Nostalgia Unfolding #2 ~Deedaar-E-Yaar~

Diary, I am back with a lot to tell you.

Do you remember that Rajkumari I told you about a few days ago? She had been in my must-see list of Amer. So today, I finally saw her.

Before I go on, diary, let me clear one thing. This is a TOP SECRET, between only you and me.

To be very honest, she is really, really beautiful. Wait... let me first think what to write. She was... ummm... I mean... just BEAUTIFUL! What else do you say about girls?

I saw her first when the royal family was on their way to the gangaur ghaat. As soon as I heard the announcement of Rajkumari Jodha, I turned my gaze that way. And it wasn't long before my eyes caught her.

Honestly, I haven't seen anyone so perfect before. I was so carried away by her, that I didn't even realise I was walking alongside her paalki, all lost. My eyes fixed on that perfect creation of God, and the first words of her description resounded in my ears.

You know, there are moments when which you can describe as mesmerising. There are moments in which you can't take your eyes off something. There are moments when no matter how hard you try, you can't shake something out of your mind. Well, I won't deny that it was one such moment for me. Probably, the very first for me. It was the first surprise Amer has got to offer me. Now am waiting for more.

Diary, I have never been too fond of girls and all. I haven't been a lover boy. And I don't even know how to describe her or what I exactly felt at the first sight of hers. Its just... too complicated to be said in words.

The only girl I have ever been close to is Ruqaiya. And there are no such complications with her. She is my friend and I am very frank to her. We're more friends than a couple. And I think she likes it the way it is.

But this time... the feeling was different, very different from what I have felt so far. Some invisible force seemed to be acting on me while my eyes never left her. And I have been going crazy since then thinking and thinking about it.

You already know my views about love. These cheesy love-at-first-sight things are not meant for me. And it wasn't love at all. It was some kind of strange attraction. As if, you know, somebody just told me to go and see her, to follow her, to just keep looking at her. I know I am sounding crazy, but trust me, I'm just being very, very honest to you. Perhaps more than I have ever been to myself.

And there was more to this strange meeting. The royal entourage was on their way to the gangaur ghat, and I followed them there.

They did their celebrations there, as I stood at a distance. From what all bits I could make out from my position, it seemed that they had a belief regarding this ceremony. They believed that a girl who sends a burning diya in tribute to the gangaur goddess, would see her future as a reflection in the sacred waters. Pretty interesting, isn't it?

But I wasn't that interested in knowing everyone's future. My gaze was still following Jodha. Between Jodha and me, there stood another young prince. From his expression, he seemed to be another admirer of the princess. Uff... how many guys has she got after herself?

As soon as she bent to flow the diya, god knows how it suddenly started raining heavily! And I didn't even notice when the man between us bent down. So now... it was me as her future in the reflection. I should have known it earlier! So perfect a creature should definitely be MINE!

But she looked very confused. Well, I can't really blame her. Imagine seeing some smirking stranger in your future? Must be scary right?

Soon she left, leaving her anklet behind. My hands involuntarily picked it up, as if to keep it as a memoir of this heavenly angel. It was then that I decided, playing with the anklet, that she has to be mine. Everything beautiful has to be with Jalal, then why not this? If I can take her anklet out from fire, can't I steal her away from her Amer? I can, and of course, I will.

Her smiling face remained imprinted in my mind somewhere, for it kept coming back to me in flashes. I turned around to have a look at the sacred gangaur ghaat. So the rituals here are not that strange. They do tell you your future, don't they?

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And here's from Jodha : 😛

PS : This is again, an excerpt from Jodha's Diary. Those who have read it already can kindly skip it. :)

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Hey Diary,

I am back from the gangaur pooja. Today was the last day of gangaur and today we prayed to the gangaur Goddess near the river banks. But today, near the river, something strange happened.

Maasa , Sukanya , Shivani , Bhabhisa, and all other royal ladies of the palace had come with us. Even Raja Suryabhan Singh had come.

Grand decorations were done on the river bank. Amer was in its full glory, celebrating the last day of gangaur.

We have to leave a diya into the river according to the rituals. And, as Maasa says, while letting it flow, we can get a look at our future for a split second in the water. Maasa always tells us these customs, on every gangaur, saying that these should be revised often. The other ladies finished with their worship. Then, it was our turn. Sukanya and Shivani sent their oil lamps flowing. I don't know what they saw in the water, their disappointed expressions told me that they saw nothing. Then, was my turn.

As soon as I bowed down to flow the diya, suddenly lightning started and soon heavy rain followed. People began to run here and there. It was no less than a storm. I flowed the diya, but the sight in the water caught my attention. There was the reflection of a handsome, young man, clad in a traditional Rajvanshi costume. I wanted to get up and run too, but there was something which did not let me move. Some binding force. And, some attraction too. I just couldn't move my eyes off him. That face, eyes staring at me, just like mine at him, lips curved in a smirk...ufff...I don't know how long I kept staring that charming face. Somebody called out to me and brought me back to reality. I had no time to look back at him, I just ran away.

Back at the palace, I just couldn't stop thinking about him. Unknown feelings crowded me. Connections to that face, haunted me. One thing I had realised, that it was not Suryabhan Singh, certainly not. I had seen him clearly when he had entered the palace. It was not him. But, whoever it was, was my future, as Maasa says. This thought excited me and at the same time, troubled me too. My future was right there, standing right behind me!! Ufff!!

But if he was my future, then what about Suryabhan Singh?...Was that charming young man really my future?...Sooo many questions, yet no answer.

Everybody in the palace, including Maasa, Shivani and Sukanya believed that the face I saw in the water was of Suryabhan Singh. But, I knew they were wrong. But diary, what could I tell them, afterall? Maasa toh even said that she saw Suryabhan Singh standing right behind me. Maybe she's right, he might have been standing there, but in the nick of time, somebody
took his place. Right na?

And you know what diary, Sukanya asked me to close my eyes and tell her who comes to my mind. And you won't believe! It was that mysterious young man. Now what should I tell her? She teased me saying that it must be Suryabhan Singh. But, she was wrong. Oh diary! How would I ever stop thinking about him?

And if this incident was not enough, I even saw his face in the waters of the fountain in front of my room. Oh My God! Dear diary, Please help me stop thinking about him na...pretty please...

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