Time is a fascinating subject and a matter to discuss. It is a continuous ongoing process for which people like us can talk about events occurred today or in the past and also the future. It would be rather frenzied if we could travel the time according to our willingness. People today think of the events happened in the past and helplessly wonder what would have happened if things were a bit different than that as described in today’s historical transcripts. Imagining the trouble, a scientist named Dr. R Raghawan has invented a certain type of key which would easily go through any keyhole and create that particular vehicle, a time traveling vehicle.
Dr. Raghawan gave that key to his regular rickshaw-wala for whom he was a daily passenger. He asked the rickshaw-wala to discreetly handle the key until he gives a green signal of using it as a business. I by happenstance met Dr. Raghawan at a science conference where he was giving lecture about time and it’s surprising properties. During the lecture he mentioned many intriguing points about time for which I became more curious and asked him for his time if he could share his knowledge any further with me. I got fortunate and met him in his cabin after the conference. I found out that he was even more stirred to see me so nosey about the topic. He shared many more facts about time for which it is THE most strongest thing in the world ever. Time could heal any wound and likewise it could destroy everything. While our conversation Dr. Raghawan mentioned his invention to me and asked me to experience his new venture with him, if I’m interested.
I was thrilled to know that there is a possible way to travel time sitting in this century. We fixed a time the next day and met up to see what happens if we actually use the key. Dr. Raghawan was quite ready for anything to happen whilst the journey. He asked the rickshaw-wala to be ready with that key and his rickshaw with him at Dr. Raghawan’s garage. He got up and sat down and gave his hand to me. He pulled me up in the rickshaw and shouted out loud ‘Hail God’ and the rickshaw got started. In a fraction of second I could see nothing but a copious amount of light surrounding me. I was trying to find Dr. Raghawan but couldn’t find him. I realised that I was traveling time and it felt like a hundred of years in that transition. I can’t remember anything but when I came conscious Dr. Raghawan sitting right beside me, trying to wake me up. I sat up and asked him where we were, he replied ‘We’re in 1563’. I was shocked like I have not heard anything like that before. ‘Did your invention workout’, I asked. He replied, ‘We’re in 1563 and the rickshaw-wala is missing, so hard to say’. I was overwhelmed but at the same time in shock, not knowing what to do next.
I asked about the key but Dr. Raghawan could not say it’s whereabouts. We both stood up and started to explore, it was a dark dense forest and not a single person around. We were strolling with nowhere to go and trying to find the key our only chance to return to our era. Walking about two and half hours we heard horses’ footsteps coming closer to us. Out of the blue a couple of footmen surrounded us with sharp spears pointing towards us. A king like figure riding on a horse came towards us and asked, ‘From where did you came from wearing such god awful dresses’? The footmen knocked Dr. Raghawan’s leg and forcefully knelt him down in front of the king and said, ‘Bow in front of our Shahenshah Jalaluddin’. I realised that we are in the age of Akbar’s rule. I started to act accordingly as per the history.
The people of the king took us to their palace with them for discussing what to do with us. It was a spectacular sight of vision to witness the live session at Akbar’s Darbar during his reign. The palace was exquisite with beautiful work of art and splendid lightings and showpieces. I was so eager to have a tour of the palace that I forgot that I came to the palace with accusations with me. Suddenly a man shouted out with Akbar’s name and the people in the court stood up bowing their heads down as the king enters the Darbar. Everyone sat down and the hearing of the court started. The king asked his wise men as to what to do with us as they have absolutely no idea from where we belong. I and Dr. Raghawan stood quietly at the corner witnessing different types of opinions about us coming from different people in the court. A wise man stood up and asked the king if we could get a chance to speak about ourselves. The king granted us permission but as we are asked questions we are to answer exactly the same.
We’re asked that from where we have come from but we knew that we could not answer them exactly what happened so Dr. Raghawan said ‘We’re from southern part of Hindustan’. Why we have come here. I replied, ‘We lost our way back to home so we ended up in that forest’. A nobleman from the court asked us why we have been wearing such different attire. Dr. Raghawan answered that we are from different culture hence the attire. Right after the question session the court started discussing the matter again. After a while, a man announced the conclusion that we should be banished from the grounds of the Mughals empire. I was heartbroken that I could not get a chance to live the era of the Mughal empire even after touching it so close.
