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TEMPLE
'Its not necessary to have one's head chopped off to place their head at the deity's feet...you can just bow your head humbly and the same effect is achieved!'the Emperor advices her wisely - words that are reiterated by the Pujari of the temple [How beautiful that at the Dargah while the Maulvis were in all praise for Jodha, here at the Mandir its the Pujari supporting Jalal's words!]
'I've fulfilled your wish and your pledge now' the Kings tells her with a smile. Soon after, he walks up to her 'Now you can be happy Jodha Begum' [He was NOTHING short of a gentleman here😃]
However, she stands still - shaken - probably because the reasons behind what she'd considered an otherwise 'unshakeable hatred' were slowly feeling meaningless!
Then, the pujari reminds the queen that it'd been eons since Jodha had sung an Arthi there. Therefore following the old man's wishes, Jodha accepts the Arthi plate and sings the song with earnest fervour. All of this while Jalal stands back and observes her - sporting a grim expression all along.
Once the Arthi is finished, Jalal asks his wife the question that'd probably been eating him inside 'I don't understand one thing Jodha Begum...why did you ask for my head...for my head to be placed in this deity's feet' he asks her - his tone soft.
'Like you don't know anything' she retorts 'Do you see this statue?'
'Yes...it's beautiful...your people have decorated it very well...'
'This is not how it was originally' Jodha corrects him with rage 'If you'd seen how this temple was originally, you'd be awestruck!'
'Then why is it like this now?'Jalal asks with concern
Jodha goes on to inform him about the misdeeds that had been committed there and then the people responsible for it too
'It was done by Shehenshah Jalal-ud-din's army...' she says, startling the quiet King who stood in front of her 'Why so surprised...this is not hearsay...this is something I witnessed with my own eyes!'
She conveys all that had happened on that fateful day including the unfortunate incident that befell Mothi!
While the stunned Jalal is unable to do anything beyond take all of it in silence, Jodha continues pouring her heart out - about how his army had vanquished scores of Ameri soldiers during the war
'We consider it a matter of honour to sacrifice our lives on the battlefield ...however, the tragedy is that our brave men lost our lives because of the cruel plots and wayward strategies that your army had utilized against us' [That and the fact that the onscreen Ameri counterparts didn't know how to hold a sword-forget fight😆!]
'This is why I hate you! Give me one reason why I shouldn't hate you...' [I'll tell you many Jo...I'll tell you many😛]
No sooner than the Pujari arrives with the Prasad Jo's entire mood changes [As long as she wasn't talking to Jalal, she was a different person altogether!😆]
The Pujari also - just like that baba at Agra and the Maulvis at Ajmer - bless the couple with 'long life' and the grace of 'healthy children' to further their lineage!
While Jodha doesn't flinch, Jalal watches on with disturbed frowns. Her words had definitely ruffled his peace!
MA-ADHAM
'Claims to hate? Ha' Adham smirks to himself - knowing the truth all too well [If Adham the great knows the truth, then I think its all too open for everyone to see😆]Though Jalal's visit to the temple might be the CVs attempt to fulfil our 21st century cravings for drama, MA and Adham's hatred for the fact that Jalal visited a Hindu temple balanced the story! Their discussions made absolute sense.
'I can't understand this...' MA states angrily 'When Jalal claims to hate Jodha so much why does he listen to everything she says...this one blunder he's committed pertains to religious issues...he's going to have to answer a lot of people for this when he returns to Agra...I don't like that my Shehenshah should endure all this!'
JALAL-MINISTER
Jalal is unhappy - very very unhappy with the fact that such atrocities were being committed under his name -behind his back -and that he was NOT being informed of any of it. Frustrated, he chides his minister for this inappropriate method of administration.
'Such things might happen in other Sultanates, but not in mine!' he speaks sternly 'Once we defeat a kingdom, we have a right to ask them to pay penalties...however, looting the common-folk is not ethical...even if ONE soldier loots the defeated subjects, onlookers would consider it as being done with the permission of the King...we have to make the appropriate changes in the administration to make sure that news of any such misbehaviour reaches me without fail!'
'Now that I'm at Amer...I wonder what other grievances I'll get to learn of!' he mutters to himself unhappily
[How pithy were those words...how astute...mark of a man who's about to reach great heights!]
