Jaipur, Rajasthan

Shekhawat Palace

The royal family of Jaipur, the Shekhawats, resided here. This magnificent palace was renowned throughout India for its beauty. But even more enchanting than the palace was Vibha, the court dancer who had been brought from Kolkata to entertain in the palace.

The King of Jaipur, accompanied by his youngest son, Pravardhan, had visited Kolkata.

The young king was passing through the streets of Kolkata in a car with his Diwan, driver, and 10-year-old son, Pravardhan. As the car drove past a red-light area, Pravardhan gazed curiously out of the window.

When the king noticed this, he sternly questioned the Diwan and the driver sitting beside him:
“Diwan Sa, what kind of a street have you brought us to?”

“Forgive me, Your Majesty,” the Diwan replied. “Due to the festival, all other routes were blocked. This was the only open and safe route available.”

Just as the Diwan finished speaking, the road ahead was blocked by a crowd, causing the car to stop.

“Now even this road is jammed,” the king remarked with a frown as the car came to a halt.



Amidst the noise, a melodious voice reached their ears:
“Drenched in the colors of love,
Drenched in the colors of love,
Drenched in the colors of love,
My beloved colored me in his own hue…”

A smile formed on the king’s face, but as the crowd began to clear and the car moved forward, Pravardhan said, “Baba Sa, I want to hear that song. It’s so melodious.”

“We cannot stay here any longer, son,” the king replied.

“No, Baba Sa, please listen to me. It’s my birthday today,” Pravardhan pleaded with innocent charm, making it impossible for the king to refuse.

“Stop the car, Diwan Sa!” the king ordered.

Pravardhan smiled and asked, “Can we go inside to listen to her, Baba Sa?”

“But...” the king hesitated, but Pravardhan persisted, “Please, Baba Sa!”

“Alright, let’s go,” the king relented, and they entered the establishment. Inside, an eight-year-old girl was learning to sing. A woman was teaching her and a few other girls, but the girl was the youngest and had the sweetest voice of them all.

As the king, the Diwan, and Pravardhan entered the room, all the girls lined up and bowed their heads in respect, except for the young girl, who hid behind the woman.

The woman greeted the king, “Pranam, Your Majesty.”



Pravardhan tried to catch a glimpse of the children. Noticing this, the woman said, “Forgive me, Kunwar Sa. She is scared of strangers. She is an orphan. She was left at our doorstep as a newborn, and she has been with us ever since.”

“Was she the one singing that song? What is her name?” the king asked.

The woman nodded and replied, “Yes, Your Majesty. Her name is Vibha.”

“What a beautiful name. Baba Sa, I want this girl. I want to take her with us,” Pravardhan said, looking at the king.

The king hesitated, but after some thought, he whispered to Pravardhan, “Son, she cannot come to our palace. The environment she has grown up in could harm her innocence.”

“She is still very young. We love her singing, and Maa Sa used to sing like this too. Please, Baba Sa, think of it as my birthday gift,” Pravardhan countered with determination. The king, left with no choice, agreed and said to the woman, “We wish to take this girl with us.”

The woman responded, “Every girl here has a price. You will have to pay that price if you wish to take her.”



Hearing this, Vibha tugged at the woman’s clothes and said, “I don’t want to go. I want to stay here, Bhishi Ma. You said we would always be together.”

The woman looked at Vibha and said, “You don’t know what will happen to you here. In the palace, you will have a roof over your head and respect. You will be safe there. Trust me and go with the king.”

The woman stepped aside, and Pravardhan finally saw the beautiful, innocent Vibha. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her beauty and innocence could melt even the hardest of hearts.

The king smiled and said, “She’s very sweet. Tell me her price.”