In one of the best chamber of Hastinapur's royal palace, a woman was lying on her feather like soft bed, her eyes teary and body weak. Moments ago she was screaming in pain as her twins came to this cruel world. Now they laid peacefully beside her on the same bed.

Her son, exact copy of his father's, that's what her pita mah Bhishm said. But she refused to believe so. Her son can't be like her husband, she won't let him be so. His face is full of energy, eyes shining with curiosity, the little prince is too innocent to turn into a monster like his father.

There beside him is her daughter, the first princess of Kuru clan, instantly she has become everyone's favourite, her beauty so pure and innocent, she got her grandmother's eyes whom Bhanumati never saw. Grey her orbs are, hiding mysteries beyond time. Said Vidur taking the girl in his arms. Her beauty will make Gods fight with eachother, Bhishm proclaimed happily but she, their mother wasn't happy at all.

She faintly remember her husband coming to this chamber and holding his children close to him. " Warrior my son by brith is, he will bring more glory to his father, Lakshman will be his name. " Duryodhan had announced smiling proudly then he had turned to his daughter and looked at his daughter in surprise " The most beautiful princess my daughter will become, just like her brother she will bring glory to her home, Lakshmana will be her name "

Naming his kids, he left like wind without even sparing a look at the mother of his children. Somewhere she knew why her marriage was done in so much hurry and why before completing one year of marriage she had become a mother.

Bhanumati cursed herself for falling for such man. She wished someone would have abducted her from her marriage as well just like Subhadra. She cries at her misery but can't do anything.

Bhanumati, the eldest princess of Kashi she was, people blessed her with everything they had, so dear she was to her people, her father made sure she never cried, born and brought up in luxuries she was but everything changed because of her own foolishness.

She don't blame anyone but herself. It was she only who used to steal Duryodhan's glance in Valandhra's marriage. She would have blamed Valandhra if she was that old princess Bhanumati but she is Yuvrani Bhanumati now, the mother of two kids.

Valandhra was saved from Kaurava brothers but she wasn't. Just after Duryodhan returned from Dwarka unmarried, he called Bhanumati's father and ordered for his marriage with her directly, no formalities, no asking consent, it was a direct order which Kashiraj had to oblige.

At first Bhanumati was the happiest person alive, her little crush approached her herself. She was on cloud nine looking for the best of garments, jewels from the treasure of Kuber himself. She wanted her wedding to be the best and it did happen , the best, the last best thing in her life.

On the very first night of her wedding she realised how grave her mistake is. Duryodhan entered her beautifully decorated chamber all drunk, he was hardly able to stand still without support. He collapsed in her arms smiling like a lunatic, smell of alcohol made Bhanumati puke.

" Bhanumati!! My love welcome to Hastinapur, the kingdom of Kurus. Hope you had no inconvenience here" his fingers lingered on her face tracing patterns. " You will give me what I want Bhanumati! Through you my children will be born who will be more strong, more powerful than Yudhisthir's" his words hit her little cottage of love like a storm.

He married her just to have children. He don't love her. He just want a dirty race with his cousin. Her mind taunted her but she refused to believe. He do love her. Children are a proof of couples love. She tried to heal her heart with these condolences.

But Duryodhan didn't let her live with this illusion as well. He destroyed them that night only. His hands moved on her body smoothly, he claimed her passionately but his mouth spoke the truth.

Aanyati!!

Even when he was devouring her body like a hungry beast, Aanyati's name never left his tongue. In his intoxicated form, he kept on calling her name imagining her instead of Bhanumati.

Tears fell down her face as he still hovered over her, his words reminding Bhanumati of her mistake. How it feels to hear another woman's name from your husband's mouth on your wedding night? Bhanumati knew it, she experienced it, she lived through it.

When Duryodhan was done with her and slept soundly unaware of what he did, she cried until her tears dried. Is this what she deserves? Why?

But that was just the beginning of her misery. Every night when Duryodhan came to sleep, his mouth spoke of only the Maharani of Indrprast. Even when he was in sober state, he kept on telling Bhanumati about how beautiful his bhabhi is. She listened without saying anything as if building a home of anger in her heart.

She listened to his every word and embedded it in her mind, keeping count of her husband's deed.

But Duryodhan was not the only devotee of Aanyati. He worshipped her beauty but Hastinapur was full of people who worshipped her virtues.

