RUDRADAMINI

THE BEGINNING

Saudamini-

The palki dolled around when I was jerked awake by the rustling outside. I hadn't realized when I had fallen asleep. But when I lightly moved the palki's curtain, I could see massive gates at about some distance from us. It looked minimal from our POV, but as we neared it, its massiveness was evident. The gates were massive, looked like they were carved out of  a single rock, but they were huge wooden doors at least 25 feet tall, on either side of the doors were massive statues of Garudas, guarding the door. So this is where JIJI is going to get married, she'll be happy no doubt, I thought.

Kin khayalon mein kho gaye hai aap, Rajkumari, my lady in waiting or maid and my best friend Radhika asked me and I jerked back to reality. Kuch nahi, Kritika, bass mahal ke dwaar itne vishaal hai, toh mahal kaisa  hoga, hamare Mohangarh se kitna bada hai, I said, in awe of the beauty around me as we entered the gates of the palace.

My JiJi, my elder sister, was about to get married to the crown prince SIMHAKSHETRA, CROWN PRINCE SHOURYA RAI SURYAVANSHI. But he was no stranger to us, to me. he was my best friend from kanyapath's brother. My best friend, Princess SITARA VEDA SURYAVANSHI. I had often seen him accompanying his little sister and that's where my jiji, MRUNALINI RANAWAT, fell in love and the king sent the proposal to my father RAJA DHARMAVEER SINGH RANAWAT. The wedding was still 5 months away, but the emperor, RUDRABHANU  RAI SURYAVANSHI, graciously invited us to his empire, his palace way before to ease the stress and pressure of the wedding preparations on us. Hence here we were, my father, mother TEJASVINI, jiji and I, our brother NAKULA would join us later. 

On the stairs I could see, the raja himself, empress DURGA SIMHIKA SURYAVANSHI, jijaji Shourya and his  brothers ATHARVA RAI SURYAVANSHI and DHRUVA RAI SURYAVANSHI. Since we had our pallus down, I couldn't catch much of what was going on around me but the dholaks and every instrument playing melodiously for our welcome was heart warming and equally scary, From the corner of my eyes I could see jiji had balled her hands into a fist out of nervousness. I held her forearm in reassurance as we walked towards the massive entrance at the staircase. The emperor and my father hugged each other cordially so did our mothers, I could see my jijaji controlling his smile as he saw my sister and equally irritated with his little brothers teasing him. 

Sitara squealed seeing me, You finally came !!!!!I was so excited to know all of you are going to come months before the wedding, we will have so much fun! But we need to make sure bhaisa doen't sneak out to meet bhabhisa during this time , she said eyeing her brother, who had turned red by now and jiji did not even lift her head up. I bent forward and touched my jiji's in-laws' feet for their blessings. As I was going to touch jijaji's feet he gently held my shoulders, saying You are like a little sister to me and I cannot let you touch my feet. My heart warmed at his response, my jiji was going to marry a good man. His brother Dhruva chimed in, 

Yes Rajkumari Saudaminiji, now it's us against bhai-sa, we are team bhabhi-sa, we are going to make sure bhai-sa is gonna beg us to let him meet bhabhi-sa once before the wedding, we will serve our bhabhi sa and not let him near her until the wedding, he said in a low voice so as to not reach the elders and jijaji was fuming at his brothers, who were sniggering uncontrollably at this point. JiJi was warmed when they told her  they were team bhabhi sa. Inorder to support my jijaji, I answered back, 

I am with my jijaji, team jijaji, hum dono tum sabkeliye kaafi hai, haina jijaji,  I looked at him and he agreed back Ab toh hamari saali sahiba hamare saath hai, ab koi nahi rok sakta humein apni Mrunalini se milne se, hum bhi dekhte hai... and looked at jiji who promptly lowered her head, blushing.

While we were busy with our talks, the emperor Rudrabhanu announced, Please go ahead and take rest, you had a long journey, I have made arrangements for your stay in the west wing of the palace, he gestured my parents. He turned to Jiji and I and continued, 

You both will be staying in Sitara's bhavan, right next to the west wing, I'm sure you will be comfortable there.  

My father folded his hands and humbly said issabki kya avashyaktha thi, koi do kaksh mein bhi hum reh lete...aapne bohot kasht uthaye....to which rajaji took my father's hand in his hugged him and said 

Aap apne ghar ki lakshmi humein de rahe hai, uske saamne ye sab kuch nahin, yaha aap athithi nahi, hamare parivaar jan hai...aur Malini hamari beti jaisi hai. 

My father became teary eyed and so did i. Inspite of all the wealth and empire, this family had love at the core of its values. I was content that jiji would be happy. that is all that mattered to me.

Vaise bhi abhi toh utsav shuru hua hai.....he continued...

Arthaath?? my father asked. 

Hamari beti vaapis laut rahi hai...he said with pride...Dravid desh ke kroor raja aur mantriyon ko parajit karke, vaha aman aur shaanti stapith karke, poore ek varsh paschaath, hamari beti kal praatah kaal laut rahi hai....

He said and I don't know but all of a sudden my ears grew sharp, who was returning home? his daughter? I had heard of her.. but never knew her name...she preferred to be discreet and her family accepted that, not even Sitara mentioned her name, apart from referring to her as JiJi.

What he said next washed a sense of excitement and erupted foreign feelings in me, which calmed me and gave me a sense of protection, a feel that this person would go to any lengths to keep you safe....and that I would be safe with this person because the name itself would generate fear in the hearts of the enemy....he proudly declared....

Hamari beti laut rahi hai....Rajkumari Rudrashwini Simhika Suryavanshi.