Hi everyone!!! Happy DIWALI and happy Bhaai dooj!!!!!!
I hope people have not forgotten this fic. I'm extremely sorry for I'm updating so late. And a special sorry to Sweta di. Sorry di for making you wait for so long. Even I myself didn't imagine that I would be so so so late. And the sad Chapter is you may not find this part interesting. But you know every chapter is important. So enjoy.
Chapter 3
"Sach kahein Jija, hum bohot prasanna hai! Bohot adhik prasanna Jija! Varsho baad iss mahal mein khushiyaan lautegi! Uss ghatna, uss din ke upraant yeh mahal kitna soona sa ho gaya hai." Sajja Bai said looking around the walls of the room. The excitement with which she started the talk ended up in a sad manner.
Jaiwanta Bai sighed. Yes, it was true. Chittod palace was no more same as it was 10 years back. Everything changed in only a couple of days. She never knew that this lively palace would one day turn into such a place.
"Paristhitiyon or ghatnao ke chaltein sab kuch badal gaya Sajja bena, sab kuch. Kunwar Pratap bhi badal gaye, Rana ji bhi aur saath hi sambandho ki yeh dor. Kabhi nahin socha tha humne ki ek din aisa bhi aayega jab..."She choked, "Jab apne daajiraj ki shaaririk sthiti jaante hue bhi unse Kunwar Pratap ek baar bhi na milne aaye." Her eyes filled with tears.
Sajja Bai too had tears in her eyes. It saddened her too. After that day she never heard him calling her Manjali Maa'. It was not only sadness but guilt too which had been there since these 10 years.
To lighten up the mood, SB tried changing the topic.
"Waise Jija yeh bataiye aapne Rajkumari Aakriti mein aisa kya dekha jisse aapko woh humarein Kunwar Pratap ke liye sarwadhik upyukt bindani(bride) lagi?" SB askes somewhat curiously.
JB was taken back to the day of Gauri puja in Ujjjain. After Mewar, it was Ujjain which was considered the most powerful state in the whole Rajputana. Vijyendra Chauhan, the Rana(king) of Ujjain was a brave and efficient king. Ujjain was among those kingdoms which shared an equally friendly and good bond with the other states.
Ujjain's economic and political condition flourished with Mewar. Yes, in 8 years , Ujjain, the kingdom which was among the many ordinary states became a powerful kingdom. Rajkumari Aakriti Chauhan, she was considered the fortune of Ujjain. Aakriti earlier stayed with her uncle in Bhaangarh palace. Later, her Rani Maa, Maharani Indra Devi brought her back to Ujjain as she and her husband missed their lovely daughter. After Aakriti stepped in Ujjain, good fortune accompanied her, changing the conditions of Ujjain.
Gauri puja was a tradition of Ujjain which was being followed for the past 100 years in their dynasty. It was arranged every 5 years. This year it was celebrated in a grand way. Almost all the queens and princesses of different states of the whole Rajputana were invited to be part of this puja. The Gauri puja continued for 2 daays. JB was also got a special invitation because Indra Devi, Maharani of Ujjain was her childhood friend.
She didn't knew what was it but definitely there was something she saw in Aakriti which made JB chose her as the Kunwarani, the soon to be Maharani of Mewar.
*flasback*
The palace of Ujjain was decorated like a newlywed bride, with flowers and garlands. Maharani Jaiwanta Bai stepped down from her palki.
"Pranam Jaiwanta bai ji. Swaagat hai aapka Ujjain mein."
"Pranam. Bohot acchha lag raha hai itne dino baad Ujjain aakar."
"Chaliye andar chalte hai. Suno *to the dasis* dhyaan rakhiyega ki kisi bhi rajkumari ya Raniyon ko koi bhi asuvidha na ho humarein mahal mein. Aur Maharani Jaiwanta ji ko hum swayam chod denge unke kaksh tak."
The two queens walked towards the room for JB.
