Friends, it was an interesting and gripping episode in parts yesterday. The best way I can think of to put the overall perspective on this episode is to call it a bit of a "blood and gore" episode.
We had two instances of the macabre entering the episode ...
First Mahchuchak in Kabul was telling Fazal Beg that she was itching for the throne of Agra and wanted to eliminate Jalal, but Jalal's agent in Kabul, Ghani Khan (son of Munim Khan and nephew of Fazal Beg himself), was the spanner in the works. Ghani Khan was keeping such a tight eye on the goings-on at Kabul that Mahchuchak was feeling hemmed in. Fazal Beg then told her "Oh, no, let me bring that sweetness and peace back to your life" and he clapped for the servants to bring in two trays.
When Mahchuchak lifted the covers on these trays here's what she found: on one tray was a watermelon oozing with not just its red juice but also the blood of Ghani Khan, and on the other tray was the severed head of Ghani Khan. Flashbacks showed us how when he was eating watermelons, Fazal Beg's men murdered Ghani Khan and allowed his blood to permeate the watermelon in his hands, even as his head was severed. When all this blood and gore was brought to Mahchuchak, she looked gratefully at Fazal Beg and then proceeded to enjoy the juice of the watermelon. OMG! Yuck! Blech!
The second part of the blood and gore in the episode was a little less gory but very intriguing nonetheless. The three wives of Jalal were bringing their gifts for Jalal (from the Meena Bazaar competition) when Todarmal decided to stand at the entrance of the DEK and inspect all the gifts before allowing the Shahenshah to accept them. He allowed Ruq's shamsheer to pass and so also Salima's pendant and chain. But when time came for Jodha's pagri to pass his checkpoint, he ran his hands all over the pagri, including inside its rim (where as we know from the previous precap that Shehnaaz had already poisoned it).
For a few moments nothing untoward happened, and so Todarmal let the pagri also pass. But within about fifteen minutes of letting the pagri into the DEK, Todarmal was aghast to see his own hands. They were itching sorely and blood was oozing from the scratches all over his palms. Clearly his hands had been lacerated by the poison on the rim of the pagri! Todarmal ran into the DEK to warn Jalal.
Jalal was already into receiving his wives' gifts - he had taken the shansheer and thanked Ruq and he had taken the chain and pendant and thanked Salima - and was in the process of accepting the pagri from Jodha when Todarmal ran in shouting "STOP". He showed his bloodied hands to Jalal and said "Do not even touch that crown, it's been poisoned, look at my hands after I inspected it. This didn't happen with the other two gifts, as you have not been tainted by them. So it is this crown that contains this poison that has shredded my palms."
Jalal then asked a stunned and distraught Jodha where she had kept this crown all night before the Meena Bazaar, and Jodha said it had been placed near Kanha. The shrewd Todarmal then deduced that the culprit has to be one of Jodha's aides only, for this person had free access to her rooms when she was sleeping, knew where the pagri was kept, and was seemingly above the sipahis' suspicion. Thus it was that a "tehkeekaat" was begun on the possible culprit!
Anyway aside from these two high blood-soaked points, there were a few scenes that were pleasant. Here's what all happened in the whole episode ...
The episode started just after Jalal had seen all the gifts at the Meena Bazaar. He was declaring the winner. "I liked all the gifts for they were really well chosen", he said, "but if I have to pick one winner, it would have to be Salima Begum with her simple but poignant gift". Congratulations flowed from all quarters to a very happy Salima, who in fact seemed to have chosen such a simple gift so that Jodha would win!
Ruq looked a bit miffed to lose, but it looked like she was happier to lose to Salima than Jodha. Jodha happily hugged Salima and congratulated her! Her feelings of joy for Salima were heartfelt! Jalal then asked his wives to bring their gifts to the DEK where he would receive them all!
The next scene was somehow very heart-warming. Jalal was walking through the gardens when he saw Rahim playing "horse, horse" by being mounted on Munim Khan's back and Munim Khan was tirelessly ferrying his little lord and master here, there and everywhere like a faithful old horse. Jalal's approach made Rahim get off the back of Munim Khan as Jalal asked Munim if he didn't remember his own son Ghani Khan doing this same thing as a little boy. Munim the proud father of Ghani said "Yes it does remind me of my own son, but my son is now all grown and is your agent in Kabul". Jalal too agreed that Ghani was doing a fine job at Kabul keeping a firm eye on things there.
This scene was so poignant, because in the subsequent scenes we get to see the fate of poor Ghani Khan at Kabul. I know that Munim Khan was himself not a very trustworthy egg for Jalal, but no matter what his own personal integrity, he too was a fond father of a fond son. His love for his son was so obvious ... as was the sanket that something awful was going to befall his son!
