Part 2 (A)
Seated at the ritzy one-seater, the young queen shifted at her place, probably for the nth time, a futile attempt on her part to seek some comfort. Digging her nails, on her sweaty palms, simultaneously fighting with the urge to chap them under her teeth, Nandini threw a quick glance, at the assembly. Off lately, with Bindu consuming most of her time, she hadn't had much chance to attend the assembly. Suppressing the queasy feeling which was now settling at the pit of her stomach, she tried her level best to look unaffected. May be because she is attending it after a long while, she is getting nervous, she tried reasoning. And anyways she always been a skittish case, she remembered, how she would be a bundle of nerves before taking exams. All of them but one, the Takshseela exam. Exam? even her grim state couldn't stop her from smiling...that was no less than an adventure, with she ending up in the most impossible situations, and somehow don't minding them at all. Why would she, when he was there, standing right behind her like a rock. Looking at him, while he nodded encouragingly, gesturing assurance with his palms, his eyes gleaming with pride, every time she managed to crack a right answer, she'd known that she would be fine, like never before. Impossible it may sound, now, but there was a time when all she had dreamt of was resting herself against this man for all of her life, and may be even after that, if there's a life after life.
Inhaling quick sharp breaths, Nandini, tried to wade away her thoughts. "No nandini, not again", she chided herself. Being crashed and burned in relationships, not once but twice , by the two men who were the axis of her life, her father and her love, she'd better not look for a third time, because this time she won't be able to handle the ruthless jolt, that came with heart break
SAVDHAAN...
The announcement of the arrival of the Emperor brought her back to the reality. Standing up to greet the emperor, each of the members present there, couldn't help but be captivated with his majestic grace. The man undoubtedly the most predominant one at the moment, throughout the entire nation, had an aura which was compelling. Receiving the greetings with series of curt nods, the Emperor made his way to the imperial throne, taking his seat.
The assembly was open for the day with the king's deep and lordly voice announcing "Rajsabha ki kaarwai aarambh ki jaaye" (let the proceeding of the assembly begin)
After Aacharya Chanakya was done discussing some of the diplomatic matters which required the king's prime focus and attention, the minister for social welfare and justice, Veerbhadra stood at his place, requesting for king's attention.
Taking a final deep breath, Nandini prepared herself for the battle as the minister sought permission to present the bill. What followed was pin drop silence for the next 40 minutes as everyone listened absorbedly. Everyone but two people, one who was the mind behind the subject of speech currently beholding everyone's attention, the king and the other was his driving force, the Queen. Nandini was finding, it hard to concentrate, the bill no doubt was impeccable in all sense, passing all the standards of brilliance. But something somewhere was out of its place, she couldn't pin point exactly, but somehow Veerbhadra presenting it peeved her, as if it was not coming from the right person. Her thoughts wandered as Veerbhadra read the final excerpts ...
"Nandini, dekho maine ye mez vishesh kar ke tumhare liye banwaayi hai", said Chandragupta as he signalled the servants, who brought the heavy giant like, exclusive made to order mahogany chest to the king's room. "Toh ab main tumse vinati karna chahuga, ki kripya kar ke apni saari pustakein iss mein rakhna. Jab se tum mere kaksh mein aayi ho, mujhe aisa lagta hai ki main pustakon ki dukaan mein rehtaa hoon"
[Nandini, look I have ordered this chest especially for you. So now please, for heavens, keep all your books in it, ever since you have shifted into my room, I feel as if I stay in a book shop]
Annoyed she had replied, "Chandra, mujhe kaise smaran rahega ki kaun si pustak maine kaun si daraaz mein rakhi hai, sau toh daraazein hai iss mez main, na jaane mera kitna samay nasht hoga ek pustak doondhne mein"
[chandra, how am I going to remember in which shelve I have kept which book. With shelves more than 100, God knows how much time I will waste on this chest looking for a single book]
"Mujhe ek baat toh bataao..." asked chandragupta in a very serious matter of fact tone "kya tum bachpan se hi aisi ho? Betarteeb!, laparwah! , aalsi!"
[tell me, you are like this since your childhood? Unorganized , careless, lazy]
CHANDRA!!
"Achacha achacha, shor mat machao" he said grinning like a naughty boy, "dekho isska upaaya hai mere paas, maine har ek daraaz par uske naam ki chippiyaan laga di hain, ye dekho, ye wala aushadhi vigyaan ki pustakon ke liye, ye itihaas, ye natya shastra, ye kavita ke aur yahi nahin ,dekho har ek draaz ke andar kayi saare khaane hai,...
