Padmini

by Mridula Behari

  Padmini’s gaze swept the assembly hall. The atmosphere was charged with an emotional upsurge. The true face of the tyrant and his nefarious designs had been exposed. The darkness of the caverns began to dispel, ushering in rays of light that rekindled hope. A sense of optimism began to surge in them, which dissipated their cowardice. It looked as though they had entered a woodland with an ambience of magical valour, where there would be faced with miseries and hardships, but fear and despair there was not.

  Her eyes rested on that winsome boy again. His eyes were shining with a vague but intense curiosity. Indifferent to others around him, the boy looked as though he was lost in the world of Gora’s thoughts. He stared at Gora with his mouth open. It was as if he was drinking in Gora’s words. A new world of action and knowledge was opening up before him. Padmini could not take her eyes off the boy, Hamir, whose face was aglow like the rising sun.

  A strange attraction seemed to pull her towards him. If only she had a child of her own like him, her life would be justified, she thought.

  Suddenly, she was reminded of the tribal woman nursing her baby by the roadside en route to Chittor. The woman had gazed at her child with so much love and affection! At that moment, a sliver of a thought rose in her. It left her blushing.

  If only she could be a mother. If only she could have the good luck of undergoing labour pain, of holding a baby in her arms, of nursing it, of watching the baby toddle and play . . . an old wound began to open. She wanted to believe that everything was finished, yet she had no control over her irrepressible hope.

  The yearning that had bloomed inside her lingered on silently.

  The force in Gora’s voice continued to mount. Each and every word carried a spark of inspiration. His eyes blazed with passion. Prince Veerbhan listened to him gravely. Padmini, lost in her thoughts, remained cut-off from the world.

  Gora’s words loosened a torrent of patriotic sentiment. ‘Friends and warriors, for thousands of years we have worshipped this land, undergone severe penance and performed yajnas, sacrificial rituals, and followed a strict regime of virtuous conduct for the sake of our motherland. Will you now allow this holy land to be spoiled by the devilish game of the enemy? Can you let our revered Ranisa surrender to them and sit quietly, unperturbed? Will you allow this demonic power to succeed in its nefarious designs for fear of defeat?’ He shot his questions like arrows from his quiver.

  ‘No! No!’ A thousand voices resonated in unison. That formidable resonance seemed to carry a force strong enough to tear apart the impregnable walls of the enemy establishment and shake its foundation.

  A frenzy of cries seeking retribution filled the air.

  ‘Very well! Superb!’ The veterans nodded in approval. The expression on the prince’s face clearly showed that Gora had his support.

  The eyes, which were carrying shadows of despair till a while ago, were now gleaming with a sense of pride and self-esteem. The assembly was thrilled.

  ‘This wicked, power-hungry sultan does not deserve any courtesy, much less any gift. Friends, we cannot protect our dharma by meekly and disgracefully submitting to his immoral demands. It is by laying down our lives that we can protect and preserve it. You have to be prepared to give up your life for the sake of dharma, the sacred principles, and the truth.’

  Gora rallied his troops and generals, breathing new life into their fading spirits. His words acted like magical preachments. Patriotic sentiments began to swell in them. The fighting spirit, the courage that they had lost, had never left them. It was as if a veil had been lifted. All their dormant potentialities had been awakened. They felt as though nothing was impossible. Their pessimistic thoughts disappeared and they were fired-up with enthusiasm. Gora had struck the right notes that produced muted chants of ‘Arise! Awake!’ in their hearts. A single lamp had lit a string of lamps. Everybody got up and shouted to demonstrate their solidarity with Gora’s appeal. The rising tide of their voices created a deafening tumult.

  The gravitas in Gora’s voice and posture remained unchanged. He observed the response from the gathering. With tremendous confidence in his eyes he raised his hands, gesturing the crowd to calm down. They obeyed him.

  ‘We have to fight but not with a self-sacrificial mindset. A determined fighting force is complete in itself even without adequate financial resources and military strength. The first and foremost principle of fighting a battle is the skill; an unwavering desire to trounce the enemy. A battle begins with the resolve to win it. Those who accept defeat even before going to the battlefield can never challenge the enemy decisively.’

