BHARAM ~ An Illusion

1. Sambandh

(Samabandh ~ Relationship)

After the royal bath...... she had went away to her chamber in the secluded part of Rānī Mahal.

Bedecked with the jewels, for she was the soon to be bride, Khwābida was lying on her bed with a book in her hands.

They were waiting for the royal dinner. Some maid would come to invite them for it.

While in Lucknow, Khwābida was out of all these protocols. She would eat, roam, sleep and mostly......enjoy as she liked.

Her Nānu Jaan was always in her team and nobody could say even a word to her. All her 11 cousin brothers, 5 maternal uncles, 5 aunts and even the kids of her cousin brothers were there for her. She was their princess.......! The most precious gift of god for them......

But here, in Raipur it wasn't like that.

Being the daughter of a second wife, and that too, a Muslimā.......she was no more than an illegitimate one. Although she got her father's name and the people knew her as a princess but....... it was all about their behaviour and stereotypes.

But Khwābida was never bothered by all this. To keep her away from all these talks, gossips and most importantly, insults, her mother, Rehānā Begum had sent her to Lucknow.

Khwābida knew very well, the hardships her mother had to face, while living in this palace. She was always seen as a homewrecker. However, Khwābida always felt content, whenever she looked at her parents. They loved each other to the core.

Her mother had left a normal life, embracing all those accusations only for the man she loved.

They say, it was all for the money he had.

But not at all......! They were very much in love. The love which Rānī Suhāsini and Raja Sawant Singh did not have in between them, bloomed admist all these allegations and conspiracies.

Begum Rehānā, even after knowing her place here in this palace, came along with the Raja Sāheb.....

Even her family was against this decision knowing all what she'll have to bear.

But the time soothed everything. Rehānā learned to remain unaffected by everything that insulted her. She remained out of the court and political matters. She concentrated on her passion and her love........The sitār.......

She was a renowned sitār player by profession.

Khwābida was proud to be the only child of her tough and brave mother.

She always wanted to be like her.

And his highness, the crown prince of Kaasnagar, Jairajya Singh Rathore was the one in whom she found something of a same kind as she saw between her mother and father. Although she had no say in the decision of her marriage. It was decided in childhood, but she couldn't keep herself unattracted to the fine man he was. A righteous, courageous and a handsome man.......

He was to be crowned as the Raja Sāheb of Kaasnagar after his marriage with the third princess of Raipur, a powerful state in terms of wealth and industries. In return, this alliance would provide Raipur with a better business and safety in the region of Kaasnagar and its neighbouring states coming under the rule of Malwa....... the plateau region and the central part of India. This would pave the way for Raipur towards the western side of India.

Reading a fiction, Khwābida didn't realise that all other ladies in the room were not there anymore.

Her concentration got broken at the sound of the door latch being locked in this chamber.