Chapter 1 | Nature's Design

1544

He continued to stare at the huge portrait of his mother, without batting an eyelid. She had sacrificed a lot, she had jumped into the holy flames of jauhar and was no more. 

And right now, he needed her, needed her more than anybody else on this planet. 

"What should I do ranimasa?" he asked, as his eyes stung with impending tears. "Since the day you left this aboard, things have become bad here."

Sniffing back his tears, the young king sighed in exhaustion. Shutting his eyes, he seemed to harden his face, make up his mind and silently walk back into the durbar. 

"I've decided to hand over the keys of this holy fort to Sher Shah Sur." He announced in a firm compelling voice. 

"No Ranaji!" Exclaimed one of the chieftains. "This can't happen! We shall fight till our last breath hukum!"

"There shall be no war." Announced the king once more. "Chittor has yet not recovered from either the battle of Khanwa nor the saka-jauhar when Bahadur Shah of Gurjara attacked."

The chieftains nodded. Their king was right. He had recently claimed his throne from his reprobate, malicious uncle Banbir. 

Two huge wars, one minor war, the loss of an entire generation to a brutal battle was enough for now. 

"I," began the young king, holding the huge key in his hands continued, "Rana Udai Singh of Mewar, son of Rana Sanga; swear by Ekling Naathji that I shall take back this key from Sher Shah Sur." 

"JAI EKLINJI! JAI MEWAR!" Roared the chieftains in unison. 

War at a stage where there was no man power nor money was nothing but suicide. They knew it well, the royals, the commoners and the chieftains of Mewar had seen, faced and been through it all. 

"Thus shalt you write o scribe of Chittor," began Rawat Saidas Chundawat, "the guardian of the throne, under the guidance of Eklinji our king and ruler has decided to place this venerable key into the hands of a thief."

The scribe penned down word for word of what was spoken by the Chundawat noble. No one could question his decision. No one would even dare ask for a war. 

They silently swallowed their ego's and left the fort to meet with the huge army encamped at Jahazpur, 19 kilometres away from their holy fort of Chittorgarh. 

"Peace." Said Rana Udai Singh in a firm voice. "I don't seek a blood bath, not when things are bad."

Sher Shah smirked and nodded. He himself didn't seek a war, it would be a waste of time. Standing up from his recliner he nodded and extended his palm towards the king. 

Holding the eye in his hand, he pressed it against his forehead in reverence silently pledging to take back their home from the Afghan's. 

Placing the key in Sher Shah Sur's hand, he said, "I hope that you do not go back on your word and will allow us to continue residing in our fort."

"Yes of course Rana Udai Singh ji," said the man. "You will now pay taxes to Shams Khan; my general and viceroy of Chittor."

Shams Khan smirked at the king and joined his palms in mock greeting, "Pranam...."

"Khamma ghani." Snapped Udai Singh almost immediately. 

"Since I'm the viceroy...I expect gifts. Plenty of them!" He added sitting on a chair. 

"What do you want?" Asked Rawat Chundawat trying hard not to growl in rage. 

"Horses, wine and yes...some of your dancing girls...ha ha ha..." He cackled making the young king cringe a little. 

"Deal. Anything else?" Asked Udai Singh without another thought. 

"Bow." Replied Shams Khan. "Bow before me."

"HOW DARE YOU..." Roared one of the chieftains nearly pulling his sword out from his sheath. 

Rana Udai Singh immediately held his hand and deliberately pushed the man's sword back into its scabbard and darted a glare at the Afghan saying, "We only pay obeisance to Eklinji. Shams Khan, you will get whatever you asked for but you can't make me pay you my homage." Saying this the king, joined his hands, rolled his eyes and walked out of the tent along with his chieftains. 

Rana Udai Singh mounted his horse and rode back to the fort. He was disgusted, he wondered if at all he was a worthy successor to his great father Rana Sanga. 

At the Ranimahal, which was separated from the rest of the palace by a thin corridor, Maharani Jaivantabai sat with the two children teaching them ethics. 

"A Rajput only bows his head in front of Eklinji, his guru and his parents." She began. Her face radiated pride and love both at the same time.

"If that's so," interrupted a small voice laced with curiosity. "Why then did daajiraj hand over the keys to our enemy?"

Maharani Jaivantabai smiled at her four year old son and said, "Many times for the sake of the people, for safety and for refurbishment of a country certain decisions must be made keeping in mind the consequences of an action."

"Then..." came another voice, "are we going to be under someone?"

She smiled at the two boys and replied, "A king must thus take decisions, not in consideration with his ego and pride but with forethought of the people."

"That doesn't answer my question badi maasa!" Exclaimed the four year old jumping up from the soft cushion. 

"Sit down bhai Shakti," insisted his brother pulling him by his arm. "Ranimaa, we will fight right?"

"Pratap, Shakti." Began Maharani Jaivantabai cupping both their faces. "Right now you'll are small, but that doesn't mean you'll play and enjoy. Work now, make yourselves worthy. Then, whenver shall the war be; you'll will be able to serve your motherland with pride."

Both the boys nodded and smiled at the queen. Just then Rani Sajjabai entered the room and chirped, "Food is ready!"

"Oh!" she exclaimed sheepishly, "I apologize jija were you teaching them something!?"

Maharani Jaivantabai smiled and shook her head replying, "No. I just finished with their lessons for the day. Pratap, Shakti run along and have your meal."