  How powerful and motivating his words are!

  A wave of a strong, yet pious, desire to stand and act spread through the crowd. Their battered morale began to get a much-needed boost. The determination to face the crisis courageously and come out victorious became stronger.

  ‘We have to face the invaders with complete unity. We know what our areas of vulnerability are. But if we have the vision to see our goal and the courage to achieve it, we can defeat the enemy.’

  The conch shell was sounded to signal that the meeting was over. People began to troop out with a strong resolve to win.

  Padmini watched the people leave in high spirits. She couldn’t help but say admiringly, ‘Gora! You are great! This campaign needs your leadership.’

  Meanwhile, the members of the war council, some distinguished soldiers and nobles went into a huddle in the conference room. They were engaged in finalizing the operational and strategic roadmap. Their secret discussion continued late into the night.

  * * *

  Dawn broke with a strange excitement in the air. The atmosphere was charged with a nameless, soundless enthusiasm. There was a hush in the air as people dared not breathe a word. The frenetic activity of armed soldiers had turned the area into a garrison town. Messengers were doing the rounds of the city frantically, busy delivering secret messages to the authorities, who in turn were issuing instructions and orders to be followed by commanders and others. Every movement, every activity was cloaked in a shroud of mystery. It was difficult to read the minds of the people from their expressions. Everyone wore a mask of seriousness, but the spark in their eyes gave away the excitement. The sentries, as well as the mounted cavalrymen, were guarded, as if anticipating some unexpected development.

  People in this land approached both life and death in the most dignified manner. When in a celebratory mood, they enjoyed life to the fullest. Yet when it came to facing adversity, they held themselves with extreme restraint. Sugna came back with hair oil and a comb. She spoke to Padmini solicitously, ‘Shall I call Lakshmi? She’ll tidy your hair. You have not loosened it in three days. You need a good comb.’

  ‘I don’t feel like it now,’ said Padmini half-consciously.

  How could she be particular about her appearance when she had so much preying on her mind these days? But Sugna was always there to take good care of her. She was her favourite companion, her soulmate. Perhaps Sugna was her most intimate companion in other lifetimes. Padmini was touched by Sugna’s solicitude for her. She would understand all her needs without being told. There always was a glint of concern in her eyes for Padmini. But what she loved best in Sugna was her honeyed voice.

  To keep her Ranisa happy and comfortable seemed to be the sole purpose of Sugna’s life. Padmini seemed to be the centre of her consciousness. Padmini’s mother valued Sugna’s qualities and justifiably gave her the position of being her principal companion.

  Sugna walked to the window. She looked out and said, ‘Ranisa, did you see something?’

  ‘What, Sugna?’

  ‘Please come here and see for yourself. A long row of palanquins is moving towards the city gates.’

  Padmini got up. She saw a large number of palanquins heading towards the gate, where a detachment of the royal army was stationed. Strange sounds came from the movement of the palanquins. The attendants bearing the palanquins seemed to be in a pleasant mood, as if going on
a pilgrimage.

  Suddenly, there was silence. It looked as though some very distinguished person was about to visit the women’s apartment.

  Just then Magan walked in and informed, ‘Patali Kunwar Yuvraj, the prince has arrived.’

  ‘Patali Kunwar Veerbhan?’ She was a little astonished. After seeing his response in the meeting a day before, she feared him no more. But what could have brought him here? She tidied her dress and gently pushed back a lock of hair that had strayed on to her forehead. Then she went back to her armchair.

  Prince Veerbhan entered the room. Padmini was relieved when she looked into his eyes. There was no trace of the void she had encountered three days back. The tense expression on his face had relaxed, and he seemed to have overcome his defeatist attitude. It looked as though he had found the right solution to the crisis, as though his despondency had been washed away. A soft exterior with an air of quiet authority—that was his personality. He was simple, yet impatient, and these attributes would not allow any bitterness to stay for long.

