Chapter 15

Part 14

 

Times catch up

 

Aryanagar

 

Dharam just returned back to his mahal with all the pomp and show as the king returned. This time his countenance was more subtle than usual and didn't really look at anybody as he was too involved in his own thoughts. He didn't even realize when he passed his palace grounds, when he was greeted by his maids and ministers and when he reached his room. It was only when he tripped against the foot cushion in his room that he came back to reality and saw where he was. He covered his mouth, stunned with the happenings and just sat down on the sofa to regain his composure. He went over all the events that had occurred in Avdhi and just kept thinking about what Sia told him. In all his seventeen years it was the first time someone had made him realize about the way he was living was so atrocious. Since childhood he had always been taught of how his position is superior to everyone and he was just so defined by his position that he was bound to turn out arrogant and proud. Never before had anyone revolted against him but here he felt as if he had been living a lie all these years and finally Sia opened his eyes to the truth.

 

Antara: Aap ko Aryanagar me waapis dekhke hame khushi huwee Dharam

 

Dharam: (turned around and was surprised to see her there) Rajkumari Antara aap yaha?

 

Antara: Ji ham aapse milne kee kahi mahino se koshish karahe the lekin aap kabhi idhar rehte the to kabhi udhar. Jab hamne socha ke yaha aaye to aap yatra pe nikal chuke the or jab suna ke waapis aagaye hai to pata chala aap Avdhi chalegaye hai. Ab jaake hame aapse milne ka moka milhee gaya.

 

Dharam: Kamaal hai, jab pitaji kee mrityu huwee tab aap ko hamse milne kee iccha nahi huwee thi

 

Antara: (nervously bites her tongue) hmmm….wo…darasal ham Devghar me nahi the jab yeh khabar pohochee or jab waapis laute to pata chala lekin tab tak to aap yatra ke liye nikal chuke the or phir…

 

Dharam: (raises hand to shun her) hame koi safai nahi chaheeye aapse Rajkumari Antara (presses his temples and gets up) ham abhi abhi waapis laute hai to thora aaraam karna chahte hai…koi khaas waje thi yaha aane kee?

 

Antara: Kyu…(teasing tone) kya hum yuhi aapse milne nahi aasakte yaha? Aakhir is Aryanagar pe hamara bhi haq banne waala hai

 

Dharam: (looks away irately as he remembered how his alliance was fixed with her by his father but now things have changed) ham…hame thora or waqt chaheeye Antara…abhi ham is bandhan me bandh na nahi chahte kyu ke abhi hamare ser pe or bhi bohat saari zimmedaariya hai

 

Antara: (comes near him) Ham jaante hai Dharam or hame bhi koi jaldi nahi. (puts her hand on his shoulder and he flinches at her touch) wese bhi anth me hame ek hona hee hai to phir intezaar me kya hai

 

Dharam: (stares at her with a frown and then slowly removes her hand from his shoulder in a polite manner) Hame araam karna hai, ham aapse baad me baat karenge. Aap hamaree mehmaan hai yaha per to kisee bhi cheez kee kamee nahi hogi.

 

After that he walked off to the otherside of his room which was his more private chamber. Antara could sense something different about him but then brushed it off by thinking that perhaps he was too tired that's why he acted in such a way.

 

Sumaina

 

Ananya's room

 

Both the sisters are sat catching up on everything that happened with them all these months. Sia ended up telling her about the indecent proposal and Ananya was shocked.

 

Ananya: Hame to yakeen nahi hota Sia ke Maharaj Dharam ne tumse shaadi kee baat kee…wo to hamesha tumse ukhre ukhre rehte the or kabhi bhi tumse seedhe mooh baat tak nahi kee or ab pata chala ke hamesha se tumse mohabbat karte the wo…bechaare…

 

Sia: Hame maan na parega Ananya ke ham onke baare me aisa kuch nahi sochte kyu ke ham jaante hai ke dusree aisee kai cheeze hai jinkee wajese onke dil me hamare liye saaree bhavnaaye ghum hojaaehgee. (then looks at Ananya's frown) kahi tum hame doshi to nahi therarahi ke hamne onhe thukraadiya?