The two four year olds nodded and dashed out of the room. Rani Sajjabai entered Jaivantabai's room and said, "Jija, did you hear that Ranaji is going to Jaisalmer?"

Maharani Jaivantabai's face hardened and she gave her a nod. 

"I've heard she's very beautiful..." Muttered Sajjabai whimpering a little. "I'm afraid that Ranaji won't even look at me..."

Maharani Jaivantabai sighed and replied, "Sajja behna, you too will learn how to see Ranaji with another woman."

"How can you be so strong jija?" she sobbed helplessly. 

Jaivantabai sighed thoughtfully and replied, "Since I'm the pathvi (eldest) Rani, I must learn to be strong. Sajja behna, you too must be strong."

Brushing away her tears Rani Sajjabai nodded her head vigorously and muttered, "We are already paying taxes to live in our own house and now one more queen is coming..." 

Saying this she walked out sniffing and sobbing. Maharani Jaivantabai looked at the idol of Lord Krishna and said, "Why does this new marriage with the Bhatyani princess feel like doom Kanahaji?"

"Ranimaa," came a soft voice from the threshold of her room. 

Turning around she eased as she saw her four year old son Pratap. "What is it?" She asked.

"Ranimaa," he began, pulling his thick dark brows into a frown, "this is my house right?"

"Yes...why?" asked his mother trying to comprehend her son. 

"Then why are we giving money to someone, just to stay in our own house?" He asked. 

Her son's curiosity made Maharani Jaivantabai smile thinking, this is exactly what punditji predicted during his birth. A mighty warrior and an amazing king....

The first sign of a worthy successor was a curious nature. A hunger for knowledge, a thirst for wisdom, a passion to do what was right and an undying love for ones land and people. 

Kneeling down, she held her little son by her arms and said, "That's what happens when there's no unity among the people. When we ourselves are broken, when we ourselves keep engaging in battle against one another, how then do we chase those who seek to make our home their chess board?"

Pratap frowned at his mother and asked, "How do we chase them out? Should we all become one?"

Carrying him in her arms she took him to the jharoka and pointed to the green flag fluttering over the Vijay Stambh and said, "Unity is extremely important Pratap. At the same time, you must know to convince, control and lead. A true leader is the one who removes the best out of his men and if one of the members are at fault, it's the leader who should take the blame."

"Ranimaa," he said once more, "when will I remove that flag from there?"

"Very soon." She replied and turned towards the fluttering flag. 

Pratap your birth shall be the glory of Mewar. Your presence shall be the people's joy. Your love for your motherland shall be your strength and your values your guiding path. She thought with pride in her eyes. 

She had to make her boy not only a worthy successor but also a worthy individual. 

That flag doesn't belong to us. The money which daajiraj is paying is ours and this house is also ours. I promise I'll take it back. Eklinji please make me grow up soon. He prayed fervently closing his tiny eyes.

***

"That was a wise decision." Said the worried mother. 

"I agree Hansa," nodded the man, "if not...there would have been a war. It would be pretty decisive that victory wouldn't be ours."

Hansabai nodded in agreement and looked at her two year old daughter busy playing with another two year old girl. "I was so afraid that something bad would happen, when I heard that Sher Shah Sur has reached with his army."

"Hansa...don't worry; Ranaji has taken the right decision and in time Mewar will have its, crown of glory- Chittor back." Said Rao Ram Rakha Punwar in a reassuring voice. 

Hansabai nodded and picked up her two year old from the bed and cooed, "My Ajab will leave in a free land...soon..."

The little child cackled and waved her legs and feet in the air. Her dark skin, chubby cheeks and bald scalp made her look cute. 

Taking the child from her mother, Rao Ram Rakha kissed his little daughter on her forehead and said, "My laado will grow up to free the land. Hansa, I'll make our daughter a brave Rajputani."

Hansabai smiled and carried the other girl exclaiming, "Are you planning to make her a warrior!"

"Why not?" countered the father, "times are changing Hansa, women too must learn to save themselves. They can't depend on a man all the time. Ajab and Saubhgyavati should learn to live without a man."

"Hey Bhagwan! Don't you want them to marry!" Gasped the mother practically pulling the child from her husband's arms, after she placed Saubhgyavati on the bed. 

The little child continued clinging to her father's shawl and kicked her mother's hands away making her father chuckle. "See, she agrees with me." 

"No, no..." replied the mother, "she has to get married."

"She's still two Hansa she has a long way to go..." He laughed and sat down on the bed playing with his daughter. 

Ajabde was the fourth child of Rao Ram Rakha Punwar and Rani Hansabai of Bijolia. Rao Ram Rakha had three sons, Kunwar Dungar, Kunwar Shubhkaran and Kunwar Pahad, after whom was a girl born in 1542. 

***

Humayun sighed and watched another one of his men die. They had gone without food for weeks now and the cold rocky deserts of Kabul was taking a toll on them. 

"It's good we left Jalal in Umerkot only." Sighed Hamida. "At least we know that he's fine. Where do we plan to go?"

"Persia." Replied her husband, "Begum," he began in a rather soft voice, "we need Shah Tahmasp help to get back Hindustan."

"We'll make this journey," she consoled, "don't you worry. Inshaa Allah! All will be fine. We'll get help and once more reinstate the Mughal flag."