.
Chapter 1.
Rewar Through The Ages by William E. Smithfield.
Published 1954, Harper Collins.
Pg 45
Maharaja Arnav Singh was born in 1860 AD, when the once raging fire of the Great Indian Mutiny, also referred to as the Great war of Independence, depending on whom one sided with, was being determinedly doused everywhere in India. He was the first born of Maharaja Jai Singh, ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Rewar and his main queen, Maharani Laxmi Devi.
Soon after the war had commenced, Maharaja Jai Singh had decided to side with the British with the sole aim of securing his extravagant, bordering on decadent lifestyle. In his opinion, pride was an insignificant price to pay for all those immeasurable pleasures that life could offer. Stripped of all real power, he was allowed by the British to continue living his life as before as a reward. At the expense of his heavily taxed subjects, who continued to live in abject poverty.
Maharaja Jai Singh had nine lawfully wedded wives, about a dozen concubines (usually a woman of low social status in a permanent relationship with the king but without any rights of a wife), and scores of courtesans (female entertainers for the purpose of pleasure only), not at all surprising for a person of his stature, at that period of time.
In 1880, Maharaja Jai Singh died rather unexpectedly during a hunting expedition in Rajasthan and Yuvraj Arnav Singh was urgently summoned from England to take over the throne, which being a throne in name only had seemed like a mockery and an insult to twenty year old Arnav. Extremely disappointed at having his education summarily curtailed, he reluctantly became the next Maharaja of Rewar, earning the title of 'The Reluctant Ruler' in history books.
Page 60.
Having spent some years in England and seen the rights and privileges, the British citizens enjoyed in their own country, he gradually became bitterly resentful of the British rule in Rewar, in India. Within a year of being crowned, he started working towards securing independence for his land with a passionate, all consuming zeal. He formed secret alliances with his neighboring states in an attempt to garner strong opposition against the enemy and the consequence of one such alliance was his marriage to Rajkumari Harshita Devi, daughter of the Maharaja of a friendly neighboring state, in 1885.
Page 62.
Going by historical accounts, she seemed to be suffering from what is now known as Bipolar Disorder, and which became worse after the birth of a child in 1886.
Page 65.
From 1886 through 1888, the alliance of seven princely states utilized all available resources to fight tooth and nail against the British rule. Unfortunately their zest, passion and gallantry was no match against the might of the British Empire. In 1888, Maharaja Arnav Singh had to finally accept his defeat to become a powerless ruler, who had unlimited wealth but no say in the future of his state, his people. At 28 years of age, he was bitter, frustrated, disillusioned, and notorious for the violent intensity of his frequent anger outbursts and the cruelty of his punishments.
Monsoons of 1888,
Bhopal.
In the sprawling garden of a large, two storied brick building with a yellow exterior, a group of young girls were swaying on makeshift swings hanging from stout branches of trees. The sky was overcast with swirling gray clouds and ignoring the distant rumble of thunder, they sang centuries old folk songs to welcome the monsoons. One voice in particular stood out as it filled the surrounding air with it's sweetness and purity even as the notes of the song gushed out effortlessly like a clear mountain spring.
ghir aayi kali ghata matwali
ghir aayi kali ghata matwali
sawan ki aayi bahar re
sawan ki aayi bahar re
dhire dhire
mahkatpan ki bayar re
mahkatpan ki bayar re
sawan ki aayi bahar re
sawan ki aayi bahar re
A middle aged lady listening to her nodded her head in proud approval. "My nightingale", she murmured proudly. "Heaven has gifted you with something so beautiful and rare that it might just have the power to change your destiny". Walking over to her, she stroked her hair affectionately and said, "Keep practicing for your 'rang pravesham' (debut recital), you still have 2 more weeks. You are very fortunate to have the royal ladies of Rewar as your first audience and your performance should be nothing short of perfect".
Janmashtmi, 1888.
Anand Vilas Palace, Rewar.
The vast, closely guarded East wing of the royal palace, reserved solely for womenfolk, children or men of the royal household, was abuzz with excitement as preparations for evening Janmashtmi celebrations were underway. Rajmata Laxmi Devi, a dedicated patron of arts and music had ordered for the organization of a magnificent function of mammoth proportions in the ornate assembly hall. Horsemen bearing the royal invitations in gold filigree cases had been sent off to the neighboring states, months in advance. Several courtesans had been summoned as well from a famous ' house of courtesans' in Bhopal to perform before the royal guests.Those were the days, when courtesans were mavens of art, literature, dance and music and were often the recipents of much coveted patronage by the royal families of the Mughal empire as well as the independent princely states.
