This story is from those days when Jhajjar city used to be a part of Mahendragarh. During that time there were attacks of foreigners in the North-Western region of India. Cities like Panipat, Rohtak and Delhi were at higher risk. In those days, the Nawab was getting the Buawal pond in Jhajjar repaired, so that the people of Rewari do not face shortage of water in times of trouble. Suddenly news came from somewhere that Durrani had attacked and Durrani’s army was about to reach near Rewari.
As soon as he came to know about this, the Nawab held an important meeting with his brave soldiers and ministers. The issue of the meeting was that if Durrani’s army attacked Jhajjar, how would it be dealt with and what would be the right thing to do if Rohtak or Rewari asked for help during the attack? All the people present in the meeting said that everyone in the princely state should be informed about the attack and complete preparations should be made so that no stone is left unturned in response to the attack. Along with this, the surrounding princely states will also be helped.
On the same day an announcement was made in the princely state that if there was an attack, the weak, sick, women and children would go and hide in the forest and the soldiers would support the soldiers. Shekhchilli also heard this announcement. Shekhchilli got a little upset because his wife was a bit fat. He thought that if there was an attack, how would his wife reach the forest. Strange thoughts started coming in Shekhchilli’s mind. Then he stopped himself and said to himself, ‘What nonsense am I thinking. Then he thought that this time a big trouble has come. I cannot allow my paradise to be sacrificed like this.
Suddenly he thought that how good it would be if a flying carpet could be found from somewhere. Then he said to himself, ‘Nawab Sahib had given me the horse. With the help of the horse, I can save the Begum’s life.’ Durrani’s army will keep wringing its hands. Only then did he realize that after all a horse is also an animal. Will he be able to bear the burden of my wife? Somewhere in the middle of the way he died, what would happen then? If at that time the Begum fell into the hands of the enemies, how would her life be saved? Mana Begum’s father was a strong soldier and knew good swordsmanship, but Begum does not know how to use a sword. My wife just knows how to use her tongue. If at least she had this skill, she would have been able to save her life today. Meanwhile, Shekhchilli thought that even if the Begum knew how to use a sword, where would the sword come from? Now Allah Miyan won’t let the sword fall from the sky that you, Begum of Sheikh Chilli, cut Durrani’s neck with it.
Even if this happens, Begum will really cut Durrani’s neck and on that day Durrani’s army will be in fear. All his soldiers will leave the field and run away. The Nawab will be shocked to see all this happening and will ask his army who has done this miracle. Then the army will tell them that a fat woman has done this feat, she has beheaded Durrani. We have survived only because of that fat woman. The Nawab will be very happy to hear this and will order that woman to be brought to the court with full respect.
It is also possible that the Nawab himself sets out in search of the Begum. The way Emperor Akbar went barefoot to visit Vaishno Devi. Only then will they see the sword of the Begum soaked in Durrani’s blood. On seeing him the Nawab would bow down to him and ask for a chance to serve him.
The Nawab would bring the Begum to the palace with full respect and apply the dust of the Begum’s feet on his forehead. He would ask everyone present there to kiss the feet of the Begum. Even I will be asked to do this. How can I kiss my wife’s feet? Therefore, I will flatly refuse. The Nawab would shout at me, but I would say no again and again.
Nawab will get angry on this and will ask the soldiers to put him in jail. Meanwhile, there was a sound of falling. When Shekhchilli opened his eyes, he saw that he had rolled down from the cot and fell at the feet of the Begum, who was chopping vegetables. As soon as he fell, the Begum shouted, ‘It is good that you fall on your side, otherwise your neck would have been severed from your body.’ Shekhchilli held her forehead. Now he was more afraid of kissing the Begum’s feet than Durrani’s attack. This question was coming in my mind that if I really had to do this?
Learning from the story:
It is better to learn to live in the present than to create an imaginary world.
