city bustle, you reach Jaisamand (Dhebar Lake), the “Ocean of Victory,” sprawling as Asia’s once-largest man-made lake . Built in 1685 by Maharana Jai Singh, who followed his father’s legendary tradition of dam-building, this vast sheet of water shimmers in the sunlight. I watched local ferries pass, and marble stairs dip into blue shallows, imagining bygone queens slipping into cooling water beneath the massive embankment. Even today, friendly boatmen linger, eager to usher you onto the lake for a breezy ride. They tell you stories of how once a Maharana roamed these dense forests in search of freedom. Do pause here and soak in the peaceful air before venturing further southwest, toward the forgotten echoes of Mewar’s pride. The drive to Chavand, ...

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