Uttara's Dreams

The Beginning:

The kingdom was buzzing with the news of an anticipated war. The Pandavas rejected their lands and Indraprastha by Yuvraj Duryodhan. Everyone knew a big battle was to be fought, yet everyone feared speaking of it. The news reached the lands of Aryavarta like wildfire, and every king was in a talk with his ministers over which side to choose, whose win could benefit them.

Meanwhile...

Away from this tense atmosphere in the Andarmahal of the Palace sat a princess. Her wedding was being planned, and her maids and friends were all busy planning the decorations. They giggled in excitement, talking about how she is the luckiest girl in the world to marry the bravest of warriors in the land, the son of Arjun.

She seemed absent-minded as she stood on the Palace balcony overlooking the city. She was a teenager with dreams of love... and here she was about to get married, but had never seen her husband. The Gods seemed to hear her. She turned to look at why her Sakhis had stopped their giggling, and her mother stood there. Everyone was up on their feet waiting for a command from the Queen.

"Ekanth!" (solitude)

As everyone walked out, she stared at her mother, waiting for her to speak.

" A message has arrived at the King's Court from Dwarka."

She waited patiently...

"Rajkumar Abhimanyu is coming to our palace a week before the wedding with his mother and Vasudeva Krishna. They want to meet you before the wedding."

She looked up at her mother's beaming eyes as they shone in the lights of the lamps. The Queen smiled with hope as she put her hand on her daughter's head.

" And Vasudeva sent a separate message to me. That only we two will know. It's a future prediction for you!"

"What is it, Mother?"

"Your son will be the Emperor of the entire Aryavarta!"

The next week, the Palace was being decorated for the arrival of the future son-in-law of the King. The Princess was made to bathe in milk and sandal and dressed in her finest saree and jewellery. Her earrings sparkled like stars in the night sky, and her Payal made the music of the birds. Her Sakhis could not take their eyes off her beauty.

The sound of chariots in the courtyard was followed by a Nagara announcement ...

" Mahan yodha Arjun aur unke patni Dwarka ki Rajkumari Subhadra k suputra veer yodha Abhimanyu padhar rahe hai!

(Son of the Greatest warrior Arjuna and his Wife Subhadra, Princess of Dwarka, the Great warrior Abhimanyu has arrived)

Her heart skipped a beat...

Almost an hour later, there was a sound of footsteps at her door. The Sakhis rose to their feet. The Princess looked at the doorway. It was the Queen, followed by a beautiful-looking woman. Her yellow saree shone like the sun, and her aura was that of no ordinary lady.

"This is Arjun Ardhangini Subhadra, your new mother."

The lady in question hugged her tight at her pranipath.

"Let's take her to meet my son!"

The court buzzed with people from around the kingdom who had come to witness this meeting as the guards announced

"Princess of Biratnagar, Daughter of King Birat, Princess Uttara is on her way!"

Everyone waited to catch a glimpse of her as she made her way inside, measuring her steps just like the grooming teachers taught her. Her heart seemed to beat louder than the Palace Drums. She was helped by the Queen on one of the thrones, and her seat was just across the room from the groom. Her head down, she couldn't afford to shamelessly catch a glimpse of the groom in front of all these people.

The evening entertainment and dinner ended way past midnight, and she could not stare at him even once. She felt his eyes watching her at dinner, but a joke from her twin brother caught his attention more, it seemed.

After releasing her maids for the night, she silently stepped into the Palace gardens just below her Balcony. Losing all the heavy jewellery and unbraiding her hair, she felt free. She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh air. Suddenly, there were footsteps behind her.

"You are Uttara? Did my father actually teach you to dance?"

She turned in shock. It was Abhimanyu.

"Yes, I learned dancing from Brihannala ji. I did not know it was the great warrior Arjuna in disguise," She replied shyly.

" Yes, I know the story." There was a short chuckle in his voice. And their eyes met.

" You look more beautiful without those gaudy jewels", he blurted out in a hurry. She blushed with a smile.

"Before coming here, I did not want to get married, you know." She looked up as he searched her face for a reaction as he continued. "The wars will begin any day now, and I have to be on the battlefield. I did not want a Princess to suffer for me." She thought to herself, he talks wiser than his age...

" I know about the war, my father has told me"

" And still you want this wedding?"

" Do you?"

" Seeing you today at the Court, I do want to take the chance at happiness" He indeed was brave...

"So do I"

They heard the guards as she pulled him by the hand to her balcony. They can't see us together before marriage. The night washed away in the first lights of the sun as they stood by each other in silence, witnessing the beauty of nature. He looked at her face shining in the morning light.

