Lekha is an orphan who has quite a fascination for all things connected with Rajasthan(India). The fascination comes to life as she is pulled into the century when the Mughals and Rajputs are in a tussle over Rajwara (Rajasthan of today). The story...
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Ganesh Pol (the gate to enter the main palace) at Amer fort
I relentlessly persisted in my convincing and arguing with the guard, when I heard a roaring voice.
"Bhim Singh! What is happening here. Why are you wasting your time chatting with the girl? It seems you have loads of time to waste."
The rude guard suddenly turned all well mannered and soft ." Beg your pardon, sarkar (equivalent to 'my lord') this girl is persistent on entering the palace and was taking your sisters name as a reference, but I have never seen her before.I kept on telling her to shoo off but she won't listen. A very adamant kind of girl." He said all this with his head bowed down in respect.
I turned to look at the new comer and saw a tall muscular man around six feet tall, with his face covered by one end of his turban, glaring down at me from his height in a very intimidating way. All I could make out were his dark chocolate color eyes , which were right now looking at me with a deep frown.
"Who are you girl and why are you taking my sister's name to enter the palace? Don't you know it's a restricted area. The food will be served near the Diwan- E- Aam (Hall of Public Audience), you are not allowed to come inside. Now go away and don't waste the time of the guard. He has much work to do rather then waste his time on the likes of you".
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Diwan-E-Aam
He then gestured with his head to the guard to keep an eye on me , so that I don't enter deviously and turned to go inside.
I stood there shell shocked at his atrocity, I knew I didn't look anywhere near a beggar or a maid and he could have been more polite, even if he didn't want me to enter.
"I don't want your food and don't want to enter too. I will stay outside and wait. Hope you don't get scolded for denying me the entry. "I huffed at his retreating back with all the pride left in me.
I was tired with lack of sleep and angry with his attitude. Who did he think he was?
He gave me an 'I don't care' kind of shrug and entered the palace gate without even looking back at me. The smirk on the guards face boiled my blood. I couldn't do anything, but only hoped that someone would remember me in time and come searching for me.
I stood at the side watching others go in and out of the palace. It seemed like eternity, plus the embarrassment of the whole situation, I felt like a little girl punished at school standing outside the classroom.
Then my day brightened on sighting a bright yellow lehariya odhni (its a tie and dye veil in stripe prints) , only one person I knew had worn today.
