Eternal Love

Just Married

Pratap was welcomed by Hansa Bai after aarti and tilak. Ratan was instructed to take him to the groom's chamber. He looked around the wedding hall well decorated with red curtains, lamps and flowers, at Dheerbai's instructions. He was pleased that at last, his whole family was participating in it together. That's what they both had wanted. Everyone's blessings.
Ratan brought a few girls and introduced them as her Sakhis. They were eyeing Kunwar Pratap making him feel rather uncomfortable. Ratan hid a smile. They all wanted to talk to him and look pretty and flocked around Pratap who found himself cornered and helpless. Ratan was smiling there. This was the beginning of the Saali wali leg pulling. She knew how these girls dreamt of princes and she knew how they would behave around him.
Bhago came to Ajabde with a smile.
" Hansa Mausi has told me to be here so that I can take you to the mandap when they call."
"Where is Ratan?" Bhago smiled making Ajabde realise she was teasing Pratap. " Hai Eklingji, what If he gets angry?"
" Ajabde, stop worrying. She is his Saali. She has this much right and Kunwarsa is sporting enough."
Meanwhile, questions were thrown at him from every direction, " Kunwarsa what do you do when you are free?" " Kunwarsa, which was your toughest war." Whenever he opened his mouth to answer another question came. The girls were having a cold war about who he would answer first. " When do you plan to get married again?" This question shocked him immensely as he looked at Ratan for some help. She was giggling. Shakti was in the crowd looking for Chakrapani but to Pratap's eyes, he was the rescuer.
" Here, ladies, meet my Bhai Shakti. He is the second prince and he is very brave too." Shakti was a little shocked as the girls left Pratap and hovered around him. Pratap smiled at Ratan who was now laughing. Heer noticed this. Immediately she was by his side. Her attitude made Shakti smile. She hated the attention he was getting. Pratap moved away from this scene.
Ratan was in the corridors when Pratap stopped her.
" I am Kunwar Pratap Singh, Ratan Baisa it's not easy to make a fool of me. " he smiled.
" Now you are just my Jijosa, and Saali always wins."
" We will see about that."
" Come now Kunwarsa Maasa called you to the main hall." Ratan smiled as he followed her.
According to traditions Raoji gifted him a sword and a ring. He touched his feet and then Hansa Bai's as Jaivanta Bai and Udai Singh smiled at each other.
" You will always be my son Kunwarsa. Damadji sounds distant and you are and always have been my family. " Hansa bai told him.
"Of course Hansa Mausi I assure you, I will always be your son first."
" Aree, you are still calling her Hansa Mausi?" Jaivanta sounded amused as everyone laughed.
" Yes Kunwarsa, call me Maa Sa like Ajabde does," Hansa told a blushing Pratap.
" Puja Muhurat is here. Come Baojiraj." Chakrapani called Pratap to the Vivah mandap. The pandits were saying mantras as he sat hands folded. His eyes were at the doorway now and then making Heer and Shakti smile at each other.
" Call the bride." the Pandit instructed as Heer and Ratan ran inside. Ajabde's heart was pounding. The moment they waited for, fought for and dreamt of was finally here. She couldn't believe that her dreams did come true. Her stone-cold hands were held by Ratan and Heer as the married women flocked around her to take her to the wedding hall.
His eyes were fixed on the door ever since Heer and Ratan had left. Shakti teased him.
" Dadabhai, she is here," Shakti whispered.
" Where?" He looked up. And Chakrapani and Shakti laughed. He looked at his brother, not at all amused.
Amidst this leg pulling, she entered that hallway and Jaivanta bai walked towards her to bless her. His view was blocked by the crowd between them. He looked away hoping not to embarrass himself.
The sound of her Payal made him smile. A purdah was held between them as she sat down. Mantras were recited and the purdah fell. He looked up at her beautiful face. She was nervous from the looks of it and he smiled at her to ease her racing heart. She smiled back.
She was made to sit on his left. Her father was called to do the Kanyadaan. Ajabde 's eyes filled up as her father put her hand in his. Her soft sniffs made him look at her grim face and he pressed her hand softly as she looked up at his face. He smiled as if to gesture he was there. She couldn't help but smile at him.
Garlands were brought as they stood facing each other. Shakti was on Ajabde 's side telling her " Bhabisa, let him garland you first " Heer was telling Pratap," Dadabhai don't bow. That means you have to bow for life before Jija."
Pratap and Ajabde smiled at each other as he readily bowed his head and she garlanded him with a smile. He followed, garlanding her as flowers rained on them.
The Panditji called the groom's sister for the Gat Bandhan. Heer stepped forward to do the job as Ajabde and Pratap smiled at her. She tied it up in very strong knots and went to stand behind them as they sat hands folded. Shakti teased her. " Next time Bhabisa and your roles will be reversed." Heer blushed a little and said, " Kunwarsa, there's time for that."
" No Heer, am thinking that I will talk to Ranima. " Heer looked at him surprised. " I want to marry you immediately after the Alwar wars." Heer was delighted and blushing. Shakti looked around to see his mother standing with Jaivanta Bai. He decided to talk sooner.