Although none of her new family members compared her directly to Aanyati but it was evident in their words. Her pita mah Bhishm never stops praising Aanyati, he was careful enough to no do this in front of Bhanumati but a woman catches her rival's news faster than ghee catches fire.

Every day Bhishm had one or other tale of his beloved daughter in law which he discussed with Vidur who seemed to respect and love Aanyati in the same way.

Bhanumati don't know when but she started feeling a sense of jealousy, feeling of competition with Aanyati. She never met her in person. She just had a glimpse of her in Valandhra's wedding but there too her face was covered by her veil, hidden from the eyes of world as if a treasure hidden in the deepest corner of earth.

First it was jealousy then hate took over her but at the end she left those feelings. What's the use of hating someone who might not be aware of your existence? Aanyati was far above such competition. Bhanumati was sure. She just listened to every person praising her. She thought there must be someone who hated her but no. Those who saw her face became her captive and those who didn't just imagined her as the best.

Dushala, her little sister in law told her that Aanyati is the sweetest person alive on this earth but Dushasan said her only problem is her sharp mouth ever ready with replies. Vikaran talked of her ethics and love toward her family while Shakuni called her illusive , praising her sharp witted mind.

Tired of hearing her name again and again, Bhanumati started acting she is non existent for her. Whenever her name would appear in any conversation, she would simply walk away with one excuse or the other. No one noticed her unease except for her mother in law, the Maharani of Kuru Kingdom - Gandhari.

That woman might have shut her eyes but her senses were always on work, sensing even the slightest of change in environment. She confronted Bhanumati about this as well and told her to take it positively. Learn form Aanyati instead of being jealous but somewhere deep down Bhanumati knew that Gandhari is a woman strong of strategies.

She knows how to make her position and maintain it. She has survived instead of being a wife to a blind king afterall. Bhanumati is not blind to skip the look which crosses Gandhari's face every time Kunti talks of her sons valour but that Queen is quick to hide her emotions and that's what makes her dangerous.

One think Bhanumati has learnt is to make connections, never displease anyone and no one will be a trouble to you. Therefore Bhanumati is trying her best to be everyone's favourite instead of their constant praise for their eldest kul vadhu.

She lost the hope of getting her husband's love long ago. That man brought new woman to warm his bed every night and she could not help but suffer silently.

His brother Dushasan is no less than his jyest. Bhanumati many a times cry thinking about her little sister Charumati's fate as well. That poor girl became the prey of men's ego. She suffered because she was a woman and was born in Kashi where females had no say in any decision.

Valandhra married Bheem and that very thing crushed Dushasan's ego. He used to drink excessively, to an extent that he was bed ridden for a whole week. Dancers and prostitutes filled his chamber all day even Bhishm pita mah was so sick of this that he stopped even looking at him.

But when he came to Kashi for his jyest's marriage, his eyes fell on Charumati, that poor girl was playing with her friends when his mind thought of caging her in his hell.

She just turned sixteen this year but before she could know what love is, she was forced to marry a man thrice her age. She had no idea that this is not the game of dolls which she used to play with her friends.

Kashi raj was bound to fulfill every demand of Kurus due to fear and Kauravas used this well. Bhanumati remember how scared Charumati was when she came to her the day after their marriage.

" Jiji!!" Little Charumati cried in Bhanumati's arms who herself was trying hard to control her tears. " Jiji!!... He... He" she cried profusely. She told Bhanumati how she hid all night below the bed to avoid the heavily drunk Dushasan. He came to the chamber searching for her but at the end grew bored and dropped on the bed.

Next morning when he woke up, he tried to grab Charumati who was sleeping on the sofa. His hands went to her waist but that little girl ran away to save herself. Since that day she never came face to face with Dushasan atleast not alone.

Now when Bhanumati looks at her children sleeping peacefully beside her, she can't help but worry about their future as well. Will they also become Duryodhan's puppet? Fulfilling his one motive or the other? Will her son become like her husband? Will her daughter be able to get the love she deserves ?

No matter what will happen, Bhanumati vowed to never let her children be like their father, she vowed to make them the best of all.

And at the end, a wish crept in her heart, to meet the owner of such divine beauty which has entrapped her husband so tightly, to see those virtues which has inpressed the great Ganga putr to this level, a wish to meet Agnotri Panchali...