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 praying 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.

Maharana Pratap: The Evolution of an Icon

On the occasion of Maharana Pratap's 486th Birth Anniversary, here is an article I have been meaning to write for a long time. While some of it is personal, other parts are researched. Some parts of this article (art subsection) are reproduced from another article written by me for UPAJ India's magazine Manthan in 2022. Ideally, this was supposed to be two parts, but I did not wish to make it so. Cenotaph at Chawand Veer Shiromoni Hinduja Suraj Maharana Pratap Singh Sisodiya, as he is officially called, the thirteenth Custodian of the royal house of Mewar, a land that now lies in the south-western fringes of the Aravallis of Rajasthan, has been, for the longest time in Indian History, regarded as the first freedom fighter. Resisting invasion into his state, holding his post as king, his life and career had been scrutinised time and again, narratives changed according to popularity rather than evidence. His idea of independence inspired many; his strategy of guerrilla warfare wa...

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...

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, ...

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 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 mounting on...

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...

Chandra's Choice: The Story of Dhruvasvamini

More often than not, the private lives of kings and the existence of their queens remain in the words of bards rather than those of chroniclers. Dhruvasvamini is no different, even after being the queen of the golden age of the Indian Subcontinent. She appears in the Basarh Clay Seal as the mother of Govinda Gupta (attributed as a sibling of Kumara Gupta I) and the queen wife of Chandra Gupta II or Vikramaditya. Except for one mention of Dhruva Devi, as she is popularly known, she remains a mysterious character in the Gupta lineage, with a side mention in the dynasty’s history. Visakhadatta, a famous poet and playwright, who later wrote DeviChandraGuptam as the play capturing the life of Chandra Gupta II, captured Dhruva Devi as one of the protagonists of his story. Although some scholars attribute Visakhadatta to be under the patronage of Chandra Gupta II himself when he wrote this story, many historians debate the literary work as a historical fiction written much after his time. Tru...

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...

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...

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 Annals of Rajputana

Col. James Todd’s Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan describes Rajputana through History, Geography, Mythology, Folklore, Veer Gathas, Traditions, Cultures, Heritage, Rules, Valour and its people. However, one must remember that he was commissioned to write the narrative and his resources are not based on historical evidence. However, it is worth a read and very interesting. The following excerpts are from his book. Please take note that Todd's accounts are based on hearsay, stories, and commissioned by royals and hence aren't treated as historically accurate. However, his book is important as it is the first English-language book to have extensive work done on Rajputana. Rajputs are commonly believed to be people from Rajasthan; however, their branches have spread far and wide into Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and even parts of Bengal. The initial origination-based clans/tribes had been subdivided first in the book Prithvirajraso by Chand Bardai; howev...

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