Not fragile like a flower
She is fragile like a bomb.
With this quote, your very anxious yet excited author wants to end a story, that is purely fictional and totally imaginative.
A story of two women, like ice and fire, and how their stars lead them to their destinies.
The forbidden sitar was meant to give misfit lives, the life they deserved.
And so, I would like to mention, that this is a purely fictional work, and all credits go to the author for the same. And the images or pictures that have been used, have been acquired from Pinterest.
Inspiration for the character of Rani Jashoda comes from the great legendary queen of Bundi, Rajasthan, who fiercely defended Chittor with a small contingent and made her enemies quiver with fear. The one who exercised power like it was meant to be, good for good. Evil for evil.
Rani Karnavati of Chittor.
So, the history behind a brave warrior starts from her marriage with Rana Sanga, Mewar's powerful king warrior of the 16th century, who fought many battles against Islamic invaders despite losing one arm, and one eye and having close to 80 wounds on his body. Courage and valor ran deep into the family gene. Rana Sanga and Karnavati were grandparents of the legend Maharana Pratap.
in 16th Century Rajasthan, Rana Sanga united all the warring kings of Rajput states after 300 years of the death of Prithviraj Chauhan, when he ascended the throne of Chittorgarh. He had defeated Delhi Sultan, Ibrahim Lodi twice in the "Battle of Khatoli" in 1518 and in the "Battle of Dholpur" in 1519. In the same year, in 1519, Rana Sanga conquered Malwa Sultan, Mahmud Khalji in The Battle of Gagron. In 1520 Rana Sanga defeated the joint forces of Gujarat and Malwa Sultanates in the 'Siege of Mandsaur'. He had almost created a "Hindu Nation" in the Islamic era much before Shivaji's Hindvi Samrajya. But, the glorious saga of Rana Sanga came to an end, after he lost the war against Babur in the "Battle of Khanwa in March 1527. Although, Rana Sanga managed to escape to Chittor, but he was poisoned to death on 30 January 1528.
Karnavati took the duty to carry forward the legacy of her husband after his death. She guided her stepson Maharana Ratan Singh II, son of Rani Dhan Kunwar and Rana Sanga after he succeeded his father. However, he was killed during a war in 1531. Thereafter, Karnavati's son, Vikramaditya was crowned as the king of Mewar at the age of 14 after his stepbrother's death. She defended Mewar serving as regent of her minor son. But, Vikramaditya grew unpopular among Rajput clans of the Rajput Confederation formed by his father, Rana Sanga, due to his immature and haughty conduct.
Observing Mewar growing weak, Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, attacked Mewar and reached as far as its capital, Mewar during 1534-1535. Demoralized Rajput Confederation refused to fight under Vikramaditya as they despised him. However, Rani Karnavati requested Rajput clans to fight for the sake of the honor of the Sisodias and was able to persuade them to fight for Mewar on condition of sending Vikramaditya to her parent's place Bundi expelling him from battle. Rani Karnavati also sent her younger son Uday Singh with her trusted maid Panna Dai to Bundi for their safety.
Being surrounded by the forces of Bahadur Shah, Rani Karnavati used her diplomatic channel to ask for help from Humanyun. But, a popular story says that Rani also sent a Rakhi to Humanyun calling him brother. Thus Rani Karnavati's name has been associated with the festival of Raksha Bandhan. However, this story was not corroborated by any contemporary writer or historian. They called it a fable. Rani Karnavati virtually led the Mewar army from Chittorgarh Fort. Outnumbered Sisodias fought valiantly, but they lost the war. Rani Karnavati knew the defeat was inevitable.
On 8th March 1535, Rani Karnavati assembled all the women inside "Chittorgarh Fort" along with infants, children, girls, and even old women, and committed Jauhar, mass self-immolation by the Rajput women. Their men donned their Saffron clothes and set out for Saka, their fight till death, as they were aware they were defeated by the huge army of the Sultan of Gujarat.
The queen was singlehandedly capable of ruling the empire left by her dying husband. Yet her life was shortlived, and she died, in golden glory. My respect for such brave queens of India knows no bounds and so, an idea occurred to me, and I tried to pen it down, to the best of my capability.
Hoping you liked the story, this author heartily thanks you, for reading this story, and voting and supporting in so many ways!
Thank you, again, and good luck for the amazing life that awaits you!
Be bold like Jashoda,
And kind like Radhika.
Be innocent like Kanika
And a little bit cunning like Lekha.
Be caring like Maan,
Be grateful like Jash.
Be perseverant as Jai,
But steer clear of evils like Vikram.
Be shiny and smiley as you already you are,
Be golden and magical, like the great beloved,
The Forbidden Sitar.
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The Forbidden Sitar
Historical Fiction[Under editing process] |18th Century CE| Queen Jashoda desperately wants to escape it all. With her ignorant husband liberated from the trap of life, her children fighting over his throne and the court officials already planning to get her off her...
