Lord Shiva

My connection with Mahadev, Lord Shiva, has always been deeply personal and profound. Born on Shivratri, my bond with the Lord was etched from the very beginning. What drew me to Shiva, even before I fully understood the concept of God or questioned my beliefs, was a unique blend of simplicity and strangeness, a quality that fascinated the three-year-old me.

The ashes, the Rudraksha beads, and the aura surrounding Shiva resonated with my spiritual self. I remember a priest from my childhood temple who said, “Anything you offer to Lord Shiva with faith is accepted. He doesn’t demand grand offerings like other gods.” Shiva embodies renunciation, giving up societal norms, bindings, and expectations.

Known as Adi, Anantha, endless and timeless, Shiva’s story reveals that even the mighty destroyer of the Trinity, who could curse Brahma and forbid his worship, is not beyond the power of faith. His narrative taught me that none of us, no matter how fervently we pray, can control everything. Shiva’s true lesson is about surrender, letting go and mastering one’s emotions, a struggle we all face daily.

This is my heartfelt reflection on the Lord who continues to inspire and guide me through life’s mysteries.

The Lord in Love

The Daughter of the Mountain

Etched In Stone

This historical short story is a fictitious account of Ashoka, the Mauryan Emperor and his first wife Devi, who finds no place in Magadhan History. There is another fiction about her in the blog as well. This story stemmed from a merge of two ideas, one was to mention the cave inscription found in Saru Maru that mentions Asoka spending some days there with his lover (presumed to be Devi), the other idea of how if words did not immortalise a lot of battles and achievements, the names of many great men would be lost in time. The prince stood on the edge of the cliff, looking at the horizon. Dawn arrived as the birds started leaving their nests, wings fluttering, eager to discover the world. He looked up at them, the thought of once again going back to exploring the length and breadth of his state making him feel a little restless as he eyed his healing wounds. He was left to die; his enemies wished so. Yet by some miracle of fate, as if his purposes were yet to be fulfilled, here he was ...

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...

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...

A Veranda Vendetta

“Outrage in Calcutta; Terrorist Raid, British Officer Murdered” Read the headlines of The Times on Tuesday, 9 th of December, 1930 . 1930: A significant year 1930 was a very significant year in the history of India’s Freedom Struggle against the British Raj. The Indian National Congress went ahead to declare the 26 th of January as India’s Independence Day, celebrating it nationwide; the Civil Disobedience Movement was officially started by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, and Subhas Chandra Bose was arrested for participating in the same. On 18 th April, Surya Sen, better known as MasterDa, had done the unthinkable, raiding the British Armoury with his students and fellow teachers at Chittagong. He was still on the loose, yet to be found. In this year of growing protests against the colonisers, an incident emerged that shook the British at their old capital. The Bengal Volunteers Corps was a group of volunteers organised in the 1928 Calcutta session of ...

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...

A Journey Called PrAja

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...

The Hidden One

In the grand fort of Daulatabad, a princess was born in 1638 to Emperor Aurangzeb and his cherished consort, Dilras Banu Begum. She was christened Zeb Un Nisa, her very name meaning “ornament of womankind.” The youngest of her sisters, Zeb Un Nisa, grew up surrounded by the opulence of the Mughal harem at the Red Fort, under the spiritual guidance of her Sufi uncle Dara Shikoh and her wise aunt Jahanara Begum. From her earliest days, she was captivated by poetry, spending hours immersed in literature, her mind dancing among the verses of Persian and Urdu poets. As she blossomed into adulthood, Zeb Un Nisa cultivated her own literary voice and gathered the greatest poets of the Mughal Empire in her private council. Adopting the pen name Makhfi, the Concealed One, she wove magic with her words, always returning to one intoxicating theme: Love. Her father, Emperor Aurangzeb, was the most powerful man in India, unyielding in his faith and rule, yet also deeply affectionate towards his d...

Mewar: Parting Words

The journey through Mesmerising Mewar ended the night I boarded my train from Udaipur, my heart weighed down by the memories I was leaving behind. As the city lights shimmered in the darkness, I found myself turning back at every chance, reluctant to bid farewell to Mewar, a place that felt less like a travel destination and more like a forgotten home. Sometimes I wonder if my love for the place comes from another life. My parents certainly think so. With the city’s silhouette fading behind me, it felt only right to share my last thoughts: the flavours of the cities, the hills of Aravallis, the moments that made those 15 days feel like a dream, a dream I had dreamt a long time ago, to see his world, through his eyes. His home. I’ll be forever grateful for. The Food: Soul of Mewar Udaipur is a feast in every sense! I dove headfirst into plates brimming with local aloo sabzi, peas cooked with a gentle sweetness, and the signature Rajasthani Churma that seemed to melt away any tra...

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...

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 Journey To Discover Life

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