[okay calm down, see I've stick chits to each of the drawer of the chest, look, this one is for medicine, this for history, then comes, drama, another for poetry, not just that, see every shelves has sections inside it...]
He went hurriedly and gathered as much as the books he can and started arranging them in the chest, "ye dekho iss khane mein woh pustak jo tum padh chuki, iss wale mein jo tumhe padhni hai, iss wale mein jo tum abhi padh rahi ho, iss mein..."
[See in this section you can keep those which you have already read, in this, the ones you need to read, and in this you may keep those which you are currently reading...]
She had stood helplessly, staring her husband in disbelieve, who was now busy in methodically arranging the books, while chatting animatedly. When it comes to organisation this man was on a different level, at least that's how it seemed to someone like her, who has always managed, yes somehow managed to do fine with her things, thanks to the maids.
Nandini mentally slapped herself, what on earth was she doing, this was not the time to be wasted on inane happenings of the past, but for some times, she has been losing control on her thoughts, memories, no matter how hard she tried to keep at bay, would come back floating to her. Much to her dislike, memories of him.
Still it was strange the way, this particular one chose to be reminded, at this moment. Weird it may sound, but the preciseness of the bill, the meticulous effort it reflected, reminded her of him and his mania for systematization. Annoyed at the mix up she blew a frustrated breath.
The king noticed her distant gaze, she looked lost, may be bracing herself for the coming challenge, but she looked different, there's a tenderness on her face, lips lopsided for a faint smile, yet she looked pained and confused at the same time, as if trying to decode something. Has she figured out, but how can she? Veerbhadra has been very genuine while presenting the bill. He still remembers the look of disbelief on his face, when in the wee hours of the morning, he had asked him to rote the contents of the bill as much as possible, so that he has to refer to the bill only for cues while presenting. Reading word by word from the copy would not sound genuine for a person who claimed to prepare it all the while single-handedly. Weighing the copy of the bill with his hands, in order to estimate the hardships that waited for him, Veerbhandra had looked visibly traumatized. Chandragupta couldn't help but chuckle while thinking.
Aacharya's voice brought both of them back to reality.
"Maharaj! aapka iss prastaav ke Vishay mein kya mat hai " [What's your Majesty's opinion on the proposal]
Assuming the "back to business" look Chandragupta, proceeded, "Mantri Veerbhadra, itne badhiya prastaav ke liye meri badhaai swikaar karein, main aapke iss prayaas se atyaadhik prabhavit hua... ye iss rajya ka saubhagya hai jo isse aap jaise samwedansheel aur samarpit vayakti ki sevayein prapt hain ."
[Minister Veerbhadra, let me congratulate you for this excellent proposal. I'm impressed. The State is lucky to have a sensitive and dedicated person like you serving it]
"Parantu humne abhi abhi krishako ka kar 1/6th se ghata ke 1/8th kiya hai, saath hi jo zile sukhe ki maar jhel rahe hain, unka kar bhi maaf kar diya gaya hai, jis se raj kosh ko pehle se hi kareeb 1000 kasharp prati din ka ghaata hai, parantu phir bhi aapne apne prastaav mein kahin bhi ye zikra nahin kiya hai, ki iss mein prastaavit yojanaon ko laagu karne mein raj kosh pe jo bhaar padega, rajya uss ki bharpaayi kaise karega ..kya aapne iss vishay pe pradhan lekhapal se paramarsh kiya?"
[But the thing is, just now, we have exempted tax for farmers from 1/6th to 1/8th and moreover those districts dealing with drought have been pardoned from tax, both of them together adding a deficit of around 1000 bucks on the royal treasury on a daily basis. Still I cannot see any provisions in your bill on how state will compensate the cost it would take to execute the schemes being proposed in your bill. Have you by any means consulted the chief accountant?]
Veerbhardra was taken aback. No! That wasn't the king had asked him to do last night. Clearing his throat he tried coming up with something, praying that the mastermind comes up for his rescue.
Maintaining a passive face, looking straight, the king was very well aware of all the cuss words the queen was throwing at him mentally , her limited vocabulary leaving her with not many options. Nanidni, meanwhile had to gather all her self control to maintain her public composure, the rogue, his husband, has twisted the facts in his favour quite conveniently behind the pretext of budgetary issues. How cunningly he had managed to camouflage his evil intentions. Nobody will ever come to know that he was intending to negate it at all the costs, budgetary or no budgetary issues. Her eyes started getting teary out of helpless rage as she remembered all those long speeches and arguments she had prepared last night at the cost of sleep, which now a days thanks to Bindu, is very dear to her. Now with all her hard work in vain and this cunning man acting as innocent as fresh snow, all she wanted to do was scream at the roof top, stomping her foot.