The Panditji gave Kunwar Pratap the mangal sutra to tie around Ajabde's neck. He was struggling to hook it when Jaivanta Bai came to help him. Sajjabai told Heer's mother " Look Jija is like the Dor between Kunwar Pratap and Ajabde." They smiled at the sight as Dheerbai fumed behind them. She looked at Heer and wondered if she was smarter than she thought her to be.
The Pandit told Bhagwati to hand over the sindoor to Kunwarsa. She did so smiling as Pratap used his ring to put the sindoor on Ajabde's forehead as Bhago held her Maangtika out of the way. A little sindoor fell on the nose and he wiped it away with his thumb as she smiled at him and he looked at her new bridal look with affection.
The Pandit told them to Stand up for the Pheras and vows. Meanwhile, Shakti couldn't find his mother.
" Badima, have you seen Ranima?"
" Sajjabehen, I ... Think she left with Ranaji towards that corridor."
" Daajiraj...." Shakti was in thought as he walked towards the corridor and Jaivanta Bai followed him tensed.
" First Vachan, Kunwarsa promise to provide Baisa with a home, Sringaar and necessities. He will always acknowledge her as his other half." The couple walked around the fire altar to take their vows as people rained flowers on them.
" No Sajjabai I don't want to talk of this now."
" Ranaji I never asked you for anything. Am not telling you to get them married now, after the war..."
" Am sorry Sajja, I can not promise you anything."
Shakti stopped fuming outside the room and he walked away angry. Jaivanta followed him to his room. Angry he threw his sword and Jaivanta Bai picked it up.
" You want me to talk to Daajiraj and Heer's parents?"
" No Badima. We all know him, don't we? Am not brave enough like Dadabhai to face him and scare him. Let him do what he decides."
Jaivanta Bai walked towards Udai Singh.
" I need to know Ranaji. Why can't we talk of Heer and Shakti's marriage now?" She was fuming as Sajjabai looked up. Udai Singh didn't look at his wife.
" Answer me Ranaji."
" Because Dheerbai's informant told me that your brother will join an alliance with Marwaris and Mughals against us at Surtan Singh's influence. Then am telling you Jaivanta no marriage will take place between Bundi and Mewar." Sajja Bai gasped as Jaivanta Bai firmly replied," I will not let you play political games with our children's dreams. I don't believe your informants. My Dadabhai can never betray Rajputs."
She walked out on a stunned Udai Singh followed by Sajja Bai. She stopped at the doorway. Turned back and said " And neither will Pratap tolerate his brother and sister in pain for you " She walked away as Udai Singh stood stone cold.
The Pheras were complete and Pratap looked around to find only Dheerbai present from his elders. He grew worried. Shakti came in followed by his mothers.
Heer asked, " Is something wrong Kunwarsa?"
" No Heer, oh, I missed the Pheras." Heer looked suspicious as Shakti forced a smile.
Dheerbai noticed the faces of Shakti, Jaivanta and Sajja and knew something was wrong. She looked around for Ranaji. The wedding was done and Hansa Bai instructed Ratan to take the couple to the room to rest until they prepared for the Bidaai. Ratan hugged her Jija after they took the blessings of the elders. Udai Singh blessed Ajabde and told, "It's our ritual for the king to gift the Kuwarani something. Ask Ajabde what you want." Ajabde looked at Pratap who nodded in approval. She then looked at Ranima. Immediately she replied, " I will ask for it when the time comes Ranaji." Udai Singh looked at a smiling Jaivanta and back to Shakti who stood beside Ajabde. He sighed.
" I also want a Shagun gift." Ratan gushed to Pratap.
He smiled and asked, " What do you want Baisa?"
" Ummm... I will ask later too... " she said as everyone laughed.
" Come Kunwarsa" Ratan dragged Ajabde by her hand as Pratap tagged along. She took them to Ajabde's room and closed the door behind her leaving them alone.
Ajabde sat down on her couch as Pratap walked towards the bed and his stole was pulled back. Turning around he saw his stole was tied to Ajabde's red chunri. He had almost forgotten about the Gant Bandhan. His pull made her chunri hurt her hair.
" Ouch, Kunwarsa." She looked at him in pain.
" Ohh sorry, I forgot... I ..." She looked at him and smiled. " Sit down here." She pointed at the couch.
He came up to her and held her hand. She looked at him.
" I want some promises from you today." She nodded as he continued. " Promise me to think of my people and my motherland before yourself and me."
" I promise Kunwarsa, I will always put our motherland, our subjects, and their children, before our life. No matter what."
He smiled and continued, " To me, my motherland is my priority, then my Ranima and you come third." He was about to continue when she said, " I will always respect your priority and this will be my rank of priority too Kunwarsa. And I will never come between you Mewar and Ranima. "
" Ajabde, we can have a life of struggle and sacrifice."
" Kunwarsa, we can give up anything for Mewar and its people. Even my li..."
" No Ajabde, as long as am alive that moment won't come." She stopped his sentence with her hands.
" And nothing will happen to you as long as my heart beats." He held her hand and looked into her eyes. " Ranima is right Ajabde, I am lucky to have you." She smiled back.
"Let's go home Ajabde, to Chittor." She nodded in approval