The Shared Wife

She was her father's unwanted daughter. Her father wanted a son, and she was born as a twin. He refused to take her as his own, but the sages were adamant that she was a gift from the sun god Agni. She knew from the beginning she was there for a purpose. A thirst for revenge was built by her father against the emperor's clan. She knew what followed was a difficult journey from Panchala to the Capital of the empire to fulfil what he desired. She had always loved the Warrior Prince all her life, but fate had something else in mind. She was the shared wife of the Pandavas.

She sat in the biggest room of the Inner Chambers. She was happy. The whole of Indraprastha was buzzing with news of the Warrior Prince coming back home in the next few days. His Banwas (Living in the forest for a decided period) was over. She will see him after years of separation, and her joy knew no bounds. She was getting ready like the day she became his bride. She was excited by the thought of seeing him. A guard came in with a letter. He read it out loud, and her hopes died. He has let her down. Yet again. He has broken the one promise he had made through the marriage. His loyalty.
" Krishna,
I am writing this to inform you that Parth has run away with Subhadra and has married her with my consent against Balaram Dada ji and Dwarka Nagari's wishes. As a friend, I found it important to let you know of this union before they arrive at Indraprastha."
The message from Vasudeva was devastating. She ordered her maids to leave her alone. She threw away her Churamani in anger. She tore away her letter. The world seemed to laugh at her. A shared wife. Only her husband's enemies have taunted her. But now? She also doubted. Can I expect no loyalty just because you people made me a shared wife? I did not want this. Her tears would not stop all night. Her husbands did not dare go into her chambers. They knew her feelings of being let down were inconsolable.
The sun rose at dawn, and she picked herself up. She wiped away her tears and, with a straight face, opened her chamber doors and stepped out. Her worried maids were ready for her orders there. " I want to go to the temples, get a chariot ready!"
The King walked up to her and asked hesitantly, " Panchali, are you all right? Is there something I can do for you?" She looked at her kindest Husband with hurt eyes. " Yes, Arya. Prepare a welcome for the new bride. I will come back from the temples in time to welcome Vasudeva's sister and... her husband."
" He is not only her husband, Panchali. Maybe brother Arjun had no option..." He tried to reason with his angry wife. The family feud was the last thing he wanted inside the Pandavas' Household. She knew what he thought.
" Don't worry, Arya, Subhadra will not be blamed." She walked away. Her anger was with her husband, not his wife.
At the Shambhu Temple, she sat hands in pranam silently. An hour passed by in her trail of thoughts as the guard came in and announced, " Maharani, you are summoned to the Palace. Prince Arjun has returned with his wife." Her heart skipped a beat. The moment has arrived.
An aarti thali in hand, she stood at the doorway, ever smiling. After all, being sad at your husband's arrival with his new bride was apshagun (bad omen). Subhadra, in bridal wear all decked up, came down from the chariot, helped by Arjun. She looked nervous. She had always called Draupadi "Jiji" (elder sister). She was expecting a disappointed look in the eyes of the Queen. She had taken away the person she loved the most. She would be devastated. Subhadra had no choice. If she hadn't run with her love, her brother would have married her to Suyodhan (Duryodhan). To her joy, the Queen stood with a warm smile. Life had taught her to smile at it. Arjun went to hug his brothers. Draupadi resisted eye contact as she welcomed them and took the bride to her new chambers.
" Jiji, I want to tell you what happened. Please don't blame Arya. Actually, he wanted to tell you before we..."
" Subhadra, you must be tired. Rest today, we will talk tomorrow. Madhav has written to me. I know everything." She walked away from this awkward conversation.
On her way back to her own chambers, she found him waiting for her in the hallway. He was searching her eyes for forgiveness. Forgive me, Panchali, for letting you down. The warrior could not say anything he meant to. Draupadi looked at him with a weary smile and said, " Go to the chambers, Arya, your bride is waiting." As she walked past him, carefully avoiding body contact, he turned back and said, " Panchali...."
"What Arya?"
" Weren't you waiting for me too?"
" Not anymore..." Her voice choked as she fought away tears. He knew how much she.... yet...
Her voice became cold as stone as she replied, " I was praying you come home safe, Arya, and you have, now please go to your Chambers, Subhadra is waiting. And the king is waiting for me..."
The last words were intended. He knew that. This is not the first time she has blamed him for sharing her with his brothers. He watched her walk away. Dejected, he made his way into his chambers to be with his new bride.
The doors of his chamber closed, making Draupadi turn back and look as her eyes filled with tears. She ordered the nearest guard, " Tell the King that I am unwell and do not expect visitors at my chambers tonight" She went inside her dark chambers. Darkness surrounded her life. She closed the Chamber doors for the night. Until light arrives again.

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...

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Maa Durga: Weapons and Iconography

Mythology: Origin story & Chandi Path The Srimat Devi Bhagawatam , also known as the Devi Puran, a sub-Purana attributed to Shiva Mahapurana, depicts the story of the “birth” and achievement of Devi Durga. The word Durga and related terms appear in the Vedic literature, such as in the Rigveda hymns 4.28, 5.34, 8.27, 8.47, 8.93 and 10.127, and in sections 10.1 and 12.4 of the Atharvaveda. A deity named Durge appears in section 10.1. 7 of the Taittiriya Aranyaka . But the most famous depiction detailed in mythology about the goddess comes from thirteen chapters of the Devi Mahatmya of the Markandeya Purana . It is also famously known as the Chandi Path, which is mainly referred to by the Bengalis for Durga Pujo. Though the Chandi Path starts from Madhu and Kaitava’s birth from Vishnu’s sleeping body and finally being slain, we will focus on the story of Durga. Parvati’s association with this particular form of iconography comes from the story of Shumbha and Nishumbha, t...

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Chittorgarh, renowned for its tales of sacrifice and valour, is also a remarkable testimony to secular harmony and religious heritage that flourished over centuries. Beyond battles and sieges, the fort and its surroundings are dotted with numerous temples, talabs (reservoirs), kunds (water tanks), and temple complexes; some intact, others abandoned or in ruins, each narrating stories of devotion, culture, and royal patronage. The Legend of Meera Bai: Devotion and Defiance One of the most inspiring figures linked to Chittorgarh’s spiritual legacy is Meera Bai , the saint poetess and princess of Merta. Married in 1513 AD at age 14 to Maharaj Kumar Bhoj Raj Singh Sisodiya , the eldest son of Rana Sanga, her story is one of profound devotion. As a child, Meera Bai was deeply attached to the idol of Lord Krishna, whom she considered her true husband, an attachment sparked by a childhood curiosity and nurtured with daily conversations and care for the idol. This devotion dista...

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Many historians believe that although Devi was the first wife of Asoka, his Buddhist queen, Asandhimitra, was not the same person. However, some also theorise based on Buddhist and Jain stories that they were in fact the same person, and the reason for that is that they don't seem to appear in the timeline together. Devi disappears when Asandhimitra arrives at the scene rather abruptly to do her charitable work. Hence, I personally believe they were one and the same. This story, however, is a retelling of folklore and not history. Please do not consider this piece of fiction as history. The whole village of Vidisha Nagari was buzzing with activity. Every home was being cleaned, and cooking preparations were on. The youngest prince of Magadha was coming to a halt the night at their village on his way to Ujjain. Great unrest was reported at Ujjain, and the youngest prince, as the general of this region, was being sent by the emperor to solve the issue. The villagers were scared as th...

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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...

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