Shaandaar Sitare

17. STAYING WITH BASANTI

Jai Aditya and Aditya came out and saw Chandrakanta getting out of a carriage. They asked who it was and Aditya said that Shyamala said that she just punished her to copy the scrolls and she will not be held accountable for whatever happened.

'Nahi.. Mai uske atirikth (alawa) kuch bhi karungi.. Maine nirnay (decision) liya ki ab mai Basanti ke yaha jaati hu..' Chandrakanta said.

She also asks her brothers to come to Basanti's residence after 2 days to fetch her and she asks Siyali to go along with her brothers and she leaves quickly.

On the other hand, Virendra singh visits General Drupad Chauhan's residence to get the map of Vijaynagar. Drupad Chauhan says that he doesn't have a map of Vijaynagar. Virendra singh leaves when Drupad asks if he wants to stay for dinner. Nakush says that Virendra never eats out and Drupad says alright.

'Kaka..' Chandrakanta calls Drupad and she walks past Virendra while he slows down a bit.

'Kaka, aap hi meri sahayata (help) kar sakte hai.. Mere paas jaane ka koi sthaan (place)  nahi hai..' Chandrakanta said.

'Putri, tum kuch jaani pehchaani si pratit ho rahi ho magar tum kis pariwaar se aayi ho..?' Drupad asked her.

'Kaka, uphaas (kidding) mat kijiye.. Mai Tara hu.. Wadiyar pariwaar ki choti kumari Chandrakanta Wadiyar..' She introduced herself while Drupad closed her half face (I mean eyes with his hand) and recognised her.

'Tumhe hua kya hai..? Mat batao.. Mujhe gyaat hai.. Yeh tumhara mata ne kiya na.. Tum chinta mat karo, mai tumhare pita ko bataunga is vishay mei..' Drupad said laughing.

'Yeh meri mata ne nahi kiya.. Paranthu kaka, aapko dekh ke aise kyun pratit ho raha hai ki aap mujhe pit the (beat) hue dekh prasnn (happy) hai..?' Chandrakanta questioned.

'Aisa nahi hai putri, maine tumhe pehchaana nahi hai..' Drupad said and Virendra came near her and looked at her face, while she turned her face aside and he smirked at her.

'Yeh nakhre ki muskurahat (smirk) kis liye..? Haso jitna aapko hasna hai..' Chandrakanta said while Das laughed.

'Tum kyun has rahe ho..?' Virendra asked Das.

'Mai nahi has raha tha..' Das said.

'Yadi shrimant ne kaha ki tum has rahe ho tho tum has rahe ho..' Nakush commented.

'Putri, Basanti apne kaksh (room) mei hai, tum uske paas jao.. Mai abhi thoda vyast (busy) hu..' Drupad said. Chandrakanta looked at Virendra once and she left inside.

Virendra looked at the sky followed by Das, Nakush and Drupad.

'Virendra.. Dwar (door) us taraf hai..' Drupad said.

'Kaafi raatri hua hai aur mujhe bhay hai ki hamare ghar mei abhi tak bhojan nahi bana.. Isliye hum keval aapko pareshaan kar sakte hai..' Virendra said and left inside.

'Kya aapko koi pareshaani hai..?' Nakush asked.

'Nahi..' Drupad said and the soldiers left inside.

Basanti's grandmother gives permission to chandrakanta to stay . The grandmother nags at her daughter-in-law and takes Chandrakanta's side by saying that Shyamala was there all the time but she didn't fight for the justice. She learns that Drupad is drunk and Virendra despite not drinking any wine, staying in the guest room for the night.

Chandrakanta asks Basanti how her grandmother lost her ear as she noticed it when they met. Basanti then tells the love story of their grandparents and says that her grandmother loved her grandfather so much that she cut her ear instead of marrying another man and swore that she will never remarry.

