Akhiyaan Har Darsan Ko Pyaasi
"Kya hum aapki koi sahayta kar sakte hai?" She turned around at once and was about to scream out fear when the person quickly put his hand on her mouth to stop her from screaming.
"Arrey chillaiye mat. Sab jag jaayenge. Yeh hum hai. Ghabrane ki koi aavashyakta nahin hai." He said flashing his million dollar smile. She was really shocked listening his voice all of a sudden in the pin drop silence of the palace. But soon she was relived to him. His hands were still resting on her mouth. She signaled him with her eyes to remove his hands. He realized it and quickly removed his hand from her mouth. And awkward silence followed.
"Aapne humare sawaal ka jawaab nahin diya Ajabde." He was the first to break the silence. Ajabde was confused at his words. What question was he talking about?
"Ji?" she said. "Yahi ki aapko humari koi sahaayta chahiye ya nahin!" He repeated his question once more.
"Ji nahin...Aa...p ko itna kasht karne ki zaroorat nahin hai Kunwar Pratap." She said while looking away from him.
"Soch lijiye Ajabde, yahan par to sirf hum hi aapki sahayta kar sakte hai. Abhi aapko koi bhi daasi nahin milengi." Pratap said. What he said was true. It was early morning and she could definitely not find anyone there to help her. Getting no answer from Ajabde he was about to go when...
"Ru..rukiye!!" Ajabde said. At once he turned to her giving her a sweet smile.
"Woh hume kaanha ji ke puja ke liye pushp chahiye the. Kya aap hume bataa sakte hai ki hume we kahan se mil sakte hai." She asked him softly.
"Humare saath aaiye Ajabde." Saying this he started to go towards the royal garden with Ajabde walking his side by side. They walked silently. Only the sound of Ajabde's payels could be heard. They glanced at each other every now and then. Now they were in the royal garden.
"Yahan se aapko job hi phool lene hai le lijiye. Raani maa bhi yahi se apne Krishna ke liye phool leti hai." Thinking about his Rani maa brought a smile in his face.
"Par hum yahan se kaise phool le sakte hain..." Ajabde said. She was not sure if she should take the flowers from here as it was the royal garden and it had so beautiful flowers and even Jaiwanta Bai herself took flowers for her puja from here.
"Hum keh rahe hai na aapko. Kyun nahin le sakti aap phool yahan se." Pratap said to her a little confused. He wasn't getting why Ajabde can't take flowers from here. It was getting late for her puja so she quickly started to take the flowers from the garden and out them in her basket. The sun still wasn't up. Pratap followed her all over the garden silently and observed her every movement intently. How serene she looked with her open and no jewelry at all. The cool morning breeze was blowing her lightly making her look all the more beautiful.
As Ajabde was taking the flowers she saw some beautiful roses and went near it to pick one of them. She was about to pluck it when one of its thorns pricked into her finger. Blood was oozing out of it.
"Aah!"Ajabde exclaimed. Pratap at once went to her and grabbed her finger.
"Ajabde! Aap ko dard to nahin ho raha. Dekhiye! Aapke haath mein kaanta chubh gaya. Aap dekhkar kaam kyon nahin karti. Dekhiye kitna rakt beh raha hai. Ab chaliye humare saath. Hum abhi aushadhi lagaa dete hai iss par.Aap bhi na. Humesha..." Pratap was really hurt to see blood coming out from her finger. He felt as if the thorn has not pierced in Ajabde's finger but his heart.
"Kunwar Pratap, hume kuch nahin hua hai. Hum bilkul thik hai. Yeh toh bass saadharan sic hot hai. Aapko humari chinta karne ki aavashyakta nahin hai. Hum bilkul thik hai." Ajabde assured him.
"Parantu aap aise hi..." Pratap tried to reason with her when he was cut off in the middle by Ajabde.
"Hum thik hai Kunwar Pratap. Humare paas inn sab ka waqt nahin hai. Hume puja ke liye vilamb ho raha hai." Saying this she went ahead with her basket, towards her room.
"Ajabde bhi nai. Kabhi nahin maanti ve humari baat. Kya karein hum inka."Pratap said to himself and started going towards his room.
