The Naga Princess

The Nagas (symbolically snakes) were a tribe who were well acquainted with life in forests and on rivers. They were said to be the ones who ruled the waters. Historically speaking, the Nagas lived in the northeastern parts of Aryavarta, close to Manipur, and extended their villages up to the land of Burma. The Naga tribe staying in the current state of Nagaland are proof of this. Now, this brings us to the story. The Naga Chief was Kauravya, who ruled the waters of the Ganges. His daughter was Ulupi. Some say she was a widow at a tender age, and some say she was unmarried.

The Pandava prince Arjun was roaming around Aryavarta in exile, for he had broken a promise and entered his elder brother's intimate room with their Shared wife. The punishment was this. He roamed all the way from Indraprastha to the mystic lands of Manipur and Nagaland. Ulupi, like any other princess of that time, desired the handsome and brave prince of Hastinapur. On hearing of his arrival in their land, she was quite in awe at the thought of meeting him.

As Arjun sat in a clearing beside the river, lost in his thoughts, the sound of a woman's anklet broke his chain of thoughts. He looked up to see the beautiful Ulupi clad in finery. She smiled like the dazzling stars, and her eyes were as dark as the night sky. The eyes were mesmerising and captive.
" You must be the Prince of Hastinapur."
" How do you know me, Lady?"
" Who doesn't know you, My Lord? You are the greatest archer in the whole of Aryavarta." Arjun smiled modestly.
" Who are you, my Lady?"
" I am Ulupi, Princess of the Nagas. "
" Nagas?" His smile faded. The grip around his bow tightened. His family had a long-drawn-out love-hate relationship with the tribe. The Nagas were not to be trusted, his father had told him.
" Yes, my Lord, we live at the Ganges, do accompany me to my father's palace under the waters. He is Kauravya, the King of the Waters." Ulupi went on unaware, hoping he would come with her and she could convince him to marry her.
" I am sorry, Princess, I can not accompany you to the Palace of your father."

" But..."
" I would prefer living like a hermit away from any palace luxury."
" But my Lord, not going with me will mean you are insulting our Royal invite."
" I can not help if you think so." Arjun was determined to stay away from the Nagas.

Angry at this rejection, Ulupi lost her cool. She was too determined to take him back to her Palace. She took out a mystic powder and intoxicated him in moments. Before he could realise it, Arjun was unconscious in one of the rooms of Ulupi's palace. She was happy to have him. He came into consciousness only after a few hours and was surprised to find himself underwater. In a flash, he remembered what had happened, and a smile curved his face. He liked the Naga Princess's determination.

" The Princess of Nagas is arriving at the chambers."
He turned around to see the same girl, clad in simple clothes, a balm in hand, an ever-smiling face looking at him.
" Here is a potion you can drink to get rid of your drowsiness." She handed him the bowl.
" I have never seen a girl like you. You make me unconscious and bring me here, then give me this to clear my head. Why were you so determined?"
" I would not have let any Prince insult my father by refusing his invitation. Whoever he might be."
" You are a strong woman. I admire that."
" Not all Nagas are bad, Rajkumar Arjun. Like people, there are some bad Nagas and some good Nagas; your conception needs to be corrected."
" By kidnapping me?" He was amused.
" My father will be meeting you shortly." He watched her leave.

At the King's Chamber, Arjun got a hero's welcome from the Nagas. The princess was indeed right about them being the good ones. At the gala dinner organised in his honour, the King took him aside and gave him a proposal. " Rajkumar, my only daughter Ulupi, is in love with you. She wishes to marry you, and upon your agreeing to this proposal, the Nagas and all other living creatures in the water shall be your slaves thereupon, and the kingdom will belong to you. Please accept this proposal and oblige."
Arjun was taken aback. Marriage to a Naga? Was it worth hurting Panchali and his brother's sentiments? Wouldn't his cousins laugh at him for marrying a Naga? He looked at Ulupi across the room. But she has come a long way in his love; there was no turning back for her.

" I need some time to think, and I want to talk to Ulupi." The King agreed.