 

Ananya: (smiles) ham aisa kyu sochenge Sia?

 

Sia: per…tum zaroor hame Agni ke maamle ko lekar doshi theraati ho

 

Ananya: Nahi Sia aisa bilkul nahi hai. Dekho tumhe kese pata chalta ke wo itna chalaak or gira huwa hai? Tum to ose pehlese nahi jaantee thi na. (thinks over everything) hame nahi lagta ke Maharaj Dharam itna bara jhooth bolenge or wo bhi onke parivaar ke baare me or phir onkee behen…nahi nahi yeh sab sach hee hai…lekin Sia kahi koi garbar to nahi hai na?

 

Sia: (laughs) Oh Ananya tum kabhi bhi dono ko sahi nahi bana paaogee. Ya to Agni sahi hai yah to phir Maharaj Dharam…or hamaree tarafse to Maharaj Dharam hee hai

 

Ananya: bechaare Maharaj Dharam (looks at Sia) bechaara Agni…zara socha Sia kitnee masoomiyat or achai chalak ti hai oske chehre se

 

Sia: wahi to Ananya (laughs again) ek ke paas acchai hai or dusre ke paas sirf oska dikhaawa.

 

Ananya: (touches her hand affectionately) Per Sia jab pehlee baar tumne onka sandesh para to hame pata hai ke tum aise hassee to nahi hogi jesa abhi hai

 

Sia: (puts her eyes down away from her) ha, hame takleef huwee thee or phir…(looks up to her and smiles) hamare paas hamaree Ananya bhi to nahi thi hame sambhaal ne ke liye. (goes forward and hugs her) Hame tumhaaree kitnee yaad aayee Ananya or har pal tumhe hee dhoondh te the ham. (pulls out and sits back) Ek baat hai jiske baare me ham tumse poochna chahte hai…kya Agni kee sachai logo ke saamne laadi jaaye?

 

Ananya: Aisa karne ke liye koi bhi sahi waqt nahi hai Sia or phir….tumne kya socha hai is baare me?

 

Sia: yehi ke aisa kuch bhi na kare kyu ke Maharaj Dharam ne hame yeh haq nahi diya hai or phir yeh baat onke parivaar kee hai or onkee behen kee to aise kese sabke saamne uchaal de? Or phir hamara yakeen koun karega Ananya? (nods in disagreement) wese bhi saare raj gharaane me Maharaj Dharam ke prateek sab kee jo soch hai osse to Agni hee accha rahega na….Hame lagta hai ke iske baare me hame kuch bhi nahi kehna ya karna chaheeeye.

 

Ananya: Sahi kehrahee ho Sia. (leans back against the sofa back) hame lagta hai Sia ke ab Agni ko pachtaawa hai oskee harkatose isliye wo aise acche banne ka dhonng karta phirta hai. Kitna majboor or bebas hoga na wo

 

Sia: Oh Ananya kaash ke ham bhi sab ko aise hee dekh sakte jese tum dekhtee ho. Hamesha acchai hee hai or kuch nahi.

 

Both the sisters continue chatting until they feel sleepy and then Sia retires to her room.

 

Aswaahi qabila

 

Veer is lying unconscious in one of the cells and soon he hears a woman's voice whilst recovering.

 

The woman: Veer! Utho Veer? Veer utho! Utho Veer!

 

The voice keeps echoeing in his ears but he can't open his eyes. Then he gradually does and at first sees a blurry vision of a woman sitting beside him but soon it becomes clearer.

 

Veer: Rajkumari Ananya? (speaks weakly)

 

Ananya: Ham kabse tumhaare hosh me aane ka intezaar karahe the. Bohat bhaaree chote lagi hai na?

 

Veer: Chote? (still dazed where he is and feels disoriented) kaisee chote mujhe…kya..