So while Veerbhandra beat around the bush, the king and the queen were busy pondering at the queen's royal upbringing, which was prohibiting her to throw a fit publicly. One regretting it and other thanking all his stars for it
Veerbhandra by the time, done with all his lamenting and unable to find anymore words, was on the verge of stammering.
Chandragupta came for his rescue "Veerbhadra ji main chahuga ki aap kuch samay le iss vishay mein, agar uss avadhi mein bhi aap kisi samadhaan pe nahin pahunch paayege toh majbooran mujhe iss prastaav ko nirast karna hoga, rajya iss waqat iss prastaav ko laagu karne ki sthithi mein nahin hai.
[Veerbhadra ji, I would like you to take some time, and even after it you are unable to come up with a solution, then I would have no options but to negate the bill as the State as of now, is not in a position to execute it]
"Maharaj agar anumati ho, toh main kuch kahoon?", [your majesty, may I have the permission to say something] came Nandini's voice, much to the surprise of the members present. Queen Nandini was not someone known for jumping at every single opportunity to express herself, unlike the Greek one. Though highly qualified, she most of the time chose to be a passive observer maintaining a dignified silence. Speaking, only, when asked to.
Getting affirmation from him, as she assumed her position in the centre of the court; a wave of nervousness hit Chandragupta, the same nervousness which he had felt when she took the Takshsheela exam. This has always been with this woman, somehow he felt answerable for her; for her joys, her sorrows, her failures, her achievements. Even when they were enemies, even when he was head over heels in love with her, and even today when he is ready to go to any length for just one look of belonging from her.
Gathering his thoughts, he focused on her speech. He could see everyone marveling on her clarity of thoughts, it looked as if she was reading a well rehearsed paper and not doing an extempore. Everyone but him, he knew exactly what she is capable of, in fact she can do better. The plan was to create self help groups (SHGs), a small voluntary association of women preferably from the same socio economic background. The SHG's would promote small savings among its members. The common fund in the name of the SHG, would help its member when in need, something similar on the lines of co operatives, but on a much smaller scale, hence more approachable to the most needful, that is lowest of low strata. Those who are disowned by family/husband and seek shelter with the state, the state can seek help of the SHGs to train them in technical skills like, sewing, spinning, or marketing their cottage products, so that they are skilled enough to make a living for themselves and not be a burden to the state. Some of them gradually venturing into entrepreneurship can in turn help many victims like them. As far as setting up the initial SHGs, their training and spreading awareness about them is concerned, the State can seek help of the students studying in various gurukuls across the nation as part of their internship program. The whole idea was to make women self sufficient rather the State being sufficient for them.
"Maharaj agar aapki aagya ho aur yadi yahan upasthith sabhasadon ko koi aapati na ho, toh main iss prastaav ke aarthik paksh ki rooprekha vistaar se tyaar kar ke aaj sandhya tak prastut kar sakti hoon.", concluded Nandini
[if I have the permission of your majesty and if the assembly members don't mind, I can submit a detailed blue print of the budgetary aspect of the bill by this evening]
As the assembly clapped for their Queen, the king's chest swelled with pride, he wanted to come down from his throne and personally escort her to the throne making the world know that she was his queen,that he belonged to her. But he knew that he has lost that right, fate had once given him all his due happiness served right in a platter and he has been foolish enough to turn away. But somehow today his heart refused to brood on its loss. She came up with the exact solution, which he had for the budgetary issues, the same which he hadn't bothered to mention in the bill, much to the plight of Veerbhadra. The fact that some where they were on the same page was making his hopes audacious
Once again it was Aacharya's voice, which brought him out of his musings," Maharaj main Mukhya maharani se poornatah sehmat hoon" [I agree completely with Mukhya maharani, your majesty]
Chandragupta had a hard time suppressing himself from breaking into a grin. No one will ever understand the relief, which the fact, that, Aacharya and Nandini were managing to co-exist, brought to him.