"Aap humein yeh bataiye Indu, aap kab se humein Maharani Jaiwanta Bai ji bulane lagi. Itne varsho baad milne ka arth kya purani mitrata ko bhul jaana hota hai?"
"Kshama karna Jaiwanta, woh humein laga, pata nahin aapko achha lagega ya nahin humara aapko Jaiwanta bulana, bass isliye. Aur bataiye, Kunwar Pratap kaise hain."
JB didn't knew what to say. To avoid further question, she said "We kushal(fine) hai. Achha Indu, hum aapse baad mein baat karenge. Sach kahein toh hum thoda sa vishraam karna chahte hai itni lambi yaatra karne ke baad."
"Haan haan avashya, chliya Jaiwanta. Hum bhi baato baton mein bhul hi gaye the ki aap toh thak gayi hongi. Chaliye." Indra Devi said.
Both reached the room. Indra Devi, "Yeh hai aapka kaksha. Aapko koi bhi asuvidha yaa kisi bhi cheez ki aavashyakta ho to humein avashya batiyega."
"Haan avashya. Pranam." JB said.
--------------
JB was standing in the balcony and thinking about those days which she, Indu and Hansa spent together like best friends. Though Hansa had always been her pakki sakhi but Indu was also a dear friend. The thought of Hansa made her sad. She still remembered that crying and lamenting face of her. How shattered she was at the news of Ajabde's death. Her heart broke remembering the old incident. Suddenly a voice from nearby brought her back to present.
"Leela, yadi humne kaha ki haan toh haan, hum upwaas rakhenge. Arrey humarein hi mahal mein Gauri puja hai aur hum hi nahin karenge nishta se puja! Aisa kaise?"
"Nahin Aakriti. Bilkul nahin. Sochiyega bhi mat. Aapko yaad hai jab aapne peechli baar aisa kiya tha toh app kaise apni chetna kho baithi thi aur aapki tabiyat kharaab ho gayi thi? Maharani sa ne sakt mana kiya hai ki aap fir se vrat rakhein."
JB turned her face towards the direction of the voice. It was coming from the garden. She looked down to see who was that girl with such a sweet and innocent voice. She spotted two girls at their early twenties standing there beneath the gulmohar tree and talking. JB understood that it was Rajkumari Aakriti with her dasi. Beautiful. Angelic. Serene. She had never seen a more beautiful princess before. She had heard about the beauty of the Ujjain princess and now she knew that truly she was a BEAUTY.
The two girls continued their conversation.
"Leela, aap humari sakhi hai, kahan aapko humara saath dena chahiye aur kahan aap...Haan ho gaye the hum pichli baar vrat rakhn ke karan behosh, par tab toh hum chote the, hai na? Par ab toh hum itne bade ho hi gaye ki yeh vrat rakh sake?"
"Par Aakriti...yeh saral nhin hai...aur sach kahe toh sabhi rajkumaroyan nahin rakh paate hai yeh vrat...Waise, yeh bataiye, yeh vrat aap kiske liye rakh rahi hai. Yeh vrat to striyan rakhti hai zyadatar...ek achha pati paane ke liye. Aap bhi isliye rakh rahi hai kya?" Leela said naughtily.
"Dhat...aap bhi na Leela,, aisa kuch bhi nahin hai...hum yeh vrat rakhne chahte hai apne parivaar ke kushal mangal ke liye, apni praja ki khushiyon ke liye. Ab dekhiye na sab kuch thik chal raha hai...na koi yuddhh na koi haar, hum chahte ki humara parivaar, humari praja sabhi sadiv aise hi khush rahein, shaanti se rahei, sukhi rahein." Aakriti said in a calm voice with a smile adorning her face.
"Aur apne liye? Apne liye kuch nahin maangengi?" Leela asked her expectantly.
"Apne liye? Kya maange hum apne liya? Sab kuch toh hai humare paas. Humare Maa aur Daata, humare Dada Bhai, humari sakhi, itna sneha karne waali praja. Aur kya maang sakte hai hum." Aakriti said.