In the third scene of the episode we had our "lollipop love scene". Jodha and Jalal were seen going for a pleasant walk together (followed of course by many sipahis at a comfortable distance behind them). Jalal looked at the quiet Jodha and asked her if she were upset that Salima had won the Meena Bazaar competition. "Oh no, I am happy for her", said Jodha, "for her present is one that will be close to your heart when you wear it, closer than a pagri or shamsheer can be". But Jalal just turned towards her and said "But do you know who is the person closest to my heart?" She looked at him with large eyes and almost willed him to say who it was. "Its' you," he said very simply and very gladdeningly! Jodha was very moved and they then started walking on. He noticed that their hands were touching as they walked, and he then took her hand in his and for the remainder of the trip they walked hand in hand. It was not a majorly romantic scene, but it was rather sweet!
At Kabul, as I wrote in my opening remarks, Mahchuchak was complaining to Fazal Beg that she was just itching to finish off Jalal and get the Agra throne - but this nephew of his, Ghani Khan, was acting as agent and spy for Jalal sitting in Kabul, and not much could be plotted under his alert eyes. This was when Fazal Beg then decided to bring "sweet and peace" to Mahchachuk by bringing her Ghani Khan's severed head on a platter along with a half eaten watermelon oozing with Ghani Khan's fresh blood. "Both of these have been freshly cut for your enjoyment" Fazal Beg said as Mahchuchak thanked him and started savouring the juice of the watermelon! (Geez, it was worse than a vampire movie!)
Earlier flashbacks of exactly how Ghani Khan was murdered were shown, when Fazal's men cornered his nephew as he ate watermelons and beheaded him and let his blood soak the watermelon in his hand!
After this scene disgusted all of us, matters then turned to the DEK. The three wives of Jalal were seen marching towards the DEK bearing their gifts and surrounded by their entourages! Todarmal, for some reason, appointed himself at the entrance to the DEK to inspect and pass these gifts as safe for the King to touch and use.
He fist let past Ruq's shamsheer and then Salima's gold chain and pendant. He also let pass Jodha's pagri after running his hands all over it and inside its rim. The wives then proceeded to go into the DEK, where Jalal called them up one by one to give him their gifts. Salima graciously handed over her gift to Jalal which he then wore around his neck, and Ruq went next with her shamsheer that seemed to thrill Jalal all over again with its balance and sharpness. Time came for Jodha to go ahead and hand over her pagri.
Just then a commotion was heard outside. It was Todarmal. He had barely passed the pagri during his inspection about fifteen minutes back, when his hands - his palms - became sore and itchy and started oozing blood. He was startled but he knew it was not caused by the earlier two gifts he had seen, it was from the pagri that he had elaborately touched! He ran into the DEK just as Jodha was about to hand the pagri over to Jalal to wear it. "Stop Shahenshah!", shouted Todarmal, "that pagri has been poisoned".
"What?" asked Jalal in consternation, whereupon Todarmal showed him his bleeding palms and said this was the result of touching and inspecting the pagri, and he was sure it was not one of the other two gifts because Jalal had already accepted these with no ill-effects! "If you had put on the pagri, this would have been the state of your head and face, and God knows, what worse fate may have befallen you!"
Jodha stood transfixed and looking on with alarm, as Todarmal then told Jalal they would have to do a strong investigation of the culprit! Jalal instantly agreed and he asked Jodha "Last night as you slept, where did you keep this pagri? Could anyone have taken it away for poisoning while you were sleeping?" Jodha replied "I had kept it at Kanha's feet". Todarmal then shrewdly said the person who could have done this poisoning had to have three distinguishing charactertistics. It would have to be someone trusted by Jodha to enter her rooms, the person must have free access without alerting any of the sipahis, and the person must be knowing where the pagri was being kept for the night ... and so the needle of suspicions points to one of Jodha's retinue.
Thus it happened that Moti Bai, Zakira and Shehnaaz were the only three people in question!
Todarmal started quizzing Moti Bai first, but Jodha sent a plea to Jalal that Moti could not have done it. Jalal too felt that way because he nodded to Jodha that while Moti had to be investigated too, she would not be harassed or needlessly suspected. Jalal told Todarmal "Please go easy on Moti Bai, we have already once done wrong by her for suspecting her erroneously in another case. Do your investigation, but do not hasten to blame anyone in a hurry without proof". Todarmal agreed.
The episode then ended with Jodha as she stood in the DEK forlorn, holding the offending crown in her hand "Why does such a beautiful gift I wanted to give him thus have to be sullied?" she thought, "Who is trying to use me to get at Jalal?". Jodha looked very disheartened and down!
In the precap we had Jalal asking Jodha "Was it you who put the poison on the pagri?"
Now taken by itself this could signal some kind of suspicion on Jodha and the beginnings of another MU. But I am quite sure Jalal no longer suspects Jodha so I can safely assume, I think, that this precap is a bit of clever editing just to keep the audience in suspense. Maybe when we see the full scene tomorrow Jalal will be actually saying to Jodha "Was it you who put the poison on the pagri? If no,t then why are you so afraid. Trust me, will get to the bottom of this matter. Don't worry yourself. My life is safe!"