I and Dr. Raghawan was about to leave the palace when we all heard a scream coming from inside the castle. Everybody rushed into the palace when they saw the king was attacked by a few goons right under his securities’ nose. Everyone took the king right away to the royal doctor. They all were trying heart and soul to save the king but the pain was increasing with the time passed. Thankfully Dr. Raghawan had a few painkillers with him in his bag which he was just ready to take on his journey to the past. He gave the painkillers to the Shahi Hakim. After inspecting the pills they gave it to Shahenshah. After four to five hours I heard everybody shouting saying, ‘Long Live The King’. I realised that the pills Dr. Raghawan gave them worked out. Right after the confirmation of the king’s wellness, the gaurds of the castle came to us to take us to the queen as she summoned us to meet her. We went inside the palace where the women of the castle resides, called the ‘Shahi Haram’. A lady wearing a stunning lehenga and a numerous numbers of jewelry with a crown on her head, came out from her room addressing us to stay and asked the gaurds to leave. They said, ‘As you wish Queen Jodhaa’, and left. I was absolutely spellbound to see the famous historical character to live alive right in front of me breathing and talking to us.
She asked us to sit by her side and thanked us for easing her husband’s increasing pain. She asked if we had something unknown that could be useful to them. I by myself had nothing other than my mobile phone and charger which was of absolute no use because there was no electricity around. But Dr. Raghawan had a flashlight, a packet of sandwich, a radio and a few more things that the people of that era had no idea. Seeing those things the queen’s face sparked with glee as she have not seen any such things before. Dr. Raghawan offered those things to the queen as gifts to the Royal Highness. I asked her if our accusations were held lifted after the act we have done. She said, ‘We had a misunderstanding about you two that you were harmful to our Sultanate, but clearly it was all baseless’. I was so content that now we were not banished from the Mughal grounds and that we could stay a few more days until we find our key back to our century. Anxiously I asked the queen, ‘Can we have a tour of your palace and your empire’? She replied, ‘Anything for the people who saved Shahenshah’s life’. She ordered her special footmen to guide us through our tour at once.
We were living under the hospitality of the Mughal King. I was enjoying the days to the fullest but in the meanwhile Dr. Raghawan was searching for the key and for the rickshaw-wala to return to our century. The Mughal dynasty was flourishing and the king was trying to reach out to his subjects in his empire. I was with the ladies of the palace enjoying the royal treatment given to me when I heard that the Muslim community had a huge objection towards the judgement of the king. Everybody rushed to the Shahi Darbar where the king was being questioned as to why did he dismissed the pilgrimage taxes for the Hindus. The king being the king was not obliged to answer any questions which led to the Hindu Muslim disagreement. There was a heated argument and a would be war was at the edge. In the core of such an event Dr. Raghawan found the key of the future and also found the rickshaw-wala who was disguised among the common people of the empire. He instructed me that before any havoc we must leave the place and return to our century.
I was not yet prepared to leave the majestic era of all time but still Dr. Raghawan obligated me. Though the rickshaw could not be tracked down but still the key was everything we needed to go back. So the rickshaw-wala detected another thing but that was not a vehicle but yet in the great need of anything to put the key through, he located a chest. As instructed by Dr. Raghawan the rickshaw-wala placed the key in the chest keyhole and both Dr. Raghawan and the rickshaw-wala got inside the chest. I was about to leave when the queen came calling out for me, I was held back but before she could realise or stop us Dr. Raghawan pulled me inside the chest and turned the key up. In a heartbeat everything around me was blank but then when I opened my eyes I could see the same garage where we started our journey. It meant that the key would work anywhere with a keyhole. The time traveling journey was extravaganza but yet adventurous. But Dr. Raghawan destroyed the key after our healthy return, as I asked him why he said, ‘It is not needed for the people to travel time, they could read history to know the past and wait for the future to be uncovered’. By saying this he destroyed the key in fire and sworn never to repeat such things again. I, to be honest, yet could not understand as to why did he destroy the key even after having such a great time in the past. The answer to this doubt is only Dr. R Raghawan himself.