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There are lot of discrepancy in Jodha's character in serial compared to Jalal
Jodha was shown as someone having a high level of self respect and one who believed in empowering women
I really respected Jodha when she asked the emperor to allow her to continue her religion, he culture and life style like vegeterian food at Agra too. I think Jalal also appreciated a free thinking woman and respected her wishes and stood against society, ullema's and relatives and ministers to ensure that all her wishes were fulfilled.
But slowly i have lost respect for her character. There are many reasons for that
1) Her attitude that Mughals are inferior and bad and Rajvanshi's are superior and good. This notion is wrong because it depends on an human being, his upbringing etc. You can classify an entire race as good or bad based on certain traits of certain people of that race, caste, creed. Did Jodha forget how Meera Bai was treated by Rajvanshi family or her family herself bargained her for their sons freedom and for safety of an kingdom. Hence this notion of hers is completely wrong. Will Rajvanshi's if ever they marry a muslim/christian/buddist women ever allow them freedom of religion, traditions, allow to celebrate their festivals and follow their way of customs? I am not sure if i know any Ameri King married another religion woman in history. Because obivously they considered other religion, caste women inferior and untouchable like. Even in 21st century no royal family member shall marry different caste women forget different religion and give her equal rights of her religion.
And what about burning wives on husband's pyre in Rajvanshi Ameri just because sons/brothers/father-in-law/brother in laws do not want to take responsibility to take care of that girl/woman after husbands death? Doesn't Rajvanshi Ameri widow women have right to live after husband? God gave her life only God can take it away. Isn't Jodha thankful she need not burn alive after Jalal's death and can enjoy life with her son and grand children till God calls her back from earth? Could she have done that if she married Suryabhan? So how can Mughals be inferiors and Rajvanshi's superior?
2) The second thing is about her marriage to Jalal itself. Jalal asked her if she wanted to marry him and she was fine but with the conditions. But she never imposed any condition saying she will not allow him to have husband rights till she decides. This rule she brought after marriage. May be if she had got that rule before Jalal would have rejected marrying her. Then her brothers life would be in danger and her father can no longer be King. So the clever Jodha got this rule after wedding. So now Jalal is in catch 22 situation because he loves her but she takes his love as lusting after her and wanting to spoil her dignity. Can anything be more humiliating for an husband than that his wife thinks like this about him? And not only thinks she states all this in front of his other wives, mother, maids, soldiers and by now entire harem knows emperor and Jodha has no relationship. And they sure must be making fun of Jalal behind his back.
3) Jodha has different rules for herself and others. When her marriage was forced, fixed without asking her she created ruckus and demanded all sort of concessions to marry from Jalal. But what about her sister Shivani. She has no thoughts, no desires, no say in marriage. How can Jodha assume Shivani wants to marry a muslim Mughal man? How she assume that Shivani is fine with marriage taking place in muslim customs? Doesn't that mean Shivani has to convert to muslim before nikaah? How she can make all decisions herself? Akbar asked her many times is Shivani fine with wedding, is she fine with converting, is she fine with nikaah rather than pheras and she says yes, yes, yes on behalf of shivani. Does not shivani have rights like Jodha?
Now if Shivani runs away with Tej her lover on wedding day and Jalal and his family will be disgraced i shall only blame Jodha for her over confidence and arranging marriage without asking her sister. She herself was in love with Suryabhan before her marriage to Jalal. So why she not thinking her sister may also love some one? After all love can happen to teenagers, Shivani is 15-16 why she may like someone?
I am really disappointed in Jodha. What about all the long lectures on girl/women rights, equal treatment when she herself cannot follow it? It looks like modern politicans and activists preaching common man equal rights etc while not practicising it.
Atleast Jalal and others in Agra fort show their true characters(other than Maham) and do not preach and do something else?
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