Virendra was walking along with his bodyguards when he hears about Basanti saying her grandmother's bravery and not to remarry and how her grandmother was treated with respect even when she came from a low family. Chandrakanta replies that it's the way to treat how we were treated.

'Vaise tum batao.. Kya humare jeevan mei bhi koi veer (hero) aisa aayega jisko hum apna sampurn jeevan saump sake..?' Basanti asked, Chandrakanta nodded as no. Virendra kept his ear near the door followed by his bodyguards, he signalled his bodyguards to leave.

'Meri mata ne mujhe kabhi sikhaya nahi ki ek sainik (military) pariwaar ko kaise khush karna hai.. Isliye mujhe lagta hai ki mere hone wale swami (husband) fouji (military) pariwaar se nahi hai..' Chandrakanta said.

'Meri mata ne mujhe na hi bhavy (aristocratic) pariwaar ke vishay mei bhi nahi sikhaya tho vo bhavy pariwaar se bhi taaluk nahi rakhte honge.. Isliye mere liye koi veer (hero) nahi honge..' She added.

(Note : Virendra belongs to a military, aristrocratic family and he is a hero as he is known for his bravery).

'Yadi bhavishy (future) mei mera vivah kisi sadharan (ordinary) pariwaar mei hoga aur mai ek sadharan jeevan vyatit (bitana) karungi tho mere liya vahi kaafi hai..' Chandrakanta says.

'Tum aise hi kisi sadharan vyakti se vivah nahi kar sakti na.. Kya tum isse santusht (satisfied) ho..?' Basanti asks while she replies ofcourse she is.

'Jab se mai paida hui hu tab se mai asantust hone ke atirikth kuch aur kar nahi paa rahi hu.. (Since I was born, I can't help but to resign to my discontentment)...' Chandrakanta added. Virendra exhaled and left from there.

On the other hand, Tej was upset and he went to meet his elder brother Yudhveer but he didn't had the courage, so he turns to leave when Yudhveer opens the door. Yudhveer asks Tej that Tej came home and he isn't resting.

'Tej, apne liye kuch karo.. Wadiyar pariwaar ki choti kumari kam se kam sahas (brave) dikhakar ladi tho thi..' Tej thought and turned towards his brother.

'Brata.. Mai.. Mujhe gyaat hai ki aap iske liye kabhi raaji nahi honge paranthu mai Champa ke saath apna vagdaan (betrothal or engagement) todna chahta hu.. Hum dono ka vyaktitva (personality) alag hai aur rajdhaani (capital) mei sabhi ko gyaat hai Champa aur Rajkumar Siddhsen ke vishay mei.. Mai udaas hu..' Tej said.

'Uchit hai..' Yudhveer said. Tej asked whether Yudhveer really agreed for what he said. Yudhveer then said that he can't sacrifice his brother just for marriage.

Yudhveer noticed that Tej was very happy when he agreed to break off the bethrotal and then he asked Tej if he has anyone in his heart. Tej replies he doesn't but then he says if he has anyone, he will let Yudhveer know first.

Chandrakanta on the next day says to Basanti that she has been hearing sounds from morning as they were preparing a banquet for Basanti's grandmother. They notice that the sound is coming from a bridge as people were standing near it.

Chandrakanta asks what's wrong with the bridge..? A man replies that the bridge isn't strong enough and they need to replace it with a new one. Chandrakanta goes to have a look and Basanti leaves for horse riding.

Chandrakanta observes the bridge carefully and notices that if one wood piece is removed the entire bridge would fall down. Before she can do anything, she heard Drupad calling Videndra, so she hid herself under the bridge.

Virendra asks Drupad that Emperor Dhananjay is moving to the west i.e., towards Vijaynagar and he needs the map of Vijaynagar, but Drupad refuses that he has enough wealth and he doesn't need such a treasure map. Virendra being sharp understood the matter and Drupad asks him to look around the house.

Virendra was climbing on the bridge when Drupad stops him saying that's a dangerous bridge and he checks it by tapping his foot on the bridge.