" I think I should take your leave now." She nodded and smiled at him.

" I will see you at the wedding," he blurted before rushing off to his guest quarters.

A few months later...

Princess Uttara was in the chambers of Queen Draupadi, being attended to by a line of Vaidyas. She was in the advanced stages of her pregnancy, and the complexities were more than one. Her husband was out in the fields battling the odds for the safe future of their family. He has taken her to leave and promised to come back to see their son. She prayed for him every day. Each day seemed to bring news of the death of a relative from the battlefield. Her father and brother have joined the war.

A message has arrived, and she wanted to know what it was. Silent sobs were coming from the other room. She made her way through the dark chambers, and her baby boy seemed restless inside her body. She reached the doorway and could walk no more. She heard what they said. Queen Draupadi and Subhadra rushed to her side as she sat on the ground. Her world crashed around her. He was killed today in the battles by the Kauravas.

Her weeping filled the night sky as she went into labour. There was darkness surrounding her as she lay semi-conscious. She saw shadows running around her. Fear gripped her. Their baby!

" I will come back and cuddle my boy. When he grows up, I will teach him archery. My father could not teach me, but I will train my boy." His words seemed to play in her head as the shadows blurred.

Uttara woke with a heavy head. The maids had dressed her in a widow's white attire as she lay unconscious for the day. As she sat up and whispered, "My boy," Queen Draupadi placed a bundle on her lap. In the bundle was the sweetest baby she had ever seen. His boy. His Blood. Uttara held her baby boy tight as she wept.

" Madhav has named him Parikhit, dear", Queen Draupadi announced.

The words did not reach her ears as she felt her little boy's heartbeat and wondered in her tears what the war had caused. Was it actually of any good, or did it just cause the destruction of mankind? Was it worth the material pleasure, or were the lives lost worth more than the throne or the kingdom? She sighed.

Chittorgarh: The Final Seige

If you want to truly experience the spirit of Chittorgarh, here’s the insider scoop on how to plan your visit. You’ve got two solid options: Arrive by evening (around 5 PM) to catch the mesmerising Light and Sound show first, then start your fort tour fresh at 9 AM the next morning. It’ll take you around 4-5 hours to soak in all the history and ambience. Or, get there early morning and spend the whole day exploring, then watch the Light and Sound show at 6 PM before heading back to Udaipur. Most travellers skip staying overnight, but if you’re like me, you might want to spend a night in this historic town to let its resonance sink in. On 18th October 1567, Emperor Akbar was returning triumphantly from Gujarat, intent on establishing Mughal supremacy by taking over every resistant fort and state. By 23rd October, his sights were set on Mewar, then fiercely independent under Rana Udai Singh, who had just founded Udaipur at Lake Pichola. The Rana had refused one too many Rajput po...

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 Lady Sultan

Indian History, or subcontinental History, is incomplete without speaking of the women who left a mark in their own significant ways. The first woman who comes to mind is perhaps the only woman Sultan to rule Delhi, Raziya (Razia). It’s been over a year since I had been trying to read and understand the mystery of Raziya Bint Iltutmish . Attributed as the only Woman Muslim Monarch of India, she is a name of many assumptions, imagination and speculations. The few books that have been written on her or the historical accounts of the Slave Dynasty mentioning her have always been about the turbulence of the government and the various rebels and uprisings that took place among the prominent chiefs of Iltutmish, who wanted to rise in power. No documentation or portrayal is found about her look, character or early days from her contemporary times. The only relevant historical book I found solely on her was by Dr Karunapada Dutta, while she finds a chapter in Heroines by Ira Mukhoty or Th...

The Warrior and Princess

Dasharatha was very protective of his sons. He had got them after almost a lifetime of waiting and yajnas, so they were his lifeline. Ram, the eldest, won hearts with his humble, generous ways. Bharata, the second, was his favourite queen's brave son, and Laxman and Shatrughan were the twins to the lesser queen, who followed their brothers like shadows. They were a peaceful, happy family. Sage Vasistha was their Kulaguru, teaching them the Vedic hymns and the righteous ways of life. The Princes grew up in the luxurious, protected premises of the palace. The King of Mithila, too, was childless. Mother Earth granted him a daughter. Sita grew up learning and curious, followed by the king's second daughter, Urmila and their cousins Mandavi and Shrutakirti. They grew up knowing the natural ways of life, and their father took them to learn from men to know more about man and his natural instincts. The princesses were curious and always questioning the traditions, and the Princes lear...