  Veerbhan was transparent like his father. Even the minutest wave rising in his heart was visible on his face like the reflection of clouds over a lake.

  The prince bowed to Padmini respectfully. ‘Ranisa, the campaign led by Gora has set off. If everything turns out the way it has been planned, the king will be freed by the evening.’

  It felt as if a light finger had swept over a thousand strings, unfurling sweet music around her. Is it true? Will the Rajan be freed from the sultan’s prison? She looked into Veerbhan’s eyes to reassure herself. He appeared to be confident.

  Their eyes met, and suddenly, the enthusiasm with which he had met her flickered out. It seemed as if the memory of his last visit had come back to him. Remembering the alacrity with which he had attempted to cut her to the bone the other day made his eyes shine with unshed tears. He silently admitted his mistake and she wordlessly acknowledged it.

  When he spoke again, he recounted the developments of the past few days briefly. After she had left, Gora and Badal had discussed the issue and arrived at a conclusion. After this, they had immediately sought permission to meet the prince.

  They conveyed their discussion to the prince and conferred with him in depth on all aspects of the impending crisis. Mahamantri Mahan Singh and Ajay Singh had also been called to the meeting.

  ‘When the mahamantri saw Gora in the prince’s chamber, his initial reaction was that of cautiousness. But when he came to know that Rani Padmini herself had visited him at his residence, he felt reassured. Not just the mahamantri, but the entire state knows that Rani Padmini is Maharawal Ratan Singh’s favourite queen,’ he said. Padmini felt her face flush.

  ‘Gora wanted me to address the assembly,’ he continued. ‘But I insisted that he was the most suitable person to speak to our leaders. I knew that he had the knack of a certain fervid eloquence in his way of communicating with a cross section of people.’

  Padmini listened without offering any comment. After she had met Gora and Badal, she had known that things were stirring. Yet to know the actual sequence of events was riveting. With every detail, she alternated between surprise and delight. She wanted to probe more, know all the details, seek every nuance of the events that had been set into motion. But she restrained herself. She watched the young man before her, the future king. She felt that deep down he was a kind and caring person. How calmly and dispassionately he was relating the whole sequence of events!

  Veerbhan paused for a minute. Once again, his eyes were locked on the queen. Her eyes always seemed to stir something in him. He realized that in terms of vivacity, Rani Padmini was no less than his mother, Prabhavati. But as far as equanimity, intellectual prowess and wisdom were concerned, she was way beyond his mother.

  He said, ‘The first phase of the victory march is complete and now . . .’

  ‘But I didn’t hear the war bugle or the war cry.’

  ‘You must have seen rows and rows of palanquins. Didn’t you?’

  ‘Yes, I have been noticing that since morning. Where are all these palanquins heading?’

  ‘They are headed to Ala-ud-Din’s royal camp.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘This time, a trap has been laid to beat the sultan at his own foul game.’ He lowered his voice and continued in a hushed tone, ‘Today, at the crack of dawn, Badal went to meet the sultan as an emissary of Mewar. On reaching his encampment, he sent word that he was being followed by Queen Padmini, who would be given to the sultan as a gift, and that she was being accompanied by hundreds of beautiful women for the emperor’s officers and soldiers. Badal told me that when the sultan heard it, he was so happy that he immediately drew a thousand gold coins from the royal treasury and rewarded Badal. Accepting the money, Badal told him that Queen Padmini had a request to make of the Badshah, the emperor. So overjoyed was the lustful sultan that he readily agreed, saying, “Yes, yes. Tell me what that request is. Even if she makes a thousand requests, I’ll grant all of them.” Then Badal told him that before she became the sultan’s consort, she wanted to meet Maharawal Ratan Singh for the last time. The sultan responded laughingly: “The queen has requested for such a small thing? Tell her that she need not worry. She will be given an opportunity to meet her husband.”’

  Padmini’s face showed that she was trying to grasp what he was telling her but was unable to understand. She said in a simple, affectionate way, ‘Prince! I find myself unable to follow you clearly.’

