The sun has touched the horizon and the temple bell rings from afar making its existence known.
Shefali offers her respects as soon as the sound echoes on the lamp-lit terrace.
Barkha was so indulged in braiding the long beautiful hairs of her friend that she did not hear the bell at all.
"Gentler"
Shefali finally says after the third harsh pull in a row.
"I'm trying..."
Cried Barkha knowing she was unintentionally messing up some parts.
The girls look at the palace in unition as the little balls of light move about lighting the whole architecture.
The little balls are nothing but the maids carrying lanterns around.
It has been a week since she came here and every day she watches this sight with equal fascination in her eyes.
"The palace is beautiful"
Shefali says not realizing that she actually said that out loud.
"It certainly is but I've heard the palace in Jaisalmer is even greater and stunning than this one"
Barkha says clipping the set of gajra on Shefali's braided hair.
"Jaisalmer?"
Shefali stands up with a set of questions brewing up in her mind.
"Yes, there was a huge battle going on for a long time there. Many men from here were asked to fight with the Mughal Sultans, and both the princes went to the battlefield. Finally, two years ago they came back with victory and blood"
She explains to Shefali who was unaware of any of it going on in this particular part of Bharat.
"They fought and won against the Sultans?"
Shefali asks moving ahead and looking at the enlightened Palace.
A certain type of content washed over her.
How would it feel to do something for the people so selflessly? She thinks to herself with a shine in her eyes.
"Of Course they did! There was a huge celebration here back then. That is when many of the soldiers from here were taken there and made to stay in the palace of Jaisalmer for the everlasting deadly battle for years. When they came back they explained how beautiful that palace was"
Barkha says getting back to the palace discussion.
Shefali was quiet for a bit too long after that.
"Dadu used to tell me several stories every day around this time of the day. He used to ask me what morals did they hold. I used to tell him what I found right and what I found unnecessary and what could have the protagonist done to make things better"
She says out of context sounding almost like she is just talking to herself.
"He used to always tell me to never accept anything just because everyone else is doing so. Girls are not supposed to have opinions in this society but if you are a human, having opinions is the most normal thing to exist"
She says looking at the crowd that had formed surrounding a girl named Jiya for a long time now.
Barkha was still looking at Shefali with utter confusion, trying to understand the origin, and finally concluded that she was probably homesick.
"Looks like it is one of such events... Oh no! She is beating her"
Shefali shouts the last part with clear shock and runs to the stairs holding her ghagra up.
YOU ARE READING
𝟏𝟓𝟐𝟗: 𝐀 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐣𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐚| Indian Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 Ⅰ 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐀𝐉𝐏𝐔𝐓𝐈-𝐁𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐀 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘 Shefali Roy had lost her parents in a pandemic when she was just one year old. That was the first time she was orphaned. The next time she was orphaned was when she was seventeen. The army of...
