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Updated: May 8, 2025
The hours went by, heavy-footed like mourners. Padmini the Rani knelt by the window in her tower that overlooks the plains. Motionless she knelt there, as the Goddess Uma lost in her penances, and she saw her Lord ride forth, and the sparkle of steel where the sun shone on them, and the Standard of the Cold Disk on its black ground.
It is certainly by the favour of the Gods that this great fortress of the Rajput Kings thus rises from the plain, leagues in length, noble in height; and very strange it is to see the flat earth fall away from it like waters from the bows of a boat, as it soars into the sky with its burden of palaces and towers. Here dwelt the Queen Padmini and her husband Bhimsi, the Rana of the Rajputs.
In the dark they returned, and the Rana entered the bower of Padmini, his eyes burning like coal with hate and wrath, and he flung his arm round his wife like a shield. "He is returned, and in power. Counsel me again, O wife, for great is thy wisdom!" But she answered only this, "Fight, for this time it is to the death."
"She commanded: 'Say this to the Rana: "In Chitor is My altar; in Chitor is thy throne. If thou wouldest save either, send forth twelve crowned Kings of Chitor to die." As he said this, the Rana, fore-spent with fighting, entered and heard the Divine word. Now there were twelve princes of the Rajput blood, and the youngest was the son of Padmini.
Yet she is the descendant of a Mughal ancestor who carried off and wedded a Rajput maiden. In her blood is the daring of Padmini, the executive power of Nur Jahan. With mind trained and exercised, she would be the administrative head of a woman's college. Again, "To what purpose is this waste?"
All the beauties we have heard of, as peculiar to Padmini females, were centred in her. I cohabited with her without ceremony, and experienced great delight. In the morning, after having bathed, I waited on the king; he bestowed on me the khil'at of marriage, and ordered that I should always attend his levee; at last, after some days, I became one of his majesty's counsellors.
The nakkar-khana is the place at the portico of a temple or palace where drums are beaten at stated intervals. It is somewhat akin to the "belfry," of a Romish church, the childish and everlasting noise of which is supposed to constitute an important part of Christianity. Padmini, the highest and most excellent of the four classes of women among the Hindus.
This jewel is thy Queen, the Lady Padmini. Now, since the sons of the Prophet are righteous, I desire but to look upon this jewel, and ascribing glory to the Creator, to depart in peace. Granted requests are the bonds of friendship; therefore lay the head of acquiescence in the dust of opportunity and name an auspicious day." He crushed it again and flung it furiously from him on the marble.
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