"Aap..aap bohot achhi hai Aakriti...anyo se bohot alag hai aap...bohot alag." Leela said in an emotional. Aakriti just flashed her cute smile. The two friends ended up in a hug.
JB was listening as well as watching everything from the balcony. It was quite evident what a pure heart Aakriti had. There were very few who thought about others before themselves and Aakriti was one of them.
In these two days JB observed how Aakriti stood out from all the other princesses. She was kind, pure-hearted, intelligent, out-spoken with a bold personality. JB saw that Aakriti despite not knowing about the rituals properly was very curious and tried her best to learn and follow them. Somewhere she found Aakriti perfect for Pratap. She had the hope that may be she would be able to bring Pratap out of his hard shell which he had built around himself in the past years. Maybe she would be able to bring back the earlier Pratap. Maybe she would fill his heart with light and hope.
Before leaving, JB's last evening in the Ujjain palace-
"Indu humein apne Kunwar Pratap ke liye unki upyukt ardhangini mil gayi hai." JB said to Indra Devi. "Hum aap se aapki putri Aakriti ka haath humare Kunwar Pratap ke liye maangte hai."
"Kya? Humari Aakriti ka vivah KUNWAR PRATAP se? Aap parihaas(fun)toh nahin kar rahi humare saath?" Indra Devi said in a surprised tone.
"Nahin Indu, hum parihaas nahin kar rahein hai. Hum Kunwar Pratap ke liye ek upyukt bindani dhund rahein the aur humein woh mil gayi. Aapko koi apatti toh nahin hai na Indu?" JB asked.
"Apatti? Humein? Yeh toh humara soubhagya hai ki humari Aakriti ka vivah KUNWAR PRATAP se ho!" Indra Devi said happily.
"Aisa nahin hai. Aakriti bhi toh kitni guni ladki hai. Humne unke jaisi namr, niswarth(selfless), itne shudhh evam achhe khayalo waali Rajkumari aaj tak nahin dekhi." praised JB. Instantly Ajabde's face flashed before her eyes. No what she said was definitely not true. Aakriti wasn't the first princess she had come across who was so selfless and thought about others before herself. Ajabde. Selfless, kind-hearted and soft spoken. Though Aakriti was quite different from Ajabde in terms of personality and boldness. JB sidelined her thoughts and continued.
"Hum Rana ji se baat karenge aur agli baar shagun ke uphaaron ke saath hi aayenge Ujjain. Hehehehe" And the queens giggled.
*flashback ends*
"Kya hua Jija? Kahan kho gayi? Uttar nahin diya aapne?" SB asked curiously.
"Aakriti baaki Rajkumariyon se bilkul bhinna hai. Humein unmein woh har gun dikha jo Mewar ki Maharani banne ke liye aavashyak hai. Gun ke saath saath ve roopvati bhi hai. Sirf yahi nahin, humein na jaane kyun Aakriti ko dekh yeh prateet hua ki..." Jb stopped.
"Ki kya Jija? Bataiye!" SB asked again curiously.
"Ki woh humein humare Kunwar Pratap waaps dila sakti hai." Jb ended her sentence and left the room, wiping the drop of tear which had trickled down her cheek.
SB was left confused but soon she understood what JB meant to say."Hum bhi yahin aasha karenge Jija."
Sorry if there are typing mistake. Didn't revise. This time I would try my best to be regular with my updates like an update every 4 days. Thank you.😃
Check my writing index for my other works.
Celana's Writing Index
*FOR ME ,FAISAL KHAN AND ROSHNI WALIA WOULD ALWAYS BE THE PRATAP AND AJABDE(AAKRITI IN THIS ONE) OF MY STORIES. HOWEVER, READERS ARE FRE TO IMAGINE THEIR RESPECTIVE FAVORITE ACTOR AND ACTRESS AS PRAJA*
Originally posted by: sweta2005
Awesomeee too good lovely part i think akritin is only ajabde with memory loss
Originally posted by: -villain-
it was an amazing update...i'm looking forward to know Akriti's story...nd glad to know that u'll try to update regular!
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