Rudraksh

2. Rudraksh Rana (Edited POV)

Ru-dra-ksh. ( HINDI PRONOUNCIATION )

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I hurried to my chambers, marching past the servants through the marble hallways of the Royal Haveli. The Jodhpur inspired mansion was built over acres of land comprising of hundreds of luxurious chambers.

Several maids greeted me and asked me politely "Are you okay Princess ? Can I help you ?" But I shook my head and just ran towards my chambers, my dupatta floating behind her. Unlike my cousins and other members of the royal family I didn't need help of maids to get dressed or to take a baths. That was beyond the walls I had built around myself.

The white marble flooring of the haveli had hints of gold in them and the deep red curtains draped over ceiling high vintage windows had thick gold lace borders that glimmered under the lightings and moonlight. Paintings of great rulers and freedom fighters such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Maharana Pratap, Rani Radha Rathi and Rani Ahilya Kshatriya hung over the cream walls embedded with delicate gold artwork that was illuminated by hanging lamps.

Cold winds blew through the Mashrabiyas that had the most beautiful wooden latticework and through the archways supported by pillars embedded by artistic hand carved inlays.

I finally made it to my chambers on the first level. The room was dark, lit only by a few scented candles and moonlight entering through the huge jharoka that overlooked the twinkling town of Somm. A four poster canopy bed with translucent white fabric draped around it dominated the room. It was the most beautiful of all the rooms in the haveli.

In the middle of the room lay an opulent deep red, golden and green Kashmiri carpet. The room was exuberant and authentically built with adjoining hammam and a hand carved door that lead to the courtyard through a stairway with it's walls covered in books.

I lit the lamps and soon the room was engulfed in a rich amber glow. The walls were ornate with golden brown artwork that complimented the huge chandelier in the middle of the high ceiling. Huge paintings of Lord Shiva hung on the walls. In some the third God of the Hindu Triumvirate was meditating, in some with Mahashakti Parvati, In some posing as the elegant Natraj and in some performing the Holy Tandav as the arcane Mahakal. A few statues of him could be found around the room as well.

There was a three feet high platform made into a pond, which separated the room from the jharokha, with stepping stones across it. It had several pink and white lotus flowers floating on the surface.

I rushed into the hamman for a quick bath.

I stared at my reflection on the mirror of my dark wood dressing table, dressed in a deep black ghagra choli. The black blouse that ended four inches above my belly button and the flowy lehenga had tiny golden delicate zari flowers all over them. A peach coloured georgette dupatta draped over my right shoulder covered half of my waist and my wavy long black hair fell down to my hips. Thick kohl was rimmed precisely around my eyes and a black bindi rested in between my thick defined brows. A gold chain was around my neck and matching earrings in my ears. Gold Kangans decorated my wrists and around my waist was a thin delicate gold chain.

I was sitting on the navy blue velvet diwan behind silver net curtains, listening closely to the men sitting around the royal dining table with my father, Alpha Kedar on the head chair. They were talking about the arrest of Somajiram Bose, a revolutionary who opposed Gritaans and their authorities.

"We shall not waste another day and have those bastards' heads who keep torturing our country ! I have a few contacts in Ajmer. They will be more than happy to join forces !" A raging Subedar, who I remembered to be hailing from the Shekhawati region of Rajputana, kept his humble opinion on the matter.