Story of bhagmati...
"Yes, I want to feel the cold breeze on my face and feel the stars looking down."
"Very well," said Zafar and made a sign to the attendants not to follow them. "It's a lovely night. Just right for walking." As the two friends made their way toward the fort on the hilltop, Zafar asked, "Is something wrong, your highness?"
"I didn't particularly care for her singing, if you mean why I chose to walk out," said Quli.
"There are others," said Zafar thoughtfully. "I know of a wonderful singer but she lives on the other side of river Musi. But it would be quite a walk." "We'll make it sometime .. if at all I feel like it," said the prince absent-mindedly. As a matter of fact, his thoughts were elsewhere. He had passed by a temple that morning during his morning ride. His eyes had fallen on one of the worshippers, carrying flowers, garlands and other things required for puja. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Not just beautiful. There was a radiance and glow about her that seemed ethereal. She had looked up just for one moment and had met his glance. After that she quietly walked inside the temple.
But that magic moment had worked wonders. Prince Quli and the unknown beauty had fallen in love with each other! Prince Quli had no idea who she was or what she did. But he knew for certain that he had never felt this way for any other girl so it must be something quite special.
"Who is she?" Prince Quli asked Zafar. "She is Bhagmati, a famous singer. I'm sure you'll like her."
"No doubt I shall," said Prince Quli, gazing at her with love and admiration.
Things took an obvious turn the moment Prince Quli met Bhagmati alone and told her of his love. He was impatient to know if she loved him too. "Yes" said Bhagmati fearlessly. "But what about your father? I'm a commoner and belong to a different faith. I'm sure he will not like it."
"I don't care," said Prince Quli. "You are the only one who matters to me, more than my kingdom, more than anything on earth."
And they continued to meet, the prince making the long journey from Golconda Fort every night. He was so enraptured in her and her music that everyone noticed the change in him. The news reached his father and the reigning king, Sultan Ibrahim. He was livid with anger. "How dare he waste his precious time on a mere commoner?" he cried. "I've to stop him." "But how will you do that, your highness?" asked his ministers. "The prince is not a little boy and knows his own mind."
"It has to be done," said the Sultan. "I shall confine him within the fort. He will not be allowed to step across. Let him find all the music he cares about inside my fort."
The Sultan was true to his promise. Prince Quli remained a prisoner inside his own home and could no longer meet Bhagmati. He was very unhappy. And so too Bhagmati, although she took it to be her destiny.
One night, Prince Quli could bear it no more. A fierce storm was raging outside the fort and it rained torrentially. So much so, nothing was visible. Prince Quli scaled the rampart and crept out of the fort. River Musi was in spate and the black waters swirled along fiercely. But Prince Quli never thought of himself or how dangerous the river could be. He jumped in thinking of Bhagmati alone. The rabid water lashed across his body and tossed him about throwing him on the bank after what seemed years. But at last he was on the other side where Bhagmati sat staring out of the window. "You!" she cried incredulously as Quli staggered in half dead.
"I couldn't stay away" he whispered as everything went blank around him.
There was tremendous turmoil in the fort the next morning when people discovered that Prince Quli was missing. But eventually the Sultan got to hear all about it. He was silent this time and walked about restlessly. Finally he looked up and exclaimed, "He risked his life for the girl! He jumped into the mad, gushing water for her sake! I can't believe it!" Finally he looked up and said, "It is true love, not a temporary fancy. I can't keep them apart any longer. He shall marry the girl."
So Prince Quli and Bhagmati were married amidst great rejoicing. The Sultan renamed her "Hyder Mahal" and the city of Hyderabad came to be named after her.
Cricket
Anupamaa