Asuras are not Demons

Demons in the Abrahamic religions are not the same as Asuras of Hinduism. Originally deities of Iranian origin, they were seen in the tribal context as no different from Devas, but as counterparts to maintain balance. In early epics and Puranas, asura meant a chosen leader of great capacity. Only later, perhaps due to the Iranian link, their image declined. It was with the Brahmanas that the sharp divide appeared: devas as divine, asuras as evil. Puranic myths demonised them mainly to assert the superiority and immortality of devas, while asuras were cast as symbols of the "other." Since Tribes still worshipped them and embraced their power of negativity, being important to balance, they soon became synonymous with tribes, which was not the case mythologically. There are instances of Bali or Ravana being Kshatriya or Brahmin Asuras and competent kings. Indian demonology itself is vast and layered, shaped by surviving tribes, each with unique myths. Celestial, aerial, and terr...

The Suta Putra

He was born as the eldest son of the Princess of Kuntibhoj. She was unmarried and had a bright future ahead of her. She did not want to sabotage her life and future for the unwanted child. She wrapped him in a blanket and decided to float him on the River, hoping the Mother Goddess would safely deliver him to someone. His father, the Sun God himself, was sympathetic to her plight and, for the safety of his son, provided him with a set of golden Kavach and Kundal (A set of earrings and a locket/beads/armour) to protect him. These were powerful enough to save him from any weapon. The currents took the baby far away to the land of Hastinapur. The royal charioteer Adhirath and his wife Radha were bathing there and praying to the Sun God for a child. A basket floated past them with a baby in it. They picked the baby up and decided to call him their son. Growing up, he wanted to learn archery and train as a Kshatriya, much to the objection of his parents. He went to Parasurama, the teacher o...

Brothers and Sisters of Mahabharata

The Mahabharata, one of the greatest epics of Hindu mythology, not only recounts tales of valour, destiny, and dharma but also reveals intricate relationships between siblings whose lives shaped the moral and political fabric of the narrative. The bonds between brothers and sisters in the epic are diverse: marked by affection, rivalry, loyalty, and sacrifice. These relationships, though complex, embody the human emotions that transcend divine lineage and royal blood. Satyavati and Her Lineage Satyavati and her brother Matsya were born from a miraculous union between a Cursed Nymph in the form of a fish, Adrika and the King Uparichara Vasu, whose semen the fish had consumed when it fell in the river. They were discovered by their adoptive father, King Dusharaj, the ruler of the fishermen, and thus came to be known as Matsya Santan , meaning “children of the fish.” When the king found out about the twins, he claimed the male child as his heir and gave the girl, Satyavati, to the fis...

DAMODAR GANGADHAR RAO : The Ill Fated Heir

In the shadowed halls of Jhansi's royal palace, a nine-year-old boy named Ananda Rao stepped into a destiny of struggle he was not born into. Born in 1848 to Vasudeo Rao and his wife, Ananda Rao was surrendered to the childless King Gangadhar Rao and his fierce young queen, Manikarnika (Manu), better known as Rani Laxmi Bai. It was November 19, 1853, on the king's deathbed, amid whispers of adoption rites that bound the boy to a throne teetering on the edge of empire. Queen Laxmi Bai was just nine when she married the 29-year-old widower Gangadhar. She had already endured heartbreak. Her biological son, Damodar Rao, arrived in 1851 but slipped away after three short months. With Gangadhar's death in 1853, Vasudeo, a distant royal relative, was instructed to hand over Ananda's adoption papers. Renamed Damodar Rao, the boy became Jhansi's last hope. But hope was fragile under British eyes. Enter the Doctrine of Lapse, Lord Dalhousie’s ruthless policy that devoured pri...

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...

The Festival of Bengal: Days and Rituals

This article is partly featured in The Statesman Festival 2024 Magazine. In Bengal, Durga Puja is not only a religious tradition, but it is also a festival. It is called “ Bangalir Shreshto Utsab ” or the greatest festival of Bengalis. This is because, although it started as a religious festival, as we have discussed in the previous blogs, it turned out to be a representation of cultural unity and the freedom movement, as well as seeing her as the daughter returning home with her children. It is called a " Sarbojonin " Utsab, or a festival meant for all and sundry. Durga Puja is inclusive of caste, creed, religion, as well as gender identities and professions. Thus, it is more than just a Puja . The traditions, rituals and ways of Durga Puja are hence very different from Navratri, which is observed in individual homes. Let's find out how. The Pandals and idol: As per Hindu tradition, four things are important when the idol of Maa Durga is prepared. These include clay f...

A Journey To Discover Life

Search This Blog