Anamika - Rebirth of the first wife

Chapter 35 - Coronation

Like this the whole week went by and tomorrow is the day of Coronation and naming ceremony.

The next morning came and both Pratap and Anamika were given special baths by their maids and the twins were taken for a nice bath by the midwife. Anamika and Pratap were dressed more exquisitely than usual with heavy jewellery and dress owing to the coronation ceremony. In the past week, Anamika noted that only a few neighborhood kings and family were present unlike her previous life where Subordinate rulers from  almost the entire Hindustan were present. May be it was because Pratap had already completed his war expedition by the time of their coronation in the previous life.  Pratap came to take Anamika and their children along with him towards the Puja (Prayer) hall decorated for naming ceremony. When he entered the room, all the maids left the room as they have already completed their task of dressing up their future Queen. Anamika looked at him through the mirror who was looking at her in a daze.

Anamika asked,"What are you looking at Pratap? You are looking as if you are looking at me for the first time".  Pratap came closer to her while she stood up from the dressing chair. He pulled her by her waist and said,"Yes I'm looking at you for the first time. Like this. It has been a long time since our marriage and you dressing up like a new bride. Only change today is that you have the glow of a new mother. And it suits you more. It is making you more beautiful. And it makes me want to lock you up in our bedroom and ..". Anamika shut his mouth with her hand while still blushing. She reminded him, "Remember Pratap, today gives you permission to touch me but not any intimate things. You still have to wait for a month or two before doing such things". Pratap sighed sadly, "I know. And by that time, I would have already departed for the expedition". Anamika face turned sad so Pratap immediately changed the topic, "Let's see how my prince and princess have been dressed up".

"My handsome boy and my beautiful princess", Pratap exclaimed after taking a glance. As he expected, Anamika's mood instantly lifted up and she said,"How is their dress? I have stitched it myself". Pratap complimented her and both of them took each of the twins in their arms. Pratap with his Princess in his arms and Anamika beside him who has their son in her arms, entered the Puja hall where everyone was present. Both of them sat infront of the holy fire beside which Pandit ji (Priest) was chanting mantras. Once Pandit ji completed the mantras, he asked,"Yuvraj, What would be the name of our Rajkumar(Prince) and Rajkumari (Princess)?".

Pratap and Anamika looked at each other and smiled as they thought of their decisions to name their children, that is Anamika would name the first born if he is a boy and Pratap would name their first born if it is a girl. It's god's gift that they got both in the form of twins. Suddenly Anamika remembered the painful past where she was so exhausted from the taunts of her mother-in-law about her being barren that she was crying in the dark chamber when Pratap came and consoled her even if he had to degrade himself saying he may be impotent. That was the day when both of them dreamt of this day and decided the name of their first son. Snapping out of her thoughts, Anamika said,"Our Son will be named as 'Abhimanyu Pratap Singh Rathod' ". Just like the previous lifetime, this time also she heard a voice which interrupted loudly,"No. I want my first grandson to be named after my father as Shivaditya Singh Rathod".

Anamika sighed and was about to give the same excuse that she gave in her previous life, when Pratap murmured, "This old man doesn't have any other work now that he is retiring and thinks all the useless things". Followed by that Pratap said loudly,"Father, We have already decided the name years ago. So If you really like that name, I will find a wife for you so that you can have more children to keep that name". Hearing his words everybody present in the hall laughed at the joke while Ranasa rolled his eyes. Dadisa and Ranisa exchanged glances silently. Pratap didn't know the dynamics of his parents' relationship so he thought that his mother has some physical issues due to which they didn't have any more children. Whereas the reason why Ranasa asked for the name is not because he admires his father who basically ruined his love life but rather a tradition to give the name of ancestors to the next generation. That is why he was convinced when Anamika further said,"Ranasa, even if we name him after our grandfather, how can we call him on daily basis? Wouldn't it be disrespectful?". Ranasa remained silent as he also didn't have any strong determination on this issue, sensing which Dadisa interfered and said, " Don't mind him Bahuranisa. You continue with the function".

Then the Pandit ji asked Anamika to say the name in the baby's ear three times. Everyone clapped for that and then Pandit ji asked the name for the princess. To which Pratap replied while looking at his daughter in his lap,"Pratiksha. Pratiksha Pratap Singh Rathod". He also followed the same ritual to say the name three times in the ear of the baby. Once completed, both Pratap and Anamika put the babies in their custom made cradle, gifted by their father, which was decorated and placed in the hall. Everyone came up to bless the children and then the maids took the children back to Anamika's original chamber as they are asleep. After that everyone moved to the court room for the coronation ceremony. Pratap removed his existing crown for the crown prince and stepped up the stairs towards the throne holding Anamika's hand, which surprised her as well. Once they reached the top of the stairs, both of the looked at the entire court filled with all the guests, family and ministers as well as the subjects of the Kingdom. They both joined their hands in a namaste (greeting 🙏) and slightly bowed as a symbol to get the blessings of everyone present and then sat down on the throne together.

Then the Pandit ji called for Ranasa to place the King's crown, which Ranasa had already removed, on Pratap's head. Ranasa placed the crown and the crowd erupted in cheers. Then Ranasa went back down and Pandit ji called for Ranisa to place the crown on Anamika. Ranisa stood up but didn't move from her place. Then she said, " Generally the former queen passes on the crown to the new queen. So here I welcome the true Queen of our former king(Pratap's father), Jaiwanta Bai. Then Jaiwanta bai came from the entrance of the court room, infront of everyone, adorned as a queen with all the ornaments and greeted everyone silently by the hand gesture namaste. Ranasa was shocked for a moment but the happy tears in his eyes held a different story. Jaiwanta Bai couldn't look up into her husband's eyes due to her guilt. Pratap wanted to ask too many questions and also the guests were confused at the new happenings while few of the subjects who know about Ranasa's love before marriage were surprised to see their once to-be Queen entering as the real Queen. Ranisa signalled Pratap to not argue right now and others also didn't question anything for the sake of the ceremony. Anamika was surprised that Ranisa (Pratap's mother) would really bring the first wife back to the palace. Then Jaiwanta Bai went up the stairs and placed the crown on Anamika. With that the ceremony came to an end.

Hereafter, Ranasa(Pratap's father) will be referred as Baabasa,  Ranisa(Pratap's mother) will be referred as Maasa and Jaiwanta Bai will be called by Pratap and Anamika as Badi Maasa.

Glossary:
Ranasa -- King (hereafter Pratap)
Ranisa -- Queen (hereafter Anamika)
Baabasa -- Father
Maasa -- Mother
Badi Maasa -- Elder Mother

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Hi guys,

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Also if anyone knows about the reading platform called MilWor, do let me as I'm going to publish my first book there as well.

Thanks,
SM.