To reach his room Pratap had to pass by Ajabde's room then was his one. Ajabde had reached earlier in her room and had started to prepare for the puja. Pratap was busy in his thoughts so he was walking slowly towards his room. Ajabde's image flashed in her mind. Her peaceful face, her sweet smile, that tensed face, the sweet laugh, tears in those beautiful eyes, concern, pain, and something more which he didn't know what. He didn't know why he was thinking so much about her. He tried his mind to divert towards some other topic but was unable to do so. She was there in his thoughts. He had not realized when he has crossed Ajabde's room. A melodious and familiar tune brought him out of his thoughts.
It was coming towards Ajabde's room. He tiptoed towards her room and hid behind the curtains to listen and observe everything which was going on in the room.
"Ankhiyaan hari darsan ko pyaasi, Ankhiyaan hari darsan ko pyaasi,
Ajabde sang in her melodious voice as she made the mala for Krishna with the flowers she had collected in the morning. Ajabde's room was not the biggest one but was different from all the other princess's room. It was beautifully a decorated one with a cozy feeling. It seemed as many memories were there in this room. In this room in a beautiful corner she had put up her Kanha's murti which she had brought with her. It was her daily custom to sing the bhajan and do puja in the early morning.
"Ankhiyaan hari darsan ko pyaasi, Akhiyaan hari darsan ko pyaasi
She sang along as she lit the diya in front of her Kanha. Pratap was once again mesmerized by her voice. It seemed as he was listening to her Raani maa. He got flashbacks of her when she was singing the song in Bijolia then his Rani Maa's doing aarti for her Krishna. A grin formed in his face.
On the other hand-
"Aah! Kitne din baad hum Jaivanta Baiji ki surili awaaz mein yeh Bhajan sun rahein hai. Unki awaaz mein koi chamatkaar hai." Uday Sing had just got up and was greeted by the melodious voiceof Ajabde which he mistook as Jaivanta Bai's. He went towards JB's room. When he reached there he only saw JB preparing for the Puja. She was not singing today! Then who else was singing so melodiously this beautiful song which JB sang during the puja.
US followed the direction of the tune and reached near Ajabde's room. He was mesmerized as his son by seeing the sight in front of him. Ajab singing the bhajan while doing the puja.
"Ankhiyaan hari darsan ko pyaasi, Akhiyaan hari darsan ko pyaasi
Jaiwanta Bai too hasn't missed the song coming from outside. She was surprised of thinking who must be singing the song. She thought maybe one of the princess is singing. "Kaun hai woh rajkumari jiski itni surili aawaz hai aur jo itne subha ko gaa rahi hai yeh bhajan." Saying this she went towards where the sound was coming from. "Jo bhi yeh gaa rahi hai, woh humaare Pratap ke liye upyukt patni hongi. Kaun hai itni kaabil. Hum dekhna chahte hai unhe."
She then understood that whom she was talking about was none other than Ajabde. She saw US listening to the song intently closing his eyes and muttering "Jaiwanta Bai Ji' slowly.She smiled and stood beside him and whispered "Rana Ji". He opened it eyes at once and smiled seeing JB. Then both of them looked at Ajabde.
"Ankhiyaan hari darsan ko pyaasi...
She finished her bhajan and closed her eyes, folding her hands in front of Kanha praying silently.
"Dekh rahein hai aap rana ji. Itni sushil ladki humne aajse pehle kabhi nahin dekhi." Jb said to US.
"Sach kaha aapne Jaiwanta Bai ji. Ilkul aapki tarha hai yeh. Jab humne apne kasha se yeh sangeet sunayi di huma laga ki aap gaa rahi hai. Par phir dekha yeh aap nahin Aajbde hai." US said looking at JB.
"Itna hi nahin, woh dekhiye." JB signaled US with her eyes towards the direction where Pratap was standing listening Ajabde's song and watching her intently with a beautiful smile adorning his face.
US was surprised to see Pratap hiding behind the curtains and looking at Ajabde. The boy who always thought girls were trouble and stayed away from girls was now hiding behind the curtains of the door of a girl's room and watching her doing puja.
"Pratap yahan?" US said with surprise visible in his voive.
"Mil gayi hai hume apne Pratap ke liye upyukt ladki. Chunli hai humne apni bahu aur mewaar ki Maharani." JB said to US as both of them smiled looking at Pratap then Ajabde.
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OK. I'm finished. I know its not good. But thanks for you patience reading. Please hit the LIKE button(of course if you like it😆) and do leave you wonderful comments.
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