Originally posted by: sashashyam
The abiding image of today's episode was the very last one: Jalal and Bairam Khan in a tight embrace, silhouetted against the sky. It warmed my heart as nothing else in all these nearly 5 weeks of Jodha Akbar, for in one fell sweep, it blew away the miasma of siyasat, of power gained and power lost, of cynical games played with the lives of others. All of that will undoubtedly return, and in force, but for this one brief moment, the air was pure and fresh, and the heart prevailed.
The final encounter between Jalal and his Khan Baba, which was far more emotional than anything Bairam Khan would ever have permitted his pupil to indulge in - he does not allow even tears at the death of Jalal's father - did not only redeem the former Wazir-e-Aala. It also saved Jalal from doing something he would never have been able to get over for the rest of his life, destroying the man who, whatever his present failings, had provided him with a father figure for all of his growing years. It was his Khan Baba's final, priceless gift to his pupil.
The scene was indeed emotional...it was jalal with his khan baba...the man who was always there for him...who protected him and mentored him...
The end scene also proved, beyond all doubt, that Jalal not only has a heart, but that he does not need a Jodha to teach him how to use it. I had written earlier that he has an admirable trait: he is grateful for any and all kindnesses done to him. This is remarkable and rare in a king, for kings have a highly developed sense of entitlement, and see the loyalty and devotion of their followers as no more than their due; gratitude is out of the question. Not so with Jalal, and this is an innate quality that has always been there.
This was more in evidence today than ever before in the debate over how to tackle Bairam Khan's rebellion. Jalal seems lost as his heart struggles with his head , while Mahaam Anga, her eyes as hard as agates, and Hamida Banu Begum, looking exactly like the Before part of a Saridon ad for headaches😉, fight for his soul. Sandwiched between them, their clashing arguments washing over him, Jalal agonizes, brow furrowed in helpless indecision.
I have huge issues with this...shehensha seeking advice is one thing and getting swayed is another...first the jail sequence..then bk issue..for once I want to see shehensha taking a decision which is his own...every time jalal sets out for something, he gets surrounded by people who are so ready to plant their ideas in his mind...
Mahaam Anga-Ruqaiya: I was waiting for Ruqaiya's promised chaal to get back at Mahaam Anga after the Zaheer fiasco, but the CVs apparently forgot about that. Now they have metamorphosised into a pair of most unlikely allies, against Hamida Banu Begum for the present, and even more so against Jodha when the time comes, for they will soon sense her threat potential.
I guess the idea is to side with the one who is strongest at this point...and then topple him/her at the first opportunity...
They are also making her out, suddenly, to be a political power, collecting the jaziya and lecturing Jalal on the duties and responsibilities of kingship. Gone is any evidence of the chronic insecurity about her hold on him that was most sharply in evidence on Tuesday, which was rooted in her childlessness. She now looks every inch the confident, favourite First Consort, flaunting the Malika-e-Hind title that was never used before. This Ruqaiya does not seem likely to seek reaffirmations from her lord and master about her being his most chaheti begum. The Malika-e-Hind would have no such doubts. What has happened all of a sudden?
That tax collection scene left me zapped...'mallika-e-hind' running from tent to tent to collect taxes...🤣🤣
Jodha-Ruqaiya: Well, the keenly awaited Jodha-Jalal encounter proved, not unexpectedly, to be a no show, as the two of them circled that tree so many times that it seemed impossible for him not to hear the sound of her payals, or even to step on the end of her trailing odhni! But still I enjoyed it, especially Jodha's quick-wittedness in scaring the deer away with smoke (she has apparently done a Girl Guides course in camping, including lighting a fire without a match!😉)
Exactly my point...!!!!!
In this, the first of her successful encounters with Ruqaiya, an indirect one, she was helped greatly by Ruqaiya taking an inordinate amount of time for her shot. If she does this all the time, she would not be able to hit even a slow moving elephant!
😆I thought she is gonna release that arrow next year...
What was intriguing here was the detachment with which Jalal views the whole proceeding, commenting, in an unconscious echo of Arjuna's maxim in the Mahabharata, that her focus must be total and she must, in some way, become one with the target. He also senses the smoke - there is something in the air, the winds are changing, he says - even before he sees the smouldering twigs. When he does see them, his eyes light up in genuine amusement and appreciation of the trick played on Ruqaiya.
The half smile...it said it all...😳and jalal looked so handsome...sorry for drooling again...
In the second one encounter, about the jaziya, Jodha had all the best lines, though entirely predictable ones, and she rounded it off by the grand gesture of handing over a priceless necklace in payment of the tax for the whole lot of the pilgrims. Apparently the Malika-e-Hind is also a closet chartered accountant, seeing that she does a lightning calculation and sets off the value of the necklace against a whole year's jaziya (for how many pilgrims?😉
Jodha was calm, composed but her royalty intact...the situation was handled very well by her...
Jodha : They are getting some things about her just right. I liked two things about Jodha yesterday.
One was the calm dignity, firm but free of arrogance, with which she put that cheeky chunari seller in her place, capping that by draping the expensive chunari - fit only for the Mughal Shahenshah's begums - over her maid's head. It was a splendid put down, much better than chewing the woman out,and she added a solid retort about Mughal shehzadis and Rajputanis to sew everything up. Of course it was the 150 mohras that spoke the loudest, but she handled the whole impeccably.She handles the jaziya encounter with Ruqaiya with the same clear-eyed, non-confrontational firmness, and emerged the winner. She will handle Mahaam Anga the same way when the time comes for that.
Second, I liked the open, childlike (not childish) way in which she laughed when Motibai ends up with mud all over her face and over that 150 mohra chunari. It was like a carefree little girl, and it was charming.
In bazar she outwitted the chunari wali...giving the chunari to motibai was the master stroke...
That Jodha treats her maid as her equal is admirable, but there has to be a limit to that. I did not like the way Motibai bargained for that chunari like a housewife in a fish bazaar, without waiting so see what Jodha felt about it at all. She should keep the rank and dignity of her mistress in mind. It looked bad, and it only highlighted the need for some staff discipline. The Mughal court is far more hierarchical and formal, and if Jodha treats the servants there in the same way as in Amer, and tries to befriend all and sundry, she will soon be in the suds. A queen must be kind, but a bit aloof and dignified as well; otherwise the staff will start being presumptuous.
I like moti Bai...but, her rant was irritating...she can even beat us, the dilliwales in the art of bargaining...
Questions for the day: Jodha is shown celebrating what is apparently Deepavali in Amer. The Yamadwitiya is the day after Deepavali, and is popularly known in North India as Bhaidooj. She is carried in a palki all the way from Amer, with a longish halt in Bhanpur, to Mathura. How does she manage to reach Mathura for the Yamadwitiya?
And how does Sujamal, with whom she has no way of communicating , also turn up there on the dot?
My response is-😆...just add this one to the ever growing list...Abdul writing msg, palki is he fastest mode of transport...
Joke of the day: Suryabhan Singh, on hearing of the falling out between Jalal and Bairam Khan, proclaiming that Yeh Jalal to aur bhi (?!?) kamzoor bana dega, and so it would be no big deal for him to defeat Jalal and fulfill his promise to Jodha about, what else, getting her Jalal's head. I almost fell off my chair laughing. Famous last words!!
😆😆Surya forgot jalal sneaked in and out of amer...killed dozens of soldiers...without the help of his mentor...I thought bharmal and co will take the hint...but I was wrong...For heaven sake stop showing rajputana as an incompetent lot...it's gonna add fuel to the already ongoing protests...
I enjoyed reading your post...it's always nice to read your analysis...thanks for such good posts...😊
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