While twilight fell and set the burnished red sandstone of the Palace's facade on fire, the vast crowded hall shimmered with the light of hundreds of bejeweled oil lamps, their yellow glow reflecting spectacularly in the beautifully frescoed and mirrored ceiling. The air was thick with the smell of marigold and jasmine, whose thick garlands adorned the magnificent arches and the intricately carved marble colonnade.
As the Rajmata sat down in her royal seat, she whispered to a maid in attendance, who was busy fanning her in a reverential manner,"Is Maharani Harshita well enough to come?
"No, I'm afraid not, Your Highness", the maid said sadly.
Laxmi Devi sighed resignedly and signaled a middle-aged lady to begin with the performances. An expectant hush rippled across the hall as the function was set in motion by the opening notes of the debut performance of a new girl. Just as Maharaja Arnav Singh was preparing to leave this particular wing of the Palace after spending time with his 2 year old son, Yuvraj Vijay.
Tall and well built, with a regal tilt to his head, he cut a striking figure striding down a corridor, his handsome yet grim profile illuminated by the light of lamps set in stone recesses. He was followed by his closest aide and two armed guards. With his mind preoccupied by affairs of the state, he frowned in surprise upon unexpectedly hearing the wisps of a song floating out from the assembly hall.
His gait slowed imperceptibly as an intangible quality about that voice tugged at his heartstrings just like the moon does to the ocean. Even before he fully realized it, out of their own volition, his footsteps had turned in it's direction.
The sixteen year old girl with an unforgettable pair of hazel, almond shaped eyes sat demurely on the carpeted floor in the centre of the hall, facing the royal seat. She wore a bottle green, intricately embroidered lehenga choli while a shimmery gauze dupatta covered her head, modestly. Her forehead creased lightly in a most attractive manner as she wholeheartedly concentrated on the notes of her song.
The clear, sweet notes of her voice resonated in the high ceilinged hall and it was so beautifully rare, so pure that many people among the audience including the Rajmata were surprised to find warm tears pricking the back of their eyes.
Man Mohana Man Mohana
Kanha Sunona Aaa
Tum Bin Paun Kaise Chain
Tarsu Tumhiko Din Raina
Chodke Apne Kashi Mathura
Aake Basao More Nain
Tum Bin Paun Kaise Chain
Kanhaaa
Tarsu Tumhiko Din Rain
With all her concentration focussed on her song like a true artist, she didn't notice the sudden hush in the hall as the procession of Maharaja Arnav Singh entered the hall, unannounced. Totally unexpected, it took everyone by surprise and stunned them into silence.
Dismissing his guards, he strode across the hall and took seat next to his mother, who smiled up at him indulgently. However his intent gaze was focused on the girl, who sat on the floor in front of him with her eyes closed as she tried to successfully execute a series of particularly difficult notes.
Getting them perfectly right, she smiled in delight and opened her eyes. Only to stop in mid sentence as her widened eyes fell on the Maharaja himself. Sitting right in front of her in all his royal splendor and looking directly at her. Transfixed by the smoldering intensity of his eyes and intimidated by his hard, unsmiling facial expression, her throat closed and she was unable to continue.
"Continue dear", the Rajmata said in a kind voice.
With her hazel eyes flickering with confusion, she obediently opened her mouth to sing but to her horror, no sound came out.
Then her heart leapt with fright as she heard the Maharaja's deep, imperious voice order, "Continue!".
With her heart racing, she opened her mouth to commence singing again, albeit in a quivering voice, very unlike her own. Then she closed her eyes to allow years of rigorous training to come to her rescue. And very soon, her beautiful voice, pure and clear was resonating in the hall yet again.
When she opened her eyes again after a while, he had left.
It was late in the night by the time the performances were over and as the girls were getting ready to take their leave from the royal presence, an aide of the Maharaja entered the hall and took their mistress aside. Concise and to the point, he had come with what was supposedly an offer and his demeanor brooked no room for even the slightest degree of hesitation or doubt, let alone refusal.
"His Highness has taken a fancy to the new girl and desires to keep her in the palace".
The mistress's eyes fell on the bag of gold coins that the aide was holding and any doubts she might have had melted away even before their inception.
Hi friends and readers,
Would love to read your feedback, especially of those who are reading this story for the first time. ..:) And those who're rereading this, do you notice the change in the narration and do you guys like it or not?
Next update...tomorrow...same time...same thread...stay tuned...:)
Will pm with next chapter...
Love,
Jenny.:)
comment:
p_commentcount