Uttara's Love

This is part of the "Uttara Series" You will find under the Mahabharata. The series is also available on Wattpad.

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..."

Wedding Scenes in Star Plus: Twitter Fan Page

" 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 at 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."

Uttara stopping Abhimanyu

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."

Conversation Scene: Mahabharat Star Plus

" 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.

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...

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...

The Mastermind

The Prince was sitting on the Balcony of the palace. There was a worried look on his face. He sighed. He was treated as the most intelligent person in the whole of Aryavarta, yet he could not find a solution to this problem. His thoughts were interrupted by his mother. Her eyes showed that she had not had a wink of sleep for the last two days. She informed, " The gifts and flowers have been arranged, the chariots have been called on, and the journey will begin tomorrow morning." Her voice was distant. " Maata, is there any way...?" " Saubala Putra, I forbid you, our own happiness is not greater than that of the subjects. Their securities matter the most. So please do not use any Maya on the Emperors to anger them. Your sister has accepted her fate; you, too, do so." " But how, Maata? She is Intelligence personified; she has boons from Lord Shiva himself. How can we give her away to a blind man?" " That blind man is the most powerful person ...

Sisodiya Family History

Many of you have requested a historical and chronological account of Chittorgarh since Rana Sanga. Let me start by telling you this is just an outline of the events as per history. The family name was originally Guhilot from Guha, a Rana of Mewar. But after one of the kings bravely killed a Sisod, a wild boar, the family name came to be Sisodiya. The Maharana of Mewar, Sangram Singh , was father to Maharaj Kumar Bhoj Raj, his heir apparent and prince who was married to Saint Poetess Meera Bai , the princess of Merta. While Bhoj Raj died in the battle of Khanua, Rana Sanga died of wounds that did not heal from his battle with Babur and the invading Mughal army. He had fought 17 wars against Babar. When both Bhoj Raj and Sanga died, Rani Karvawati, the favourite queen of Rana Sanga, asked Meera Bai to leave the fort of Chittorgarh. It is believed that luck left Chittorgarh with Meera. The year was 1528 AD . Ratan Singh, the brother of Bhoj Raj, had been coronated when he suspe...

How Agni Became Auspicious

The great Rishi Saunak and his students had once gathered at the Naimisharanya at the beginning of the Kali Yuga to save themselves from the effects of this age. Here, Ugrasrava Sauti, the great Sage and son of Sage Lomharshana, came to meet them. He surprised them with stories of King Janamejaya's strange Swarpa Yagna and the strangest tales he heard from Maharshi Krishna Dwaipayana Vyas Dev there, at this strangest of events. The eager Rishis asked Sauti about the story of Bhrigu and Agni. Bhrigu was a powerful Rishi. His wife was Puloma, the Daughter of Daksha Prajapati and granddaughter of Brahma. One day, when his wife was pregnant, he left her in the darkness of the awaiting dawn to go for a dip in the holy Ganges far away. She was alone in the hut when a Rakshasa attacked her. Scared and alone, Puloma cried helplessly for aid. Her beauty had mesmerised the animals who wanted to marry her by force. The demon leader took her into the hut and shut the door. But inside the hut, ...

The Righteous Wife

Rao Nahar Panwar made Mandore the capital of Marwar, Rajasthan, until Rao Jodha shifted to the Mehrangarh Fort. Mandore, a few km from the blue city of Jodhpur, now stands as a tourist spot with an archaeological park of ancient temples. Dated back to around the 6th Century and older, these temples are an example of wonderfully curved stone architectural wonders. Amongst them stands a temple to an unusual deity. The King of Lanka, the demon devotee of Shiva, Ravana. Surprised? The Brahmins of this place religiously worship him twice every day. Why? Temples at Mandore During the Puranic times, Maya Danav, the architect among Demons, son of Rishi Kashyap and his wife Aditi, used to rule Madnore, with his consort, the Apsara queen Hema. They had two sons, Mayavi and Dhundhuvi, but yearned for a daughter. Devotees of Shiva prayed to him for a daughter. Once an Apsara, Madhura visited Kailash in the absence of Devi Parvati and tried to seduce the Lord. Angered at her action, the Devi h...

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 ...

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 ...

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...

A Journey To Discover Life

Search This Blog