Uttara's Love

The Princess of Matsya was now the bride of the Prince of Indraprastha. They were leaving her Paternal home at Viratnagar and going to Dwarka, where the Prince grew up in his maternal home. Her actual Sasural was Hastinapur, where his mother had been, but the upcoming war between her husband's clan forced them to go to Dwarka. It was a day-long journey. From Bairat in Rajasthan to Dwarka in Gujarat. They stopped midway in the forests to give the charioteers and horses rest. When she started the journey, she was sharing a chariot with her mothers-in-law, Panchali and Subhadra. Her husband was upfront with his father. The chariots were in line, the new bride's one in the middle of the long procession. She was in conversation with the ladies.

" So, did Abhimanyu talk to you or was he this shy?" Asked Panchali, noticing the young bride trying to catch a glimpse of the groom up front. Uttara blushed. Subhadra added, " He is very shy with ladies; he has had no younger sisters, maybe that's the reason. Tell us, did he talk?" She smiled. Last night she had the sweetest of conversations. They had confessed love, and a week earlier, their secret meeting was indeed special.

" Arya told me about the battles and how he fights..."
"That's the only conversation he can make, my son!" The ladies giggled. Hearing their laughter, both father and son turned back. Their eyes met for a short moment. Arjun told his son, " That giggle, my son, is when they talk of us; always remember." The father-son duo shared a light moment.

The chariots pulled up in a clearing. The servants made preparations for a meal, the men rested, and the women supervised the cooking. She was made to sit in the tent. Her companion was his father's first wife, Panchali. They were talking about their memories from Viratnagar. Abhimanyu came in, startled at the sight of Panchali. His elder mother smiled. Young love, she remembered her first trip with Arjun as his wife. She stood up. " I should go find Subhadra; she needs to rest, too. Abhimanyu, you too, rest a little in the sheds of the tent." Like an obedient child, Abhimanyu sat down in the ashan's neat doorway, steps away from his bride. As Panchali walked out, he let out a sigh, looked at his young bride and gushed, " I didn't know Jesth Maata was here... I thought you were..."

" When will we be arriving at Dwarka, Arya?"

" Soon, by nightfall. We will rest for a few more hours here as the horses are tired."
" Tell me about Dwarka Arya."

Happy with his wife's question, Abhimanyu walked up to her. " Oh, you will love it there, Uttara. Nobody is the king, yet there is immense respect for everyone; there are rules and laws, the city is magnificent, and so much peace in the palace. Raani Rukmini maata is very caring and .... " He was rushing with so much information that she laughed. It was not the right behaviour for a wife to laugh at her husband; no wife dared to. But these teenagers were too young for that kind of formality with each other alone. Abhimanyu was not pleased.

Why are you laughing, Uttara? I am telling you about Dwarka, and you think it is funny? You don't need to know anymore." " No, Arya, the way you said... I am sorry." She was scared. What had she done? Angered him? Seeing her face about to cry out of fear, he also laughed. " You are so naive, Uttara! Do you get scared by this? The daughter of the brave Virat Raaja cries at these mere things?"

" But you were... weren't you angry, Arya?"

" No, Uttara. I was scaring you. Maha Veer Abhimanyu's wife is so naive and scared?"

His sarcastic smile made her angry. The guard came in to inform them that they were called for. Food was served. For the rest of the journey, Panchali suggested to her eldest husband, " Arya, I want to travel with you, let Subhadra go with Arjun and let the new Bride and Groom travel together."

A happy couple shared a smile. As they travelled through the forests, he said, " The Princess of Matsya seems to be very quiet now."

"I am not the princess of Matsya, Arya."
" Who are you then?"
" Abhimanyu patni Kuru Samragni Uttara."

Abhimanyu looked at his childish wife, looking away from him. This was the girl he did not want to marry because of the impending wars. Such was her childish innocence and naive ways that it scared him. He was in love with his bride, yet he knew her for only a week and three meetings. There was a battle coming, and he wanted to prove his worth. He wanted to show his father his skills with the arrow. There was danger and uncertainty. Was she strong enough to take the worst?

Looking away, she was lost in her thoughts. He was indeed a brave warrior. She had heard stories of his excellent archery. But for her, he was the polite groom who looked into her eyes with love and smiled shyly. The rules of marriage were still not prevalent between them, and they were just in love. She knew his thoughts. His eyes and expressions said what he thought. He thought of her existence rather than his life. He feared her survival rather than his own.

The silent journey ended in Dwarka with a grand welcome to the new bride. People flocked to the streets to catch a glimpse of them as Abhimanyu comfortably waved to the crowd. The homecoming rituals were performed by Subhadra and Draupadi, and Rukmini greeted the new bride and took her to her husband's chambers.

That night, after a grand feast and merry-making, the elders sat down to decide that Vasudeva should go to Hastinapur with peace offerings in an attempt to stop the wars. Abhimanyu went to his new bride, who was waiting for him. " What is wrong, Arya?"

" Tatshri is sending a peace offering to Hastinapura, hoping for the war to stop."
" That is good news, Arya, I am so..."
" No, Uttara, I am not happy."
" But why Arya?"
" Those people need to be punished for what they did to Jesht Maata."
" I know Arya, but wars, lives lost, families..."
" I am ready to die for the cause."
" Arya!!"

His bride was in tears with the thought. " Never talk of death again, Yama hears us."

" Does he? There is nothing more honourable for a warrior than death in a war, Uttara."

" What about a husband? A son?"

" Country and justice are above all."
Uttara became worried quite. Abhimanyu held her close.
" A warrior's wife always encourages him to fight. She does not fear death. Be the wife of a warrior"
" I can die for you, Arya, but..."
" Shh.... enough talking about deaths for a day! Let's enjoy the time we have together before the war, shall we?"
" Tomorrow I want to see Dwarka. "
" Yes, I will seek Mother's permission and take you out, I will show you what I can do with the arrow... Now enough worries..."

That night, the teenage kids became man and wife. A sixteen-year-old boy and his fifteen-year-old bride, who had a life ahead filled with dreams and aspirations, matured just a week into their marriage. Their thoughts and fears, bravery and ideology made them great at a young age. Myths made them immortal. History witnessed their sacrifices. Abhimanyu and Uttara become immortal through sacrifices and bravery on the battlefield and off it, in the biggest family feud in history.

This is a story of fiction with no resemblance to the scenes in the pictures or the real portions of the epic. It is a story written in an attempt to prove the greatness of this teenage couple in the epic.

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...

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, ...

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...

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...

Rakhi Tales

A Rakhi to the Enemy: 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 was of the 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 R...

Asuras are not Demons

Demons in the Abrahamic religion 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 terres...

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...

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...

Taj Mahal

On the 17th of Jumada I 1041 (11 December 1631), the sacred remains of Her Late Majesty the Queen were sent from Burhanpur to the metropolis of Akbarabad, under the care of Prince Muhammad Shah Shuja, who was ordered to distribute at every stage, great quantities of victuals and money in charity upon the poor. To the south of the metropolis, a luxuriant piece of high ground, which had formerly been the property of Raja Man Singh and now belonged to his grandson Raja Jai Singh, was selected as the burial place of that “Dweller in Paradise”. Although the Raja offered the ground most willingly as a present, nevertheless His Majesty, with the scrupulousness so requisite in worldly transactions, conferred on him in exchange a splendid mansion out of the imperial properties. After its arrival at Akbarabad, the blessed corpse was consigned to the earth on the 15th of Jumada II 1041 (15 January 1632) at the beginning of the fifth Regnal year. At the royal command, the public authorities with i...

Sisodiya: Kings, Queens and Princes (1538 - 1597)

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