  The young prince nodded. Leaning forward and looking at her intently, he said in a hushed tone, ‘This information is confidential. The less people know of the strategy, the better.’

  Rani Padmini looked more bewildered and anxious. Veerbhan made a quick decision. Unless the cover of mystery was removed, Rani Padmini would not be able to understand anything.

  Looking around cautiously, Veerbhan said, ‘Seven hundred of our best soldiers, fully armed and dressed in women’s clothes were seated in the palanquins and dispatched to the sultan’s camp. Even those bearing the palanquins are warriors. They have weapons hidden under their dresses. Gora is in the first palanquin. He is dressed as you, Rani Padmini. He has been covered with clothes and ornaments in such a way that nobody can detect it to be a man with a strong muscular body. Surrounded by armed soldiers, his palanquin has been kept under the most watchful eye. The security provided to him is extremely tight.’

  Padmini’s eyes widened.

  Veerbhan paused in his detailed and cheerful description.

  Padmini’s mind roared with questions, and yet she had a premonition that some miracle was going to happen. ‘O Lord Eklingji! Help us,’ she whispered to herself under her breath.

  The prayer brought tears to Veerbhan’s eyes.

  ‘Who chalked out this plan, Prince?’

  ‘This covert operation is the product of Badal’s imagination and intelligence. At first, a couple of members were sceptical of the success of this plan. They found it impractical. But Gora, Mahan Singh, Ajay Singh and I did not agree with their assessment. We felt that it could be acted upon. The most important factor was that, at this stage, we were not in a position to launch a direct confrontation. Therefore, we had to find a way out. War is not won by muscle power alone. The power of intellect is an essential element. Lord Krishna had also applied tact and diplomacy. He finally managed to persuade a scrupulously truthful Yudhishthir to speak the untruth because that was the only way to save his army in the battle of Mahabharata. For us, too, that was the only way out. After some time it dawned on them that they were left with no option. Finally, they fell in with the plan and gave their consent.’

  He added, ‘Though this plan was Badal’s brainchild, it was Gora who took the responsibility of carrying it out flawlessly. After the war council meeting, they did not waste any time and set out to complete their mission with a sense of urgency. There was no stopping them.’

  ‘Gora issued detailed instructions with regard to the deployment of commanders on key positio
ns; the level and scale of combat; and the kind of tactical formation of the troops. Each front has been manned by soldiers of proven abilities. Both Gora and Badal are well-acquainted with the fighting skill of the soldiers. They know how each of them will react to a particular situation. There is one commander to lead every twenty palanquins. Mounted cavalrymen moving back and forth are apparently there to protect them, but their real duty is to collect and deliver messages.’

  Padmini listened with utmost concentration. Enjoying her undivided attention, Veerbhan waxed eloquent, barely pausing for breath. ‘The mission of this entire plan, its preparation and its operational strategy is to free the maharawal from the sultan’s prison. Our aim is to attack the enemy with full force and emerge victorious.’

  Having said all that he had to say, Veerbhan went silent. The sky had changed colour, from red to yellow, while he was speaking. The sun had cast its dying golden rays over the treetops.

  Padmini looked at Veerbhan.

  How morose and gloomy he looked that day, and how cheerful and enthusiastic his tone was now. The sweetness in his behaviour had added to the charm of his personality. What a transformation!

  ‘May I take your leave, Ranisa? I came here to keep you informed. I’ll go and wait for the latest message now.’

  His soft smile, exposing his sparkling teeth, spread to his eyes and overwhelmed her.

  ‘Why do you call me Ranisa? I am your mother. I’ll be happy if you call me Ma . . .’

  He was touched by her voice drenched in motherly love. He never imagined that such a graceful, magnanimous, kind and affectionate person could be hidden underneath the strong and determined persona of a woman. He didn’t say anything, but his expression clearly indicated that he was delighted to hear that.

  He smiled softly like an innocent child.

  He remained there for a minute, then bowed to Padmini and strode out.