 

Ananya: shhhhh….ziada bolo mat Veer warna or dard hoga. Yaha ke log bare hee zaalim hai

 

Veer: Log? (remembers what happened at the village) Ananya aap yaha is tarha in logo ke beech kese? Yeh khatarnaak log hai aap yahase jaldi chaleejaaye

 

Ananya: ham tumhaare bagair kese jaasakte hai Veer? Jab tak aap hame chorenge nahi ham to kahi jaahee nahi sakte

 

Veer: (is confused as to what she is saying) Yeh aap kya kehrahee hai mujhe kuch samajh me nahi aaraha. Maine aap ko…

 

Ananya: (leans forward and caresses his hair and lightly blows on the bruise on his head) aap ziada boleye mat warna dard barega. Ab me hu na aap ke saath, kuch bhi nahi hoga

 

Veer doesn't say anything further and just keeps staring at her loving eyes as she continues caressing him and nursing his wound. He couldn't understand how she came here, was she also captured by the daakoos? If that was the case he would do everything in his power to save her. Suddenly a huge daakoo rushed inside the cell and grabbed Ananya from the back and picked her up aggressively. She began resisting and screaming for Veer's help and he also kept screaming to let her go. He tried to get up but he was bound down by restraints which he wasn't aware of before. Where did they come from? He stretched his arm out to stop her but she was dragged away from him and he was left in shock.

 

Veer: RAJKUMARI ANANYA!

 

Then he woke up with a jolt and a heavy hammer pounding in his head. He was sweating all over and was too much in shock. Then he looked around the cell and began searching here and there. Then he stood up and ran towards the bars.

 

Veer: (raised voice) hhhey! Tum log Rajkumari Ananya ko kaha legaye? Batao mujhe! Kaha legaye ose!

 

He didn't get any response so he began rattling the bars with anger and kept threatening them. After some time one daakoo came.

 

Daakoo: itna shore kyu macha raha hai?

 

Veer: Rajkumari Ananya ko kaha legaye ho tum?

 

Daakoo: koun Rajkumari Ananya? Yaha per koi nahi hai

 

Veer: (looses his temper and grabs the daakoo's neck through the bars) agar ose kuch bhi huwa na to me tumhe zinda nahi chorunga! Ek ek ko jaan se maardunga!

 

The daakoo releases the force on him and then pushes Veer back with great force which makes him land on the ground with a thud.

Daakoo: dubaara agar yeh shore kiya na to aisa mooh band karunga ke zindagee bhar khole nahi paaehga.

 

The daakoo left and Veer got up and began shouting after him in the same way as before. Then he dropped down on the ground feeling helpless. Was it true or just one of his illusions?

 

Song in the background:

 

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

 

He has tears in his eyes as he thinks about Ananya

 

Meree dunya me aake, mat jaa, mat jaa, kahi mat jaa

Meree dunya me aake, mat jaa, mat jaa, kahi mat jaa

Meree dunya me aake, mat jaa, mat jaa, kahi mat jaa

 

He remembered how she had cared for him and was so concerned and then suddenly she was snatched away from him. Where was she and how was she?

 

Kya maine paa liya hai, kya maine kho diya

Shayad yeh soch kar hee, dil aaj ro diya hai

Tu hee to tha mera apna, kese phir yeh toota sapna

Tu jo milke kho jaaehga, jeena mushkil hojaaehga

 

He jumped forward still in the trance of saving her but fell face down onto the ground as there was no one there.

 

Meree dunya me aake, mat jaa, mat jaa, kahi mat jaa

 

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

 

Now sitting against the cold wall in the cell he goes over all the events from the beginning of how he had met Ananya at the Ramghar jashan and how he was mesmerized by her at instant. Then they had constant meetings and when it turned into love he didn't know. And then came the letter of her refusal which shattered everything, then what was she doing here again by his side. Then he thought over what she tried to tell him,

 

"Jab tak aap hame chorenge nahi ham to kahi jaahee nahi sakte"

 

Was she trying to imply that until he removed her from his thoughts she wouldn't leave?

