Through this award-winning novel, the author has attempted to illuminate a lesser-known chapter of Meerabai’s life

Meera

By Debasree Chakraborti

She has carried the pain of that moment with her for a lifetime. Kunwarbai’s palace was bathed in the crimson hues of the setting sun. She was busy adorning herself. The maids were carefully dressing her. Every night, before Rana Sangha arrived, she would transform herself into a vision of unmatched beauty. Fragrances were scattered all around the palace. In the queen’s personal kitchen, delicious dishes were prepared for the Rana. From dusk till dawn, the time would pass like a strange, beautiful dream.

While the queen was absorbed in her ornamentation, a maid came rushing in breathlessly to deliver news: the Rajmata and the royal priest were sitting together to fix the date of Rana Sangha’s marriage — he was to wed a princess from Jodhpur.

Kunwarbai could not contain herself upon hearing the news — it was as though a violent desert storm had blown into her palace. In a frenzy, she began to throw whatever she could get her hands on. The situation grew so intense that the maids fled the queen’s quarters in fear. When this news reached Rana Sangha, he rushed to her palace.

As soon as the queen saw him, she pounced on him like a furious tigress — hitting and kicking him wildly while shouting just one thing again and again:

“Why did you commit such a terrible betrayal? Such a cruel deception! You didn’t say a single word to me, I had to hear it from a maid! Why would you do something so devastating? Didn’t you think of the young prince?”

Angered by her behavior, Rana Sangha grabbed her arms tightly and said sternly:

“This is politics. For generations, these alliances have been made in the interest of the kingdom — and they will continue in the future. In no way have I dishonored you or the prince. Your son Bhoj will be the future Rana of Mewar, and you will be the Rajmata. Consider that your good fortune, and live peacefully. Do not torment me anymore.”

Saying this, Rana Sangha left Kunwarbai’s chambers that day.

The queen, already surrounded by darkness, began to sink into even deeper shadows. And then, one day, as an inevitable consequence of time, the shehnais once again echoed through the halls of Chittor Fort. The entire palace glittered in the light of ceremonial lamps, but that light could never reach the queen’s…

The darkness of the inner palace could not be dispelled. With the arrival of the princess from Jodhpur came the arrival of the Jodhpur prince and other ministers as well, into Mewar.

Through the maids, Queen Kunwarbai continued to hear of the new queen’s beauty and virtues. Alongside that, she also learned about the arrogance and displays of power by the Jodhpur ministers and the prince in the court of Mewar. Yet despite spending so many years in Mewar, neither she nor her father’s family had been able to establish any real position of power there. Because she had never mastered the strategies of power and politics.

As her son Bhojraj slowly grew older, she kept counting down the days to the future — the day she would become Rajmata, and take her revenge on everyone one by one.

But soon again, the shehnais echoed through the palace halls — the princess of Bundi, Karmetbai, entered Chittor as the Rana’s third wife. With her came the presence and growing dominance of Bundi’s ministers and prince in the royal court. The senior queen grew even more isolated.

There had been a time when she had dreamt of marrying a princess from the Solanki family to Bhojraj, and through that alliance, firmly establishing her own influence in Mewar. But instead, she was once again cast into the shadows — Bhojraj was married to a Rathore girl. She couldn’t even truly be called a princess — the granddaughter of a mere jagirdar (landholder), now married to the crown prince of Mewar.

And today, Rana Sangha, the prince, and the Rajmata were dancing with joy around her. No one dared say a word against them.

After devoting so many years of her life to Mewar — was this all she had to show for it?

Disgrace…

As the bitter thoughts consumed her, Kunwarbai let out a choked sob of grief and humiliation.

Even after all these years, the Solankis could not secure a place of power in Mewar.

Yet a mere landholder like Ratan Singh had risen to become a commander of Mewar.

The senior queen cried out — a scream born of anger, envy, and agony. That cry reverberated through the inner chambers of Mewar Fort like a drop of water sizzling on a searing hot griddle. (Continues)

Click here for Part-1, Part-2, Part-3, Part-4, Part-5, Part-6, Part-7, Part-8, Part-9, Part-10, Part-11, Part-12, Part-13, Part-14, Part-15, Part-16, 

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Debasree Chakraborti is a renowned novel writer of Bengali language. Based in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, she has done Master’s in Modern History from the Kolkata University, and authored some thirty books, mostly the novels, with historical perspective and themes. Her novel is ‘Maharaja Dahir’ that covers the history of Sindh from 662, the year of first attack on Sindh by the Arab armies till date, was published last year and translated by Nasir Aijaz into Sindhi language.