29-06-2021, 09:34 PM
"You are an uncouth dog Khan! Begone from our land. May ,.' damn you & your lineage," barked the old man.
Sher Mohammed Khan woke up from the dream. He had reached the village of Devipur, Meerut. He stepped down from the caravan & started walking towards the big fort across the river. It was a magnificent view. The fort belonged to one of the biggest Zamindar of Meerut, Hukum Dev Rathore.
Strolling towards the fort, he pondered about the dream he had a few moments back. It was a recurring dream that had been disturbing him for the last 4 years. It reminded him of his home.
Sher Khan was born to a family of Pathan warlords in Khyber. A handsome, blue eyed, muscular, young man with a long hair and a grey turban wrapped around his head, he was the quintessential free spirited, fiercely emotional Pathan. He could have been the biggest warlord of Khyber, but alas that would never be.
Sher Khan was a rebellious teenager. He was also a womaniser. His conduct already created problems for him & his family. But his fate was sealed when he accidentally killed the Wazir (chief) of his tribe during a massive quarrel. The local Qazi (Judicial Officer) admonished him & ordered him to leave Khyber forever.
He left home in the year 1773. From Khyber, he travelled to Lahore, Punjab. There he got a job as a soldier in the Durrani Army. After serving for a few years & earning enough money & fame, he travelled to Delhi. There he met a band of 50 Pathan warriors. Flocks of the same feather stick together & hence they teamed up. Sher Khan became a mercenary leader & his soldiers increased every year. His fame as an able leader & military strategist spread throughout North Hindustan & he was often hired by different Rajas, Zamindars & Nawabs. His life was action packed. His only regret was that he didn't have a home.
Sher Khan had now reached the fort. It was a massive structure of military genius, he thought.
He said to the guards, "I'm Sher Mohammed Khan. The Zamindar had asked for me. Tell him that I've arrived."
The guards were intimidated by his baritone voice & mighty stature. They followed his orders immediately. One of the guards ran inside. After a few minutes, he came back & told Sher Khan that the Zamindar was waiting for him & had cordially asked him to enter the fort.
Sher Khan entered the fort. It was three storeyed. There was a big ***** temple on the third storey & the central dome of the fort was influenced by _- architecture. Along the entrance was a grand garden blooming with flowers. Sher Khan was getting some real positive vibes. Soon he entered into the royal palace & headed towards the room of the Zamindar.
Hukum Dev Rathore was busy smoking the hookah & reminiscing about his glorious years. He was now an old man. Age had humbled the once arrogant warrior. Life had always been hectic for him. His loyalty changed from the Mughals to the Marathas. Now at the age of 72 he had declared independence & was the biggest Zamindar of entire Meerut. His professional life was full with victories but personal life marred with losses.
He had four children. 3 boys & 1 girl. He lost his eldest son in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. His second son died in the campaign against the Rajputs & his third son succumbed to pneumonia a year ago in 1783. He was survived by his only daughter Pushpavati Bundela. She was a young widow of the Prince of Bundelkhand. Hence life for the old patriarch was full of scars.
He was thinking about the things in his life that went wrong when he heard his guards announcing that Sher Mohammed Khan is outside his room. The Zamindar ordered the guards to send Sher Khan in.
Sher Khan walked into the room. It was dusk. The mood in the room was gloomy. He saw the old Zamindar laying on a Persian mattress & smoking.
Sher Mohammed Khan woke up from the dream. He had reached the village of Devipur, Meerut. He stepped down from the caravan & started walking towards the big fort across the river. It was a magnificent view. The fort belonged to one of the biggest Zamindar of Meerut, Hukum Dev Rathore.
Strolling towards the fort, he pondered about the dream he had a few moments back. It was a recurring dream that had been disturbing him for the last 4 years. It reminded him of his home.
Sher Khan was born to a family of Pathan warlords in Khyber. A handsome, blue eyed, muscular, young man with a long hair and a grey turban wrapped around his head, he was the quintessential free spirited, fiercely emotional Pathan. He could have been the biggest warlord of Khyber, but alas that would never be.
Sher Khan was a rebellious teenager. He was also a womaniser. His conduct already created problems for him & his family. But his fate was sealed when he accidentally killed the Wazir (chief) of his tribe during a massive quarrel. The local Qazi (Judicial Officer) admonished him & ordered him to leave Khyber forever.
He left home in the year 1773. From Khyber, he travelled to Lahore, Punjab. There he got a job as a soldier in the Durrani Army. After serving for a few years & earning enough money & fame, he travelled to Delhi. There he met a band of 50 Pathan warriors. Flocks of the same feather stick together & hence they teamed up. Sher Khan became a mercenary leader & his soldiers increased every year. His fame as an able leader & military strategist spread throughout North Hindustan & he was often hired by different Rajas, Zamindars & Nawabs. His life was action packed. His only regret was that he didn't have a home.
Sher Khan had now reached the fort. It was a massive structure of military genius, he thought.
He said to the guards, "I'm Sher Mohammed Khan. The Zamindar had asked for me. Tell him that I've arrived."
The guards were intimidated by his baritone voice & mighty stature. They followed his orders immediately. One of the guards ran inside. After a few minutes, he came back & told Sher Khan that the Zamindar was waiting for him & had cordially asked him to enter the fort.
Sher Khan entered the fort. It was three storeyed. There was a big ***** temple on the third storey & the central dome of the fort was influenced by _- architecture. Along the entrance was a grand garden blooming with flowers. Sher Khan was getting some real positive vibes. Soon he entered into the royal palace & headed towards the room of the Zamindar.
Hukum Dev Rathore was busy smoking the hookah & reminiscing about his glorious years. He was now an old man. Age had humbled the once arrogant warrior. Life had always been hectic for him. His loyalty changed from the Mughals to the Marathas. Now at the age of 72 he had declared independence & was the biggest Zamindar of entire Meerut. His professional life was full with victories but personal life marred with losses.
He had four children. 3 boys & 1 girl. He lost his eldest son in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. His second son died in the campaign against the Rajputs & his third son succumbed to pneumonia a year ago in 1783. He was survived by his only daughter Pushpavati Bundela. She was a young widow of the Prince of Bundelkhand. Hence life for the old patriarch was full of scars.
He was thinking about the things in his life that went wrong when he heard his guards announcing that Sher Mohammed Khan is outside his room. The Zamindar ordered the guards to send Sher Khan in.
Sher Khan walked into the room. It was dusk. The mood in the room was gloomy. He saw the old Zamindar laying on a Persian mattress & smoking.
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