The next morning, Ulupi came to his chambers with eyes clearly asking a lot of questions about why he called upon her.
" Ulupi, when you have heard everything about me, I hope you know that my loyalty to Panchali is irreplaceable, and no other wife can accompany me to Indraprastha."
" I don't wish to leave Nagaland for you, too, Rajkumar, I will rule in the absence of my father, and am training in warfare to do so..."
" Then I can marry you."

The Nagas rejoiced in the grand wedding of their Princess, and a son, Iravan, was born to them. Arjun left Ulupi and Iravan with his other wife, Chitrangada, Princess of Manipur. When the Kurukshetra war broke out, Iravan, an eighteen-year-old lad, was sent by his mother to fight for his father. However, Arjun could not remember either Ullupi or her son before selfishly asking him to sacrifice his head to the goddess Kali. Iravan, who always wanted to please his father, did so without hesitation. Upon losing her own son, Ulupi trained Chitrangada's son Babruvahana in the art of warfare to make him an ideal king. Such was her training that during the Ashwamedha Yajna of the Pandavas, Babruvahana killed Arjun with his arrow when he stopped their horses at Manipur. Ulupi, hearing this, rushed to the spot and saved Arjun's life with the Mritunjay Mantra she learned from the goddess Ganga herself. Ulupi met her long-lost husband and never even once blamed him for sacrificing their son. She stayed all her life in Manipur, helping her stepson with the administration of the land. A proud Naga princess, she never depended on Arjun or expected his support, and was brave and independent enough to take care of herself.

Rakhi Tales

The year was 1535 CE. The Rajmata of Mewar, widow of Rana Sanga, was in a dilemma. On one hand was an attack from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat as a threat to her capital, Chittorgarh, and the throne of her beloved teenage son Vikramaditya. On the other hand, there was the son of her husband's archenemy, Humayun, who could be of some help. Rani Karnavati wrote a letter to Humayun, who was in the east at that time. Along with it, she sent a Rakhi, a thread of brotherhood, asking him, as a sister, for protection against the enemy. But the road was too long and time, of great essence. Humayun arrived at Chittorgarh, in response to her letter, keeping his end of the bargain but a little late. Rani Karnavati had already performed the Jauhar. They never met. Humayun established Rana Vikramaditya on the throne of Mewar, as he had promised as a brother, and returned to his post. Two dynasties, political rivals and sworn enemies, from Sanga-Babur to Pratap-Akbar and even Raj Singh-Aurangzeb, yet ...

A Veranda Vendetta

“Outrage in Calcutta; Terrorist Raid, British Officer Murdered” Read the headlines of The Times on Tuesday, 9 th of December, 1930. 1930: A significant year 1930 was a very significant year in the history of India’s Freedom Struggle against the British Raj. The Indian National Congress went ahead to declare the 26 th of January as India’s Independence Day, celebrating it nationwide; the Civil Disobedience Movement was officially started by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, and Subhas Chandra Bose was arrested for participating in the same. On 18 th April, Surya Sen, better known as MasterDa, had done the unthinkable, raiding the British Armoury with his students and fellow teachers at Chittagong. He was still on the loose, yet to be found. In this year of growing protests against the colonisers, an incident emerged that shook the British at their old capital. The Bengal Volunteers Corps was a group of volunteers organised in the 1928 Calcutta sessi...

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 Parmars 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...

A Journey Called PrAja

Love is a relationship based on trust and understanding. It is also a bond that is made up there. People often ask, "Why them?" I end up telling them some folklore. I end up telling them about how she actually was his shadow in the forests, in bad times. Because love passes all its tests in the worst times when you don't give up on each other. So, here's to My Pratap and His Ajabdeh! Ps. This is about the show Bharat Ka Veer Putra Maharana Pratap on Sony by Contilloe Starring Faisal Khan, Roshni Walia, Sharad Malhotra and Rachana Parulkar. This is NOT their real story. The show aired from 2013 to 2015. Ajabdeh, the simple, strong yet gentle samantputri, was starstruck seeing the down-to-earth Kunwar Pratap, the crown prince of Mewar. She was clueless that he held the key to her heart, her lost mala that destiny had chosen him for. Na na na na na Chan Chan Chan Chan na na na na! A comedy of errors followed, as she threw the pail of water on him, fumbled at his presen...