My comments on this episode:
Folks, I think it's now getting patently clear that Todarmal's intervention in the pagri affair may have irked Shehnaaz no end - because her great plans of hurting Jalal with the poison were foiled. Shehnaaz must thus have been nursing an ire against Todarmal for being the spanner in the works. Added to this, I think , Maham who was at the DEK must also be having her mind ticking over at speed. When she heard Todarmal say the culprit could only have been one of Jodha's retinue, Maham must have instantly known that Shehnaaz would be the culprit.
I therefore anticipate a scene in this coming episode today where Maham catches Shehnaaz aside and says "I know it was you who tried to finish off Jalal through the crown poisoning, but you are a bewakoof to be so directly targeting Jalal. See you have just raised suspicion on yourself. Instead what you should do is to eliminate Jalal's supporters one by one, starting with this odious Todarmal who so spoilt your plan yesterday. He is part of the Hindu coterie that have started populating this palace ever since Jodha arrived. We both have to start eliminating this Hindu clan one by one till Jalal is left supportless. So my plan is that you should feign rape and accuse Todarmal of having molested you and "looted your izzat'. Jalal will be forced to examine that rape case with more urgency to try and exonerate Todarmal, and in the process you will achieve two things. This crown poisoning affair will become secondary and the rape charges will get precedence, and thus we will eliminate Todarmal from our path, while also saving you in the crown poisoning affair. If Todarmal himself is behind bars and not there to investigate the crown poisoning affair it will help your case!"
The thing is, folks, at this moment Shehnaaz looks like she is working on her own, for she and Maham are not yet accomplices. But after this crown affair and this rape charge against Todarmal, I feel Shehnaaz will completely have to sell her autonomy and herself into Maham's hands ... and after that this clever Maham will start shooting off Shehnaaz's shoulder. She will become Maham's puppet, caught squarely in her web and will be a ready candidate for Maham's blackmail too. This is how Maham systematically pounces on the ones that gets mixed up in badly-executed chaals and then makes them her blackmailed and bullied collaborators in her own superior and far-reaching saazishes!
So much for Shehnaaz now losing her freedom totally in Maham's hands.
I also suspect that the more Shehnaaz does against Todarmal she will also fall into Mahchuchak's clutches, and thus there may be a strange situation where Shehnaaz is dancing to the tune of two masters - Maham and Mahchuchak! That should be interesting to see who is the better puppet-master - Maham or Mahchuchak?
What I think will happen is that the more Jodha and Jalal as a team start tracking Shehnaaz down as the Suspect No. 1 in the crown affair and discover her antipathy to Jalal, this Mahchuchak is now also going to get terribly active against Jalal, with Ghani Khan removed from her path. So Mahchuchak is going to watch this "Jodha versus Shehnaaz" battle with glee and offer her "friendly assistance" to Shehnaaz at the first opportunity to nail Jalal with a full scale war.
Mahchuchak will have the advantage of an embittered and exposed Shehnaaz thirsting for revenge on Jodha and Jalal (for not only taking the takht from her but for also nakedly exposing her hand in the crown affair and in the false Todarmal rape charges), and Mahchuchak is also going to have the advantage of a new husband Haider Kasim with sizeable armies with which to wage war on Jalal.
Jalal may let Jodha take on Shehnaaz in a woman to woman battle, but when it all gets blown up into a full scale war it will have to be all hands to the deck. Jalal and even Jodha will both have to enter the fray and fight!
Here I am reminded that Abhay has given me lots of things to look forward to. Abhay said Jodha was so good a swordswoman and a general at war that she had a cavalry rank of 12,000! That is some really high standing in the army. Abhay also said that Jalal would henceforth take Jodha with him on all his wars, so I am expecting Jodha to be very much beside Jalal in this war and holding her own against the Mahchuchak charge.
Further Abhay has said that Ghani Khans's murder is just the tip of the iceberg - and a series of murders will now take place at Kabul as Mahchuchak ruthlessly eliminates those who have already served their uses for her as she makes new alliances with others (who will all also meet the same end-fate!). So things at the Kabul end seem ready for swift chops and changes.
I can see that we have an action-packed two weeks ahead when all talk of Chand Begum will go to the background and any romance of Jalal and Jodha may have to be conducted on the edge of the battlefield.But that should also be interesting to watch, so let's hope that we have enough drama to keep us gripped and holding the edge of our seats.
What's likely to come today? I think Maham will brainwash Shehnaaz to blame Todarmal on the rape charge, even as Todarmal, Jodha and Jalal try to zero in on the crown poisoing culprit.
Poor Zakira may become a suspect, I feel, because of her past career with someone like Benazir who was the Poisons PhD. But I like Zakira a lot because she's a brainy and smart cookie, and with her small size coupled with sharp alertness she can be an able spy on Jodha's side going forward. Even if she is initially suspected I hope she will soon be exonerated if she has some tidbits of clues that she can share to nail Shehnaaz with!
Who knows, Zakira might be able to spot the poison vial and hand it to the authorities along with her superior gyan on poisons which could help point to Shehnaaz as the culprit?
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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