Nikita Jagan

Nikita (right) and Sheela (left).

**Nikita "Nikki" Jagan** is a secondary main character in *Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes* and a minor character in *Aru Shah and the City of Gold*. She also makes a brief appearance in *Aru Shah and the Song of Death*. She is the modern-day reincarnation of the Pandava Nakula, and is the twin of Sheela Jagan.

## History

### Early Life

Nikita lived with her parents and Sheela until her parents were deported. The twins were sent into foster-care before they ran away.

## The Pandava Quintet

### Aru Shah and the Song of Death

Nikita appears in Aru Shah's dream with Sheela. She also visits the dreams of Mini Kapoor-Mercado-Lopez and Brynne Rao, though it is not written in the book.

### Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes

Nikita and Sheela are rescued by the Pandavas and Aiden Acharya, and are claimed by their soul fathers shortly after. While in Amaravati, they discover that the wishing tree there is a fake. The older Pandavas and Aiden set out to find the real Kalvapriksha, and although Nikita and Sheela can't accompany them on their unofficial quest, they visit the other Pandavas in their dreams.

### Aru Shah and the City of Gold

Nikita and Sheela live with their parents and frequently visit their sisters in their dreams. While they are not on the quest to complete Kubera's trials, they still provide some aid to the Potatoes. Later, Nikita trains with her other Pandava siblings in preparation for the war against the Sleeper.

## Appearance

Nikita is described as looking about ten years old, with dark skin and her hair woven into dozens of tiny braids. She has ice blue eyes that turn green when she uses her powers. When claimed, she gains a green heart at the base of her throat. At the end of *Aru Shah and the Song of Death*, she wears a fancy head wrap. At the beginning of *Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes*, she is wearing a flower-print dress with a shiny blazer over it, as well as a small tiara.

## Personality

Nikita has a “haughty” voice and is dismissive of the Pandavas. However, Aru realizes that Nikita acts stuck-up as a defense mechanism due to her parents being separated from her at an early age. She still act rather stuck-up to the Pandavas even as she gets to know them better, but it doesn't bother Aru because she understands Nikita's reasons for acting that way.

When the Pandavas first meet her, Nikita visibly cares for Sheela and protects her. She later comes to care for her other Pandava siblings and becomes more comfortable around them, especially Aru.

Nikita also has an awesome sense of fashion and loves clothes. Because she wasn't able to keep many things while switching between foster homes, Nikita taught herself how to make her own clothes. She believes clothes can be armor, and that armor has no reason it shouldn't be pretty.

## Relationships

### **SHEELA JAGAN** (Pandava sister, twin)

Nikita and Sheela are very close. Nikita is very protective of Sheela, and Sheela appreciates Nikita and knows her true personality, which most other people don't see often.

### **ARU SHAH** (Pandava sister, friend)

Nikita is somewhat cold to Aru at first. Later, when Aru sees her nightmare, Nikita is grateful for her help -- she sends Aru a thank you note, although she's careful to not let it get too heartfelt. She's worried about being vulnerable with Aru, but Aru quickly grows to view her as a little sister and teases her. Nikita soon grows to believe in Aru strongly to do the right thing, protect her and her twin, and be generally a big sister.

### **MINI KAPOOR-MERCADO-LOPEZ** (Pandava sister, friend)

Nikita and Mini don't interact much, but they become friends after a rough start. Mini continually is very kind to Nikita and Sheela.

### **BRYNNE RAO** (Pandava sister, friend)

Nikita is initially aggressive towards Brynne in response to her doubting the twins being Pandavas and they get into a fight quickly. Later, Nikita acts somewhat passive-aggressively to Brynne, until the end, when they grow closer. In *Aru Shah and the City of Gold*, Brynne cares for Nikita just as much as she cares for Aru and Mini, and treats her like a younger sister.

### **AIDEN ACHARYA** (reincarnated wife)

Nikita is wary around Aiden, but curious about how the other girls treat him and call him "Wifey." Aiden takes a depersonalized approach to Nikita and doesn't get involved in the tension. Aiden is careful around Nikita and makes sure she is safe, such as making sure Nikita's head is not dangling out of Brynne's arms when the Potatoes leave Chandra's home.

### **RUDY** (friend)

TBA

## Powers and Abilities

### **Dream Travel**

Nikita, along with Sheela, can contact the other Pandava sisters across long distances through their dreams.

### **Less Accessible Mind**

In *Aru Shah and the Song of Death*, Queen Uloopi states that because Aru, Brynne, and Mini are Pandavas, their minds are harder to access, with sizeable gaps in memory. This can be assumed to apply to Nikita and Sheela too.

### **Tracking Mark**

Nikita was claimed when she was underage, which granted her a green heart at the base of her throat that the Otherworld authorities could use to track her.

### **Pandava Mind Link**

Nikita is able to communicate telepathically with her sisters. It can be blocked out, and typically it’s easier the better you know somebody. Nikita so far has used the Pandava mind link with Aru, Brynne, and Mini in their dreams, and once in her thoughts.

### **Chlorokinesis**

Nikita has the ability to manipulate and create plants of all sorts. She often creates black vines and various flowers, and has great control over them. Nikita can also converse with plants.

## Trivia

* Nikita is a Hindi name meaning “unconquerable“ and “of the earth".
* Jagan is also Hindi and means “one who is self confident”.
* She is bilingual, speaking both English and Guyanese Creole.
* As said in Roshani Chokshi’s Instagram story, she is a Leo sun and Sagittarius moon