 

Yeh ishq kee hai raahe, jinpe me chal raha hu

Is aag me na jaane kab se me jalraha hu

Main to hu tera deewana, tune mujhko na pehchaana

Dilbar mere aisa na kar, chaahat me tu ruswa na kar

 

He began banging his head lightly against the wall in agony

 

Meree dunya me aake, mat jaa, mat jaa, kahi mat jaa

Meree dunya me aake, mat jaa, mat jaa, kahi mat jaa

Meree dunya me aake, mat jaa, mat jaa, kahi mat jaa

Meree dunya me aake, mat jaa, mat jaa, kahi mat jaa

 

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

Ishq ka dard hai, dard hai ishq ka

 

Next day in Sumaina

 

Sia is in her room when Bhoomi and Sawri come rushing in as usual bickering with each other. Sia is annoyed for being disturbed and breaks the two apart.

 

Sia: is tarha hamare kamre me aane kee kya waje hai

 

Bhoomi: darasal hame ek khabar milee hai to ose batane ke liye utaawle ho rahe the lekin yeh Sawri thi ke hame roke na chahtee thi kyu ke…

 

Sia: bus, bus, ab or jhagra mat karo or hame batao ke kya baat hai

 

Bhoomi: theek hai (gets excited and goes and sits down on the sofa waiting for Sia to join them) wese baat to do hai…ummm (looks at Sawri and giggles) batade kya ise? (the girls just keep giggling making Sia even more annoyed with their childish pranks) hame abhi abhi kahbar milee hai ke Agni, Rajnikot se waapis aagaya hai kyu ke ose waha bilkul accha nahi lagta tha. (giggles) osne bhi yehi socha hoga ke itna dhoore rehke wo apne aapko hee tarpaaehga

 

Sia: (sighs and turns away to resume her work) aisa socha ke Rajnikot tarapnese bachgaya.

 

Bhoomi: ab itna bhi banne kee koshish mat karo Sia. Ham jaante he ke is khabar se tumhe kitnee khushi huwee hai.

 

Sia: (sarcastic laugh) aisa bilkul nahi hai Bhoomi balke hame to koi farak nahi parta is khabar se. (although she did have a nagging feeling that he is back and would try and meet her again which she wont be able to avoid) acha hame batao ke wo dusree baat kounsee hai?

 

Bhoomi: asal me ham tumse wahi baat karne aaye the (gets excited and saunters towards Sia) kuch hee dino me maha Shivratri ka mela hone waala hai or tum to jaantee ho ke yeh ek bara utsav hota hai jaha pe bohat saare log aate hai her raaj gharaanese. Zara socho kitna maza aaehga ham sab jaaenge or phir… (drools off into dreamland)

 

Sia doesn't answer and just thinks over all that. At the moment she couldn't think of leaving Sumaina anytime soon.

 

However at dinner time the girls are still fretting about how they really want to go and tell Sia to convince the maharaj to make the decision. Bhoomi was really eager about it and throwed tantrums and Sawri just supported her in everything.

 

Sia: ham bhi pitaji ke faisle se sehmat hai Bhoomi. Maana ke saare raj gharaane se log aayenge lekin osme zaroori nahi ke Sumaina bhi shaamil ho. Ham sab kee stithi nahi hai waha jaane ke liye

 

Nivi: (appalled) Sia! Aisa soch bhi kese sakti ho tum!

 

Sia: bohat aasaan hai ma. Dekhye wese bhi dusre kai utsav me jaane se kaafi bawaal macha hai jab ke waha to in dono ne sirf kuch hee rajkumaro se mulaqaat kee. Socha ke pure desh ke rajkumaro se milne pe kya hoga

 

Bhoomi: (dreaming) saare desh ke rajkumaar……

 

Nivi: ahhh hame yaad hai jab ham bhi tum logo kee umar kee the or ham bhi aise utsavo me jaane ke liye apne pitaji se baar baar zid karte the. Hamara to dil hee toote jaata tha kabhi kabhi

 

Bhoomi: (like a spoilt brat) aisa lagta hai ke hamara dil bhi tote jaaehga agar hame jaane ko nahi mila

 

Sawri: or hamara bhi

 

Nivi: (looks at both the girls with affection) ham samajh sakte hai tum dono kee stithi…(gives the maharaj a stern look) lekin maharaj to banenge hee berahem

 

S.M: bilkul sahi kaha aapne maharani. Is baare me ham apna faisla kabhi nahi badlenge.  Ham jaante hai ke isse kaafi dil tootenge per ham is baar atal hai

 

Avantika: aap chinta mat kijye pitaji hamara dil kadai nahi toote ga. Is utsav me jaane ka hamara bilkul bhi mann nahi, ham to hamaree kitaabo ke saath hee khush hai

 

Bhoomi makes a face at her and then looks at her mother again desperately for support.