MA-JODHA
For some reason, though Jodha was totally innocent - I liked MA putting her points across to Jodha because Jodha got to learn the other side of the story too i.e. how the other Mughals would view Jalal's visit to the temple!
Seeing how MA was puffing and panting at the end of her outburst, Jodha coolly goes ahead to fetch a glass of water for the enraged woman. [Wow girl...love you for it!👏]
'Do you think that Shehenshah would have actually listened to MY wish and come to the temple? You know him better, don't you? Then, you should know that he only listens to who he wants to...if he doesn't want to listen to someone, he just ignores them...being his Begum, its my duty to follow his wishes...that I do so without questioning him...but you can question him...' her tone still civil, the queen continues shrewdly 'You can do so either as his Badi Ammijaan or as the minister of the state! Why don't you ask him why he accompanied me to the temple?'[WOW]
She then orders a maid to take MA along to Jalal 'She's new at Amer...she wouldn't know the place here' [Intended to mean that MA didn't know the ways, methods or means of the place😛]
'He's my son...I need no one to lead me to him' MA barks back 'You're only throwing me out now!'
Ending her tirade, MA vows never to forget this humiliation from Jodha - vouching to get back at her for this one day!
JALAL-MA
Obviously, MA is further enraged when she realizes that she has to undergo further security clearance to meet Jalal. However, soon enough she realizes this was necessary for Jalal's safety and co-operates willingly! [This woman really confuses me...she wishes well for Jalal and yet wants his position for herself... she dotes over him and yet kills his own child...I don't know of many who'd be torn between such extremes!]
So preoccupied in her thoughts was she that she failed to acknowledge his greeting!
'I said SALAAM-ALAIKUM!' he reminds her [I know I'm going to be thrashed for this- but, I just loved his serious expressions here. Having seen him constantly smirking for the last 3 days, this was a really welcome change😆]
MA is snarky - angered and sarcastic, she tells him about what she'd just been subjected to. He is about to charge ahead and take the Ameri soldiers to task, but she stops him.
She then tells her ward affectionately 'These marks on your face will go away soon...however, the disrepute on your position will never go away!'
She explains all about her Mughal-based insecurities - how he was becoming increasingly lenient towards the Ameris. He was going against the tide.
However, Jalal is confident of his faith 'The only reason I went there was because Jodha visited Ajmer Sharif to keep Pir Sahib's word...therefore, I also visited the temple to follow her dadisa's wishes...when she can be broad-minded as a princess, I can be so too as a king'
MA is not convinced. However, he tries comforting his Badi Ammi in a kind tone 'Visiting a temple does not mean I'll lose my faith...my faith is my life and my strength...' he explains 'Mughal emperors have tried to rule Hindustan by bringing it all under one faith and remained unsuccessful...I want to rule their minds AND their hearts...'
He concludes with a victorious smile - a smile that melts MA's heart. Their exchange of affection at the end was so moving. Though the CVs didn't depict it so, I wish affection from MA's end was also whole-heartedly genuine. What a mother-son pair these two make.
Another point - While they have showed Jalal melting and becoming softer since the start of the show, they didn't fail to show that he hadn't faltered from his ambitions. His proud smile at the end that said 'I want to rule over all of Hindustan' basically shows that he does want to expand and rule - but, he wants to do it the right way.
No wonder, he was the uber successful Shehenshah Jalal-ud-din Mohammed!😊
PRECAP
Sooo adorable 😆
'WHAT HAPPENED JODHA BEGUM?' says a confused Jalal as he leans on his bed
'Shhh' the worried wife tells him, a knife in her hand
'what happened Jodha Begum?' he whispers again
FINALLYYY we see them sharing a bed YAYYY
MY TAKE
What a spectacular episode!!!
Every scene so meaningful..so touching..so required..so justified! Every scene well directed - no shoddy editing. There were no ridiculous time-wasters and both, Jodha and Jalal were AMAZING today. Please please don't lose track CVs..we want many more of such!
The last time I said this was after the suicide episode - but, what was there NOT to like today?😛
Arjun
Cricket
Udne Ki Aasha
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