"Theek hai mukhya maharani Nandini, aapke paas aaj sandhya tak ka samay hai, prastaav ki rooprekha prastut karne ke liye. Aapko kisi bhi mantri ya sabhasad ki sahayata lene ki poorn anumati hogi. Aaj sandhya, hum sadan ki vishesh baithak bulayege, jisme aap, main, Pradhan amatya Chanakya, tatha mantri veerbhadra sam-milit honge"
[All right, Mukhya maharani Nandini, you have all the time till today's evening to come up with a detailed blue print of the plan. You are allowed to seek assistance from any minister or assembly member, you wish to.we will call a special meeting in the evening, which I, including, you, Prime minister Chanakya and minister Veerbhadra will attend]
"Issi ke saath aaj ki sabha bhojan kaal, tak ke liye sthagit ki jaati hai". [The assembly is adjourned for lunch]
As everybody left Chandragupta busied himself with paper works.
"Chandra ! Aacharya's voice echoed in the empty assembly.
"Jee?" Keeping the papers aside he stood up in respect.
"Stree sashatikaran prastaav tyaar karne ka tumhara vichaar bahout badhiya hai" [your idea of women empowerment bill is excellent]
"Parantu acharaya woh maine nahin, woh toh veerbhandra ne..." cutting himself midway he looked at him sheepishly. Only a fool will think of fooling Aacharya.
[But Aacharya I haven't, it's veerbhadra who has...]
Mujhe tum pe garv hai putra!! [I'm proud of you son] He said softly while keeping a hand on his student's head which was bowed down in respect.
"Manushya galtiyon ka putla hai Chandra, hum sab bhool karte hain, maine bhi ki hai" he said in a disappointed tone.
[To err is human Chandra, we all make mistakes, I too have]
Aacharya!main vinti karta hoon, bhool jaayein uss baat ko, said Chandragupta while keeping his hand on his teacher's shoulder in assurance
[Aachray I pray to you, please forget whatever happened]
Chanakya watched him intently, there was not a single trace of Chandra, the shepherd boy. All he can see was Smarat Chandragupta Maurya standing in front of him in all his majestic glory. Isn't that what he always wanted, but it had made him insecure, insecure that he would lose him to the harmful indulgences that comes with the extravagance of royalty. The prime reason, he was out of his wits when he had realized that his student has developed a soft corner for his enemy's daughter, of all the women around him. He had thought of it, as infatuation, may be because she managed to intrigue his student, assuming that the phase would pass. Foolish enough on his part to think that he would make it pass, not realizing that the woman has gotten into his student's skin the way neither of them would have imagined. It was this foolishness of his which made him commit the biggest blunder of life, misjudging Helena.
"Aacharya! kis soch mein pad gaye?" came ever so gentle voice of Chandra [what are you thinking Aacharya?]
"kuch nahin Chandra, main bas wahi dohraana chahuga jo main tumse humseha kehta hoon, mahaan wahi manushya hai, jo apni bhool swikaar kare aur usey sudhaare.
[Nothing Chandra, once again I would like to repeat what I always say to you. He who accepts his mistakes and makes an attempt to fix them, is the greatest]
With this the prime minister turned to leave. Chandragupta watched him leave, it will ever remain a mystery that how a man as tough as nails, can be so soft sometimes. As a child Chandragupta always dreamed of a father, who would be different from the monster he had in the name of father, and every time he would end up visualising an image close to Aacharya.
With a heavy heart he went back to his work when a maid entered with a plate of food. Signalling her to keep it aside he was about to go back to his work with absolutely no plans of having the food, when it strike him that none of the maids or servants were allowed to disturb him with the petty issue of food.
"Ruko"! He asked the leaving maid "ye bhojan kisne bhijwaya hai?" kya maharani Nandini ne? [who has sent this food? Maharani Nandini?]
He had no idea why did he asked, no reason, it was just plain impulse, which made him ask, with heart pounding against him, so fast that he can hear it.
Jee maharaj woh... jee woh ...the stammering maid was in a fix, she has been precisely ordered by the queen not to mention her name, but standing in front of the emperor it was impossible to lie.
Understanding her plight, he asked her to leave. He had his answers, she cares... she still does. Today was probably his lucky day.
Smiling he went to have his meal, after ages, a meal on time. Taking a morsel Chandragupta grimaced in distaste; the fact that the food was cooked by the most prestigious and skilled chefs of the country made no difference, it tasted him the same ever since she left him...bland.
Sighing he pushed aside the plate..."Tumse adhik muje tumhari jali roti smaran aati hai Nandini" [more than you I miss those burnt chappaties made by you, Nandini]
[next part in following post]
Edited by aishwish - 8 years ago
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