 

Sawri: Rajkumari Priya ne hame bataya ke is utsav me wo Baali nadi ke jharne me nahane waali hai jo ke itna khoobsurat hai ke kya batao

 

Bhoomi: hame bhi waha jaake maza aaehga, hame jaana hai

 

Nivi: hmmm maza to hame bhi aaehga

 

S.M: per is baat se hame koi farak nahi parta or ham hamara faisla badalne ke liye tayaar nahi. (gets up after finishing) hame behat khushi hai ke Sia or Ananya, tum dono waapis aagayee ho. (both the girls smile back at their father as he leaves)

 

Bhoomi: (throws the chalice and the spoon irately on her thali) hame jaana hai is mele me! Hame jaana hai!

 

Aryanagar

 

Dharam is sat in his room thinking about Sia and what she had said to him in Avdhi.

 

"Koi insaan apni pehchaan se bara ya chota nahi hota, wo to apne sanskaaro se hota hai. Jo insaan kisee or kee izzat nahi karsakta oskee izzat koi kya karega. Ek baat or ham aapko bata de ke ek raja apnee praja se hee banta hai or aap to wo dhoore dhoore tak nahi."

 

Dharam: (stands up with an adrenaline rush) aap sahi kehtee hai Sia or hame lagta hai ke ab kuch cheeze badalne ka waqt aagaya hai. Hamne jo kiya hai ose ham mita nahi sakte lekin ham ose badal zaroor sakte hai. Ham aisa zaroor karenge. (paces his room ruminating on what could be done) hamne to Rajkumari Ananya ke liye bhi sandesh bhijwa diya tha…hame ose roke na hoga….ha hame ose roke na hoga. (he begins walking out of his room when a sainik comes rushing in)

 

Sainik: Maharaj! Yeh sandesh abhi abhi aapke liye aaya hai Chatrapur se

 

Hearing that, Dharam snatches it from the sainik with haste and then dismisses him. Then he opens up the scroll and his expressions turn from worry to anger as he finishes. Then he shuts the scroll irately and throws it off across the room. He was really enraged by the events that took place in Chatrapur and how the daakoos captured Veer.

 

Dharam: Tum logo ne apnee zindagee ka sabse bara jurm kiya hai. Ab ham tum saare logo ko jar se hee ukhaar denge.

 

He walks out of his room to summon his soldiers of marching towards Chatrapur but then he pauses thinking it would just alert the daakoos even more so he would go alone and deal with it. At any costs he had to release his brother from there.

 

Sumaina

 

Ananya and Sia are both outside in the afternoon sun roaming around in the gardens. Both look quite upset with their own problems but are trying to hide it from each other.

 

Sia: ham jaante hai Ananya ke tum khush nahi ho. Bohat dard hota hai tumhe aise dekhte huwe

 

Ananya: Ham kya kare Sia (sighs) aisa hai ke ham jaante hai ke ham kabhi bhi kisee or ko aise nahi dekh paaenge jese ham Rajkumar Veer ko dekhte the or wo bhi…(pauses and holds back her tears) lekin hame hee ghalat femee huwee thee. Koi baat nahi ab sab kuch phirse pehle jesa hogaya hai (forces a smile and looks at Sia) tum chinta mat karo, ham waada karte hai ke ham bilkul theek hojaaenge pehle kee tarha or ham apnee zindagee me khush bhi rahenge.

 

After saying that, she leaves and Nivriti meets her on the way of coming out. She also notices her sorrowful eyes and feels sorry for her. She goes and joins Sia.

