Meet the Family

Meet the Family

Sajja Bai stood in the family study room looking at one of the frames that adorned the table. Her Jija’s smiling face stared back at her

It was pretty late in the night when Sajja ran down the corridor to see her Jija standing with her two sons and the bags. She was carrying Shakti in her arms while Pratap still a little sleepy stood holding his and his brother’s back-pack. Sajja knew something was awfully wrong as her sister tucked both boys in bed and asked her to call the lawyers.

JB: I’m leaving him Sajja. He has crossed all limits and my patience has run out. I have had enough.

Jaiwanta Bai served Uday Singh with the divorce papers in his office in front of the entire board of directors including his own father Sangram Singh who upon hearing of his son’s indiscretions was ashamed. Uday Singh’s affair scandal made him face flak from everyone in the community while Jaiwanta Bai decided to make a fresh start for herself and her sons. Along with her sister she started her own business - Songara Empire that Pratap took over once his studies were completed.

Ajabde: I’m sorry Kakisa I didn’t mean to disturb you. 

Ajabde had just peeped in to the well-furnished room seeing Sajja alone, in the room. On getting no response Ajabde walked up to see Sajja Bai holding a frame close to her heart with her eyes closed. She placed her hand on her shoulder.

“ Kakisa??”

“ Arey Ajabde Baisa aap…” She just wiped off her tears hurryingly. “Sorry I was lost in my own thoughts”

“ Yeh kaun hai?” Ajabde pointed at the picture.

“ Humaari Jija, Pratap aur Shakti ki maasa – Maharani Jaiwanta Bai Songara. “ her voice seemed distant. 

Ajabde sat down on the carpet before her chair eagerly looking at the elegant lady’s potrait. 

 

“aree beta upar...”

“ Aap hume inke baare mein bataaiye na”

Sajja smiled. Since her Jija passed away they rarely talked of her. Shakti avoided such conversations and Pratap was always about business. She always remembered Jija alone. But now, she was glad that Ajabde asked.

Rao Ramrakh Punwar sat distraught in his daughter’s room looking at all her stuff, her pictures on the wall, her favourite books and wind chime. He knew he had made a mistake by fixing her marriage with “that ToranMal guy” she always laughed about but she shouldn’t have run away like that. Couldn’t she atleast try to talk to him once? Say Papa I don’t like him? Maybe she was scared of hurting him... or was there someone else? Someone important enough for her to escape like that? A place to go to? 

He stared at the family picture that was close to both of them – the three Punwars, him, his wife Hansa and their newly born daughter Ajabde. It was the only picture that had all three together as Hansa died later in the week due to complications in the delivery. Ajabde was all he had and now she was gone all because he refused to listen to her. He had never been a friend Ajabde wanted. He realized it late; being a single parent he had probably never given Ajabdeh what Hansa  could have, a friend to talk to. Waise Ajab bhi to Ajab thi! A worried smile swept across his face.

7 year old Ajabde stood silently in her father’s study where he was speaking to the principal of her school. During recess time some boys of her class were troubling their junior girls and when one of the boy was about to hit the junior she had stepped in and showed the boys what a girl could do. The boys ran crying from there but when she came home she was asked to meet her father in the study and she was well aware that “The Study” meant she was in trouble.

“Papa?” She peeped in to the Study .

“ Ajabde you know why you have been called here?” He looked up from his file. She nodded, not bowing her head making him frown. “now I want you to tell me the truth- did you beat up those boys?

Ajabde looked straight into her father’s eyes. “Ji Papa I did beat those boys.”

Ramrakh removed his glasses in awe. “ Why?”

“ They were troubling the junior girls and also because I’m Rajput- we fight to protect those who are unable to fight themselves. If they do so again, I will punch them harder!” She appeared visibly angry at the incident.

Rao Mamrakh looked at his daughter with pride as smiled knowing he had taught her well.

His Ajabde was different than the other girls and he raised her like he would raise a son. He told her stories of the brave warriors of Rajputana who fought till their dying breaths for their freedom, honour and pride. He taught her the values of the brave Rajputana women who chose to end their lives in the sacred ritual of Jauhar instead of surrendering to the enemies. Every time she won a competition his chest would swell with pride, her drawings were placed on a board in his office room. He had heard a lot of people tell him that he pampered his daughter a little too much but he disagreed- he loved his daughter and gave her everything she worked hard to deserve. 

Pratap sat in his room looking at his mother’s ring. There was a time he wished to find someone whom he would give it in a very romantic gesture but she had destroyed it. She had destroyed everything and made him understand that love was nothing but a farce. Something people should never waste their time over.

Pratap stood on the sidewalk watching the London Eye lit up in the night over the river Thames. There was a chill in the air after the rains earlier in the evening but he felt numb ever since his conversation with his younger brother and their uncle Rawatji. He couldn’t believe he had been played by her and he had fallen in her trap.

“I’m so sorry am late Pratap” A female voice behind him made him shut his eyes and sigh before he turned to face her.

Phool Kanwar was standing all dressed up with perfect make-up on her face. That makeup helped act probably!

Pratap decided to speak directly. “ There are a lot of things one needs to be sorry for my Ranimaa would tell me and one of the things on top of the list was lies!” He stared in to those pretty eyes that once made his heart flutter. Not any more!

“ I don’t understand Pratap” She appeared clueless.

“ Hmmm...” He joined his hands to rub them a little as the cool breeze gave him a shiver. “ how about I address you properly?”

“Huh?”

“ Good evening Rajkumari Phool Kanwar Rathore!” His sarcastic smile made her face flush out of all its colours!

“ You know?” Her voice shook a little.

“ Good bye Rajkumarisa .” His eyes were still on hers. No regret in them. He decided not to look back as she stood there still staring at him! As he walked away with the ring box in his pocket, still tucked away he heard her speak up.

“ You are a fool if you believe in love Pratap.” Her voice was a taunt. “ It doesn’t exist. You were just a pass time for me. And besides you don’t have the resources to take care of me. I’m a Rathore princess and I know the business world too. Songara is nowhere near Rathores or even the Sisodias... “ He knew he would remember each word of it for a long long time!

He had left London the next day and never looked back. He joined the business and the only news he got about her was the engagement announcement in the newspapers.

Sisodia and Rathores unite in matrimony:

Rajkumari Phool Kanwar Rathore all set to marry Kunwar Jagmal Singh

Shakti saw his brother stare at their mother’s ring and knew he was thinking about the past. Their past was painful and no matter how hard they tried it always came back to haunt them. He sighed at his brother’s empty eyes.

Shakti had never seen his Dadabhai so hurt and broken. He really loved her but she had been lying to him. Rawatji stood in silence before he placed his hand on Pratap’s shoulder.

“ Baujiraj, Rajkumari Phool has done nothing but lie to you from her identity to her real intentions. As far as my sources go she will be engaged soon to Jagmal and the Rathores-Sisodia will announce their partnership.”

“ I have got to go” Pratap had found voice after the longest five minutes of his life.

“ Dadabhai?” Shakti stared worried.

“ It’s time to say goodbye to Rajkumarisa.” He smiled at his brother. “ after all Ranimaa taught us this much bhai, to bid proper adieus to both friends and foes.”

Shakti saw his Dadabhai leave that night and the person who returned was Kunwar Pratap Singh Songara. Shakti knew that night in some dark street his Dadabhai disappeared and it would take someone very special to bring him back. Shakti expected nothing but some miracles now.