The Hidden One

In the grand fort of Daulatabad, a princess was born in 1638 to Emperor Aurangzeb and his cherished consort, Dilras Banu Begum. She was christened Zeb Un Nisa, her very name meaning “ornament of womankind.” The youngest of her sisters, Zeb Un Nisa, grew up surrounded by the opulence of the Mughal harem at the Red Fort, under the spiritual guidance of her Sufi uncle Dara Shikoh and her wise aunt Jahanara Begum. From her earliest days, she was captivated by poetry, spending hours immersed in literature, her mind dancing among the verses of Persian and Urdu poets. As she blossomed into adulthood, Zeb Un Nisa cultivated her own literary voice and gathered the greatest poets of the Mughal Empire in her private council. Adopting the pen name “Makhfi”, the Concealed One, she wove magic with her words, always returning to one intoxicating theme: Love. Her father, Emperor Aurangzeb, was the most powerful man in India, unyielding in his faith and rule, yet also deeply affectionate towards his ...

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 ...

A Chivalrous Emnity

“Ranisa. Hukum” There was a hint of urgency in the maid in waiting’s voice as she rushed to the clearing where the tents were set up. Rani Pur Bai Solanki, the second queen, frowned at her sudden, alarming voice. “Hush, Rama, the children are...” She checked the children’s tent, alarmed. They slept during the day and stayed awake at night, because the forestland was not safe, neither from animals nor the enemies. “Ranisa, forgive me, it's Kunwarsa... He is back... but...” Pur Bai’s face lit up with a smile of hope that didn’t last long. “But?” “What is it? What’s wrong?” The Maharani of Mewar had walked out of her camp, with the other queens in tow. The maid bowed before her. “It’s Kunwarsa.” “He is back?” She frowned. He was not supposed to be back so early until his father reached Dholan. “So is Ranaji.” The maid looked scared. “There is a court called in an emergency. I came to inform you that Ranaji wanted everyone to be present.” “Jija...” Pur Bai could see the tension mountin...

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...

Mewar: Parting Words

The journey through Mesmerising Mewar ended the night I boarded my train from Udaipur, my heart weighed down by the memories I was leaving behind. As the city lights shimmered in the darkness, I found myself turning back at every chance, reluctant to bid farewell to Mewar, a place that felt less like a travel destination and more like a forgotten home. Sometimes I wonder if my love for the place comes from another life. My parents certainly think so. With the city’s silhouette fading behind me, it felt only right to share my last thoughts: the flavours of the cities, the hills of Aravallis, the moments that made those 15 days feel like a dream, a dream I had dreamt a long time ago, to see his world, through his eyes. His home. I’ll be forever grateful for. The Food: Soul of Mewar Udaipur is a feast in every sense! I dove headfirst into plates brimming with local aloo sabzi, peas cooked with a gentle sweetness, and the signature Rajasthani Churma that seemed to melt away any tra...

The Idea of Independence

Independence is not merely about a free country, a flag or a democracy or a monarchy as the power seat of a region. It is a feeling and a choice. Entitlement to one’s own opinion and rights. Often, a reason to reform. Independence is about individuality and mass. As we grow up, we often write essays on “My Inspiration.” The word inspiration is, in reality, deeper than we understand at that young age and is more often than not merged with our childhood ideas of an ideal man, an idol, or someone who helps us, namely, our own teachers or parents. Some of the students even mug up essays that tell the tales of the lives of Swami Vivekananda or Mahatma Gandhi. But it takes us years, or even perhaps a lifetime, to be mature enough to know and understand the true meaning of inspiration and idol. When we do, it is then that we choose ones that appeal to our morals, thoughts and souls. I remember Independence Day as a child. Every 15 th of August used to be about our locality dressed up in ...

A Journey To Discover Life

Search This Blog