 

Nivi: Sia ab ham kya karenge Ananya ke is haalat ka? Itna kuch hogaya or abhi tak oskee mulaqaat huwee hee nahi Rajkumar Veer se

 

Sia just nods her head and walks along with her without uttering a word.

 

Nivi: hame pata tha ke Rajkumar Veer aise hee niklenge. Wo hamaree Ananya ke bilkul laayak nahi.

 

Sia is not pleased with that comment but can't tell her anything

 

Nivi: ab to wo saare raaste band ho chuke hai jinse wo dono ek ho jaaye…(thinks over it) lekin agar wo waapis Aryanagar aajaaye to phir kuch…

 

Sia: ab to yeh bilkul namumkin lagta hai hame ma.

 

Nivi: (tosses her head) Jo bhi hai ab to kuch nahi hosakta. Wese bhi koun chahta hai ke wo waapis aajaaye (angry tone while Sia just keeps making faces at her mother's comments) ham to yahi kahenge ke onhone hamaree bholi bhaali Ananya ka fiada uthaaya or ab aise chore ke chalegaye jese ke kuch huwa hee nahi. Humph! Jab Ananya toote huwe dil se marjaaehgee na (Sia is appalled by her sentence) tab jaake onhe pata chalega ke kya huwa hai onse.

 

They continue walking in silence for a few minutes.

 

Nivi: to…Rajkumar Harsh or Rajkumari Sunaina kaafi aaraam or maze se rehrahe honge. Aakhir sab kuch daan me jo mila hai (Sia just smiles at her mother's idoicrisies) ha or wo zaroor hamesha Sumaina ke raaj ko harap ne kee baat bhi karte hee honge

 

Sia: (laughs in retort) Ma, hamare saamne wo to yeh karne se rahe, aap ko nahi lagta

 

Nivi: ha ha lekin jab akele honge hame yakeen hai ke aisa hee karte honge.

 

Both Bhoomi and Sawri come running towards them really ecstatic and Bhoomi has something in her hand which she is flaring quite proudly

 

Bhoomi: Ma! Ma! Ma! (when they reach both of them stop but are too excited to speak at once but is able to utter it all out) ma abhi  yeh sandesh aaya hai or aap yakeen nahi karengee ke kya hai isme. Chitorepur kee Rajkumari Priya ne hame nimantar bheja hai onke saath Maha Shivratri ke mele me jaane ke liye.  (Nivriti exclaims with her daughter) wo chahtee hai ke ham onke saath hee jaaye or onke saath hee rahe is yatra per onkee khaas saheli banke.

 

Both the mother daughter are really hyper about the news.

 

Sawri: (upset) yeh to bilkul na insaafi hai ma kyu ke hame bhi Bhoomi ke saath nimantar milna chaaheeye tha. Maana ke ham Rajkumari Priya kee khaas saheli nahi lekin phir bhi hame bhi jaane ka haq hai.  (Bhoomi laughs at her and sticks her tongue out in teasing) or sab se bari baat to yeh hai ke ham Bhoomi se do saal bare hai to hamara haq pehle banta hai

 

She runs back really upset.

 

Bhoomi: ab isme hamara kya dosh hai ke sab hame ziada pasand karte hai tum sabse (snorts and then looks back at her mother and sister)

 

Sia: itna khush or uchal ne se pehle yeh baat yaad rakhna Bhoomi ke pitaji ne tumhe aagya nahi dee hai or naahi wo denge

 

Bhoomi: Onhe maana hee parega kyu ke yeh nimantar khaas tore pe hamare liye aaya hai. Onko inkaar karke onka akmaan to nahi karenge wo. (to her mother) ma hame kitnee tayyaree karnee paregee or sab kuch naya lena parega kyu ke waha to sab ke sab honge.

 

Nivi: Bilkul milega tumhe sab kuch aakhir waha pure desh ke rajkumar bhi to aaenge to onke saamne tumhe sabse accha hee lagna hai na

 

Bhoomi: oooooooh pure desh ke rajkumar….(both daughter and mother giggle and celebrate the news)

 

Sia shakes her head in disagreement and decides to talk to her father in order to stop this as she knew it would only lead to disaster. She knew her sister too well.

 

End of part.